23. His Influence Through the Press.

His Influence Through the Press

Mr. Payson was mistaken when he said that God had denied him the honor of doing good with his pen, and of speaking for Christ when silent in the dust. No man, probably, whose pen was so limited in its work has accomplished so much? " The Bible Above All Price" was the first production suffered to go to press. Myriads of copies have been circulated. His "Address to Seamen" was so effectual at the time of its delivery that nine thousand copies were printed at once, and unnumbered copies since. Also a sermon before the Maine Bible Society, entitled " The Oracles of God," was a popular discourse, but did not reach the extent of popularity or circulation as did those just mentioned. Besides, how full of instruction, influence, and inspiration are the pregnant sentences falling from his pen, as contained in his Diary and Letters, and given to the world in his Biography. Thousands of Gospel ministers have doubtless been made wiser and better men, and have been stimulated to seek a richer experience, and higher devotion to the work of the ministry, by reading the published Sermons, and especially the Biography, of Dr. Payson.