On the following day I became aware of one source of misconception among the men, and, through them, among the public. Mr. Bokenham admitted that, when he communicated to his clerks the Postmaster-General's positive order for the Sunday transmission, he withheld the minute that limited the service to volunteers, and thus raised, and in some degree justified, the cry that compulsion would be employed. Meanwhile the trouble thus excited in St. Martin's-le-Grand was extending to the provincial offices, at one of which the postmaster had gone so far as to issue, under his own signature, a hand-bill against the measure.[63] Meanwhile one postmaster, at least, took a very different course:-- "The postmaster at Plymouth has written to say that in his office alone thirty men, including letter-carriers, will be relieved. He describes the measure as one of the most important 'in the annals of the Post Office.'" All such support was very important at a time when opposition was so strong, and, I must add, so unscrupulous:-- "_October 27th._--The Committee of the Lord's Day Society has issued a copy of my minute of February 3rd, with comments thereon of a very offensive character. They insinuate doubts as to the minute having been written in February, and express their belief that I originally proposed a Sunday delivery. "_Same day._--Worse placards than ever at the churches. Sent in a memorandum to Colonel Maberly informing him that at a church in Gresham Street a placard is exhibited exhorting the men to strike." The following is the text of this strange exhortation:-- "TO THE CLERKS, SORTERS, CARRIERS, AND OTHER AGENTS OF THE POST OFFICE. "FELLOW MEN! especially to ye 'who fear God and work righteousness,'-- "You ought, you must obey God rather than man! This is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith. Trust in the Lord, and do good, and verily ye shall be fed. "Strike!--Every one of ye to a man. Strike!--Make a passive resistance to the adversaries of your souls. Strike! and let Mr. Rowland Hill, and Lords Clanricarde and John Russell, see that there is One mightier than they whose commands you reverence supremely. "Unite if you can, but let no man defer to the timid or compromising spirit of a fellow-servant. "Honour and observe the Word of God. "Unless _you_ stand, the public cannot at this juncture do much more than they have done. "Stand ye, and _then_ the entire nation, every one in it whose voice is habitually raised up to the King of kings, will hold you up, and _in due time_ will strive for the freedom of every postal servant throughout the kingdom on the Sabbath day; but _you_ must be bold in the name of the Lord, in order to engage His mighty favour and the sympathy of His people universally.