up to pray and search the word respecting the
ordinance of baptism, because thirty pounds of my salary was at stake if
I should be baptized.

For these reasons, I stated to the brethren, at the end of October,
1830, that I should for the future give up having any regular salary.
After I had given my reasons for doing so, I read Philippians iv., and
told the saints that if they still had a desire to do something towards
my support, by voluntary gifts, I had no objection to receive them,
though ever so small, either in money or provisions. A few days after,
it appeared to me that there was a better way still; for, if I received
personally every single gift offered in money, both my own time and that
of the donors would be much taken up; and in this way, also, the poor
might, through temptation, be kept from offering their pence, a
privilege of which they ought not to be deprived; and some also might in
this way give more than if it were not known who was the giver, so that
it would still be doubtful whether the gift were given grudgingly or
cheerfully. For these reasons especially, there was a box put up in the
chapel, over which was written that whoever had a desire to do something
towards my support might put his offering into the box.

At the same time, it appeared to me right that henceforth I should ask
no man, not even my beloved brethren and sisters, to help me, as I had
done a few times, according to their own request, as my expenses, on
account of travelling much in the Lord's service, were too great to be
met by my usual income. For, unconsciously, I had thus again been led,
in some measure, to trust in an arm of flesh, going to man instead of
going to the Lord at once. _To come to this conclusion before God
required more grace than to give up my salary._

About the same time, also, my wife and I had grace given to us to take
the Lord's commandment, "Sell that ye have, and give alms," Luke xii.
33, literally, and to carry it out. Our staff and support in this matter
were Matthew vi. 19-34, John xiv. 13, 14. We leaned on the arm of the
Lord Jesus. It is now twenty-five years since we set out in this way,
and _we do not in the least regret the step we then took_. As I have
written down how the Lord has been pleased to deal with us since, I
shall be able to relate some facts concerning this matter, as far as
they may tend to edification.

Nov. 18, 1830. Our money was reduced to about eight shillings. When I
was