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
“As these poor ignorant pagans stood in need of having ‘line upon line,
and precept upon precept,’ in order to their being instructed and
grounded in the principles of Christianity; so I preached ‘publicly, and
taught from house to house,’ almost every day for whole weeks together,
when I was with them. My _public_ discourses did not then make up the
one half of my work, while there were so many constantly coming to me
with that important inquiry, ‘What must we do to be saved?’ and opening
to me the various exercises of their minds. Yet I can say, to the praise
of divine grace, that the apparent success, with which my labors were
crowned, unspeakably more than compensated for the labor itself, and was
likewise a great means of supporting and carrying me through the
business and fatigues under which, it seems, my nature would have sunk
without such an encouraging prospect. But although this success has
afforded matter of support, comfort, and thankfulness; yet in this
season I have found great need of assistance in my work, and have been
much oppressed for want of one to bear a part of my labors and
hardships. ‘May the Lord of the harvest send forth _other laborers_ into
this part of his harvest, that those who sit in darkness may see great
light; and that the whole earth may be filled with the knowledge of
himself! Amen.’”
CHAPTER VIII.
_Being part 2d of his public journal of “the Continuance and Progress of
a remarkable work of grace among the Indians in New-Jersey and
Pennsylvania kept by order of the Society in Scotland for
propagating Christian knowledge.”—Renewal of labor at
Crossweeksung—outpouring of the spirit—remarkable case—signal
displays of divine power—a convert—a number of Christian Indians
accompany him to the Forks of Delaware—striking conversion at
Crossweeksung—day of fasting—Lord’s supper—conversion of a
Conjurer—general remarks on the preceding narrative._
Nov. 5, 1745.—June 19, 1746.
_Crossweeksung, New-Jersey, 1745._
_Lord’s day, Nov. 24._—“Preached both parts of the day from the story of
Zaccheus. Luke, 19:1-9. In the latter exercise, when I opened and
insisted upon the salvation that comes to a sinner upon his becoming a
son of Abraham, or a true believer, the word seemed to be attended with
divine power to the hearts of the hearers. Numbers were much affected
with divine truth; former convictions were revived; one or two persons
newly awakened; and a most affectionate engagement in divine service
appeared among them universally. The impressions they were under
appeared to be the genuine effect of God’s word brought home to their
hearts by the power and influence of the Divine Spirit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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