Modern Skepticism: A Journey Through the Land of Doubt and Back Again: A Life StoryBarker, Joseph
Religion
Modern Skepticism: A Journey Through the Land of Doubt and Back Again: A Life Story
Barker, Joseph
Barker, Joseph, 1806-1875; Methodist Church -- Clergy -- Biography; Skepticism
uninhabited house, and my wife made it comfortable. We lived
economically, and kept out of debt, without the aid of either gifts or
loans, and I never had a happier year, and my labors were never better
received or more successful; and Blyth, the place of my banishment, will
be dear to me as long as I live.
22. Yet I had many trials while stationed there. My superintendent was
unkind, and tried from time to time to do me harm. But though he caused
me much trouble at times, a higher power overruled things for my good.
One of the societies over which he had great influence was really cruel.
It refused to postpone a service to allow me to go and see my child when
it was very ill, and thought to be in great danger. The circuit was
nearly thirty miles in length, and I had to spend nearly half my time
from fifteen to twenty-three miles away from home. Once when starting
for the most distant of my appointments, I had left my little child
very unwell, and apparently in danger of death. It was too bad that I
should have had to leave my little family under such circumstances; but
the feeling in many parts of the circuit was so unfriendly towards me,
in consequence of the unfavorable representations of my views and habits
of thought circulated by my superintendent and his friends, that I could
not have missed an appointment with safety. I had been away five days,
when I heard that my child was worse, and likely to die. I had still one
appointment to fulfil, but I resolved, if possible, to get it postponed,
and hasten home. I went to the place and requested the leaders to allow
me to put off the appointment to the following week. They refused my
request. I told them I had received word that my child was likely to
die, and that I was anxious to be with its afflicted mother; but they
would not give way. I was sadly tried, and I said, "I shall go home
notwithstanding. If I find my child alive and likely to recover, I will
return and preach; if I do not find it better, I shall not return. I
shall stay at home and take the consequences!" I had already walked
thirteen miles. It was ten or eleven more to Blyth. I walked the whole
distance. There was no conveyance. My superintendent was allowed horse
hire; but I was not: and I could not afford to pay for a horse myself
out of sixteen dollars or three pound five a month. I reached home, and
found my child a little better. After a little rest, I started back on
foot to my appointment. My wife looked out of the window after me,
weeping, afraid to ask me to remain with her. She knew the temper of my
superintendent, and the feeling of the people, so she wept in silence. I
walked over ten miles more, and then preached. I walked altogether
thirty-three miles that day. I was very much tired; but I had seen my
wife and child, so I went through my work without complaining, and was
up very early next morning, and walked ten miles more to breakfast with
my darling wife, and to comfort her sorrowful heart. My child got well,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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