Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/236

226 Him who is abundantly able to perform all these things for us, and to present us faultless before the throne of an Infinite Majesty, be all honour, glory, dominion, and power, throughout the ages of time, and a wasteless eternity, Amen."

Mr. Murray's reply was animated and replete with affection; after which, a hymn was performed by the choir of singers, accompanied by the organ. Next, an excellent discourse by Mr. Murray, from 1. Cor. ix. 14. "For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel." A collection for the distressed inhabitants of Philadelphia succeeded the sermon, and an anthem suited to the solemnities of the occasion was most admirably chanted. The whole was conducted with strict decorum, to the satisfaction of a very numerous, respectable, and attentive audience.

Perhaps no congregation were ever more unanimous, and more perfectly satisfied with the Pastor of their election, than were the people worshipping in the Church in Bennet-Street; and perhaps no Minister was ever more unfeignedly attached to the people of his charge, than was the long-wandering Preacher. Both the minister, and congregation might truly be said to worship the Most High in the beauty of holiness. The ordinance of the Lord's supper was administered agreeably to their ideas of its genuine import. Parents brought their children into the great congregation, standing in the broad aisle, in the presence of the worshippers of God; the father received the babe from the hands of the mother, and presented it to the servant of God; who, deriving his authority for this practice from the example of his Redeemer, who says, "suffer little children to come unto me," &c. &c. pronounced aloud the name of the child, and received it as a member of the mystical body of Him, who is the second Adam, the Redeemer of Men. How often has his paternal heart throbbed with rapture, as he has most devoutly repeated, "We dedicate thee to Him, to whom thou properly belongest, to be baptized with His own baptism, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and we pronounce upon thee that blessing, which He commanded his Ministers, Moses, Aaron, and his Sons, to pronounce upon his people, saying, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; The Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."

The preacher, however, never surrendered the persuasion, that he was sent out to preach the gospel, and his visits to his far distant friends