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Autobiography of Mark Rutherford, Edited by his friend Reuben Shapcott by Mark Rutherford
page 29 of 137 (21%)



I had now reached the end of my fourth year at college, and it was time
for me to leave. I was sent down into the eastern counties to a
congregation which had lost its minister, and was there "on probation"
for a month. I was naturally a good speaker, and as the "cause" had
got very low, the attendance at the chapel increased during the month I
was there. The deacons thought they had a prospect of returning
prosperity, and in the end I received a nearly unanimous invitation,
which, after some hesitation, I accepted. One of the deacons, a Mr.
Snale, was against me; he thought I was not "quite sound"; but he was
overruled. We shall hear more of him presently. After a short holiday
I entered on my new duties.

The town was one of those which are not uncommon in that part of the
world. It had a population of about seven or eight thousand, and was a
sort of condensation of the agricultural country round. There was one
main street, consisting principally of very decent, respectable shops.
Generally speaking, there were two shops of each trade; one which was
patronised by the Church and Tories, and another by the Dissenters and
Whigs. The inhabitants were divided into two distinct camps--of the
Church and Tory camp the other camp knew nothing. On the other hand,
the knowledge which each member of the Dissenting camp had of every
other member was most intimate.

The Dissenters were further split up into two or three different sects,
but the main sect was that of the Independents. They, in fact,
dominated every other. There was a small Baptist community, and the
Wesleyans had a new red-brick chapel in the outskirts; but for some
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