The summer of this year, Mr. Badger seriously contemplated a voyage to England, chiefly for the purpose of promoting a union between a denomination called the "General Baptists," and the "Christian Connection" of this country, as that denomination had already heard of, and expressed an interest in, their transatlantic brethren of the New World; but other and urgent duties directed his energies in a different channel. By the Western Conference he was appointed to preside at six general meetings in different sections of the country, requiring him to travel nearly a thousand miles in all, for the completion of the task; and, at the meeting of the United States Annual Conference, he was, in accordance with the appointment made by the New York Western Conference, commended as an evangelist to visit the southern States, to obtain a history of the people there who had thrown off the authority of creeds, and gone to God and their Bibles for the all-sufficient light; also to open between them and their brethren of the northern and middle States a correspondence that should promote future union and coöperation in the spread of their common faith, a purpose which had the warmest sanction of the north, and which met with a generous response in the south. His evangelizing ministry through the summer was attended with good results; and shortly after the General Conference, held at Beekman, Dutchess county, N. Y., September 2, 1824, he, in company with Rev. Simon Clough, of Boston, started for the city of New York, passing through Putnam and Westchester counties, where they held many meetings. On the 15th, they arrived at New York. In a letter to Mr. Silsby, of Rochester, he says:-- "We found a Baptist and a Universalist meeting-house open for us. The attention of the people was great to hear, and the ministers treated us with attention and respect. We are now invited to another Baptist meeting-house, and have engaged to give them two sermons next Sabbath. Last Sunday I preached in the State Prison to more than five hundred prisoners, and it was a solemn and a weeping time. I shall visit them again. In the evening I spoke to about one thousand people at the Baptist Church. The young people seemed to be deeply affected, and some of the aged saints rejoiced and said it was truth. I enjoy myself well in this city, being sensible that I am in the way of my duty. Last evening I had the pleasure of seeing the renowned La Fayette, who is on his way to the South. He is worthy of all honor, though like others, he is a frail, dying, mortal man."[37]