4. From Kaunaumeek to the Forks of Delaware
On 7 January 1744 Brainerd spent most of the evening in prayer, reading and meditation; yet he “was grieved to think that [he] could not watch unto prayer the whole night”. But perhaps he had a better understanding of the reality of life in heaven than of the reality of life on earth, for he added, “Blessed be God, heaven is a place of continual and incessant devotion”. A week later he expressed himself thus: “Longed exceedingly for angelic holiness and purity, and to have all my thoughts, at all times, employed in divine and heavenly things”.2 Edwards comments that Brainerd “seems to be filled with trembling fears lest he should return to a life of vanity, to please himself with some of the enjoyments of this lower world” (p 104).
Early February found Brainerd expressing the hope that “the Lord gave me some true sense of divine things this day; but alas, how great and pressing are the remains of indwelling corruption! I am now more sensible than ever that God alone is ‘the author and finisher of our faith’, that is, that the whole, and every part of sanctification and every good word, work, or thought, found in me, is the effect of His power and grace; that ‘without [Him, I] can do nothing’, in the strictest sense, and that He works in us ‘to will and to do of His good pleasure’, and from no other motive. O how amazing it is that people can talk so much about men’s power and goodness, when, if God did not hold us back every moment, we should be devils incarnate!” He went on to say that his “bitter experience”, over the past several days, had “abundantly taught” him these things about himself (p 105).
The following day he wrote, “Enjoyed some degree of freedom and spiritual refreshment; was enabled to pray with some fervency; and longing desires [for] Zion’s prosperity. And my faith and hope seemed to take hold of God, for the performance of what I was enabled to plead for. Sanctification in myself, and the ingathering of God’s elect, was all my desire; and the hope of its accomplishment all my joy” (p 105).
Later in the month, he notes the sense he had of “the exceeding pollution” of his nature, especially through remembering “the follies” of his early life. But “in the evening, the hand of faith seemed to me strengthened in God; my
1A further part of a longer version of a paper given at last year’s Theological Conference. Last month’s instalment covered Brainerd’s early missionary work in a place called Kaunaumeek, on Long Island.
2Jonathan Edwards, editor, The Diary and Journal of David Brainerd, Banner of Truth Trust, 2023 edition, p 103. Page references in brackets, in the body of the text, are to this edition of the Diary and Journal.
soul seemed to rest and acquiesce in Him; was supported under my burdens reading the 125th Psalm; and found that it was sweet and comfortable to lean on God” (p 108). The grace of faith was clearly strong in this devoted missionary and far stronger than he ever imagined it in fact was, especially given how depressed he so often was because of his sins.
By the start of April 1744, Brainerd would be over a year in Kaunaumeek. And on 11 March 1744, a Sabbath, he had conducted his last services there. He preached on the Parable of the Sower, in Matthew 13, noting that he “enjoyed some assistance both parts of the day; had some freedom, affection and fervency in addressing my poor people; longed that God should take hold of their hearts and make them spiritually alive. And indeed I had so much to say to them that I knew not how to leave off speaking” (p 111).
As the number of Indians in Kaunaumeek was limited, he persuaded them to move to Stockbridge, so that they would be under the ministry of John Sergeant, another missionary. On Wednesday of that week, Brainerd left and rode to Stockbridge; he speaks of “repeating my petitions for God’s presence in every place where I expected to be in my journey”. The following day he came to Sheffield. Here he met a messenger from East Hampton, on Long Island, who brought a further invitation, from the church there, to settle among them as their minister. He “felt some desires to comply with the request, but knew not what to do; endeavoured to commit the case to God” (p 112).
On the next two days he made only slow progress, because of the rain. He arrived in Salisbury feeling very unwell; yet he preached there on the Sabbath though he could scarcely walk. He acknowledged that “God was pleased to afford me much freedom, clearness and fervency in preaching: I have not had the like assistance in preaching to sinners for many months past” (p 113).
Another messenger came to him with a request from some other congregation, for him to come to preach among them, on probation. Brainerd continued his journey towards New York with “a weight and burden of care” and expressed the scriptural wish, “O that God would send forth faithful labourers into His harvest” (p 113). Although he was still very unwell; he preached several times on the way. But he was afraid that his constant moving around and a lack of privacy for his devotions would result in a decline in his spiritual life. In New York he said, “It is not the pleasures of the world [that] can comfort me! If God deny His presence, what are the pleasures of the city to me? One hour of sweet retirement, where God is, is better than the whole world” (p 114).
From New York he went on to Elizabethtown, where he waited for the representatives of the Scottish society, who were supporting him, to arrive. They decided that Brainerd should now work among the Indians who lived
near the Delaware River, in Pennsylvania. In the middle of April, he spent a few days in his native town, Haddam. A few days afterwards Brainerd returned to Millington, but when he was setting out, he felt “feeble in body and weak in faith” (p 114). He was going to preach in Millington but was afraid that he would not be strong enough to get through that duty. Others were planning to travel to Millington but Brainerd managed to get away from them, so that he could spend the time lifting up his heart to God in prayer. The missionary had not gone far, when the words came to his mind: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” and he felt very much strengthened. He writes, “I went on, confiding in God, and fearing nothing so much as self-confidence. In this frame I went to the house of God and enjoyed some assistance. Afterwards felt the spirit of love and meekness, in conversation with some friends” (pp 114-5).
He went on to say that “eternity appeared very near” and himself very weak. He added, “I longed to fill up the remaining moments all for God! Though my body was so feeble and wearied with preaching and much private conversation, yet I wanted to sit up all night to do something for God.” The next day, Brainerd again felt very weak but found himself in the company of someone who was opposing the doctrine of original sin. The missionary’s reaction was to wish, “May the Lord open his eyes to see the fountain of sin in himself!” (p 115).
Brainerd was firmly of the view that he should continue his missionary work among the Indians, in spite of the calls he had received to settled congregations; he was to receive other invitations afterwards but, to the end, he continued to believe that it was his duty to go on working among the Indians. Brainerd received fresh directions about where to go on the Delaware River, and on May 1 he set out. That day he rode for several hours in the rain, through what he calls a “howling wilderness”; he was also haemorrhaging blood. No wonder he felt so unwell. And yet he kept going; such was his desire to serve his Master and to do all he could to extend his Master’s kingdom.
About a week later, Brainerd was crossing the Hudson River and then he travelled for about 100 miles through woods, where there were very few settlements; it was a difficult, tiring journey. He did find some Indians on his way and visited them, speaking with them about Christianity. On the following Saturday he reached a settlement of Irish and Dutch people, about 12 miles upriver from the Forks of Delaware. He had arrived in the area where he was to work for the foreseeable future.
He rose early on the Lord’s Day, though he felt very poorly and depressed. He was disturbed because no one seemed to care that it was the Sabbath, and
the children were out playing. He was disappointed that there was no interpreter, though it seems that there had been some arrangement for one, and he heard that the Indians were very scattered. He described his feelings: “I mourned after the presence of God and seemed like a creature banished from His sight! Yet He was pleased to support my sinking soul amidst all my sorrows, so that I never entertained any thought of quitting my business among the poor Indians, but was comforted to think that death would ere long set me free from these distresses.” Brainerd rode about three or four miles to the Irish settlers and found that some of them appeared sober and concerned about religion. He continued, “My heart then began to be a little encouraged; went and preached first to the Irish and then to the Indians; and in the evening was a little comforted; my soul seemed to rest on God and take courage. O that the Lord would be my support and comfort in an evil world!” (p 117).
During part of the next Saturday, Brainerd felt very much weighed down by the responsibility of the new work he had undertaken; it seemed impossible that he would get through it. He comments, “Towards night was very calm and comfortable, and I think my soul trusted in God for help” (p 118). No other true Christian would have doubted, in the least, that Brainerd’s trust in God was totally genuine.
On the Sabbath morning, Brainerd preached twice to the Indians and enjoyed some freedom in speaking while he tried to remove their prejudices against Christianity. Afterwards he preached to the Irish; he records, “Was much assisted in the first prayer and something in sermon”. Several seemed very concerned for their souls, and he spoke with them afterwards, “with great freedom and some power” (p 118). The next Sabbath, which was the last in May, he saw an Indian funeral, where “their heathen practices” disturbed him very much. His desire was that they might be turned “from darkness to light”. Afterwards he gathered a good number of them together and preached; he noticed that they were very attentive. He later preached to the whites from Hebrews 2:3: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” He records that he “was enabled to speak with some freedom and power; several people seemed very concerned for their souls, especially one who had been educated as a Roman Catholic. Blessed be the Lord for any help!” (pp 118-19). Such was the beginning of Brainerd’s ministry in his second mission field among the native Americans, at the Forks of Delaware.
Where the world fills both head and heart, there is no room for Christ.
Sinners have their mercies with God’s leave, but not with His love.
It will not frighten a Christian to have all the signs of death in his body when he can see all the signs of grace in his soul.
Thomas Watson
FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SCOTLAND – CONGREGATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS – 2024
| CONGREGATION | MINISTER
(Interim Moderator) | SUSTENTATION
FUND | HOME
MISSION
FUND | COLLEGE &
LIBRARY
FUND | BOOKROOM
FUND | GENERAL
BUILDING
FUND | OUTREACH
FUND | JEWISH &
FOREIGN
MISSION
FUND | OVERSEAS
FUND | TOTAL | |
|:——————————–|:———————————|:———————|:————————|:—————————–|:—————–|:—————————-|:—————–|:—————————————|:—————–|:———–|:–|
| | | | | | | | | | | £ | £ |
| NORTHERN PRESBYTERY | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aberdeen | Rev D W B Somerset | 13,416.62 | 37.50 | 778.50 | 37.50 | 37.50 | 37.50 | 1,254.75 | 37.50 | 15,637.37 | |
| Crichton, Dornoch, etc | Rev J A Morrison | 14,581.00 | 403.00 | 288.00 | 148.00 | 98.00 | 220.00 | 613.00 | 330.00 | 16,631.50 | |
| Daviot, Tomatin & Stratherrick | Rev J D Macleod | 3,500.00 | 147.50 | 150.00 | 75.00 | 72.50 | 75.00 | 250.00 | 60.00 | 4,330.00 | |
| Dingwall & Beauly | Rev A W MacColl | 23,421.75 | 1,248.50 | 1,015.00 | 486.25 | 173.75 | 321.25 | 1,428.75 | 358.75 | 28,454.00 | |
| Halkirk, Strathy, Thurso & Wick | Rev W A Weale | 20,405.00 | 610.00 | 1,520.00 | 352.50 | 370.00 | 540.00 | 3,282.50 | 627.50 | 27,707.50 | |
| Inverness | Rev J D Macleod | 38,061.00 | 5,338.75 | 5,840.75 | 1,232.25 | 900.00 | 961.25 | 6,486.50 | 880.00 | 59,692.50 | |
| Kinlochbervie & Scourie | Rev K A Morrison* | 1,610.00 | 150.00 | 110.00 | 50.00 | 40.00 | – | 260.00 | 230.00 | 2,450.00 | |
| | | 114,985.37 | 7,935.25 | 9,702.25 | 2,381.50 | 1,691.75 | 2,155.50 | 13,577.50 | 2,523.75 | 154,952.87 | |
| SOUTHERN PRESBYTERY | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:—————————–|:—————–|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———–|:–|
| Barnoldswick | Rev D Campbell | 10,350.00 | 460.00 | 835.00 | 415.00 | 260.00 | 275.00 | 550.00 | 245.00 | 13,390.00 | |
| Chesley | Rev R MacLeod | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Perth | Rev D Campbell | 4,797.50 | 410.00 | 297.50 | 285.00 | 335.00 | 63.75 | 503.75 | 70.00 | 6,792.50 | |
| Edinburgh | Rev D Campbell | 28,007.00 | 692.00 | 3,737.00 | 414.00 | 426.00 | 2,471.00 | 3,987.00 | 613.00 | 40,347.00 | |
| Fort William & Oban | Rev R MacLeod | 750.00 | 75.00 | 50.00 | 25.00 | 25.00 | 20.00 | 170.00 | 25.00 | 1,140.00 | |
| Glasgow | Rev J B Jardine | 32,840.35 | 1,888.36 | 1,901.19 | 1,114.34 | 1,045.44 | 1,267.41 | 3,989.66 | 1,315.91 | 45,363.26 | |
| Greenock (Preaching Station) | Rev R MacLeod | 426.25 | 35.00 | 35.00 | 17.50 | 17.50 | 5.00 | 35.00 | 17.50 | 588.75 | |
| London & Broadstairs | Rev R MacLeod | 19,840.00 | 500.00 | 4,050.00 | – | – | 500.00 | 4,550.00 | – | 29,450.00 | |
| Santa Fe, Texas | Rev D Campbell | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| | | 97,011.10 | 4,060.96 | 10,915.69 | 2,270.84 | 2,108.94 | 4,602.16 | 13,785.41 | 2,286.41 | 137,041.51 | |
| OUTER ISLES PRESBYTERY | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:——————————|:—————–|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———–|:–|
| Achmore | Rev J B Jardine | 2,247.50 | 226.25 | 217.50 | 195.00 | 170.00 | 152.50 | 907.50 | 165.00 | 4,281.25 | |
| Ness | Rev K M Watkins | 7,567.50 | 95.00 | 22.50 | 22.50 | 42.50 | 30.00 | 122.50 | 20.00 | 7,922.50 | |
| North Harris | Rev J B Jardine | 9,626.25 | 216.25 | 222.50 | 87.50 | 110.00 | 78.75 | 330.00 | 122.50 | 10,793.75 | |
| North Tolsta | Rev J B Jardine | 12,147.00 | 1,045.50 | 898.50 | 414.50 | 482.00 | 351.75 | 901.50 | 431.00 | 16,671.75 | |
| North Uist | Rev J B Jardine | 5,170.00 | 310.00 | 310.00 | 150.00 | 145.00 | 312.00 | 610.00 | 35.00 | 6,677.00 | |
| South Harris | Rev J B Jardine | 9,061.33 | 701.50 | 683.00 | 351.75 | 344.50 | 312.00 | 654.50 | 589.00 | 12,697.58 | |
| Stornoway | Rev J B Jardine | 17,322.00 | 1,394.75 | 1,450.00 | 554.50 | 523.25 | 540.00 | 2,698.25 | 556.75 | 25,039.50 | |
| Uig | Rev K M Watkins* | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| | | 63,141.58 | 3,989.25 | 3,804.00 | 1,775.75 | 1,832.25 | 1,610.00 | 5,924.25 | 2,039.25 | 84,116.33 | |
WESTERN PRESBYTERY
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|:—————————–|:——————|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———-|:———–|
| Applecross & Shieldaig | Rev D A Ross | 3,981.00 | 182.50 | 462.50 | 100.00 | 62.50 | 200.00 | 1,150.75 | 62.50 | 6,201.75 |
| Bracadale, Strath & Duirinish | Rev ID MacDonald | 11,800.00 | 345.00 | 235.00 | 300.00 | 182.50 | 132.50 | 260.00 | 235.00 | 12,490.00 |
| Bracadale, Strath & Duirinish | Rev I MacDonald | 10,800.00 | 11,487.34 | 179.00 | 131.75 | 104.50 | 128.50 | 189.00 | 99.50 | 12,401.84 |
| Kyle, Plockton & Lochcarron | Rev D A Ross | 2,780.00 | 20.00 | 20.00 | 170.00 | 10.00 | 20.00 | 170.00 | 10.00 | 3,200.00 |
| Laide | Rev D A Ross | 14,320.00 | 460.00 | 530.00 | 330.00 | 250.00 | 390.00 | 520.00 | 281.00 | 17,081.00 |
| Lochinver & Assynt | Rev D A Ross | 2,770.00 | 360.00 | 300.00 | 200.00 | 200.00 | 250.00 | 360.00 | 220.00 | 4,655.00 |
| Odesa, Ukraine | Rev D Levytskyi | 513.00 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 513.00 |
| Portree | Rev ID MacDonald | 24,807.50 | 335.00 | 1035.00 | 450.00 | 385.00 | 385.00 | 572.50 | 530.00 | 28,500.00 |
| Staffin | Rev J B Jardine* | 12,672.50 | 769.00 | 859.00 | 338.50 | 376.50 | 312.50 | 1,136.50 | 270.00 | 16,744.50 |
| | | 84,131.34 | 2,650.50 | 3,573.25 | 1,993.00 | 1,615.00 | 1,747.25 | 4,358.75 | 1,708.00 | 101,777.09 |
ASIA PACIFIC PRESBYTERY
©(MMXXIV)
~ These sums were contributed to the local Australia & New Zealand Sustentation Funds. They do not appear in any of the totals here.