Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/159

Rh agree about the church, and the door, blessed be God! we can agree in one fundamental point: While we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus died for us, and, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. The old gentleman started from his seat, and, running round the apartment, exclaimed, in a loud and thundering voice, to those, who were without: "Come in, and hear gibberish, gibberish, gibberish." I was astonished, and when he had so far spent his rage, as to remain for one moment silent, I looked full in his face, and asked: Pray, sir, what language do you make use of? Is it possible, that you, a clergyman, highly distinguished, the head of the Presbytery, and now in the evening of life, should be so little acquainted with the scriptures, as to call the language of revelation, gibberish? "You know nothing about revelation; there never was an individual of the human race, that ever had any interest in Christ, or in God, until they had repentance and faith." Pardon me, sir; you do not believe this yourself. "I say, I do." Excuse me, sir; you certainly do not. "Give me leave to tell you, you have a great deal of impudence, thus to talk to me." Nay, sir, I do not wish to offend; I wish you to reconsider your assertion; I am confident, you do not believe it; and I am confident, you will have the goodness to own it, before I quit this apartment. "Let me tell you, young man, you have the greatest stock of assurance, I have ever met with in any young person. I tell you again, there never was an individual of the human race, who left this world without faith and repentance, who ever had any interest in Christ, or ever tasted happiness." Not one? "No, sir, not one." Oh! sir, I am sorry you compel me to make you retract this affirmation. Turning to the company, he required them to say, whether they did not think my insolence surpassed credibility? The company were silent, and, after a pause, I said: I know, sir, if you believe Calvinistic principles, you believe some infants may be eternally lost; but no Calvinist denies, that some infants are interested in Christ, and eternally blessed, although they passed out of time, without repentance or faith. "Sir, I never thought of infants." So I imagined; and it was therefore, sir, I took the liberty to say, you did not believe what you advanced. "But I believe it with respect to all, besides infants." No, sir, pardon me, you do not. Again he was exceeding angry, until I mentioned idiots. "I did not think of idiots." I believe, you did not; but, my good sir, would it not be as well, if you were always to think, before you speak? "Again I say, I am astonished at your impudence; I could not have believed a young man, like you, could have had so