We then got permission to hold forth in the public market house, and even then so great was the hostility of the rabble, that they tried to bluff us off, by threats and epithets.  Our meeting was advertised to take place at nine o’clock, A.M.  The pro-slavery parties hired a colored man to take a large auction bell, and go all over the city ringing it, and crying, “ho ye! ho ye!  Negro auction to take place in the market house, at nine o’clock, by George Ore!” This cry was sounded all over the city, which called out many who would not otherwise have been present.  They came to see if it was really the case.  The object of the rabble in having the bell rung was, to prevent us from attempting to speak.  But at the appointed hour, Bro.  Dresser opened the meeting with prayer, and Samuel Brooks mounted the block and spoke for fifteen or twenty minutes, after which Mr. Dresser took the block and talked about one hour upon the wickedness of slaveholding.  There were not yet many persons present.  They were standing off I suppose to see if I was to be offered for sale.  Many windows were hoisted and store doors open, and they were looking and listening to what was said.  After Mr. Dresser was through, I was called to take the stand.  Just at this moment there was no small stir in rushing forward; so much indeed, that I thought they were coming up to mob me.  I should think that in less than fifteen minutes there were about one thousand persons standing around, listening.  I saw many of them shedding tears while I related the sad story of my wrongs.  At twelve o’clock we adjourned the meeting, to meet again at the same place at two P.M.  Our afternoon meeting was well attended until nearly sunset, at which time, we saw some signs of a mob and adjourned.  The mob followed us that night to the house of Mr. Ore, and they were yelling like tigers, until late that night, around the house, as if they wanted to tear it down.

In the fall of 1844, S.B.  Treadwell, of Jackson, and myself, spent two or three months in lecturing through the State of Michigan, upon the abolition of slavery, in a section of country where abolitionists were few and far between.  Our meetings were generally appointed in small log cabins, school houses, among the farmers, which were some times crowded full; and where they had no horse teams, it was often the case that there would be four or five ox teams come, loaded down with men, women and children, to attend our meetings.

But the people were generally poor, and in many places not able to give us a decent night’s lodging.  We most generally carried with us a few pounds of candles to light up the houses wherein we held our meetings after night; for in many places, they had neither candles nor candlesticks.  After meeting was out, we have frequently gone from three to eight miles to get lodging, through the dark forest, where there was scarcely any road for a wagon to run on.