Charles' Journal, March 28, 1736

Sun., March 28th. I went to the storehouse (our tabernacle at present) to hearken what the Lord God would say concerning me. Both myself and the congregation were struck with the first lesson: Joseph and Potiphar's wife. The second was still more animating: "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own." (John xv. 18, 19.) After the prayers poor Mr. Davison stayed behind, to take his leave of Mr. Ingham. He burst into tears, and said, "One good man is leaving us already. I foresee nothing but desolation. Must my poor children be brought up like these savages?" We endeavoured to comfort him by showing him his calling. At ten Mr. Ingham preached an alarming sermon on the day of judgment, and joined with me in offering up the Christian sacrifice.

In my walk at noon I was full of heaviness; complained to God that I had no friend but Him; and even in Him could now find no comfort. Immediately I received power to pray; then, opening my Bible, read as follows :-- "Hearken unto me, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn." "Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings." "Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die; ...... and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor - and where is the fury of the oppressor?" (Isai. li. 1, 2, 12, 13.) After reading this, no wonder that I found myself renewed in confidence.

While Mr. Ingham waited for the boat, I took a turn with Mr. Horton. He fully convinced me of M. H.'s true character; ungrateful in the highest degree, a common prostitute, a complete hypocrite. She told me, her and her husband had begged him upon their knees to intercede with Mr. Oglethorpe, not to turn them out of the ship, which would be their utter ruin. This he accordingly did; though Mr. Oglethorpe at first assured him he had rather give one hundred pounds than take them. The first person she fell upon, after this, was Mr. Horton himself, whom she abused, as she has since done to me. From him I hastened to the water-side, where I found Mr. Ingham just put off. O happy, happy friend! Abiit, erupit, evasit! But woe is me, that I am still constrained to dwell with Meshech! I languished to hear him company, followed him with my eyes till out of sight and then sunk into deeper dejection than I had known before.

No comments: