This book has often been reprinted since it was first published in 1749, just two years after Brainerd’s death. The present reprint follows the previous edition produced by the Banner of Truth, except that it has been newly typeset, the page size is larger and so the book is thinner; also the introduction by Alexander Smellie has been omitted. The first and largest part of this book is Brainerd’s diary, which begins with an account of his early life and goes on, with an entry for most days from 1 April 1742, when he was almost 24, and continues till early October 1747, just days before his death, at the age of just 29. Throughout, the editor, Jonathan Edwards, has removed some repetitious matter and has supplemented what Brainerd wrote, particularly at the end of his life, when the missionary was too weak to write much if anything. He also omitted “some parts of his Diary . . . which for substance is the same with his Journal”.
The full title of the Journal is: The Rise and Progress of a Remarkable Work of Grace, which was kept from 19 June 1745 for exactly a year. This was part of the period when Brainerd’s missionary work was most blessed by the Most High. The Journal was produced at the request of The Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge, who were supporting Brainerd in his missionary endeavour. The Journal includes three appendices, the second of which includes four sections on the difficulties of “Christianising” the Indians. There follow 10 of Brainerd’s letters and a few of his other writings. Finally there are the sermon that Ebenezer Pemberton, a New York minister, preached at Brainerd’s induction, and Edwards’ “Reflections and Observations” on the Diary and the Journal.
What we learn from the book is that Brainerd was a very godly man, who was extremely conscious of the sinfulness of sin. This led him to write, for instance, “I was afraid of nothing but sin; and [was] afraid of that in every action and thought”. One might say that, in his missionary work, he was conscientious to a fault, giving himself wholeheartedly to the work of seeking to draw various groups of American Indians to the Saviour by his preaching, and by teaching them on a more individual basis. He drove himself on, even when he was very seriously ill with tuberculosis.
Although it is obvious in Brainerd’s own writing, Edwards points out that the missionary was subject to clinical depression. Yet, in spite of all the difficulties he experienced, he persevered in his work, until he was altogether too weak to continue. Although he suffered many disappointments, his preaching and teaching had remarkable success among the last group of Indians he laboured among. But no attempt is made here to summarise his life and work, because of the series of articles about him that are appearing month by month in this Magazine.
What we have is a book that it is well worth reading; it is interesting and should be spiritually profitable. May it do much good, in stimulating readers to a greater sense of their need of an increasing work of the Holy Spirit, to make them flee more earnestly from sin – in thought, word and deed – to a glorious Saviour! May it also bring readers to pray earnestly that the gospel would spread to all parts of the world, that the Lord would raise up those who would go out to engage faithfully in that work, and that the Holy Spirit would be poured out in connection with all such endeavours!