As I laid down “Universalism not of God,” he took it up, and said to me very abruptly that the book was a libel on the Universalists. “Oh,” said I, “I understand the cause of your objection to the book. You are one of those who believe that thieves, murderers, and liars all go to heaven; that there is no such place as hell.” “Yes,” said he, “I have too good an opinion of God’s mercy to believe there is any such place as hell.” When he made that remark, one of the fellows who was lying drunk on the floor raised his head and said, “You are a liar;” while another said he “wished that was true, but there was no such good news.” Said I, “Sir, I will hand you over to these men, and you and they may settle the controversy.” He immediately disappeared from the room. During my stay of three weeks in this beautiful town, I visited every family in it, and either sold or gave books. One day I stepped into the office of a lawyer, who was one of the first men in the state in his profession. I offered him a copy of Nelson on Infidelity. Said he, “I could not take time to read a book of that size, except on law, for less than five hundred dollars.” I then offered him Baxter’s Call. Said he, “That is too big a dose for me too.” I then presented him the tract, “The Great Alternative.” “Well,” said he, “as you are so anxious for me to read some of your books, I will read that right off.” He commenced, and I left him. An hour or two after I was passing his door, and he was sitting in a thoughtful mood. Said I, “Have you read the tract?” “Yes,” said he, “and if I would read a few more like it I think I might become a Christian.” Said I, “Too busy to be saved.” “Yes,” said he, “I fear that is my case; I have not a moment to spare from my business.” Alas, how many will have to say, I was too busy to be saved. In the same town there was a man who had once been a minister of some prominence in an evangelical church, but had left it, and embraced the doctrines of Swedenborg, for which he was very zealous. I did not wish to encounter him; but as I stepped into a store one night to scatter tracts, he was present. He immediately made an attack on me, and said that he could not imagine how any wise man could believe in the doctrine of the Trinity; that it was so absurd that nothing in heaven or earth could illustrate it. I saw the eyes of all present were turned to me, and felt in a tight place. I lifted my heart to God for help to vindicate his truth. A candle was burning between us. Said I, pointing to the candle, “Sir, there is a trinity giving us light. There is tallow, wick, and fire, three in one.” He acknowledged he was beat, and took his leave, to the amusement of those present, and to my great satisfaction. After two months’ labor in South-western Virginia, I returned to my home in L----, near two hundred miles distant from A----, and devoted a month to correspondence and adjusting accounts with over fifty colporteurs I had now employed.