the principal support. I at first declined this proposal; but his repeated, and earnest solicitations, induced me to preach in Mr. Croswell's pulpit. In the hall of the Factory also, I again delivered my message; and on Friday, November 26th, I preached at Faneuil Hall: my subject, John viii. 36: If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. The principal gentlemen of the town were among my audience, who heard me with great seriousness. After lecture, many took me by the hand, and, urging me to return to them speedily, prayed, in the warmest manner, for my success, as a gospel promulgator. This was the last night of my abode in Boston, on my first visit. I passed it at Mr. Peck's, accompanied by some friends, and we devoted it to scriptural investigations. My continuance in Boston was strongly urged; but I was under the necessity of departing, and devotional prayers for my safety, success, and speedy return, were reiterated-sUCH ARE MY CREDENTIALS. I left Boston on Saturday, November 27; reaching Providence upon the evening of that day, where, again and again, I delivered my testimony in the pulpit of the Rev. Mr. Snow. Departing thence, on the Tuesday following, accompanied by my dear young friend, Mr. Binney, for East-Greenwich, I met some very dear friends, and, as iron sharpeneth iron, so was my countenance brightened, and my spirit soothed and cheered. From this period, November 30th, until the close of January, 1774, when I reached my lodging-place, at the house of my patron, I moved slowly on, preaching glad tidings in various places, friends and enemies still multiplying. At New-London my opportunities of preaching were repeated and the number of my treasures proportionably augmented; Hertell, Whey, Trueman, these were of the true circumcision, who worshipped God in the spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh; and my orisons were daily offered up to the God of all consolation, that the number of such genuine believers might be increased. I delight to since which it has been demolished.-Snow's Hist. of Boston. 1826. pp. 201, 232, 240. Mr. Croswell was generally regarded as a highly bigoted and censo. rious divine. Hon. Benjamin Russell, for many years the editor of the 'Boston Centinel,' has informed me that a poem was once sent him for publication in that paper, containing a description of every clergyman then preaching in Boston. One of them heard of it, and sent him a billet, requesting the privilege of perusing it; whereupon it was loaned to him. He read it, and found himself alluded to in favorable terms; but as there was much severity in regard to certain individuals, and as it was written by one of his friends, he incurred the anger of Mr. Russell by burning it. Croswell was described in the following manner: 'Sour, croaking Croswell, armed with fire and fury, T. W. dwell upon the days I have passed in New-London. Deshon, Wheat, Saltonstall, Packwood, Law, Huntington, Champlin, Hubbard, &c. &c., very pleasant have ye been unto me. May the blessing of God descend upon your children's children, to the latest generation. One capital difficulty, which has encompassed me in my progress through this younger world, has been the extreme reluctance of inquirers to receive their answers in scripture language. Standing alone, I have sought to wrap myself or rather to intrench myself in the sacred testimony of my God; and for this 1 have been accused of prevarication, equivocation, and what not? merely because I have not generally chosen to garb my sentiments in my own words. For example: The interrogator commences with a great many compliments, and then follows: Do you believe all men will finally be saved?' I believe, it is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. But do you yourself believe, that all mankind will finally be saved?" God hath included all in unbelief, that he may have mercy upon all. 'But will all be finally saved?' God hath spoken of the restitution of all things, by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began. But still you do not answer my question.' Why, sir, for any thing I know, the authors, I have cited, mean, by their words, precisely the same as I do. I adopt their language, because I conceive it expresses my own ideas better than any set of phrases I could press into my service. This mode, however, has rarely given satisfaction. Persons dare not, in an unqualified manner, deny the validity of scripture testimony; they can only assert, it does not mean as it speaks, and they earnestly repeat the question: Do you believe," &c. &c. While my responses are drawn from the sacred streams, flowing in the book of God, from Genesis to Revelations, still they importunately, sometimes clamorously demand: 'But do you take those scriptures, as they are spoken? To which I can only reply: I have no reason to believe that, by saying one thing, and meaning another, men, so upright, have formed a plan to deceive me. An attempt has then been made to prove the texts in question did not, could not, mean as they spake. To which I have answered: Multitudes are on your side; many have labored to prove God a liar; but I have never yet heard any argument, sufficiently potent, to convince me that He is so. On the ninth of April, in this year, I received from the church and congregation* in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire, worshipping in the separate meeting-house, a solemn, and affectionate call, to *This society afterwards settled Rev. Joseph Walton, who was or dained over them Sept. 22, 1789, and died in 1822, aged 80. On the re moval of Rev. Hosea Ballou to Portsmouth, in 1809, Mr. Walton entered into a controversy with him, in connexion with Rev. Joseph Buckminster, two editions of which have been published. T. W. : take upon me the pastoral charge of that people; but I was not then convinced I ought to accept an establishment in any place. I passed the spring and the early part of the summer of 1774, in Pennsylvania, the Jersies, and New-York, with persons, who had drank into the same spirit with myself; with my revered friend, and father, with the Mounts and Pangburns of those happy days. Blessed be God, I have indeed enjoyed richly the consolations of friendship. In Philadelphia I was present at the heart-rending trial of some malefactors, which resulted in their receiving sentence of death and I could not forbear exclaiming: OH, ADAM, WHAT HAST THOU DONE? My bosom swells to rapture, upon the reflection, that I had frequent opportunities of visiting those criminals, and of preaching to them peace, through the fountain opened in the side of the second Adam. The poor creatures seemed much affected. The proclamation of the tender mercies of the Redeemer was more effectual, than all the terrors of Mount Sinai. Departing from New-York, about the 20th of July, I passed, by short stages, through Connecticut and Rhode-Island, visiting my friends in various directions, and deriving inexpressible satisfaction from beholding their order, their zeal, and the magnitude of their faith. On the 16th of August, the governor of Rhode-Island sent me a passage of scripture, soliciting me to take it for my subject: It may be found, Mark xiv. 10. The governor attended, and after I had closed, took my hand with much cordiality, and expressed himself well satisfied, and truly grateful. September 14th, 1774, I again reached Boston. My friends had long been expecting me, and I was received with demonstrations of heart-felt joy. Through the greatest part of this autumn, I continued preaching in the hall of the factory, in the mansion of my venerable friend, and at Faneuil Hall. Once I attempted to preach in Mason's Hall; but the throng, and consequent confusion were so great, that I was necessitated to desist even after I had worded my text; and finally, the congregations still augmenting, I yielded to the pressing solicitations of the proprietors of Mr. Croswell's meeting-house, and repeatedly delivered my testimony there. On the 31st of October, a gentleman, by the name of Sargent, called upon me from Gloucester, urging me to accompany him to his place of residence. My engagements would not allow my immediate attendance, but I gave my word for an early compliance with his wishes. November 2d, Wednesday evening, I named as the subject of my public lecture, Luke 13th, from the 24th to the 30th. After I had closed, a clergyman,* of a respectable appearance, whom I had never before seen, ascended the stairs of the pulpit, and addressed the people to the following effect: My friends, you have heard a great deal said, (for what purpose I know not,) which is calculated to lead you astray from 6 * This I am informed was Rev. J. Bacon, pastor of the Old South church. T. W. the true meaning of the text. The passage refers to the general judgment, and to nothing else; and all, that has been said, can only originate wrong ideas of the scriptures; for how can it be, that the Jews should be intended by those, who were shut out? When did the Jews see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God? or how is it possible, that, if they should thus behold them, they could ever be happy? It is not possible, that any, who die in a state of unbelief, should ever be happy to all eternity and therefore, my brethren, I would exhort you to take care you are not led astray by the words of man's wisdom, and the cunning craftiness of men, whereby they lay in wait to deceive. O! It is very dangerous to give heed to such things.' Thus the gentleman proceeded, earnestly warning the people, and then 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 with 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 UNBELIEF, 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 consign them to the devil. He would have us beneve, 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 acknowledged. 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, as it is in Jesus; but to my great astonishment, there were a few persons, dwellers in that remote place, upon whom the light of the gospel had more than dawned. The writings of Mr. Relly were not only in their hands, but in their hearts. Four years previous to this period, an Englishman, a Mr. Gregory, had brought with him those obnoxious pages, and loaned them to this small circle of Gloucesterians, by whom they had been seized with avidity; the Father of their spirits rendered them luminous to their understandings; and it was in consequence of their admiration of Mr. Relly, that, observing in the papers of the day, an individual malignantly arraigned, as a preacher of Relly's Gospel, they delayed not to dispatch earnest solicitations for my presence among them. In Gloucester, therefore, I passed my time most agreeably, until November 12th. The clergyman of the principal meeting-house, being confined by illness, I was visited by the deacons, and elders of his church, and by them conducted to his house, after which I obtained permission to preach in his pulpit, which I several times did; my subjects, 1 Cor. xi. 26: The good Samaritan: Isaiah xxviii. 16, &c. Every day, and every evening was appropriated to the expounding of the scriptures, in the spacious and well-filled parlor of my new, and highly respectable friend; and I had reason to believe, that God most graciously crowned my labors in this place, by giving to some brighter views, and inducing others to search the scriptures for themselves. Every morning commenced, and every day closed, with prayer; and, with glad hearts, we delighted to hymn the praises of a redeeming God. Taking a most affectionate leave of those very dear friends, on Saturday morning, accompanied by Mr. Sargent, I returned to Boston. Upon the evenings of Sunday, and Wednesday, I again occupied the pulpit of Mr. Croswell, and upon the evening of Wednesday the audience were incommoded by a profusion of water thrown over them, and an egg was aimed at me in the pulpit, which however happened to miss me. On Thursday a piece of slander was published in the paper of the day, over the signature of Mr. Croswell. He had before declared, he would print no more in the newspaper; so had I; but although he had forfeited his word, I did not think proper to follow his example, and I therefore addressed the following letter to his private ear. |