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
_Sept. 6._—“Spent the day in a very weak state; coughing and spitting
blood, and having little appetite for any food I had with me; was able
to do very little, except discourse a while of divine things to my own
people, and to some few I met with. Had, by this time, very little life
or heart to speak for God, through feebleness of body. Was scarcely ever
more ashamed and confounded in myself than now. I was sensible that
there were numbers of God’s people who knew I was then out upon a
design, or at least the pretence, of doing something for God, and in his
cause, among the poor Indians; and they were ready to suppose that I was
_fervent in spirit_; but O the heartless frame of my mind filled me with
confusion! O, methought, if God’s people knew me as God knows, they
would not think so highly of my zeal and resolution for God as perhaps
now they do! I could not but desire they should see how heartless and
irresolute I was, that they might be undeceived, and ‘not think of me
above what they ought to think.’ And yet I thought, if they saw the
utmost of my unfaithfulness, the smallness of my courage and resolution
for God, they would be ready to shut me out of their doors, as unworthy
of the company or friendship of Christians.
_Lord’s day, Sept. 7._—“Was much in the same weak state of body, and
afflicted frame of mind, as in the preceding day: my soul was grieved,
and mourned that I could do nothing for God. Read and expounded some
part of God’s word to my own dear family, and spent some time in prayer
with them; discoursed also a little to the Pagans; but spent the Sabbath
with a little comfort.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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