Brother Woodhead's early opportunities were limited, but with great devotion to his calling, he had carefully improved his time after entering the Ministry. He was accepted by his people as a man of rare excellences, happily blending in beautiful harmony both Faith and Works. In the pulpit, his manner is not always graceful, but it is never disagreeable. His discourses abound with Evangelical truth, set off usually in fine delineations of Scriptural scenes and characters. He has extraordinary dramatic talent, and only needs the culture of the schools, in addition to his present gifts and graces, to place him in the front rank as a speaker. Brother Woodhead is one of the best Pastors I have ever known. The Fond du Lac District at this time numbered twenty charges. To visit each quarterly on the Sabbath was impossible, unless I chose to hold two on adjacent charges, the same day. And this plan I did not deem advisable, believing that it tends to break down Quarterly Meetings altogether, by dividing the interest. I chose rather to visit each charge regularly semi-annually, and the feebler ones more frequently, if possible. The intervening Quarterly Meetings were held by the Pastors, except they chose to procure supplies. My first Quarterly Meeting, held at Fond du Lac, was an occasion of rare interest. Having been granted license to preach, and sent into the Itinerancy by these brethren, they were disposed to assert a special interest in the Presiding Elder. Besides, the Society, under the ministrations of Brother Woodhead, was in a happy spiritual condition, a satisfactory pledge of a good meeting. As it is my purpose to write up more particularly, as far as space will permit, the charges and Ministers of the Conference, than my own labors, I shall not undertake to follow in order my visits to the several charges. During the present year, as well as the three following, I shall simply refer to such items as will further this object, well knowing that the adoption of any other plan would involve the issue of several volumes instead of one. Waupun came early on the list. Many changes had occurred at Waupun during the twenty years which had intervened since my Pastorate in 1845. I found a small frame Church and one of the best Parsonages in the Conference. The Society had become strong both financially and in numbers. I was happy indeed to meet old friends with whom I had labored in other years, and especially the converts of the early times, now grown to be pillars in the Church. But with our rejoicing there also came the shadows of sadness. Many had gone over the river. And since my visit, others still have gone, and among them, Brother and Sister William McElroy. But they were ready.