As a public speaker Edwards’ delivery was the minimum of force, and in this feature he admitted his utter failure.  Indeed, when driven from Northampton, he replied to Erskine’s invitation to remove to Scotland, that he was assured that his style would not be acceptable.  After his dismission, the sorrows of poverty fell heavily upon him, and he writes to the same correspondent that ’he and his large and helpless family were to be cast upon the world.’  A collection was made for him in Scotland, and forwarded at this time of need.  The Scottish saints, indeed, held strong sympathy with the colonies, and it was their ‘benefactions’ which supported the mission of Brainerd, the most successful of modern days.  Edwards remained more than a year at Northampton after leaving its pulpit, and was humbled by seeing the people assemble to hear sermons read by laymen in preference to his own ministrations.  What a bitter cup this must have been:  but Sarah cheered his heart, and grace reigned.  In the mean time the girls wrought fancy work, which was sent to Boston, and sold in their behalf, and thus they were spared from want.  Subsequently he was appointed missionary to the Stockbridge Indians.  It was Orpheus among the wild beasts, but without his success.  President Wayland quotes this fact in order to support a theory which is palpably false, that a preacher should not be much above the literary platform of his people; whereas, Edwards’ ill success was in a large measure owing to the troubles and opposition incident to frontier life.  With all his sorrows, however, he had one great satisfaction.  His chief assailant, Joseph Ashley, of Northampton, who had borne so large a part in his expulsion, came in deep penitence, and besought his forgiveness, which was granted with Christian tenderness.  Ashley’s compunctions continued, and after Edwards’ death increased in horror so greatly that to obtain relief he published to the world an explicit confession of his sins against ‘that eminent servant of God.’

Edwards, like Milton, had long meditated a work which ’the world would not willingly let die,’ but, although he had for some years been gathering materials, yet it was not until his removal to Stockbridge that he addressed himself fully to the mighty task of authorship.  His habits of abstraction grew upon him amazingly during this effort, and the notable Sarah sheltered him from intrusion, and anticipated his wants.  She was conscious of the greatness of the work with which he had grappled, and stood by his side like a guardian angel while he demolished errorists.  It was her custom after the labors of the day to steal up to the study, where, like Numa and Egeria, they held serene communion.  This was his sole medium of secular information, for in his occasional walks he was like one in a dream.  The whole man was engrossed in what he alone could perform; indeed, to reconcile liberty and necessity were a task for which he seemed providentially set