 He spent a number of the subsequent years living in Shrewsbury, and in other areas of North Wales, before, in 1798 moving to Chester to work as an assistant in Misses Williams' (daughters of Richard Williams) drapery business.Whilst in Chester he initially attended the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist church, but later joined the Methodists at the Octagon, the Wesleyan Methodist chapel.Soon after, he began preaching as local preacher, before, in 1801 becoming an ordained Wesleyan Methodist minister, touring various circuits in Wales until 1815, when he began touring on circuits in England.