Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/158

148 you thus presume to question me? "I am, sir, placed here, by Almighty God, to look after the affairs of his church, and people; and I have a right to insist on knowing who, and what you are?" Well, sir, if you be placed here, as the vicegerent of Heaven, you should take care how you conduct; you have a great charge, and your responsibility is proportioned to its magnitude. But, sir, I am not assuming; I have no design upon your people; I am like a person in the time of harvest, who steps into the field, and binds up some sheaves, making no demand upon the proprietor of the grounds. I have never attempted to scatter your sheep, I have not even plucked a lock of their wool. I do not wish to govern, I only aim at being a help. "I do not like you a bit the better for all this stuff. I insist on knowing, whether you came in at the door?" I wish to know, sir, what door you mean? "I mean, the door of the church; all, who come not in at that door, are thieves and robbers." But, sir, I would know, what church you mean? The pope declares, there is no true church, save the one of which he is the head. The Episcopal bishop affirms, there is no true church, but that of which the king is the head. Do you, sir, mean either of these? "No, sir, I mean the true church. Did you come in at that door?" If, sir, you do not tell me, what you mean by the true church, how can I answer you respecting the door? "Sir, I will have no evasions. Did you, or did you not, come in at the door?" Jesus Christ says: 'I am the door; by me, if any man enter, he shall be saved.' Do you mean this door, sir? "No, sir, I mean the door of the church." Is not Jesus Christ the door of the church, sir? "No, sir." Well, sir, although there be many preachers, who have not entered at this door, you will not, I trust, esteem a preacher the less, for having the privilege to go in and out at this door. "Sir, I have nothing to do with this; I wish to know, whether you have church authority for preaching? that is, whether you came properly in at the door?" Sir, I have the same authority for preaching, which the apostle Paul had; he received his mission by the will of God, so have I. "Ay, sir, give us the same miracles Paul wrought, and we will believe you." If the power of working miracles were necessary to prove a right to preach the gospel, perhaps you, sir, would be also at a loss to prove your own right, either to preach, or thus to question a fellow creature. "Sir, you are a deceitful, hypocritical man. If you had come properly in at the door, I should have received you; but you are an impostor, I pronounce you an impostor." That is more than you know, sir, and, I add, more than I know myself; but, if we cannot