At the age of fifteen I resorted to the factories in Lowell, where I found employment and became expert at the business. Knowing that I had myself to take care of and no one to depend upon, I was ambitious and often asked my overseer for the privilege of tending double work, which was often granted; and as I had the means of providing for my own wants and some to spare, I became restless and often wished I had the means to go to school, as my mother often told her children to get learning--it was what the world could not take from us; (but O, alas! mine has been taken from me by medicine, being given to me in an artful manner to harden my brains, and the brain is the seat of the mind and the mind is the store-house of knowledge) and I felt the want of it as I became advanced in years and went into society. I soon began to make arrangments to place myself at some school. I went home at the age of eighteen and went to the Academy in Westford three or four months, and then, in the year 1834, the first of May, I started for New Hampton in company with a young lady from Boston, she being my only acquaintance. I found the school very pleasant, and the teachers were ardently pious. It was now that I felt that God had often called after me and I had refused to obey him for my teacher said without the mind was enlightened by the Spirit of Christ it was not prepared for knowledge. This increased the carnal state of my heart against religion, for it appeared to me like foolishness, for there was nothing but the simple religion of Jesus Christ, no disputing, no sectarian spirit, and I was surrounded by the prayers of my teachers and the pious scholars. But I withstood all the entreaties through the summer term. I was determined not to get religion when there was much said about it, for I looked upon it as excitement, as many others foolishly call it. There were about one hundred and five scholars, and at the end of the term all but three of us professed to have an interest in Christ. During the vacation I could not throw off the conviction that had seized hold of my mind, that God in his mercy had spared my life, and permitted me to enjoy this last privilege. At the commencement of the Fall term as usual, we all assembled on Sunday morning--the professors in the Hall above, while the unconverted were in the Hall below--to hear the Scriptures explained. Miss. Sleeper, one of the teachers, that assembled with us, came directly to me after the exercises were over and asked me if I felt as I did during the last term. I told her no. She said she was very glad of it and hoped I should not leave off seeking until I found the Savior. I felt that I had committed myself, that I now could not draw back, that I must persevere on and let the world know that I needed a Saviour to save me from acting out the wicked state of my heart. I could not throw it off. On Monday evening all the unconverted were invited by our much loved teacher, Miss.