Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/197

Rh paused. Again I arose, saying: Now, this is well; I like this. How infinitely preferable to secret calumny; no bush-fighting here. And, so much am I gratified by this ingenuous manner of dealing with me, that it is with extreme reluctance I find it necessary to dissent from him in opinion. Yet I must beg leave to observe: In the first place, the gentleman must assuredly be wrong, in supposing the passage in question refers to the general and final judgment. Do but attend to the concluding verse: There are last, which shall be first, and first, which shall be last. Surely, the text would not be thus worded, if the last judgment were designed. The parable of the ten virgins illustrates this passage. Then turning to the 11th of Romans, I pointed out some particulars, which are generally passed unnoticed; and when I read, "for God hath included them all in, that he might have mercy upon all, my opponent, rising, looked over my shoulder, evidently to ascertain, if I had given the genuine reading of the text; upon which a lawyer, in the assembly, exclaimed: "I advise you, sir, to retire, and read your Bible." I begged, we might not be interrupted; and I affirmed, that my antagonist was entitled to my cordial thanks, and that I devoutly wished his example might be generally influential. I then proceeded to show, that it was possible an individual might pass out of time, ignorant of God, and yet be taught of God in that great day, when the books should be opened. I read the last part of the 22d Psalm, making a few remarks thereon; and, after exhorting the audience to follow the example of the Bereans, I paused for a reply. The gentleman affirmed, I had given an erroneous view of the parable of the ten virgins; that it pointed out the visible church; and that the foolish virgins were the hypocrites: and he admonished the people to beware of false teachers, &c. &c. To which I replied, by presuming the gentleman did not recollect, that the foolish virgins seemed to be equally a part of the kingdom of heaven, with the wise virgins, otherwise he would not so liberally have consigned them to the Devil. He would have us believe, the kingdom of heaven is the visible church; such are the sentiments of His Holiness at Rome; but, having abjured one Pope, I trusted we should not again be brought into subjection to principles, the propriety of which our hearts refused to acknowledge.

November 3d, I repaired to Gloucester, and was received by a few very warm-hearted Christians. The mansion-house—the heart, of the then head of the Sargent family, with his highly accomplished, and most exemplary lady, were open to receive me. I had travelled from Maryland to New-Hampshire, without meeting a single individual, who appeared to have the smallest idea of what I esteemed the truth,