This brought in a number of others who were wishful to be
supported. But many of these people, after joining the church, refused
to work. It was plain that we must either give up the attempt to carry
out our generous principles, or else adopt some method of testing people
before admitting them as members, and some wise system of discipline and
government with regard to those already admitted. But we had said so
much about unlimited liberty, that we could do neither the one nor the
other without breaking up the church and building it up anew; and it
seemed too late to do that. So we dragged along as well as we could.
Some lost patience, and went to other churches. Some came to the
conclusion that Christianity as laid down in the New Testament was
impracticable, and so became skeptical. Some kept aloof from all the
churches, but still retained their faith in Christianity, and their
attachment to the principles to which we had given prominence.
At one period I lectured frequently on Peace. The Quakers aided me in
obtaining rooms for my lectures, and supplied me with money to pay my
travelling expenses; and the Backhouses and Peases of Darlington, and
the Richardsons and others of Newcastle, contributed to the support of
my family.
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