Lord’s-day. December 29. I preached from John iii. 1‒5. a number of white people were present, as is usual upon the sabbath. The discourse seemed to have a _silent_, but _deep_ and _piercing_ influence upon the audience. Many wept and sobbed affectionately. And there were some tears among the white people, as well as the Indians. Some could not refrain from crying _out_. But ♦the impressions made upon their hearts, appeared chiefly by the extraordinary earnestness of their attention, and their heavy sighs and tears.
♦ “th” replaced with “the”
*After public worship was over, I went to my house, proposing to preach again after a short intermission. But they soon came in, one after another, with tears in their eyes, to know “what they should do to be saved.” And the divine Spirit in such a manner, set home upon their hearts what I spoke to them, that the house was soon filled with cries and groans.――――They all flocked together upon this occasion, and those whom I had reason to think in a Christless state, were almost universally seized with concern for their souls.
It was an amazing season of _power_ among them, and seemed as if God had “bowed the heavens and come down.” So astonishingly prevalent was the operation upon old as well as young, that it seemed as if God was about to convert _all the world_. And I was ready to think _then_, that I should never again despair of the conversion of any man or woman living.
*It is impossible to give a just description of the ♦appearance of things at this season. A number were rejoicing that God had not taken away the influence of his blessed Spirit.――――Refreshed to see so many “striving to enter in at the strait gate;”――and animated with such concern for them that they wanted “to push them forward,” as some of them expressed it.――At the same time numbers both of men and women, old and young, might be seen in tears, and some in anguish of spirit appearing in their very countenances, like condemned malefactors going towards the place of execution: so that there seemed a lively emblem of the solemn day of accounts; a mixture of heaven and hell; of joy unspeakable, and anguish inexpressible.
♦ “appearence” replaced with “appearance”
*The concern was such, that I could not pretend to have any formal religious exercise among them: but spent the time in discoursing to one and another, sometimes all together, and concluded with prayer. _Such_ were their circumstances, that I could scare have _half an hour_’s rest from speaking from about half an hour before twelve o’clock, (at which time I began public worship) till past _seven_ at night.
December 30. I was visited by four or five young persons under concern for their souls, most of whom were very lately awakened. They wept much while I discoursed to them and endeavoured to press upon them the necessity of _flying_ to Christ without delay, for salvation.
December 31. I spent some hours this day in visiting my people from house to house: and scarce left a house, without leaving some or other of its inhabitants in tears, solicitously engaged to obtain an interest in Christ.
The Indians are now gathered together from all quarters to this place, and have built them little cottages, so that more than _twenty_ families live within a quarter of a mile of me, a very convenient situation in regard both of public and private instruction.
Wednesday, January 1, 1745‒6. I am this day beginning a _New-Year_; and God has carried me through numerous trials and labours in the ♦year past. He has amazingly supported my feeble frame; for “having obtained help of God, I continue to this day.” O that I might live nearer to God, this year than I did last! The business that I have been enabled to go through, I know, has been as great as nature is able to bear up under, and what would have sunk me quite, without special support. But alas! though I have done the labours and endured the trials, with what spirit I have done the one, and borne the other? How cold has my heart often been! and how little have I eyed the glory of God! I have found, that I could have no peace without filling up all my time with labours; and thus “necessity has been laid upon me;” yea, in that respect, I have loved to labour; but I could not sensibly labour for _God_, as I would have done. May I for the future be enabled more sensibly to make the glory of God my _all_.
♦ “day” replaced with “year” per Errata
January 2. I visited some persons newly come among us, who had scarce ever heard any thing of Christianity (but the name). I endeavoured to instruct them in the first principles of religion in the most easy and familiar manner I could.
There are strangers from remote parts almost continually dropping in, so that I have occasion repeatedly to open and inculcate the _first principles_ of Christianity.