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NARRATIVE

OF

ELEAZER SHERMAN,

GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF

HIS LIFE, EXPERIENCE, CALL TO THE MINISTRY OF THE
GOSPEL, AND TRAVELS AS SUCH TO THE

PRESENT TIME.

THREE VOLUMES IN ONE.

VOLUME I.

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what
he has done for my soul.-Psalm lxvi. 16.

PROVIDENCE:

H. H. BRO W N.....PRINTER.

1832.

на

COLLEGE

US13631.10.3 (vof, 1-3)

MAY 21 1910

LIBRARY

By exchange

4 in 2

MIDDLEBOROUGH JULY 23, 1828.

This may certify, to all whom it may concern, that ELEAZER SHERMAN was received as a member into the Christian Church in Middleborough, September 5, 1815, and retains a good standing, has been a useful member to the present time, and in meetings has improved his gift to the good of those present, and in many places to the conviction of many.

Signed in behalf of the Church.

ABIEL NELSON, Clerk..

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1832,
By ELEAZER Sherman,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Rhode-Island.

TO THE PUBLIC.

My reasons for publishing this Narrative are, that I have felt it my duty, believing it will be for the good of others, and a benefit to me, as I expect to travel. The small profits I may make on the work, will pay a part of my expenses, as no one can travel and preach the gospel without being at considerable expense, and I have a wife and three children to support, and if I have not the means of supporting them as well as myself, I shall be in the way of my duty to stop travelling, and labor some other way for my support. All I ask from any one for my assistance, as I travel, is for them to do their duty before God, and they will be rewarded in the coming world, as the Savior has said, If you give a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, you shall not lose your reward. It is now over seventeen years since I first began to labor in God's vineyard, and those that read the

history of my life will see that I have not been all the time idle, and that my labor

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has not been in vain. I also believe that this history will be entertaining to all who read it, and that Christians of every denomination, who love God and his cause, will by reading it discover that the Lord has done great things for me and by me as an instrument in his hands in bringing many from nature's darkness to marvellous light, and from the power of sin and Satan to God. To his name be all the glory.

I believe it my duty to go among all denominations here a door is opened to preach. I firmly believe that God has a people among all denominations on the earth, by whatever name called. Those that are born again are all made to drink into one spirit. St. John says, they that have their robes. washed in the blood of the Lamb shall come from every people and nation under heaven, and worship before him; and every nation and people that fear God and work righteousness, will be accepted of him in the great and final day. I hope that all who purchase this book, will read it through, and preserve it for others, whom it may benefit, when its author is no more.

NARRATIVE.

སྟ❁ཉི་ཡ་བ

CHAPTER I.

My birth and parentage-Exercises of mind at different times until I was converted.

I was born April 15, 1795, in the town of Middleborough, Plymouth county, Mass. I am of the seventh generation from Philip Sherman, one of the first settlers on Rhode-Island. He and a few others purchased the whole of the island of the Indians. He was, as I am told, a Friend, and many of his descendants are of that order at the present time. My grandfather was a speaker in the Friends' meeting. My father married out of the society, and for this was excluded. My mother belonged to a Congregational Church, and also one brother; three sisters and myself, joined a church of the Christian denomination. My father had ten children, six sons and four daughters. One brother and one sister have finished their mortal life. I am the fourth son. At the age of six years, from what I saw in the works of creation, I was led to conclude that there was a Supreme Being, who was the author of all things. Being early taught to read, I learned that his character was holy, and that I was to appear before him, to give an account of my conduct in this world. At the early age of six years, I resolved to live a good life, and do the will of my heavenly Father, and thereby get to that place called heaven. At that time I told my little companions, I would never swear, nor tell a lie; that if they did, they would go to that wicked place called hell. The first sin I ever committed, for which I felt condemned, was in telling a wrong story to my mother, to escape correction. A deep sense of this sin filled my mind with horror. I thought God was angry with me, and could obtain but little sleep through the night, and my hopes of heaven were blasted, and I viewed myself a sinner, and endeavored to pray God to forgive me.

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