the day before, drawn a number of books, at the library meeting on profane hiftory; and was deter this memorable period, the religion of Jefus gradually declined among us. The doctrines of Chrift grew more and more unpop-mined to spend the following winular; family prayer, and all the ter in reading them and the like duties of the gofpel were lefs re. books; but hearing of this meetgarded; ungodlinefs prevailed, ing he came thoughtlessly to it, and and particularly modern infidelity foon found he had a greater work had made and was making alarm. to do than to read profane hiftories. ing progrefs among us. Indeed it He faw he was an undone finner, feemed to an eye of fenfe that the and must become reconciled to God Sabbath would be loft, and every or perish. His diftrefs foon arofe appearance of religion vanifh, yea to that degree that he feemed althat our Zion nuft die, without an moft in defpair; but was at length helper, and that infidels would hopefully brought into God's marlaugh at her dying groans. But vellous light. the God of Zion, who can do every thing, was pleased to appear, and lift up the standard of the om. nipotent fpirit against the enemy; and to him be all the glory! was After this meeting, about fourteen children and youth were found whofe minds appeared to be impreffed. One of them faid, "I have been over a precipice all my days, and never faw it until now." The next day, it was affecting to fee, by the rifing of the fun awakened youth coming to my house to know what they should do to be faved. In the afterpart of the day, I vifited a number of families in another neighbourhood, where these things had been hardly known; and found a remarkable attention. The tear often flowed on the first mentioning of eternal things. In the evening, there were found in the neighbourhood where the work firft began, at a house where a meeting had been appointed, about thirty children and youth who appeared ferious, and fome under deep concern. It was indeed an affecting scene; and one particular fact, will not foon be forgotten. The first appearance of the work was fudden, and unexpected. Some particulars of which are as follows. The fecond fabbath in October, I exchanged with a brother in the ministry. On my return the next evening, I found a young perfon under deep impreffions of mind. She told me, that he was a poor finner, going down to hell: and that her impreffions began on the fabbath in the forenoon, but increafed in the afternoon. And in the evening her concern fuch that she could no longer keep it fecret, though it had been her intention that no one fhould know it. The next evening, at a con ference, there was an unufual folemnity, and many were in tears. The morning following-I found two other youth, with the one first awakened, whofe minds were likewife impreffed. On the even ing of this day, a fermon was preached by a neighboring minifter. The meeting was uncommonly full, and the arrows of conviction reach-fhed." Upon this, the one spoken ed fome hearts. to, took the other by the hand and A young man told me he had faid, "O you are trying to quiet VOL. I. No. 4. S A young woman deeply impreffed, faid to another in the fame fituation, "Do not weep fo, what good can it do? God does not regard fuch felfish tears as you and I me, but you tremble yourfelf," which was truly the cafe. On the enfuing fabbath, the work was visible in the houfe of God; and the conference in the evening was full and very ferious. But one week before matters never appeared darker; but now the marvellous goings of the victorious Lamb were feen and felt. O how little we know what is in the fecret counfels of Immanuel? The following Monday, when a fermon was preached by a neighbouring minifter, almost the whole parish came to meeting, and the work appeared to be going on. And it was a trembling day, even among profeffors as well as others. It of ten brought these words to mind, "But who may abide the day of his coming?" expreffed himself after this fort: "I fee my heart fo opposed to God that I could not be happy were I admitted to Heaven; but fhould choose rather to be in hell than dwell with God." Indeed this was an hour when all appeared to be fhaken. But while fome found no reft, fhort of entirely new hopes, others were confirmed. The next week, on Wednesday, Nov. 1, another fermon was preached by a neighbouring brother, when there was but about half as many prefent as the week before. And we were greatly afraid that all was about to decline and die. This was indeed a trying hour. No fond parent ever watched the fever of his child at the hour of its crifis, when the period of life or death had arrived, with more anxious inBeing called one evening to vi- terefted feelings, than numbers of fit a neighbour in distress of mind, God's praying friends watched the I received from her the following work of the spirit at this critical information." I was fober and moment. Every symptom of its thoughtful when a child, ufed to being fixed and increafing was as attend fecret prayer, thought I lov- life from the dead, but the thoughts ed good people, and finally conclu- of its going off were more dreadded that I was a Chriftian. But ful than the grave. It was not hearing that the work of God had long however before it appeared begun among us, I thought it be- that God was in very deed come came me to examine on what foun- to carry on his work among us. dation I stood; when I found, I And the hearts of Zion's friends was building on the fand. On were elated with fresh hopes. Thofe Monday night my hope perished." whofe minds were arrested, were I do not know that I ever faw any for the most part, increasingly imone in bodily diftrefs manifeft great-preffed, and there were alfo inftaner anguish. But before morning ces of new awakenings. The foThe found relief by having, (as the lemnity of this feafon cannot be hoped) her will bowed and fwal-communicated: it is known only lowed up in the will of God. She by experience. told me, the next morning, "I think I can now take care of my family and do all for the glory of God." Before the week was out, another came in anguish of fpirit, who also had been refting on a hope of his good eftate; but now faw himfelf in the gall of bitterness. He A brother in the miniftry, a mong whofe people the fame work had begun, told me that he had feen 20 in a room, the most of them mortallyfick and at the point of death; but that the scene was nothing fo impreffive, as to fee an houfe filled with fouls in diftress, fenfible of impending and eternal would be at all the religious meet ings, and manifeft a filent and eager attention. What are called the hard things, fuch as the doctrines of total depravity, of the decrees, election, and the like, were popular. Those who were once angry when ever these things were preached, would cease to object, when thoroughly convicted, and rather smite on their breasts. wrath, and their feet finking in that horrible pit, from whence there is no redemption. Nature does not afford an adequate comparison to fet forth these scenes; they exceed the things of time, as the foul exceeds the body, or eternity exceeds time. "A wounded spirit who can bear?" The appearance was more like an execution day. An awful filence reigned, unless when it was broke by the There was a certain man in the cry, "what fhall I do to be faved!" place, 50 years of age, who had But it was not long before (as we neglected public worship, and had hope) one and another were bro't always been oppofed to the things to repentance and faith, and into of the gospel, and who for fome the enjoyment of the pardon and time was at all the meetings. On comfort of the gospel. And to a certain evening, the first part of behold poor finners who were but January, I made him a visit with a yesterday on the brink of deftruc- view to converse with him on tion, and wholly unreconciled to the fate of his mind; when he God, now brought to fubmit to gave me for fubftance the followhim and to hear them fing the ing account. "My mind began new fong; intirely furpaffed all to be impreffed as far back as Septhe victories of the most famous tember; but I kept it to myself. Kings and Generals of our world. Several things feemed to confpire Here I would alfo mention, to increase my attention. that the things which took hold of time in the fall I thought in my the mind were plain gofpel truths, fleep that my daughter, who is with which the people had long dead, came into the room. I been acquainted, and heard with knew that she was dead and faid indifference. I heard one fay, "I to her, What have you come for? ufed to think I believed there was She replied, Father, I am come to a God, but I find I never did till tell you not to be damned. Tho' of late." The work was by no this was but a dream it tended to means noify, but rational, deep increase my concern. A little af and ftill. The rational faculties ter this, thefe particular words : of the foul were touched, and poor Prepare to meet thy God O Ifrael; finners began to fee, that every founded daily in my ears. But thing in the bible was true; that last night my mind was fo impreffGod was in earnest in his precepts, ed that I could not fleep. I arose and threatnings; that they were about midnight, and called up my wholly finful and in the hand of a family. We prayed. After which fovereign God. In these things I returned to my bed again, but they feemed to themselves and oth- was equally diftreffed as before. ers like thofe awaked out of a fleep. When the day approached, I arose, The heart would oppofe, but rea- and taking my garment to put on, fon and confcience were convicted, it appeared to me that it was God's; and the mouth was fhut. The and I trembled to think how I had first you would know of perfons ufed God's property. All that I under awakenings was, that they turned my eyes on looked like Some words. "O what fweet fing ing! I never heard fuch finging before! This is the first happy meeting I ever faw. I never knew what love was before. I used to think I had love, but I find I never had." This was Friday evening. The following Sabbath, the Lord's fupper was adminiftered. He tarried as a spectator, and appeared to be filled with comfort and joy. In the intermiffion he ob. ferved; "This is the firft Sermon I ever heard." And he remark God's things. When I opened the door and beheld the world, and the rifing morning, the ap pearance was the fame. And the view of the terrible majesty of that God, whose were the heavens, and the earth, and all things, fo overwhelmed my mind, that it took away my bocily ftrength. I turned about and fell on my knees, for I had not ftrength to ftand. I thought of poor Infidels, that though they made light of these things, yet, if the ftrongest of them were to fee the dreadful ma-ed, how gloriously it looked to see jefty of God, which was now dif. Zion fitting at the table of Jesus, covered to my mind, they would and praying unto, and praising her not be able to ftand. After I re- king. As he spake much of his turned into the houfe, I directly precious Jefus, I replied, "Why had a view of the precioufnefs of do you thus admire him?" He anJefus. And I could pour out my fwered, "Because he loved his foul for Chrift's dear minifters. Father's law." The question was Then my mind turned on the cause then put, "Do you think that Jeof Zion. I longed to have it fus is a friend to the divine law built up, and the prefent work go and government?" His anfwer on. I thought of the poor hea- was, "Yes, I believe that Jefus then, and faid, O that the An has that regard for the law, that gel with the everlasting gofpel rather than fee it made void he mighty through the earth! I would fend ten worlds to hell." could love my enemies, and pray The question then was, “Do you for their converfion and confefs love him for this?" He replied, to every one I had injured." "I do." But all this while, he did not fpeak of himself, as though he thought he was converted. "I This is for fubftance what he told me at my entering the house, without being asked a question. After a fhort pause he added. with you would pray for me that I might be converted, if God can convert me, confiftently, with his pleasure and glory. If not, I do not defire it. I wish also that you would pray for my poor children, that God would convert them; not that they are any better, or their fouls worth any more, than my neighbour's." The day light was now gone, and we went to a meeting. The 102d Pfalm was fung. "Let Zion and her fons rejoice;" &c. After finging he expreffed himself nearly in thefe The work now was evidently on the increase. We had lectures every week, moftly preached by neighbouring minifters. And here I would mention, that the awakenings in other places, the procla mation from the General Affem. bly, refpecting the fabbath, and the regulations in fchools, all feemed to be attended with good effects. Conferences were setting up in every part of the parish; all religious meetings were growing full and folemn; and every week, and fometimes every day would bring the animating news of fome one hopefully converted. Indeed it feemed as if it would be impoffible, for any thing to ftand before the power of God; and that every one must bow. However dread ful experience proves, that natural men are, indeed morally dead.They are harder than rocks, deaf er than adders, and more stubborn than the sturdieft oaks ; that which will break down the rocks, and tear up the obstinate oaks, will have no effect on the carnal mind. As means did not begin this work of themselves, fo neither did they fupport, or carry it on. But as But now, when the this was the work of the omnipo-ning, from a conference, where I manner. had feen numbers under concern, If A certain neighbour, in the course of the winter, had a dan gerous epidemical difeafe, (which was now in fome instances very mortal among us) come fuddenly into his family in a threatening Yet neither this terrible fickness, nor the awakenings of others, could aroufe his attention. But after the family were all recovered, this neighbour, (as he told me) on a certain morning arofe as fecure as ever; but on going to his barn as ufual, the thought ftruck his mind, that he could not do the He had leaft thing without God. He had lived a careless, vain life, and made light of the awakening He told me he thought it was too filly a thing, for a rational creature to attend to. He used to fay, if a man labored hard he ought to live well. Hence he felt no obliga-heart, or deliverance from fin, aption, nor faw any caufe even for peared he thought, more precious afking a blefling, or returning than deliverance from hell." |