The Cornerstone
a brief life of John Murray for young people, by Irene Carrow Rees
IX. Massachusettes Hears the New Gospel
On the twenty-sixth of October, 1773, he took a seat in the stage for Boston, and late in the evening of the same day arrived in town. He had a letter to Mr. Hubbard and another to Major Paddock, but was unwilling to disturb strangers at so late an hour, and was undecided what to do. One after another the travelers were dropped till he was alone in the coach. As the driver received no directions from his solitary passenger, he very civilly asked, "Where will you be set down, Sir?"
"Put me down at some decent tavern," said Mr. Murray.
While the coachman deliberated, a young man approached and asked, "Is Mr. John Murray in the coach?"
"I am he, I" said Mr. Murray, putting his head from the window; "how
can I serve you?"
"By allowing me to serve you, sir," responded the young man, doffing his hat and laughing. "My mother, Mrs. Hubbard, wrote to father to be on the watch for you. I am to take you home with me."
"Thus," said Mr. Murray, "was I met in Boston by the good Providence of God."
From the Hubbards he received great kindness. Major Paddock was less cordial but very civil and introduced him to others who proved valuable friends.
On the evening of Saturday, October 30, 1773, Mr. Murray preached for the first time in Boston in the hall of the factory, which was a large building opposite the place where the Park Street Church now stands. The following evening, Sunday, he preached again and the congregation was too large for the hall. His text was Zachariah, ix, 9.
Monday night he spoke in the parlors of Mr. Peck, who had hospitably
insisted on entertaining him during his stay in Boston. Mr. Peck's
residence was on Merchants Row. The friendship of this gentleman, whose
upright dealings had won for him the title of "Honest Peck, the
hatter," did much to advance Mr. Murray's cause.
The news of his arrival in Boston traveled to Newburyport and a number
of influential citizens sent one of their number, a Mr. Little, up to
town commissioned to bring Mr. Murray back with him. Shortly they
traveled down together and Mr. Murray was surprised to find a large
crowd gathered at the coach office to welcome him.
Mr. Parsons, the clergyman in whose pulpit he was to preach, seemed a little disturbed that he presented no ministerial credentials, but after Mr. Murray's first sermon he never failed to conduct him to the pulpit and sit beside him throughout the service — a strong proof of personal approval.
As a guest of Mr. Little, Mr. Murray occupied the chamber that had formerly been Mr. Whitefield's. That famous preacher had died in Newburyport but a short while before and his admirers often commented on Mr. Murray's likeness to him, both in appearance and in preaching. Their approbation would have been less enthusiastic had they known that Mr. Murray believed the glad tidings he preached applied to all men, and not merely to the elect. Realizing this, he built no hopes on the continued approval of these people, but continued the policy he had tried in other places of gaining confidence and interest before proclaiming Universal Redemption.
"I still hold with Mr. Relly," he wrote, "that the gradual dawn of light will eventually prove more beneficial to mankind than the sudden burst of meridian day. Thus I content myself with proclaiming the truth in Scriptural language."
He was two weeks in Newburyport and on the tenth of November, 1773, left for Portsmouth, where he was cordially received and his various personal needs amply provided for. The largest church in town was none too large to hold his congregations.
After a flying return visit to Newburyport he went back to Boston on Wednesday, November 17. There he found his friends literally with their Bibles in their hands, searching the Scriptures for proofs of Universal Salvation. Mr. Murray compiled a list to show where certain passages might be found. "Proofs that all the inspired writers were Universalists," was the heading placed above it.
Mr. Peck, to whose home he went, received him as a returning son and his wife begged Mr. Murray to write to England that in the New World he had found a second mother.
There was in the city a small body of people calling themselves Deists, whom Mr. Murray addressed several times, often arguing points of difference with their leader after the discourse. "Election" frequently came up for discussion.
"I admit," said Mr. Murray, on one of these occasions, "that many are 'elected,' that is, are especially called of God. A governor is elected by a commonwealth, a council, senators and representatives are elected, but are the rest of the people therefore consigned to perdition?"
His little audience enthusiastically applauded him, one of the number exclaiming, The plan of salvation is worthy of God. We congratulate you, dear Sir, as the ambassador of God."
The hall of the factory and Mr. Peck's parlors were now entirely too small for his audiences. Mr. Peck, as a leading member of Rev. Andrew Croswell's church, urged that he occupy that pulpit. As Mr. Croswell had not displayed much friendliness, Mr. Murray consented with reluctance.
On Friday, November 26, he preached in Faneuil Hall, his text being, "If the son therefore make ye free, ye shall be free indeed." The following morning had been fixed for his departure and the audience crowded about him with affectionate farewells and entreaties for his speedy return. Many went with him to Mr. Peck's, where the rest of the night was spent in searching the Scriptures and in spiritual communion.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday Mr. Murray preached for Mr. Snow in Providence, and then began a leisurely journey through Connecticut and New York to Good Luck, which he did not reach until the last of January, 1774.
Of his stay in New London he wrote particularly, saying, "I delight to dwell upon the days I passed in New London." Then follow the names of those for whom and for whose children be asked God's special blessing because of their faith.
He remarked on this journey the increasing difficulty to get people to accept explanations couched in Scriptural language.
They were continually demanding, "Tell us in your own words what you believe."
On the ninth of April, 1774, he received it an affectionate and solemn call" to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which he refused, still feeling his special work was to spread the gospel.
The spring and early summer was divided between Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. At Philadelphia he spent much time in the prison with a number of men condemned to death, giving them comfort and help. "The proclamation of the tender mercies of God were more effectual than the thunders of Sinai," he wrote to a friend.
The twentieth of July he left New York for a preaching journey through Connecticut and Rhode Island. The zeal and affection of his friends along the way gave him great satisfaction.
On the sixteenth of August the Governor of Rhode Island sent a request that he preach that day from Mark xiv, 10. Mr. Murray complied and the Governor expressed warm approval of the sermon.
September 14, 1774, he again reached Boston, where his friends had been eagerly expecting him, and gave him a royal reception. He remained throughout the autumn, preaching in the hall of the factory, at private houses and at Faneuil Hall. Once he attempted to speak in Mason's hall but the throng was so great that it was necessary to adjourn to more commodious quarters, even after the text had been given out.
Scurrilous bits referring to Mr. Murray now began to appear in the Boston papers. They all accused him of being a Rellyite. One of these items, coming to the notice of a little band of people in Gloucester who had read Relly's book and were already secretly in sympathy with its doctrine, they sent Mr. Winthrop Sargent, one of their number, to Boston to beg Mr. Murray to come to them. Mr. Sargent reached Boston on October 31, and shortly after, when his engagements permitted, Mr. Murray returned with him, staying nine days and preaching in the Baptist church.
Not since his arrival at Good Luck had he found such inspiriting conditions. Here the seed was already sown and flourishing. He said of this visit in a letter to a friend, "I had traveled from Maryland to New Hampshire without meeting a single individual who appeared to have the smallest idea of the truth as it is in Jesus, but here in this remote place, I have found a few people upon whom the light of the gospel has more than dawned."
Once more in Boston he yielded to the persuasions of Mr. Peck and other prominent people and occupied the pulpit of Mr. Croswell. This church, which had formerly belonged to the French Protestants, was located on the next lot east of that on which the second Universalist or old "School Street Church" afterward stood.
At the close of Mr. Murray's sermon, delivered in the meeting house on the second of November, the Rev. J. Bacon, pastor of the Old South Church, ascended the pulpit steps and warned the people against believing the false doctrine they had just heard.
"Now, I like this," exclaimed Mr. Murray, rising to his feet when the clergyman had finished. "No bush fighting here nor secret slander! I am so much gratified at this open dealing that it is with extreme reluctance I find it necessary to dissent from the gentleman in opinion."
With no uncertain terms he then replied to Mr. Bacon. When some in the audience would have checked the discussion, Mr. Murray begged that they be uninterrupted. The talk proceeded and ended with fairness and courtesy.
Vastly different were his encounters with Mr. Croswell. On the Wednesday evening after his return from Gloucester, while he was preaching in Mr. Croswell's pulpit, a quantity of water was thrown in the windows on the audience, and an egg which missed its mark was aimed at Mr. Murray. If these insults were not encouraged by Mr. Croswell they at least did not meet his disapproval.
The following day a slander against Mr. Murray was published in the paper over Mr. Croswell's signature, though he had previously promised not to make use of the press for any further attacks. Mr. Murray wisely made no printed response, but sent him a private letter, demanding that he be given a chance to vindicate himself at a public meeting in the School Street Church. The letter was no gentle effusion and greatly enraged Mr. Croswell, who promptly sent it back, declaring he would [ ] have nothing further to do with Mr. Murray, "the apostate."
On the following Sunday evening, when Mr. Murray reached the meeting house, he found the congregation in an uproar and Mr. Croswell, with a number of violent adherents, upon the stairs of the pulpit blocking the way. Mr. Murray made no resistance, but turning to the congregation, requested that Mr. Croswell be heard with patient attention.
Instantly there was profound silence. Mr. Croswell went into the pulpit and delivered a violent denunciation of Mr. Murray, asserting that he was a disciple of Relly, a blasphemer who believed that all mankind would be saved. There was plenty of invective but nothing of argument in the harangue.
At its conclusion Mr. Croswell passed rapidly down the aisle as though the business of the evening was over. In vain Mr. Murray asked him to remain and hear his reply. Mr. Croswell did not even pause. Then once more Mr. Murray appealed to the breathless congregation to see justice done and forcibly detain Mr. Croswell. The departing clergyman, whose haste resembled flight, was accordingly captured and placed in a pew.
Mr. Murray began his answer by expressing regret that self-defense demanded that he combat an old man and a minister from his own pulpit. The controversy between the two was hot and long and on Mr. Croswell's part wholly lacking in dignity and Christian spirit. As a final taunt he cried, "Come, come, leave off hiding and tell these people in plain English that God loves them all."
"I will, sir," boldly replied Mr. Murray, "in as plain English as I can command. I am commissioned to say to every individual before me, that God loves you and that you are not to accept this declaration upon my bare word; you have the word of a God who cannot lie; who proclaims Himself loving unto every man; who has given you proof positive of His love; His love has preserved you from ten thousand dangers, given you ten thousand blessings. Your civil and religious liberties are blessed proofs of the love of your God. These manifestations are merely temporal but I am authorized to add, in plain English, that God loves the soul and He has proved this love by the gift of His Son." As Mr. Murray continued in the same strain with increasing eloquence, Mr. Croswell came forth from the pew, mounted the pulpit and, in his efforts to stop the discourse, began kicking Mr. Murray's legs, pulling the skirt of his coat, and trying to shoulder him out of the pulpit. "Have done, have done," he cried. "You have said enough, enough! " The congregation had been previously displeased at Mr. Croswell's refusal to answer Mr. Murray's questions and their indignation was not lessened by this performance.
"Blessed be the name of the Lord, " wrote Mr. Murray afterward, "for He not only gave me words to speak but did not suffer me to lose my self-control."
Next night the service was uninterrupted but on Sunday evening his enemies had sprinkled the church furnishings with asafoetida. Notwithstanding this, the place was packed with people, and Mr. Murray with difficulty reached the pulpit, which he found so soaked with the stuff, that he was nearly suffocated. Gasping, but deter[138]mined, he proceeded with the service. "The God of my life was abundantly sufficient for me," he said.
Many times during the sermon a volley of stones was flung in the windows. They produced confusion and alarm in the congregation but no one was injured. At last a jagged stone, weighing about a pound and a half, was thrown in the window behind Mr. Murray, barely missing his head. Calmly he stooped to pick it up and, holding it aloft before the people, exclaimed, "This argument is solid and weighty, but not convincing. "
From all parts of the house came cries of, "Pray, sir, leave the pulpit; your life is in danger."
"Be it so," he returned; "I am as ready and willing to go now as I shall be fifty years from now, " and went on with his discourse.
Perhaps his courage shamed his enemies. At all events, for two or three evenings there were no disturbances, then the business of stoning him in the pulpit began again. This time his friends were so seriously alarmed that they formed a strong guard about him and conducted him home.
Certainly the elders of the church needed the spirit of love which Mr. Murray taught when they would stoop to so persecute a man of blameless life because he was affirming in their midst that a just God had not doomed two-thirds of their fellow beings to never-ending misery.