The Life of Rev. David Brainerd, Chiefly Extracted from His DiaryBrainerd, David
Religion
The Life of Rev. David Brainerd, Chiefly Extracted from His Diary
Brainerd, David
Indians of North America -- Missions -- Early works to 1800
“Found one who had newly received comfort, after pressing distress from
day to day. Could not but rejoice and admire the divine goodness in what
appeared this day. There seems to be some good done by every discourse;
some newly awakened every day, and some comforted. It was refreshing to
observe the conduct of those who obtained comfort: while others were
distressed with fear and concern, they were lifting up their hearts to
God for them.
_Lord’s day, Aug. 11._—“Discoursed in the forenoon from the parable of
the _Prodigal Son_. Luke, 15. Observed no such remarkable effect of the
word upon the assembly as in days past. There were numbers of careless
spectators from the white people, of various characters. In the
afternoon I discoursed upon a part of Peter’s sermon. Acts, 2. And at
the close of my discourse to the Indians, made an address to the white
people; and divine truth seemed then to be attended with power, both to
English and Indians. Several of the white heathen were awakened, and
could not longer be idle spectators; but found they had souls to save or
lose as well as the Indians; and a great concern spread through the
whole assembly; so that this also appeared to be a day of God’s power,
especially toward the conclusion of it, although the influence attending
the word seemed scarcely so powerful now as in some days past.
“The number of Indians, old and young, was now upward of _seventy_; and
one or two were newly awakened this day who never had appeared to be
moved with concern for their souls before. Those who had obtained relief
and comfort, and had given hopeful evidences of having passed a saving
change, appeared humble and devout, and behaved in an agreeable and
Christian-like manner. I was refreshed to see the tenderness of
conscience manifest in some of them; one instance of which I cannot but
notice. Perceiving one of them very sorrowful in the morning, I inquired
into the cause of her sorrow, and found the difficulty was, that she had
been angry with her child the evening before, and was now exercised with
fears lest her anger had been inordinate and sinful; which so grieved
her that she awoke and began to sob before day light, and continued
weeping for several hours together.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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