fervent and
all-embracing prayer. A spirit of prayer fell upon his people. Every
heart trembled in tenderest sympathy for those who were strangers to
the "covenant of mercy"; every eye was dampened with tears of
gratitude and love; every tongue was ready to exclaim with Watts:--

"'T was the same love that spread the feast,
That sweetly forced us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin."

The church had reached that point in feeling where the blessing is
sure. They heard the coming of the chariot, and felt the saving power
of the Lord in their midst. It was a glorious revival. There were more
converted than there were members in the church. Oh, what joy, what
peace, what comfort in the Holy Ghost was there in that "upper
chamber"! What tongue or pen can describe the scene in that room when
over thirty souls were gathered into the fold! A pastor's _first_
revival! What rejoicing! The gathering of his first children in the
Lord! Ask Paul what conscious pride he took in those who were his
"epistles," his "fruit in the Gospel," his "children" in Christ
Jesus. It lifted Brother Grimes up to the heights of Pisgah in his
rejoicing, and laid him low at the cross in his humility. "The Lord
had done great things for him, whereof he was glad"; And they "did eat
their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and
having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved."

The rooms in which they began now proved too small for their rapidly
increasing membership. They agreed to have a building of their own. It
was now the latter part of 1848. The business eye of the pastor fell
upon a lot on Southac Street; and in the early part of 1849 the
trustees purchased it. Preparations for building were at once begun.
It seemed a large undertaking for a body of Christians so humble in
circumstances, so weak in numbers. But faith and works were the
_genii_ that turned the tide of prosperity in their favor. They
decided that the ground and edifice should not exceed in cost the sum
of $10,000. The society proposed to raise two or three thousand within
its own membership; three thousand by loan, and solicit the remainder
from the Christian public. Previous to this period the public knew
little or nothing of this society. Brother Grimes had come to Boston
almost an entire stranger, and had now to undertake the severe task of
presenting the int