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
“While we were singing there was one individual, the woman mentioned in
my journal of February 9 who, I may venture to say, if I may be allowed
to say so much of any person I ever saw, was ‘filled with joy
unspeakable and full of glory;’ and could not but burst forth in prayer
and praises to God before us all, with many tears; crying, sometimes in
English and sometimes in Indian, ‘_O blessed Lord! do come, do come! O
do take me away; do let me die, and go to Jesus Christ! I am afraid if I
live I shall sin again. O do let me die now! O dear Jesus, do come! I
cannot stay, I cannot stay! O how can I live in this world; do take my
soul away from this sinful place! O let me never sin any more! O what
shall I do, what shall I do, dear Jesus. O dear Jesus!_’ In this ecstacy
she continued some time, uttering these and similar expressions
incessantly. The grand argument she used with God to take her away
immediately was, that ‘if she lived, she should sin against him.’ When
she had a little recovered herself, I asked her if Christ was now sweet
to her soul? Whereupon, turning to me with tears in her eyes, and with
all the tokens of deep humility I ever saw in any person, she said, ‘I
have many times heard you speak of the goodness and the sweetness of
Christ, that he was better than all the world. But O I knew nothing what
you meant. I never believed you, I never believed you! But now I know it
is true;’ or words to that effect. I answered, ‘And do you see enough in
Christ for the greatest of sinners?’ She replied, ‘O enough, enough for
all the sinners in the world, if they would but come.’ When I asked her,
‘If she could not tell them of the goodness of Christ.’ Turning herself
about to some Christless souls, who stood by, and were much affected,
she said, ‘O there is enough in Christ for you if you would but come. O
strive, strive to give up your hearts to him,’ &c. On hearing something
of the glory of heaven mentioned, that there was no sin in that world;
she again fell into the same ecstacy of joy and desire of Christ’s
coming; repeating her former expressions, ‘O dear Lord, do let me go! O
what shall I do; what shall I do. I want to go to Christ. I cannot live.
O do let me die,’ &c.
“She continued in this sweet frame for more than two hours before she
was able to get home. I am very sensible that there may be great joys,
arising even to an ecstasy, where there is still no substantial evidence
of their being well grounded. But in the present case there seemed to be
no evidence wanting in order to prove this joy to be divine; either in
regard to its preparatives, attendants, or consequents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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