ite marvellous
to me.

"And how could it be otherwise? His tall figure, his melancholy yet
expressive features, his earnest manner, and clear and sonorous voice,
invested him with all the power and dignity of an Apostle, and when with
these attributes were joined those associations of the past with which
he was so intimately connected, it is impossible to exaggerate the
influence he exercised over me.

"He began with a fervent blessing on all who had sought the sanctity of
that roof, and his hearers, impressed with the thrilling earnestness of
his delivery, became at once hushed into a kind of awe-struck attention.
They knelt down, and bowed their heads in prayer.

"I appeared to have no power to follow the general example, but remained
the only sitter in the entire congregation, with my eyes, nay, all my
senses, fixed, riveted upon the preacher. This, of course, attracted
his attention. I saw him look towards me with surprise, then he
started, his voice hesitated for a moment, but he almost immediately
continued his benediction, and, as it seemed to me, with a voice
tremulous with emotion.

"Then followed a discourse on the object of the preacher in presenting
himself there. He described the wonderful goodness of the Creator in
continually raising up the most humble instruments of His will to
perform the most important offices; in illustration of which he referred
to the numerous instances in the Old and New Testaments, where God's
preference in this way is so clearly manifested.

"He then stated that a case had arisen for Divine interposition, equal
in necessity to any which had occurred since the first commencement of
Christianity. He explained that there were nations still existing in a
distant portion of the globe in a state of the wildest barbarism.
Ignorant savages were they, with many cruel and idolatrous customs, who
were cannibals and murderers, and given up to the worst vices of the
heathen. Their abject and pitiable state, he told us, the Lord God had
witnessed with Divine commiseration, and had determined that the light
of Christian love should shine upon their darkness, and that Almighty
wisdom should dissipate their besotted ignorance.

"`But who,' he asked, `was to be the ambassador from so stupendous a
Power to these barbarous states? Who would venture to be a messenger of
peace and comfort to a cruel and savage nation? Was there no man,' he
again asked, `great enough and bold enough to u