ved, my time, or had been exempted by the
King himself. The latter I hoped would be the case; for it was a well
known fact that those who had given themselves to missionary service, had
been always exempted. Certain brethren of influence, living in the
capital, to whom I wrote on the subject, advised me, however, to write
first to the president of the government of the province to which I
belonged. This was done, but I was not exempted. Then those brethren wrote
to the King himself; but he replied, that the matter must be referred to
the ministry and to the law, and no exception was made in my favour.

I now knew not what to do. In the meantime, at the beginning of August, I
was taken ill. It was a common cold at first, but I could not get rid of
it, as formerly. At last a skillful physician was consulted, and powerful
means were used. After some time, he prescribed tonics and wine. For a day
or two I seemed to get better, but after that it appeared, by the return
of giddiness in my head, that the tonics had been too soon resorted to. At
last, having used still other means, I seemed in a fit state for tonics,
and began again to take them. At the same time one of my friends, an
American Professor, took me as a companion with him to Berlin and other
places, so that we rode about the country for about ten days together. As
long as I was day after day in the open air, going from place to place,
drinking wine and taking tonics, I felt well; but as soon as I returned to
Hale, the old symptoms returned. A second time the tonics were given up,
and the former means used.

About ten weeks had by this time passed away, since I was first taken
ill. This illness, in which a particular care for the body seemed to be so
right, and in which therefore frequent walks were taken, and in which I
thought myself justified in laying aside the study of Hebrew, &c., had not
at all a beneficial effect on my soul. In connexion with this one of my
chief companions at this time, the last-mentioned American Professor, was
a backslider. If the believing reader does not know much of his own heart
and of man's weakness, he will scarcely think it possible that, after I
had been borne with by the Lord so long, and had received so many mercies
at His hands, and had been so fully and freely pardoned through the blood
of Jesus, which I both knew from His word, and had also enjoyed; and after
that I had been in such various ways engaged in the work of the Lor