, write to my husband a letter, in which he laid great
stress upon the depth and strength of his own concern in religion.

My husband cherished an old predilection for King's Chapel, and would
have been pleased if I had chosen to attend service there. My mind,
however, was otherwise disposed. Having heard Parker, at the close of
one of his discourses, speak in warm commendation of James Freeman
Clarke, announcing at the same time that Mr. Clarke was about to begin a
new series of services at Williams Hall, I determined to attend these.

With Mr. Clarke I had indeed some slight acquaintance, having once heard
him preach at Freeman Place Chapel, and having met him on divers
occasions. It is well known that this, his first pastorate in Boston,
was nearly lost to him in consequence of his inviting Theodore Parker on
one occasion to occupy his pulpit. The feeling against the latter was
then so strong as to cause an influential part of the congregation to
withdraw from the society, which therefore threatened to fail for want
of funds. Some years later Mr. Clarke resigned his charge and went
abroad for a prolonged stay, possibly with indefinite ideas as to the
future employment of his life. He was possessed of much literary and
artistic taste, and might easily have added one to the number of those
who, like George Bancroft, Jared Sparks, and others, had entered the
Unitarian ministry, to leave it, after a few years, for fields of labor
in which they were destined to achieve greater success.

[Illustration: JAMES FREEMAN CLARKE

_From a photograph by the Notman Photographic Company._]

Fortunately, the suggestion of such a course, if entertained by him at
all, did not prevail. Mr. Clarke's interest in the Christian ministry
was too deeply grounded to be easily overcome. Returning from a restful
and profitable sojourn in Europe, he sought to gather again those of his
flock who had held to him and to each other. He found them ready to
welcome him back with unabated love and trust. It was at this juncture
that I heard Theodore Parker make the mention of him which brought him
to my remembrance, bringing me also very reluctantly to his new place of
worship.

The hall itself was unattractive, and the aspect of its occupants
decidedly unfashionable. Indeed, a witty friend of mine once said to me
that the bonnets seen there were of so singular a description, as
constantly to distract her attention from the minister's sermon.

Th