On arriving at my friend’s, Bro. J.B. Edwards, the question was soon put to me, "Have you heard the news?" "What news?" said I. "Why that a friend of yours has died and left all his property to you." "Well, that is news; but I suspect, too propitious to one whom ‘fortune’ has but little favoured in this world of trial and help-himself-who-can. Pray, upon what foundation do you credit the report?" "G.E.-----heard Senator D-----tell a number of gentlemen that such was the fact." This was certainly very interesting, but at the same time very indefinite news. That my friend is dead is true; but that his good intentions towards me ever assumed a legal form, I have yet to learn. Down to the time of my leaving Virginia his will had not been found; and, as it is a principle with me to regard the goods of this life as nothing—as a mere bird in the bush—until actually in hand, the only disappointment in the case I shall experience will be to find the report a reality. But, if I am myself sceptical, others appear to be quite credulous of the "windfall"—for from the wind or clouds a fall it certainly must be considered; for who ever heard, or could calculate upon the rich of such a generation of professors as this, devising means in their "last will and testaments" to one, whom his contemporaries regard as a pestilent fellow, to enable him to enlarge his operations, and to carry on his contention for the faith once delivered to the saints, more effectively! Their practice is generally to give tithe of mint and cumin to the Lord in life and death, while they devise their thousands to unthankful kin, the enemies of the Lord and his truth, who glory in their shame, spending their substance upon their lusts, and scattering it in riotous living every day. But, as I said, others appear quite credulous of the report; for on my return to New York I found it had preceded me, and my friends had very freely discussed, and pretty well settled to their own satisfaction, what disposition I ought to make of the property! This was really very thoughtful, very considerate and kind indeed! But it will be quite time enough for this discussion when I obtain the legacy, and when I seek counsel in the case. At present I have it not, and most likely never shall. I only mention it here as an incident by the way; and to disabuse the minds of my friends of the supposition that I am rich, when I am not, which is oftentimes inconvenient, and highly prejudicial to them that are poor.

The affairs of the gospel of the kingdom are not brilliant in King William; yet are they not worse than they were a year ago, but if any thing, they are perhaps a little in advance. Its affairs are brilliant nowhere, nor do its friends expect them to be till their Lord appears "in power and great glory." The progress of the truth is like the moving of a house; it makes many dead halts, and when it moves it is with much straining, and tediously slow. The obstacle to the gospel in this county is the worldly prosperity of the people. If they could only have health and deathlessness, they would be satisfied with King William as their heaven for ever. There is there plenty of marl to enrich their lands, fish and sora are abundant, fish-fries and barbecues not few, good cheer at home and gayeties abroad; what more could heaven give, and what more there to be desired by—an animal man? Yes, that’s the turning point—"the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." This is the difficulty wherever "the gospel of the kingdom" is introduced. It is comprehensive of "the things of the Spirit" which are foolishness to our contemporaries. "What!" they exclaim, "God going to set up a kingdom in that old rocky Palestine, and immortals to sit upon its thrones with Christ, reigning over Israel and the nations!" The thing is so contrary to all their conceptions and mode of thought, that they cannot receive it. How can they while they not only do not study, but scarcely read the prophets even as a duty to be performed. Not knowing these Scriptures, they have no spiritual discernment; and therefore they cannot understand the things set forth of the Spirit in the gospel of the kingdom. This is the great obstacle to our progress everywhere. The people hear us prove all we affirm, still they remain faithless; for they have no true faith in the Bible: and therefore, as the Lord said to his hearers, "If ye believe not Moses and the prophets, how can ye believe my words!"

Campbellism is in a dying state, and from present appearances there, not likely to hold out till the Lord come. The fashionable prosperity of the Baptists seems to overshadow it; and as there is so little theological and practical difference between them, and the crowd and fashion are with the populars, "reformers" find themselves more comfortable with them, and so one after another fall into the ranks of those they used contemptuously to style "Old Baptists." The believers of the gospel of the kingdom, however, are firm and bold for the truth amid the general corruption. They study the word and seem to delight in it. They are therefore the salt of the county and not to be moved from their steadfastness in Christ by the foolishness and folly on every side. Yet they are regarded as heretics. They are the most intelligent people in the Scriptures there; yet they are considered as altogether out of the way. Thus ignorance sits in judgment upon knowledge, and condemns it upon the old principle of hating the light, because its deeds, which are evil, and only evil, and that continually, are reproved thereby. The consequence is that it is but comparatively few of the King Williamers that will come to hear Moses and the prophets expounded and harmonised with the doctrine of Jesus and his apostles. The Campbellites, whose motto used to be, "prove all things and hold fast that which is good," are of all sectarians the most unwilling to hear. They will crowd to a political gathering and to popular religion-gettings, and be quite at home; but for the testimony of God in demonstration of the gospel of the kingdom they have no ear! The result is that leanness has consumed their souls, and reduced them to walking spectres among the people. "This Reformation" has become a proverb; and, on account of its high pretensions as compared with its existing Ichabod condition, an affair of no repute in popular esteem.

I spoke five times at Acquinton church, the old colonial temple of the Anglo-Hibernian Lady. Those who have obeyed the gospel of the kingdom, and who were all, with an exception or two, formerly Baptists and afterwards Campbellites, meet in this house twice a month; and at a school-house a few miles off on two other Lord’s days. The latter place, however, they intend to forsake when they shall have completed the meeting-house they are erecting near the Court-house. It was not quite finished when I was there; so that our meetings were restricted to the Georgian fane. Our audiences were not multitudinous, but "good." The multitude had divided off to numerous sectarian gatherings where they would hear nothing to disturb their self-esteem; and where Mrs. Potiphar would display her Parisian novelties in dry goods and millinery to the enviousness of Mrs. Virginia Croesus; and "fast" Mr. Timothy Shallow-brains would exhibit his exquisite and dear person to the admiration of all the belles in Vanity Fair. These fashionable reunions are a wholesome diversion from us. They turn the gallinippers and butterflies of society to their own more congenial haunts, separating them from the assemblies of candid and thoughtful inquirers after truth, whose sobriety is too often disturbed by their restlessness and folly. Our meetings were well purified of these; and I had the pleasure of expounding and testifying the things of the kingdom to people who seemed to be attentive and interested in what they heard. The brethren were strengthened in the faith, to which a friend from Essex, Mr. W. S. Croxton, became obedient; and (how shall I record the fact!) Major F----, the worthy pastor of the Sharon Baptist Church, who heard me on the first day, admitted, that I had delivered myself of a discourse in which there was no heresy at all! If this be so, either I must be verging upon "orthodoxy," or he must be becoming "heretical." The truth is, Major F----is more enlightened than the generality of preachers; and, having been trained for the law, is better able to appreciate an argument and evidence than they. If he will only study the Word and preach it boldly, he will not long occupy his present position. "Go thou and preach the kingdom of God." Can he give any good reason, why he should not obey these words of Christ?

My visit to King William having arrived at its terminus, I was forwarded to Richmond in a crank and ancient bi-rotal car, the only one like it in the county, I suspect, and retained, one might suppose, as a sort of Barnum-representative of Virginia antiquity. The wind not proving high, and the roads not very "sideling," though often, as the eccentric Randolph used to say of Virginia highways, "more gullies than roads," we journeyed the twenty-five miles without being capsized. Next morning at half past six, I was on the way to Louisa Court-house by the Virginia Central. Elymas was in the same train, but not in the same car, on his way to Gilboa in Louisa, to "preach the funeral" of a Campbellite evangelist, recently deceased in King William. An admirer informed me the day after that "he preached a very pretty sermon from the text, ‘I have kept the faith, &c.’’ I inquired if he defined "the faith" Paul said he had "kept," and proved its identity with the deceased’s? But on this point I could learn nothing. If he did not, it was a very capital omission in preaching a preacher’s funeral from such a text! How a preacher of Campbellism could have fought the good fight and kept the faith Paul preached, would "puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer" to explain, much more Elymas, whose ingenuity is none of the smartest. But sound can do wonders in the absence of sense; and a holy tone converts nonsense into the prettiest speech. Elymas, I am told, is a perfect Mawworm at this, whom few can excel in twang and sermonical falsette! He had much conversation with a friend of mine before he left the train, in justification of his persecution of my character. The principal reason that occurs to me now was the magnitude of my errors and the harm I had done, he, of course, being the judge! But, let it pass. The reason is the old-fashioned justification of inquisitorial and papal cruelty in all past ages practised upon the partisans of truth. The judges of "the errors" and "the harm" have always been self-constituted, and the enemies of the truth. They forget that the truth is one; and that mankind in relation to it are but as plaintiffs and defendants, not judges to execute vengeance upon their opponents. Elymas persecutes our character because he judges our views to be heretical and damnable!! And by what rule are they so determined? By the shallowness of his own beclouded intellect! He considers that C.D. preaches a false gospel; therefore he adjudges him worthy of cursing, and being condemned after this orthodox fashion, he sinks the judge and becomes the executioner, slandering and calumniating in a holy tone! This is his custom. He publishes the most mendacious twaddle, tricked off with the bravery of lack-a-daisical piety, as though holiness and verity had been imbibed with his mother’s milk! Let him reason and testify, and make plain to all the world, if he can, that the gospel of the kingdom we believe and preach, is a false gospel. We complain of no man for this. But "let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;" if it be possible, let him act the part of an honourable opponent, and leave all judicial vengeance and execution till the appearing of the Lord, when he will learn whether he will be accounted worthy of executing judgment, the honour of all the saints; or of exile from his presence and the glory of his power, the fate of those who obey not the gospel of the kingdom of God.

We arrived at Louisa Court-house about 10 A.M., and found two friends waiting to receive us. It was court day, and therefore none were to be expected at our meeting from hence. Breakfast being disposed of, we set out for Corinth, a free house on the confines of Louisa and Goochland, about ten miles from this station. We arrived here about 12.30, and found "quite a gathering." They were getting doubtful of my arrival, still had not become impatient. It was not amiss to travel seventy miles to an appointment by half past twelve; and in those parts some ten years ago (a time belonging to antiquity) would have been regarded not only a phenomenon, but impossible. The people having become hungry concluded to refresh themselves before the meeting was formed. They therefore spread out their provisions with a welcome to all. The stomach being at length quieted, the brain of the multitude was prepared for the conflicting influences about to operate upon it. These were the influence of the flesh, and the influence of the word: the former, as the result of digestion which often evinces itself in drowsiness, if not in profound sleep; and the latter, as the effect of "the deep things of God" exhibited from the Scriptures. I believe I can truly testify that upon this occasion the influence of the word was stronger than the flesh. I did not see any asleep; but all seemed to be wide awake, if not to conviction, at least to the hearing, of the New Doctrine—new to this generation, though old as the promises of God made to the fathers thousands of years ago.

After talking to them between two and three hours about the Age to Come, or "acceptable year of the Lord," I accepted the hospitality of Col. Bowles, who resides in Fluvanna County, about six or eight miles from the place of meeting. His residence is a very pleasant one, in view of Commodore Stockton’s gold mine, which some years ago belonged to the colonel. Sitting in his porch, we could hear the crushing mill at work in the opposite woods. There are other mines about here, but the Stockton mine is the most important, having absorbed more gold than the rest; but whether the yield has been in excess of the expenditure, I believe is known only to the proprietor, whose hobby it is, and who spares no expense in aiming to make it profitable. An English company is also at work in this vicinity, crushing the earth for gold; an occupation pretty general throughout the world. Gold is good; but the love of it in the lust of it, is bad, and the root of all evil. Its abundance is one of the good things promised in the world to come—"For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver." Hence, that world will be a perfect mine of wealth, to the richness of which the Stocktons, English companies, Californian and Australian diggers, are largely contributing; for "the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." This Age-to-Come gold mine is worthy of a lavish expenditure of time and means to obtain an interest in: but this generation’s faith in it is so weak, so infinitesimally small, that I fear but few of it will be able to show to the Master of the mint more than a single talent, carefully concealed in a napkin, which is worse than the possession of none at all. Men in the present state will sacrifice life and character for honour, glory, power, and gold; but they will jeopardise neither for these things in the Age to Come. The world is offered them on condition of believing and doing the words of God; but on such terms they reject it. They would seize upon the offer, if they might have it on their own terms—of self gratification. But this cannot be. No man can inherit the world that now is, and that which is to come. Purple and fine linen will have to give place to rags and tatters; for "It is the poor in this world rich in faith whom God hath chosen to be the heirs of the kingdom he hath promised to them that love him."

After meeting on the following day we adjourned to the hospitable abode of Dr. Gillespie, who, I believe, is the real proprietor of the meeting-house, which is sure to be a free one so long as he controls it. If the neighbourhood knew what was best for it, it would purchase the house, fit it up comfortably for winter, and make it free for all preachers, without exception, until the resurrection. They need not trouble themselves about what will become of it after that. The resurrected will attend to that matter; for all places of public assembly in all countries will be theirs, and they will make a righteous use of them, and for the best interests of the people; which the pulpit and denominational pietists of these days are incompetent to do. Let the people meet there every Sunday, and choose one from among themselves who can read best, and let him take the stand and read the Scriptures to them, beginning at Genesis. Let every man who goes to take a Bible with him, and follow the reader in his reading. When several chapters have been read, let the reading be discussed as freely as men discuss the weather, and crops, and the state of the markets, or the political questions of the day. No doubt, many foolish things will be said; but be not deterred from seeking to understand the Scriptures for fear of that; no greater nonsense can be spoken at such a meeting by laymen, than falls weekly from the lips of the clergy. After such a course as this, the people cannot fail of becoming more knowing in the word; and this is the first step to escaping from the errors which destroy them; and will be more highly beneficial than all the preaching they are accustomed to hear. The preachers will doubtless discourage such a course, being apprehensive that the intelligence of the people will outstrip their own. But never mind that. Let them preach; but let the people also study the Scriptures, for these only can make wise to everlasting life in the kingdom of God.

Next morning a son of Col. Bowles, and a worthy brother in the faith, conveyed me to the Louisa Court-house station, where I was to take the cars for Charlottesville. On our way we overtook Brother Allan B. Magruder, who had been professionally engaged in some law case, and who was also about to return home by the same train. It was not long in coming up, and we were soon on wing westward. In about three hours after, we arrived at Charlottesville, which, I suppose, every one knows is the locality of the University of Virginia. Hitherto no impression has been made upon the population of this place by the gospel of the kingdom. The Pride of Life has a little kingdom here of its own, whose pious luminaries have no taste for a gospel designed for and originally preached to the poor, and by the poorest of mankind. The most popular religious chattels are gilt-edged, silver-mounted, and velvet-bound "Common Prayers." Purple and Fine Linen tripping it to church on the light fantastic toe, with one of these in hand, may be regarded as Charlottesville Christianity in her silver slippers. The influence of this lady is supreme; and although her fellow citizens do not all burn sweet odours upon the same altar, yet being the most tender and delicate, the most patrician and refined, the most fashionable of the sons and daughters of pride, her prestige becomes an infection from which but few in that community can claim exemption. We did not therefore think it worth while to expend money, time, and labour at the present conjuncture in pressing the gospel for the poor and meek again upon their attention. This has been so often done without effect, the people by their indifference judging themselves unworthy of it, that we concluded to pass them by, and direct our attention once more to the Piedmontese of Albemarle.

This being our conclusion, Bro. Magruder inserted an advertisement in one of the town’s papers, stating that we should address the public at Free Union, on the following Lord’s day. That house had been used by our friends twice a month for about twelve years without question or interruption, and the ensuing Sunday was their day in course.

During the current week, however, a plot was being matured to expel them, and to deprive them of the use of the house altogether. The Baptist people, with a Methodist at their head, whom I heard styled, "King Thompson," because of his arbitrary tendencies, were at fever heat, having been violently exercised for many days in bringing down the Holy Ghost to convert precious souls. They were aware that they had no right to the use of the house on Sunday, nevertheless they announced the continuation of their religion-getting gymnastics there on that day. Information was sent to us of this intention; but of course no heed was paid to it: for if all the fanatics in Antichristendom had assembled there, it was our duty to go, and to avail ourselves of our right to lift up our voice for the truth. Some thought we had better give way; that it would do harm: but to what it would do injury to vindicate the right we did not learn. On Sunday morning we went, and after a ride of twelve miles arrived at the rocky knoll where we found the house occupied, and many people constantly arriving. His local majesty was on the ground—the Methodist champion of all of Baptistism except immersion and close communion. He and Mr. Magruder exchanged the civilities of the day. He began in a very pious strain to recount to Bro. M. in the presence of the Baptist preacher, what a wonderful meeting they had had, and how that on the previous Wednesday the house had been literally full of the glory of the Lord! This sort of a preface was to enlist Mr. M. in favour of the meeting, that he might forgo his own appointment, and allow it to proceed: for, could he think of quenching the spirit by putting a stop to operations, in which there had been such a glorious manifestation! But Mr. M. had no faith in a "Ghost" that could cooperate with a Baptist and anti-Baptist, who not only had no love for one another, but were bitter enemies of the gospel preached by Jesus and his apostles; and whose converts were as ignorant of God’s teaching after they had "got religion," as they were before their brains were excited to fever heat! In answer, therefore, to Mr. Thompson’s question, if he intended to preach, he very firmly but politely answered in the affirmative, stating that it was his day, and that he had advertised that I should fill his place. Upon this all pious sing-song about the Holy Ghost was turned into gall and bitterness. Mr. Thompson dropped the saint and appeared in the natural character which he inherits from Adam the First, and scripturally designated as "the Old Man." This old gentleman became perfectly rampant. He mounted the rostrum, deed in hand, to harangue the multitude; and to prove to them that Mr. Magruder and his friends, who had used the house twice a month for twelve years, had no right there at all, and that that day should be the last. The deed provided that the house was for the use of the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists, which allowed one Sunday in a month to each; and that when not used by any one or more of these, other Christian denominations might avail themselves of the unoccupied time. Mr. M’s friends came in under this provision; but they were not a Christian denomination, and therefore had no right to come in, and should not! Having concluded his speech, Mr. Magruder explained the matter to the people, who paid but little attention; and ended by inviting them to stay and hear me explain to them the Scriptures, concerning the kingdom of God. But they were not the sort of Piedmontese to be attracted by such an invitation. They had come to display their dry goods and millinery; and to witness the furore inseparable from a Gentile "religion-getting." An announcement was made that the meeting would adjourn to the Wesley meeting-house, distant about two miles. This caused a helter-skelter dispersion of the crowd. Horses and vehicles were soon in requisition, and in about a quarter of an hour the multitude were as clean gone as the Russians from the heights of Alma.

And what was the wreck of the battle? About twenty-five persons out of several hundreds, and of these the greater part brethren, alone remained to hear what the scriptures taught as "the wisdom that is from above!" And of these few, two or three were unable to keep their minds fixed on the divine testimony to the end of the discourse. It is not to be supposed, however, that all the Piedmontese are so degenerate as this. I have expounded the scriptures for three consecutive hours to considerable assemblies of the people at Free Union, who have paid good attention to the word. But this class of people was not found at that place on this occasion. It is not the more intelligent and reasoning of the people that frequent Thompsonian religion-gettings. If they are found there it is other causes than respect for the system that attract them. If they were to speak candidly they would aver their contempt for it, and their commiseration for the misguided dervishes who get them up in the name of Christianity. Our advertisement had been seen by few persons out of Charlottesville; and those who saw it knew not what to rely upon, as the methodised Baptists had proclaimed their intention to disregard our claim to the house, and continue their meeting at all events.

Having discoursed about two hours to the very few who cared not to run after the multitude to assist or countenance it in its fanatical orgies, we returned to Charlottesville, being very doubtful if our friends would be ever permitted again to make appointments at Free Union. Mr. Magruder, however, was determined that if they were deprived of the house it should be according to law, and not at the caprice of Mr. Thompson, whose zeal against us had converted him into a patron and an intemperate special pleader for illegal privileges for a people who would not break bread with him because he is unbaptised, and therefore an uncircumcised Philistine in heart and ears. But so it is, when Christ has to be crucified Herod and Pontius Pilate become sweet and pleasant friends!

Since my return from Virginia Brother Magruder has informed me of the issue of this affair. He writes, "Though turned out, we are in Free Union again. It seems that the widow of the donor of the land did not unite in the Deed; and though a Baptist, she is both just and liberal, and has assigned to us her rights, which secures us one third of the time; and as the Baptist persecutors cannot get a parson to occupy more than two days in the month, and cannot do anything, good souls, without a preacher, we get one other day of necessity, and thus we have two a month, and so are in statu quo ante bellum: or as the militia captains say, ‘as you were.’" Having thus laid the minacious Monsieur Tonson on his beam ends, that great belligerent and magisterial personage, who, denying our Christianity, declared that we should use the house no more, Mr Magruder inserted the following notice in the paper: —"Free Union Church. —The Disciples of Christ meeting at this Church (like their brethren of the apostolic age, ‘the sect everywhere spoken against,’—Acts 28: 22.) having obtained the proper authority to reopen the church-doors, will resume their regular meetings there on the first Sunday in November, and thenceforth on the first and third Sundays as heretofore—The Public are invited to attend, Bible in hand, that they may ‘prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.’—October 27^th, 1854."

Thus the friends of the gospel of the kingdom are in a better position than before the attempt to eject them. Before, they occupied the house by courtesy; now, they have as much a vested right there as any of "the four orthodox denominations" recited in the deed. The donor of the land could not give a full title to it, unless his wife had united with him so as to alienate her thirds. This, it appears, she did not do, so that, if she wished to preach there, she could claim and occupy one-third of the time, to the exclusion of "orthodoxy." She has now assigned her rights to "heresy;" so that she can no longer claim to preach, but heresy, her representative, may; and all the "orthodoxy" of the mountain-foot combined cannot expel the pestilent fellow she has so liberally and anti-baptistically patronised. What a world is this!

On the following Tuesday I returned to Richmond, accompanied by Brother Magruder, who had some professional business to attend there. This, though the metropolis of the State, is by no means a holy city, though abounding with temples made with hands, some of which pierce the firmament with spires—sharp, tall and spindling, as the sky-scrapers of a seventy-four. There seems to be a sort of rivalry among some of the ecclesiastical corporations in the article of spires. Which church can sport the loftiest spire is an affair of architectural ambition with the unworldly and humble professors of skyism, who have vested capital in Persian hassocks and crimson-plush, spring-cushioned pews below! The pride of life, after the order of the Old Man, reigns High Priest of the kingdom of vanity as imperiously in this city as can be conceived of in Rome itself. Charlottesville and Richmond are but country villages, compared with other places; still, according to their means, they are not a whit behind Babylon herself in devotion to "all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." Yet there is great profession of religion here. But then it is that sort of religion that practically ignores the Bible. This might easily be demonstrated by a man taking his stand in the tribunes of St. Paul, St. James, and of the other houses dedicated to unheard-of saints and to no saints, and showing to the "refined" and fashionable, the tender and delicate occupants of the consecrated seats below, the stern and homely truths taught by Christ and his apostles to the poor. Let him announce that God dwelleth not in temples made with hands, nor is worshipped by the works of men; that he has chosen the poor to be heirs of his kingdom; that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter that kingdom; that riches are deceitful; that unless they be converted and become as little children, they cannot enter there; that fornicators, adulterers, effeminate, covetous, drunkards, extortioners, &c., shall not possess that kingdom; that the obedient only shall be saved; that there is no obedience without faith in the gospel of that kingdom; and that there is no justifying faith without baptism into Christ: —let him press these great truths upon their rebel consciences, and he would either find himself whirling from a parapet of their temple; or, if still a tenant of the tribune, the piety of his audience smoking from the wet blanket he had spread over it, or fallen hysterically into fits.

It was in such a city as this a few personal friends were desirous I should address the people. From my knowledge of Richmond, I was very loth to make any such attempt. It was there that my personal enemies, Mr. Alexander Campbell’s partisans, had done their utmost to make me a by-word and reproach among the people. I had been held up to popular scorn and contempt in newspaper advertisements; denounced and ridiculed from the pulpit, and so forth; until many had really concluded I was mad and had a devil. For some time before I removed from that city, I had forborne from addressing the public, confining all my operations in Virginia to the country parts. I spoke four times in the capital, but, besides these, I do not remember that I spoke publicly in the city after my return from England. Our meetings were confined to a private house in the suburbs, and Richmond was to me only a post-office and place of publication. My repugnance, therefore, to speak here was great, and but for the earnestness of my good friends, the Suttons, Maddux, Davis, and the promptings of Messrs. Magruder and others, I should certainly have given Richmond the go-by, as we had already done to Charlottesville. I had strong doubts if a congregation could be obtained, especially in the week; but others were more sanguine, and I consented to serve. The Universalist meeting-house, which had been sanctified in popular estimation by certain orthodox meetings held there, was hired; and the proposed discourses announced in the principal papers. Mr. Sutton was indefatigable in canvassing his acquaintances, many of whom, since the breaking out of the eastern war, had expressed a desire to hear me, if I should speak there. By dint of his efforts, a very respectable and intelligent audience, as I was informed, was got together, notwithstanding many obstacles had to be surmounted. The things submitted to them seemed to interest them, and they came to discover that, if mad, there was certainly a very rational and scriptural method in my madness. In proof of this, an editor of one of the city papers, who was there on the first night, inserted the following notice in his columns on the ensuing day: —"It will be seen, by the advertisement in another column, that, by special request, Dr. Thomas will lecture again this evening at half past seven o’clock, at the Universalist Church. We had the pleasure of hearing the doctor’s lecture last evening, and we can bear our humble testimony to his ability as a reasoner and theologian. We venture to assure our readers, that if they will attend the lecture this evening, they cannot fail to be interested and instructed."—Bulletin.

What follows appeared in the same paper, over the signature of one who has spent many dollars in advertising me for public contempt in the Richmond papers. Much of this, however, may be attributed, I suspect, more to eccentricity than to malice. But he is not the worst man in society who is at costly pains to publish his own eccentricities and defects to all the world. We prefer him to the whited sepulchre, twanging his nasal pietisms in holy tone. The following is the notice, which may be placed among the curiosities of Virginia literature: —"R. S. Coleman, or any of the Richmond clergy, would expose their vanity, ignorance and egotism, by attempting to prove that Dr. John Thomas does not preach the gospel found in Acts 8, as Philip preached it, —whose name Coleman has changed to ‘Stephen,’ thereby committing a smaller mistake than when he (C.) claims to be a minister of the gospel of Christ, and no hireling, as the reader may see in the last number of his so-called ‘Christian Intelligencer.’ It is, however, an anti-Christian and worthless scrawl. In Thomas’s discourse at the Universalist Church last Wednesday night, there was more divine truth and sound sense than I ever heard from all the blasphemous herd who are called ‘Rev.’ or ‘D.D.’ I am not in fellowship with either Thomas or Coleman, but truth and justice before every other consideration."—Bulletin.

My second discourse at the Universalist house concluded my operations in Virginia. On the following morning, at 6 A.M., I departed for Baltimore, where I arrived about 3 P.M., and was soon after comfortably domiciled with the worthy family of a consistent, firm, and intelligently devoted adherent of the gospel of the kingdom. It has been up-hill work for this great truth in the Rome of the United States; and, but for Brother William P. Lemmon, it would have no public advocate in that city. Greatly to his honour, he has stood by it with mouth and means in its lowest estate there; and has, therefore, proved thereby, that if Christ were here again in poverty, weakness, and reproach, he would be among his self-denying and warmest friends. He has not held back, like some, to see if the gospel of the kingdom would become popular and "respectable," and might be safely embraced, without hindrance to the temporalities, or to the social position occupied. This policy has not been his. He came to see the truth, and, as a consequence, found himself alone—a solitary pillar in a howling wilderness.

The city of Baltimore is a growing and prosperous community, having a civilisation somewhat peculiar to itself. It combines the industry and general intelligence of the North with the urbanity and hospitality of the South; and is, perhaps, a more agreeable residence than either of them. But, like all the cities of the world in regard to the truth of God, it is perfectly Athenian. You walk the streets, and behold temples on every side dedicated to all the religious idols of the carnal mind, from the "Queen of Heaven" to the Bethanian immersion for remission of sins. But "God dwelleth not in temples made with hands." This is true, from the departure of Jehovah’s glory from Israel to the present hour. Hence, he dwells not in the temples of the Gentiles, styled by them, in their ignorance, "houses of God." He has no temples in Baltimore but the hearts of those in which Christ, or the truth concerning his kingdom and name, dwells by an enlightened and obedient faith. And, alas! amid all the thousands of that city, how few are these! But thus it hath always been everywhere, in every generation of mankind. In each generation few; from all generations, "a great multitude which no man can number," but not therefore innumerable. A spiritual wilderness is the monumental city, and few, very few, are the individual oases of its desert!

I know not how many there are, but am well pleased to know that Brother Lemmon is endeavouring, and not without success, to augment their number. Besides bringing some of his own family to the obedience of the faith, he has immersed other five into Christ. He had for some months been calling the attention of the public to the gospel of the kingdom in the Masonic Hall; but, on my recent visit, I found our friends in occupation of Western Hall, a smaller and more humble, yet sufficiently ample and convenient, place of meeting. I spoke here three times on the following Sunday, to better audiences than I expected to find from newspaper advertisements. I endeavoured to impress upon their minds distinctly the nature of the kingdom of God, and how they might come to inherit it; and in the course of things, proved to them that God has once, and only once, had a kingdom upon earth; that that kingdom does not now exist, and that, consequently, he has now no kingdom here; but that, when the appointed time comes, his kingdom will again exist where it was before, and, in existing, will be "the kingdom restored again to Israel," Abrahamically constituted, and coeval with the age to come. What was the effect of the demonstration upon their minds I know not. It was a broad-cast dispersion of the good seed—"the word of the kingdom." If it fell into honest and good hearts, the sowing will not be in vain. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God in his own way gives the increase. Seed does not germinate immediately it is sown; neither does the truth, especially in these days of slow-heartedness to believe all that the prophets have spoken, spring forth into enlightened action in an instant. Something must be left for God to do; for it is written, "They shall be all taught of God." I may meet them here no more; the good or evil done will appear when every man’s work shall be examined in the day of God.

Thus, then, was brought to a close my visit to the South for 1854, after an absence of six weeks. I addressed the people some twenty-five times; and when I arrived in New York, concluded my journeyings for the year, having travelled, since the first of June, a distance of five thousand five hundred miles.

November 23, 1854. EDITOR.

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