due of the spirit, to shed down | day evening and on Saturday divine influences upon many evening. At all these meetplaces in this state and its vicin- ings, excepting the one on Tuesity; and early in that year a day evening, one or both of the revival commenced in this town, Presbyterian ministers of the many happy fruits of which re- city have attended, and delivered main to this day. After a year a discourse to the people. Beor two the fervor of the revival sides these meetings at the abated, but conference meetings stated times mentioned, there have ever since been attended in have been several others in difdifferent parts of the town.- ferent parts of the town, at other About the beginning of the pre- times. At all these seasons of sent year it was observed that worship, the utmost order and the numbers attending those regularity have prevailed, and meetings increased, and it was while the most who attended soon noticeable that public discovered a desire to hear, the worship on the sabbath was at countenances of many evinced tended by greater numbers, and that they felt a deep sense of the with an appearance of greater importance of divine things.solemnity than had been com- Since the revival began, about mon. There seemed among eighty belonging to the two many people to be a disposition Presbyterian societies have been to hear; and that God who gives awakened. Of these about sixthe hearing ear, soon gave to ty have obtained a Christian several an understanding heart. hope; of the remainder a few appear to have lost their impres sions, and the residue are still anxiously enquiring. God is also giving evidence that he has not yet left the people, as there have within a few days, been many new instances of awakening.

In February there began to be several instances of deep impression, while the general attention also increased. In March additional conference meetings were set up, and the places appointed for these meetings could not contain the people who wished to attend. For about

three months there have been two conferences in different places on Sabbath evening; a meeting designed particularly for those under religious impressions on Monday evening; on Tuesday afternoon a meeting at the North Presbyterian Meeting-House, and on the evening of the same day a meeting of young people; on Wednesday evening a meeting designed for the instruction of the youth of the town in the doctrines and duties of religion, and conference meetings on Thurs

The writer of this is personally acquainted with many of the subjects of this work, and has endeavored to inform himself respecting the views and ex ercises of those with whom he has not had an opportunity of conversing. They have all manifested a deep sense of the depravity of the human heart, and of their great sinfulness,guilt and danger; they have seen that they were justly condemned by a holy God, that they had no excuse to offer for their sins,that they could do nothing to help themselves, that they

God.

Those who have observed the beginning and progress of this

were dependent on the sove- | hours in the private and public
reign mercy of God, and that duties of religion, and devoting
if they were saved it would be themselves to the service of
wholly through the merits of
the Redeemer applied to them
by the Holy Spirit, through the
grace of that God who has mer-work must have been impressed
cy on whom he will have mercy. with the thought, that it is the
Those who have obtained a hope work of God. To ascribe it to
derive their happiness not so the operation of second causes
much from a persuasion that is as unphilosophical as it is un-
God has had mercy on them scriptural. It was not preced-
in particular, as from the con-ed by any peculiar dispensations
sideration that the Lord omnip-of divine providence, calculated
otent reigneth-from a lively to arrest the attention; nor by
view of the infinite amiableness any uncommon exertions made
of the divine character, and by the ministers of the town.
from a cordial approbation of the It began at a time when nothing
way of salvation through Christ, of the kind was expected, though
as calculated to promote the doubtless desired by the friends
glory of the all perfect Jehovah. of Zion; and in its progress
Such have been the general the hand of a sovereign God has
feelings and views of the sub-been displayed. Persons of ve-
jects of this work, though, as ry different characters, occu-
is usually the case in religious pations, and stations in life
revivals, there has been a great have been called, and those
diversity as to the degree of dis- who have taken a part in this
tress manifested by those un-interesting scene have been
der conviction, and the time of
its continuance, and also as to
the degree of joy expressed by
those who have received com-
fort. I might mention particu-
lar instances, as has been com.
mon in the Narratives of re-
vivals which have been pub-
lished, but I have ever thought
that to make such distinctions
was injudicious, if not calcula-
ted ultimately to do injury to
the cause of religion. The
subjects of this work, with but
few exceptions, are persons in
early life; and it is a most pleas-
ing sight, as well as a striking
proof of the power of religion,
to see such numbers of young
people forsaking the amuse-
ments so common in large pla-
cesspending their leisure

VOL. I. NO. 7

disposed to say, Not unto us,
not unto us O Lord, but to thy
name be all the glory and all
the praise. May that God
who has thus blessed us, contin-
ue this his gracious visitation,
and in a day of his great pow-
er make many of this people
wiHing and obedient.

It will be observed that the
above account is confined to the
two Presbyterian Societies in
the city of Hartford.

I take a particular pleasure in adding, here, that in the church and congregation in the West part of this town, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Dr. Perkins, there has recently commenced a work of divine power and grace. It is only as yet in its beginnings; and

Kk

divine Redeemer.

If the present work, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, shall continue, and spread, a more detailed account, may in a future number of your Maga

chiefly confined, to those in to reproach the religion of our youth. The prospect however In the same is pleasing; and the friends of congregation, in the summer of religion entertain the hope that the year 1807, there was a par it may progress, and spread ticular attention, in a part of the among all ages and classes of society, to religion; and a people. Several have already small number were added to the obtained a hope that their hearts Lord.-In the year 1799, the are reconciled to God, and the same people were favored with way of life and pardon revealed a very great revival of religion. in the gospel, and that they The work then continued a year have been the subjects of the and an half, spread over the regenerating grace of the Holy whole parish, and equally among Spirit. Perhaps forty or fifty all classes and ages of people. may now be under deep con- And about one hundred and fifty viction of sin,and solicitously en- obtained a hope that they had quiring what they shall do to be been the subjects of the renew saved. Every day, new instan- ing grace of God-and joined ces of awakening and conviction, themselves to the Church. in all the various parts of the parish, are taking place. An unusual solemnity is visible in the worshipping assembly on the Lord's day. The hearing ear is given; and the peo-zine, be given. The public are ple in general are disposed always anxious to hear religious to pay a profound attention to a intelligence, and delighted with preached gospel. Ministerial narratives of revivals of religion. labour is greatly increased, as Whenever it pleases a gracious there are four religious meetings, and sovereign God, who will have in a week, besides the stated ex- mercy on whom he will have merercises of the holy sabbath.- cy, to bless and prosper the minAnd these special Meetings, istration of the gospel-to awawhich are holden in all the dif- ken his people, by the plentiful ferent parts of the parish, are effusions of his grace and spirit, full and solemn. The hearers it is an auspicious event; at appear to be greatly affected. which every friend to the happiThis special attention to re-ness of man, and to the happi ligion began, in that church and ness and morals of society must congregation, in the latter part rejoice. He only, by his spirit, of the month of April, or be- can make his gospel and its inginning of the month of May stitutions savingly beneficial fast. A remarkable degree of and diffuse the glories of the order and regularity hitherto Redeemer's name. Yea, every characterize the work. There sinner brought to repentance is appears to be no enthusiasm: a new proof of the truth of no superstition or any irregu- Christianity, and a display of larity to disparage it, or grieve sovereign grace. Likewise I say the hearts of Christians, and unto you, there is joy in the pres give occasion to the enemyence of the angels of God over

one sinner that repenteth: how | there had been a very great dimuch greater the joy, when multitudes, in a revival of religion, are born of God, and made heirs of eternal life.

versity of feelings in such as were awakened to a serious concern for their immortal interests, and at length had obtained an hope that they had passed from death to life; that all appeared to be deeply impressed with a sense of the importance of religion, and had a sensible con

There has also been at the same time a revival in the Baptist congregation. A consider able number have been baptized, but with the number that have been impressed, and the parti-viction of the depravity of their cular nature of the work in that hearts and saw that this depravcongregation, the writer is un-ity was odious and criminal, and acquainted.

their own inexcusable wickedness, for which they deserved to experience the penalties of a righteous law which they had

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CON- broken in innumerable instances;

NECTIC UT MAGAZINE.

SIR,

and all agreed in choosing to be in the hands of God, and feeling well pleased that it is the Lord God omnipotent who reigneth and directeth every event which takes place throughout his vast dominions; but that there was a wide difference in the degree of distress which took place pre

I SEND to you enclosed extracts of a letter written to me by Mr. Boudinot of Newark, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court in the State of New-Jersey, for publication, if you believe, that it will be sub-vious to the experiencing that servient to the great purposes submission of will to God which of the Magazine. It will be per- all felt; that whilst some felt a ceived on reading the extracts violent opposition of heart to the that the letter from Mr.Boudinot law and government of an holy to me was in answer to one writ- God, such opposition of heart ten to him, in which I had given was scarcely perceivable in him an account of the religious others; that some were in disattention that had taken place in tress but a few days before they Litchfield. He sometimes re- became comfortable in their fers to my letter, as describing minds, whilst others remained in with correctness what had pas- sorrow for many months; that sed at Newark. The operations the instances of a sudden transof the Divine Spirit, he observes, ition from deep distress to great have been as various with us as joy were comparatively few; with you, take your own descrip- that in most of the cases which I tion and you have our's correctly. had observed, the subjects of It becomes necessary therefore this work, who eventually obto state in substance what I wrote tained an hope of their good to him on the subject. In my estate, after having felt great description of the astonishing anxiety of mind, and a deep scene that had been passing at sense of the odiousness of their Litchfield, I informed him that characters in the sight of God,

the medium of dreams, visions, or texts of scripture coming suddenly into their minds.

T. REEVE.

Newark, 22d April, 1808,

MY DEAR SIR,

I HAVE received your letter, which was highly gratifying to me indeed.-I had seen a letter before, giving a very interesting account of the work of God among you. I was several times on the point of setting down to

my daily avocations prevented; until I was favored with your letter. If I was to copy your letter and return it as from myself, it would be, almost in every particular what has passed here. About six years ago, when our worthy pastor, Mr. Griffin, first came to this place, we had a re

and a thorough conviction of mind that it would be just in God to cast them off for ever, seemed to lose their anxiety about themselves, and it was a common thing for them to complain that they were becoming stupid and had lost their convictions. Yet during this state of their supposed stupidity, it was remarkable that their sense of the corruption of their hearts was greatly increased, they no longer felt any opposition of heart to the character of God; but on the contrary, his charac-write you on the subject-but ter appeared to them glorious, and that because he was a sin hating God; but at this time they had no apprehension that their hearts were changed, or that this holy God was their friend, and whilst their Christian friends entertained the strongest hopes that they were new creatures, they left them to their own revival of religion amongst us flections without informing them when about one hundred and of their opinion concerning thirty were added to the church; them; they however upon ob- after that had declined, we were serving how widely different the rather in a dull state, which in exercises of their minds were, August last was very low. The finding in short, that what they administration of the Lord's used to hate, they now loved, supper was to take place on the and what they used to love, they first Sabbath in September. On now hated, began to suspect that the Sabbath preceding, it was a real change had taken place; recommended to the church to they hoped however with much keep the Friday on which the trembling, and gradually ad- preparatory lecture was to be vanced to a steady comfortable preached, as a day of fasting, hope with great caution and humiliation and much examination. This has God would pour out his Spirit been the most usual method in and revive his work, that this valwhich hope has taken possession ley of dry bones might become of their minds; tho' there have active living beings. In this exteen some remarkable instances ercise the neighboring Parish of of persons passing from the Orange agreed to join. Ifever most pungent distress to the the verity of the words of sacred most elevated joys. And I have writ," Before they call I will never heard of any case where answer, and whilst they are yet confidence has arisen through speaking I will hear,” were pro

prayer,

that