The Power of Faith: Exemplified In The Life And Writings Of The Late Mrs. Isabella Graham.Graham, Isabella
Religion
The Power of Faith: Exemplified In The Life And Writings Of The Late Mrs. Isabella Graham.
Graham, Isabella
Christian biography; Graham, Isabella, 1742-1814
"On Monday a meeting for prayer was instituted in Hetty-street,
and another in Mulberry-street, with which the Presbyterian ministers
have agreed to meet in rotation. It is the Lord. We have heard of
revivals all around, but feared lest the aggravated sins of New York
might provoke the Lord to pass by, leaving our fleece dry, while the
dew wet all around. Great have been our privileges; the gospel trumpet
has sounded in every corner of our city. The Lord's servants have set
before us life and death, assuring us, from God's word, that 'though
hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished;' beseeching us
to flee from the wrath to come, and lay hold on the hope set before
us. God in his providence has visited us with mercies and with
judgments: stricken us, and healed us; scattered us, and gathered us:
but alas, alas, we were 'eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage.' Many, very many, wasting their time, health, and substance,
in all manner of immorality, and our rulers caring for none of these
things; yea, many of them practising the same things; and Oh, God's
own saved people sitting still, restraining testimony before men and
prayer before God. What were we to expect but that God should say, Why
should they be stricken any more? they will revolt more and more: they
are joined to idols; let them alone. Such, O Lord, would be the case
didst thou not deliver us out of our own self-destroying snares. If
thou turn us not, we shall never turn; it is in our nature to
backslide for ever.
"But is not the time come to pass when before thy people call
thou answerest, and while they are yet speaking, thou hearest? Art
thou not calling with power, 'Return, ye backsliding children, and I
will heal your backslidings?' and hast thou not prepared their hearts
to answer, Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God?
truly, in vain is salvation looked for from the hills, and from the
multitude of mountains; truly, from the Lord our God is the salvation
of Israel. Hast thou not, O God, prepared the hearts of thy people to
pray, and thine ear to hear? Is not this Bible Society, and are not
these associations for prayer, tokens from thee for good? More and
more, Lord, may thy people give thee no rest, until thou make Zion a
praise in the earth. O the Hope of Israel, and the Saviour thereof, be
not as a wayfaring man, that turneth aside for a night. May thy people
constrain thee to abide with us for ever, to form us a people for
thyself, to show forth thy praise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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