240 History of the 



was reading the scriptures to improve the time till I arrived. A 

 temporary pulpit was made, and I was offered a book, but I said, 

 ' Tell Mr. Ogden I cannot preach ! ' His reply was, ' Give him a 

 bible.' I gave out a hymn — after the prayer, two friends, as I 

 hesitated to mount the pulpit, assisted me up. I read my text, and 

 then closed my eyes till I had got about half-way through my dis- 

 course, when, just opening them, and finding Mr. Whitaker's eyes 

 fixen upon me, I was obliged instantly to close them again, or all 

 my thoughts had fled. Having finished, I stepped down, opened 

 the door, and left them to conclude the meeting as they pleased. 

 It was a dark night in the month of November, so that I was not, 

 as I feared, a gazing-stock on my return home. Next morning 

 before daybreak, I took a walk through the village, feeling that I 

 could not bear to be seen again in the daytime. Shortly afterwards 

 Mr. Ogden and several of the society urged me to preach again, 

 but I did not attempt it till about Christmas in 1792. In the 

 beginning of April, 1793, Mr. Ogden was from home on the Lord's 

 Day, and the Church was closed. I was requested to preach in a 

 large factory newly erected, and the top room unfurnished. More 

 than a thousand people were present. A portion of the floor gave 

 way, but no fatal accident occurred. From this time I had my 

 places fixed once a fortnight, and preached at Huttock End, Weir, 

 Stack, Bankbottom, &c. ; and Mr. Ogden would of his own accord 

 give me two shillings for every sermon preached under his direc- 

 tion, though his income was scanty." 



In 1794 Mr. Hargreaves left the church, and joined the Baptist 

 society at Bacup, under the Rev. John Hirst. In 1795 he received 

 a call to Bolton, which he accepted, and was ordained minister on 

 June 29, 1796. Two years later he removed to Ogden, and in 

 addition to his ministerial office, commenced a boarding-school, 

 which he conducted for a long series of years with eminent success : 

 studying unremittingly to qualify himself for the duties. With the 

 exception of an interval oftwelve months spent at Hull (in 1808-9), 

 Mr. Hargreaves laboured at Ogden for a space of 24 years, having 

 during that time declined many more lucrative situations. In 1822 



