New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-16


ment." She burst into tears, threw her faithful
arms around him, and sobbed upon his bosom. 1t
was pretty thing TO do and, after all these years
have elapsed 1t is pretty thing to read upon this
Old yellow page. After this Murray was, through
attending the ministratons of Mr.. Reilly, con-
verted to Universasm. Then Eliza died he
very poor ; the disciples of Wesley and of Whitfield
would have nothing TO do with him; the doctors,
apothecares grocers, etc, ETC.. advanced with their
bills; he was taken by writ and borne to a
spunging house." of the sorrowtul peculiarites of
which he gives an animated and touching descrip-
llCn. lie was liberated from the fangs Of the
harpies by his brother and after a few melan-
choly months had rolled away he determined to
emigrate TO America. He had met a gentleman
from this country who had charmed him by his
description of Z" its forests its lakes its rivers. its
inhabitants, the liberties they enjoyed, the peace and
plenty which they possessed" He sailed July 81,
1870 with some money, his Bible, and a large col
lection of the letters of the late Eliza The one
accident OF his voyage was that the ship struck
something which threw us oil our seats" which
something proved to he a sleeping whale. Murray
also watcr-spout which for time beguiled
him of his sorrows." lie arrived in the Delaware in
our most delicious month of September and am
not surprised to find HIM recording that the banks
of this fine river presented most enchanting APP
pearance." When he went ashore he " found
woman preparing excellent wild ducks for
dinner " 70 live in a log house, eXcams Murray
and feed upon ducks" His attention was next at
tracted by large peach tree loaded with the best
fruit, bending to the earth" Reaching Philadel-
phia he was amazed to behold city of such mag
nitude in a country which he had considered
Wilderness" Murray seems to have had no particu-
lar plans, and finding that he could not procure
private lodgings in Philadelphia he went on in the
ship to New-York. The vessel stopped upon the
wav at Cranberry Inlet where Murray
treated to preach, and after much perturbation of
mind, consented to do so. Behold me-" he SAYS
"now entering upon new stage of the journey of
life-a protested preacher of the Gospel" He
preached awhile at the Inlet but going on To New
York he held forth in the Baptist meeting house to
very large congregations. Going TO Philadelphia
he preached first in the Baptist meeting house, but
they found out his heresy, and he was banished to
room called Bachelors Nall He continued to
wander about and to preach until he found himself
at Upper Freehold, n. j. Here he encountered the
Rev. Mr. Tenant, who is remembered who
fell into a trance, visited the Kingdom of Heaven,
and came back again to earth, With Mr.. Tenant
he had very unpleasant interview, beginning with
the question: 81 want to know, sir, by what
authority you presume to preach in this place."
Pray. sir" answered Murray, by what authority
do you presume TO question me ~ Tenant an
swered Il am, sir, placed here by Almighty God
to look after the affairs of His church and His
people; and | have right to insist upon knowing
who and what you are" Then they went into a
very close controversy, marked rather by earnest
ness than urhanitv Ifor Mr. Tenant pronounced
Mr.. Murray's doctrines to be L" gbbersh, gibbersh
gbberish" Mr.. Tenant held that no indi-
vdual of the human race who left this world
without faith and repentance ever tasted happiness
hereafter. How about infants ?" asked Murray.
Z" l have never thought of infants" answered Ten
nant I" How about idotsP ' asked Murray q" |
land must say that l am asouished at your i'm
pudence." The controversy did not certainly result
in agreement. Tenant declared Murray to be an
impostor; and Murray exceedingly hurt
The anxiety to listen to Murray and to hear from
him the doctrines of universal salvation shows the
activity of religious speculation at that time in this
country, and the reaction from rigid CalNinism.
Murray found anxious and interested hearers IN
Connecticut as he passed through that State on his
way to Newport, where he preached to good ac-
ceptance until certain reverend calumniator
brought charges against him, and O. the rancor of
the clergy pursued him." He then went ND to
Providence, where he made many friends and
afterward being approximately solicited to do so,
he went to Philadelphia. In October, 1773, he
divided his time between Pennsylvania, New York
and the Jerseys Then he went back to Newport
then to Providence and then to Boston, " here he
preached for the first time October 30, 1873, " in
the hail of the Factory" On Friday, November
26, he held forth in Faneuil Hall, " the PRINCIPAL
gentlemen of the town being among the audience"
After another pilgrimage, he back again in
Boston in September IVA, and subsequently he
went 10 Gloucester, where he had hard time of It,
The tools of the adversary wet the pull
pit and the pulpit cloth" with a strong solution of
assaf@tida and plentifully sprinlled the whole
house with the same noxious drug" Stones were
violently thrown into the windows and partcu-
larly large stone, weighing a pound and half,
went into the pulpit " Had it sped" says Murray,
" as it was aimed it must have finished me- "
Murray calmly took it up, and waving it in the
view of the people," he said This argument is
solid and weighty, but it is neither rational nor
convincing" With the story of this stone Murray's
autobiography closes. Its last words are Truth
and gratitude originate the ontession that IN all
circumstances, have hitherto lad reason to bless
the God of my life, who hath promised that lie
will be with me to the end of the world, and that
ali things shall work together for good Amen
and amen.'
There are some curious things in the continuation
OF the autobiography BY Friend" 1t is odd, for
instance to find the doors of the Episcopal church
in Portsmouth opened to Murray, when the other
pulpits were closed against him. In May. 1875, the
soldiers OF tue Rhode Island Brigade assembled in
the neighborhood of Boston, invited him to become
tSeir chaplain. He accepted the CALL and presented
himself i'll the American camp, @armed with the
sword of Jesse's youthful son. lie found the
Rhode Island warriors somewhat ungovernable.
He went with detachment of the brigade to COM
pliment General Washington upon his arrival to
take command OF the army, and was received ty
that great man " with the urbanitv which he knew
well how to practise" 1t is said that his preach
ing had excellent effect upon the soldiers especi
ally in the matter of profaue swearing. The other
chapalns did not like him, or did not like his doc
trip nd aSl, nI Waa 10