Within a year or two I began to write for the "Presbyterian" at Philadelphia.

Its proprietor urged me to accept an editorial position, but I declined his proposal, as I have declined several other requests to assume editorial positions since.

I would always rather write when I _choose_ than write when I _must_, and I have never felt at liberty to hold any other position while I was a pastor of a church.

My contributions to the press never hindered my work as a minister, for writing for the press promotes perspicuity in preparing for the pulpit.
In the summer of 1853 I was called from the Third Presbyterian Church of Trenton to the Market Street Reformed Church of New York City.

As a loyal Dutchman, I began to write at once for the "Christian Intelligencer," and have continued in its clean hospitable columns to this day.