About this period, the light which had shone with so much brightness in the British churches, gladdened with its genial influence the American colonies. WHITFIELD, who was for no country, but a world, who pitied the miserable of every clime, and felt divine compassion for the whole family of man; whose capacious soul, filled with a Redeemer's love, traversed in idea every region of the earth; and which actually accomplished more than the most sanguine imagination could suppose it was in the power of humanity to grasp,-WHITFIELD, the glory of the church in modern times, rushed with eagerness, impelled by celestial zeal, to disperse the gloom and moral darkness which covered America. The plaintive call of misery-" Come over and help us," thrilled through his heart: he obeyed the summons: America, thou canst tell with what success.

With other places visited by this astonishing man, Yale College and New Haven can witness the amazing power and efficacy of the word of truth uttered by him. As an instrument in the divine hand, he inspired new life into the students, who were growing dull and lukewarm, and awakened and roused others who never felt before. The labours of this eminent servant of God, with those of another, who had imbibed his spirit (Mr. Tennent,) carried on, for it was before partially begun, what is called in America to this day "The revival." A general reformation, and deep seriousness, pervaded the various ranks of society. Yale College now presented a new and different scene, and there was an almost universal inquiry among the heretofore careless and indifferent, "What must we do to be saved?" O with what delight, and with what earnestness did Brainerd visit his fellow students; how sweetly and solemnly did he help forward by conversation and prayer the work of God. Dr. Hopkins, who was at college with him, has left a

testimony of his zeal and brotherly kindness in the memoirs of his own life, extracts from which were published in the Evangelical Magazine for May, 1806. "The persons who thus distinguished themselves in zeal (that is, in visiting the students for conversation and prayer) were two of them my classmates, Buells and Youngs, the other was David Brainerd."

We are now drawing near an important æra in Brainerd's history; and we are about to trauscribe a page upon which, in the course of his life, he frequently dropped the silent tear of sorrow and bitter regret; but a page which his unfeeling persecutors must have read with a blush of conscious shame. It is the page which narrates his expulsion from college, and the cause which produced it.

That

We must not be surprised, if on closely investigating the best human character, the delightful vision be sometimes crossed with a cloud, or the finished picture marred with a blemish. In a young man let us not expect that knowledge of his own heart, and of the world, which, if we have patience with him, he may discover in maturer years. Brainerd was eminently pious, and exceedingly zealous, who will question? That his zeal sometimes carried him beyond the bounds of prudence, was his misfortune, and in a great measure proceeded from the circumstances in which he was placed. It is exceedingly difficult, for young persons especially, to distinguish the wildfire of the passions, from the lambent flame of that holy zeal, which is lighted at the altar of divine love; and it is not unfrequently the case, that these two things, so different in their nature, are blended in the same heart. We have reason to suspect that our zeal is adulterated with this corrupt mixture, if it border on uncharitableness; if it incline us to make our frames and feelings the standard of all true experimental religion. There is more spiritual pride in this

than we are at first aware; we should ever remember, that the divine flame of zeal in this resembles the natural flame, the higher it rises the more it trembles. In the general revival of religion, of which we have already spoken, some tares of a mistaken zeal grew up with the wheat; and Brainerd was not wholly free from their influence. The manner in which he displayed his imprudent ardour, and its consequences, are thus related by his biographer, Jonathan Edwards, whose praise is in all the churches.

"In the time of the awakening at college, several students associated themselves, who were wont freely to open themselves one to another. Mr. Brainerd was one of this company. And it once happened, that he and two or three more of these his intimate friends, were in the hall together, after Mr. Whittelsey, one of the tutors, had been to prayer there with the scholars: no other person now remaining in the hall, but Mr. Brainerd and these his companions. Mr. Whittelsey having been unusually pathetical in his prayer, one of Mr Brainerd's friends asked him what he thought of Mr. Whittelsey; he made answer, "He has no more grace than this chair." One happening at that time to be near the hall overheard those words, though he heard no naine mentioned, and knew not who the person was, which was thus censured; he informed a certain woman, who went and informed the rector, who sent for the man and examined him; and he told the rector the words that he had heard Brainerd utter, and informed him who were in the room with him at that time. Upon which the rector sent for them; they were very backward to inform against their friend, of that which they looked upon as private conversation, yet the rector compelled them to declare what he said, and of whom he said it.-Brainerd thought that what he said in private, was injuriously extorted from his friends, and that it was injuriously

required of him to make a public confession, before the whole college in the hall, for what he said only in private conversation.-He not complying with this demand, and having gone once to the separate meeting at New Haven, when forbidden by the rector, and also having been accused of saying, concerning the rector, that he wondered he did not expect to drop down dead for fining the scholars who followed Mr. Tennent to Milford, though there was no proof of it, (and Mr. Brainerd ever professed that he did not remember his saying any thing to that purpose ;) he was expelled the college.'

The circumstances of this expulsion are peculiarly disgraceful to the college, and exhibit the tutors in no very favourable point of view; a junior student, having acquired the infernal trick of talebearing, communicated what he had overheard in a private conversation; and the tutors, as if on the alert to seize the victim, instantly call together the gentlemen, the particular friends of Brainerd, and wrest from them by threats the ill-fated sentence, with its application, and then proceed against its author, as against a "thief and a robber." I pity the students who could be awed by the threats of such men, to disclose the subject of familiar conversation; above all, 1 pity the meanness of these "little governors,' which involved them in the guilt of a transaction so dishonourable and base. And on the above account I would only remark, that if the circumstances and exigencies of the college at that time, justified the severity of the superiors, on what principles of Christian charity and kindness are we to account for their subsequent and persevering hostility to a man, who sinned but once, and that in word only; and whose whole life was so blameless, so holy, that the enemies of religion, as well as its friends, pronounce him blessed. Some men are deadly in their hate, and so marvellously wise, that they can decide on a man's character from one or two words and

actions; and though the whole tenor of his general spirit and conduct for ever gives the lie to their conclusion, their decision is like the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not: for such persons to forgive an offending brother seven times, would be torture little less than crucifixion, and as for the "seventy times seven," it is one of the passages they would willingly blot from the book of 'God. "My soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united." Brainerd had infinitely the advantage of these cruel governors; from the eater he extracted honey, and from their persevering opposition he learnt a lesson of prudence; he was more weaned from the world, more entirely devoted to God, and his work as a missionary of Jesus. And this is the improvement which every good man will make of unfeeling persecution and hostility.

CHAP. III. ..

His removal to Mr. Mills's, at Ripton. The preparatory steps to his becoming a preacher, and a missionary.

THE life of a student is not the field in which the philosopher or the curious will range to collect observations on the human character, or materials for pleasure. From a general barrenness of inci'dents to seize the attention and captivate the mind, it appears insipid and destitute of interest. From the month of April, 1742, to the July following, Mr. Brainerd was a recluse; his examination and license to preach, and his examination by the cor