Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/248

238 winter quarters, the social passions once more kindled into life. Love and friendship triumph over the heart, and the sweet pleasure of domestic happiness, call to remembrance my once happy circle of friends, in which you my dear Sir, appear in the first rank. My friendship for you is indeed of the warmest description. My attachment was not hastily formed, and it will not easily be relinquished. I early admired your talents; your morals have earned my esteem; and neither distance nor circumstances will diminish my affection."

The subjoined extracts are from letters written by gentlemen of high respectability, in the mercantile, literary, and christian world. The first extract is from a letter, soliciting a visit from the Preacher.

"The grand, the glorious expedition, in which you are engaged, to disseminate truth, and knowledge; the assurances we can give you how little is known here, and how eagerly it is wished, that the ways of God to man should be made manifest, will I trust induce you to make an exertion in our behalf. My ardent prayer is for your life, and health. The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; yet I trust in God, that the beams of light will irradiate this benighted world, and that he will accelerate that eternal day, when the Son shall give up the kingdom to the Father, and God shall be all in all."

"You solicit me to write; my writing can afford you no novelty, for what intellectual ground is there, that you have not trod, or that I can mark out, which you have not before observed. I am wearied with reiterated reflection, and I pant for that sky, where I may range without confinement. The simple truths of the gospel please me much. I rest in confidence that Christ died for me, rose again for my justification, and will make me completely blessed; that I am essentially united to, and a part of that nature, which pervades all space, and a spark of that fire, that shall escape to heaven, its native seat. I recollect your preaching with pleasure, and I bless God for the light he has been pleased to convey to my mind, through your instrumentality; may your labours be blest with success; but I predict the genuine Gospel labourers will be but few. Poor man! you must stand singly opposed, without human aid: be persuaded that the conflict will be inferior to your strength. I really despise the world, for their treatment of you; but you know who says, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the World." What mildness was there in the majesty of the person of the Redeemer! He could have been no other than the Deity, enrobed in a mantle of flesh. I venerate the liberal, the magnanimous principles of your general and your colonel; and I love them for their friendship