his difficulties. His means were very limited, and his time, from sunrise to sunset, was devoted to manual labor. About two years of his apprenticeship remained to be served. “Where there is a will there is a way," and like a worthy host of others, who have found themselves in similar circumstances, our young brother found time, and means of improvement, where none apparently existed. At length that period in his history to which the young man looks forward with so much anxiety and hope arrived; his twenty-first birthday made him his own master.

We next find him at Beebe's Academy in Chester, increasing his stock of knowledge, and developing his intellectual capacities.

While seeking to improve his understanding, his heart was not neglected. There was a simultaneous "growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

In February of 1829, Miss Lavina Whitcomb became the sharer of his joys and sorrows. Little did her young heart then know of the trying scenes through which she was to pass as the wife of the suffering superannuate. During all his subsequent years of labor and affliction, she was his faithful companion and patient attendant, until death placed him beyond the need of her kind offices.

Mr. Ryder shrank from the work of the ministry. "At times he determined to dismiss the subject altogether, actually sealed up those parts of his hymn book having immediate reference to this subject, and seriously contemplated taking the same liberty with certain passages of the volume of inspiration, which, when they met his eye, thrilled his soul with the startling suddenness of the galvanic shock. Yet the gentle impulsions of duty, the urgent voice of the church, the love of Christ, the love of souls, finally triumphing, induced

him to yield to those who insisted upon his immediate transfer to an effective position in the general work. He was licensed to preach in May, 1830, and labored for one year under the presiding elder, on the Cambridge circuit as an assistant to Rev. R. Kelly."

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Mr. Ryder attended a camp meeting that year at Pittstown, N. Y., at which meeting he listened to a very able discourse, delivered by Rev. J. B. Stratton. During its delivery he was induced to draw a mortifying contrast between the speaker and himself, and at its close he came to the hasty, and desperate resolution, never to attempt to preach again. While in pursuit of his colleague, with the intention of making known to him his purpose to return immediately home, he providentially met the venerable Samuel Howe, who, affectionately passing his arm about the neck of the desponding youth, exclaimed with fervor, Was not that a lovely sermon?' 'Precious! but inimitable!' sighed the disheartened novice. Courage, my young brother!' resumed the apostolic adviser; I remember when, twenty years ago, that preacher was but a diffident youth, evidently studious, pious, and thoughtful; yet no one thought he would ever make a preacher. It is related of him that on one occasion his colleague unexpectedly entered the room where he was discoursing, and that he was so disconcerted at his presence that he sat down pale and trembling, and no persuasions could induce him to proceed; and now,' continued father Howe, 'you see what a giant he has become? Courage! my brother, and you may in time become a good, if not a great preacher of the gospel.' I thanked father Howe,' says Mr. Ryder, for his reasonable encouragement, and resolved to

TRY.'"

This scene might have had its influence in preparing him for the part he acted in what follows: "There is

one circumstance," says Rev. A. A. Farr, "connected with my ministry, that I shall probably remember with gratitude, while I live. The second sabbath that I spent in the itinerant work,was at an appointment where religion was very low, and an official member of the church had given me to understand that I would not answer for them. Consequently, when I went to preach my first sermon in that place, I was nearly overwhelmed with fear. After entering the pulpit, I did not look around on the congregation, till I arose to give out my first hymn; and then, to my utter surprise, one of the first men that I recognized was the Rev. W. Ryder. The moment I saw him, I nearly lost all command of myself, and my embarrassment continued during the entire service. My feelings had so nearly got the control of my judgment, that I made up my mind, at first, never to preach again. I also thought that I would not meet brother Ryder, lest he should advise me to go home; but as I could not well get out of the church, without passing his seat, I concluded I would meet him and abide the result. As I approached him, he extended his hand to greet me, and, with tears, said: "O, brother Farr! I am glad to see you here; you ought to have been in the work long ago." My heart melted, and I answered: "I fear I have done an injury to the cause of religion, in my remarks this morning." And never shall I forget his reply: "I have preached a great many poorer sermons than that." In a moment my heart was encouraged to go forward in the path of duty, and leave the event with God. Had he criticised my sermon, and told me all its faults, I presume I should have left my work, with the impression that I was mistaken about being called to the ministry. Ever since that period, I have been endeavoring to preach Christ to the children of men; and often has my heart overflowed with grati

tude to God, that he employed brother Ryder as his instrument in that trying hour.”

At the session of the New York Conference, held in July, 1831, Mr. Ryder was received on trial, and appointed to Pittsford and Wallingford, Vt. On this circuit, he derived great advantage from his intercourse with his colleague, Rev. Joshua Poor. In numberless respects did the gentlemanly deportment, godly life, and judicious advice of the latter, prove a blessing to the former. Several protracted meetings were held during the year, and God was with his servants. The 12th day of January, 1832, may be regarded as the "birth-day of those pains and agonies, that have since rendered him as distinguished in the world of suffering, as some of his honored cotemporaries have become in the world of action. He was proceeding to an appointment, on horseback, and, at a short distance from Wallingford village, was seized with an acute pain in the right hip joint; sharp, shooting, severe and constant, so that he could not dismount without aid. Brother Poor kindly procured him a sleigh, and he reached the church at East Wallingford in due season. The night was dark, cold and stormy. After securing his horse to the shed, he attempted to walk to the church, a few rods distant, but fell in agony upon the snow, crept to the door upon his hands and knees, aroused those within, was assisted to a place by the fire, and finally stood up in a pew and preached to the handful that had gathered for worship. From thence he betook himself to his bed, and the usual external applications for rheumatism; the disease appeared to yield to the treatment, its violence gradually diminished, and in ten days every sensible trace of it had disappeared."

At the conference of 1832, Mr. Ryder was appointed preacher in charge of Leicester circuit, in Vermont,

with Rev. John Alley as his colleague. This circuit then included Leicester, Goshen, Brandon, Salisbury, Whiting, Sudbury, Hubbardtown, Shoreham, Orwell, and Bridport. The year was one of severe labor and painful suffering. Twice, at the no small risk of his life, he forded Otter Creek, in order to reach his appointment, when it was so swollen as to be regarded by others as impassable. The toils and exposure of this large charge brought on another attack of rheumatism, and from this time he became the victim of incessant and almost incredible sufferings.

It was with great difficulty that our suffering friend reached the seat of the Troy Conference, in August, 1833, in which his lot had fallen by the division of the New York Conference. He was there ordained deacon by Bishop Hedding, and appointed to Salisbury, in Vermont. Six months of successful, though painful labors, closed his itinerant career, and he returned to his father-in-law's, at Granville. At the conference of 1834, he obtained a superannuated relation. In February of 1835, his health having considerably improved, he removed to West Poultney, with a view of keeping a boarding house, but, in the following month his suf ferings returned with increased violence. "There was great pain in the right shoulder, the muscles contracted and drew the arm around upon the back, so as to give it the appearance of dislocation. No sufferer upon the rack or wheel ever endured anguish so exquisite or agonies so terrible! In the same month of the following year, 1836, the left arm exhibited the same symptoms and manifested the same tendencies. To prevent its utter dislocation, Mrs. Ryder bound it fast by a leathern thong to the foot-post of the bed, forcing it to preserve its horizontal position; and thus the muscles, drawing one way, and the thong the other, had well nigh