nearly eleven o'clock
Hontz Snyder was a man of about forty years of age , exceedingly low in stature , but of a large frame . He had been brought up in the Mohawk Valley , in the state of New York , and claimed relationship with the oldest Dutch families in that vicinity . He had once been a sailor , and had all the roughness of character that a sea-faring man might expect to possess ; together with the half-Yankee , half-German peculiarities of the people of the Mohawk Valley . It was nearly eleven o'clock when a one-horse waggon drove up in haste , and the low squatty preacher got out and took his place at the foot of one of the trees , where a sort of rough board table was placed , and took his books from his pocket and commenced . `` As it is rather late , '' said he , `` we will leave the singing and praying for the last , and take our text , and commence immediately . I shall base my remarks on the following passage of Scripture , and hope to have that attention which is due to the cause of God : -- ` All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you , do ye even so unto them ' ; that is , do by all mankind just as you would desire they should do by you , if you were in their place and they in yours . `` Now , to suit this rule to your particular circumstances , suppose you were masters and mistresses , and had servants under you , would you not desire that your servants should do their business faithfully and honestly , as well when your back was turned as while you were looking over them ?