There were very few present.  The day was one of the worst—­violently stormy, which harmonized somewhat with my feelings; and, to my further relief, the Hall pew was empty.  Instead of finding myself a mere minister to the prayers of others, I found, as I read, that my heart went out in crying to God for the divine presence of His Spirit.  And if I thought more of myself in my prayers than was well, yet as soon as I was converted, would I not strengthen my brethren?  And the sermon I preached to myself and through myself to my people, was that which the stars had preached to me, and thereby driven me to my knees by the mill-door.  I took for my text, “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed;” and then I proceeded to show them how the glory of the Lord was to be revealed.  I preached to myself that throughout this fortieth chapter of the prophecies of Isaiah, the power of God is put side by side with the weakness of men, not that He, the perfect, may glory over His feeble children; not that He may say to them—­“Look how mighty I am, and go down upon your knees and worship”—­for power alone was never yet worthy of prayer; but that he may say thus:  “Look, my children, you will never be strong but with my strength.  I have no other to give you.  And that you can get only by trusting in me.  I cannot give it you any other way.  There is no other way.  But can you not trust in me?  Look how strong I am.  You wither like the grass.  Do not fear.  Let the grass wither.  Lay hold of my word, that which I say to you out of my truth, and that will be life in you that the blowing of the wind that withers cannot reach.  I am coming with my strong hand and my judging arm to do my work.  And what is the work of my strong hand and ruling arm?  To feed my flock like a shepherd, to gather the lambs with my arm, and carry them in my bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.  I have measured the waters in the hollow of my hand, and held the mountains in my scales, to give each his due weight, and all the nations, so strong and fearful in your eyes, are as nothing beside my strength and what I can do.  Do not think of me as of an image that your hands can make, a thing you can choose to serve, and for which you can do things to win its favour.  I am before and above the earth, and over your life, and your oppressors I will wither with my breath.  I come to you with help I need no worship from you.  But I say love me, for love is life, and I love you.  Look at the stars I have made.  I know every one of them.  Not one goes wrong, because I keep him right.  Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel—­my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God!  I give power to the faint, and to them that have no might, plenty of strength.”

“Thus,” I went on to say, “God brings His strength to destroy our weakness by making us strong.  This is a God indeed!  Shall we not trust Him?”