The Life and Letters of the Rev. George Mortimer, M.A.: Rector of Thornhill, in the Diocese of Toronto, Canada WestArmstrong, John
Religion
The Life and Letters of the Rev. George Mortimer, M.A.: Rector of Thornhill, in the Diocese of Toronto, Canada West
Armstrong, John
Mortimer, George, 1784-1844
“K— and I (and perhaps a third person, but I am not sure about that)
were travelling from Wellington to Madeley in a post chaise. When we
were about to descend a precipitous hill, something seemed to say to
me, ‘Pray, you are in danger.’ I resisted the impression, and said
to myself, it is all nonsense; I will not give way to superstitious
fears. Again the warning was impressed on my mind, and I then paused
and lifted up my heart in prayer to God. I had no sooner done so,
than I heard the postillion contending with his horses, which were
plunging into the hedge on one side of the road; then they dashed to
the other side, and it appeared as though we should have been
precipitated over the side of the hill; but we reached the bottom in
safety. I then said to K—, ‘I will tell you what has been passing in
my mind,’ and related to him all the circumstances. K— then told me,
that just at the same time, as he supposed from my description of the
spot, the same thing was suggested to his mind, and that at first he
repelled the suggestion, but afterwards yielded to it; but that he
had not the honesty to confess the circumstance till I had done so.
I know K— well, and feel perfectly assured that he would tell me
nothing but the truth; and from the remarkable circumstance of the
suggestion being made to the minds of both of us, I cannot, but
believe it was an intimation from above of our danger and of the
necessity of prayer. For, although his angels are always at hand to
succour us in danger, yet God has been pleased to make prayer a
necessary means for obtaining their aid. When I am in my grave, tell
this for the benefit of others as an encouragement to prayer.”
My dear young friend and god-daughter adds, “I was very much impressed by
the charge with which my dear father concluded, and, that I might be the
better able to fulfil it, I wrote down the whole relation when I returned
home, of which the above is a copy.”
I very gladly comply with a hope expressed by Mr. Mortimer’s eldest
daughter that I will insert in the memoir of her dear father, a letter
addressed to her by him when she was about ten years of age; and, as it
was written during his residence at Madeley, I insert it here before we
take leave of that place:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account