Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/153

Rh your justification; and it is therefore most unworthy to be had in reverence. This conversation, as may be supposed, made this gentleman exceeding angry; and I was not a little surprised to hear him, although he immediately broke up the conference, insist upon my coming the ensuing day (Sunday), according to promise, to preach in his pulpit. The intelligence ran through the city, that I was to preach in the Baptist meeting-house, and numbers flocked to hear. I came, I entered the parlour of the Rev. gentleman; many of the members of his church were present, and a young candidate for the ministry. The gentleman, who invited me, and who repeated his invitation on parting with me, arose, and throwing upon me a most indignant glance, took the young gentleman by the hand, and led him into the meeting-house, which was adjoining to his dwelling, leaving me standing in his parlour. I now perceived, why he had insisted upon my coming to preach for him. But it was not wonderful; I had spoken contemptibly of his Christ, and he took rank among my inveterate foes; yet I had, among his connexions, a few friends, who, indignant at the treatment I had received, redoubled their caresses. There was at this time a small company, who assembled at a place, known by the name of Bachelor's-Hall; they were unacquainted with the truth I delivered; yet, willing to hear for themselves, they invited me to preach for them. Halting between two opinions, they solicited aid from a minister of another persuasion; and they requested me to hear him, to which I readily consented. The preacher selected his text, "Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." He commenced his comment: "My friends, I shall undertake to prove, that Jesus never did, nor never will take away the sin of the world." I was astonished, and the persons, asking my attendance, were abashed. The preacher added: "It is impossible Christ can have taken away the sin of the world, for then all the world must be saved." This was unquestionable; I was exceedingly gratified, and the more, as this sermon, intended for my confusion, did much to establish that truth, of which, by the grace of God, I was a promulgator.

The combined efforts of the clergy in Philadelphia barred against me the door of every house of public worship in the city. Bachelor's-Hall was in Kensington. But at Bachelor's-Hall the people attended, and a few were enabled to believe the good word of their God. There was in the city, a minister of the Seventh-day Baptist persuasion; for a season he appeared attached to me, but soon became very virulent in his opposition. He told me, he passed on foot nine miles, upon the return of every Saturday, to preach. I asked him, how many his