They  calculate  to  "foot  the  bill,"  whatever  it  may
be  after  having  made  their  regular  collections.  But
this  noble  generosity  on  the  part  of  official  members
sometimes  operates  injuriously,  not  to  the  general
cause,  but  to  particular  individuals.  Members  come
to  think  it  matters  little  whether  they  pay  their  "little
mite"  or  not;  the  demands  will  all  be  met,  at  any
rate;  the  society  will  not  suffer  in  credit,  nor  the
preachers  in  pocket,  though  they  hold  on  to  their
pittance ;  thus  virtually  taking  it  out  of  their  neigh-
bor's pocket!  "It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to
receive ;"  and  those  who  neglect  their  own  duty  be-
cause others  are  more  liberal  than  themselves,  rob
their  own  souls  of  the  richest  benedictions  of  Heaven.
At  my  first  visit  to  Lithopolis,  I  met  with  Dr.
Minor,  with  whom  I  had  formed  a  slight  acquaintance
in  Vermont.  The  Doctor  showed  me  no  little  kind-
ness; and,  from  that  day  to  this,  I  have  been  made
welcome  to  the  hospitality  of  his  house,  whenever  I
visited  that  place.  He  has  shown  himself  a  substan-
tial friend,  and  I  trust  he  will  yet  obtain  the  mercy


A    SUPERANNUATE.  253

of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life.  We  had  a
good  society  in  that  place ;  but  Methodism  has  found
much  to  contend  with  in  that  region.  The  population
was  made  up,  in  good  part,  of  German  Lutherans,
whose  prejudices  against  Methodism  were  very  strong.
