Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/109

Rh than yourself. I think it doth not become us to speak or believe evil of any man, without the strongest possible proof." All this was rational, I felt its full force, and blushed for my own credulity. I proceeded to read. The Union introduced me to many passages of scripture, which had before escaped my observation. A student, as I had been of the scriptures, from the first dawn of my reason, I could not but wonder at myself; I turned to Mr. Mason's book, and I discovered a want of candour, and a kind of duplicity, which had not before met my view, and which perhaps would never have caught my attention, had I not read the Union. I saw the grand object untouched, while Relly had clearly pointed out the doctrines of the gospel. Yet there were many passages, that I could not understand, and I felt myself distressingly embarrassed. One moment I wished from my soul, I had never seen the Union; and the next my heart was enlarged, and lifted up by considerations, which swelled my bosom to ecstacy. This was the situation of my mind, during many succeeding months, and a large proportion of my time was passed in reading, and studying the scriptures, and in prayer: My understanding was pressing on to new attainments, and the prospect brightened before me. I was greatly attached to my minister, Mr. Hitchins; he was eminent in his line, and a most pleasing preacher. Mrs. Murray was in the habit of taking down his sermons in short hand. We were delighted with the man, and accustomed to consider him a genuine gospel preacher. It happened, that Mr. Hitchins took a journey into the country, and was absent on the sabbath day. Come, my dear, said I, our minister is out of town, let us avail ourselves of the opportunity, and hear the writer of the Union; this is a privilege, which few, who read books, can have; as authors are generally numbered with the dead, before their labours are submitted to the public eye." Her consent was always yielded to my solicitations; but we were terrified, as we passed along, in the fear of meeting some of our religious brethren; happily, however, we reached the meeting-house, without encountering any one, to whom we were known.

Mr. Relly had changed his place of worship, and we were astonished to observe a striking proof of the falsehood of those reports, which had reached us; no coaches thronged the street, nor surrounded the door of this meeting-house; there was no vestige of grandeur, either within or without. The house had formerly been occupied by Quakers; there were no seats, save a few benches; and the pulpit was framed of a few rough boards, over which no plane had ever passed. The audience corresponded with the house, they did not appear very religious;