Doddridge.
'This memorable event,' says the pious writer, 'happened towards the
middle of July, 1719. The major had spent the evening (and, if I
mistake not, it was the Sabbath) in some gay company, and had an unhappy
assignation with a married woman, whom he was to attend exactly at
twelve. The company broke up about eleven; and not judging it convenient
to anticipate the time appointed, he went into his chamber to kill the
tedious hour, perhaps with some amusing book, or some other way. But it
very accidentally happened that he took up a religious book, which
his good mother or aunt had, without his knowledge, slipped into
his portmanteau. It was called, if I remember the title exactly, THE
CHRISTIAN SOLDIER, or HEAVEN TAKEN BY STORM; and it was written by
Mr. Thomas Watson. Guessing by the title of it that he would find some
phrases of his own profession spiritualized in a manner which he thought
might afford him some diversion, he resolved to dip into it; but he took
no serious notice of anything it had in it; and yet, while this book was
in his hand an impression was made upon his mind (perhaps God only
knows how) which drew after it a train of the most important and happy
consequences.
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