y society. The secret monitor, however, frequently reproached him, and
finally brought him back again to the services of the sanctuary, and
quickened the flame of religious devotion. At this time his prejudices
against Universalism were very strong; his soul "kindled with indignation"
against them. But, shortly after his marriage to a very amiable young lady
of London, he was induced to visit Mr. Relly's chapel, the preacher of
universal salvation; and, notwithstanding he had been so filled with wrath
against Mr. Relly, that, as he subsequently said, he thought it would have
been doing both God and man service to kill him, yet he was moved to
tenderness by his preaching and subsequently became an attendant on his
ministry. Rich were the consolations enjoyed by him and his amiable wife
in their new faith. But great sorrows awaited him; she sickened and died;
and the death-scene is described by himself, in his autobiography, with
thrilling effect. He would gladly have accompanied her to the
spirit-world. He was now alone; he felt himself a solitary being; he had
no taste for the joys of life; his mind dwelt only on death and eternity;
he was unfitted for society; and in this state of mind, Providence seems
to have directed his thoughts to America. He resolved to embark; and, in
the month of September, 1770, he landed upon the shores of New Jersey.
Here he became at once acquainted with a philanthropic landholder, by the
name of Thomas Potter, who, in the belief that God would send him a
preacher, had erected a meeting-house, and who insisted that Murray was
the man whom God had sent. In this house Murray commenced his labors as a
preacher; and from this time, he is to be contemplated as the public
advocate of Universalism, on the system of Relly. He soon visited the city
of New York, and various other cities and towns in the Middle States,
preaching the gospel whithersoever he went. His first visit to Boston was
made in October, 1773, and his second in September, 1774. It was during
this second visit that he was stoned in the pulpit of Rev. Mr. Croswell,
in School Street. About this time he visited Gloucester, Massachusetts,
which was afterwards his residence for many years. In 1775, he was
appointed by General Washington chaplain to the Rhode Island troops, in
the army then lying around Boston. He soon, however, returned to his
charge in Gloucester, where he remained, making frequent visits to
different parts of the United