---
title: 'Testimony of James Brainerd Taylor'
type: post
author: 'R. Andrew Myers'
date: 2025-11-17
url: https://confessional.org/blog/2025-testimony-of-james-brainerd-taylor
---

# Testimony of James Brainerd Taylor

“For some days I have been desirous to visit some friends, who are distinguished for fervor of piety, and remarkable for the happiness which they enjoy in religion. It was my hope, that by associating with them, and through the help of their prayers, I might find the Lord more graciously near to my soul. After my arrival, I took up a hymn book, where I found a hymn descriptive of my situation. The perusal of this increased my desire that the Lord would visit me, and fill me with the Holy Ghost — my cry to him was, ‘seal my soul for ever thine.’ I lifted up my heart in prayer that the blessing might descend. I felt that I needed something which I did not possess. There was a void within, which must be filled, or I could not be happy. My earnest desire then was, as it had been ever since I professed religion six years before, that all love of the world might be destroyed — all selfishness extirpated — pride banished — unbelief removed — all idols dethroned — every thing hostile to holiness, and opposed to the divine will, crucified; that holiness to the Lord might be engraved on my heart, and evermore characterize my conversation. My mind was led to reflect on what would probably be my future situation. It recurred to me, I am to be hereafter a minister of the Gospel. But how shall I be able to preach in my present state of mind? I cannot — never; no, never shall I be able to do it with pleasure, without great overturnings in my soul. I felt that I needed that, for which I was then, and for a long lime had been, hungering and thirsting. I desired it, not for my benefit only, but for that of the church and the world.

At this very juncture I was most delightfully conscious of giving up all to God. I was enabled in my heart to say, Here, Lord, take me, take my whole soul, and seal me thine — thine now, and thine for ever. ‘If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.’ There then ensued such emotions as I never before experienced — all was calm and tranquil, silent, solemn — and a heaven of love pervaded my whole soul. 1 had a witness of God’s love to me, and of mine to him. Shortly after, I was dissolved in tears of love and gratitude to our blessed Lord. The name of Jesus was precious to me. ‘'Twas music in my ear.’ He came as king, and took full possession of my heart; and I was enabled to say, ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.’ — Let him, as King of kings and Lord of lords, reign in me, reign without a rival for ever.” — **James Brainerd Taylor** in [**John Holt Rice**](/authors/john-holt-rice) & [**Benjamin Holt Rice**](/authors/benjamin-holt-rice), *Memoir of James Brainerd Taylor* (1833), pp. 86-87