Making many glad - Baker - XVIII - Chapter 11 (Second mission to Texas) commenced

--> Required reading
Making many glad: The life and labours of Daniel Baker by William M. Baker (Available from Amazon or free here) -   Commence Chapter 11 (Second mission to Texas) by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'During his long imprisonment in his chamber, Dr. Baker's chief sorrow was that he was thus stayed from his efforts to do good.'.

My summary
This week the chapter opens with Baker expressing his dissatisfaction with his preaching at his pastorate in Holly Springs.

So Baker decides to make a second trip to Texas and resigns his pastoral charge. 

We are then given an account of his trip there and subsequent work.

We are told about Baker's:
(i) distribution of tracts;
(ii) book reading;
(iii) witnessing to a Roman Catholic priest;
(iv) involvement in setting a woman free;
(v) work at Sabbath-schools;
(vi) preaching;
(vii) starting a library;
(viii) involvement at prayer meetings;
(ix) loss of sight from inflamed eyes.

What grabbed me
I was a little surprised at how easily it seemed that Baker gave up his pastorate: 'It was in June, 1848, perceiving, as I supposed, that my preaching in Holly Springs was not doing much good, I became restless and unhappy, and wished another field, where I might be more useful. I had not been in this state of mind many months, when one day going to the post-office, I found a letter there for me, a crowded sheet, from the Rev. Stephen F. Cocke, of Lavaca, giving a glowing account of Texas, as presenting a great and most promising field for missionary enterprise. This excellent brother and myself had some acquaintance many years ago, but we had lost the history of each other ; and in his letter he stated, that although he did not exactly know my residence, yet at a venture he would address me at Holly Springs. This seemed to me very remarkable, and after much reflection and prayer, I thought I must at least visit Texas once more. Accordingly I resigned my pastoral charge, and left my family in Holly Springs.'

It would always be a hard decision to know when to leave a pastorate but sometimes it may be wise to push through in hard ground rather than go where the ground is softer.

Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 11 (Second mission to Texas) by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'In the course of his labours among all classes of persons, in all sections of the land, incidents would often occur not at all common in the even life of the city pastor.'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.