Henry Martyn
6.
The sudden appearance of evil thoughts made me very unhappy, but I found refuge in God. O may the Lord receive my wandering heart and make me to find, in Himself, the source and centre of beauty, a sweet and satisfied delight! O what sublime, what rapturous views of God and divine things might I enjoy with a little more watchfulness! For a moment my mind seems about to be filled, and all its faculties absorbed; but the spirit passes on and I am lost in dulness.
7.
Extremely dull and cold in prayer, very principally for want of Scripture reading and meditation. Yet, through humiliation on account of it, I passed the rest of the morning in the sense of God’s presence, and with tolerable diligence. Read Acts 20. O that I may be, as I desire to be, dead to the world and have my thoughts taken up with Christ and His service! How repeatedly has this blessed chapter made me feel the vanity of the world!
8.
Watchful against wandering but my heart was not engaged. Rode home from Lolworth in a great storm of rain. I had grand views of God and felt no doubt but that I should be received, were I to be taken from this world; but I felt that my only hope was in Christ, for not one thought, word, or work of mine was without sin. In the evening service, I enjoyed great delight in God at times, and a desire to be His. The most satisfying feeling at those times is the worthiness of God and Christ.
- An extract from Martyn’s Journal for 6-8 July 1804. Martyn later did missionary work and Bible translation in India and Persia.