alled it, clear of unnecessary work.
"For instance, I walked in my young days thousands of miles on the
Sabbath, when I could for a trifling sum have ridden at ease,
rather than use any compulsory labour of man or beast for the
promotion of my comfort. I still think we ought to abstain from all
unnecessary work ourselves, and, as far as possible, arrange for
everybody about us to have one day's rest in seven. But, as I was
saying, I objected to working at my business on the Sabbath, which
I interpreted to mean after twelve o'clock on Saturday night. My
relatives and many of my religious friends laughed at my scruples;
but I paid no heed to them, and told my master I would not do it,
though he replied that if that were so he would simply discharge
me. I told him I was willing to begin on Monday morning as soon as
the clock struck twelve, and work until the clock struck twelve on
Saturday night, but that not one hour or one minute of Sunday would
I work for him or all his money.
"He kept his word, put me into the street, and I was laughed at by
everybody as a sort of fool. But I held out, and within seven days
he gave in, and, thinking my scrupulous conscience might serve his
turn he told me to come back again. I did so, and before another
fortnight had passed he went off with his young wife to Paris,
leaving the responsibilities of a business involving the income and
expenditure of hundreds of pounds weekly on my young shoulders.
"So I did not lose by that transaction in any way. With no little
suffering on four separate occasions, contrary to the judgments of
all around me, I have thus left every friend I had in the world,
and gone straight into what appeared positive ruin, so far as this
world was concerned, to meet the demands of conscience. But I have
trusted God, and done the right, and in every separate instance I
can now see that I have gained both for this world and the next as
the result.
"During all the period of my lay preaching, both in Nottingham and
London, I had to grapple with other difficulties. What with one
thing and another I had a great struggle at times to keep my head
above the waters, and my heart alive with peace and love. But I
held on to God and His grace, and the never-failing joy that I
experienced in leading
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