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50 The Good News September 2008

As we read the book o Acts the great and precious

works o the gospel revealed in each chapter through

various people o aith such as Peter, John, the ApostlePaul, and others cannot be hidden. However, they were

not powerul workers to begin with. All o them served

God with zeal. They endeavored and were resolved and

determined to live spiritual lie, but they were rather

dragged by sin and realized how weak and incompetent

they were. By the great grace o God they received sal-

vation and then became great, amazing workers o thegospel. I hope that through the people o aith, you can

ollow ater the ootsteps the pioneers o aith took.

David Brainerd and Henry Martyn were both powerul

witnesses to aith in Gods promise and the confdent

assurance that prayer would hasten the coming o the

kingdom. Many a missionary who came ater them owed

the deepening o his aith in prayer to their example.- Andrew Murray (18281917), Pastor & Author

D

avid Brainerd did not do any great works to leave hisname in church history like Martin Luther or D. L.Moody. He was a weak man like an earthen vessel that

received the orgiveness o sin and was born again atthe age o 21, became a preacher and preached the gospel to theNative Americans at the age o 24, and died at the age o 29 ater

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Testimony 51

contracting pulmonary tuberculosis. Although he labored underall sorts o diseases, he had the great power o God in his lie.

Ater receiving salvation in 1739, his lie was lled only with God.He was a person that could not do anything. Tat is why he couldno longer decide on his own where to dwell and his path in lie.He lived a lie ollowing the clearguidance o God solely throughprayer. Tat is why, even thoughhe lived a short lie, through his

journal we can see the guidanceand work o God living andbreathing in Brainerds lie eachmoment. Tis lie o his raiseda huge wave o aith in manypeople o God in the ollowingages. He let a proound impres-

sion in the heart o JonathanEdwards, leader o the Great

Awakening, which swept theU.S. in the 1740s, and provideda great turning point in the heart o John Wesley. Due to hislie, many missionaries such as William Carey, Henry Martyn,

Jim Elliot, and others received change in their aith and became

gospel preachers.

David Brainerds Birth and Childhood

David Brainerd was born on April 20th, 1718 in Haddam,Connecticut. His ather was Hezekiah Brainerd and his motherwas Dorothy Hobart, daughter o Pastor Jeremiah Hobart. Hewas a possessor o a meek and docile character rom his youth.

Ater he was bereaved o his ather at the age o nine, he pon-dered about his own soul or the rst time. Just thinking aboutdeath scared him. He started his church lie in hopes o gaining

David Brainerd (17181747)

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heaven and happiness. He misunderstood spiritual lie simplyas suppressing ones desire to have un, and attending services

and prayer meetings because he had never received salvation.In the winter o 1732, a dangerous contagion was spreading inhis hometown o Haddam. Brainerd was not sure he would goto heaven, and in the midst o ear he vaguely sought God andstarted to pray. He started to attend church meetings diligentlyand service began to be un or him.

I am sure that I am now a true Christian.

However, that conviction did not last long. In March 1732,even his mother passed away, and he ell into unspeakable sorrowand depression. Brainerds spiritual lie began to slacken ater that.Out o ormality he continued his lie o prayer, but he no longerhad pleasure or joy and ell into an idle and lazy lie.

On April 15th, 1733, Brainerd let his hometown and movedto East Haddam. At rst, he wanted to orget his past suering

and pain and start his spiritual lie resh in this new place and wasdevoted to attending service and meetings or a while. However,as he started to make riends with the youths in the neighborhoodhe gradually did bad things with his riends more and more. Aterhanging out with his riends and returning home, his heart waslled with depression and guilt. He was determined.

I will never hang out with them again.

However, his rm resolution was useless the ollowing day. Hestarted to ear his weakness as he ound himsel leaving hometo meet them the ollowing night. I this goes on, I dont know

what I might do. I think I need to move somewhere else.In 1737, he moved to Durham to run a arm, but one day in

1738, he moved back to Haddam to live with Pastor Fiske. Tereason was because he wanted to become a minister devoted to

the Lord as he lived with Pastor Fiske and learned aith rom him.Pastor Fiske told Brainerd to wrap up his relationship with hisriends and suggested that he have ellowship with seniors who


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were dignied and possessed a lie o aith. Brainerd started tohave some order in his lie. He read the Bible more than twice a

year, and spent most o his day praying and having service. Hehad a high interest in teaching the Bible and put his utmost eortto live according to the Word. Every week, on the evening o theSabbath, he would meet with a ew o the youths and have a per-sonal service. Ater the service, he meditated upon the sermonsalone all night. Unlike beore, Brainerd had changed into a greatman o aith on the exterior. However, his heart still contained

unresolved questions.

Law and Faith

My lie at the present denitely changed rom the one beore. Iused to spend my time eating, drinking, and having un withthe riends rom the neighborhood. Now Im spending my time

reading the Word, meditating, and praying. Although small, Imleading a meeting as well. People see the changed me and lit meup saying, A worker o God that changed through true repen-tance. Im still uncondent. Why do I eel so small especiallybeore the law in the Bible?

In Brainerds eyes, there was nothing more meaningless andunreasonable than the law in the Bible. I the commandments

only apply to outer actions and attitude, he elt that he could go toheaven by wholly keeping the law however possible. However, thelaw does not simply talk about actions or the outer appearance.

Unlike before, Brainerd had changed

into a great man of faith on the exterior.

However, his heart still contained unre-

solved questions.

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Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, HOU SHALNO COMMI ADULERY: But I say unto you, Tat whosoever

looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery withher already in his heart. (Matthew 5:2728)

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that nomurderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15)

Te law condemned the sin and evil thoughts in Brainerdsheart that he himsel could do nothing about with his power.Brainerd was a man o aith with no aults on the exterior, but

he was a sinner beore the law. He was a completely incompetentperson.

Te law o this world looks only at the action. Although onemay possess an evil heart or thought, i it is not put into action,it is not sin. But the commandment is dierent. I I unknow-

ingly possess an evil heart, that is violating the commandment. Iwonder how many people in this world can keep the command-ments.

Another thing Brainerd could not understand was the point inthe Bible that says, Only by aith can one receive salvation.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)

What is aith? Brainerd could not understand at all. Instead othe word aith he placed other words. You are saved throughasting prayer. You are saved by witnessing zealously. You are

It was more reasonable for Brainerd to

replace the word faith with the words

effort or sincerity. However, the Wordof God was undeniable.


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saved by attending every single service. It was more reasonableor Brainerd to replace the word aith with the words eort or

sincerity. However, the Word o God was undeniable.In the past ew months I learned about spiritual lie under

Pastor Fiske. I was honest in the work given to me during thetime. I do more good deeds than anyone around me. But Godsaid that the promise o salvation is not there. Ten what is thischange and joy I experienced until now?

All this time Brainerd was proud that he changed into an

honest and pious person. He even had hope, All my situationwill change. However, that pride and hope began to collapse asthe Word started to enter his heart. He became a sinner beorethe law he could never keep. In addition, his actions he relied onuntil now and the change he received in his lie was all meaning-less. He evidently and clearly saw he was a sinner that could notbe saved.

Its all over. My lie is nished. I cant be saved orever.As Brainerds heart ell down to destruction, his soul was under

great anguish or three or our days. He was stupeed or quitesome time and did not know what to do. Having nothing to relyon, he could not readily go out to God.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh tothe light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (John 3:20)

Until now Brainerd never thought that he was the one thatdoeth evil. Now he discovered that there was no good in himand that spiritually he was dead. He thought his lips were com-pletely sealed rom speaking o good deeds. He was araid to seehimsel like this. Brainerds image beore God was like a persontrembling in ear, standing dangerously beore a steep cli, andnot knowing when he would all down.

The Path of Salvation That Finally Opened

Brainerd thought he gave himsel to God because all this time

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he asted, prayed, and led meetings. Actually, he was immersedin pursuing his own happiness and did not consider Gods glory.

He was diligent and zealous in his task, but it was not becausehe truly eared God. It was not ear o God; with his sincerityand zeal he worked being carried away by the compliments opeople around him. It was to serve himsel and reveal his righ-teousness.

I think the Spirit o God let me or good. I dont want to prayor do anything anymore. Everything is tiring and a burden.

Brainerd let out a sigh. Suddenly, a verse brushed past his brain.Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will

give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)It was spoken by Jesus. He shouted in his heart, Really, who

is Jesus Christ?Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man

cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

Until now he wanted to stand beore God as a righteous, goodperson. However, beore the law he was a sinner that could not doanything and was only waiting or destruction. Te meritoriousdeeds he stacked up until now were actually hypocrisy beoreGod. Te result o his actions was labor and pain. Jesus was look-ing or him that was like this and told him to come out to Him.Only through Jesus can one go to the Father.

Now I know what grace is. I was a oolish sinner that could notsay anything even i God orsook me. I God pities this worthlessme then that is grace. Tat grace o God sent Christ to this earthand made me to stand beore Him.

On July 12th, 1739, a new path o salvation opened beoreBrainerd. Until now there were various orms o salvation in hismind. But the salvation o Jesus Christ was incomparable to the

other paths o salvation. It was wiser, adequate, and superior. Hewas amazed at why he did not know o this path that was lledwith love and blessing. He thought the world strange or not


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knowing and not ol-lowing this path o sal-

vation that is obtainedonly through the righ-teousness o Christ.

Risking Life to Gain

Life

Brainerd was deter-

mined to prepare orthe ministry. In the be-ginning o September 1739, he enrolled at Yale University ma-

joring in theology. He gathered with a ew o his riends in theauditorium once in a while to pray. One day, he went to the audi-torium with some o his riends and their college tutor, Whittlesey,to pray. Whittlesey was a person who prayed, carried away by his

emotion and sentiment. When the atmosphere became cold aterthe prayer meeting, one o Brainerds riends asked him what hethought o Whittlesey. Brainerd replied.

He has no more grace than this chair.Someone next to the auditorium happened to eavesdrop on

their conversation. Tis was made known in the end and Brainerdgot expelled. Ater the expulsion, Brainerd learned the Word and

had ellowship rom Pastor Cooke o Stratord, Pastor Grahamo Southbury, and others. Whenever he had time, he never restedrom praying or the pitiul people that had not received salvationyet. On his 24th birthday, he asted all day and prayed seekingor Gods guidance. Tis is what Brainerd wrote in his diary thatday.

. . . I hardly ever so longed to live to God and to be altogether

devoted to Him; I wanted to wear out my lie in His service andor His glory. . . .

In 1742 he was qualied to be a minister. In 1743 he was deter-

Brainerd preaching to the Native Americans.

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mined to give his lie in the ministry to the Native Americans andbecame a missionary. Brainerd received support rom the Society

or Promoting Christian Knowledge and started his ministry atKaunaumeek. Tis ministry was not a simple walk in the park.He did not know anyone and had no place to sleep. He slept on astack o straw and all he had to eat was corn and corn porridge.

However, these difculties did not give him a hard time. TeNative Americans had their hearts completely closed towardBrainerd because the white man had coerced them and stole

their lands. On top o that, there was a rumor going around thatBrainerd was a slave trader and he came to capture and sell themas slaves. Not only were the Native Americans completely igno-rant o God, among them were those who worshipped demons asa proession. Ignorance, a wicked heart, and a corrupted character

were very natural to them.

Brainerd did not submit to the difcult and hard situation.He preached o the Son o God that endured pain and died orsinners headed or destruction. He made out a prayer that tthem and translated it into their language. He translated a ewhymns into their language as well. Tere were times when heelt rustrated as he aced many adversities and obstacles, but he

started to gain strength and hope as he saw the Word and trutho God working powerully among the Native Americans. DavidBrainerd let writings that rated his Native American mission. A

All written in his diary were his prayers of

wanting to live for the gospel and the help-

ing hand of God that led him and worked

in the Native American mission.


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part o that is introduced in the ollowing.First, when I reached my limits and could not do anything,

God started to work among the Native Americans. When myhealth was not in a good condition and the Native Americanmission seemed hopeless, it was God who worked powerullyamong them.

Second, God called the Native Americans that lived here andthere because He was interested in their souls. Tere was no wayor me to express the great works that He had done. When I rst

set oot into this place, I did not see a single man. In the space oa ew days, they started to come rom all over the place. Native

Americans came rom places that were 20 to 40 miles away. Godwas the One that called them.

Tird, bad people slandered the gospel I preached, but Godprotected the Native Americans rom the vicious slander. A plotto slander Christianity was ormed by a ew white men. Tey lied

that I was a swindler and a villain with a secret scheme to sellthem as slaves to England. However, this vicious trick was brokenup due to the authoritarian intervention o God.

Ater that, or three years, Brainerd preached the gospel to theNative Americans in Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well. Hedid not think o his health as he was devoted to the gospel andcollapsed due to tuberculosis in the all o 1746. He could not

give a sermon or pray because o the pain, and later on he vom-ited blood and elt terrible pain. He was bedridden or 12 months,surrounded by his loving riends, and died at the young age o 29in 1747. He prayed or the Native Americans and wrote in hisdiary until he breathed his last breath. All that was written in hisdiary were his prayers o wanting to live or the gospel and thehelping hand o God that led him to salvation and worked in the

Native American mission.

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