These  ministers  delighted  to  come  among  the  people  of
Montgomery,  for  they  were  always  received  with  generous
hospitality  and  worshipful  regard.  Pious  mothers  taught
their  children  to  love  and  venerate  these  holy  men,  though
graceless  youths,  who  dared  not  yet  blaspheme  the  name
of  God,  often  swore  with  profane  delight  by  such  names
"  Vardeman"  and  "  Creath."  Almost  every  phase  of  early
Baptist  sentiment  was  represented  by  these  famous  preach-
ers ;  for  among  them  were  disciples,  not  only  of  John
Calvin,  but  of  Andrew  Fuller  and  Shubal  Stearns,  if  not
of  James  Arminius  himself.  The  people  reflected  the
same  diversity  of  opinion ;  yet  they  lived  in  peace  as
brethren,  bound  together  by  a  common  faith  and  a  mutual
love.
A  pleasant  and  fruitful  field  of  labor  was  open  to  Smith,
and  he  went  in  with  strong  confidence,  and  began  his
work.  In  the  first  year  after  his  removal,  a  committee
from  the  four  churches  that  were  under  his  charge  was
authorized  to  select  for  him  a  home  and  farm,  as  central
as  might  be  to  the  field  of  his  ministerial  labors.  It  was
understood  that  he  would  make  the  first  payment,  but
that  the  churches  would  assume  the  remainder  of  the
debt.  A  farm  of  about  one  hundred  acres,  lying  two  miles
east  of  Mount  Sterling,  and  valued  at  three  thousand  two
hundred  dollars,  was  accordingly  bought.  Possession
would  be  given  in  November;  the  money  which  he  had
realized  by  the  sale  of  his  little  farm  in  Wayne,  with  a
small  amount  which  he  had  already  received  for  preach-
ing, would  enable  him  to  makelhe  first  payment ;  and  he
never  doubted  for  a  moment  that  his  brethren  would
promptly  make  the  others.
