G. Fox, who coming with priest Boyes into a town to bait, and hearing the bells ring, asked what that was for. They told him, that it was for him to preach in the steeple-house. Walking thither, he saw the people were gathered together in the steeple-house yard. The priest who accompanied him, would have had him to go into the steeple-house; but he said, it was no matter. This seemed strange to the people, that he would not go into that which they called the house of God. But he stood up in the steeple-house yard, and declared to them, that he came not to hold up their idol temples, nor their priests, nor their tithes, nor their Jewish and heathenish ceremonies; that the ground on which their temples stood, was no more holy than any other piece of ground; that the apostles, going into the Jews synagogues, and temples, was to bring people off from that temple, &c. and from the offerings and tithes, and covetous priests of that time; that such who came to be converted, and believed in Christ, afterwards met together in dwelling-houses; and that all who preach Christ, the word of life, ought to preach freely, as the apostles did, and as Christ had commanded; and that the Lord God of heaven and earth had sent him to preach freely, and to bring people off from the outward temples made with hands, in which God dwelleth not; that so they might know their bodies were to become the temples of God and Christ. Moreover, that they ought to leave all their superstitious ceremonies, traditions, and doctrines of men; and not regard such teachers of the world, that took tithes, and great wages, preaching for hire, and divining for money; whom God and Christ never sent, according to their own confession, when they say, they never heard God’s voice. That therefore people ought to come to the Spirit and grace of God in themselves, and to the light of Jesus in their own hearts: that so they might come to know Christ their free teacher, to bring them salvation, and to open the Scriptures to them. This speech had such effect, that many of them declared they were convinced of the truth. From this place he went to another town, and priest Boyes went along with him. Thither came several professors, but he sat silent for some hours; which made them often ask the priest, ‘When will he begin? When will he speak?’ To which the priest said, ‘Wait:’ and told them that the people waited upon Christ a long while before he spake: now, though G. Fox by silence was to famish people from words, yet at length he felt himself moved to speak, which he did so effectually, that many were reached, and there was a general convincement amongst them.