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
_Lord’s day, July 8._—“Was ill last night—not able to rest quietly. Had
some small degree of assistance in preaching to the Indians, and
afterward was enabled to preach to the white people with some power,
especially in the close of my discourse, from Jer. 3:23. ‘Truly in vain
is salvation hoped for from the hills,’ &c. The Lord also assisted me in
some measure in the first prayer; blessed be his name. Near night,
though very weary, was enabled to read God’s word with some sweet relish
of it, and to pray with affection, fervency, and I trust with faith; my
soul was more sensibly dependant on God than usual. Was watchful,
tender, and jealous of my own heart, lest I should admit carelessness
and vain thoughts, and grieve the blessed Spirit, so that he should
withdraw his sweet, kind, and tender influences. Longed to ‘depart, and
be with Christ,’ more than at any time of late. My soul was exceedingly
united to the saints of ancient times, as well as those now living;
especially my soul melted for the society of Elijah and Elisha. Was
enabled to cry to God with a child-like spirit, and to continue instant
in prayer for some time. Was much enlarged in the sweet duty of
intercession; was enabled to remember great numbers of dear friends, and
precious souls, as well as Christ’s ministers. Continued in this frame,
afraid of every idle thought, till I dropped asleep.
_July 21._—“This morning I was greatly oppressed with guilt and shame
from a sense of inward vileness and pollution. About nine withdrew to
the woods for prayer, but had not much comfort; I appeared to myself the
vilest, meanest creature upon earth, and could scarcely live with
myself; so mean and vile I appeared, that I thought I should never be
able to hold up my face in heaven, if God, of his infinite grace, should
bring me thither. Toward night my burden respecting my work among the
Indians began to increase much, and was aggravated by hearing sundry
things which looked very discouraging, in particular that they intended
to meet together the next day for an idolatrous feast and dance. Then I
began to be in anguish; I thought that I must in conscience go and
endeavor to break them up, yet knew not how to attempt such a thing.
However, I withdrew for prayer, hoping for strength from above. In
prayer I was exceedingly enlarged, and my soul was as much drawn out as
I ever remember it to have been in my life. I was in such anguish, and
pleaded with such earnestness and importunity, that when I rose from my
knees I felt extremely weak and overcome; I could scarcely walk
straight; my joints were loosed; the sweat ran down my face and body,
and nature seemed as if it would dissolve. So far as I could judge, I
was wholly free from selfish ends in my fervent supplications for the
poor Indians. I knew that they were met together to worship devils, and
not God; and this made me cry earnestly that God would now appear and
help me in my attempts to break up this idolatrous meeting. My soul
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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