I am perfectly convinced that the Epistles to the Romans and the Galatians are the answer to all the pretences of the Church of Rome, and that a man who will not read and follow them deserves to be misled.  God is perfectly justified and clear on this point.

During that winter six of my friends joined the Church of Rome.  One I have already told about, who died, I am sure, from grief and disappointment.* Another became bigoted, and with a sullen, dogged pertinacity, set himself to work for Rome, looking very miserable all the time, although he used once to be happy in the Lord’s work.  The others, without exception, went back into the world, and made no secret of their conformity with it, its ways, and fashions.

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* See page 263.
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This was a time of trouble in more respects than one.  These secessions to Rome brought great discredit upon the work, and especially on the effort to promote Catholic truth, and higher Church life.  I found my own refuge and comfort was in working for God, and therefore went out on mission work whenever and wherever I could.

Early in the spring of this year I went on a mission to Worcestershire, and there the Lord vouchsafed a great blessing, which has more or less continued to this day; though I grieve to say the present vicar has no sympathy with it.  The work is still carried on in an Iron Room, out of church hours, by people who continue to go to church.

The vicar of that time asked me to go and visit a farmer’s wife, who was under deep conviction, and wished to see me.  I did so, and as we approached the door (which was open) the first thing we heard was this individual saying, in a very high-pitched:  voice, “Confound...”

Seeing us, she suddenly stopped.  “Go on with your text,” said the vicar, quietly, “‘Confounded be all they that serve graven images;’ is that what you mean?”

“No,” she replied; “come in, I am so wretched that I don’t know what to do with myself; it has made me cross.  Do come in and pray with me.”

We at once consented; and on pointing her to Jesus, she found peace.  Not content with praising God alone, she opened her house for a meeting for the people in the neighbourhood.  This being situated on the confines of the parish, brought us into collision with the rector of the next parish.  He was most indignant at our coming (as he said), “to entice his people away.”

I tried my best to conciliate this gentleman, but nothing would do, particularly when he heard that I was thinking of settling down in the district.  This plan was however frustrated in an unexpected manner, and I was not permitted to remain there.

One day, when I was praying about the matter, a letter was put into my hand from a lady who had been asking the Lord for nearly six months that I might be appointed to her late husband’s church.  She had applied to Lord Palmerston, who was the patron, and though she had received no answer, yet she had continued to pray.