[[10/11]] tree made a fearful leap (this was ascertained by following his track in the soft Earth next day, as nothing was seen at the time) when he <the rider> lost his balance, the saddle turned and rider and saddlebags came to the ground while the affrighted horse, with saddle under him, with fearful speed kept on his way. The Preacher arose from his wet soft bed with a grateful heart finding his life whole within him, and no bones broken. As he could still hear the sound of his horse’s feet on the distance, he knew it would be a vain attempt to follow him, and finding his saddlebags near him<putting <them> on his shoulder.> he felt his way back to the road, and in the darkness [walked del] <started> on, Having walked a mile or more he arrived at Bro. Long’s was readily admitted, but not untill + he came into the lighted room was he aware of his frightful appearance. His clothes were not only wet & muddy but litterally + torn to pieces, especially his Cloth Over Coat with a very Big Cape (which was the fashion and a very good one by the by, for Methodist Preachers as well as others, at that day) was all in ribbons, many strips not wider than one inch, indeed it was intirely + ruined so that it could no more be made fit for use, his other clothes also torn, yet strange [[11/12]] to say, his person, was not < even> scratched, O wonderful preserving Providence, surely the “hairs of our head are all numbered.” (11)
On Sabbath morning search was made for the horse by some young men, but in vain, They followed his track some distance, but coming upon a hard and rocky path. could follow it no further and returned. The time having arrived they all repaired to the Church where our youthful Itinerant proclaimed the riches of divine grace to a numerous and deeply interested audience. After preaching and meeting Class, (this was the custom in those days,) just as they were retiring from the house a man rode up to the door and proclaimed that, about nine oclock + on the previous night hearing a noise near the door he went out with a light and found a horse with bridle on and saddle suspended under him, that he had put the horse in his stable, and having made enquiry in the immediate neighbourhood (it was some two or three miles from the scene of the night disaster) and, finding no one who knew the horse, it was concluded that the owner being a stranger had been drowned in attempting to ford a swollen stream near his house, and he had come there to make the announcement, The man having described the animal as a large [[12/13]] fine black, said the Preacher that is my horse,
A young friend mounted another horse, and in company with the informer went to his house and in a short time the horse was returned not having sustained the least injury, the saddle a little abused. On Monday he started on and made the tour of the circuit, on Saturday night reached Mount Pleasant the place where he commenced the labours of the year, having just completed one round, and that night his horse took sick (not from any previous hurt) and before morning was dead in the stable.
This he thought a dark Providence indeed, He had laid out all his former earnings in procuring a home and conveniences for his aged Mother, & had bought his horse on a credit of twelve Months, How was he to get another? Was this an indication that he should return home? What should he now do? These with many other questions crowded upon his mind. For a short time he felt much depressed in spirit, he betook himself to prayer, and felt some relief in trusting in God, but yet could see no way to proceed, He went to the Church however and preached morning and at night. At the close of the service at night, a kind hearted Local <Preacher> (12) [[13/14]] at whose house he lodged, mentioned his loss to the congregation, with a request that some of the brethren would call at his store in the morning that some arrangement might be made for the temporary supply of a horse so that the Preacher could be able to proceed to his next appointment on the following Tuesday.
On Monday morning a few of the brethren called at the store, but in the mean time some of the young Gentlemen of the town <(who were not members of the Church)> had met together, made up a purse of several dollars, and sent it to the Local Preacher, Brother David McMasters, to aid in the purchase of a horse, This was a sufficient hint, During the day a valuable animal was purchased, the Local Preacher giving his individual note at ninety days,
Notice of the transaction was given by the senior Preachers at the several appointments, with the request that any who might wish the privilege of aiding in the payment for the horse would bring or send the money to the [illegible] Quarterly Meeting, and when the time arrived, there was more money brought and sent for that express purpose, by some forty dollars, than was required to pay for the horse, This was appropriated to the purchasing of a new, [[14/15]] “great Coat” and some of the necessary articles of clothing, Nor did the benevolence of the people stop here, their sympathy was excited for the young Itinerant <or in his behalf> and he was fully satisfied at the close of the year that was richer, in this world’s goods, by more than one hundred dollars, than he probably would have been, had his horse not died, By this he was taught to trust in God in the darkest hours in after life, for he fully realised that behind this frowning Providence was hid a “smiling face”. (13)
On this Circuit his labours were excessively severe, Preaching generally once and frequently twice <and always met + class each day, but what made his labours more <severe>> than they should have been, he spoke too rapidly, too loud, and sometimes too long, at least for his own good, and then he was intemperate in the pursuit of knowledge, This arose in part, from a consciousness of deficiency in point of knowledge for the work to which he was called, a fear of falling so far below the proper standards, as to disgrace the ministry, and he had a noble, tho perhaps not entirely a sanctified, ambition to excell, + Hence he, when not preaching or meeting class, had studied almost [[15/16]] incessantly, depriving himself of needful relaxation and <rest> generally, if he could procure lights, reading till twelve oclock + at night, and sometimes much later, and even until the light of morning, This considerably impaired his health, and he there, unconsciously, commenced laying the foundation of considerable affliction in after years. He was tenacious in guarding his character for promptness, fidelity and punctuality in filling all his appointments, perhaps even to a fault, which led him to run great risks, and regardless of danger, to press on. In proof of this, take the following. –
He had a regular appointment, but a short distance from the Ohio River nearly opposite Wheeling Va and some of the friends sometimes came over there to meeting, and as often solicited him to cross the River and Preach for them at night. He at length told them that when he came round the next time which would be, perhaps near the last of February, Providence permitting, he would visit them at night. The appointment was accordingly made, and when the time arrived, a few of the friends from Wheeling came over to his appointment, and in the [[16/17]] afternoon he returned with them, crossing the River on the ice, apprehending that there could be no difficulty in returning next morning, as the river had been frozen for some weeks, horses and loaded waggons and sleighs crossing daily with perfect safety, and as the weather continued cold, there was no thought of its breaking soon.
He preached by candlelight to a crowded audience, with considerable liberty, and then returned to his lodgings at the house of a merchant by the name of Boothe, where he was most kindly entertained. Having breakfasted in the Morning, his horse was brought to the door, and when about to mount, his kind host remarked that he would walk with him through the town and down to the River’s brink, as he was not tired of his company, They walked on, leading the horse by the bridle, still engaged in pleasant conversation, the young Preacher almost ready to promise them another visit, on his next round, when as they approached the bank of the River, what was their surprise to discern that during the night it had risen some four feet, occasioned by rains above, and that though the ice rested still upon [[17/18]] the surface of the water, yet as it was + distace + from the shore to the edge of the ice, it was impossible to cross there, one man had already made the attempt, and it was pronounced unpracticable +.
Well, said the host, you will have to remain with us for a few days, and can preach again tonight.
No I cannot remain, I have an appointment to day a few miles up the River, and then every day during the remainder of the week, and so on constantly. All would be disappointed, they will not know what has become of me, I cannot stay here.
Said the kind Brother, there is a ferry kept about a mile above the town where they have been crossing on the ice during the freeze, if you think you must try to go, I will walk with you up there, and see what the prospect is there, but I think it will be in vain.
They walked on, the conversation of course, not quite of so cheerful a nature, The young preacher lifting his heart in silent prayer to God, that some way might be opened for his escape. When they reached the place of crossing, the prospect looked dark indeed. They called out the man living near the bank, and asked do you think we can cross the River here?
No.
Is the ice strong enough [[18/19]] to bear the horse if we were on it?
Yes, strong enough I suppose, but how + you going to get on it? And then it is bursted + open in the middle as you can see from here, and the opening runs up some distance, I dont + know how far.
Said the kind host, brother I think you are compelled to stay, we must give it up.
Not, without further trial, if you will help me.
I will do anything I can, with safety, for I see you are pained at the idea of disappointing your people, but what can be done?
Why there is a long plank two inches thick at least, if we can borrow it I think it would reach from that little point of projecting land and rock on to the ice, let us tie the horse to this fence, run the plank out on to the ice and walk over towards the other shore as near as we can get, and see what the prospect is.’
This was done, and it was found that the plank was sufficiently long, that, with one end resting on shore, the other would extend, so as to rest from one to two feet on the ice, They walked on, found the rent in the middle of the stream, of a rod or more in width, but by walking some distance up the river, perhaps a mile or more, on the ice, they found themselves above the rent, and walked on till they [[19/20]] neared the Ohio side of the river, but there, as on the V a side, the ice was broken from the shore, leaving an opening of the dark deep water of perhaps twenty feet. They at length however discovered a tree which had been blown down and fallen into the water, and while the roots still rested on the shore the top limbs were frozen into the ice.
Here exclaimed the young itinerant I can reach the shore.
But how get your horse off?
O if we can succeed in getting him here, I’ll risk that.
They returned carried the saddle and equipage, across the plank on to the ice, and then the kind brother taking hold of the end of the bridle rein walked on before, and the horse partly coaxed & partly forced followed, Just as he reached the ice it broke at the edges letting the end of the plank drop into the water, but the horse, springing forward, reached the solid ice unhurt. The end of the plank being raised again out of the water the preacher walked on also. They then, leading the horse, followed their former track till they came to the place for debarkation, The saddle & saddlebags were carried to the shore by climbing out on the fallen tree; before mentioned, and then leaving Bro, Booth on the shore [[20/21]]