| 130 'the Lord of Hosts was with us, the God of Jacob was our refuge.' The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, was given to us and abode with us in a remarkable manner, while the people thronged to hear our addresses, and 'numbers were added to the church daily, such as should be saved.' We would baptize as many as fifty in Preston in a week, exclusive of those in the country. During one short mission which Brother Hyde and I took into the country, after preaching five discourses on the principles of our holy religion, we had the pleasure of immersing one hundred and thirty in the waters of baptism.
"Thus mightily ran the word of God and prospered to the joy and comfort of his servants, and to the salvation of precious and immortal souls; while the world was struck with amazement and surprise at the things which they saw and heard. During this state of things, our enemies were not idle, but heaped abuse upon us with an unsparing hand, and issued torrents of lies after us, which, however, I am thankful to say, did not sweep us away.
"Among those most active in publishing falsehoods against us and the truth were many of the reverend clergy, who were afraid to meet us face to face in honorable debate, although particularly requested so to do, but sought every opportunity to destroy our characters and propagate their lies concerning us, thus giving testimony that 'they loved darkness rather than light.'
"Although we frequently called upon the ministers of the different denominations, who had taken a stand against us, to come forward and investigate the subject of our religion before the world in an honorable manner, and bring forth their strong reasons to disprove the things we taught, and convince the people by sound argument and the word of God, if they could, that we did not preach the gospel of Christ, they altogether declined.
"This course we felt moved upon by the Spirit to adopt; but they kept at a respectful distance, and only came out when we were absent, with misrepresentations and abuse. It is true we suffered some from the statements which they thought proper to make, when we could get no opportunity
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