The question indeed arose: "Was I _at liberty_ to preach to the heathen without ordination ?" but I with extreme ease answered in the affirmative.

To teach a Church, of course needs the sanction of the church: no man can assume pastoral rights without assent from other parties: but to speak to those without, is obviously a natural right, with which the Church can have nothing to do.

And herewith all the precedents of the New Testament so obviously agreed, that I had not a moment's disquiet on this head.
At the same time, when asked by one to whom I communicated my feelings, "whether I felt that I had _a call_ to preach to the heathen," I replied: I had not the least consciousness of it, and knew not what was meant by such language.

All that I knew was, that I was willing and anxious to do anything in my power either to teach, or to help others in teaching, if only I could find out the way.

That after eighteen hundred years no farther progress should have been made towards the universal spread of Christianity, appeared a scandalous reproach on Christendom.