16 BIOGRAPHY OF
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on, South Carolina. Hope Hull was among them?It was a pleasant journey, and our stay in the city washighly agreeable. ‘The road from the Black Swamp toCharleston was surpassed by none in the world forbeauty and goodness. It was perfectly levelled andstraight. On each side it was beautified with ever-greens in the swamps, and with stately long-leaf pines,and pendant moss on the sands and dry ground. Having returned to Washington, I continued to teachtill the spring of 1796. Then, having resigned myprofessorship to the trustees, I started back to NorthCarolina, with a determination to receive from OrangePresbytery a license to preach. I had now more thanenough of money to discharge all my debts. The dayof my departure was a day of sorrow. I bade an af-fectionate farewell to my pupils and numerous friends,and hurried off alone. Nothing of moment occurredin my solitary journey, till I arrived at the Presbytery.Here I met with many of my warm friends, and ourjoyful salutation was mutual. At this Presbytery, I, with several other candidates,received license. Never shall I forget the impressionsmade on my mind when a venerable old father address-ed the candidates, standing up together before thePresbytery. After the address, he presented to each ofthe candidates the Bible (not the confession of faith,)with this solemn charge, ‘‘Go ye into all the world,and preach the gospel to every creature.’’ Appoint-ments were then made for us. Robert Foster and my-self, licensed at the same time, were appointed to rideand preach in the lower parts of the state, till the nextstated Presbytery. After adjournment I proceeded tomy mother’s, in Virginia. : Having remained at my mother’s a short time, I re-turned to Carolina, and met with my colleague, R.Foster, and having preached together, we proceededto our destination in the lower parts of the state, wherewe arrived in a few days, and made our appointmentsfor the Lord’s-day following. While we were waiting — i i Ni i i i i ee ad —s a a ilBARTON W. STONE. 17 for our first appointment, my companion came to fledetermination to preach no more, and in this purposehe remained through life; for he never after attemptedit. His reason was, that he was not qualified for sucha solemn work. ‘This was the prevailing argument Ihad brought against myself; and now coming from oneagainst himself, whom J viewed my superior, I sunkunder it, and secretly resolved to leave that field, andseek some distant country, where I should be a perfectstranger. Florida was then in my view. Next morn-ing, while my companion was absent, I mounted myhorse and started alone. This was on Saturday, in thebeginning of May, 1796. On the Lord’s-day I attended a meeting in the neigh-borhood, where I had lodged the night before. Apious old lady was there, and knewme. She suspect-ed my intentions, and told me plainly that she feared Iwas acting the part of Jonah—solemnly warned me ofthe danger, and advised me, if I disliked the lowerparts of the state, to go over the mountains, to theWest. This advice pleased me, and determined me atonce for the West. In the evening of that day, to mysurprise, I saw Robert Foster in the congregation. Heapproached me, and gently upbraided me for leavinghim. I told him my determination to go to theWest. He immediately agreed to accompany me.Next morning we started, without naming to any oneour destination. 3 We quickly got into the region of strangers, andwished to remain among such through life—to such alow state had our minds fallen. Having crossed themountain at the Flower gap, and New River at Her-bert’s ferry, we were jogging leisurely along the wayto Fort Chiswell, when passing a small house on theroad side, a man hailed us, and ran out to us. He wasan intimate acquaintance, and a pious brother, CaptainSanders, from North Carolina. He was moving hisfamily to Cumberland ; but by some accident was obli-ged to abide where he was for one season. He con- 2
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