seriously about it, and was all alone; for already people had, as it
were by a general consent, taken up the custom of not going out of
doors after sunset; the reasons I shall have occasion to say more of
by-and-by.

In the retirement of this evening I endeavoured to resolve, first, what
was my duty to do, and I stated the arguments with which my brother had
pressed me to go into the country, and I set, against them the strong
impressions which I had on my mind for staying; the visible call I
seemed to have from the particular circumstance of my calling, and the
care due from me for the preservation of my effects, which were, as I
might say, my estate; also the intimations which I thought I had from
Heaven, that to me signified a kind of direction to venture; and it
occurred to me that if I had what I might call a direction to stay, I
ought to suppose it contained a promise of being preserved if I obeyed.

This lay close to me, and my mind seemed more and more encouraged to
stay than ever, and supported with a secret satisfaction that I should
be kept. Add to this, that, turning over the Bible which lay before
me, and while my thoughts were more than ordinarily serious upon the
question, I cried out, 'Well, I know not what to do; Lord, direct me I'
and the like; and at that juncture I happened to stop turning over the
book at the gist Psalm, and casting my eye on the second verse, I read
on to the seventh verse exclusive, and after that included the tenth,
as follows: 'I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my
God, in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare
of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with
His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall
be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by
night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that