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
_August 14._—“Spent the day with the Indians. There was one of them who
had some time since put away his wife, as is common among them, and
taken another woman; and being now brought under some serious
impressions, was much concerned about that affair in particular, and
seemed fully convinced of the wickedness of the practice, and earnestly
desirous to know what God would have him to do in his present
circumstances. When the law of God respecting _marriage_ had been opened
to them, and the cause of his leaving his wife inquired into, and when
it appeared that she had given him no just occasion, by unchastity, to
desert her, and that she was willing to forgive his past misconduct and
to live peaceably with him for the future, and that she, moreover,
insisted on it as her right to live with him; he was then told that it
was his indispensable duty to renounce the woman whom he had last taken,
and receive the other, who was his proper wife, and live peaceably with
her during life. With this he readily and cheerfully complied; and
thereupon _publicly_ renounced the woman he had last taken, and promised
to live with and be kind to his wife during life; she also promising the
same to him. Here appeared a clear demonstration of the power of God’s
word upon their hearts. I suppose a few weeks before the whole world
could not have persuaded this man to a compliance with Christian rules
in this affair.
“I was not without fears that this proceeding might be like putting ‘new
wine into old bottles;’ and that some might be prejudiced against
Christianity, when they saw the demands made by it. But the man being
much concerned about the matter, the determination of it could be
deferred no longer; and it seemed to have a good, rather than an ill
effect among the Indians, who generally owned that the laws of Christ
were good and right respecting the affairs of marriage. In the afternoon
I preached to them from the apostle’s discourse to Cornelius. Acts,
10:34. There appeared some affectionate concern among them, though not
equal to what appeared in several of the former days. They still
attended and heard as for their lives, and the Lord’s work seemed still
to be promoted and propagated among them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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