TIDE SERVANT OF GOD. tion. Nobles, artists, men of letters, ladies of the highest rank, churchmen of every denomination, distinguished wits, thronged her drawing-room. "Her circle," observes one of her biographers, "was without exception, the most imposing, honourable, and splendid, that the world has ever seen. And what was best of all, she attracted these various personages for the sole purpose of doing their souls good, and of winning them to Christ. Her religion, her spirituality, her particular views of Divine Truth, were never thrown aside in the presence of her visitors, nor to meet the prejudices of any from whom she differed. She and they could examine opposing creeds without quarrelling, losing their temper or mutual respect." She especially aimed at bringing together those who held peculiarly opposing senti- ments, and opened her saloon equally to Watts and Bolingbroke, Doddridge and Chesterfield, Wesley and Shuter the comedian, -those who were honour- ably distinguished for untiring zeal in the cause of religion and those who scoffed at its forms. She warmly desired to convert the famous infidels, Bolingbroke and Chesterfield ; her efforts were unfortunately unsuccessful, but both noblemen enter- tained much respect for her principles. The former, conversing one day with her, remarked, " My lady, when you please to command my pen, it shall be drawn in your service, and admitting the Bible to be true, I shall have little apprehension of maintaining the doctrines of predestination and grace against all 19
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=