Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/164

154 and a thousand other falsehoods, were circulating, through the city. My humane friends, at length, interfered; they solicited the commanding officer to oblige the fellow, with whom the woman lived, to produce her; she approached with dread apprehension; a large company was collected, spectators of the scene. She caught a glance, and exclaiming, in a tremulous accent, It is, it is he—immediately fainted. Curiosity, and humanity, combined to recover her; she was led into the parlour. I appeared full before her, entreating her to take a view of my face; she did so, and no words can express her confusion; her acknowledgments were repeated and copious; she did not recollect, ever to have seen me before. I was most happy in the result of this untoward business, which had nearly annihilated my anxiety respecting her restoration to her connexions. Indeed I was assured, no entreaties would procure her return to Cork. So many had witnessed an ecclaircissement, so honourable to me, that I fondly believed it would be attached to the narration; but alas! there was not a thousandth part of the pains taken to publish the truth, as had been taken to spread far and wide the slander; here it was the still voice of friendship; there it was Slander with her thousand tongues. None but God can tell, how much I have suffered, from the various trials, I have encountered. Again, I mournfully acknowledged, that my object in coming to America was not in any view obtained; that my grand desideratum appeared further and further from my reach; again I wished most ardently to be in England; yea, in the very scenes from which I had escaped, if I might thus be delivered, from the distracted situation, in which I was involved; and the more I contemplated the indignation, and power, of the clergy, the more frequently I exclaimed, Doubtless I shall one day perish by the hand of my enemy. Yet, in the darkest night of my affliction, my gracious God frequently vouchsafed to grant me peace, and joy, in believing that His almighty power was sufficient for me; and, in the pulpit, whatever was my previous situation, either mental, or corporeal, when engaged in the investigation of divine truth, I was not only tranquil, but happy: And this happiness I often enjoyed; for an ardent curiosity obliged the people every where to hear; and, when a pulpit could not be obtained, a private house, a court-house, a wood, answered the purpose; and I rejoiced, while contemplating the irradiations of divine truth, bursting through the dark clouds of prejudice, and with such imposing splendor, as could only be effectuated by Omnipotent power.

I received frequent and most pressing invitations to visit New-England. During my residence in New-York, I became known to many