Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/180

pel of the kingdom, and my pleasures were proportioned to the satisfaction, which I was instrumental in communicating. But it became necessary I should return to Philadelphia, and the Doctor was exceedingly affected; yet, previous to my final departure, I had engaged to preach at an Episcopalian church, at some distance, where it was believed a large concourse of people would be assembled. But on Saturday evening, the wind being north-west, brought on so severe a frost, that the ensuing day, Sunday, February 14th, 1773, was by far the coldest day I had ever experienced. I was however determined to keep my appointment, and I rode six miles on horseback, accompanied by a gentleman, who had conceived for me the strongest affection, and we derived so much pleasure, from the divine subjects, which engaged our attention, that we hardly adverted either to the severity of the day, or the distance; and my fellow traveller, in the fulness of his heart, declared, did it depend upon him, we would ride on till the close of time, and then leap into eternity together. The cold, however, was sufficiently piercing to compel us to assemble in the school-house, instead of the church, where a large chimney, and a blazing hearth, hardly kept us from freezing; yet was my own heart, and the hearts of many of my hearers, warmed by that fire of divine love, enkindled by the word, and spirit of our God; which spirit graciously vouchsafed to take of the things of Jesus, and show them unto us, giving us not only peace, but joy, unspeakable joy, in believing. I proposed departing for Philadelphia, on the following Monday; but the Doctor, and his friends, prevailed upon me to tarry a day or two longer, in which time he laboured hard to persuade me to continue with him. "Only," said he, "consent to abide here, and I will very cheerfully build for you as handsome a church, as any in the country, and it shall be your own. I will devote ten, of the forty thousand pounds, which I possess, to this purpose. I thanked him, most cordially, for his flattering offer; but added, that the tender of his whole estate would be no temptation to me to accept a permanent residence. My mind was, at that time, solemnly impressed by a conviction, that I was sent out to preach the gospel; and that, as the servant of God, I must neither loiter by the way, nor seek to evade the spirit of my commission. An imposing sense of duty compelled me to say, that, so long as I was able, I would submit to the will of my Master. Upon the night previous to my departure, we had little sleep. We expatiated with pleasing wonder upon the mysterious ways of heaven, and we poured out our souls in prayer to that God, who, having brought us