[Continued from page 223.]

LETTER XI.

Second letter from the Rev. ED
WARD D. GRIFFIN of New-
Hartford.
GENTLEMEN,

hood, and of equal abilities and op. portunity; and it had feemed like

that the hope was almoft relinplowing on a rock;" infomuch. quifhed of ever being able to introduce difcriminating ideas into minds fo young. It would be ungrateful not to acknowledge that in

a

remarkable manner it hath pleafed the Moft High" out of the mouths of babes and fucklings to perfect praife "

It is hoped that about fifty heads of families have been the subjects of this work; a confiderable part of whom rank among the most ref

N purfuance of the defign fuggefted in the clofe of my last, the narration, which was then left unfinished, will now be refumed. . The late attention of our State Legiflature to fchools has led the way to important benefits to children, as well in this, as in many other towns. In confequence of the new arrangements, school-maf-pectable and influential characters ters of ferious minds have been employed, who have entered in earneft upon inftructing the children in the principles of religion, and praying with them. The ef. fect has been, that many schools have been awakened, and as we have good reason to conclude, have received lafting benefits. Three of the schools in this town were laft winter under the care of men profeffedly pious, and very faithful in imparting these instructions. Out of thefe, nearly twenty children, in the courfe of the winter, it is hoped, were introduced into "marvellous light." The knowledge poffeffed by fuch as we hope have been favingly enlightened by the divine fpirit, is worthy of particular obfervation. Important ideas and distinctions which it has been attempted in vain to give to others of their age, appear familiar to them. One lad in particular, in a certain interview which was had with him, difcriminated before you. O that we could be tween true and falfe affections, and placed back to your age, for then ftated the grounds of his hopes and we might have hope. If you did fears in a manner very furprising but know and feel as we do thevaand affecting. It was the more lue of youth, you would furely bet fo, because the evening before an ter improve it." In language of attempt had been made with chil- this import have they been fredren of the fame age and neighbor- quently heard to vent themfelves, VOL. I. No. 7. K k

in the town. This however gives the young no juft encouragement to hazard their falvation on the chance of being called in "at the eleventh hour." Had they feen the anguifh of fome of these for neglecting fo long the great bufinefs of life, it might difcourage fuch neglect in them. Penetrated with remorfe for the waste of life, and for the lax examples by which they fuppofed they had corrupted others, they feemed to conclude it was probably too late for them to find mercy; yet were anxious to difburden their confcience of one torment, by folemnly warning the youth not to follow their steps. "We are foon going, faid they, to receive the reward of wafted life; and we warn you to proceed no further in fearch of a more conve nient time to prepare for death. We have been over the ground between you and us, and this more convenient feafon' does not lie be

's prefence | inftances, the enemy has attemptrembling ed to divert people from their anxmany fuch iety with premature hopes.

We have met with little or no open oppofition to the work; the corruptions of thofe who were not drawn into it, having been held in awe by a prefent God. It is apprehended there has scarcely been a perfon in town, of fufficient age for ferious thought, who has not felt an unusual folemnity on his mind. A general reformation of morals and fobriety of conduct are obfervable through the town. Family prayer has been remarkably revived. On the day of the general election of state officers, (a day ufually devoted to feftivity) the young people, of their own accord, affembled in the fanctuary; where, by their particular defire, a fermon was deliv. ered to them; and they went home generally agreed that one day spent

the courts of the Lord was better than a thousand wafted in vanity. Upon the whole, it is a given point among the candid that much good and no hurt has been produced by this religious revival, and that it would be a matter of exceeding joy and gratitude, if fuch a revival fhould be extended through the world.

n, after the dawn of a joyful ning, was for two or three In this work, the divine fpirit nths overshadowed with acloud, feems to have borne ftrong tefti1 by turns appeared in almoft to- mony to the truth of thofe doct defpair, and notwithstanding he trines which are generally embraad fuch apprehenfions of guilt ced by our churches, and which and danger that fleeplefs and are often diftinguished by the ap"wearifome nights" were "ap- pellation of Calvinifm. These pointed" to him; yet he verily doctrines appear to have been thought, (to ufe his own frequent" the fword of the fpirit" by expreffion) that he was as ftupid which finners have been "pricked as the beafts, and that his ftupidity in their hearts," and to have been was daily increafing; though to "like as a fire and like a hamothers it was evident that what he mer that breaketh the rock in pieconfidered the increase of his ftu- ces." It is under the weekly dif pidity, was only the increase of play of thefe that the work has his anxiety about it. In other been carried on in all our towns.

while defpair and anguifh feemed fettled on every feature; all which, united, produced fenfations in the affected hearers not easily defcribed.

was also very ignorant of the ef
fential nature of true religion, in-
fenfible of the deceitfulness of her
heart, and in full confidence of
her good eftate. Another, accuf-
tomed to contemplate moral truth,
in the light of a clear and pene-
trating intellect, had mistaken the
affent of the understanding for af-
fections of the heart. Another
had been the fubject of fome ex-

The power of the almighty fpirit has proftrated the stoutness of a confiderable number, who were the laft that human expectation would have fixed on to be the subjects of fuch a change. One man who lives at a distance from the fanc-ercifes in early life, which had intuary, and who perhaps feldom, if ever, vifited it in his life; and who, as might be expected, was extremely ignorant and ftupid; has been vifited in his own house, and in the view of charity, bro't into the kingdom. His heart feems now for the first time to be towards the fanctuary, though ill health prevents him from enjoying the bleffings and privileges of it. Another old man, in the fame neighborhood, who had not been into our houfe of worship, and probably not into any other, for more than twenty years, has been arrested, in his retirement, by the divine fpirit, and ftill remains "like the troubled fea when it cannot rest."

duced the hope that he was within
the embraces of the gracious cov-
enant. But he had become a
worldling; and lived in the omif-
fion of family prayer. Still, while
under his late conflicts, he would
reach back, and falten anew on his
former hope, (which he had made
little account of in the days of his
carelefsnefs) until the power of
the divine fpirit broke his hold.
Another had formerly refted her
hope on fome fuggeftion to her
mind (fomewhat like a voice) af
furing her in time of fickness and
anxiety, that her fins were forgiv-
en. Another had been introduced
into a hoping state in a feafon of
awakening feveral years ago; fince
which, nothing fpecial had occur-
red as a ground of felf-diftruft,
except that fhe had fometimes, for
a confiderable feafon, neglected
prayer and fpiritual contemplations
for worldly objects. Another was
first put upon fufpecting and fearch-

It has been a remarkable feafon for the deftruction of falfe hopes. Nearly twenty of those who have lately appeared to build "on the rock" have been plucked off from the fandy foundation. As a caution to others, it may perhaps noting himself by finding in his heart be improper briefly to ftate the pre- an undue appetite for the gaieties vious fituation of fome of these. and vanities of youth. He had One had fuppofed that he loved juft returned from a party of pleaf the God of providence because ure when his conflict began. fhe had fome fenfe of his daily Another was the man mentioned kindness to her and her family. in my former letter as having been She was the one mentioned in my fo oppofed to the fovereignty of former letter, who was brought to God, in the difpenfations of his fee and acknowledge that the ha- grace. The reft, for ought that ted the real character of God appeared, were as hopeful candiwith all her heart. Another, hav- dates for heaven as many profefing been brought up in gay life, fors. From obferving the effects

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We have met with little or no open oppofition to the work; the corruptions of those who were not drawn into it, having been held in awe by a prefent God. It is apprehended there has scarcely been a perfon in town, of fufficient age for ferious thought, who has not felt an unusual folemnity on his mind. A general reformation of morals and fobriety of conduct are obfervable through the town. Family prayer has been remarkably revived. On the day of the general election of ftate officers, (a day usually devoted to feftivity) the young people, of their own accord, affembled in the fanctuary; where, by their particular defire, a fermon was deliv.

which the light of God's prefence | inftances, the enemy has attemphad upon falfe hopes, a trembling ed to divert people from their anxreflection arose, How many fuch iety with premature hopes. hopes will probably be chased away by the opening light of eternity!' The Lord feemed come to "fearch Jerufalem with candles" and to find out those who were "fettled on their lees." The church felt the shock. No less than three converfed with me in one week on the expediency of withdrawing from the facrament. That fame prefence which at Sinai made all the church and even Mofes "exceedingly fear and quake" rendered it now a time of trembling with profeffors in general. Nevertheless it was, in refpect to most of them, a feafon of great quickening and a remarkable day of prayer. Two perfons have been for feveral months under deep dejection, which at times bordered on defered to them; and they went home pair; one, being extremely weak- generally agreed that one day spent ened by ill health; the other, hav- the courts of the Lord was beting experienced fuch dreadful ter than a thousand wafted in vanheart-rifings against God as to be ity. Upon the whole, it is a givterrified into the apprehenfion that en point among the candid that her condemnation is fealed. much good and no hurt has been Some, after having had, fo far as produced by this religious revival, we can judge, a faving change and that it would be a matter of pafs upon their hearts, have had exceeding joy and gratitude, if feafons of thick darkness. One fuch a revival should be extended through the world.

perfon, after the dawn of a joyful morning, was for two or three months overshadowed with acloud, and by turns appeared in almost total despair, and notwithstanding he had fuch apprehenfions of guilt and danger that fleeplefs and "wearifome nights" were " appointed" to him; yet he verily thought, (to ufe his own frequent expreffion) that he was as ftupid as the beafts, and that his ftupidity was daily increasing; though to others it was evident that what he confidered the increase of his ftupidity, was only the increase of his anxiety about it. In other

In this work, the divine spirit seems to have borne ftrong teftimony to the truth of those doctrines which are generally embraced by our churches, and which are often diftinguished by the appellation of Calvinism. Thefe doctrines appear to have been "the fword of the fpirit" by which finners have been "pricked in their hearts," and to have been "like as a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces." It is under the weekly dif play of these that the work has been carried on in all our towns.