William Burris, a well-to-do farmer, lived near the school house, and being well prepared to pleasantly keep me, I engaged board there. Mrs. Burris was one of those nice, pleasant, motherly women, such as it is pleasant to be with. My mother's brother, Captain Adam Vickery, of Tennessee, married her mother's sister so we felt somewhat akin, and my home there was very pleasant. Near the close of our term of school Mr. Burris proposed to put up a general furnishing store, furnish me half the means at six per cent per annum, and board me gratis if I would superintend the business, and we would be equal partners, for the space of five years.
I was now settled, spring opened, a union Sunday-school was started at Antioch meeting house. I was appointed superintendent. I had been for some time a pretty close student of the Bible, and determined that, to the best of my ability, the teaching of the one Book should be given that school. My faith had wavered as to the correctness of Baptist teaching, and soon I was ready to abandon that and take my stand in the pure teaching of Christ. There was a large congregation of disciples meeting at Antioch, but not keeping house strictly after the New Testament order. With these I had determined to take my stand. One Lord's day when Sunday-school had closed, E. H. Lawson, who lived near there, was present with an appointment to preach at eleven o'clock. We spake to him and made known our wish. After the close of his sermon I was received into the fellowship of that congregation.
I was now near twenty years old. I felt that I was free, and to be forever free from all human ecclesiasticisms. I wanted others to know what true soul-liberty was, to see the beauty and simplicity of God's arrangement in Christ. I wanted to tell people of him who was the way, the truth, and the life. I made an appointment at Antioch, thinking that, as I was a mere boy, none would come to hear me but the young folks. When, however, the hour arrived the house was full. Old men and women had come for miles to hear the boy's first effort.
I thought, may be, by the time I had read a lesson and offered prayer my embarrassment would, to some extent, be gone. In this I was disappointed, for when I faced that audience and saw all eyes fixed upon me, with evident anxiety to hear what I had to say, I knew I was in the pulpit, and I knew the purpose for which I had entered it, but what I had prepared for that occasion was gone, I knew not where. I aimed to tell them that the 15th, 16th and 17th verses of a certain chapter in Matthew would be my text, but told them that the 15th, 16th, and 17th chapters of Matthew was my text. I saw many of them smile, and supposed that they were laughing at my awkward appearance. I wished I had not made the appointment. I, however, talked about thirty minutes, asked the audience to bow with me in prayer and then dismissed them with the conclusion that I had better wait awhile before making another appointment. It was not, however, very long till I felt it to be my duty to make another appointment. Some were making an effort to implant soul sleeping in the congregation there, and I have, from my first acquaintance
