At the Sunderland District Meeting held at Westgate, in May, 1836, Mr. Thomas Dawson sueceeded in getting Mr. Spoor stationed for Ripon circuit, with the Rev. W. Lister as superintendent. The Ripon circuit was very extensive in those days. It embraced what are now Ripon, Pateley Bridge, Knaresborough, Thirsk, and parts of Brompton circuits, being thirty-three miles long and thirty-one in breadth. The whole of it had to be travelled on foot, for those were pre-railway days; and then the hilly and irregular face of the country made locomotion on foot all the more difficult. The Rev. W. Lister writes: "In three years I walked 2,400 miles; Mr. S. would walk as many. He was strong to labour, and labour he did; not only taking his allotted work on the plan, but rushing into every open door. Never was huntsman more intent on his game than he was in arresting sinners and leading them to Christ." His journal, while on this station, abounds with striking incidents, accounts of spiritual conflict and victory, of immense work done, and results of the most glorious character.
Mr. Spoor had not long been in the Ripon circuit when the following ludicrous scene transpired at Colsterdale, a wild and romantic locality five miles from Masham. The house for preaching was crowded, it being his first visit there. When the sermon was over, as his custom was, he announced a prayer-meeting. Just then a strong woman in an angry mood stepped to where he was standing, and gave him a stinging blow on the cheek with her open hand, saying, "I'll let thee know, telling the folk about me," for she thought he had heard of her character and history, and was exposing her before the congregation, doing all but mentioning her name. "My good woman," said Mr. Spoor, "I know nothing about you, I never saw you before." "I'se war'ne," said the enraged woman, "it's that auld hypocrite," pointing to the leader, "that's tell'd ye, and set ye on to preach aboot me." As there was likely to be an uproar with her, the leader, a muscular Christian, determining not to have the service spoiled, said mildly and half satirically, "I'll put the devil to the door this time, and then we'll get on wi' prayer meeting." No sooner said than done, quietly remarking as he deposited her outside the door, "We'll be clear o' the din at ony rate." The meeting soon recovered its tone, and souls were saved. Mr. Spoor used to relate this incident with great glee, and say that this was the second thrashing he had received from a woman, the other being at Cockfield.
At the end of his first month's labour, the dark shadow of bereavement passed over him, connected with which is a fact which, though noted here, remains to the writer among the many mysteries of psychology. He received intelligence of the serious illness of his mother, and in the hope of seeing her alive, he set off for Whickham. On his journey he was compelled, by coach arrangements, to remain a night at Darlington, and was uneasy at being delayed on so urgent an errand, but there was no help for it. He slept that night with Mr. W. Braithwaite. They both remained awake till a late hour in conversation upon things pertaining to the kingdom of God, when Mr. Spoor was startled by seeing the figure of his mother glide into the room, look tenderly at him, and slowly disappear. He had the treble evidence of his perfect wakefulness, his clear consciousness, and the knowledge of his friend. He immediately informed his companion of his experience, and said, "I believe my mother's dead." Firm in this opinion, he hastened home and found that it was too true; she was dead, and had died at the very time when he saw her apparition. Respecting these phenomena, sneering, over-weening, and dogmatic scepticism is as much out of place as fanatical credulity. There is profound wisdom in the words of Hamlet to his friend Horatio:
And after all the bard of "Paradise Lost" may have been stating a fact, as well as bodying forth a poetic conception, when he makes "our general ancestor" say to "the daughter of God and man, accomplished Eve," that -
Mr. Spoor was rejoiced to find that the mother he loved so devotedly had died in the faith. He preached to his native villagers on the supreme bliss of those who live and die in the Lord. Not only can the Christian die resignedly, he conquers death; it is a scene of actual triumph. On this solemn and interesting occasion many tears were shed, and good was done.
While at home he became the subject of a sharp and bitter struggle as to whether it was his duty to throw up his work in the ministry, and remain with his family to labour for their support, as some of them were young and dependent. In this perplexity he applied to the throne of grace, and obtained the conviction, that after making the best arrangements he could for his family, he ought to return to the work of the ministry; and well it was for hundreds that that decision was arrived at.
On his return, the first entry in the diary records a day's labour in the mountainous region of the north-west of Yorkshire. "Spoke at Ramsgill in the morning, — heard the rumbling of the chariot wheels of the great King, — returned to Pateley Bridge, and joined Sister Wilson in a street service, — had power in speaking, — preached at night, and God came in the plenitude of His saving power. Souls cried for mercy. Four got pardon, and four clean hearts in the blood of Jesus. Glory to God." These documents afford unmistakeable evidence how fully and firmly he believed in the Methodistic doctrine of entire sanctification. Yet there is no obtrusion of personal experiences. Regarding himself, all is simple and dignified. But he enforced to iteration upon all God's people the duty and privilege of seeking for a full salvation, that they should be "sanctified wholly." Hence the number of instances he gives of those who "obtained clean hearts."
Here is a singular and in many respects a characteristic record:
"Sunday, Aug. 14th. — I preached at Marton this morning. A melting time. My soul was all on fire for God's glory. Had a good time at Staveley in the afternoon. At Marton in the evening I was strangely held by the powers of darkness. In the midst of repeating the Lord's Prayer I was stopped, became unable to articulate a word; my head was confused. I stood for several minutes in the pulpit speechless. After awhile the cloud partially broke, and a man cried for mercy. Just upon that a terrible disturbance took place; a monster of a fellow came and dragged his wife out by very force. We tried, but in vain, to soften his rage. We all felt keenly for the poor woman. Notwithstanding all this we went on with the service; and presently the cloud of God's glory burst upon us, and a shout of triumph rang through the chapel. These shouts were like claps of thunder. Many that night found the Pearl of great price. Blessed be my God." Thus throughout his station at Ripon he went about calling sinners to repentance, with a clarion voice, with quenchless zeal and marvellous success, his colleagues and he working with oneness of effort and heart.
At the Ripon quarterly meeting, September, 1837, he was appointed to labour in the Thirsk and Bedale Mission. At that time the cause at Thirsk had decreased and dwindled to the point of extinction. The Rev. W. Fulton, his colleague at the time, writes: "The society at Thirsk was very small when Mr. S. went to re-mission it. There could not be more than twelve members; the chapel was deserted, and the grass growing all over the chapel yard." Many would have been disheartened, but he went with faith in God to help him. To say that all his soul was thrown into this work is only to use commonplace words to describe devotion and labours such as have seldom been rendered by any one in any cause. The great Cecil said of Sir Walter Raleigh, "he can toil terribly." So it could be said of Joseph Spoor. The necessities of space require that this work should be dealt with en gros, and not described en detail, giving only instances of his power and success.
He was constantly preaching in the open air, and missioning the country round about. So considerable were the results that there were one hundred and sixteen members added during the year, inclusive of those on trial. The Thirsk chapel was filled; and new societies were established, many of them rising into considerable prosperity and power.
Here, as at Cockfield, Mr. Spoor met with considerable opposition, which, however, so far from retarding the glorious cause, only accelerated it; still, the annoyance and pain were the same. At one place, when the house was crowded, and Mr. Spoor just in the swing of his discourse, a number of base-minded men conspired simultaneously to close every outlet and aperture in the house, securing the shutters and doors, and stuffing the chimney with straw. Unfortunately the fire in the house was newly made, so that the apartment was soon filled with smoke, and every one seemed at the point of suffocation. Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting out, and at one time serious results were apprehended. Even in the midst of the cloud of smoke and dust Mr. S. would hardly desist from preaching, crying out, "Never fear smoke; this is better than being shut up in hell, where the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. Bless God, you may get salvation even among this smoke. Come to Jesus, He'll save you now." With difficulty the people extricated themselves from their uncomfortable confinement. This was another instance of the devil outwitting himself, for it was the means of raising up friends. A man who had shown much hostility to Mr. Spoor and the good cause, came and begged the preacher's forgiveness for his insults to him, and entreated him to go to his house and make it his home; and infinitely better than this, he sought and found God's mercy to his own soul, and became a useful member of the society. A revival occurred, in which many were brought to God, among whom were some of the persecutors.
It was during this period of evangelistic toil that an event, notable in the manner of its accomplishment and its results, occurred-the conversion of Mr. John Hobson. Mr. Hobson is yet living, and is a veteran in the service of the Lord. The account here given is, in its essential features, from his dictation. Mr. Spoor, ever bent upon evangelistic work, determined to take for his Lord and for Primitive Methodism the small village of Laingthorne, near Bedale. With this intent he took his stand near a garden-wall in the village, and sang, his voice being in glorious trim —
His sermon was pointed and heart-searching. But though the people wondered, they were not moved; and the attempt made repeatedly seemed likely to end in failure, when one morning at breakfast, an old lady said to Mr. Spoor, "I'll tell ye what, preacher, you will never get on here until you get John Hobson converted." "And who is John Hobson?" asked the preacher. "Why he's the tallest man in all the village; and if ye see a man at the preaching bigger than the rest, that's John Hobson. I tell ye, ye'll never do any good till ye get him converted." From sundry other inquiries he found that this puissant villager could make or mar their enterprise. Shortly after, being in company with his friend, the late Rev. Anthony Dent, a devoted man and mighty in prayer, he began to say, "Brother Dent,, what do you think Mrs. A. says ? She says that we shall never do any good at Langthorne till we get John Hobson converted." "Then," replied Mr. Dent, not in presumptuous flippancy, but in true and mighty faith in God, "what do you think if we have him converted?" With the same reach of faith, taking hold of his hand, Mr. Spoor rejoined, "Agreed;" and, as he has often said in relating this history on public platforms, "Talk of striking a bargain; when was a better bargain struck in this world than this one, when we agreed in God's name and in the Holy Ghost to have John Hobson converted?" They knelt down by the roadside where this "bargain was struck;" and these two men accustomed to ask, and to receive as well as ask, to find as they sought of the Lord, pleaded for the conversion of John Hobson. Their compact was definite, for at the same hour every day, they, though in different localities, met at the Great Prayer-hearer's throne, and asked this as touching His kingdom, grasping the assurance, "I will do it." As Milton says —
On this point Dean Goulburn has finely said: "As the incense cloud went up from the kindled coal in the censer; as the sweet savour went up from the burnt offering when it was roast with the fire of the altar, so true believing prayer, coming from a kindled heart, rises of necessity to God, and steals into His immediate presence in the upper sanctuary." So effectually did the prayers of these righteous men steal into God's presence. Shortly after, sure enough, Mr. Spoor saw this tall man, drawn by some strange power, present at the meeting. Never was truer penitent and truer convert than Mr. Hobson. The old woman's words proved to be true, for after Mr. Hobson's conversion, the Word had free course. Many were converted and united to the Church; a powerful society grew up, and a great improvement passed over the face of the neighbourhood. John Hobson became leader, and has sustained that honourable office ever since; and his house became a hospitable home for the preachers. Under Mr. Hobson's auspices a chapel was soon built, and a Sabbath-school formed and successfully worked. It is not a very dubious test by which to discover a church's condition, to ascertain what it does for the missionary cause. Tried by this standard, Langthorne has done well for many years. Taking up the report for 1869, we find the "sinews of war" have been found in this little country village to the extent of £27 for that year. There are many large towns and wealthy societies, in which this sum is not approached. The Rev. J. S. Stanwell writes that the church and Sabbath-school at Langthorne are in a "flourishing condition," and further says: "About the time Mr. Spoor missioned Bedale, and formed a small society, which, owing to their having no chapel, and no land obtainable on which to build, has hitherto been feeble. However, he had the satisfaction of knowing, just before his death, that land had been secured, and a substantial chapel erected."
Of the impression that remains in Thirsk, and the country round about, after more than thirty years, the Rev. S. Stubbings writes: "Mr. Spoor was wonderfully successful while here. When he came to Thirsk the cause was so low that it is said he wept at the thought of the desolation of Zion. But soon God poured out His Spirit upon his efforts, and many were converted to God, and as long as he remained God's work rolled on. Mr. Spoor's name is precious indeed through the entire circuit. Many of his converts lived to honour God, and have died in peace. Many who are still with us weep for joy when they recall the glorious days they experienced with this servant of God, and they expect to be his crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord."
During this period an incident transpired which shows Mr. Spoor to have been the subject of impulses or inspirations, to which he attached considerable importance, and which he generally followed and obeyed. In one of his country journeys, seeing a young woman alone reading, he was moved to go up to her and accost her, which he did in the language of the Evangelist to the eunuch of Ethiopia, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" She started, and the book fell from her hands; and when with an apology he stooped to lift the book for her, he was shocked to find it was a novel of an immoral character. He perceived that her start arose not from a nervous shock as he had supposed, but from a guilty conscience in being detected in reading a book unfit for any one, but especially for a young woman. In a few plain, pointed words he spoke to her of the sin and danger of reading such books, urged her to repent before God, and "preached unto her Jesus." Having done this he left her. A short time after, in leading a lovefeast in the same neighbourhood, a young person arose and related how she had been arrested in the beginning of a course of vice, and led to repentance by Mr. Spoor's words; that she had now found forgiveness and salvation, had burnt her vile books, and was on her way to heaven. Thus seed sown by the wayside brought forth precious fruit.
The December quarterly meeting of 1837 appointed Mr. Spoor to open a mission at Boroughbridge. At the March quarter-day there was reported five members and twenty-one on trial. Considerable as was the fruit of his labour here, this mission cannot be pronounced one of his marked successes. Not that he laboured or strove less, but a variety of causes combined to prevent his doing here the prodigies he accomplished elsewhere. It was in a place near Boroughbridge that he had an encounter with an Anglican priest, which made great noise in the neighbourhood at the time, and which raised many a laugh at the cost of his priestly assailant. One Sabbath morning Mr. Spoor took his customary stand on the village green to preach the gospel. It will not be difficult of belief to those who knew him that his voice in prayer and preaching rang all over the village. The priest hearing this vociferating intruder, came out in a rage, saying, in a lordly imperious manner, "What are you doing here? what do you want, sir?" Mr. S.: "I am come to do a bit of work to help you, for I see by the state of the place that it needs more than you are doing." This was hard hitting, and heightened the anger of his reverence; so he shouted out, "You shall not preach here." Mr. S.: "I say respectfully but decidedly, that I shall." The priest, with rage burning in his face, exclaimed, "I'll stop you." Mr. S.: "There are several ways of stopping you, but there's only one of stopping me." Priest: "What do you mean; what do you mean, sir?" "Why," said Mr. S., amid the ill-suppressed laugh of the bystanders, who had gathered in considerable numbers, "take away your gown, and you dare not preach; take away your book, and you cannot preach; and take away your rich income, and you won't preach; while the only way to stop me is by cutting my tongue out." The point of this trenchant reply is not, we judge, original, but it showed mental quickness and power of repartee to call up and use well this sharp weapon. It had its effect, for crestfallen and dumbfoundered, the arrogant ecclesiastic retired, and left the sharp-witted preacher in possession of the field. So he kept his congregation, and preached to them earnestly the gospel of Jesus.
In the year 1838, while Mr. Spoor was on the Boroughbridge mission, a scene occurred in Ripon market-place which created a considerable sensation, and in which he and the Rev. W. Fulton figured prominently. Mr. Fulton's account of the event is mainly followed here. The two brethren, Messrs. Spoor and Fulton, met from their branch stations at the Rev. W. Lister's, the superintendent of the circuit. Mr. Lister being in the country, Mr. Spoor said, "Brother Fulton, what do you think if we go and have a preaching at the city market-cross this evening?" Mr. Fulton instantly agreed. They cast lots who should preach, and the lot fell upon Mr. Spoor. So they sallied out to the broad market-square, and took their stand upon the cross, which is rather on one side of the square. Mr. Spoor was giving out the hymn and leading the singing, when a policeman came up with official and peremptory air, saying "Come down, or I'll fetch you down quickly." But as Mr. Spoor was determined not to yield in his Master's service without a struggle, he planted himself firmly to keep his foothold, Mr. Fulton standing at his left hand. Seizing Mr. Spoor, the constable dragged him down; but he soon shook off his assailant, and leaped instantly upon the standing-place again. His impotence in opposing these two resolute and godly men being made plain to him the enraged officer cried out, "I'll have you down yet, I am going to get a warrant for you." While he was gone the singing went on gloriously; and Mr. Fulton was in the midst of a fervent and powerful prayer, when the rude officer returned with his "letter of authority," and rushing up to him, seized him by the arm, saying, "Stop a bit, I want to speak to you." But the prayer went on. "I kept praying on," says Mr. Fulton, "for the Lord in His mighty saving power to take hold of the crowd and save the policeman, and no one could clerk better than Spoor, and clerk he did right lustily. When I ceased praying and opened my eyes, the first thing I saw in the surging, excited crowd below was a struggle going on between Spoor and the policeman at the foot of the cross, Spoor struggling for his place, and to defend me whilst my eyes were shut in prayer. Presently a man came forward with his arms spread, crying at the top of his voice, while his whole manner was excited, 'I'll fight for the ranters.' An immense crowd now drew up, and people were rushing to the scene of excitement; all around the square the windows were thrown up, and every one looking towards us. The people seemed deeply concerned, but it was only amusement for Mr. Spoor and me. A force of constables was obtained, and we were marched off to the magistrates. They, in a very summary manner, were going to send us to prison for creating a disturbance. Despite of all we could say they determined to punish us by sending us to prison (familiarly called the 'Kittie'). When we heard that we were going to prison, my friend Spoor burst out with rapture — 'Glory be to God! the kittie for Christ! Hallelujah! the kittie for Christ!' He rejoiced that he was counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. Mr. Braithwaite, a friend of ours, having some influence with the magistrates, hearing of our apprehension, hastened to the court, and demanded to know upon what grounds we had been committed. The policeman muttered something about 'a row in the market-place.' Mr. Braithwaite remonstrated against our being committed to jail upon such contemptible charges. We were allowed to explain the whole affair. The magistrates asked-'Are these men your friends?' Mr. B.: 'Not exactly that; but if you knew their character and worth as I do, you would protect them and not interrupt them.' Having been informed of the affair, the gentlemen on the bench turned upon the officer, and having reprimanded they dismissed him, saying, 'Go, you have betrayed your trust.' The populace outside, learning that he was the bribed tool of a publican, were so embittered against him for doing his 'dirty work,' that they would have maltreated him had he not escaped. Mr. S. and I marched to the chapel (for it was dark, and we could not continue the service out of doors), singing and exhorting the immense crowd, who filled the building. Spoor preached as I have very seldom heard him, and three souls were converted to God.
"A long and able letter appeared in the newspaper, insisting upon the right to conduct public worship in the open-air, and censuring the policemen and the magistrates. It was said to have been written by the Bishop of Ripon, Dr. Longley, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. I have heard Spoor tell this story with great zest. He was a marvellous man in those days,-a man of great power and earnestness, and far more eccentric than in after years."
In 1838 he was appointed to the Knaresborough branch of the Ripon circuit. About this time he was united in marriage to Miss Alice Thompson, of Darlington, who combined in herself the requisite qualities to be a fitting helpmate to so heroic a husband and so devoted a minister. She survives to feel how great a loss she has sustained in common with their numerous family. There was something beautiful about his home life. Outside he was resolute, defiant, and daring in his opposition to all unrighteousness; inside his dwelling he was full of gentleness and love, deeply anxious, not only for the temporal, but chiefly for the spiritual well-being of his family. There are expressions in his journals which show his concern for his son's conversion to God, and for the welfare of his daughters.
It was shortly after his marriage that he had a rough, encounter with a footpad, as he was returning from Harrogate to Knaresborough one dark night. In a lonely part of the road the miscreant, by one bound from his hiding-place, was on him. With all his herculean strength Mr. Spoor grappled with the villain, and made him feel that there were arms stronger than his. In the struggle they fell into a ditch nearly dry, Mr. Spoor being uppermost. Now the robber found he was mastered. In surly and gruff tones he begged to be freed from Mr. Spoor's terrible grip. But there he held him, his knee on his chest, and his hand grasping his collar. Mr. Spoor now began to expostulate with his unwilling auditor, in a strain like this — "O you miserable wretched sinner, why do you want to rob me, a poor ranter preacher? I've been to Harrogate to publish salvation to sinners, and now you want to rob me. The Lord have mercy upon your wretched soul. I have very little money on me. If you go on this way the devil will get you as sure as I have you now, and there'll be no getting away from him. Man, going on this way, hell is your doom. You must repent, — repent and make restitution, or you'll go to hell. If you repent, God will save you, robber as you are, for Jesus died for thieves." During the delivery of this short sermon, the man gave unmistakeable signs that he considered it too long, and its application too pointed. He begged to be liberated, but Mr. Spoor would not heed his application, until to had promised to amend his life. Of course the man was prepared to promise anything in the circumstances. Having cautiously provided against a possible repetition of the assault he loosed his hold, and the man bounded over the hedge and disappeared. It took Mr. Spoor some little time to recover himself from so sudden a shock; but when he did recover, his heart bounded with gratitude, and his lips sang out a song of praise for this deliverance. The marks of the encounter remained on his person for some time.
In the summer of 1839 he removed to the Middleham Mission of the Ripon circuit. Of his labours in this station, his colleague, Mr. James Dale, writes: "I first became acquainted with Mr. Spoor in the year 1838, and a friendship was then formed which was never broken. In July, 1839, he joined me at Middleham, not in the best state of health, but in good spirits. I clearly recollect on his coming, how eager he was to know the real state of the societies. Having laboured nine months in the station I was prepared to answer all his questions. The mission was at that time in a poor state, both numerically and financially. Through the pernicious conduct of one person many of our members and officials left us and never returned, and some had refused their wonted entertainment to the preachers. This being the case, I had little to say to encourage and comfort my friend. I told him of the limits of the station,-that it was forty-seven miles in length and twenty in breadth, — that the mountains over which he had to climb were very high,-that the roads were rough and very difficult, — and the journeys long, some of them being ten, twenty, and even thirty miles per day; and that in the vast field of labour our houses and friends were few and far between. But we had some friends who stuck to us through thick and thin. Altogether, I presented such a picture that if my friend had been a stiff-starched gent, he would have fled from it. But he had steel and fire in him; and the greater the difficulties the more resolute and determined he was to overcome them. When I finished my dreary narration, he, like a good general, began to arrange his plans and prepare for the conflict. Off he went, up hill and down dale, thundering out the threatenings of God against uncleanness, and, at the same time, calling men to the Lamb of God, that their sins might be taken away. His voice was so clear and strong, that it sounded far and wide when engaged in the open air, as he commonly was. The fame of our dear friend spread, and the people came for miles over hills and moor country to hear him; and many who thus, prompted by curiosity, came to hear him, went home saved and rejoicing. At the September quarterly meeting, we found to our great joy that there was much improvement in our spiritual, numerical, and financial Condition. The success that attended our labour, and the welcome accorded to us at the Ripon general quarter-day, seemed to put fresh life into us, and we both resolved to devote ourselves more fully to our great work. Our dear friend was pretty well on the whole, and his expectations ran high, — we saw that the circuit was moving-sinners were being saved, and the members seeking after full salvation. But just at the moment when we were looking forward so hopefully, our friend ruptured a blood-vessel, and he was compelled to give up the regular work. This was a terrible blow to us. But the Ripon authorities were very generous. They put the superintending of the station into my brother Joseph's hands, and sent us Mr. Robert Clapham. The good work went on until our numbers and finances were nearly doubled, and all within the Connexional year. Such a tone and impetus had been given by the piety and efforts of our departed friend to our societies, that it was the opinion of many, if his health had been continued, the whole country would have been shaken. He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost. 'Holiness to the Lord' was his constant motto. He held the strong belief that no man could be extensively useful unless he gave himself up to entire holiness. In his conversations with me he would say — 'Well, James, are you getting nearer every day to God? Oh, let us always be seeking a more copious baptism of the Holy Ghost. Oh, I long to be filled with the fulness of God.' Thus he set the Lord always before him. He had remarkable power as a family visitor. He would commonly take a whole street before him, and pray with every family if he could; and if he once got into a house it was no easy matter to get him out before he had prayed, and, sometimes, when I have been with him, as he prayed, it seemed as if heaven and earth were coming together. His whole soul was in his work, and he was only happy when proclaiming salvation by Jesus Christ, and leading penitent sinners to Him,-then would come a shout of victory, carrying terror into the hearts of hardened sinners, and many exclaimed, 'We never saw it on this fashion.'"
A review of the work he engaged in and accomplished in the
different parts of the Ripon circuit excites astonishment and
admiration. A study of all the evidence and facts convinces the
writer that in modern evangelistic efforts it is scarcely paralleled.
Though statistics reveal great results, yet good was done that
arithmetic cannot deal with. All his thought and care was to live
to God himself, and get on the work of God. Our wonder is not
that he broke down, but that he bore the extreme tension so long.
With this break in his ministerial career we now proceed to deal.