ckbridge under the care of Mr. Sergeant, and that this would leave him
free to go to more wild and untaught tribes. It was carried out, and the
Indians removed. There was much mutual love between them and their
pastor, and the parting was very affectionate, though even after two
years he was still unable to speak the language, and never seems to have
troubled himself about this trifling obstacle. Several English
congregations entreated him to become their minister, but he refused them
all, and went to meet the Commissioners of the Scottish Society at New
Jersey. They arranged with him for a mission to the Delaware Indians, in
spite of his being laid up for some days at the time; and when he went
back to Kanaumeek to dispose of his books and other "comforts," the
effects of being drenched with rain showed themselves in continued
bleeding from the lungs. He knew that he was often in an almost dying
state, and only wished to continue in his Master's service to the end he
longed for. He owns that his heart did sometimes sink at the thought of
going alone into the wilderness; but he thought of Abraham, and took
courage, riding alone through the depths of the forest, so desolate and
lonely day after day, that it struck terror even into his soul. There
were scanty settlements of Dutch and Irish, where he sometimes spent a
night, but the Sunday he passed among some Irish was so entirely unmarked
by them, that he felt like a "creature banished from the sight of God."

At last he reached his destination on the fork of the river Delaware, and
being within moderate distance of Newark, there received ordination as a
minister on the 11th of June, 1744. Severe illness followed the exertion
of preaching and praying before the convened ministers; but as soon as he
could walk, he set forth on his return, though he was so weak that he
could hardly open his numbed hand, but his heart and hopes had begun to
revive, and the little settlement of Whites with whom he lived were
willing to listen to him.

The Indians were in the midst of preparing for an idolatrous feast and
dance. Brainerd spent a day in the woods in an anguish of prayer, and
then went to the place of meeting, where, stranger as he was, he
prevailed on them to cease their revels and attend to him.

His biographer, President Jonathan Edwards, provokingly leaves out his
method of teaching, "for the sake of brevity," and from his own diary
little is to be gathered but ac