144 History of Methodism 



pray for us, and tell us what we must do to be saved." 

 They accordingly went, and spent much of the after- 

 noon in prayer, especially for Mrs. Russell ; but she did 

 not presently obtain comfort. Being much exhausted, 

 the preachers retired to rest awhile in a pleasant grove 

 near at hand. After they had withdrawn, the General, 

 seeing the deep agony of soul under which his wife 

 was laboring, began to read to her, by the advice of 

 his pious daughter, Mr. Fletcher's charming address 

 to mourners as contained in his Appeal. At length 

 the preachers heard the voice of rejoicing accompa- 

 nied with clapping of hands, and hastening into the 

 house they found Mrs. Russell praising the Lord, and 

 the General walking the floor and Aveeping bitterly, 

 uttering at the same time this plaintive appeal to the 

 Saviour of sinners: " O Lord, thou didst bless my dear 

 wife while thy poor servant was reading to her; hast 

 thou not a blessing also for me? " At length he sat 

 down quite exhausted. To look upon the aged sol- 

 dier and venerable statesman, now trembling with emo- 

 tion and earnestly inquiring what he must do to be 

 saved, was a scene in the highest degree interesting 

 and affecting. 



But the work ended not here. The conversion of 

 Mrs. Russell, whose zeal, good sense, and amiableness 

 of character were proverbial, together with the pen- 

 itential grief so conspicuous in the General, made a 

 deep impression on the minds of many, and numbers 

 were brought to a saving knowledge of the truth be- 

 fore the Conference closed. The General himself rest- 

 ed not till he obtained the witness of his adoption, and 

 he continued a faithful member and office-bearer in 

 the Church, constantly adorning the doctrine of God 

 our Saviour unto the end of his life. His daughtei, 



