REVIVAL
SKETCHES AND
IN TWO PAIRTS.
BY REV. HIEMAN HUMPHREY, D. D..
PITTSFIELD, MASS.
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK.
MANUAL.
, e;.'  1 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by the American
Tract Society, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern
District of New York. 
6 -.2- 33
CONTENTS.
PART I.
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
CHAPTER I.
SUMMARY VIEW-TO THE DAY OF PENTECOST
AND THE APOSTOLIC AGE.
The history of the church a history of revivals-What is a revival of
religion?-Revival in the time of Joshua-Josiah and other kings
-After the captivity-New Testament-John the Baptist-The
day of Pentecost-The apostolic age-Testimony of Pliny and
Tertullian 1      --------------------------------— — 11
CHAPTER II.
"THE GREAT REFORMATION " -SIXTEENTH
AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES.
The dark ages-The Waldenses and other witnesses and martyrs "The Great Reformation" in the time of Luther, Calvin, etc. Remarkable power and diffusion of the work-Scotland in 1625-8
-" The Stuarton sickness"-Mr. Livingstone at the kirk of Shotts
-North of Ireland, 1625 to 1628-England in the days of Bunyan,
Alleine, Howe, etc.-Ministry of Baxter at Kidderminster -— 26
CHAPTER III.
"THE GREAT AWAKENING"- EIGHTEENTH CEN                TURY, ABOUT 1740.
Testimony of many as to the low state of religion-Revivals in
Scotland-ambuslang in 1742-England in the days of Wesley,
Whitefield, Fletcher, Romaine, etc.-L-ady Huntingdon and other
-.8,
1~ I:x 
CONTENTS.
"  honorable women "-The United States; testimony of Danforth,
Edwards, Increase and Cotton Mather, Prince, Blair-Degeneracy
under the "Half-way Covenant" - Revival under Edwards at
Northampton-Labors of Whitefield, Tennent, etc.-Extent of
the work-Newark and Elizabethtown-Truths chiefly urged in
these revivals-"Bodily exercises"-Errors and recantation of
Davenport-Benefits of these revivals ------------------ 46
CHAPTER IV.
THE REVIVAL EPOCH ABOUT 1800.
A period of general declension-Its causes: the "Old French war;"
the Revolutionary war; French infidelity and Revolution-Per sonal reminiscences of the commencement of the revivals-Bella my, Edwards, Griffin, Hallock, etc.-Scriptural preaching-Dr.
Griffin's life and testimony-Gordon Hall and Samuel J. Mills- -94
CHAPTER V
THE REVIVAL EPOCH ABOUT 1800-CONTINUED.
Testimony of Dr. Griffin, 1797-9-Rev. Jer. Hallock, 1798, 9-Dr.
A. Hyde, 1792-Rev. A. R. Robbins, 1799-Dr. T. M. Cooley Rev. Jos. Washburn-Dr. Samuel Shephard-Rev. Alex. Gillett Rev. Joshua WilliamsRev. Moses Hallock-Rev. Asahel Hooker
-Rev. Ira Hart-Dr. Ebenezer Porter-Judge Reeve and Judge
Boudinot-Dr. Baldwin, and Rev. Messrs. Ledoyt and Seamans Rev. Dr. Wood-Rev. Jesse Edson-From Rutland, Vt.-Rev. J.
B. Preston-Dr. Proudfit-Dr. Thos. De Witt-Dr. John M. Ma son-Dr. Milledoler-Dr. Griffin in Newark-Dr. Wm. Hill at
Hampden Sidney College-Dr. Archibald Alexander, in Va.-Dr.
Furman of S. C.-Rev. Jos. Stevenson and Rev. Thos. Marquis,
West Pa.- Dr. Davidson, in Kentucky and Tennessee-Dr. Cle  land-Dr. Dwight, in Yale College-Characteristics and fruits of
these revivals: missionary efforts ----------------— — 118
CHAPTER VI.
THE REVIVAL EPOCH ABOUT 1800-CONTINUED.
Revivals in 1814-Modes of conducting them-Rev. Asahel Nettle ton-Testimony of Dr. Gardiner Spring-Bishop McIlvaine-Dr.
Archibald Maclay-Dr. Hyde-Dr. Porter-Dr. Ashbel Green  Dr. John McDowell-The author, at Pittsfield, 1821   - ----  206
4 
CONTENTS.
CHIAPTER VII.
THE REVIVAL EPOCH ABOUT 1800-CONTINUED.
Brief notices of revivals, 1815 to 1825-Memoranda from Nettle ton's life-Some things to be regretted-" Protracted meetings,"
"revivalists"-Revivals in colleges and seminaries-Yale, Will iams, Mount Holyoke-Revivals on missionary ground-Sandwich
islands, Burmah, etc., the American Indians-The revival of
1858-Prevailing worldliness of the church-Financial distress Origin of the revival-Union prayer-meetings-Rapidity of its
diffusion-Change in public opinion-Prayers for individuals
answered-Dangers to be avoided-England and Scotland-Han nah More, Newton, Fuller, Rowland Hill, etc.-Robert and James
A. Haldane-GENERAL sUMmAitY rEvIEW — —--------— — 259
PART II.
REVIVAL MANUAL.
CHAPTER VIII.
"PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD."
"0 Lord, revive thy work " -" Lord, increase our faith "-Hinder ances to revivals -"Take up the stumbling-blocks out of the
way "-The Saviour's return -" Come down ere my child die "
Preaching to the church-Preaching to the impenitent-The pas tor in a revival-Where a revival has just commenced-Inquiry
meetings-Conversing with the awakened and the unawakened
in revivals-Instruction to candidates for membership-To per sons about to join the church after a revival-To the converts in
a revival when they join the church    -    ---------— — 303
CHAPTER IX.
BRIEF APPEALS.
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"-" Come unto me, and I will
give you rest"-" The carnal mind is enmity against God " "Strive to enter in at the strait gate "-" She was nothing bet ter, but rather grew worse "-" Go thy way for this time; when
5 
CONTENTS.
I have a convenient season, I will call for thee "-" Almost thou
persuadest me to be a Christian"-" Commune with your own
heart, and be still"-" Quench not the Spirit "-" The wiles of
the devil "-To young converts-" He that endureth to the end
shall be saved"-    ----------------------------------- 372
REVIVAL CONVERSATIONS
BETWEEN A PASTOR AND INQUIRERS.
1. A delaying inquirer --------------------------- --— — 425
2. An inquirer satisfied with preparatory work ----------— — 429
3. Inquirer's plea that he had done all he could do ------— — 482
4. Plea that he has not been long enough under conviction —-434
5. Waiting for the influence of the Spirit — —--------— — 438
6. Fearing he has committed the unpardonable sin -----— — 441
7. Desponding and ready to give up hope of repentance --— — 443
8. Indulging a trembling hope   -------------------— — 445
9. Afraid of religious excitement  ------------------— — 449
10. Excuse that he had once obtained a hope which proved fal     lacious ----------------------------------— — 452
11. Had attended all the meetings, and was discouraged — —-— 454
12. That all his resolutions of future repentance proved futile —455
13. Fears that the privileges enjoyed will but aggravate his
doom --------------------------------------— — 456
14. Excuse from the fear that hopes suddenly obtained may be
delusive -------    ----------------------------— — 458
15. Excuse from the inconsistency of professors --------— — 460
16. Gains no relief, and comes to the pastor as a last resort ---- 462
17. Clinging to a hope that may not abide ------------— — 463
18. Tests of a well-grounded hope -----------------------— — 465
19. Great doctrines of the gospel urged by a caviller ------— — 468
20. Serious questions for self-examination — —------------ 470
6 
INTRODUCTION.
IT is now more than thirty years since it struck
me that a concise history of revivals from about the
beginning of the nineteenth century might be acceptable to the churches, as a sort of Christian manual to
help the cause of pure and undefiled religion in the
present and in "the generations following." Having
come upon the stage just at the commencement of that
memorable epoch, and witnessed many revivals, I was
moved to inquire whether the duty of attempting to
gather and arrange the materials for such a history
to the praise of sovereign redeeming mercy devolved
upon me. I consulted Dr. Griffin on the subject, than
whom few men had larger experience in revivals. He
encouraged me to go on, and I made some collection
of the narratives which were within my reach.  But
I soon became convinced that to do any thing like
justice to the glorious theme, within reasonable limits, was a task beyond my powers, and for which I
then could not command the time. As professional
and public duties soon became more exacting and
arduous, I dismissed the subject, and there the matter
rested for more than twenty years.
After I had withdrawn from the cares and labors
of a public seminary, and of course had more leisure 
INTRODUCTION.
for miscellaneous duties, I was requested to take up
the question anew, of preparing a volume of revival
narratives and reminiscences, reaching back to about
the beginning of the present century. The request
was from time to time renewed, by persons in whose
judgment I had much confidence. My answer was, I
am too old for such an undertaking: I could not satisfy myself, much less hope to do justice to the subject.
Moreover, as I reflected upon it, although the materials at hand were ample, the field appeared to me
quite too narrow. If I said any thing, I wished to
go farther back and take a wider range. It seemed
to me that I ought to inquire how far back the history of revivals could be traced; and if they were
found to be of very ancient date, to inquire whether
their essential features had been everywhere the same;
and whether or not the work of redemption had been
carried on by the Holy Spirit chiefly by these "times
of refreshing from the presence of the Lord." I suspected it would be found that religion has never flourished and rapidly extended its saving influence, but
in connection with special reformations, or revivals
as we now call them, interrupted by longer or shorter
seasons of declension.
As this opened so wide and so interesting a field
of inquiry, I at length consented to the attempt,
though with many misgivings as to my being able to
go over so much ground, gather the materials scattered along the ages, and bring out a book worthy of
8 
INTRODUCTION.
being received by the churches as a small contribution to confirm their confidence in the desirableness
of more frequent and powerful revivals than have
yet been enjoyed. The result of these inquiries has
more than answered my anticipations, and will be
found embodied in these sketches. Going back to
the time of Joshua, and tracing this branch of the
history of redemption down through the Old and New
Testaments to the close of the apostolic age; then onward, grqping my way through the dark ages, to the
Protestant Reformation; and advancing still, from
stage to stage, down to "the Great Awakening"
about the middle of the last century, and the perhaps
still more glorious work commencing almost simultaneously with the present century, I have brought down
the history, or rather the brief sketches embraced in
the first part of this volume, to the present time.
In the second part, which I have ventured to call
a Revival Manual, I have first given my view of the
way in which revivals should be sought for and promoted, then inserted brief practical addresses such
as I have been accustomed to make in seasons of the
outpouring of the Spirit, and closed the volume with
some Pastoral Conversations, out of many which I
have been permitted to hold with inquirers.
I have fallen far short of reaching my own ideal
of what such a book should be, but have "done what
I could:" gratefully acknowledging special obligations
to the several pastors and others whose communications, written chiefly in the memorable era of the out
9 
INTRODUCTION.
pouring of the Spirit about the year 1831, were requested from them by the Rev. I)r. Sprague, and
embodied as an appendix to his Lectures on Revivals. And now nothing remains but, lifting up my
heart in fervent thanksgivings to the Infinite Source
and Author of all true revivals, and imploring his
blessing on this feeble "essay to do good," to commit
it to Him who is able to make the weakest instrumentality subservient to the building up of his kingdom in the world, and the accomplishing of his glorious purposes in the awakening, conversion, and salvation of sinners.                              H. H.
PITTSFIELD, April 16, 1859.
10 
PART FIRST.
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
CHAPTER I.
SUMMARY VIEW-TO THE DAY OF PENTECOST
AND THE APOSTOLIC AGE.
THE history of the church, including all the times
of refreshing and drought that have marked its progress, is identical with the history of Redemption. It is
a living stream, as it were, springing just outside of the
garden of Eden, scarcely discernible at first, but flowing down from age to age; sometimes sparkling in
the sunlight; sometimes all but swallowed up in the
sands of the desert; breaking out again in the promised land; at one period a wide river, then a contracted rivulet almost hidden for long reaches, and
widening again to keep the promise alive, when it
seemed to have disappeared for ever in the stagnant
marshes of Babylon.   To drop the figure: the history of the church, broken off by the seventy years'
captivity, was renewed again when the remnant returned to their own land, under Ezra and Nehemiah.
ft. 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
After that, scarcely any thing is said of her till we
come down to the New Testament, to that remarkable awakening which took place in the days of John
the Baptist, when a new and more spiritual dispensation was close at hand, to be introduced and carried
forward by the Lord Jesus Christ, as "Head over all
things to the church."
The first glorious era of her triumphs was that
which marked the apostolic age, and to which, in
spite of all opposition, so many chapters, full of the
first promise, have since been added, which promise
will reach its high and glorious culmination when
those great voices shall be heard in heaven, saying,
"The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign
for ever and ever."
How, then, has this work of Redemption been
mainly carried on hitherto; and how have we reason
to expect it will be hereafter? In looking back, we
shall find that seasons of special absorbing religious
interest, which by common consent are now called
the Revival of Religion, have a history. When did
this history begin?   How far back does it date?
These are important questions; but before answering them there is a preliminary one.
WHAT IS A REVIVAL OF RELIGION? What are some
of its phases and true characteristics? When may it
be said there is a true Revival of Religion in any age
or part of the world?
We answer, a temporary religious excitement,
however high it may rise, which does not go down
into the hidden man of the heart, and stir up the
12 
WHAT IS A TRUE REVIVAL?
depths of the soul to the earnest inquiry, "What must
we do to be saved?" is not a true revival of relig ion. There may be a whirlwind, and the Lord not
be in it. There may be great mental and physical
excitement where there are few or no conversions.
Nor where only a very few persons are about-the
same time awakened and truly converted by the Spirit
of God, is there what we understand by a revival,
though it is the self-same Spirit that worketh so
mightily when hundreds are born again and seen flying as a cloud and as doves to their windows. As it
is not here and there a ripening cluster that makes a
vintage, nor a few sheaves that make a harvest, nor
a few drops that make a shower, so a few drops of
mercy, falling on individual souls here and there, do
not constitute what is usually termed a revival of
religion.
What is it, then? A genuine revival is the fruit
or effect of a supernatural Divine influence, which
restores the joy of God's salvation to backsliding
Christians, startles the dead in trespasses and sins,
convinces them of their lost and perishing condition,
and makes them willing in the day of God's power.
In the church there is a genuine revival when she
rises and shakes herself from the dust and puts on
her beautiful garments, which have been laid aside to
her great discomfort and reproach. In a congregation there is a true revival when impenitent sinners
in considerable numbers are awakened and converted
within a few days or weeks, and "many are added to
the Lord of such as shall be saved."
In their essential nature and effects, all genuine
13 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
revivals are alike. Since true religion is everywhere
the same in essence, so must genuine revivals be in
every age and in every part of the world. But there
may be great diversities in many respects. They may
be frequent, or far between. They may be isolated,
here and there one springing up while the wise and
foolish virgins all around are slumbering together;
or they may simultaneously occur over wide regions
that had long been parched by spiritual drought. In
like manner, a revival of religion may be more or
less powerful, and may continue for a longer or shorter time. It may show the sovereignty of God in having mercy upon whom he will have mercy, in a more
or less striking manner. He may send the blessing
by whom he will send, and may bring scores or hundreds or thousands into the church, or only a smaller
number. One revival originates in a Sabbath-school,
and spreads over a whole congregation; another
breaks out suddenly in an academy, a factory, in a
sailor's Bethel, or in a penitentiary.  One revival
takes in persons of all classes, and another reaches
one or two classes, leaving the rest as it found them.
One pervades the whole town, while another is confined mainly to the centre, or the out districts. One
begins among the higher classes, and another among
the lower; one with the young men, another with the
young women, and another with one or both sexes in
middle life. But wherever and however, it is the
same Holy Spirit "turning men from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God."
So, again, while all genuine revivals agree in the
essential things, the subjects of them are variously
14 
OLD TESTAMENT TIMES.
wrought upon in the progress of the work. In some
cases, God makes a short work, drawing sinners at
once to the foot of the cross; in others, convictions
of sin and wrath long continue before Christ is revealed to them. In one revival the thunderings of
the law as it were constrain sinners to "flee from
the wrath to come" to the only Refuge; in another,
the sweet voice of mercy sounding out from Calvary
by the same divine power draws them as with cords
of love.
Revivals may and actually do exhibit all these
and other different phases, modified by such agencies
as God is pleased to employ for his own glory in
building up his spiritual kingdom.
Bearing in mind these leading characteristics, and
divers operations by the same Spirit, the way is now
prepared to inquire where and how long ago did
these special operations of the Spirit begin, and
briefly to trace them down through the ages to the
present time.
Whether any thing like a revival took place
when, in the days of Enos, men began to call upon the
name of the Lord, we are not informed; but when the
flood came, the whole earth was filled with violence.
And so after Noah, when Abraham was called, it
seemed as if the apostasy had again become nearly or
quite universal. Certain it is that he went out alone
as a true worshipper, "not knowing whither he went."
There was no organized church in the world, nothing
like it, till through his faith in the divine promise
one was established in his family; and then Isaac
15 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
and Jacob and Joseph, and others of like precious
faith, became heirs of the promise.
But among their posterity there was rapidly a
great falling away from the worship of the true God.
All along there was doubtless a remnant, according
to the election of grace; but we do not find recorded
a general reformation till we come to the last chapter
of Joshua. Of those who were twenty years old and
upward when they left Egypt, all, save Joshua and
Caleb, had perished in the wilderness. But now the
time had come when there was to be a great national
reformation. Joshua, knowing that he must soon lay
down his high commission and die, gathered all the
tribes together at Shechem, that he might meet them
for the last time, and give them his dying charge.
It was a solemn and imposing national convocation. All the people hastened with alacrity to meet
their aged and beloved chief, and to hear his parting
words. As the chosen captain of the Lord's hosts, he
had led them on from victory to victory, had divided
the promised land among them according to their
tribes, and nothing now remained but his final charge
and benediction. When the hour had come, we seem
to see him rising in the midst of the vast assembly,
every whisper hushed, and every eye fastened upon
him, as he waved his hand and commenced his address by glancing at the origin of their nation, the
remarkable history of God's dealings with them, from
the calling of Abraham down through their sore Egyptian bondage, their miraculous deliverances, their
wanderings in the wilderness, and their now quiet
settlement in the land of promise. This done, he
16 
OLD TESTAMENT TIMES.
proceeded to pronounce the final charge for which he
had called them together. And what a charge!
"Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in
sincerity and truth, and put away the gods which
your fathers served on the other side of the flood and
in Egypt, and serve ye the Lord." The appeal was
overwhelming. It melted down the whole of that
vast assembly, and they answered as one man, "God
forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other
gods." Joshua, following up the appeal, held them
to their promise. "Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen the Lord, to serve him.
And they said, We are witnesses. The Lord our
God will we serve, and his voice we will obey. So
Joshua made a covenant with the people that day,
and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem."
Had the record closed here, we could not know
that the tribes were sincere in these solemn reiterated
promises, or that if they were sincere, it was not a
mere burst of sympathetic emotion, which soon subsided. But the event proved that it was a great and
abiding national reformation, by whatever name it
might be called; the most remarkable in this respect
on sacred record, for it is added, "When Joshua had
let the people go, the children of Israel went every
man unto his own inheritance, to possess the land.
And the people served the Lord all the days of
Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived
Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the
Lord that he did for Israel." This was indeed a
glorious revival of true religion.
After that generation passed off from the stage,
17 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
there was a great falling away under the Judges,
down to the time of Samuel, a period of about three
hundred years. Towards the close of his life there
seems to have been something like what we should
call a general awakening. The people were brought
under great alarm, and confessed their sin in rejecting the Lord and asking for a king. But the prophet
had not been long in the grave when the great body of
the people relapsed into their former state, or rather,
for the most part waxed worse and worse.
The succeeding centuries under the Kings, many
of whom, especially those of the ten tribes, God
"gave in his anger" to a people who "would not have
IIIM to reign over them," were marked by shameless
idolatry, high-handed, heaven-daring sins, by awful
prophetic warnings and denunciations, and by marvellous divine interpositions, both in judgment and
in mercy.  Under David and Solomon, God fulfilled
all the good things which he had spoken; and in the
Psalms of David then sung, perpetuated his exalted
praises through all periods of time. But though the
pious Asa and Jehoshaphat reigned in Judah, and
Elijah seemed to have exterminated the worship of
Baal in Israel; though Hezekiah, strengthened by the
prophecies of Isaiah, wrought a glorious and widespread reformation; and though, "weary with forbearing," God had driven the ten tribes into captivity, yet Manasseh sinned beyond all who had gone
before him, and hope almost expired.
I do not mean to say that at any period there
were no true conversions; there certainly were a
great many. The church was kept alive from age to
18 
OLD TESTAMENT TIMES.
age, notwithstanding the general apostasy. In the
darkest time, when Elijah himself gave up all for
lost, and fled, he was assured that there were seven
thousand men in Israel who had not bowed the knee
to the image of Baal.
We now come to that most remarkable, though
temporary reformation, which took place in the reign
of Josiah. It commenced on this wise: In looking
over some ancient records, Ililkiah the high-priest
found the book of the law in the house of the Lord,
which had been for a very long time out of sight and
out of mind. He brought it out, and when it was
read in the ears of the king, he rent his clothes, and
trembled under its terrible denunciations.   He felt
that something must be done at once to turn away
the great wrath of the Lord, which hung like a storm
of fire over the nation. He saw that it admitted of
no delay, and issued his proclamation for a general
gathering of the people. When the time came, he
went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men
of Judah, and all the men of Jerusalem with him, and
the priests and the prophets, and all the people, both
small and great, and he read in their ears all the
words of the book of the covenant which was found
in the house of the Lord. It was an august assembly,
and a most solemn occasion. It was the first step in
the reformation.   Josiah next made a tour through
the kingdom, destroying all the places of idolatrous
worship as he went, and commanding all the people
to keep the passover, as enjoined in the book of the
law. They hastened to obey; and the sacred histo
rian adds, "There was not held such a passover in
19 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all
the days of the kings of Israel." Externally it certainly was a wonderful reformation; and we have no
reason to doubt that many truly repented and turned
unto the Lord. But again there was an alarming
decline, which continued to increase for a hundred
years, till the captivity of Judah in Babylon, and
was not arrested till the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Soon after the return of the people from their
long captivity, there was a great reformation.   The
people gathered themselves together in Jerusalem as
one man, and called upon Ezra to bring out the book of
the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to
Israel; and he read therein from morning till midday,
"and the ears of all the people were attentive unto
the book of the law." And when he opened the book
in the sight of all the people, they all stood up. And
when he blessed the Lord, the great God, "all the
people answered, Amen, amen, lifting up their hands;
and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the
Lord with their faces on the ground." And they
proved their sincerity by hastening to do works meet
for repentance.   They at once restored the worship
of God which had fallen into disuse, and separated
themselves from the heathen family alliances which
they had formed during the captivity. This was the
severest test of all.
After that we hear no more of their idolatries.
Malachi, who lived a little later, was the last of the
Old Testament prophets; and for what more we
know of the religious state of the Jews during the
20 
~
JOHN THE BAPTIST.
four subsequent centuries, at the close of which Shiloh
came, we are indebted to uninspired writers.
My object, in these rapid historical sketches from
the Old Testament history, has been to show that
God preserved the church from utter apostasy by
special seasons of reformation, after long intervals of
decline. This was the divine economy under the Old
Testament.
JOHN THE BAPTIST.
Passing to the New Testament, we are naturally
led to inquire, what evidence there is, if any, that the
same divine economy was still to prevail.
And first, how was it in the day of JOHN THE BAPTIST? Was there any thing under his preaching like
what are now called revivals? There was. "The
word of the Lord came unto John in the wilderness,
and he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of
sins," and under his fearless and rousing appeals, there
was a great and general excitement among all classes
of the people. The publicans, the soldiers, and even
the Pharisees and Sadducees, came to him to be baptized, asking, "What shall we do?" It was more like
a national religious awakening than we have found
since the days of Joshua; for as Matthew testifies,
"Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round
about Jordan, went out and were baptized in Jordan;
confessing their sins;" and though we have reason to
fear that in many cases it fell short of true repentance, we can scarcely doubt, I think, that many who
came for baptism, were "born of water and of the
21 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Spirit," and brought forth good fruits. Such a general religious excitement could never have taken
place without a supernatural influence upon the hearts
of men. The instrument was John, "crying in the
wilderness, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand;" but the excellency of the power was of God.
It was what would now be called a general revival,
though by no means so pure as those afterwards in
the apostolic age.
THE APOSTOLIC AGE.
We pass to the glorious "ministration of the Spirit," given to "abide" with the church as the characteristic of the Christian dispensation-a gift which
the Saviour promised to his disciples as better than
his own personal presence. The riches of this gift
were marvellously displayed oi the DAY OF PENTECOST, when thousands were converted and baptized.
This wonderful scene was an earnest of what might
be expected under the faithful preaching of the gospel, not of course in its visible miraculous features,
but in its awakening and saving power upon the
hearts of sinners.
This we know was followed by a remarkable series of revivals during the apostolic age. Thus, in
the fourth chapter of Acts, we read that when Peter
and John preached Jesus and the resurrection from
the dead, many who heard the word believed, and
the number of men was about five thousand. Again,
in the sixth chapter, in connection with the solemn
service of choosing and setting apart deacons, "the
word of the Lord increased; and the number of the
J1
21 
THE APOSTOLIC AGE.
disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great
company of the priests were obedient to the faith."
In the eighth chapter, the disciples, scattered by persecution throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, "went everywhere preaching the word." Again,
chapter ninth, " As Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down to the saints at Lydda," and after
the healing of Eneas, all that saw him in Lydda and
Saron, "turned to the Lord." Again, chapter eleventh, "They which were scattered abroad upon the
persecutions that arose about Stephen, travelled as
far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, and spake
unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. The
hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." These
were all so many glorious revivals in the midst of
the years of the right hand of the Most High. And
so we may be sure it was in all the cities where the
gospel was planted in the primitive age. Indeed, it
is hardly conceivable how the gospel could otherwise
have so mightily prevailed in so short a time. That
was preeminently the revival epoch of the church.
Thus far we trace the divine economy by the unerring guide of sacred history. It was not mainly by
isolated conversions that the churches were built up,
but under the outpouring of the Spirit, turning many
at once from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan unto God.
In tracing the history of the church down through
the subsequent ages, we can look for no further guidance of the inspired record; but the most obvious
analogies would lead us to expect that we should find
23 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
the same footsteps of Christ travelling in the greatness of his strength along his triumphant march, till
he shall have subdued all things unto himself.
The revival epoch, which began on the day of
Pentecost, extended down through the second and
into the third century; and though ecclesiastical history throws less light on the subject than we could
wish, more than enough is found in the writings of
the early fathers to show that the Christian religion
rapidly spread throughout the Roman empire, and
even beyond its boundaries, in spite of all the rage
of earth and hell to crush it out.
Pliny the younger, who'was some time governor
of Bithynia under the bloody emperor Trajan, earnestly dissuaded him from persisting in his persecuting edicts against the Christians in that province, not
only by assuring him that they were a harmless people, chargeable with no crime, "meeting together to
sing hymns and worship Christ as God," but that
they were very numerous all over the province, and
that the more they were punished the more they increased.
Tertullian, who lived a century later, and died in
216, writing to the Roman government in vindication
of the new religion, as it was called, says, "Though
we are strangers of no long standing, yet we have
filled all places of your dominions, cities, islands, corporations, councils, armies, tribes, the senate, the palace, the courts of judicature. If the Christians had
a mind to avenge themselves, their numbers are abundant; for they have a party, not in this or that prov
24 
THE APOSTOLIC AGE.
ince, but in all quarters of the world. Nay, if they
were to combine and forsake the Roman empire, how
vast would be the loss. The world would be amazed
at the solitude which would ensue."
In another place he expostulates thus with the
persecuting governors of Africa: "If you persevere
in your persecution, what will you do with these
many thousands, both of men and women of every
rank and every age, who will promptly offer them selves? Carthage itself must be decimated."
Once more, after enumerating the nations who
had believed in Christ, he declared that the gospel
had penetrated into regions which were inaccessible
even to the eagles of Rome. " Excellent governors,"
he exclaims, "you may torment, afflict, and vex us;
your wickedness puts our weakness to the test, but
your cruelty is of no avail. It is but a stronger invitation to bring others to our persuasion. The more
we are mowed down, the more we spring up again.
THE BLOOD OF THE CHRISTIANS IS SEED."
Here we have undeniable evidence of the rapid
and wide spread of the church by the highty power
of God in what would now be looked upon as a marvellous series of revivals over many countries.  The
main difference, compared with any thing that has
been witnessed in these modern times, lies in their
permeating immensely greater populations.   Call
them great reformations, if you will. It is only another name, on a vast scale, of what we mean by the
word revivals-turning "multitudes, multitudes," almost simultaneously, from the worship of dumb idols,
from the power of Satan unto God.
Rev. Sketchs.2
25 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
CHAPTER II.
"THE GREAT REFORMATION."
SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES.
DURING the thousand years between the fifth and
the fifteenth century, the annals of the true church
are so illegible, so interlined and interpolated, so
blotted by the grossest superstition, that it is difficult
to trace her progress by any light we have. And yet,
even in that long midnight of the world, the light
glimmered as it were upon the tops of the mountains,
and now and then broke out from the gloom, illuminating the promises when it seemed as if "the mercies of God were clean gone for ever." IHe who was
with the church in the wilderness during her forty
years' wanderings, did not forsake her, but kept the
pillar of cloud and fire over her till she emerged into
the glorious morning of the Protestant Reformation.
Thus the gospel was wonderfully preserved among
the Waldenses of Italy and the Culdees of Britain.
In the thirteenth century there must have been great
revivals, for in Bohemia alone, where the gospel had
won its way, there were reckoned, in 1315, nio less
than 80,000 witnesses for the truth. So again in the
fourteenth century, John Wyckliff, "the morning-star
of the Reformation," heralded the day-spring in our
fatherland, and many turned to the Lord. So was it
also in the fifteenth century, under the labors of John
Huss and Jerome of Prague, and more signally still
26 
SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
in the great religious revolution which a hundred
years later shook the Papal throne to its foundations,
through the instrumentality of Luther, Zwingle, Calvin, and the other illustrious reformers of that remarkable epoch.
This reformation commenced early in the sixteenth century, and so rapidly did the light of the
gospel spread over the principalities and kingdoms
of Europe, so mightily did the word of God grow
and prevail over all opposition, that it has ever since
been called THE GREAT REFORMATION; and it was no
less than a wide-spread and glorious revival. It was
the reappearance of the divine economy in carrying
forward the work of redemption.
The night of the middle ages had been so long,
that it seemed as if the day would never dawn. But
the rising of the sun, glancing from land to land,
proved that "God is not slack concerning his promises."  The prince of darkness could no longer hold
all the nations in bondage. "The man of sin," drunk
with the blood of saints and martyrs, and "exalting
himself above all that is called God and is worshipped," received a deadly wound, of which he has never
been fully healed and never will be.
The Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, under Martin Luther as the first and chief instrument, was a religious revival on a vast scale. No
other word so well expresses it. "Never certainly,
since the days of the early Christians," says Rev. Dr.
James W. Alexander, "was there so wide-spread a
concern about religion. Never were there so many
conversions. The published correspondence of the
27 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
reformers, and particularly of Mlartin Luther and
John Calvin, shows that a large part of their time
was employed in giving counsel to inquiring souls.
All the good and great men who were the chief instruments in this amazing revival felt and avowed
that it was entirely of God, and that nothing but the
omnipotent Spirit would have produced the change
which they observed and experienced..... So rapid
was the progress of it, that in less than forty years,
in face of the united opposition of the church and the
empire, against all proscription, in spite of rack and
fagot, the principles of evangelical religion had overspread Germany, France, Switzerland, Holland, and
the British isles. It was an outpouring of the Spirit,
under which the mountains flowed down at Hiis presence; it was a converting power that was acknowledged by tribes and nations.
"The remarkable condition of religious things
among our Puritan and Scottish ancestors, was the simple consequence of this reformation revival prosperously carried out and made permanent. The work
of grace was upon the hearts of multitudes.....
North America was planted by Protestants,  and
largely by a race of men whose activity owned evangelical religion as its animating principle. They
came out from the midst of great awakenings, and
every arrival from the old country brought them
news of the revivals which took place under the Bunyans and Baxters of England.
"In Scotland, religion made its progress in a kind
of triumphal march..... The subjugation of a whole
people within a brief period to the principles of the
28 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-SCOTLAND.  29
gospel, is proof that the church was increased with
rapidity, and by large accessions; in other words,
that there was a great revival throughout the kingdom, in the modern sense of the term."
Thus, in looking back three hundred years from
our present stand-point upon that mighty upheaving
of the moral world, "known and read of all men" as
THE GREAT REFORMATION, and making every abate
ment for its not having accomplished all that could
have been desired, it is past controversy that it was the
most remarkable Christian epoch since the days of the
apostles. One of its main features was the resurrection, as it were, of the cardinal doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, which being once disinterred from
the Popish rubbish under which it had been buried
for more than eight centuries, the combined efforts of
earth and hell have not been able to force back into
the old charnel-house of penances and purgatory.
SCOTLAND-KIRK OF SHOTTS, 1625-8.
The influence of the Great Reformation most distinctly appeared, the next century, in England, Scotland, and Ireland. In the reign of Charles I., there
was a great persecution of the saints in SCOTLAND
who adhered to the faith of their pious fathers. The
king and his counsellors were determined at all hazards to enforce Conformity there, as well as in England, to the national establishment. They doubtless
would have prevailed, had not the Lord raised up
witnesses for the truth, in the spirit of John Knox in
the preceding century, and with much of his power.
To all human appearance, that cruel usurpation would 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
have been fastened upon that kingdom, but for remarkable divine interpositions, the most signal of
which was the great revival of vital religion which
began in Stewarton, in 1625, and lasted about five
years.
"This," says Fleming in his Fulfilling of Scripture, "was, by the profane rabble of that time, called
the Stewarton sickness; for in that parish first, but
afterwards through much of that country, particularly at Irvine under the ministry of Mr. Dickson,
it was remarkable, where it can be said that for a
considerable time few Sabbaths did pass without some
evidently converted, or some convincing proof of the
power of God accompanying his word. And truly
this great spring tide, as I may call it, of the gospel,
was not of a short time, but of some years' continuance; yea, thus, like a spreading moor-burn, the power
of godliness did advance from one place to another,
which put a marvellous lustre on those parts of the
country, the savor whereof brought many from other
parts of the land to see its truth."
"Another token for good to the suffering church
of Scotland, occurred in the year 1628. At a meeting of the Synod of Edinburgh, in the spring of that
year, it had been agreed upon to apply to his majesty
that a general fast might be held all over the kingdom. The ostensible causes adduced for this proposal, were the dangerous state of the Protestant
churches abroad, and the prevalence of vice and immorality at home. To these causes the Presbyterians
naturally added the consideration of their own suffering state, and of the oppressive innovations im
30 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-SCOTLAND.  81
posed upon the people. Much of the searching power
of the Holy Spirit seems to have been granted to both
ministers and people during their solemn fast, and
many felt that in humbling themselves before God
and making an earnest confession of sin, both national
and individual, they obtained strength not their own,
a spiritual strength preparing them for greater sufferings, and giving earnest of final deliverance.
"In no individual instance, probably, was the power
of the Spirit more signally displayed than at the kirk
of Shotts, on Monday, the first of June, 1630. It appears that John Livingstone, a young man about twenty-seven years of age, who was at that time domestic
chaplain of the Countess of Wigton, had gone to attend the dispensation of the Lord's supper at the kirk
of Shotts. There had been a great confluence of
both ministers and people from all the adjacent country, and the sacred services of the communion-sabbath
had been marked with much solemnity of manner, and
great apparent depth and sincerity of devotional feeling. When the Monday came, the large assembly of
pious Christians felt reluctant to part without another day of thanksgiving to that God whose redeeming love they had been commemorating. Livingstone
was prevailed upon to preach, though reluctant and
with heavy misgivings of mind at the thought of his
own unworthiness to address so many experienced
Christians. He even endeavored to withdraw himself secretly from the multitude, but a strong constraining impulse within his mind caused him to return and proceed with the duty to which he had been
appointed. 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Towards the close of the sermon, the audience,
and even the preacher himself, were affected with a
deep, unusual awe, melting their hearts and subduing
their minds, stripping off inveterate prejudices, awak ing the impenitent, producing conviction in the hard ened, bowing down the stubborn, and imparting to
many an enlightened Christian a large increase of
grace and spirituality."
"It was known," says Fleming, "as I can speak
on sure ground, that nearly five hundred had at that
time a discernible change wrought on them, of whom
most proved lively Christians afterwards. It was
the sowing of a seed through Clydesdale, so that
many of the most eminent Christians of that country
could date their conversion, or some-remarkable con firmation of their case, from that day.
"Mr. Livingstone, the honored instrument by which
this great work was wrought, was one against whom
the tyranny of the suspicious prelates had been directed. Spottswood drove him away from his beloved
charge in Torphichen. But in every case of contest
between right and wrong, the most politic measure
will prove injurious to those who employ it. When
such men as Livingstone were driven from a parish;
they were compelled to extend their influence over a
wider sphere than would otherwise have been possible.
"Not unfrequently, as in his case, they were received into the families of some of the nobility, where
their unassuming manners and deep personal piety
produced the most beneficial results, both to their protectors and the cause for which they suffered.  In
this manner the ejected ministers, by their fervent
32 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-IRELAND.  33
and widely diffused labors, did much to prepare the
great body of the nation for that struggle and revulsion which was erelong to take place."
Thus it was when, after the martyrdom of Stephen, there was a great persecution of the church in
Jerusalem, the disciples "went everywhere preaching
the word," and many were turned unto the Lord who
might otherwise never have been converted.
NORTH OF IRELAND, 1625.
In 1625, there was also a remarkable revival in
the NORTH OF IRELAND.*   It took place under the
labors of a band of faithful ministers, most of whom
went over from Scotland-Brice, Glendenning, Ridge,
Blair, and others.
The province of Ulster, which has ever since been
the brightest spot on the map of Ireland, was, when
this reformation began, in a deplorable state of ignorance and ungodliness.   A  great number of those
who came over from England with the original proprietors and occupied their lands, were openly profane and immoral, and generally inattentive to the
institutions of the gospel. The following description of the character of the population is given by
Stewart.
"From Scotland," he says, "and from England
not a few, yet all of them generally the scum of both
nations, from debt, or breaking, fleeing from justice,
or seeking shelter, came hither, hoping to be without
fear of man's justice, in a land where there was noth
* See Dr. James S. Reid's History of the Presbyterian
Church in Ireland, vol. I.
2* 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
ing, or but little as yet of the fear of God. Most of
the people were all void of godliness, who seemed
rather to flee from God in this enterprise than to
follow their own mercy.
"Thus on all hands atheism increased and disregard of God, iniquity abounded, with contention,
fighting, murder, adultery, etc.; and as they had
nothing within them to overawe them, so their ministers' example was worse than nothing;'for from the
prophets of Israel profaneness went forth into all the
land.' Thus it was, that when any man would have
expected nothing but God's judgment to have followed this crew of sinners, behold, the Lord visited
them in admirable mercy, the like whereof had not
been anywhere seen for many generations."
This account is confirmed by Blair,.who says,
"The mercy (alluded to by Stewart) consisted in the
band of faithful ministers who were now encouraged
to take their lot in Ulster, and whose labors were
remarkably blessed to the converting of many out of
so profane and godless a multitude. Seven ministers
constituted the first band, who labored with apostolic
earnestness to remove the ignorance, formality, and
profaneness which characterized the greater part of
the early colonists. Possessed of the true missionary
spirit, and inspired with a holy zeal to propagate the
gospel, they commenced with vigor the work of evangelizing the land; and though few in number and beset
with many difficulties, they were favored with an extraordinary, if not unprecedented measure of success.
"It was not long before their labors began to be
visibly blessed.  A remarkable improvement in the
34 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-IRELAND.  85
habits and demeanor of the people was speedily effect ed. The thoughtless were roused to serious inquiry
on the subject of religion, and the careless were
alarmed; the profane were in a great measure
silenced, and the immoral reclaimed; while the obstinate opposers of the gospel were converted into its
willing and decided supporters. This spirit of religious inquiry and reformation, which in a short time
pervaded a considerable portion of the counties of
Down and Antrim, was no doubt the result of that
devotedness and fidelity by which the ministers in
this part of Ulster were so eminently distinguished;
yet it appears to have first manifested itself under the
ministry of the weakest of these brethren, whose limited attainments and ill-regulated zeal were providen.
tially overruled for the furtherance of the gospel."
"This," says Mr. Stewart, "was the Lord's choice,
to begin with him the admirable work of God, which
I mention on purpose that all men may see how the
glory is only the Lord's in making a holy nation in
this profane land, and that it was'not by might, nor
by power,' nor by man's wisdom,'but by my Spirit,
saith the Lord.'
"At Oldstone, God made use of him to awaken
the consciences of a lewd and secure people thereabouts; for, seeing their character, he preached to
them nothing but law, wrath, and the terrors of God
for sin; and in very deed for this only was he fitted,
for hardly could he preach any other thing. But behold the success: for the hearers, finding themselves
condemned by the mouth of God speaking in his
word, fell into such anxiety and terror of conscience, 
REVIVAL SKETCHIIES.
that they looked on themselves as altogether lost and
damned; and this work appeared not in one single
person or two, but multitudes were brought to understand their way, and to cry out,'Men and brethren,
what shall we do to be saved?' And of these were
some of the boldest spirits, who formerly feared not
with their swords to put a whole market-town in
affray. I have heard one of them, then a mighty
strong man, now a mighty Christian, say that his end
in coming to church was to consult with his companions how to work some mischief; and yet at one of
those sermons was he so catched, that he was fully
subdued.  But why do I speak of him?  We knew,
and yet know, multitudes of such men, who sinned,
and still gloried in it, because they feared no man,
yet are now patterns of sobriety, fearing sin because
they fear God. And this spread through the country
to admiration, especially about that river commonly
called the Six Mile water, for there this work began
at first.
"These religious agitations continued for a considerable time. The ministers were indefatigable in
improving the favorable opportunities thus offered for
extending the knowledge and influence of the gospel.
The people awakened and inquiring, many of them
desponding and alarmed, both desired and needed
guidance and instruction. The judicious exhibition
of evangelical doctrines and promises by these faithful men was in due time productive of those happy
and tranquillizing effects which were early predicted
as the characteristics of gospel times. Adopting the
beautiful imagery of the prophets, the broken-hearted
36 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-IRELAND.  37
were bound up and comforted, the spirit of bondage
and of fear gave way to a spirit of freedom and of
love, the oil of joy was poured forth instead of
mourning, and the spirit of heaviness exchanged for
the garments of praise and thankfulness.   As  the
people emerged from the anxiety and alarm produced
by the stern preaching of the law, and gradually
experienced the hope of the gospel, they would be
naturally led to maintain among themselves a closer
religious fellowship than they had done; and this
proved to be the case. Hence originated those monthly meetings at Antrim which afterwards attracted so
much attention, and which in the mean time tended
materially to strengthen and consolidate the good
work that had been commenced."
The men whom God employed to carry on that
great work were instant in season and out of season,
laboring to instruct their people and promote vital
religion, with a singleness of purpose and intensity
of desire and untiring diligence, which, if ever equalled, has at least been seldom surpassed. Blair thus
describes his ministerial labors at Bangor: "My
charge was very great, about six miles in length, and
containing above twelve hundred persons come to
age, besides children who stood greatly in need of
instruction. This being the case, I preached twice
every week, besides the Lord's day, on all which
occasions I found little difficulty either as to matter
or method. But finding still that this fell short of
reaching the design of the gospel ministry, and that
the most part continued vastly ignorant, I saw the
necessity of trying the more plain and familiar way 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
of instructing them; and therefore, besides my public
preaching, I spent as much time every week as my
bodily strength could hold out with in exhorting and
catechizing them. The knowledge of God increasing
among the people, and the ordinance of prayer being
precious in their eyes, the work of the Lord did prosper in the place. And in this we were very much
encouraged, both by the assistance of holy Mr. Cunningham and by the good example of his little parish
of Holywood; for knowing that diversity of gifts is
entertaining to the hearers, he and I did frequently
preach for one another, and we also agreed to celebrate the Lord's supper four times in each of our congregations annually, so that those in both parishes
who were thriving in religion did communicate
together on all these occasions."
The religious sentiments of all these ministers
were those usually called Calvinistic, which at this
period were maintained throughout the three national
churches of the empire. A delightful harmony also
prevailed.
"Among all the ministers," says Livingstone,
"there was never any jar or jealousy; yea, nor among
the professors, the greater part of them being Scots,
and some good number of very gracious English, all
whose contention was to prefer others to themselves;
and although the gifts of the ministers were much
different, yet it was not observed that the people followed any to the undervaluing of others.  Many of
these religious professors had been both ignorant and
profane, and for debt and want, and worse causes,
had left Scotland. Yet the Lord was pleased by his
38 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-IRELAND.  39
word to work such a change, that I do not think
there were more lively experienced Christians than
were there at this time in Ireland. Being but lately
brought in, the lively edge was not yet gone off them,
and the perpetual fear that the bishops-would take
away their ministers made. them with great hunger
wait on the ordinances."
The singular success which attended the preaching
of the word at this period, is also attested by another
writer, who says, "I shall here instance that great
and solemn work of God which was in the church of
Ireland about the year 1628, and some years thereafter, which may with propriety be said to have been
one of the largest manifestations of the Spirit, and of
the most solemn times of the down-pouring thereof,
that almost since the days of the apostles hath been
seen. Then it was sweet and easy for Christians to
come thirty or forty miles to the solemn communions
which they had, and there continue, from the time
they came till they returned, without wearying or
making use of sleep; yea, with but little either meat
or drink, and as some of'them professed, they did not
feel the need thereof, but went away most fresh and
vigorous, their souls so filled with the sense of God."
This remarkable revival in the north of Ireland,
of which I do not remember to have met with any
account till lately, so strikingly resembles in all its
essential features those with which I have been familiar now for more than half a century, that the narrative strikes me as a familiar acquaintance, and I cannot doubt that it was wrought by "one and theselfsame Spirit." 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
ENGLAND.
At the same time that God was so gloriously
reviving his work in Scotland and Ireland, about the
middle of the seventeenth century, he was raising up
a host of mighty champions for the truth in ENGLAND.
The persecution which raged so furiously against the
Non-conformists, headed under the crown by such
instruments as Archbishop Laud and Jeffries, and
especially' the "Act of Uniformity," passed in 1662,
with the "Five Mile Act," by which two thousand
godly pastors were forbidden to labor within five
miles of their own churches, was a mighty struggle;
but instead of crushing and silencing the witnesses,
the pent-up fire broke out even in their sufferings and
imprisonments into a flame that was to enlighten and
bless all coming generations. The Lord was on their
side, and the gates of hell could not prevail to blot
out their testimony. Many of them were driven
across the ocean to America, here in the wilderness
to bear a prominent part in laying the foundations of
civil and religious liberty, which have ever since been
the bulwark and glory of our land.
It was a great Protestant Reformation, though it
had not, I believe, to much extent, those distinctive
revival features which marked its progress in Scotland and Ireland.
Among the noble band of confessors we find the
names of Bunyan, Baxter, Owen, Bishop  Hopkins,
Flavel, Alleine, Howe, and others, who have not
been surpassed in any age for talents, for theological
learning, for deep Christian experience, and for the
valiant defence of "t he faith once delivered to the
40 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-ENGLAND.  41
saints." We hazard little in saying that for doctrinal, practical, and experimental religious instructions and authorship, it was the golden age in the
fatherland.   What other age has produced so many
volumes full of the marrow of the gospel, and indited as it were so close on the verge of heaven? What
thousands have been guided in the Way of Life by
Bunyan's  "Pilgrim's Progress,"  and  his  "Grace
Abounding to the Chief of Sinners;" and what thousands more have had the fulness of Christ revealed
to them in Flavel's "Fountain of Life" and "Method
of Grace." What would our own land as well as
Great Britain have been but for this revival period
in the seventeenth century? Who can tell how much
of the seed that was then sown sprung up in that great
awakening which is the subject of our next chapter?
Of the labors of these persecuted ministers, we
find an illustrious example in Baxter at Kidderminster, where he wrote his "Reformed Pastor," a standard work for those who would witness the fruit of
revivals in any age.
Having been separated from his people in the
violent political agitations and confusion of the times,
and been brought near to death, when he wrote his
"Saints' Everlasting Rest," he at length resumed his
charge at Kidderminster. In his own account of his
labors among them during fourteen years, he says,
"I preached before the wars twice each Lord's
day; but after the war, but once, and once every
Thursday, besides occasional sermons.  Every Thursday evening, my neighbors that were most desirousand had opportunity, met at my house and there one 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
of them repeated the sermon; and afterwards they
proposed what doubts any of them had about the sermon, or any other case of conscience, and I resolved
their doubts. And last of all, I caused sometimes
one and sometimes another of them to pray, sometimes praying with them myself. Once a week also,
some of the young, who were not prepared to pray in
so great an assembly, met among a few more privately, where they spent three hours in prayer together.
Every Saturday night they met at some of their
houses to repeat the sermon of the last Lord's day,
and to pray and prepare themselves for the following
day. Once in a few weeks we had a day of humiliation, on one occasion or other. Two days every week
my assistant and myself took fourteen families between us for private catechizing and conference, he
going through the parish, and the town coming to me.
I first heard them recite the words of the catechism,
and then examined them about the sense; and lastly
urged them, with all possible engaging reason and
vehemence, to answerable affection and practice. If
any of them were perplexed through ignorance or
bashfulness, I forbore to press them any farther to
answers, but made them hearers, and either examined
others, or turned all into instruction and exhortation.
I spent about an hour with a family, and admitted no
others to be present, lest bashfulness should make it
burdensome, or any should talk of the weaknesses of
others; so that all the afternoon, on Mondays and
Tuesdays, I spent in this; and my assistant spent the
mornings of the same days in the same way."
"I have mentioned my sweet and acceptable em
42 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-ENGLAND.  43
ployment; let me, to the praise of my gracious Lord,
acquaint you with some of my success.   My public
preaching met witi an attentive, diligent auditory.
Having broke over the brunt of the opposition of the
rabble before the wars, I found them afterwards trac table and unprejudiced.
"Before I ever entered into the ministry, God
blessed my private conference to the conversion of
some, who remain firm and eminent in holiness to this
day. Then, and in the beginning of my ministry, I
was wont to number them as jewels; but since then I
could not keep any number of them.
"The congregation was usually full, so that we
were led to build five galleries after my coming
hither, the church itself being very capacious, and
the most commodious and convenient that ever I was
in.  Our private meetings also were full.  On the
Lord's day there was no disorder to be seen in the
streets, but you might hear a hundred families singing
psalms and repeating sermons as you passed through
the streets. In a word, when I came thither first,
there was about one family in a street that worshipped God and called on his name; and when I came
away, there were some streets where there was not
more than one family in the side of a street that did
not so, and that did not, in professing serious godliness, give us hopes of their sincerity. And of those
families which were the worst, being inns and alehouses, usually some persons in each did seem to be
religious. Though our administration of the Lord's
supper was so orderly as displeased many, and the far
greater part kept themselves away, yet we had six 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
hundred that were communicants, of whom there were
not twelve that I had not good hopes of as to their
sincerity; and those few that came to our communion
and yet lived scandalously, were excommunicated
afterwards. And I hope there were many who feared
God that came not to our communion, some of them
being kept off by husbands, by parents, by masters,
and some dissuaded by men that differed from us.
"When I commenced personal conference with
each family and catechizing them, there were very
few families in all the town that refused to come;
and those few were beggars at the town's ends, who
were so ignorant that they were ashamed it should
be manifest. And few families went from me without
some tears or seemingly serious promises for a godly
life. Yet many ignorant and ungodly persons there
were still among us; but most of them were in the
parish, and not in the town, and in those parts of the
parish which were farthest from the town. Some of
the poor men competently understood the body of
divinity, and were able to judge in difficult controversies. Some of them were so able in prayer that
very few ministers equalled them in order and fulness, apt expressions, holy oratory, and fervency. A
great number of them were able to pray very appropriately with their families, or with others.   The
temper of their minds, and the correctness of their
lives, were even more commendable than their talents.
The professors of serious godliness were generally of
very humble minds and conduct, of meek and quiet
behavior towards others, and blameless in their conversation.
44 
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY-ENGLAND.  45
"One advantage which I had was through the zeal
and diligence of the godly people of the place, who
thirsted after the salvation of their neighbors, and
were in private my assistants; and being dispersed
through the town, they were ready in almost all companies, to repress seducing words, and to justify godliness, and convince, reprove, and exhort men according to their needs; and also to teach them how to
pray, and to help them to sanctify the Lord's day.
Those people that had none in their families who
could pray or repeat the sermons, went to the houses
of their neighbors who could do it, and joined with
them; so that some houses of the ablest men in each
street were filled with them that could do nothing
or little in their own.
"And the holy, humble, blameless lives of the
religious was a great advantage to me.   The malicious people could not say, Your professors here are
as proud and covetous as any. But the blameless
lives of godly people shamed opposers, and put to
silence the ignorance of foolish men, and many were
won by their good conversation."
Among the Puritan worthies was Blackerby, whose
memoirs were blessed in kindling to higher Christian
zeal the eminent Andrew Fuller, who was a leading
spirit in establishing the monthly concert of prayer
for foreign missions, and planting at Serampore the
first of modern missions to India. 
REVIYAL SKETCHES.
CHAPTER III.
"THE GREAT AWAKENING."
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-ABOUT 1740.
PRECIOUS and permanent as were the fruits of the
great work of God in the seventeenth century, and
though God all along raised up many valiant witnesses for the truth, yet, for some fifty years, beginning towards the close of that century, especially
through the disabilities enforced by the "Act of Uniformity," and the ravages of death among the champions of the gospel, there was a falling away in the
Protestant churches that became extremely alarming
to those who still clung to the ark of the covenant.
It was not so much that the Philistines threatened to
come and carry it away, as that the priests, who
should have borne it on, deserted it one after another,
and went over to the enemy.
Dr. Macfarlan, in his History of Revivals in the
Eighteenth Century, says in respect to both England
and Scotland, "About the end of the seventeenth and
the beginning of the eighteenth century most of the
churches were in a comparatively low state. The old
style of preaching was being fast laid aside, and cold
formal addresses, verging towards a kind of Socinianism, were becoming fashionable."
Old Mr. Hutchison, who saw but the beginning
of this progress, used to say, "When I compare tow
times before the Restoration with those since the
46 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
Revolution, I must own that young ministers preach
accurately and methodically; but far more of the
power and efficacy of the Spirit and the grace of God
went along with sermons in those days than now."
From the Restoration down to the early part of
the seventeenth century, both churchmen and Non conformists unite in deploring the decayed condition
of religion and morals.*
Bishop Burnet says, "I am now in the seventieth
year of my age, and as I cannot speak long in the
world in any sort, I cannot hope for a more solemn
occasion than this for speaking with all due freedom
both to the present and to the succeeding ages. I
cannot look on without the deepest concern, when I
see the imminent ruin hanging over this church, and
by consequence, over the whole Reformation. The
much greater part of those who come to be ordained
are ignorant, to a degree not to be apprehended by
those who are not obliged to know it. There are
those who have read some few books, yet many seem
never to have read the Scriptures."
Dr. Watts declares that there was a general decay
of vital religion in the hearts and lives of men, and
that it was common among dissenters and churchmen,
and a matter of mournful observation among all who
laid the cause of God to heart; and he called upon
every one to use all possible efforts for the recovery
of dying religion in the world.  In these sentiments
it is well known that his endeared friend Dr. Doddridge fully sympathized.
Another writer says, "The religion of nature
* See Stevens' History of Methodism, vol. L
47 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
makes up the darling topics of our age, and the religion of Jesus is valued only for the sake of that, and
only as far as it carries on the light of nature, and is
a bare improvement of that kind of light."
Archbishop Secker says, "In this we cannot be
mistaken, that an open professed disregard has become
the distinguishing character of the present age. Such
are the dissoluteness and contempt of principle in the
higher part of the world, and the profligacy, intemperance, and fearlessness in committing crimes in the
lower, as must, if this torrent of impiety stop not,
become absolutely fatal.  Christianity is ridiculed
and railed at with very little reserve, and the teachers of it without any at all."'
Bishop Butler says, "It has come to be taken
for granted that Christianity is no longer a subject of
inquiry; and accordingly it is treated as if, in the
present age, this were an agreed point among all persons of discernment, and nothing remained but to set
it up as a principal subject for mirth and ridicule."
Southey says, "The clergy had lost that authority
which may always.command at least the appearance
of respect."
Archbishop Leighton spoke of the church as a fair
carcass without a spirit.
-Isaac Taylor, in his history of Methodism, says
that when Wesley appeared, "the Anglican church
was an ecclesiastical system under which the people
of England had lapsed into heathenism, or a state
hardly to be distinguished from it."
Natural religion was the favorite study of the
clergy and of the learned generally, and included
48 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-SCOTLAND.  49
most of their theology. Collins and Tindall had
denounced Christianity as priestcraft. Whiston pronounced the miracles to be Jewish impositions. Woolston declared them to be allegories. Arianism, Socinianism, taught by such men as Samuel Clarke and
Whiston, had become fashionable among the best English thinkers.
Some of the brightest names of the times can be
quoted as exceptions to these remarks, but such was
the general condition in England. The higher classes
laughed at piety, and prided themselves on being
above what they called its fanaticism; the lower
classes were grossly ignorant, and abandoned to vice;
while the church, enervated by a universal decline,
was unable longer to give countenance to the downfallen cause of truth.
The night was long and stormy; but at length the
day dawned, and the clouds began to break away.
It is a fact worthy of the most profound consideration, and of grateful praise, that God opened the
windows of heaven, and poured out a blessing almost
simultaneously on England, Scotland, and America,
about the year 1730.
SCOTLAND.
To begin, as in our notice of the work in the preceding century, with SCOTLAND. The habitations of
horrid cruelty abroad, and the abominations of immorality at home, began to engage the public mind.
There were here and there encouraging indications
that the Sun of righteousness was about to arise upon
the mountains and the moors with healing in his wings.
R v. Setch.           3 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Among other indications, Mr. Robe of Kilsyth
speaks of providential events affecting that parish,
and preparing the way for what followed, as early as
1733; and the direct means afterwards blessed, began
to be used two years before the commencement of the
revival.
In 1740, (three years after Whitefield's public ministry commenced in England,) Mr. Robe says, "I began to preach on the doctrine of regeneration. This
course of sermons was acceptable to the Lord's people, and there was more than ordinary seriousness in
hearing them; yet I could see no further fruit.  But
the Lord, who is infinitely wise and knoweth the end
from the beginning, was preparing us for the uncommon dispensation of the Spirit, which we looked not
for."
About the same time there were similar encouraging preparations at Cambuslang.  Mr. McCulloch
the pastor, for nearly a twelvemonth before the work
began, had been preaching on those subjects which
tend most directly to explain the nature and prove
the necessity of regeneration. This was the state of
things in the spring and summer of 1741. The revival which followed in Cambuslang, and spread widely over that part of Scotland, was as life from the
dead to the churches.   It was unmistakably commenced and carried on by the mighty power of God;
and many, both old and young, of all classes, were
added to the Lord. - The narrative before me is so
deeply interesting and instructive, that I would gladly enrich my historical sketches with copious extracts,
but want of space forbids. I have only room to say
50 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-SCOTLAND.  51
that the glorious work in its progress exhibited all
the leading scriptural characteristics of revivals be fore and since, under the faithful preaching of the
doctrines of grace set home upon the hearts of men
by the Holy Spirit, who worketh all things according
to the counsel of his own will.
As every tree is known by its fruits, so is every
revival. We naturally and properly inquire, What
are its fruits? So in this case. What were the
fruits of the great revival just glanced at in Scotland?
Mr. Macfarlan's'History containsthis testimony from
Rev. Mr. McCulloch, the faithful pastor at Cambus tang, which I have much condensed:
"First, all the persevering subjects of the work
agree in professing faith in Christ as the Mediator,
through whom alone we can come to God the Father,
through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit;
and secondly, there is evidence that in their walk
and conversation they adorned their Christian profession.  They have from that time till now, or till
the time of their death, behaved as became their
Christian profession, with such exceptions as must
always be made in judging of imperfect creatures.
But besides this general statement, the following particulars are submitted, either on my own personal
knowledge, or good and credible information.
"They adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour,
glorify their heavenly Father, and excite others to do
so on their account, by practising justice and charity,
relative duties, public spiritedness, humility, meekness, patience, close and diligent attendance on gospel ordinances, heavenly-mindedness, watchfulness 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
against sin, especially against such sin as easily besets
them.
"Such as were given to cursing and swearing
have laid aside the practice, learning to speak the
language of heaven, having upon them a holy awe of
God and of things divine. Such as were accustomed
to frequent taverns, to drink, and play at cards, etc.,
till late, or it may be morning hours, have for nine
years past avoided all occasions of the kind, and kept
at home, spending their evenings in Christian conference, in matters profitable to their families, and
in secret and family devotion. He who was formerly drunken, accustomed to lie in bed till eight or
nine o'clock in the morning, sleeping off his night's
intoxication, has for these nine years been in the
habit of getting up at three or four o'clock in the
morning, of reading his Bible and other good books,
of being engaged in prayer or meditation, till seven
or eight, when he calls together his household for
family devotion, which is again repeated in the evening.
"Those who were formerly covetous and selfish,
have acquired much of public spirit and of concern
for the kingdom and glory of Christ, especially in
the salvation of sinners; and with this view they are
not only exemplary in their conduct, but useful to all
within their reach. They contribute cheerfully, and
some of them beyond their ability, at collections for
the interests of religion or the relief of the distressed.
They. carefully observe seasons fixed for the concert
for prayer, and join in earnest supplication for the
further spread of the gospel and the outpouring of
OV
52 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-SCOTLAND.  53
the Spirit on the churches.'As new-born babes, they
desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may
grow thereby;' flocking with eagerness to hear in their
different localities. The weekly lecture on Thursday,
which was established in this place in 1742, has been
continued ever since, summer and winter, even in har vest, when the reapers come running from the fields,
where they have been toiling all day. They are care ful in their preparations for the Lord's supper, and
frequent in the observance. These have been indeed
remarkable times of communion with God.   This
people have seen the goings of their God and King in
the sanctuary. They have been made to sit under
Christ's shadow with great delight, and his fruit has
been sweet to their taste. They have been feasted
in the banqueting-house, and his banner over them
has been love.
"To conclude, they abound much in prayer,
both secret and domestic, and also in the observance
of fellowship meetings. In every town or village
almost in this country side, where there is any competent number of serious and lively Christians, and
where religion is in a thriving state, many private
meetings are held. Common tradesmen, who are
members and who work for so much a day, allow
their employers to deduct so much from the time they
are absent. Some of these meetings besides have
also special seasons for fasting and prayer on extraordinary occasions, such, for example, as on receiving
news of heavy losses, or dangers occurring to any of
themselves, or of what threatens the interests of religion; and on these occasions they enjoy much of the 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
divine presence, though less, alas, than in former
times.
"Now to Him who is able to keep us from falling,
and to present us faultless before the presence of his
glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our
Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
both now and for ever. Amen."
To this was added the following attestation, signed
by the elders of the church:
"We the undersigned, elders and members of the
kirk session of Cambuslang, having heard the foregoing read to us by our pastor, and having maturely
considered the same, paragraph by paragraph, do
hereby make it our own, being persuaded that it contains a just and true account of the extraordinary
work here in 1742, and of the comfortable and abiding effects of it on many, probably on more thanfour
hundred, mentioned in the foregoing attestation, and
particularly as regards those who lived in this parish
until 1742, and from that time down, or till their
death, who lived, to the best of our knowledge, as
becomes their profession."
The foregoing is but a hasty glance at the glorious revival which descended from the opening
heavens upon Scotland, which arrested the alarming progress of infidelity and ungodliness, turned
back the captivity of scores of churches that might
have remained in bondage even until now, and restored to life the doctrines of the Reformation, of
which John Knox was the exponent and the powerful
advocate. Perhaps no work in Scotland has borne
richer fruits than this of the eighteenth century, in
54 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-ENGLAND.
which Mr. McCulloch, Whitefield, Robe, Bonar, Hamilton, McKniight, Gillies, Alexander, Anderson, and
others of kindred spirit, bore a conspicuous part.
ENGLAND AND WALES.
Returning now to ENGLAND and WALES, we recall the lamentations of such men as Hutchinson and
Burnet and Watts and Secker and Butler over the
alarming prevalence of infidelity, ignorance, and immorality throughout the United Kingdom in the earlier part of the eighteenth century. To human view,
the state of religion was more hopeless in England
than in Scotland. The Established church scarcely
had a name to live, save in her articles and liturgy,
and religion in the dissenting churches was at a very
low ebb. It was evident that nothing short of some
special interposition by the great Head of the church
could restore the fallen interests of Zion.
But man's extremity is God's opportunity, and
such an interposition was at hand. God had been
raising up three young men in the university of Oxford, the two brothers John and Charles Wesley, and
George Whitefield, to commence and carry on the
work. He prepared them for it by long and sharp
personal convictions of their own lost estate; and
that they might endure hardness as good soldiers of
Jesus Christ, by subjecting them to the fiery ordeal
of scorn and persecution in the university, and as
they were almost hopelessly feeling their way into
the ministry, after they left it. It was in Oxford that
they and the few others who sympathized with them
were contemptuously called Methodists by their un
.55
A" 
REVIYAL SKETCHES.
godly fellow-students, little thinking that they were
giving an honorable name to one of the largest denominations in England and America.
As the university was their Alma Mater, so was
the Established church of their native land. They
were strongly attached to her ecclesiastical polity, to
her liturgy, to her forms and ceremonies, and had
not the most distant thought of leaving her communion. They preached in her churches till they
were driven out into the open fields as deluded schismatics; and they clung to the Establishment through
evil report as long as they could, the Wesleys as
long as they lived. They never formally broke off
their connection, though they were forced by persecution to avail themselves of that liberty wherewith
Christ had made them free, to turn as many as possible to the Lord, whether within or without the pale
of the Establishied church.
As the reformation advanced, God raised up
Fletcher and Romaine and Madan and Berridge and
Shirley and Benson and Howel Harris and others,
to take part with them in their itinerant ministry;
and so rapidly did the work spread, that, "or ever
they were aware," the converts had so greatly multiplied outside of the Establishment as to demand an
organization of some sort. Wesley could not resist
the pressure. The thousands were liable to be scat,
tered as sheep without a shepherd.   They must be
taken care of, or the roaring lion would come and
devour them; and though he would not, even in that
extremity, form a new denomination, he organized
them under what was called the Methodist Connec
56 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-ENGLAND.   57
tion, "so mightily did the word of God grow and
prevail."
The history of this remarkable era of revivals
which commenced about 1740, and spread so widely
over England, Wales, and Ireland, is so fully recorded in the lives and writings of Whitefield, Wesley,
Lady Huntingdon, and others, that it is needless for
me to descend to particulars.
That there was intermingled with this work much
of animal excitement among the thousands upon thousands who hung upon the lips of Whitefield and the
Wesleys in Moorfields, on Kensington common, and
other out-door stations, and who sometimes rent the
air with their sobs and outcries, and that the preachers looked upon these impassioned demonstrations
with too much allowance, there is no room to question; nor, on the other hand, can any but sceptics
doubt that "the power of the Highest" was there, by
which multitudes were arrested, convicted, and truly
converted.
Mysterious and trying as was the opposition these
distinguished preachers received from the Established
church of that day, I think we can see the wisdom
and goodness of God in permitting it. Hiad it come
entirely from without, the leaven could scarcely have
been infused into the great lump, where it was so
much needed. As the first great revival preachers
were churchmen, and labored within the pale of the
church wherever they could get an  pportunity, the
truth found an entrance where the doors would otherwise have remained closed. Some of the clergy were
raised from their moral depression, and gained over
3* 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
to "the faith once delivered to the saints," and became zealous preachers in their own parishes. The
evangelical element was thus infused into the churches
of the Establishment, or if it were already there, was
quickened into life, where it had long been petrified
by formalism. How much the large class of evangelical churches of the Establishment in the British
isles are indebted to the blessed influence of that
"great awakening," it were impossible to say; but
that there is now much more of the power of godliness, of vital, active piety in the English church than
there would otherwise have been, I think all will
agree who candidly study the religious history of
that eventfuil period, and trace the growing evangelism of that church down to the present time. The
good seed which was then sown has been springing
up and bearing fruit, more or less, ever since.
The Independents too, of different sects, who did
not fall in with the Methodists, shared in the blessing, and some of their ablest preachers were active
in promoting the revival. All in all, it was a glorious ingathering of souls to Christ, though much was
lost for want of able stationary pastors to bring the
converts into regularly organized churches, and by a
pious watch and care build them up in the most holy
faith. This Whitefield and the other evangelists
could not do, as they went on from place to place,
crying, like Job in the wilderness, "Prepare ye the
way of the Lorl."
The chief apostles of that reformation had different gifts, and did not harmonize exactly in all their
theological speculations; but the same spirit animat
58 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-ENGLAND.  59
ed them and dwelt in them. Their grand and allabsorbing aim was to win souls to Christ. The differences between Whitefield and the Wesleys at one
time threatened to create a lasting alienation; but
mutual forbearance and charity reconciled them.
They found they had no time to dispute while sinners
whom they might hope to save were perishing. They
labored and prayed together as before; their personal
friendship was, if possible, more closely cemented, as
they went on sowing the good seed over the same
fields. Essentially they were of one heart and one
mind, till death came and took them up to that brighter world, where it is impossible not to see eye to eye,
or to fall into any mistakes. Whitefield preached
the offers of a free salvation to all, without distinction or exception, as earnestly as it was possible for
Wesley to do.  So Wesley, in his prayers, rejoiced to
exalt God on the throne, and magnify his grace; and
I never heard a Methodist pray in a revival who did
not. Indeed, how can any body pray that the unconverted may be born again, without first believing that
they are dead in trespasses and sins; and in this
view of their lost condition, invoking the Holy Spirit
to come down in his sovereign and mighty power to
awaken, renew, and sanctify them.?
So long as the number of converts was comparatively small, and some of the churches of the Establishment yet opened their doors to the revival preachers, the necessity of outside chapels was not very
urgent, especially as there was so much field preaching to the thousands without, whom the Lord stirred
up to press eagerly around the stands, inquiring what 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
they must do to be saved. But as the revival spread
on every hand, and great numbers of converts needed
to be gathered into societies for regular instruction
and oversight, the want was severely felt.
But the mass of the converts were poor, and how
were the chapels to be built? Who would furnish
the means? Anticipating the growing necessity, the
great Head of the church had been raising up help in
high quarters, from which the necessary aid could
hardly have been expected.
And just here I have been forcibly struck with
the remarkable coincidence between this state of
things and what we read of the first great revival
period, in the Acts of the Apostles. God then raised
up helpers from the higher classes, without whose aid
the thousands of converts, being mostly poor and sorely persecuted, could scarcely have subsisted. Thus,
when Paul and Silas passed over from Troas into
Macedonia, and came to Philippi, they found there a
certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from
Thyatira, whose heart the Lord opened, that she
attended to the things which were spoken of Paul,
and she constrained them to come into her house to
abide, which they did as long as their mission would
allow them to stay. Her traffic had probably made
her rich. Still more striking is the record in the
next chapter. When Paul and Silas went down to
Berea and preached the gospel in that city, many of
the Jews received the word with all readiness of
mind; also of "honorable women," who were Greeks,
and of men not a few. These women are here called
honorable, as belonging to the higher classes, who
60 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-ENGLAND.
having both the disposition and the means, encouraged
and helped the missionaries to go on with their work,
when other resources must have failed.
So here, in this great revival, God raised up hon orable women just when they were most needed to help
the preachers, and provide places of worship for those
who were too poor to do it themselves. Several of
their names are mentioned, as Anne and Frances Hastings, Lady Mary Hamilton, Lady Gertrude Hotham
and Countess Delitz, sisters of Lady Chesterfield,
Lady Chesterfield herself, Lady Fanny Shirley, and
others of the aristocracy, who established the first
female prayer-meeting that I remember to have seen
noticed anywhere. Though all connected with the
Established church, they looked with great favor upon
the wonderful reformation that was going on among
the hitherto uncared-for masses outside, and cheerfully contributed, more or less, to help build them
chapels, in parts where they were most needed.
Thus many daughters did virtuously, but there
was one that excelled them all. This was that remarkable "elect lady," the Countess of Huntingdon,
who was remotely related to the royal family, and
who moved in the highest circles. Amid all the
allurements and fascinating worldly prospects of her
exalted rank, God arrested her by an alarming sickness, brought her to renounce all for Christ at the
foot of his cross, and brought her into fellowship
with his despised and persecuted disciples, of whom
the world was not worthy.  While in her doctrinal
belief she sympathized strongly with Whitefield her
favorite preacher, she welcomed to her house all the
61 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
prominent preachers of the other branch of the Connection of whom Wesley was the leader; and deemed it an honor to number Dr. Watts, Dr. Doddridge,
and other dissenting ministers of the day, among the
warmest of her friends in the household of faith.
Time would fail me to reckon up her munificent charities for building chapels, and supporting the brotherhood in their self-denying labors to win souls to Christ;
to speak of her boundless hospitality at home.; to follow her as she "went about doing good," and in her
shining upward progress towards the saints' everlasting rest. Considering her moderate income, her contributions, after the death of her husband, for religious and charitable purposes, were almost incredible.
They were estimated to have amounted to at least
$500,000.
Thus did that illustrious lady the Countess of
Hluntingdon go on from strength to strength, serving
Giid and her generation by the will of God, till, ripened for the inheritance of the saints in light, she, at the
advanced age of eighty-four, rested from her labors,
and her works followed her. For what she was and
what she did, the reader is referred to the volume
entitled, "Lady Huntington and her Friends," published by the American Tract Society, to Isaac Taylor's History of Methodism, and other religious histories of the times. She was certainly one of the most
remarkable women of that or any age.  Her name
will be had in everlasting remembrance.  We  can
hardly see how Whitefield and Wesley and the other
prominent leaders in that religious movement would
have carried on the work as they did, without her
62
oft 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-AMERICA.
pecuniary assistance and other efficient aid. Certain
it is, that in all subsequent ages her name will be
associated with those of the most illustrious reformers of that extraordinary revival epoch. And who
can doubt that when she died, she ascended to join
those holy women of old, whose memorial stands
upon the sacred record, in their eternal services and
songs?
THE UNITED STATES.
Leaving the fatherland and crossing the ocean, we
proceed to inquire what was the state of religion in
the AMERICAN CHURCHES previous to the "Great
Awakening," at which we have just glanced in the
mother country. Certainly, when that remarkable
revival commenced, the churches had not sunk so low
here as there. From the beginning of the century,
we find there had been isolated revivals here and
there. There were verdant inclosures in the vineyard, while also the drought was wide and sore.
The Rev. Mr. Danforth of Taunton, Massachusetts,
wrote, in 1704-5, "We are much encouraged by a universal and amazing impression made by the Spirit of
God on all sorts among us, especially on the young
men and women. It is almost incredible how many
visit me with discoveries of extreme distress of mind
they are in about their spiritual condition. The
young men, instead of their merry meetings, are now
forming themselves into regular meetings for prayer,
repetition of sermons, and singing. The profanest
among us seem startled at the sudden change upon
the rising generation.   We need much prayer that
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these strivings of the Spirit may have a saving issue
and effect."
Again he writes, "My time is spent in daily discourse with the young people visiting me with their
doubts, fears, and agonies. Religion flourishes to
amazement and admiration, that so we should be at
once touched with soul affliction, and this in all corners of the place. But I hope that the deeper the
wound, the more sound may be the cure. I have
little time to think of worldly matters, scarce time to
study sermons as I used to do; but find God can bless
mean preparations whenever he pleases that such shall
be most cried up and commended which I have had
scarce time to methodize. I sometimes think that the
time of the pouring out of the Spirit upon all flesh may
be at the door."'
President Edwards mentions revivals in Northampton in 1712 and 1718, under the ministry of his
predecessor Rev. Mr. Stoddard. In the year 1721,
there was a remarkable revival in Windham, Connecticut.   In 1730 and the three following years,
there was a considerable revival in Freehold, New
Jersey, under the ministry of the two Tennents, John
and William; and other places might be mentioned.
Nevertheless there had been, in the early part of
the century, a great falling away, which we find grievously lamented by pious ministers, who remembered
those better days when the candle of the Lord shone
upon the churches planted by the Puritan fathers.
Dr. Increase Mather, in a book entitled, "The
Glory departing from New England," printed in
1702, says, "We are the posterity of the good old
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Puritan Non-conformists in England, who were a strict
and holy people. Such were our fathers who followed
the Lord into this wilderness. 0 New England, New
England, look to it that the glory be not removed
from thee, for it begins to go. 0 tremble, for it is
going; it is gradually departing. You that are aged
persons, that can remember what New England was
fifty years ago, that saw the churches in their first
glory, is there not a sad decay and diminution of that
glory? Time was when these churches were'beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an
army with banners.' What a glorious presence of
Christ was there in all his ordinances. Many were
converted, and there were added to the churches daily
such as should be saved. But are not sound conversions become rare in this day, and in many congregations? Look into the pulpits, and see if there is such
a glory there as once there was. When will Boston
see a Cotton and a Norton again? When will New
England see a Hooker, a Shepard, a Mitchell, not to
mention others?
"Look into our civil state; does Christ reign
there as once he did? Hiow many churches, how many
towns are there in New England that we may sigh
over them and say, the glory is gone I And there is
sad cause to fear that greater departures of the glory
are hastening upon us; our iniquities testify against
us, and our backslidings are many. That there is a
general defection from primitive purity and piety in
many respects, cannot be denied. The providence of
God is threatening to pull down the wall which was
a defence to these churches."
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Again he writes in 1721, "I am now in the eightythird year of my age, and having had an opportunity
to converse with the first planters of this country,
and having been for sixty-five years a preacher of the
gospel, I cannot but be in the disposition of those
ancient men who had seen the foundation of the first
house, and wept with a loud voice to see what a
change the work of the temple had upon it. The
children of New England are, or once were, for the
most part, the children of godly men. What did our
fathers come into this wilderness for? Not to gain
estates as men do now, but for religion, and that they
might leave their children in a hopeful way of being
truly religious. There was a famous man that preached
before one of the greatest assemblies that ever was
preached unto seventy years ago, and he told them,'I
have lived in a country seven years, and all that time
I never heard one profane oath, and all that time I
never did see a man drunk in that land.' Where was
that country? It was New England; but Oh, degenerate New England, what art thou come to at this
day  I How are those sins become common in thee
that once were not so much as heard of in this land!"
In a public lecture printed in 1706, Dr. Cotton
Mather says, "It is confessed by all who know any
thing of the matter-and Oh, why not with rivers of
tears bewailed?-that there is a general and a horrible
decay of Christianity among the professors of it. The
glorious and precious religion of our heavenly Christ
generally appears with quite another face in the lives
of Christians of this day, than what it had in the
lives of the saints into whose hands it was first of all
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delivered. The modern Christianity is but too generally but a very shadow of the ancient."
The Rev. Thomas Prince of Boston, in a sermon
delivered before the General Assembly of the province of Massachusetts, May 27, 1730, states as his design to "commemorate the righteous and wonderful
works of God towards us, both in our own days and
in the days of our fathers," and thus proceeds: "Who
were our fathers, and what were their distinguishing
characters?  The generality of them were the near
descendants of the first reformers in England. They
were born of pious parents, who brought them up in
a course of strict religion under the most awakening
preachers of those days. Under such means they
became inspired with a spirit of piety, and with a
growing zeal to reform the worship of God to the
most beautiful and perfect model of his own institutions.
"And to the great glory of God be it spoken,
there never was perhaps before seen such a body of
pious people together on the face of the earth. Their
civil and ecclesiastical leaders were exemplary patterns of piety.  They encouraged only the virtuous
to come with and follow them.  They were so strict,
both in the church and the state, that the incorrigible
could not endure to live in the country, and went
back again. Profane swearers and drunkards were
not known in the land. And it quickly grew so
famous for religion abroad, that scarce any other but
those who liked it came over for many years after."
The Rev. Samuel Blair, speaking of the state of
religion in Pennsylvania, says, "True religion lay as
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it were adying and ready to expire its last breath of
life, in this part of the visible church, in the spring of
1740, when the God of salvation was pleased to visit
us with the blessed effusions of the Holy Spirit. I
doubt not that then there were some sincerely religious people up and down. But a very lamentable
ignorance of the essentials of true practical religion,
and of the doctrines relating thereto, very generally
prevailed. The nature and necessity of the new birth
were little known, or of the Hioly Spirit opening and
applying the law to the conscience, in order to saving closure with Christ. The common notion seemed
to be, that if people were aiming to be in the way of
duty as well as they could, they imagined there was
no reason to be much afraid."
These lamentations over the degeneracy of the
times must certainly be taken with some abatements
from what a comparison between other periods in the
history of the American churches would require.
The primitive standard of morals and piety in the
first and second generations starting from Plymouth
rock was so high, that the declension over which
the fathers mourned seemed to them to have brought
religion to a lower ebb than it would have otherwise
appeared. No wonder they were alarmed. No wonder they lifted up their voices like a trumpet. There
was "a cause" before their eyes.  They had seen
those better days, and felt that if God did not soon
appear and revive his work, all would be lost.
Among the causes which led to this lax and downward tendency of the churches, was the introduction
of the so-called "Half-way Covenant."   It crept in
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gradually at first, but erelong spread widely over
New England. It was intended to open the door for
parents who were not members of the churches, and
who made no pretensions to personal piety, to bring
their children for baptism. The substance of it was,
a general confession of faith in the truth and inspira tion of the Scriptures, and a promise to "come up to
the Lord's supper as soon as they should see their way
clear," which most of them never did. Hence the
name, " Half-way Covenant." This system was intro duced as early as 1662.  The consequence was, that
the membership of the churches in full communion
rapidly decreased. Having got their children baptized, few of the parents came into full communion,
and hardly any of the unmarried were found at the
Lord's table.
To keep the churches full, the next departure from
the Puritan organization was to hold up the Lord's
supper as a converting ordinance, and thus to throw the
door wide open for the entrance of the unconverted.
The Rev. Solomon Stoddard of Northampton, with the
best intentions no doubt, in a sermon published in
1707, maintained that "sanctification is not a necessary qualification for partaking of the Lord's supper,
and that it is a converting ordinance." Dr. Increase
Mather published an able reply to this sermon; but
the principles of Mr. Stoddard were adopted by the
church in Northampton, and soon in other parts of
New England.
I have dwelt the longer on the period preceding
the Great Awakening to show what formidable obstacles had accumulated in the way of a revival.
69 
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Nothing strange was the opposition which it had to
encounter from the pulpit and the press; but strange
indeed it would have been, if, in the progress of that
remarkable revival, with such hostile antecedents,
there had been nothing mixed with it to be regretted
by its warmest friends and advocates.
It would be easy to fill more than one large volume with the narratives and records in various forms
of that ever memorable revival in the American
churches. It was almost as life from the dead, so
deep was the spiritual apathy in which it found them.
But my notice must be extremely brief, and indeed
that is all which seems to be called for, since the proggress of the work was so largely and faithfully chronicled at the time in Prince's History, Gillies' Historical Collections, Edwards' Thoughts on the Revival
of Religion in New England, published by the American Tract Society, and "The Great Awakening," an
octavo volume by the Rev. Joseph Tracy, of which a
new edition has just been issued.
The more prominent agents whom the great Head
of the church employed in carrying on that glorious
work on this side of the Atlantic, were Mr. Edwards,
Mr. Whitefield, Dr. Bellamy, the two Tennents, William and Gilbert, President Davies, Mr. Blair, and
Mr. Parsons. Scores of other good ministers cobperated with them or labored successfully without them
in their respective parishes, though some of the pastors doubted whereunto it would grow, and stood
aloof.
Small space as I can spare for this revival, which
arrested the deplorable backslidings of the churches,
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EIGHTEENTH CENTURY-AMERICA.
I feel bound to magnify the grace of God by borrowing some brief extracts from the copious narratives
to which I have just alluded.
As the first revival took place under the preaching of Mr. Edwards, and as he stood at the head of
the most able defenders of that mighty work of the
Spirit, and was one of the most judicious and successful laborers both at home and abroad, I shall first
make condensed extracts from his "Narrative of'the
Revival in Northampton, in 1734," as a fair example of the character of the remarkable series which
followed and spread so widely over the land.
"Just after my grandfather's death, it was a time
of remarkable dulness in religion.  Many of the youth
were much addicted to night-walking, frequenting the
tavern, and lewd practices. They would often spend
the greater part of the night in frolics, without regard
to any order in the families they belonged to; and
indeed family government did too much fail in the
*. town.
"But in two or three years after Mr. Stoddard's
death, there began to be a sensible amendment. The
young people by degrees left off their frolicking, and
thenceforward there was a remarkable "reformation
among them. In the month of April, 1734, there
happened a very sudden and awful death of a young
man in the bloom of youth, and the sermon which was
preached on that occasion very much affected many
of the young. This was followed by the death of a
young married woman.  In the beginning of her illness she was greatly distressed about the salvation of
her soul, but seemed to obtain satisfactory evidence
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of God's saving mercy before she died, and in a most
earnest and moving manner counselled and warned
others. This seemed much to affect many young persons, and increased the religious concern on people's
minds.
"It was ill the latter part of December that the
Spirit of God began extraordinarily to act in and
wonderfully to work among us. Very suddenly five
or six persons, one after another, were to all appearance savingly converted, some of them in a very remarkable manner. Presently a great and earnest concern became universal in all parts of the town among
persons of all ages. The noise among the dry bones
waxed louder and louder. All the conversation in
all companies was upon spiritual things, except so
much as was necessary for ordinary secular business.
Men seemed to follow their business more as a part
of their duty than from any disposition to it. Religion was with all sorts the great concern. -It was then
a dreadful thing among us to lie out of Christ, in
danger every day of dropping into hell. All would
eagerly lay hold of opportunities for their souls, and
very often met together in private houses for religious purposes. There was scarcely a person in town,
young or old, that was left unconcerned about the
great things of the eternal world.
"Those that had been disposed to think and speak
lightly of religion, were now generally subject to
great awakenings. The work of conversion was carried on in the most astonishing mannei. Souls did,
as it were, come by flocks to Jesus Christ.
"From day to day for many months might be seen
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evident instances of sinners being brought out of
darkness into marvellous light. It made such a glo rious alteration in the town, that in the following
spring and summer, 1735, the town seemed to be full
of the presence of God. It was so in almost every
house. Our public assemblies were then beautiful.
The congregation was alive in God's service, and
every hearer eager to drink in the words of the minister. The assembly were in general from time to
time in tears, some weeping with sorrow and distress,
others with joy and love; others with pity and concern for the souls of their neighbors. Our young people, when they met, were wont to talk of the dying
love of Jesus Christ and the glorious way of salvation, the wonderful free and sovereign grace of God,
and his glorious work in the conversion of souls.
Those among us who had been formerly converted,
were greatly enlivened with fresh and extraordinary
incomes of the Spirit of God.
"This dispensation has also appeared very extraordinary in the. numbers of those on whom we have
reason to hope it has had a saving effect. We have
about six hundred and twenty communicants, which
include almost all our adult persons.  I am far from
pretending to determine how many have been the subjects of such mercy, but I hope that more than three
hundred were brought home to Christ in this town in
the space of half a year, and about the same number
of males as females.* I hope that by far the greater
part of persons in this town over sixteen years of age
* The population of the town was then about eleven hun
dred.
Rev. Sketches.
.7 3
4 
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are such as have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ;
and so, by what I have heard, I suppose it is in some
other places, particularly at Sunderland and South
Hadley.
"This has also appeared a very extraordinary dispensation, in that the Spirit of God has so much extended not only his awakening but his regenerating
influences, both to elderly persons and also to those
that are very young. It has been a thing heretofore
scarcely to be heard of, that any were converted past
middle age. But now we have as much reason to
think that many such have been changed, as that
others have been in more early years.
"It has heretofore been looked upon as a
strange thing, when any have seemed to be savingly
wrought upon and remarkably changed in their
childhood; but now I suppose that near thirty were,
to appearance, between ten and fourteen years of
age, two between nine and ten, and one of about four
years.
"God has also seemed to have gone out of his
usual way in the quickness of his work, and the swift
progress his Spirit has made in his operations on the
hearts of many.  Many have been taken from a loose
and careless way of living, and seized with strong
convictions of their guilt and misery, and in a very
little time' all things have become new' with them.
God's work has also appeared very extraordinary,
in the degree of saving light and love and joy that
many have experienced, and in the extent of it, being
so swiftly propagated from town to town. In former
times of the pouring out of the Spirit of God upon
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this town, though in some of them it was very remarkable, it reached no further.
"The work of God seemed to be at its greatest
height here in March and April, at which time God's
work in the conversion of souls was carried on in so
wonderful a manner, that so far as I can judge, from
what I have witnessed in the progress of this work,
conversions have been at the rate at least offour persons in a day, or near thirty in a week, take one week
with another, for five or six weeks together. When
God so remarkably took the work into his own hands,
there was as much done in a day or two as, in ordinary times, with all endeavors that men can use, and
with such a blessing as men commonly have, in a
year."
Then follow brief notices of the work in many
other towns, as South Hadley, Sunderland, Deerfield,
Hatfield, West Springfield, Westfield, Hadley, Northfield, and other places, marked by the same unmistakable evidences of the Divine presence, though with
"diversities of operations, according to His pleasure
who worketh all things according to the counsel of
his own will." Among the places specially visited in
Connecticut, were East Windsor, Coventry, Lebanon,
Stratford, Durham, New Haven, Guilford, Mansfield,
Tolland, Hebron, Bolton, Preston, and Woodbury.
And so far was that glorious work, which lasted
several years, and was at its height about 1740, from
being confined to New England, that it was equally
powerful in many parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. New York too shared in the blessing, beyond
which there was no West then, and the same Spirit
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wrought powerfully in some parts of the southern
states, particularly in Delaware, Virginia, and South
Carolina. To all human appearance, it was the salvation of the church from an irrecoverable departure
from the faith once delivered to the saints. It was as
if the Saviour had said to his desponding disciples,
"Be not faithless, but believing, and ye shall see
greater things than these."
We have already seen that the Rev. George
Whitefield was one of the most zealous and successful preachers of that day. I cannot follow him
through his marvellous mission, having the everlasting gospel to preach wherever he went. It would
require a volume. I am happy that the American
Tract Society have published his life, in a volume of
five hundred pages. But it has seemed to me I could
not do less, in justice to him and to "the grace of God
which was in him," than to glance for a moment at
what he was and what he did.
It is questionable whether any preacher since the
days of the apostles has done so much, in a degenerate age, to rouse the churches, and "turn back their
captivity" from dead formalism, latitudinarian indifference, and erroneous proclivities, and to bring them
into the old paths in which their Puritan fathers
walked, both on this side and beyond the sea. From
the commencement of his extraordinary career, like
a flaming seraph as it were, he passed from city to
city, and from land to land, having the everlasting
gospel to preach; attracting the gaze of thousands
wherever he went, swaying uncounted multitudes by
his fervid and matchless eloquence, and beyond all
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peradventure, bringing great numbers, on both sides
of the ocean, to the foot of the cross.
Of Jonathan Edwards, his compeer, and much
more in the depths of theological science, it may be
said that, in his great sermon on Justification by Faith
alone, he struck the key-note of the songs of new-born
souls in that revival.
Restricted as my limits are, I must not omit to
add a paragraph or two, from a letter of the Rev.
Thomas Prince, Jr., touching that great awakening
in Boston.
"Great numbers in this town were so happily concerned about their souls, as we had never seen any
thing like it before. Our assemblies, both on lectures
and Sabbaths, were surprisingly increased.
"After Mr. Whitefield left, the Rev. Gilbert Tennent came, and he seemed to have as deep an acquaintance with the experimental part of religion, as
any I ever conversed with, and his preaching was as
rousing and searching as I ever heard. He aimed
directly at the hearts and consciences of his hearers.
His aim was to lay open the delusions of sinners, and
show them their numerous hypocritical shifts, and
drive them out of every deceitful refuge. From the
terrible convictions he had passed through in his own
soul, he had such a lively view of the divine Majesty,
and of the strictness, spirituality, extent, and justice
of his law, that the terrors of God seemed to rise
fresh in his mind, when he displayed and brandished
them in the eyes of unreconciled sinners.
"I do not recollect any crying out, or falling
down, or fainting, either under Mr. Whitefield's or
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Mr. Tennent's preaching; and though terrible preaching may strongly work on the animal passions, and
frighten the hearers, rouse the soul, and prepare the
way for terrible convictions, yet those mere animal
terrors are quite different things from such convictions as were wrought in many hundreds by Mr. Tennent's searching ministry; and such was the case of
those many scores, in several of the congregations
as well as mine, who came to me and others for direction under them. It was such a time as we never
knew. Mr. Cooper was wont to say, that more came
to him in one week, in deep concern about their souls,
than in the whole twenty-four years of his preceding
ministry. He had about six hundred different persons
visit him in three months' time; and Mr. Webb informs me he has had, in the same space, above a thousand. Sometimes rising of sixty bills were put up at
once, in public, by the awakened; and their cases represented were, a blind mind, a vile and hard heart;
some under great temptations, some in concern for
their souls; some in great distress of mind for fear
of being unconverted, others for fear they had been
all along building on a righteousness of their own;
some for a long time, even for several months, under
these convictions; some fearing lest the Holy Spirit
should withdraw; others having quenched his operations, were in great distress lest he should leave
them for ever.
"Within six months, to the end of January, 1741,
there were scores joined to our communicants, the
greater part of whom gave a particular account of
the work of the Spirit of God on their souls and
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effectual calling, as is described in the Westminster
Assembly's Shorter Catechism.- Mr. Webb, senior
pastor of the New North, informs me that of admissions
to full communion of those hopefully wrought upon in
this day of grace, about one hundred and sixty joined
his church, of which one hundred and two joined from
January, 1741, to 1742, and many more give good
evidence of grace. In this year, 1741, the very face
of the town seemed to be strangely altered. Some
who had not been here since the fall before, have told
me of their great surprise at the change in the general look and carriage of the people, as soon as they
landed. One of our worthy gentlemen informed me
that whereas, when he used with others on Saturday
evening to visit the taverns in order to clear them of
their town inhabitants, they were wont to find many
there, and meet with much trouble to get them away,
he now found them empty of all but lodgers. Thus
successfully did the divine work go on in town, without any lisp, as I remember, of a separation, either in
this town or province, for about a year and a half
after Mr. Whitefield left us."
I have exceedingly interesting accounts before me
of nearly simultaneous revivals in Natick, Wrentham,
Bridgewater, Plymouth, Sutton, Taunton, Middleborough, Halifax, Reading, Gloucester, Northampton in
1740, Raynham, Rochester, Cambridge, Plympton,
and other places in Massachusetts; Westerley and
Charlestown, in Rhode Island; Portsmouth and New
Castle, in New Hampshire; Enfield, and other towns
already mentioned by Mr. Edwards, in Connecticut;
Newark, Elizabethtown, and several other places ii
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New Jersey; Philadelphia, New Providence, Nottingham, White Clay Creek, and Neshaminy, in Pennsylvania. The revival also extended to Virginia, and
was quite powerful in some of the counties of that
ancient commonwealth.
The labors of Rev. Mr. Frelinghuysen, who came
over from iHlolland in 1720, were greatly blessed in
New Jersey, especially among the Reformed Dutch
churches.
The Rev. Jonathan Dickinson of Elizabethtown,
New Jersey, speaking of Elizabethtown and Newark,
says, August 23, 1743, "In these towns religion was
in a low state, and there was but little of the power
of godliness among us till some time in August, 1739,
when there was a remarkable revival in Newark. It
was chiefly among the young people till the following
March, when the whole town was brought under a
common concern about their eternal interests; and
there is good reason to conclude that a considerable
number experienced a saving change. The summer
following this awakening was sensibly abated, till in
February, 1741, they were again visited by the special
effusions of the Holy Spirit, when a plain familiar sermon was set home with power. Many were brought
to see and feel that till then they had no more than a
name to live, and there seemed to be but very few in
the whole congregation who were not moved more
or less, though mostly among the rising generation.
There is good reason to believe that there were now
a greater number brought to Christ than in the former
gracious visitation."
Mr. Dickinson goes on to say that about the same
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time there was a powerful revival in Elizabethtown.
"Under the preaching of the word, there was a sudden and deep impression on the congregation. There
was no crying out or falling down, as elsewhere happened, but tears and sobbing in almost all parts of the
assembly. There appeared such tokens of a solemn
and deep concern as I never saw before in any congregation. All our opportunities for public worship
were carefully attended. Numbers were almost daily
repairing to me for direction and assistance in their
eternal concerns."
In another letter written by Mr. Dickinson about
that time, he says, "I have still the comfortable news
to inform you of, that there is yet a great revival of
religion in these parts. I have had more young people address me for direction in their spiritual concerns in three months, than in thirty years before.
"Though so many were brought under conviction at
once, we had very little appearance among us of those
irregular heats which are so loudly complained of in
other parts of the land. This work was substantially
the same in all the subjects of it. Though some were
more distressed, and for a longer time than others,
none obtained satisfying discoveries of safety in Christ
till they were first brought to despair of help from
themselves or any of their own refuges.
"It is remarkable, that as this work began among
us in a time of the greatest health and prosperity, so
it began sensibly to wear off in a time of the greatest
mortality that had ever been known in the town,
which makes it appear more evidently to be the work
of God himself. If we may judge the tree by the
4*
81 
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fruits which we have now had so long a time to observe-three years or more-we have reason to suppose that about sixty have received a saving change
in this congregation."
It was estimated that, at that time, the population
of all the colonies was about 2,000,000; and it was
believed that the number of converts amounted to
not less thanfifty thousand. If so, they bore as great
a proportion to the whole number of inhabitants, and
would as much change the relative proportion of the
religious and irreligious, as the conversion of six hundred thousand would now. Hiow many were hopefully
born again, during the same revival in England, Scotland, and Wales, I have no means of ascertaining.
But it admits not of a doubt, that a great multitude
were "turned to the Lord." It was a mighty and
glorious work of the Holy Spirit, both here and there,
such as had not been witnessed for ages.
In looking back, it is exceedingly interesting to
find a revival of the cardinal doctrines of the Reformation, in the preaching of all the distinguished
ministers under whom the work was carried on.
However they might differ on some points, they
"saw eye to eye," and "their testimony agreed together" in every thing that was essential for bringing sinners to repentance, and building up the churches
in the most holy faith.
Enemies there were to the truth, opposers there
were to the revival, scattered all over the land; ministers there were who stood aloof from it, but the
preaching was evangelical.   "The  subjects chiefly
insisted on, were the sin and apostasy of mankind in
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Adam; the blindness of the natural man in the things
of God; the enmity of the carnal mind; the evil of
sin; the desert of it, and the utter inability of the
fallen creature to relieve itself; the sovereignty of
God; the way of redemption by Christ; justification
through his imputed righteousness received by faith;
this faith the gift of God, and a living principle that
worketh by love; the nature and necessity of regeneration, and sanctification by the iHoly Spirit; and
that without holiness no man shall see the Lord."
"The principal means of the great revival," says
the "Testimony" of a large number of pastors in
eastern Massachusetts, printed and sent out to the
churches in the summer of 1745, "were the more than
ordinary preaching of the more important doctrines of
Scripture: as these, namely, The all-seeing eye, purity,
justice, truth, power, majesty, and sovereignty of God;
the spirituality, holiness, extent, and strictness of his
law; our original sin, guilt, depravity, and corruption
by the fall, including a miserable ignorance of God
and enmity against him; our impotency and aversion
to turn to him, the necessity that his law should be
fulfilled, his justice satisfied, the honor of his holiness,
authority, and truth, maintained in his conduct towards us; our utter impotence to help ourselves, and
our continual hazard of being sent into endless misery; the astonishing displays of the absolute wisdom
and grace of God, in contriving and providing for our
redemption; the divinity, mediation, perfect holiness,
obedience, sacrifice, merits, satisfaction, purchase, and
grace of Christ; the nature and necessity of regeneration to the holy image of God by the supernatural
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operation of the divine Spirit, with the various parts
of his office in enlightening our minds, awakening our
consciences, and wounding, breaking, humbling, subduing, and changing our hearts. Also the nature of
gospel obedience and holiness, and their necessity,
not as matter of justification, but as the fruit and
evidence of justifying faith, and to glorify God and
enjoy him, the principal end both of our creation and
redemption; and lastly, the sovereignty of the grace
of God in this whole transaction, from its original
purpose to its consummation in glory."
I am next constrained, in passing, to glance at
those "bodily exercises" which profit little, and
which in some places disturbed the regular order of
worship, both in public and private. It were to be
wished, that in a revival there should be no excitement beyond what the truth, faithfully addressed to
the understanding, and applied to the heart and the
conscience, is calculated to produce. But the time
had not then come. There were nervous contortions,
fainting, shrieking, and other disturbances, which
sometimes quite drowned the voice of the preacher;
which were looked upon by many as the genuine operations of the Holy Spirit, and of course encouraged,
rather thn repressed.
Mr. Whitefield, in the early part of his rousing
ministry, undoubtedly rejoiced to witness these surgings and outcries in the vast multitudes under his
preaching. Long experience and observation, however, very much modified his early impressions, if they
did not convince him that shrieks and convulsions
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were no certain proofs of genuine conviction. Some
other popular preachers evidently encouraged these
outbreaks, under the persuasion that they were excited by the mighty power of God. Even Edwards,
in his early experience in revivals, seems not very
decidedly to have discountenanced them; but observing how little they profited, how soon they passed
away, as the morning cloud and the early dew, he
"stood more and more in doubt of them," and used
his influence to discourage them, as in his searching
treatise on the Affections.
The leading ministers in Boston and many others
were from the first afraid of them, as calculated rather
to mar and bring the revival into discredit, than to
promote and extend it; and wherever they were
promptly checked, the revival went on quietly, with
great solemnity, and produced more genuine and
abundant fruit.
On the other hand, while some of the most zealous
and successful preachers of the day relied too much
upon such outward demonstrations, others went quite
into the opposite extreme, and set themselves to discountenance the work and keep it out of their parishes, under the impression that if there was some good
in it, it was vastly overbalanced by the fanaticism
which it engendered and promoted. This opposition
was a great damper upon the revival, and great evils
and divisions grew out of the two extremes. As
religion had sunk so low when this great awakening
broke in upon the deep slumber of the churches, it is
not strange that they fell into mistakes and extremes
which many of the ministers afterwards saw and
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lamented. Notwithstanding these agitations upon
the surface, the undercurrent was borne on by the
Spirit of God, and watering the fields, produced
abundant harvests.
But a check was coming in from an unexpected
quarter, which, to a lamentable extent, arrested its
progress. It was not the opposition of the enemies
of the work. In spite of all they could do to arrest
it, it might have gone on indefinitely. It was not an
enemy but a friend who did it; and of this he deeply
repented, when it was too late to repair the mischief.
In looking back upon the progress of the great
awakening, up to 1742, it is evident that'the excitements which attended it, and were but too much encouraged in many places, prepared the way for that
outburst of fanaticism which Edwards and others,
who had seen and rejoiced in the salvation of God,
so deeply deplored.
From the strong persuasion that those bodily agitations, groans, and outcries which they had witnessed, were essential features and parts of the revival, it
was but a step or two more to visions and revelations,
when a leader should arise, of unquestioned piety,
whose praise was in the churches. Such a leader was
the Rev. James Davenport, a lineal descendant of the
renowned John Davenport of New Haven and Boston, which circumstance no doubt added to his influence over many predisposed minds. He was settled
at Southold, Long Island, and was a favorite of
Whitefield.  He had stood high in the opinion of the
Tennents. Mr. Whitefield said he never knew one
keep so "close a walk with God;" and Mr. Parsons
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of Lyme, another distinguished laborer in the work,
said that not one minister whom he had seen was to
be compared to Mr. Davenport for living near to
God, and having his conversation always in heaven.
When he had lost his balance, after performing great
and successful labors, he, more than any other man,
embodied in himself and promoted in others the extravagances into which the revival was running. In
admiring the "spirit of the age," as it appeared in
him, men of a fanatical turn admired their own spirit.
Going foremost in the wrong direction, he was by
many regarded as a model man and preacher, by a
comparison with whom all others were to be judged.
It appears from the concurrent testimony of all
parties, that his influence, so far as it was felt, brought
the revival to a crisis. Commencing with his own
church, he called those whom he esteemed regenerate,
brother, and the others, neighbor; the latter of whom
he soon forbade to come to the Lord's table. He
next went from place to place denouncing churches
that hesitated to receive him, claiming the right to
demand of ministers the grounds of their Christian
hope; and when they refused to answer, or their
answers were unsatisfactory, he declared them to be
unconverted, and warned the people against hearing
them. When, on a certain occasion, four ministers
called to see him and remonstrate against his career,
he broke out and vehemently lectured them as unconverted men, blind guides, wolves in sheep's clothing,
and the like; and wound up by offering a prayer,
partly for their conversion, and partly against them.
Thus he went on from place to place, demanding of
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ministers an account of their religious experience,
and condemning all who refused to give it. In this
fanatical mission, to which he nothing doubted God
had called him, he became more and more excited in
denouncing all who opposed him, encouraging visions
and revelations among his deluded followers, dividing
and breaking up churches, and bringing great reproach
upon the revival by leading many unwarrantably to
identify it with these deplorable proceedings.
The epidemic reached its crisis at New London,
in the month of March, 1743, where he gave out a
catalogue of religious books which must be brought
together and burned, as unsafe in the hands of the
people. They were accordingly carried to the wharf
and burned by his followers, singing round the pile
Hallelujah and glory to God, and declaring, that as
the smoke of these books ascended up in their presence, so the smoke of the torment of such of their
authors as died in the same belief, was now ascending
in hell. Strange to tell, among those authors were
Berridge, Flavel, Mather, Colman, and Sewall, not
even sparing Parsons, one of the most fervid revivalists. This was the last and crowning act of fanaticism, so far at least as Davenport was concerned.
From this time he disappears from the stage, till the
summer of 1744. Charity believes that this burning
zeal, spurning all restraint, then reached the crisis of
absolute mental derangement. But, blessed be God,
it was not to last; and when he came to himself, he
the next year published, July 28, 1744, his humble
recantations, from which, in justice to him, I make
the following brief extracts:
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"Although I do not question at all but there is
great reason to bless God for a glorious and wonderful work of his power and grace, in the edification
of his children, and the conviction and conversion of
numbers in New England, in the neighboring governments, and several other parts, within a few years
past, and believe that the Lord hath favored me, though
most unworthy, in granting special assistance and
success, the glory of all which be given to Jehovah,
to whom the glory belongs; yet, after frequent meditation and desires that I might be enabled to apprehend things justly, I am fully convinced and persuaded that several appendages of this glorious work
are no essential parts thereof, but of a different and
contrary nature and tendency, which I have been instrumental in promoting by a misguided zeal; being,
further, much influenced in the affair by the false spirit
which prompted me to unjust apprehensions and conduct in several particulars, which have been great
blemishes to the work of God, very grievous to some of
God's children, no less ensnaring and corrupting to
others of them, the sad means of many persons questioning the work of God, concluding and appearing against
it, and of the hardening of multitudes in their sins, and
an awful occasion of the enemy's blaspheming the right
way of the Lord, and very offensive to that God before
whom I would lie in the dust prostrate in deep humility and repentance, imploring pardon for the Mediator's sake, and thankfully accepting the token thereof.
"The articles which I specially refer to, and in
the most public manner retract and warn others
against, are these which follow:
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"1. The method I used for a considerable time
with respect to some ministers, in openly exposing
such as I feared or thought unconverted, in public
prayer or otherwise; herein making my private judgment, in which also I much suspect I was mistaken in
several instances, the ground of public actions or
conduct, offending against the laws both of justice
and charity.
"2. By advising and urging to such separations
from those ministers whom I treated as above, as I
believe may justly be called rash, unwarrantable, and
of sad and awful tendency and consequence; and
here I would ask the forgiveness of those ministers
whom I have injured.
"3. I confess I have been much led astray by following impulses or impressions as a rule of conduct,
whether they came with or without a text of Scripture. I am persuaded this was a great means of corrupting my experiences in carrying me off from the
word of God.
"4. I believe further that I have done much hurt
to religion, by encouraging private persons to a magisterial or authoritative kind of method of exhorting,
which is particularly observable in many such being
much puffed up and falling into the snare of the devil,
while many others are thus directly prejudiced against
the work.
"And now may the holy and wise and good God
be pleased to guards and secure me against such errors
for the future, and stop the progress of those, whether
ministers or people, who have been corrupted by my
words or example; and Oh, may he grant withal,
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that such as by reason of the foresaid errors and misconduct have entertained unhappy prejudices against
Christianity in general, or the late glorious work of
God in particular, may by this account learn to distinguish the appendages from the substance or essence,
that which is vile and odious from that which is precious, glorious, and divine, and thus be entirely and
happily freed from all those prejudices referred to,
and this in infinite imercy through Jesus Christ; and
to these requests may all God's children, whether
ministers or others, say, Amen."
That so pious and devoted a minister as Mr.
Davenport was believed to be by his contemporaries
who knew him best, and as he doubtless was, should
be left to bring so much distrust and reproach upon
the most glorious revival that the country had ever
enjoyed, was a mystery which will not be fully disclosed till the judgment of the great day. But it is
full of instruction and warning. The great Head
of the church may have seen that such a lesson of
human weakness at its best estate, should be put
upon record as a warning to "the generations following."
The rapid sketch which I have given of that wonderful time of refreshing, almost a century and a quarter ago, would have been one-sided and incomplete
if I had omitted these statements. It is due to those
into whose hands this epitome may fall, that they
should be put on their guard against such outbreaks
of animal excitement and enthusiasm as have marred
and cut short former revivals.
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After making every abatement, the years of the
"Great Awakening" were precious years of the right
hand of the Most High. It left the churches of New
England in a far sounder and better state than it
found them. It effectually shut the door against admitting unregenerate persons to the Lord's supper
as a converting ordinance, which Mr. Stoddard had
unhappily opened in his own church, and by his writings in others. Reasoning out of the Scriptures, Mr.
Edwards, in his "Terms of Communion," showed the
practice to be wholly indefensible; and I am not
aware that any evangelical church has favored it
since. This was a great gain. Had the practice
been continued, and become universal, it would have
been more than a paralysis. The churches might
have retained their names, but as true churches of
Christ they would not have survived.
Another important gain was, that the revival,
widely extended and powerful as it was, prepared
the way for freeing the churches from the " Half-way
Covenant." Though in some quarters it held its
ground longer, it was very much circumscribed. We
shall meet with some remains of it hereafter, but dying out.
Another immense gain to the cause of Christ was,
that it greatly relieved the churches from the soporific influence of an unconverted ministry. It was
admitted that there were unconverted pastors over
some of the churches, and regeneration had come to
be thought by many no essential qualification for the
sacred office. It was held, that if preachers were
men of blameless lives they were not to be rejected
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though they did not profess to have been born again.
Some of this number were the subjects of the revival,
and confessed that they had preached for years with out knowing what experimental piety was.  In this
respect the revival prepared the way for a great
change for the better. It is not claimed that there
can be any certain protection against the intrusion
of unconverted men into the ministry. The strictest
examination for the cure of souls cannot shut them
out, for God alone knows the heart; but that none
save converted men are fit to enter the ministry, is
now universally held by the evangelical churches of
all denominations.
Moreover, the preaching in the orthodox churches
has, ever since this great revival, been more spiritual and discriminating than it was when it began.
The cardinal doctrines of universal and entire depravity, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and justification by faith alone, with other kindred evangelical
topics drawn from the word of God, held from that
time forth a more prominent place in the ministrations of the pulpit, than they had done for ages
before.
Hence, though all that could have been desired
was not accomplished, the good seed was sown broadcast over the land; and though we shall find, in the
next period, that many hostile influences checked its
growth for nearly half a century, it was so far from
being lost where it did not spring up at once, that it
was to take root and grow and ripen into other harvests, with more wheat, fewer tares, and less chaff.
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CHIIAPTER IV.
THE REVIVAL EPOCH ABOUT 1800.
PASSING from the glorious revival period, about
the middle of the last century, under the preaching
of Edwards, Whitefield, the two Tennents, Dr. Bellamy, and other apostolic laborers, we find the shadows of a long night settling down again upon the
churches of this land. Like Israel of old, the most
of them were in the wilderness about forty years,
and only kept alive by supplies of the heavenly
manna, and of the water from the Rock. From 1745,
to near the close of the century, the Hioly Spirit withheld in a great measure those copious refreshings,
which had turned so many parched fields into gardens of the Lord, and made their fiuit shake like
Lebanon. At no time, indeed, during that period
was it all dark, all barren. All along, here and
there over the wide waste, some precious revivals
broke out, "like streams in the desert," to keep alive
the faith, and gladden the hearts of those who mnourned over the desolations of Zion. Towards the close
of the period, there were more of these than I had
supposed, till I met with notices of several of unmistakable genuineness between 1770 and 1790 in New
England and the Middle States including the new
settlements of Western Pennsylvania, and with some
further south, especially as recorded in Dr. Alexander's narrative of what he himself witnessed in South
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ern and Western Virginia, about 1790.* These were
the harbingers of that bright rising of the Sun of
righteousness, which I am now approaching in these
revival sketches.
It had been a long hard winter, in which the cur rent of spiritual life was all but frozen up, and it
seemed almost as if the winding-sheet which was
spread over the land would never be taken off. But
at the same time, precious fruits of the great harvest
which had been garnered remained. None of the
churches, I believe, that had renounced the Half-way
Covenant in the Great Awakening, brought it back
again, though it still lingered in churches which that
revival, if it reached them at all, left but half re formed. I found it in Fairfield, Connecticut, where I
was first settled, in 1807. Some other churches in that
county had not yet given it up. It was also found in
some of the Presbyterian churches, and it prevailed
extensively for some time longer in the eastern and
central parts of Massachusetts.  If it still darkens
the half-open door of any evangelical church, I do not
know where it is. Other vantage ground was gained
in the "Great Awakening," from which the churches
did not slide back.
But although, when a brighter day dawned near
the close of the century, it was not necessary to "lay
again the foundation of repentance from dead works,
and of faith towards God," as in the preceding reformation, the building did not go up. Dark days
intervened, during which, instead of making any
* See the Life of Dr. Arclibald Alexander, by Dr. James
W. Alexander, chs. 2, 3, 4.
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aggressive inroads upon the kingdom of darkness, the
churches lost ground. The fathers and mothers who
had been converted under Edwards and the other
rousing preachers of his day, were passing off from
the stage, and but few of the younger generation were
coming on to fill their places. Many orthodox churches might be named, into which for long years no young
persons, or next to none, were received.
Most of the ministers, indeed, where the great revivals in the middle of the century had been enjoyed,
were sound in the faith, and preached the distinguishing doctrines of the gospel. In obedience to the word
of the Lord, they kept on prophesying over the dry
bones; but for the most part were constrained to
ask, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom
is the arm of the Lord revealed?" While they did
not cease to pray, "0 Lord, revive thy work in the
midst of the years, in wrath remember mercy," they
hardly dared to hope for so great a blessing. Such
was the state of things till near the close of the
century.
We are next to inquire, what were the causes of
the alarming dearth and declension just mentioned,
before we hail the dawn of a brighter day. In looking back upon that period, some of these causes are
too obvious to be mistaken.
First came what is familiarly called, the "Old
French war." While we slept, the enemy, ever
awake and aggressive, had been skilfully drawing
a line of circumvallation quite round the English
colonies, to hem us in, by building a chain of forts
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from Louisburg and Quebec on the north, by the way
of Detroit and St. Louis, down to the mouth of the
Mississippi. And now it was, that France, aided by
the warlike tribes'of Indians whom she could enlist
in the bloody enterprise, sought to bring all North
America under the yoke of Rome. God interposed,
and the attempt signally failed.  But the danger,
while it lasted, created universal alarm; and the
necessary defence of the frontiers demanded all the
force that could be raised, and absorbed the anxious
minds of the whole population.  In this state of things,
it would have been strange indeed if the churches
had been visited by revivals-if the cause of Christ
had not declined, as it did.
Scarcely was that danger over, when serious difficulties broke out between the colonists and the mother country, and continued to increase till they issued
in the war of the Revolution. Here, again, it would
have been very remarkable if, in the midst of all
these agitations of the then infant settlements, revivals had sprung up. They did not. Humanly speaking, there was no room for them. And we know that
God works by means, in favorable seasons, and orders
events for building up his churches, as well as for
accomplishing his other great purposes.
When the war of Independence broke out, in 1775,
the state of the country was, if possible, still more
unfavorable to the progress of true religion. It was
a struggle for colonial emancipation, with one of the
most powerful nations of the world, which lasted
seven years, during which the shifting and sometimes
the almost despairing fortunes of the bloody contest
Rev, Sketehea          5
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REVIVAL SKETCIES.
swallowed up every other interest; so that instead
of revival rejoicings, were heard the confused noise
of the battle of the warriors, "the thunder of the captains, and the shouting." In such a state of things,
when the American armies were wading through frost
and blood to conquer national independence, and the
anxious hopes and fears of the whole people were
alternately swallowed up in the mighty struggle, how
could religion prosper? The Spirit of God is a spirit
of peace, and not of war. I know that God is able
to build up his churches in the midst of wars and
fightings, just as he is able to awaken and convert
hardened sinners under the most unfavorable circumstances; but this is not his manner. To show that
he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and
that he can carry on his work in spite of the most
hostile influences, he may work wonders. But how
few revivals have ever been witnessed in the midst
of a desolating war. If any, they have been extraordinary interpositions of divine sovereignty. Some
may have occurred during the seven years' war; but
if any, I do not know where to find the record. Certain I am, that that bloody contest was directly opposed, as all wars are, to the spiritual growth of the
churches. It left them much weaker than it found
them.
When it closed, and the armies were disbanded,
many of the officers and soldiers brought home with
them the dissipated and demoralizing habits of the
camp, such as profaneness, intemperance, and Sabbath-breaking-influences as hostile to revivals as the
war itself. And scarcely less so was the unsettled
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
state of affairs throughout the country, till the new
government was organized and established by the
adoption of the Federal Constitution. The minds of
the people were too much agitated and engrossed by
conflicting political interests, to have much room for
more than the ordinary routine of religious obser vances. Revivals were hardly expected anywhere
during those years of civil agitation, and they were
not enjoyed. Zion languished. While the form of
godliness remained in the churches, there was but
little of the power.
In the mean time, as might have been expected,
French Infdelity, which our allies brought over with
them, was sowed broadcast among our own officers
and soldiers. Aided by Paine's "Age of Reason,"
Voltaire's assaults upon Christianity, Volney's Ruins,
and other blasphemous publications, it spread rapidly,
especially among the upper classes. The Illuminati,
so called, of France and Germany, who were secretly
associated for the overthrow of all existing religious
institutions, had their affiliated societies in this country, enrolling not a few men of high social and political standing and influence. It became fashionable,
in high places and low places, flippantly to prate
against the Bible, and sneer at things sacred and divine. Instead of the Scriptures, French philosophy
claimed to be the rule of faith and life, and ignoring
all the "rights of God," was to usher in the glorious
millennium of the "rights of man."
Towards the close of that period, in 1789, broke
out the French Revolution, the bloodiest of all revolutions, which was not only to sweep away the throne,
99D
i:
Ad,
~:,     o;  
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
and level all the civil distinctions of society, but to
destroy the priesthood, root and branch, abolish the
Sabbath, and establish the reign of liberty and equality
on the ruins. Though the unheard of atrocities of
that reign of terror sent a thrill of horror through the
whole civilized world, so dear was our new-born
liberty to us, that the very name had a charm in it,
which at first excited our fraternal sympathies, notwithstanding our abhorrence of the fiendish atrocities
by which it had been sought to be acquired. 
How hostile all this was to the interests of pure
and undefiled religion it is needless to say; and when
from this point we look back to the reaction which
followed the Great Awakening, and then come down
through the revolutionary war to the return of peace,
which brought with it the moral camp-dlistemper that
wars always generate, and glance at the agitations
of the public mind which preceded the adoption of the
Federal constitution, who can wonder that there were
so few revivals, or rather, not wonder that there were
any during all that upheaving tempestuous period. It
seemed as if the floods of ungodliness must swallow
up the church. The few survivors who remembered
the days of old, when multitudes were gathered in the
times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,
were ready to ask, Are the mercies of God clean
gone for ever? Will he be favorable no more?
But just then when it seemed to grow darker and
darker, the night was far spent, and the day was at
hand. A few years before the close of the century
the light of a new revival epoch began to dawn. Here
and there a church rose and shook herself from the
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
dust.  Sinners were awakened, and began to inquire
what they must do to be saved. So that when the old
century was departing, and the new century came in,
many a field that had long been languishing began to
rejoice under the reviving influence. Christ by his
Spirit came down, here and there, like rain upon the
mown grass, and like showers that water the earth.
It is of the commencement, and progress, and fruits
of that remarkable revival epoch, that I am now to
speak, reserving for subsequent pages a notice of the
remarkable work which God was effecting simultaneously in the mother country.
And here ample materials are at hand for a volume, in the narratives drawn up at the time by pastors of the churches, and published in the Connecticut
Evangelical Magazine and other religious annals. Of
these I shall avail myself as far as my design and
limits will admit.
And here let me say, it is with no ordinary solicitude that I approach this remarkable revival epoch.
The theme is high; I cannot attain unto it. 0 Lord,
help my infirmities. It is a gloriously illuminated
chapter in the History of Redemption. It were easy
to collect materials more than enough. But to condense and arrange them in the best manner; to show
in what respects this revival epoch differed from those
in the preceding centuries, at which I have already
glanced; to gather up its precious fruits, and to show
its bearing upon the further advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, is a task which, so far as I know,
has not yet been accomplished by any one, and to
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which I feel myself very unequal. Nevertheless, the
plan which I have marked out for chronicling the
triumphs of the cross in these sketches, does not allow
me to shrink from-the attempt.
When this fresh outpouring of the Spirit began, I
was just coming upon the stage, and God had cast my
lot in that part of the vineyard where the gospel had
been faithfully preached by ministers who were anxiously waiting for the Saviour's return. I knew them,
and often heard them preach, before and during the
revivals. Now, after more than fifty years, I have a
distinct recollection of their countenances, their tones
of voice, their earnest and solemn appeals, their going
out and coming in among the people. They had
diversities of natural gifts and acquired qualifications, but the same Spirit. There was no such massive pillar among them as Jonathan Edwards, to lean
upon. It was not needed. There was no Whitefield
to pass from town to town, from state to state, gathering his thousands in the open air, and swaying them
by his soul and tongue of fire, as the trees of a forest
are bowed and shaken by mighty winds. There was
no voice like his to fill the open firmament of heaven
with the thunderings of-Sinai, and the melting tones
of Calvary. But there were Bellamys to stand upon
the heights and make the curses of the law reverberate from Ebal to Gerizim, and from Gerizim to Ebal.
As in the primitive age, there were sons of thunder,
and sons of consolation among them. There was the
younger Edwards, a great master of logic, and mighty
in the Scriptures. There was Griffin having just
buckled on the harness, a young Melancthon, in the
102 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
ardor of his first love for Christ, majestic in stature,
with a voice of extraordinary flexibility and power,
combining some of the finest tones of the organ with
the softest and tenderest notes of the flute. I thought
then, and think now, that I never heard such a voice
in the pulpit. He was a great preacher in the best
sense of the term, and his labors, as we shall see, were
abundantly blessed in winning souls to Christ. And
then there was Hallock, quite his counterpart in some
respects, bred a farmer in one of the small hill towns
of Massachusetts; untrained in the higher schools;
meek as the meekest disciple, always readier to say,
Brother, go up higher, than to go himself; but a man
of good natural talents, shrewd common-sense, deep
humble piety, and an irrepressible longing after souls
in the bowels of Jesus Christ. He came late into the
ministry, and without the slightest pretension to popular address or rhetoric, became one of the most honored, beloved, and useful ministers of his day. No
one was more acceptable in that revival than he.
Nor were these  more worthy or devoted than
many others. There were Robbins and Backus and
Mills and Gillett and Perkins and Strong and Porter
and Hooker and Miller and Williams and Cooley
and Hawley and Cowles, of like precious faith, whose
lips the Lord touched as with live coals from off the
altar, whose parishes were contiguous, and whose
labors were abundantly blessed. Most of them belonged to the same district association. They held
their monthly meetings for mutual improvement and
prayer, in which they wrestled together and prevailed.
I have named them, not as more worthy to be had
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
in everlasting remembrance than Dwight, Hyde, Catlin, Stillman, Baldwin, Manning, Mason, Livingston,
Furman, Marshall, and many others of their brethren
in other parts of the vineyard that were copiously
watered by the same showers, but because I knew and
heard them, and witnessed the effects of their labors.
Their preaching was not in man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit, and with power. It was
eminently scriptural. The ministers of that day read
and studied the Bible more than all other books. They
had received it from their Master as their only commission, and in virtue of it, as ambassadors for Christ,
they besought sinners in his stead to be reconciled to
God. It was surprising to notice with what facility
they would quote chapter and verse from all parts of
both Testaments, without turning over a single leaf.
Indeed, it sometimes seemed to me as if they knew all
the Bible by heart; and it is no disparagement to
say, that they did know much more of it than most
preachers do now. They had a great deal more of it
in their sermons. Almost all their illustrations, as
well as their proofs, were drawn from its rich and
inexhaustible treasures. "Thus saith the Lord," was
enough for them, let who would criticize, cavil, or
blaspheme. They did not shun, either from fear or
favor, to declare all the counsel of God, as they understood it, whether men would hear, or whether
they would forbear. They did not wreathe the sword
around with flowers, but left the two edges bare and
sharp, to cut where they would-the deeper the better; and they applied no emollients to heal the hurt
slightly.
104 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
The fathers of that day, of whom I am speaking,
whatever else any of them may have lacked, were
Gamaliels in the law and the prophets. They made
no appeals to the passions, and there were no outcries and convulsions under their preaching, as there
had been in the "Great Awakening."
The word of God. as our minister used it, was quick
and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, and
piercing even to the dividing asunder of the joints
and the marrow, and discerning the thoughts and
intents of the heart. Oh how we smarted under it.
I remember it well in my own case, and how my
heart rebelled against some of the doctrines which
my Bible and my conscience told me were true, till,
as I hope, I was brought to bow and submit at the
foot of the cross.  And as it was with me, so it was
with multitudes of others. We complained of some
of Paul's hard sayings, and wondered why our ministers dwelt so much upon them. We wanted to get to
heaven in some easier way.  But instead of abating
one jot or tittle to relieve us, they pressed harder
and harder, driving us from one refuge to another,
till there was no hiding-place left.  The law, which
we had broken times without number, we  were made
to feel was just; its fiery penalty hung over our heads,
and we must submit or die.  Under such preaching
it was hard to get hopes; but when embraced, they
were more to be relied upon, than if they had been
gained in some easier way.
Our spiritual guides and teachers never said to
us, when under awakening, "Don't be discouraged;
wait God's time, and he will deliver you." No, no;
5*
105 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
but, "How long will you hold out in your rebellion
against God?" They never asked us while in this
state, "Don't you feel better?" but, "Why don't you
submit to God, and cast yourselves upon his mercy,
embracing the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, who came
down from heaven on purpose to save the lost. Turn
ye, turn ye; why will ye die?"
I do not say that this law work, as it has been
appropriately called, was alike marked and pungent
in all cases. It was hot. He who worketh all things
according to the counsel of his own will, opened some
hearts, as he seems to have opened that of Lydia, at
once to receive the truth in the love of it. But I am
quite sure, that in most cases the conversions in that
revival were preceded by sharp conviction of sin and
of deserved punishment. It was eminently a law revival, issuing in the more abundant and abiding consolations of the gospel. Those loved most, who felt
that they had been forgiven most.
As our pastors were careful not to encourage us
that we had passed from death unto life without good
scripture evidence of the change, they were very strict
in their examinations for church-membership. If they
thought any of the candidates did not give satisfactory
evidence of having been converted, they did not hesitate to tell them so. In this way, not a few were
kept back, and solemnly exhorted to begin anew, and
never rest satisfied till they could obtain better evidence.
That some real converts may, under this scrutiny,
have been thrown into needless alarm and distress,
and kept out of the church too long, is not improba
106 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
ble; but others afterwards thanked their pastors, with
tears in their eyes, for having dealt with them so
faithfully, saying, We now see that we were building
on a false foundation; and if you had encouraged us,
we should in all likelihood have settled down upon
it and lost our souls.  On which side it is safest to
err, in dealing with new-born hopes, who can doubt?
If a person has been truly converted, no degree of
strictness in his examination, though it should shake
his hope for the time, and give him needless distress,
can endanger his salvation.  Born of God, his seed
will remain in him, and a prayerful revision of the
ground of his hope may help in the end to strengthen
and establish it. Whereas, on the contrary, too much
encouragement may induce one who is unconverted
to settle down upon a false hope and perish, who, to
human view, might have been saved by the faithful
dealing of his spiritual teacher. It is not supposable
that the former, when he gets to heaven, will be sorry
that his pastor was so strict in examining the foundation of his hope, though it may have given him pain;
but it is more than probable, that the latter may reproach his minister at the bar of God for healing the
hurt slightly.
In the revival of which I am now speaking, the
pastors called in no evangelists without charge to aid
them. They did all the preaching themselves, helping one another as occasion required. This they
did by occasional exchanges, and oftener at weekly
lectures. They also sometimes went round from parish to parish, two and two by appointment. These
visits by brethren who came with hearts warmed in
107 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
revivals at home, were very much blessed. I remember them during the revival in B, where I was
brought up. One of the ministers preached at one
service, and the other followed with an address. In
the next, the order was reversed; and this was the
usual way at those meetings. Besides the two regular services on the Sabbath, there were prayer-meetings in the evening, (conferences they were then called,) which the pastors generally attended, aided by
some of the lay brethren.   One week-day lecture
was preached, sometimes two, and evening meetings
were held at the school-houses, more or less, in the
out districts of the congregation. Taken altogether,
I think there were not so many extra meetings as
are common now in powerful revivals. Perhaps there
were not enough. Though I am not sure. Christians
may be so much abroad as to leave but little time
for home duties in the family and the closet. Is not
this sometimes the case?  I think it is.  It is easier
to sit and listen and'enjoy the social meeting, than to
keep the heart in a humble and devout frame for
secret prayer; and I am afraid too many Christians
are ready to excuse themselves for want of punctuality in the latter, by thinking that they make it up and
more by going to all the meetings.  And this leads
me to ask, Is there not more time spent in secret
wrestling with the Angel of the covenant in the earlier
stages of revivals, than in the later? and if so, may
not tfis neglect be one principal reason why many of
these precious seasons are of such short continuance?
The ministers of that day held no four-days', or
other protracted meetings. They depended much on
108 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
the preaching of the word upon the Sabbath, for the
awakening of sinners; and I believe this divinely
appointed means was more owned and blessed than
perhaps all the auxiliary services put together, important and helpful as they undoubtedly were.
Those pastors had no seats set apart for the awakened, nor did they call upon any who wished for
special prayer to signify it by rising in the meetings.
Much as they rejoiced when many were turned to the
Lord, they never, I believe, urged young converts to
come forward and take part, till they had had some
time to examine the foundation of their hopes; thinking it safer than the haste and urgency which are
sometimes employed. There is doubtless such a thing
as keeping back converts so long, that through diffidence they may be unwilling to pray and exhort when
their assistance in the prayer-meetings would be very
acceptable and edifying. This, as well as the opposite extreme, should be guarded against. Pastors
want all the good lay help they can get, and every
genuine revival brings some men into the church who
may be trained up for these auxiliary services.
Before presenting from laborers in these revivals
more minute and detailed testimonies to their character and results, I am sure I shall gratify many by
drawing from the eloquent public discourses of Dr.
Edward D. Griffin, an expression of his views of this
great work of God, the influence of which so distinctly characterized the whole of his brilliant career, and
in which he was himself one of the earliest converts.
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Graduating at Yale college in 1790, at the age
of twenty, the next year he was taken sick, brought
to reflection, and led to consecrate himself to Christ
and the ministry. He studied theology with the
younger President Edwards, was licensed, and in 1792
found himself at his father's house in East Haddam,
Connecticut, "the only professor of religion in a family of ten." He labored for their salvation; attended
a prayer-meeting in the neighborhood; and in November, while one of his sisters "was weeping in anguish
of spirit," he was making his appeals to those around
him.  "That," said he, "was the beginning of American revivals so far as they fell under my personal
observation, and from that moment I know they have
never ceased." In January he commenced preaching in New Salem, a neighboring village, where his
labors were blessed in "a revival of great power, and
a church was gathered where there had not been one
for more than forty years," and there and in the vicinity "about one hundred were hopefully added to the
Lord.' Speaking of this period, he says, "I had an
opportunity to see the whole field of death before a
bone began to move. And no one who comes upon the
stage forty years afterwards, can have any idea of the
state of things at' that time."*
* Dr. Griffin, in a note at a later period, states that long
before the death of Whitefield in 1770, extensive revivals in
America had ceased; and that revivals had been reported to
him in Stockbridge and other parts of Berkshire county in
1772, in a part of Lyme about 1780, and in several towns in
Litchfield county about 1783. Notices have also appeared of
revivals in Princeton college, under Dr. Witherspoon, in 1771,
1772; in connection with the labors of Dr. McWhorter in New
110 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
In closing his sermon preached before the American Board for Foreign Missions, at Middletown, Connecticut, in 1826, he thus celebrates the grace of God
in this revival epoch:
"For many years the Christian world had been
sunk in a profound slumber in regard to the duty of
giving the gospel to the heathen; but for the last
four and thirty years they have been waking up. He
who has engraven Zion on the palms of his handswho never wants means to fulfil his promises-has
sent his heavenly influence to rouse the Christian
world. He beheld the desolations of Zion, and has
come to rebuild her ruined walls. He heard the
groans of his people as, with harps on the willows,
they were weeping'by the rivers of Babylon,' and
has come to bring them again'to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads.' Eternal thanks
to God for what our eyes have seen and our ears have
heard for the last four and thirty years. Eternal
ark, 1772; of Dr. McMillan in Western Pennsylvania, 17811794; of Rev. Mr. Caldwell in Elizabethtown in 1772, and another in the same town in 1784; Dr. Burton in Thetford, Vermont, and Rev. Dr. Shepard, Brentwood, New Hampshire, in
1781; Dr. Wood in Boscawen, New Hampshire, 1782; Rev. Mr.
Hallock in West Simsbury, 1783; Dr. Smalley, Berlin, Conn.,
Dr. Emmons in Franklin, and Rev. Mr. Sanford, Medway, Mass.,
in 1784; Rev. Mr. Waddel and Rev. Mr. Marshall in various
parts of Georgia, 1784-1788; Dr. Buell in East Hampton, Long
Island, 1785; Rev. Dr. Baldwin, Boston, and Rev. Moses Hallock, Plainfield, Massachusetts, 1790; and there were doubtless others, notwithstanding the pervading spiritual dearth.
The great and general work of which Dr. Griffin speaks was
begun in Virginia earlier than 1792, as already intimated and
as appears in subsequent pages.
ill
I 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
thanks to God for the increasing wonders which are
rapidly opening on the world. And Oh-can we restrain the bursting emotion?-for ever blessed be his
great and glorious name for what we have begun to
see in our own land.  It is more than thirty years
since the Christians in Great Britain awoke, and they
have been holding on their way with increasing majesty and glory, until that little island bestows annually more than a million of dollars upon strangers;
It is fourteen years since New England broke her
slumbers, and now the mass of her population seems
drenched in the missionary spirit. I saw the day
cover the plains of Europe. I saw the westwardtravelling light spread itself over these eastern states.
Nine years ago I saw the rays of the morning tip our
Presbyterian horizon. I saw the dawn blush deeper
and deeper. I knew it would not all return again to
midnight. I knew the sun would rise. At length I
saw his golden limb above the eastern woods, and
from the course of day I knew that soon the heavenly
flood would cover all the plains to Arkansas and the
Pacific.  Already the influence of heaven has dropt
upon the wilderness, and the yellof the warwhoop
is changed to notes of praise.  We must not stop till
every Indian tongue has joined the general song. We
must not stop till our influence has cheered the whole
extent of South America. And then we must go forth
to the islands, and hold on our way till we meet our
brethren in other fields, and unite with them in completing the harvest of the world.
"We owe the sincerest gratitude to God for giving us our existence in such a day as this. Many
11.2 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
prophets and kings desired to see this day, and saw
it not. One spirit has seized the Christian world to
send the gospel, with a great company of its publish ers, to all the nations of the earth. Missionary and
Bible societies, those stupendous monuments of Chris tian charity, have risen so rapidly and in so great
numbers throughout Europe and America, that in
contemplating them we are'like them that dream.'
These societies have already accomplished wonders,
and are constantly stretching forward to future
achievements beyond the reach of imagination. On
the burning sands of Africa, where Christian feet
never before trod, there is the holy band of missionaries, struggling amid dangers and deaths, to lead the
sable tribes of Ethiopia to stretch forth their hands
to God.  On the plains of Hindostan, a'consecrated
host' are translating the Scriptures into more than
thirty different languages, spoken by a population
greater than that of all Europe.  On the borders of
China they have produced a version which will give
the oracles of God to one quarter of the population
of the globe. In the northern islands a nation is
born in a day.  From the hill of Zion, from the top
of Calvary, they are freighting every caravan of pilgrims with Bibles for all the countries of the east.
Certainly the angel has begun his flight through the
midst of heaven,'having the everlasting gospel to
preach to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and
people."'
In his sermon, September, 1828, at the dedication of the new chapel at Williams college, of which
he was then president, Dr. Griffin gives a fuller
1'13 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
expression to his views of the influence of these
revivals:
"In turning to the religious history of the college
and its prospective connection with the Redeemer's
kingdom, a subject opens upon us of unbounded interest.
"The year 1792, it has often been said, ushered
a new era into the world. In that year the first
blood was drawn in that mighty struggle which for
more than twenty years convulsed Europe, and began
the predicted destruction of the apocalyptic beast.
In that year the first of those institutions which modern charity has planned, and which now cover the
whole face of the Protestant world, arose in England.* And in that year commenced that series of
revivals in America, which has never been interrupted, night or day, and which never will be until
the earth is full of the glory of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea. In pondering upon the destinies of this
college in illumined moments-in moments of intense
interest-it has-been no indifferent thought, that it
arose into being at that punctum of time; that it
opened upon the world when those other institutions
began to open which are full of salvation-when the
redemption of Africa commenced at Sierra Leone
and St. Domingo-when that moral change began
which has swept from so large a part of New England its looseness of doctrine and laxity of discipline,
and awakened an evangelical pulse in every vein of
the American church.
* The Baptist Missionary Society, formed at Kettering by
Andrew Fuller and others.
114 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
"It was my happiness to be early carried by the
providence of God to Litchfield county, Conn., and to be
fixed in that scene where the heavenly influence was
to send out its stronger radiations to different parts
of the country; where thrice twenty congregations,
in contiguous counties, were laid down in one field
of divine wonders. There it was my privilege to be
most intimately associated with such men as Mills
and Gillett and Hallock-names which will be ever
dear to the church on earth, and some of which are
now familiar in heaven. Their voices, which I often
heard in the silent groves, and in the sacred assemblies which followed, and in the many, many meetings from town to town, have identified them in my
mind with all those precious revivals which opened
the dawn of a new day upon our country.
"During the first seven years of the existence of
this college-in which ninety-three graduated in six
classes-there were but five professors of religion in
the institution, exclusive of two who, seven months
before the close of that period, were brought into the
church by the revivals in Litchfield county. In three
of those six classes there was not a single professor.
From the commencement in 1798 till February, 1800,
there was but one professor of religion in college.
"The spring of 1806 was made memorable by the
admission of those two distinguished youth, GORDON
HALL and SAMUEL J. MILLS. Mills was the son of
my early friend the Rev. Samuel J. Mills of Torringford, was known to me from a child, and received
his permanent impressions in one of the most glorious
revivals I have ever seen, in 1798, though he did
115
ir 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
not obtain relief till the month of November, 1801.
He at once devoted himself to the cause of missions,
and with a heart glowing with this desire entered
upon his course of education. When he arrived in
this town he found himself in a revival of religion.
He could not fail to catch the spirit. He had joined
a class in which, to say nothing of the living, there
were such men as JAMES RICHARDS and ROBERT
CHAUNCEY ROBBINS. The Spirit of God fell upon
the class. In the Life of Mills it is asserted, on the
authority of'one of his most valued classmates,'
that he was much engaged before the event and during its continuance, was more resorted to -than any
other by the awakened, and was reputed the principal instrument. And yet his modesty, and the
peculiar structure of his mind prevented him from
taking a conspicuous part in public meetings.
"In the course of the summer, eight or ten of that
class became subjects of the work, and one or two
others, among whom was Gordon Hall.
"'This revival,' says the author of Mills' Life,
was among the most signal expressions of favor to
the church.' He alludes to the well-known fact, that
by means of this influence Mills prevailed to diffuse
through a circle of choice spirits that zeal for missions which actuated his own breast. On Wednesday afternoons they used to retire for prayer to the
bottom of the valley south of the west college; and
on Saturday afternoons, when they had more leisure,
to the more remote meadow on the bank of the Hoosack, and there, under the haystacks, those young
Elijahs prayed into existence the embryo of Amer
116 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
ican missions. They formed a society, unknown to
any but themselves, to make inquiries and to organize
plans for future missions. They carried this society
with them to Andover, where it has roused into missionaries mdst that have gone to the heathen, and
where it is still exerting a powerful influence on the
interests of the world. I have been in situations to
know that from the counsels formed in that sacred
conclave, or from the mind of Mills himself, arose the
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the American Bible Society, the United Foreign Missionary Society, and the African School under the care of the Synod of New York and New
Jersey; besides all the impetus given to domestic
missions, to the Colonization Society, and to the general cause of benevolence in both hemispheres. If I
had any instrumentality in originating any of those
measures, I here publicly declare, that in every instance I received the first impulse from Samuel John
Mills."
117 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
CHAPTER V.
THE REVIVAL EPOCH ABOUT 1800              CONTINUED.
HAVING thus glanced at the revivals of the period
now under review, as I remember them, it is time to
let the ministers whom God honored as the instruments speak for themselves, and tell -us how far the
views which I have given correspond with their better means of experience and observation. Their testimony I have taken where I could find it, especially
from the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, which
sprung out of those revivals, and which contains quite
the fullest record, I believe, that can be found in the
Christian annals of the day.
In making selections from the materials within
my reach, I have been obliged more or less to abridge
those from which I have most largely drawn; but so
as to retain all their essential features.
From Dr. Griffin, New Hartford, Conn. 1797-1799.
"The work of divine grace among us three years
ago, by which nearly fifty persons were hopefully
added to the Lord, had not wholly ceased, when the
last scene of mercy and wonder commenced.
"Late in October, 1798, the people hearing Qf the
displays of divine grace in West Simsbury, were increasingly impressed with the information. Several
circumstances conspired to increase our anxiety. The
glorious work had already begun in Torringford, and
118 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
the cloud appeared to be going all around us. It
seemed as though Providence, by avoiding us, design ed to bring to- remembrance our past abuses of his
grace. Besides, having been so recently visited with
distinguishing favors, we dared not allow ourselves
to expect a repetition of them so soon.
"This was the state of the people when, on a Sab bath in the month of November, it was the sovereign
pleasure of the most merciful God very sensibly to
manifest himself in the public assembly.  From that
memorable day, the flame which had been kindling
in secret, broke out. By desire of the people, relig ious conferences were set up in different parts of the
town, which continued to be attended by deeply affect ed crowds, and in which the divine presence and
power were manifested to a degree which had never
before been witnessed. It is not meant, that they
were marked with outcries, distortions of the body,
or any intemperate zeal; but only that the power of
divine truth made deep impression on the assemblies.
You    might often see a congregation sit with deep
solemnity depicted in their countenances, without observing a tear or a sob during the service. Most of
those who were exercised, were often too deeply impressed to eat. Addresses to the passions were avoided, and the aim was to come at the conscience. Little terror was preached except what is implied in
the doctrines of the entire depravity of the carnal
heart; its enmity against God; its deceitful doubtings and attempts to avoid the soul-humbling terms
of the gospel; the radical defects of the doings of the
unregenerate, and the sovereignty of God in the dis
~
119 
- REVIVAL SKETCHES.
pensations of his grace. The more clearly these and
other kindred doctrines were displayed and understood, the more were convictions promoted.
"The order and progress of these convictions were
pretty much as follows. The subjects of them were
brought to feel that they were transgressors, yet not
totally sinful. As their convictions increased, they
were constrained to acknowledge their destitution of
love to God, but yet they thought they had no enmity
against him. At length they would come to see that
such enmity filled their hearts. In the first stages of
conviction it was not easy for the subjects to realize
their desert of eternal death. But afterwards, even
while they gave decisive evidence of being still as devoid of a right temper as those wretches whose mouths
will be stopped by the light of the last day, their
conviction of this ill desert was in many instances
very clear. Nevertheless, even to the last, their hearts
would recoil at the thought of being in God's hands,
and would rise against him for having reserved to
himself to decide whether to sanctify and pardon
them or not. Before conviction had become deep
and powerful, many attempted to exculpate themselves with a plea of inability; and like their ancestor, to cast the blame upon God by pleading, The
nature which he gave me, beguiled me. This was the
enemy's strong-hold. All who were a little more
thoughtful than common, but not thoroughly convicted, would upon the first attack flee to this refuge.
They would be glad to repent, they said, but could
not, their nature and heart were so bad; as though
their nature and heart were not they themselves. But
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
the progress of conviction in general soon removed
this refuge of lies, and filled them with a sense of
utter inexcusableness. And in every case, as soon as
their enmity was slain, this plea wholly vanished;
their language immediately became,'I wonder I ever
should have asked the question, how can I repent?
My only wonder now is, that I could hold out so
long.' As soon as the heart of stone was taken away,
and the heart of flesh given, the subjects of this happy
change exhibited sentiments and feelings widely different from those above described. They were now
wrapped up in admiration of the laws and absolute
government of God, which had been the objects of so
much cavil and disgust.
"It would not consist with the designed brevity of
this narration, nor yet perhaps with propriety, to
detail all the interesting circumstances in the experience of more than a hundred persons, who have been
the subjects of this work. It may, however, be useful
to go so far into particulars as to exhibit some of the
distinguishing fruits of it. When asked what was
the first thing which composed their anxious minds,
they have sometimes answered,'The thought that I
was in the hands of God. It seems to me, that whatever becomes of me, I cannot bear to be out of his
hands.' They do not found their hopes on the suggestions of Scripture passages to their minds, or
dreams, or seeing sights, or hearing voices, or on
blind unaccountable impulses. The Bible is to them
a new book. Prayer seems their delight. Their
hearts are peculiarly united to the people of God.
But the most observable part of their character is a
ev.:'eteh6 s.
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
lovely appearance of humility. A sense of their illdesert abides and increases upon them, after apparent
renovation; a considerable time posterior to which
some have been heard to say,'I never had an idea
what a heart I had, till this week.'
"It is hoped that about fifty heads of families have
been the subjects of this work, a considerable part
of whom rank among the respectable and influential
characters in the town. The power of the almighty
Spirit has prostrated the stoutness of a considerable
number, who were the last that human expectation
would have fixed on to be the subjects of such a
change. One old man who had not been in our house
of worship, and probably not in any other, for more
than twenty years, has been arrested in his retirement by the divine Spirit, and still remains like the
troubled sea when it cannot rest.
"It has been a remarkable season for the destruction of false hopes. Nearly twenty of those who have
lately appeared to build on the rock, have been plucked off from a sandy foundation. One had supposed
that she loved the God of providence because she had
some sense of his daily kindness to her and her family, but was brought to see that she hated the real
character of God with all her heart. Another, accustomed to contemplate moral truth in the light of a
clear and penetrating intellect, had mistaken the assent of the understanding for the affections of the
heart.
"From observing the effects which the light of
God's presence had upon false hopes, a trembling reflection arose: Hlow many such hopes will be chased
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
away by the opening light of eternity. The Lord
seemed to come to'search Jerusalem with candles,'
and to find out those that were settled on their lees.
The church felt the shock. That same presence which
at Sinai made all the church, and even Moses, exceed ingly fear and quake, rendered this now a time of
trembling with professors in general. Nevertheless,
it was with most of them a season of great quicken ing, and a remarkable day of prayer."
From Rev. Jeremiah Hallock, of West Simsbury, Conn.
1798, 1799.
The manner in which God raised up some of the
laborers in these revivals is worthy of devout acknowledgment.  In Mr. Elallock's youthful days, in a new
settlement of Western Massachusetts, he says, "I
neither saw nor heard of awakenings," and "conviction, conversion, and revivals, were terms with which
I was unacquainted." In 1779, at the age of twentyone, while at work alone, he was "impressed with a
sense of his dependence on God," and "of the sinfulness of his heart," which ere long "seemed so black
and polluted that he could hardly avoid crying out."
At length, as he afterwards wrote, "The law of God
appeared just, I saw myself a sinner, and Christ and
the way of salvation by him looked pleasant. I
thought it was a happiness to be in the hands of
God, and that I could trust my all to him. It still did
not occur to me that I had experienced a change of
heart." Soon after, as he was called to do military
duty, and he and his fellow-soldiers had entered a
barn, he "found himself surrounded by his young
companions and others, exhorting them on the subject
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
of religion," "'one of whom was then awakened, and
afterwards obtained hope." It was the beginning
of a revival; meetings were appointed, and became
frequent, full, and solemn, and as they had no minister, and Mr. Hlallock was the first of the apparent
converts, it often devolved on him to lead the meetings. "In looking over the daily account I kept at
this time," he says, "I find that during March and
April, 1780, I attended meetings most of the evenings, went sometimes as far as six miles, and spoke in
them as much as a short sermon, generally from some
passage of Scripture." In a few months he entered
Dr. Dwight's school, then at Northampton, to study
for the ministry; and in May, 1783, went to West
Simsbury to study theology with a minister of his
acquaintance. Here he says, "A revival of religion
began. I believe about one hundred manifested a
hope. Before it commenced, the church and Sabbath
were almost lost; now the church was gathered, reformed, and increased." iHe was abundant in labors
in this revival, attending and conducting religious
meetings, and guiding inquirers. For nearly two years
he labored in other places on which to some extent
the blessing of the Spirit descended, and it was his
confirmed wish to spend his life as an itinerant minister, but he at length yielded to the importunity of the
congregation in West Simsbury, and was installed their
pastor in 1785, continuing through life to visit other
churches in revival seasons, and in 1801 and 1807
making mission tours of three months each in Vermont.
The years immediately succeeding his settlement were
a period of darkness in the churches generally. In
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
1795, Dr. Griffin was settled in the adjoining parish
of New Hartford. They both had tasted the blessedness of revivals, and together they mourned and wept
and wrestled for perishing souls and the languishing
interests of Zion. One or more of the groves is still
pointed out where they, with neighboring pastors, used
to retire from the world to agonize for the descent of
the Holy Spirit. The day of mercy was near. At length
the revival burst upon them, of which Mr Hallock
says:
"Through the course of twelve tedious years, before this memorable period, the religion of Jesus gradually declined among us, the doctrines of Christ grew
more and more unpopular, family prayer and all the
duties of the gospel were less regarded, ungodliness
prevailed, and particularly modern infidelity had
made and was making alarming progress. Indeed,
it seemed to an eye of sense, that the Sabbath would
be lost, and every appearance of religion vanish. But
the God of Zion, who can do every thing, was pleased
to appear and lift up the standard of the omnipotent
Spirit against the enemy, and to him be all the glory.
"The first appearance of the work-was sudden
and unexpected. The second Sabbath in October,
1798, I exchanged with a brother in the ministry.
On my return the next evening, I found a young person under deep religious impressions. The morning
following I found two other youths with the one first
awakened, whose minds were likewise impressed. On
the evening of this day a sermon was preached by a
neighboring minister. The meeting was uncommon
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
ly full, and the arrows of conviction reached some
hearts.
"The next day it was affecting to see by the rising of the sun, awakened youths coming to my house,
to know what they should do to be saved.  On the
ensuing Sabbath, the work was visible in the house
of God, and the conference in the evening was full
and very serious. The next day, when a sermon was
preached by a neighboring minister, almost the whole
parish came to meeting, and the work appeared to be
going on.
"Being called one evening to visit a neighbor in
distress of mind, I received from her the following
information:'I was sober and thoughtful when a
child, used to attend secret prayer, thought I loved
good people, and finally concluded I was a Christian.
But hearing that the work of God had begun among
us, I thought it became me to examine on what foundation I stood, when I found I was building on the
sand. On Monday night, my hope perished.' I do
not know that I ever saw any one in bodily distress
manifest greater anguish. But before morning she
found relief, by having, as she hoped, her will bowed
and swallowed up in the will of God.
"The next week, on Wednesday, November 1, a
sermon was preached, and there were but half as
many present as on 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 crisis
with more anxious and interested feelings, than numbers of God's praying friends watched the work of the
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
Spirit at this critical moment.  The thoughts of its
going off were more dreadful than the grave. It was
not long, however, before it appeared that God had
in very deed come to carry on his work, and the
hearts of Zion's friends were elated with fresh hopes.
The solemnity of this season cannot be communicated.
It can be known only by experience.,
"A brother in the ministry, among whose people
the same work had begun, told me that he had seen
twenty in a room, the most of them mortally sick,
and at the point of death, but that the scene was not
so impressive as to see a house filled with souls in
distress, sensible of impending and eternal wrath, and
their feet sinking in that horrible pit from whence
there is no redemption. An awful silence reigned,
unless when it was broken by the cry,'What shall I
do to be saved?' But it was not long before, as we
hope, one and another were brought to repentance
and faith. To behold poor sinners, who were but
yesterday on the brink of destruction and wholly
unreconciled to God, now brought to submit to him,
and to hear them sing the new song, entirely surpassed all the victories of the most famous kings and
generals of our world.
"The work was by no means noisy, but rational,
deep, and still. Poor sinners began to see that every
thing in the Bible was true, that they were wholly
sinful and in the hand of a sovereign God. The first
you would know of persons under awakening was,
that they would be at all the religious meetings, and
manifest a silent and eager attention. What are
called the hard sayings, such as the doctrines of total
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
depravity, election, and the like, were well received.
Those who were once angry when these things were
preached, would cease to object when thoroughly convicted, and rather smite on their breasts.
"The work was now evidently on the increase.
Conferences were set up in every part of the parish,
and every week, sometimes every day, would bring
the animating news of some one hopefully converted.
Indeed, it seemed as if it would be impossible for any
thing to stand before the power of God, and that
every one must bow. However, dreadful experience
proves, that natural men are really morally dead:
they are harder than rocks, deafer than adders, and
more stubborn than the sturdiest oaks. That which
will break down the rocks, and tear up the obstinate
oaks, will have no effect on the carnal mind. As
this was the work of the omnipotent Spirit, so the
effects produced proclaimed its sovereign and divine
Author. One was taken here, and another there, and
often those whom we should least expect.
"One person gave me this account of his first
awakening.'I was returning on such an evening
from a conference, where I had seen numbers under
concern, and heard others speak of the love of God
and of their hope in Christ. But nothing took hold
of my mind until, as I was on my way home, these
words sounded in my ears:'Is it nothing to you, all
ye that pass by?' These words were fixed in his
mind, and he applied them thus:'Is it nothing to me,
that my neighbors and those of my age are troubled
about their sins, and some hopefully converted to
God?  Have I not sins to be troubled about, as well
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
as they? And do I not also need conversion?' A few
days after, he hoped that he had received a new heart
from the ascended Saviour.
"I have said that before the awakening, modern
infidelity had made and was making alarming progress among  us.  Some who had been infidels for
years, are among the hopeful converts, and are laboring to build up the faith they once sought to destroy.
I heard one of them say with trembling limbs,'I am
the wretch who have murdered Christ. I have talked a great deal against the gospel, but there was
always something in my heart which said it was
true.' This poor man was almost in despair, but
after a long season of distress, he found comfort.
"At a certain conference in which the conversation turned on the divine purposes, the subject was
not attended to now for disputation, but with fear
and solemnity. They did not appear to be dry, unin —
teresting, disputable points, but divine realities calculated to convict the sinner and refresh the saint.
"At the close of the meeting a question was asked of this import:'Does a person who is truly seeking after God, feel afraid that any of his purposes
will cut him off from salvation?' The question was
answered in the negative; that the divine purposes
were no more against prayer, than against an attention to common matters, and that the only reason
why men brought them against prayer was, their having no heart to pray.
"Thus I have given some account of the work of
God among us. There were but few in the parish
who were not in a measure solemn. Almost the
6*
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REVIVAL SKETCHES. -
whole conversation, when people were together in
intermissions on the Sabbath, and on week-days, was
on religion. Even companies on training-days were
solemn. The number hopefully born into the kingdom of God is between sixty and seventy.
"I might enlarge, but the time would fail. I have
endeavored to state simple facts according to the
best judgment of a fallible creature, with a mixture
of joy and fear. When I find Peter, an apostle, deceived in Simon Magus, and hear him speaking of the
faith of Sylvanus, using the cautious language,'A
faithful brother as I suppose;' it makes me tremble for
fear how we shall hold out. I desire to be thankful
to God, that he has allowed me to stand and behold
his glorious work, though I never felt so useless since
I entered the ministry. God hath wrought, and to his
name be all the glory."
From Rev. Alvan Hyde, D. D., Lee, Mlass. 1792.
It will be observed, that the revival here recorded preceded by about six years the distinguished outpouring of the Spirit on many churches, in 1798 and
1799. In a letter to Dr. Sprague of Albany, published in the Appendix to his Lectures on Revivals,
Dr. Hyde says:
"The first season of'refreshing from the presence
of the Lord,' which this people enjoyed, commenced
in June, 1792, a few days after the event of my ordination. There was at this time no religious excitement in this region of country, nor had I knowledge
of there being a special work of God's grace in any
part of the land. The church here was small and
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
feeble, having only twenty-one male members. It
was, however, a little praying band, and they were
often together, like the primitive Christians, continu ing with one accord in prayer. Immediately on being
stationed here as a watchman, I instituted a weekly
religious conference, to be holden on each Wednes day, and in succession, at the various school-houses in
the town. These were well attended in every district, and furnished me with favorable opportunities
to instruct the people, and to present the truths of
the gospel to the old and young in the most plain and
familiar manner. This weekly meeting has been sustained to the present time, without losing any of its
interest; and when I have been at home, has carried
me around the town as regularly as the weeks have
returned.
"With a view to form a still more particular acquaintance with the people committed to my charge,
I early began to make family visits in different sections of the town. These visits, of which I made a
number in the course of a week, were improved wholly in conversing on the great subject of religion, and
in obtaining, with as much correctness as I could, a
knowledge of their spiritual state, that my instructions on the Sabbath, and at the weekly meetings,
might be better adapted to their case.  This people
had been for nine years without a pastor, and were
unhappily divided in their religious opinions. And
as they had been in the habit of maintaining warm
disputes with each other on the doctrines of the Bible,
I calculated on having to encounter many trials. Contrary to my expectations, I found, on my first visits,
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
many persons of different ages under serious and
very deep impressions, each one supposing his own
burdens and distresses of mind, on account of his
sins, to be singular, not having the least knowledge
that any others were awakened. It was evident that
the Lord had come into the midst of us in the greatness of his power, producing here and there, and
among the young and old, deep conviction of sin. And
yet it was a still small voice. A marvellous work
was begun, and it bore the most decisive marks of
being God's work.   So great was the excitement,
though not yet known abroad, that into whatever
section of the town I now went, the people in that
immediate neighborhood would leave their worldly
employments at any hour of the day, and soon fill a
large room. Before I was aware, and without any
previous appointment, I found myself, on these occasions, in the midst of a solemn and anxious assembly.
Many were in tears, and bowed down under the
weight of their sins, and some began to rejoice in
hope. These seasons were spent in prayer and exhortation, and in conversing with the anxious, and
with such as had found relief by submitting themselves to God, adapting my instruction to their respective cases. This was done in the hearing of all
who were present. Being then a youth, who had
seen but twenty-four years, and inexperienced, I felt
weak indeed, and was often ready to sink under this
vast weight of responsibility. But the Lord carried
me along from one interesting scene to another. I
was governed in my movements by what appeared to
me to be the exigencies of the people.
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
"As yet there had been no public religious meeting, except on the Sabbath. A weekly lecture at
the meeting-house was now appointed on Thursday;
and though it was in the most busy season of the
year, the house was filled. This lecture was continued for more than six months, without any abatement of attention; in sustaining which, I was aided
by neighboring ministers, and by numbers from a distance, who caime to witness this display of sovereign
grace. The former disputes of the people respecting
religious sentiments, in a great measure, subsided,
their consciences seeming to testifv in favor of the
truth. The work spread into every part of the town,
and was especially powerful among those who had
taken their stand in opposition to the small church,
and the distinguishing doctrines of grace. Many of
this class were convinced that they had always lived
in error and darkness, and in a state of total alienation from God. They were compelled, notwithstanding their former hatred of the prominent truths of
the gospel, to make the interesting inquiry, What
shall we do to be saved?
"The truths which I exhibited in my public discourses, and in the many meetings between the Sabbaths, were in substance the following: the holiness
and immutability of God, the purity and perfection
of his law; the entire depravity of the heart, consisting in voluntary opposition to God and holiness; the
fulness and all-sufficiency of the atonement made by
Christ; the freeness of the offer of pardon, made to
all on condition of repentance; the necessity of a
change of heart by the Holy Spirit, arising from the
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
deep-rooted depravity of men, which no created arm
could remove; the utter inexcusableness of sinners
in rejecting the kind overtures of mercy, as they acted
freely and voluntarily in doing it; and'the duty and
resonableness of immediate submission to God. These
are some of the truths which God appeared to own
and bless, and which, through the agency of the Spirit, were made'quick and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged sword.'
"All our -religious meetings were very much
thronged, and yet were never noisy or irregular, nor
continued to a late hour. They were characterized
with a stillness and solemnity which, I believe, have
rarely been witnessed.   The converts appeared to
renounce all dependence on their own doings, feeling
themselves entirely destitute of righteousness, and
that all their hope of salvation was in the mere mercy of God in Christ, to whom they were willing to
be eternal debtors.
"To the praise of sovereign grace, I may add that
the work continued with great regularity, and little
abatement, nearly eighteen months. In this time, as
appears from the records of the church, one hundred
and ten persons of different ages united themselves
unto the Lord and his covenant people. All these
were examined in the presence of the church, and
were received on the ground of their professing to
have experienced a change of heart, and to have
passed from death unto life. They appeared to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit, and to exemplify the
religion of Jesus in their subsequent lives. The instances of apostasy have been but few. Many of them
134 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
have finished their course, and entered into the joy
of their Lord. They gave evidence of enduring to
the end, and of departing this life in the triumphs of
faith. Others remain to this day,'burning and shin ing lights' in the church, some in this town, and some
in the new settlements.
"This revival of religion produced a surprising
change in the religious sentiments and feelings of the
people, and in the general aspect of the town. It
effected a happy union; a union which, to an unusual
extent, has continued to the present time. After the
shower of grace had passed over, divine influences
were not altogether withholden, nor did the people
lose their relish for religious meetings. Insulated
conversions to the cross and standard of the Redeemer, strongly marked as being genuine' frequently
occurred. In the six following years, forty-two were
added to the church, including some who came from
other churches."
From Rev. Ammi R. Robbins of Norfolk, Conn.
"It pleased the blessed God, in the year 1767, to
afford some special tokens of his gracious presence to
the peculiar joy of the precious few who loved Zion,
and prayed for her prosperity. The influences of the
Spirit seemed to be shed down in a remarkable manner. Many were struck with surprise, and numbers
were impressed with a sense of their guilty and ruined state as sinners, and began to cry out, What
must we do to be saved? But alas, it was of short
continuance, as to its power and abiding influence.
About ten or twelve joined themselves unto the Lord.
"A second revival, if it may be so called, began
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
in May, 1783, when some of God's people had been
remarkably stirred up to pray for the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit. Numbers were impressed in different parts of the town, without any knowledge of each
other's circumstances. The seriousness became general, and the distress of many visible. As the fruits
of this glorious work, there were added to the church
in November twenty-seven, in January thirteen, and
in March ten, making in all fifty: eighteen males,
and thirty-two females.
"In January, 1799, there were indications of a
third revival. Our assemblies were more solemn and
attentive. The religious people about this time hearing of some revivals in two or three other towns in
the vicinity, were induced to hope and ardently pray
that we might have a gracious visit also. In February and March the attention became so general, that
it was thought proper, at the desire of many, that
religious conferences should be set up. They accordingly were in four, and sometimes five different parts
of the town. A public lecture was also appointed to
be preached every Thursday. Ministers from abroad
generally preached on these occasions, and they were
undoubtedly, by the blessing of God, the means of
promoting the work. Very early there were several
persons who were struck with the sense of their miserable state and condition as sinners. They were
influential and very popular men in town, and of very
considerable information. They were, before this,
very far from all appearance of religion, much inclined to, and some far advanced in deistical sentiments,
and those of the Universalists. These being hope
136 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
fully subdued by an omnipotent arm, and becoming
meek and humble in their deportment, gave a prodigious shock to others, especially their intimates.  And
they soon joined heart and hand to promote the work
by conversing with others, attending and assisting at
conferences; and conducting with modesty, humility,
and prudence, they were used as happy instruments
of promoting and spreading the renval.
* "In June and July, the marvellous displays of
divine power and grace were conspicuous beyond any
thing of the kind we had ever witnessed. A universal solemnity spread over the town, and seized the
minds of almost all, both old and young. Great numbers were bowed with a sense of the presence of the
Lord. Some rejoicing and praising God, others crying out in anguish of soul,'What must we do?' Yet
they were by no means noisy or boisterous, but were
cut to the heart in silent distress. Almost every day
we heard of one or more who had found relief, and
new instances of persons impressed with a sense of
their guilty, wretched, and undone state. Some appeared almost on the borders of despair, while others
were complaining of a hard and obstinate heart, and
that there could be no sinner on this side of hell so
vile as they. As the fruit of this revival, fifty-nine
males, and ninety-four females have been added to
the church. Others, several others, entertained hopes,
and we trust will come in hereafter.
"Hiaving given this brief sketch, I hope some remarks may be useful to comfort God's people, and to
animate them in praying and laboring for the promotion of Christ's kingdom.
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
"1. It is of unspeakable importance that the means
of grace be used with impenitent sinners. Jericho's
walls must tumble down on the blowing of the ram's
horns. Naaman must wash seven times in Jordan,
that he may be cured of his leprosy.
"2. Those doctrines which the world call hard
sayings, are the most powerful means in the hands of
the blessed Spirit to pull down and destroy Satan's
strong-holds in the hearts of sinners. No preaching
and conversation seems so effectual to drive them
from their hiding places and refuges of lies, as to tell
them plainly, that they are eternally undone if the
mercy of God is not displayed in their favor; that
they have not the least claim on him, and if he does
not have mercy, they are gone for ever; that they
may as well despair of helping themselves first as
last, and that the reason why they do not find relief,
is merely because they will not yield, and bow to a
holy sovereign God.
"3. When the subjects of this work were hopefully renewed, they were not usually sensible of it at
the time; many of them not till days afterwards.
They perceived indeed an alteration in their feelings
and views, but did not entertain a thought that it
was conversion. More generally they feared that
God had left them, and that they had lost their convictions. They had agreed in this, that it would be
just in God to cast them off, whatever he should do
with others.
"One man, nearly fifty years of age, who has been
a member of the church for many years, more than a
year ago gave up his hope entirely-concluded there
138 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
was no hope, no mercy for him-dared not come to
the Lord's table, and was often filled with such agony
that he could hardly attend to the concerns of his
family. Now it is hoped that his captivity is turned.
"Oh, let all who love our Lord Jesus Christ and
his cause, join as he has taught us, and with unceasing importunity, devoutly and humbly pray,'Thy
kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in
heaven."'
From Rev.'imothy M. Cooley, D. D., Granville, Mass.
1798, 1799.
"For a few months previous to the late revival, it
was a time of great stupidity. Our youth had become
much addicted to sinful diversions. In one of their
scenes of amusement, God was pleased to frown upon
them in a very awful manner. Two young men were
seized violently ill, and carried out of the ball-chamber. A young woman, in consequence of a cold which
she took on the same evening, was in a very short
time taken with a fever and delirium, and brought to
the brink of the grave. One of the young men, after
a short illness, died. Being told by his weeping mother that he was dying, he replied with his expiring
breath,'Oh, I cannot die, I am unprepared.'  These
alarming dispensations of divine Providence rendered
the minds of the young people solemn, and gave a
check to their sinful pleasures.
"In the spring of the year 1798, professors were
much awakened and ardently desired a revival of
religion. I invited a number of the youth into my
study, and urged upon them the necessity of the one
thing needful.  This was a very solemn meeting, and
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
will probably be long remembered by some who were
present.
"On the second Sabbath in June, a very plain
sermon was preached from Ezek. 37:3, which was
blessed to the awakening of a number of sinners. On
Tuesday of the next week a number of young people
met for a civil visit, and the violin was introduced,
which instead of producing the usual hilarity, occasioned a flood of tears. The work of the Spirit, which
had been for several days concealed, now burst forth.
It was found that numbers had for some time felt a
very serious concern for their future well-being, and
thought they were alone in it, being ignorant of the
feelings and resolutions of others. The glorious work
spread with surprising rapidity through the parish.
Christians were animated, sinners were awakened,
and scoffers were struck silent at the powerful work
of the Almighty. It was truly a remarkable season,
and the most aged had never witnessed the like before. A surprising change from apparent thoughtlessness to universal alarm took place within two or
three weeks. The rapidity of the work must be
ascribed to the all-conquering influences of the Holy
Spirit.
"Those who were first impressed communicated
their feelings and resolutions to their relatives and
friends of a similar age, and urged them to join them
in living a new life. These private warnings were
the means of spreading the work.
' Their views and feelings, while under conviction,
were as follows: They encouraged themselves that by
a few weeks of seriousness and diligence in duties,
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
they should prepare themselves for regeneration.
After persevering a while, they thought their prayers
and cries had been sufficient to prevail with God to
show them mercy. They secretly found fault with
God for withholding his grace. The heart rose
against divine sovereignty. Some thought hard of
God for giving comfort to others, while he denied it
to themselves. Such exercises discovered to them
the total depravity of their hearts. They were before
convinced that they had been guilty of many outward
acts of sin, but now they saw something of the fountain of pollution within. They still persevered in
duties, but seemed, as they expressed it, to grow
worse and worse. They discovered that God's law
justly condemned them, and that they must be rescued
by sovereign mercy, or suffer its awful sanction.
"The views and exercises of those who obtained
hope, were as follows: There was a great diversity
as to the manner in which divine light was let into
the mind, and at the same time a wonderful similarity
in their feelings after the admission of true light.
Some obtained relief by a view of the glory and
excellency of Christ; others were  led to see the
excellency of the gospel plan and its fitness for sinners; others felt a happy and joyful submission to
God as a sovereign, and were willing to be entirely
in his hands. When God's time had come to show
mercy, their opposition was subdued. They had new
views of God, of the Saviour, of the Bible, and of
Christian people. Old things had passed away; behold, all things had become new. They felt a sweet
calmness of mind, but in most instances had not a
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
thought, at the time of it, that what they experienced
was regeneration. It was sometimes several days
before they dared to hope they were new creatures.
They rejoiced with trembling.
"The work of the Spirit has been remarkably free
from enthusiasm and confusion. There have been no
instances of outcries under conviction, nor of enthusiastic rants of joy after receiving comfort.
"This revival has been productive of the most
happy effects. The Bible has been studied, and the
distinguishing doctrines of the gospel more thoroughly understood. God has discovered his sovereignty
as well as his mercy among us. Some of the most
gay and thoughtless have been hopeful converts, while
others who are more sober and moral are passed by.
In some instances almost whole families fled to the
ark of safety. In one I found seven or eight, and in
others five or six, who thought they could rejoice in
God. We had the pleasing sight of four sisters offering themselves to unite with the church.
"It is now three years since the beginning of this
glorious work, and I can give a more ample testimony to its genuineness, than I could have done
earlier.'By their fruits ye shall know them.' Those
who have made a profession of religion, and a number of others who have not yet, appear to be steadfast and unmovable, and their conversation is in a
good measure agreeable to the gospel. Nearly one
half of them are in youth. They in general appear
to be ornaments to their profession, and by their
presence at our sacramental table render the communion-season very delightful.'The Lord hath done
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
great things for us, whereof we are glad.' Let him
have all the glory."
From Rev. Joseph Washburn, Farmington, Conn.
"About the time of my ordination, in May, 1795,
an uncommon attention and seriousness became ap parent throughout the congregation.   The  divine
influences came down like the dew, and like the rain
upon the mown grass, in still and gentle showers.
The work was unattended with noise or enthusiasm;
it caused a general solemnity through the society, and
met with little or no opposition. Within the course
of about one year, fiftyfive persons were added to
the church.
"In 1798, God began to appear in power and
great glory, in a number of towns in this vicinity.
Accounts of these things reached us, and became the
subject of conversation among Christians, but appeared to have little.or no effect.
"The first appearance of special divine power and
grace was in February, 1799_ It began in an uncommon attention and concern among the people of God,
and a disposition to unite in prayer for the divine
presence and a revival of religion.
"Soon after this, numbers in different parts of the
congregation began to inquire respecting the meetings, and expressed a wish to attend. Persons Of
both sexes and of almost every age, and many from
the distance of four or five miles, and some still further, were to be seen passing through storms and
every other obstacle to attend the meetings. My
house was also the almost daily resort of youth and
others earnestly inquiring respecting the things of
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
their peace. Those of the youth who were seriously
impressed, now reflected on their former gayety,
vanity, and sinful amusements with bitterness and
entire disapprobation. An attempt which was made
soon after the awakening commenced, to introduce
a dancing-master, rather forwarded than checked the
work on the minds of those who had been brought
under serious impressions. The open opposition also,
which was made by some, had a similar effect. It
convinced them more and more that madness is in
the heart of man, and that God is just in condemn ing sinners, and casting them off for ever. Sixty-one
have been admitted to the church in a year, from
August, 1799, to August, 1800.
"In the first stages of concern the subjects of this
work were generally most affected with particular
sins, and not so deeply sensible of the plague of their
own hearts. But as their convictions increased, they
obtained a clearer view of the spiritual nature and
extent of the divine law, and a more realizing sense
of the corruption of their hearts. Generally, when
under deep conviction, they in a greater or less de gree experienced sensible enmity and opposition of
heart against the character of God, particularly his
sovereignty in having mercy on whom he will have
mercy. In several instances God permitted the en mity and obstinacy of the carnal heart to be manifest ed in an awful manner, and to an astonishing degree.
While conscience like a gnawing worm preyed upon
* them within, a view of the divine character and the
way of salvation proposed in the gospel, excited the
enmity of their hearts, and every instance in which
144 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
they saw any of their friends and acquaintance brought
apparently to embrace the gospel, filled them with a
kind of envy, with a pain which they could not
describe.
"With respect to the manner and circumstances
in which the hopeful converts obtained relief, and the
degree of their joy and peace, there has been a variety.
Some few were very suddenly relieved from their
distress, and filled with adoring and admiring views
of God and the divine Saviour. But the greater part
were brought gradually to entertain a hope that they
were reconciled to God. The hopeful converts in
general have appeared very far from a disposition to
think highly of themselves or their attainments, and
they were ready to hope the best of others, to promote the good of all, to discharge relative and social
duties, to attend carefully upon all the institutions
of religion, and to manifest a tender regard for the
salvation of souls and the advancement of the cause
of God in the world."
From Rev. Samuel Shephard, D. D., Lenox, Mass. 1799.
"I cannot learn from any of the first settlers, that
there has ever been any remarkable revival of religion in this town, until the month of June, 1799. At
the time of my ordination, in April, 1795, almost all
the members of the church were bowing under the
infirmities of age. No person who was then in early
life belonged to it. Not a single young person had
been received into it in the course of sixteen years.
Well might this church, like God's ancient covenant
people when they sat in captivity by the waters of
Babylon, hang its harps upon the willows, for it seem   Rev. Sketchcs,         7
145
* I
I   
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
ed indeed that when the few who were rapidly hastening down the vale of years should be removed,
the name of Jesus in the holy ordinance of the supper
would scarcely be had in remembrance.
"Such were the melancholy prospects of this
church in the spring of 1799, while showers of divine
grace were falling on other parts of Zion. But in
the month of April, several members of the church
manifested great anxiety about the state of religion
among us, and expressed a desire that meetings might
be appointed for religious conference, and special
prayer for the outpouring of the Spirit. It was done,
and the second meeting was unusually solemn. At
the third, persons came together from every part of
the town. The divine authority of the Scriptures
was made the subject of conversation, and the appearai.-e of the assembly was truly affecting.  Sinners
were brought to tremble in view of eternity, and professors of religion were animated, and rendered fervent in prayer. From that time the work became
more general. There was an increasing attention
among the young and the old for several months.
"On the twentieth of October, twenty-four persons
were received into the church. This was with us a
memorable day.  But a small part of the congregation had ever before seen a young person brought in.
The language of the church to the spectators of the
scoene then passing before them, was,'We are journeying to the place of which the Lord said, I will
give it you. Come thou with us, and we will do thee
good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning
Israel.'  The infidel and the abandoned man stood
146
I 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
appalled, and to the friends-of Zion the season afforded a prelibation of heavenly joys. The whole number who have been received into the church since the
work began, is fifty-three. Almost two-thirds are
females.   I will close this general account with a
few particular remarks.
"1. This revival was evidently the work of God.
To prove this, the very sudden change in the appearance and pursuits of the people, is instead of a thousand arguments.
"2. The revival began in the church, as I believe
is almost always the case when God pours out his
Spirit.
"3. Such a revival strikingly evinces the importance of all the means of grace which God has instituted.  Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God.
"4. The work has been attended with remarkable
regularity. God was emphatically in'the still small
voice.' No dreams and visions, no hearing unusual
voices, and seeing uncommon sights, no extravagance
even in gestures or outcries, appeared.
"5. Among those in this town who have been
awakened to attend to religious truth, a remarkable
uniformity has occurred relative to the doctrines
which have been embraced, such as the total and
awful depravity of the human heart, the necessity of
regeneration or a change of heart as a preparation
for the enjoyment of a holy heaven, the equity of the
divine law in its penalty as well as precept, the divine sovereignty in the salvation of sinners as the
only possible ground of hope, the necessity of gospel
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
morality as an evidence of justifying faith, and all
the doctrines essentially connected with these, were
readily received by all with one consent.
"May a holy God, in infinite mercy, continue to
make manifest the glory of his power, and the glory
of his grace in building up Zion; for in no other way
can we rationally hope to see happy individuals, happy families, happy neighborhoods, happy societies,
happy towns, happy states, happy kingdoms, and a
happy world."
From Rev. Alexander Gillett, Torrington, Conn. 1798.
"The first special appearance of the work among
us, was on Wednesday evening, December 26, 1798,
when two lectures were preached by neighboring
ministers, one in the afternoon, and the other in the
evening. The friends of Zion present appeared to
receive a fresh anointing from the Lord, and to be
awakened to a sense of their duty. Some sinners who
had labored heretofore under fears about their spiritual state, were more deeply and thoroughly impressed, and brought to inquire in earnest,'What must we
do to be saved?' Thus the important scene opened,
which has been truly wonderful, and expressive of
divine power and grace.
"The work gradually increased from that time
till May and June ensuing. A goodly number, we
charitably hope, were made the subjects of the convicting and transforming operations of the Spirit of
God. Forty-five have come forward, and been added
to the church: twenty young persons from fourteen
years and upward, nine males, and eleven females.
The proportion of the whole number is seventeen
148 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
males, and twenty-eight females. Thirty more have
expressed a hope that they have been born again.
"It was wonderful to see what pains persons took
to attend lectures and conferences. They would go
through storms, cold, and bad roads, to attend the
meetings. The impression was so great and exten sive, and the work so new and unusual, that for a
time the adversary was confounded. Opposers had
their mouths shut, and stood razing and wondering.
There had been complaints heretofore of irregulari ties and enthusiasm, but this work was marked with
the'still small voice.' When comfort was obtained,
it did not seem to arise from mere impressions on
the imagination, but from such a view of God and
divine things as they never before experienced.
"Previous to the new birth, the subjects of the
work have had clear convictions of the native depravity of their hearts. Some have been sensible of such
shocking feelings as these:'Oh, how I wish there was
no God, heaven, or hell. I would rather be like the
beasts that perish, than be in the hands of such a God
as this!' After they had experienced the great change,
they appeared to themselves to be worse than before.
They would exclaim,'I thought I knew something
of my heart before, but I knew nothing of it. How
can I be a Christian? Can I be a new creature, and
have my heart filled with so many vain thoughts and
strange imaginations?'
"Another conspicuous feature of the work is, that
when God had taken off a distressful burden, they at
first had no suspicions of their hearts being renewed.
They were rather alarmed at the apprehension that
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the Spirit of God had forsaken them. They were
ready to cry out,'I wish I could feel as concerned
for myself as I have done, but I cannot.' While in
this state, they have been asked how the character of
God appeared.  They readily answered,'Great, excellent, glorious; there is none like him. I can't wish
for any other Saviour besides Jesus Christ, or any
other way to be saved but that of the gospel.'
"The doctrines made use of in carrying on this
work, are another distinguishing feature of it. They
are the soul-humbling doctrines of the cross, which
exalt God, and stain all the pride of human glory.
The divine sovereignty, the holiness, extent, and inflexibility of the moral law, human depravity, our
entire dependence on God, the special agency of the
Holy Spirit in conviction and conversion, and mere
grace through Jesus Christ as the Mediator-these
have been kept constantly in view, and proved like
the fire and the hammer that breaketh the flinty rock
in pieces. It has been common for awakened sinners
to think hard of election and unconditional submission, and to struggle for a while against them; but
they were finally brought to a thorough conviction
that these doctrines, which were so terrible to them,
were their only hope."
From Rev. Joshua Williams, Harwinton, Conn. 1799.
"In the latter part of January and the beginning
of February, 1799, our meetings for public worship
were very full and more solemn than I had ever seen
before. On Friday, in the second week of February,
a lecture was preached; the congregation was very
large, and the effects of the word were very visible.
150 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
Another was preached in the evening, and it is believed that on this and the two succeeding days more
than a hundred persons were awakened, and many of
them feelingly convicted of their total depravity
of heart, and absolute helplessness. It is not in my
power to describe the anxiety which appeared in
many. The more they saw of themselves, the more
they were convinced of their desert of endless misery.
Sleep almost fled from their eyes, and when they went
about the necessary concerns of life, their spirits were
loaded with sorrow and distress. Danger appeared
on all sides, and,'What must I do?' was a constant
and earnest inquiry.
"Some were wrought upon very suddenly, and so
as to make it evident that it was not of themselves,
or of man, but of God. From the 14th to the 20th
of April, there were eighteen instances of hopeful
conversion. Several were brought under distressing
conviction at midnight on their beds, and many in
such circumstances that it could not be accounted for
on any principle but the sovereign power and mercy
of God. At this time the labor of preaching was
easy indeed, but to detect the false hope to which
many were prone, was a difficult and critical business.
Never did I feel my own insufficiency so much as at
this period. On the one hand not to wound the
lambs of Christ's flock, and on the other not to encourage unfounded hopes, required the utmost caution and diligence. My. usual practice was, if upon
examination I found marks of a false hope, to tell
the matter plainly. But if there were symptoms
of a well-founded hope, I told them they must prove
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
it to be genuine by their future holy conduct, always
remembering that the heart is deceitful above all
things.  In July, fifty-six were added on one Sabbath
to the church; in September, twenty-four more, and
several others at different times; making the whole
number one hundred."
From Rev. Moses Hallock, Plainfield, Mass., to Rev. Jere             miah Hallock, June 3, 1798.
"I am unwilling to miss the present opportunity
to write to you, especially as the tidings I am about
to convey are so glorious. It has been my favored
lot to see several awakenings, but the present displays of divine power and grace far exceed what I
ever before saw.  At least fifty have been hopefully
born of God here within a few months. And besides these, several persons appear to have obtained
clear and comfortable evidence of their good estate,
who, till these happy days, were in great doubt. The
church seems to be greatly quickened. There are so
many demonstrative proofs that the work is the work
of God, that next to none pretend to gainsay it. I
believe there is not a man in the town that openly
opposes. None have joined the church yet, but twenty-four stand propounded. Several of these appeared
to be Christians before the awakening, but dared not
make a public profession till now. Twenty-two have
told their experience in the meeting-house-seventeen
last Friday, and five today-before a crowded and
solemn assembly.  They will probably be received
on the first Sabbath of July, and sit down with the
church at the Lord's table; and I expect that a number more will offer themselves before that time.I
152 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
"There are two young men whose conviction has
been unusually long and clear, who have received
comfort within these few weeks. At some times they
almost appeared in despair.  I heard one of them say,
with trembling limbs,'Oh the eternity of misery that
is before me!' For a considerable time before they
hopefully submitted to the divine and sovereign will,
they saw and confessed the enmity of their hearts to
God, and how just he would be in sending them to
everlasting punishment. They told me that they felt
most obstinately opposed to the way of life by Jesus
Christ, and were it not that they believed in election
they should be in despair. These two are men of
bright natural parts and considerable reading, and
bid fair to be pillars in the church some future day.
These, with most of the others who have told their
experience, spoke of terrible opposition of heart to
God and clear views of his justice before regeneration, and how captivated and charmed they afterwards were both with the divine justice and mercy.
Let God have all the glory."
From Rev. Asahel Hooker, Goshen, Conn. 1799.
"Sundry persons, whose knowledge of the subject
is correct, have informed me that, previous to my
settlement in this place, there never was any remarkable and extensive revival of religion among the people; and since I came here, almost nine years ago,
things have remained in a most unpromising state
till about the middle of February, 1799. That period
was rendered memorable by the commencement of a
work, the happy fruits of which are still apparent,
and which I trust will be lasting as eternity. From
7*
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
small beginnings it made such progress in a few
weeks as to have arrested general attention, while
great numbers were under the most serious and impressive sense of their forlorn state as sinners. Public worship on the Sabbath and all other meetings
were unusually attended, both as to numbers and seriousness. It was not long before several persons
manifested a hope of having passed from death unto
life. In the month of September, twenty-five persons were admitted to the church; in November, fortyeight; in January, four; making, in the whole, seventyseven. A considerable number remain who exhibit
the usual evidence of a new heart, who have not
made a public profession of their faith. The change
which has been wrought in many, is great and wonderful. It is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our
eyes.
"The following brief statement will enable the
candid and impartial to judge for themselves whether
indeed it is the Lord's work.
"1. Numbers were deeply impressed before they
knew that others were in like circumstances. Often
without the intervention of any means which could be
distinctly recollected, the truth and reality of eternal
things were brought home and fastened upon their
minds with a sort of irresistible and impressive
weight, pointing them to the vast importance of fleeing from the wrath to come.
"2. The first impressions on the minds of those
who were subjects of the work, did not in common
consist chiefly of fears of future punishment.  Their
deepest and most painful impressions arose from con
154 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
victions of sin, by which they were at variance with
themselves, and by which it was awfully realized to
them, that'there is no peace to the wicked.' Those
who became eventually reconciled to the truth, and
found a comfortable hope of their good estate, were
led to such an acquaintance with the plague of their
own hearts as convinced them. that if saved it must
be not by righteousness which they had done or could
do, but'by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.'
"3. It is worthy of particular notice as a distinguishing feature of the work, that the hopeful subjects of its saving effects, notwithstanding their foregoing prejudices and opposition, have come uniformly
and with one consent into the great distinguishing
doctrines of grace. These are the doctrines which
seem to have been specially owned and blessed by the
Holy Spirit, and thence made the wisdom of God to
the salvation of sinners.
"4. A considerable number had been more or less
immoral and irreligious in their visible conduct.
Several who were scoffers at the serious and universal strictness of pure religion, were among the
hopeful subjects of genuine conviction and of saving
mercy. A few who had endeavored to fortify themselves against fears of the wrath to come in the belief
of universal salvation, were convinced that they had
made lies their refuge.
"5. It is not common for those who entertain a
hope for themselves, to be very confident of their title
to salvation.  There are few, if any, but seem at tu iles
to doubt whether their names are written in heaven,
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Whether all those who appear to have set out and to
run well for the present, will hold on their way and
obtain the prize of their high calling, must be finally
known by the event."
From Rev. Ira Hart, Waterbnry, in Middlebury, Conn.
1799, 1800.
This society is but lately formed, and I am the
first settled minister. While, when I came, every
thing else appeared favorable, the spirit and power
of vital piety seemed almost gone. Several cases of
discipline existed in the church, which lay upon the
brethren as a heavy burden.  All saw and acknowledged the evil, and longed to have it removed; but
in the general inactivity and discouragement, nothing
effectual had been done. The church appeared timid,
and some of the enemies of the cross exulted and cast
reproach. But our sinful fears were not realized.
Christ the great Hlead of the church caused the
sweet influences of his grace to break forth when we
expected trouble and disunion.
"Returning home from some places where there
were revivals, I was impressed with the idea that
nothing so effectually kept off the divine blessing as
our neglect of those cases of discipline. The church
were urged to proceed immediately, and were con'
vinced that reformation must begin at the house of
God."
[He goes on to show how this movement was
blessed in bringing the church up from its depression,
and awakening sinners to their danger.]
"This interposition of God," he says, "was too
striking to pass unnoticed. It showed to the church
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
and to all, that the way of duty is the way of safety,
and the way in which divine blessings are usually
obtained. The friends of Zion awoke, and their hearts
and mouths began to be open on the subject of relig ion. Cases of conviction soon occurred in different
parts of the society. Our lectures were seriously and
solemnly attended. The Sabbath was a solemn day.
Professors confessed with tears their shortcomings
in duty. They looked back with grief and wonder
upon themselves, and were melted down with contri tion before God. The aged and the young were
agreed in saying,'It was never so seen in Israel.'
- " As several of the first cases of conviction were
among the youth, some of them were opposed to it, as
calculated to destroy their amusements. One young
man began profanely to ridicule those who were under distress of mind; but as he entered the gallery
on the Sabbath, God met and pierced him with a
sharp arrow of conviction. He stumbled to a seat,
and amid the horrors of a guilty awakened conscience, sat trembling in view of truth and the awful
iniquity of his heart, and soon after testified to the
excellency of that Saviour and that religion which
he before despised. This struck the young people as
an admonition from heaven. They gave up their vain
amusements, crowded to conferences and lectures,-and
a goodly number of them have, as we hope, been turned from darkness to light. It was indeed a glorious
season, which will long be remembered by many as
the time of their espousals to Christ. 
"Considering the importance of a right judgment
of ourselves, and the extreme danger of those who
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
settle down on a false profession, I judged it not
proper to encourage those who had obtained hopes,
to a sudden union with the church. The duty of selfexamination and a comparison of their views and
exercises with God's word were strongly urged, that
they might not come to the gospel feast without a
wedding garment. None were admitted till the summer of 1800, when at different times thirty-five were
received, and six have since been admitted. The
awakening has emibraced persons of almost all ages,
from fifteen to sixty-five. Excepting seventeen young
persons, the rest were mostly young heads of families.
This gives a hopeful prospect that the rising generation will more extensively enjoy the great blessings
of family prayer and religious instruction.
"The sovereignty of God has been eminently displayed in this revival. Not those whom we expected,
but those whom God pleased, were called to repentance. One is taken and another left.
"From what God has done for us, it is thought all
churches may learn the importance and safety of faithfully maintaining the discipline which Christ has established. If it is conducted with the prudence, vigilance, and brotherly love which the cases require,
the blessing of God may be confidently expected.
"One remark more. It was common for those
under serious impressions to have much opposition to
the doctrines of grace, particularly the justice of God
in the eternal punishment of the finally impenitent,
divine sovereignty, and the electing love of God, but
they found no peace till those doctrines were made
the foundation of their hope. When reconciled to
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
him through the merits of his Son, they expressed
great surprise that they had never understood these
plain gospel truths before, or seen their excellency
and beauty."
From Rev. Ebenezer Porter, D. D., Washington, Conn., after    wards Professor in the Theol. Sem., Andover. 1803.
"Though this church had enjoyed a preached gospel with very little interruption since its formation,
a period of sixty-four years, nothing that could properly be termed a revival of religion had ever taken
place till the present. Many families had no altar
for God. Many parents seemed to behold their dear
offspring going in the ways that lead to destruction,
without uttering one warning, or offering one prayer
for their eternal salvation. Out of the church was
to be seen a general carelessness; in it a spirit of deep
slumber, a want of discipline, a want of brotherly
love-a want of every thing almost, but cold, cold profession.
"There was a glimmering hope of better things
for a short time, in the winter of 1801. A weekly
church conference was attended regularly about two
months, when it declined till it entirely ceased. It
seemed as though an offended God was about to seal
us up under a holy rebuke:'Sleep on now, and take
your rest.' That the only hope is the sovereign mercy of God, I had long believed, but had never so
deeply felt before. Means, however, were not to be
neglected.
"Early in the summer of 1802, special meetings
were appointed for the youth. These meetings were
attended every other week, in the form of a theologi
i59 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
cal school. At each meeting, a question in the order
of a system was given, accompanied with an extempore lecture, or with notice that a sermon would be
adapted to the subject on the following Sabbath. At
the meeting succeeding that on which the question
was given, the papers that had been written by the
youth were received and read publicly. These papers
were so received as to have the author of each one
unknown to every other. With the same precaution
they were returned. These meetings succeeded, to
my joy and astonishment. They substituted solid
improvement for the ordinary levities of young people. They excited a relish for profitable conversation, reading, and reflection; they furnished the mind
with useful ideas, rendered the more permanent by
the labor of acquiring them; and what is more and
most important of all, they opened an avenue for the
solemn influence of truth, by a divine blessing, to
reach the conscience and the heart. A respectable
number usually attended on these occasions, and twelve
or fifteen wrote on the same question. It was surprising to witness the progress made by them, not
only in correct writing, but in doctrinal knowledge.
"Near the close of the summer of 1803, several
persons became seriously impressed. Weekly conferences were revived. During the winter, the operations of the divine Spirit were discernible in every
part of the society. The church, which had appeared
to languish as with a wasting hectic, put on the aspect
of returning health. Through the next spring and
summer, though thirteen had been added to the church,
we were still between hope and fear. God's people
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
longed for, rather than expected a revival.   They
scarcely dared to believe that the day had indeed
dawned which was to'succeed a night of more than
sixty years. But in the autumn, the Sun of righteousness arose upon us with healing in his wings. As in
the valley of Ezekiel's vision, there was a great shaking. Dry bones, animated by the breath of the Almighty, stood up new-born believers. The children
of Zion beheld with overflowing hearts, and with
thankful tongues acknowledged,'This is the finger
of God.' The work was stamped conspicuously with
the impress of its divine author, and its joyful effects
evinced no other than the agency of Omnipotence. So
manifestly was it the work of God, that opposition,
however it might have rankled in the bosoms of individuals, was awed into silence. Many old professors,
amidst the majesty and glory of the scene, seemed
unable to contain, and equally unable to express the
wonder and joy of their hearts. During a winter
unusually severe, nothing could surpass the resolution
with which numbers attended, to be instructed in the
way of salvation. From the extremity of the season,
apprehensions were entertained for persons of delicate constitutions; but the people were seldom or
never more healthy.
"As the first-fruit of this precious and memorable
season, fifty-four persons have been added to the
church, none of whom, blessed be God, have been left
to discredit their holy profession.
"It would be more important to delineate particularly the nature and fruits of this work, did it not
bear so strong an affinity in these respects to the
.161 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
revivals already described. Without' an exception,
its special subjects were calm in their exercises, and
embraced that system of religious sentiments commonly acknowledged and received in our churches.
"From the commencement of this work to its visible decline was more than eighteen months, and meetings, though frequent, seemed not at all to interfere
with necessary temporal avocations. An increased
industry could easily redeem the time devoted to this
purpose from unprofitable or foolish pursuits.
"Before this revival more than ordinary attention
had been paid to the rising generation, and of the
number added to the church about three-fourths had
sprung from professing parents.  Besides the meetings of the young people, the church as a church has
appointed a catechizing committee to teach the children.  These catechizings have since been regularly
attended during the summer season between the services on every other Sabbath.
"While infidelity is searching out every avenue
for infusing its deadly poison into the minds of the
young, is it not a matter of surprise that their religious instruction should not have had more share in
the thoughts, the conversation, and the prayers of
God's people? Do not the signs of the times summon
ministers and Christians generally to exertions more
united, and more correspondent with an object of
such acknowledged and immense importance?"
From Judge Reeve of Litchfield, Conn., to Judge Boudinot
of Newark, New Jersey.
"In the astonishing scene that has been passing
at Litchfield, there has been a great diversity in such
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
as were awakened to a serious concern as to their
immortal interests, and at length have obtained a
hope that they have passed from death to life. All
had a sensible conviction of the depravity of their
hearts, and saw that this depravity was odious and
criminal, for which they deserved to experience the
penalties of a righteous law, which they had broken
in innumerable instances, and all agreed in choosing
to be in She hands of God; but there was a wide
difference in the degree of distress which took place
previous to experiencing that submission of will to
God which all felt. While some felt a violent opposition of heart to the law and government of a holy
God, it was scarcely perceivable in others. Some
were in distress but a few days before they received
relief, while others remained in sorrow for many
months. Instances of sudden transition from deep
distress to great joy, were comparatively few. In
most cases the subjects of this work who eventually
obtained hope of their good estate, after having felt
great anxiety of mind, and a deep sense of the odiousness of their character in the sight of God, and a
thorough conviction that it would be just in him 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 greatly
increased, they no longer felt any opposition to the
character of God, but on the contrary, it appeared to
them glorious because he was a sin-hating God, while
163 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
at this time they had no apprehension that their
hearts were changed; and while their Christian
friends entertained the strongest hopes that they
were new creatures, they left them to their own reflections without informing them of their opinion concerning them. When they began to hope, it was with
much trembling, and they gradually advanced to a
steady comfortable hope with great caution and much
self-examihation. This has been the most usual method, though there have been some remarkable instances
of persons passing from the most pungent distress to
the most elevated joys, and I have never heard of a
case where confidence has arisen through the medium
of dreams, visions, or texts of Scripture coming suddenly into their minds."
Reply of Judge Boudinot to Judge Reeve.
"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 revival of religion among us, and
about a hundred and thirty were added to the church.
After that had declined we were rather in a dull
state, which in August last was very low. The administration of the Lord's supper was to take place
on the first Sabbath of September. On the Sabbath
preceding, it was recommended to the church to keep
the Friday on which the preparatory lecture was to
be preached as a day of humiliation, fasting, and
prayer that God would pour out his Spirit and revive
his work. If ever the verity of the words of sacred
writ,'Before they call I will answer, and while they
164 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
are yet speaking I will hear,' was proved, it was in
this instance. The meeting was unusually full, the
Sabbath was peculiarly solemn. On Monday, our
worthy pastor went out in the morning to visit in the
neighborhood, without the least suspicion that any
thing more than common had taken place, when, to
his astonishment, in every house into which he entered, the family appeared like Cornelius of old, ready
to receive the words of truth, and soon melted into
tears. The flame at once caught the hearts of the
truly pious among us. The next Sabbath morning
a number agreed to form a society to meet at nine
o'clock, and spend an hour previous to going to
church in prayer to God, for his blessing on the
word.  They styled themselves the Aaron and Hur
Society, as supporting the hands of their minister.
It was not long before the blessed work pervaded
every part of the congregation. No age was exempted. We have had instances of persons between
sixty and eighty, some of whom had led what they
called moral lives, and trusted they were going to
heaven, who were brought to see that instead of being'rich and increased in goods, and having need of
nothing,' they were' wretched and miserable and poor
and blind and naked.' Others who had never troubled themselves about any of these things, were made
to cry out in the bitterness of their spirit,'What
shall we do to be saved?'
"The operations of the divine Spirit have been as
variable as with you. Take your own description,
and you have ours correctly."
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Rev. Dr. Baldwin, Boston, and Rev. Messrs. Ledoyt and
Seamans, New Hampshire. 1790-1803.
About the time that Dr. Baldwin commenced his
labors in the Second Baptist church, Boston, in 1790,
"a revival began in which not far from seventy were
added to his church, and about the same number to
the First church. Another revival began in 1803,
and continued more than two years, in which about
two hundred were brought into his church, and about
two hundred also into the First church.
The Rev. Mr. Ledoyt of Newport, N.H., wrote,
in 1793, "It has been a long, dark, and cloudy night
with me and the people here; but, glory to our God,
the cloud is dispersing fast. Hlis work is begun
among us. Newport and Croydon are greatly blessed.
I have baptized twenty-nine in four weeks. The work
appears to be going on."
In 1792, a work began in New London, N.H.,
of which Rev. Mr. Seamans wrote, "This town consists of about fifty families, and I hope that between
forty and fifty souls have been translated out of darkness into God's marvellous light, besides a number in
Sutton and Fishersfield who congregate with us. Fifteen have joined the church, and I expect that a number more will come forward in a short time. We
have lectures or conferences almost every day or
evening in the week. Our very children meet together to converse and pray with each other. Some
things in this work have exceeded every thing I ever
saw before.   Convictions have usually been very
clear and powerful, so that industrious men and
women have had neither inclination nor strength to
166 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
follow their business as usual. And they freely
acknowledge the justice and sovereignty of God.
They also have desires beyond what I have ever
before known for the universal outpouring of the
Holy Spirit."
"This work continued, and the next year the
church, which, at its commencement, consisted of only
eighteen members, had increased to a hundred and
fifteen. Some of all ages; from seventy down to eight
years old, had been brought in; and what was remarkable, there were at that time in this church,
thirty-seven men and their wives."
From Rev. Dr. Wood, Boscawen, N. H., to Rev. Dr. 3ustin
Edwards.
"When I entered on my ministry in this town, in
1781, the church consisted of but twenty members in
all, and the state of religion around wore a very
gloomy aspect. A revival of religion had hardly
been known. In consequence of our first revival, in
1782, which added to the church between thirty and
forty heads of families, I was  abundantly called
upon to labor in the neighboring towns; and as the
doctrines of grace had been but little inculcated, the
churches were in a very low and formal state. In a
number of instances I witnessed a change in sentiment, and a revival of the spirit of religion, which
the work that the Lord had wrought among my people served greatly to strengthen and increase, till
nearly the whole vicinity became revolutionized.
"When I entered on the ministry, I reflected with
myself that if I should labor all my days, and be instrumental of the salvation of one soul, that would be
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
more than an ample reward. But now I may say,
that goodness and mercy have attended me. Since
I came here we have been favored with seven or
eight seasons of the special outpouring of the Spirit;
the two first and the two last were very powerful.
Since my settlement about four hundred and thirty
have been added to the church, and I should suppose
that three hundred of those have been or now are
heads of families."
Dr. Wood, in a small inland congregation, fitted
for college nearly one hundred students, thirty-seven
of whom, in 1823, had entered the ministry, and
others were studying in preparation. About thirty
obtained a hope in Christ while residing in his family, and a number who there received religious impressions, afterwards joined themselves to the people
of God.
From Rev. Jesse Edson, Halifax, Vermont, August, 1802.
"The first appearances of the revival began in the
church; professors seemed to awake from their stupidity and coldness. The spirit of prayer was poured
out upon them, and from this time there began to be
a visible shaking among the dry bones, and a few
individuals were raised to spiritual life. The Holy
Spirit seemed to come down like a rushing, mighty
wind, to melt the souls of God's children, to cause
sinners to tremble, stubborn wills to bow, and hard
hearts to relent. Numbers flocked to Christ as a
cloud, and as doves to their windows. Fifteen were
received the next communion, twenty-one the communion following; about sixty, in the whole. They were
of different ages from above fifty down to fifteen years.
168 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
"The work was remarkably free from enthusiasm
and disorder, and accompanied with a great sense of
the evil of sin. The subjects of the work were led
to see themselves destitute of any righteousness of
their own to recommend them to God; that they
were totally depraved, deserving nothing from God
but everlasting misery, and entirely dependent on
sovereign grace to pluck them as brands from the
burning. The doctrines to which some of them had
been particularly opposed, became sweet and ravishing doctrines.
"One instance somewhat singular, may be worthy
of note. There was a respectable man who remained
an attentive observer till near the close of the awakening, without any particular operation on his own
mind. Going one day out of town, on a law-suit, it
turned in his mind that the Bible was the best law
book, the eternal rule of right between man and man.
The same thought occurred to his mind frequently
when going home, and when he retired for the night;
but it gave him no particular alarm. When he awaked before day, the same impression was running in
his mind,'The Bible is the best law book.' He rose,
made a fire, and while he sat meditating upon this
impression, all at once his soul was filled with rapture,
and ere he was aware, he was'like the chariots of Amminadib.' He beheld such glory and beauty in the divine character as he could not describe, and his mouth
was immediately filled with praise. He set up family
duties, and continued in this sweet and comfortable
frame of mind for a considerable time, without thinking of its being a change of heart; but finding his
Rev. Sketches         8
169 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
soul filled with love to God, drawn forth with peculiar affection towards the brethren, and the most earnest desire for the salvation of souls and a delight in
the duties of religion, he was led to hope he had become a new man, and was admitted to the church,
where he has adorned his profession.
"Another was the case of a woman who was a
violent opposer in a former awakening; tried to hinder her husband, who was then a sharer, from coming forward; opposed him in family duties, and made
his life exceedingly uncomfortable. She showed the
utmost spite against all who appeared engaged in the
work, and would rage as if she wanted means to vent
her malice. She would not attend meeting, nor read
the Bible, nor any good book.  But God in his infinite mercy arrested her. For several months she
was under the most pungent convictions. All her
wickedness, bitterness, enmity, and rage, appeared to
her to be pointed directly against God. The pains of
hell gat hold upon her, and she was ready to give
up in despair. In this extremity God met her, and
brought her into the glorious liberty of the gospel,
giving her to taste the sweets of redeeming love.
She found peace and comfort; happiness was restored
to the family, and joy and gladness revived in the
hearts of God's children."
From a letter dated Rutland, Vermont. Feb., 1803.
"The Lord is making surprising manifestations of
his love and power among us, in subduing the hearts
of sinners to the sceptre of Jesus. It is such a time
as I never saw before. We have conferences almost
every evening in one part of the parish or another.
1'70 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
There are no outcries, but it seems like'the still
small voice.' Sometimes the work seems as if it
would carry all before it. Opposition has been made
in various ways, but has been totally,in vain.
"In Pittsford, the town north of this, a similar
work began about six months ag9, since which time
about one hundred have made public profession of
religion.
"Thus, after eighteen years of deadness and darkness, we have really a time of refreshing; for when
the Lord builds up Zion, he appears in his glory."
From Rev. John B. Preston, Rupert, Yt., July, 1804.
"I have been settled in the ministry here between
six and seven years, and till within a few months
past, have habitually felt that my labors were in
vain, and that my strength was spent for naught.
From year to year religion was declining, the church
was decreasing in numbers and graces, and iniquity
abounded. A little more than a year ago, the darkness reached its height, and appeared scarcely to
admit the smallest beam of hope.
"In this hour of extremity, a small number of the
few remaining professors agreed to meet once a week
for social prayer. At first the number was very
small, sometimes not more than two or three; but
they appeared strong in the faith, and fervent in
prayer, the Spirit helping their infirmities with groanings which could not be uttered. The meetings became increasingly solemn, so that in September, the
number of religious conferences, or rather prayermeetings, in different parts of the society were multiplied to four in a week. A day of fasting and prayer
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
was observed about this time, and attended with a
special degree of solemnity.
"But nothing very special occurred till some time
in November, when on a sudden the Spirit of the
Lord appeared to come down upon us like'a rushing
mighty wind.'  Almost the whole society seemed to
be shaken at once.  Scarce a family could be found
in which there were not some inquiring what they
should do to be saved. Our prayer-meetings were
crowded, and solemn to an amazing degree. No
emotions more violent than shedding of tears, and no
appearance of wildness and disorder occurred. Nothing appeared but a silent, fixed attention, and profound solemnity, the most resembling my idea of the
day of judgment of any scene I ever witnessed. Infidelity retired, or was overcome by the bright manifestations of divine power and grace. Several who
hadibeen hardened in loose principles, were made to
believe and tremble. One who for a number of years
had been trusting to the delusive scheme of Universalism, was constrained to say,'I know that there is
one sinner who deserves eternal punishment. No
man can ever have that sight of his sins and sense
of his guilt which God has given me, and remain a
Universalist.'
"It is impossible fully to describe the amazing
change that took place among us within a few weeks,
and even a few days. It was glorious to'stand still
and see the salvation of God.' The solemnity continued and increased till about the middle of February. The youth have hopefully shared very largely in
the blessings that have fallen upon us. Thirty-five
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
young men and women, the most of whom but one
year ago were wholly devoted to sinful amusements,
now sit with us around the table of the Lord.  The
whole number of additions to the church since the
work began, is' eighty-four. Since it commenced, we
have observed not less than six days of public fasting
and prayer, which the Lord has manifestly crowned
with great success in carrying on his work among us.
"The truths which have been most evidently blessed in this revival, have been the divine holiness and
sovereignty, the grace of the gospel, and the sinner's
total depravity and dependence. And those who
have obtained a hope that they were the subjects of
divine grace, have almost without exception appeared
fully, understandingly, and cordially to assent to all
those humbling doctrines of the Bible.
"Within little more than a year, the Spirit has
also been wonderfully poured out upon a number of
towns, and about a thousand have been added to the
churches of Christ in Bennington'and Rutland counties. Bennington, Sandgate, Rupert, Dorset, Tinmouth,
Rutland, Brandon, Pittsford, Benson, and Orwell, have
shared the most largely in this shower of divine
grace. Not less than fifty have been added to the
church in each of these towns, and in several, more
than a hundred. Most of the other towns have shared
in some degree.
"In the county of Addison, several towns have
likewise been favored with some droppings from the
same cloud. In Bridport, Addison, and Weybridge,
there have been considerable additions. In Hlebron,
there has been a great awakening the winter past,
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REVIYAL SKETCHIES.
and the work now appears spreading around them.
No minister was ever settled there, nor church formed, and the gospel but seldom preached. But the
Lord has been pleased to pass over to their help, and
to work among them for his great name's sake.
"Should not the friends of Zion be strong, and rejoice in the Lord? From the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south, are heard songs,
even glory to the righteous. The voice of the Bridegroom is heard in our land. The foolish and the
righteous are awakening from their long slumbers.
When the enemy came in like a flood, then the Lord
lifted up a standard against him. Let saints rejoice
in their King: let Zion arise and shine, for her light
has come. The Lord is gathering in his elect from
the four corners of the earth. Woe to the inhabitants thereof, who shall survive this day of the powerful manifestations of divine grace, and be found
among the incorrigible number whom the Lord will
destroy with the brightness of his coming."
From Rev. Dr. Proudfit, of the Associate Reformed church,
Salem, N. Y., to Rev. Dr. Sprague. 1796-1802.
"We have uniformly been in the habit of dispensing the ordinance of the Supper four times in the year,
and so far as I recollect, have never had a sacramental occasion without some accession to our numbers.
But during this long period we have enjoyed, at different intervals, what would now be pronounced'a
revival of religion.' The refreshing influences of
divine grace descended silently and softly upon the
heritage of the Lord, like the showers of spring after
the dreariness and barrenness of winter. A genial
174 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
warmth appeared to pervade the whole church, to
the joy of the generation of the righteous, and at the
same time, multitudes were added to the Lord by an
external profession of his name.
"One of these occasions occurred in the year 1796,
when a very unusual influence apparently accompanied the outward dispensation of the word, sealing it
upon the souls both of sinners and saints. A similar
season occurred about six years afterwards; and another and still more memorable visitation of the Spirit was enjoyed in the year 1815.
"During all these seasons of enlargement to myself, and of spiritual joy to the children of adoption
under my immediate care, and of the'espousals of
others to Jesus as their husband,' no extra efforts
were used, no brethren from other towns were called
in to our aid, but the work advanced silently and regularly, promoted exclusively under the divine blessing by the ordinary administration of ordinances,
private and public. Yet, during the whole course of
my ministry, I have never been favored with seasons
more delightful in their recollection-none the results
of which I anticipate with more joy on that day when
the final account of my stewardship will be required."
From Rev. Dr. Thomas De Witt, New York.
"The portion of the church of Christ with which
I am connected, (the Reformed Dutch church in America,) has at different times, in several parts, been favored with gracious seasons of revival. At the time
of Whitefield's first labors in America, there was already existing a powerful extended, and well-marked
work of grace, under the ministry of the Rev. Theo
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
dore J. Frelinghuysen, in the neighborhood of Somerville and New Brunswick, N. J. The blessed fruits
of this work were widely spread in those parts, endured through the following generations, and may
yet be clearly traced at the present time. Subsequently the ministries of Dr. Laidlie at New York,
and Dr. Westerlo at Albany, tended greatly to elevate the tone of evangelical sentiment and piety in
our churches, and were greatly blessed in the conversion of sinners. The ministry of the late Dr. John
H. Livingston (from 1770 to 1810) is well remembered as most richly evangelical, and clothed with a holy
unction, while the dew of heaven was upon it in success. At one time for several years subsequent to
the revolutionary war, while alone in the field of his
labor, the continued dropping from on high was on
his ministrations, and numerous accessions were made
from time to time of such as afterwards exhibited the
character of enlightened,,experimental, fruitful piety.
Without referring to their ministries, it may be remarked that these were the very men most distinguished among us for their clear, discriminating exhibition of divine truth, their strict adherence to the
order of the gospel, their influence upon the general
welfare of the church, and their wisdom, zeal, and
fidelity in the work of the ministry."
From Rev. Dr. John M. Mason, New York, to Rev. William
Stoddart, of Amsterdam.
Dr. Mason was installed in 1793, and after eight
or ten years of ministerial labor, wrote to his friend
and class-mate, "My gracious Lord has not disowned
my feeble labors. This man and that have been
176 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
born in our Zion. The congregation was comparatively small when it came into my hands, containing
not quite two hundred persons who had been admitted to sacramental privileges.  During my ministry
about six hundred have been added; and the increase,
I trust, owes nothing to soothing doctrines, or to
remissness of discipline. Had we chosen to open the
door to the merely civil and moral, our number would
have been much greater. But I wish to see Christians in the churches. The world and the church can
never unite. If we make the foolish attempt, there
will be a conflict, and either the one or the other
will be prostrated."
Of Dr. Mason's labors the late Isabella Graham
wrote, in 1793, "Our young Timothy is a champion
for the gospel of Jesus. The Lord has well girded
him and largely endowed him. He walks closely
with God, and speaks and preaches like a Christian
of long experience. He was ordained and installed
about two months ago in his father's church.  O for
a thankful heart! The Lord has done wonders for
me and mine; and blessed be his name, that ip a
remarkable manner he hedged me in to become a
member of this congregation, where I am led and fed
with the same truths which nourished my soul in
Zion's gates at Edinburgh; and I am helped to sing
the Lord's song in a strange land."
From Rev. Dr. Milledoler, President of Rutgers College,
New Brunswick, N. J. 1800-1812.
"Those who are born again are said, in the sacred
Scriptures, to be'born of the Spirit,' and'times of
refreshing' are everywhere attributed to Him as their
8*
1~7 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
author. It is strange that the reality of revivals
should be called in question by those who read the
Bible, are acquainted with church history, or have
any knowledge whatever of the ordinary or extraordinary operations of the Spirit of God upon the soul.
"I have witnessed two revivals during my own
ministry. The first occurred between the years 1800
and 1805, while I was officiating as pastor of the Pinestreet church, Philadelphia. The second between the
years 1807 and 1812, while officiating as pastor of
the Rutgers-street church, New York. The former
continued more than eighteen months; the latter three
years. Both occurred under the regular administration of the word and sacraments. Large additions
were made during their continuance to the communion of those churches. The church in Rutgers-street
grew in a few years from somewhere about eighty to
upwards of seven hundred communicating members.
This work was connected with no extra means, except
an additional weekly lecture or prayer-meeting. It
was attended with no extravagant demonstrations of
any description whatever, but with much apparent
humility, with Christian affection, and there is reason
to believe, also, with much searching of heart, and of
the holy Scriptures. Of those admitted to full communion at that time, few, if any, are known to have
apostatized. I do not myself recollect a single instance of apostasy."
From Rev. Dr. Griffin, in Newark, New-Jersey, to Rev. Dr.
Ashbel Green, Philadelphia.
"About the first of December, 1806, we were encouraged with some symptoms of revival of religion
178 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
in this village, but they quickly disappeared; and in
March, 1807, they were renewed, but again passed
off. The death of Dr. McWhorter in July made a
great impression on the congregation, which was deepened in the month of August through the instrumentality of the Rev. Gideon Blackburn, who preached
several times here with great zeal and energy. The
leaven was secretly and increasingly working nine
months before it became evident. At a time when
every thing appeared to be still around us, secret
anxieties were preying upon a number of persons,
which so far from being the effect of sympathy, were
known only to God and themselves. In this posture
things remained for about a fortnight. To a few, it
was an hour of awfil suspense. But in some of the
last days of August, it became apparent that the desire for a revival was rapidly spreading in the church.
"As our sacramental Sabbath was approaching,
this church, in connection with two neighboring
churches, agreed to set apart the Friday preceding
the communion, for fasting and prayer, chiefly to make
supplication for the effusions of the Holy Spirit. The
day, which was spent in prayer, singing, and short
addresses to the people, was marked with unusual
stillness, accompanied with pleasing appearances of
humility, earnestness, and a sense of entire dependence. On the following Sabbath, a number of persons assembled at nine o'clock in the morning, to
spend an hour in prayer for their minister, and for
the blessing of God on the exercises of the day. This
has become the stated practice ofalmost all the praying people of the congregation. Those who attended
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
this first meeting unexpectedly found themselves animated with desires unfelt before, that God would
that very day bring out his perfections to the view
of the communicants, and this he did to a degree that
had seldom or never been seen before. On the evening of the following Monday, at a lecture preached
in a private house, evidence of the extraordinary
presence of God, and the actual commencement of a
revival of religion, was felt perhaps by every person
present. During that, and the following week, increasing symptoms of a most powerful influence were
discovered. The appearance was as if a collection
of waters long suspended over the town had fallen
at once, and deluged the whole place.  For several
weeks the people would stay, at the close of every
evening service, to hear some new exhortation. At
those seasons, you might see a multitude weeping
and trembling around their minister, and many others
standing as astonished spectators of the scene, and
beginning to tremble themselves. One Sabbath after
the second service, when I had catechized and dismissed the little children, they gathered around me
weeping and inquiring what they should do.  I know
not but a hundred were in tears at once. The scene
was as affecting as it was unexpected.
"Early in September many private associations
for prayer were formed, and I never witnessed the
communication of so earnest a spirit of prayer, and
so general, nor observed such evident and remarkable answers to prayer. The agonies of parents have
been such as to drive sleep from their eyes, and for
weeks together have been seemingly as great as their
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
nature could well sustain. And these parents, in
every case that has come within my knowledge, have
each several children who are already numbered
among the hopeful converts. Many professors have
been severely tried, and not a few have for a time
given themselves over for lost."
"This work, in point of power and stillness, ex ceeds all that I have ever seen. While it bears down
every thing with irresistible force, and seems almost
to dispense with human instrumentality, it moves
with so much silence, that unless we attentively observe its effects, we are tempted at times to doubt
whether any thing uncommon is taking place. The
converts are strongly marked with humility and selfdistrust. Instead of being elated with confident hopes,
they are inclined to tremble, and almost all are born
into the distinguishing doctrines of grace.
"I suppose there are from two hundred and thirty to two hundred and fifty who hope they have been
born again, and many still remain under solemn impressions. The subjects of this work are of all ages,
from nine years old to more than threescore and ten,
and of all characters, including drunkards, apostates,
infidels, and those who were lately malignant opposers, and of all conditions, including poor negroes, and
many of them hoary with age. While we gaze with
wonder and delight at these glorious triumphs of the
Prince of peace, and weep for joy to hear babes and
sucklings sing hosannas to the Son of David, we cannot but join in the general response, and cry,'Blessed
is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna
in the highest."'
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
In a letter of 1832, appended to Dr. Sprague's
Lectures on Revivals, Dr. Griffin, giving a summary
view of the revivals in which he had labored, says,
"The first of June, 1809, -I was removed by the providence of God, and by the advice of my brethren, to
the Theological Seminary at Andover, and to a connection with the infant church in Park-street, Boston,
as a stated preacher. The house in Park-street not
being finished, and the Rev. Mr. French of Andover
dying that summer, I took the pulpit, and supplied
it till winter, for the benefit of the family. It pleased
God to pour out his Spirit. A revival of very considerable extent ensued, calculated to fit that atmosphere to be breathed by the sons of the prophets."
Revival in Hampden Sydney College, Virginia. 1787, 1788.
The Rev. Dr. William Hill of Winchester, Virginia, on a public occasion gave the following history:
"I lost my sainted mother when I was a youth, but
not before the instructions which I received from her
beloved lips had made a deep impression on my mind,
an impression which I carried with me into a college,
Hampden Sydney, Prince Edward county, where there
was then not one pious student.  There I often reflected, when surrounded with young men who scoffed at
religion, upon the instructions of my mother; and my
conscience was frequently sore distressed. I had no
Bible, and dreaded getting one, lest it should be found
in my possession. At last I could stand it no longer,
and therefore requested a particular friend, a youth
whose parents lived near, and who often went home,
to ask his pious and excellent mother to send me
some religious book. She sent me Alleine's Alarm,
182 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
an old black book. which looked as if it might have
been handled by successive generations for one hun dred years.
"When I got it I locked my room, and lay on my
bed reading it, when a student knocked at the door.
And although I gave him no answer, dreading to be
found reading such a book, he continued to knock
and beat the door until I had to open it. He came
in, and seeing the book lying on the bed, he seized it,
and examining its title, said,'Why, Hill, do you read
such books?' I hesitated, but God enabled me to be
decided, and to answer him boldly, but with much
emotion,'Yes, I do.' The young man said, with deep
agitation,'Oh, Hill, I envy you.  You may obtain
religion, but I never can. I came here a professor
of religion, but through fear I dissembled, and have
been carried along with the wicked until I fear there
is no hope for me.'
"He told me there were two others who, he believed, were somewhat serious. We agreed to take
up the subject of religion in earnest, and seek it
together. We invited the other two, and held a
prayer-meeting in my room on the next Saturday
afternoon. And Oh, what a prayer-meeting! We
tried to pray, but such prayer I never heard the like
of. We knew not how to pray, but tried to do it.
It was the first prayer-meeting I had ever heard of.
We tried to sing, but it was in a most suppressed
manner, for we feared the other students. But they
found it out, and gathered round the door, and made
such a noise that some of the officers had to come and
disperse them. And so serious was the disturbance
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
that the president, the late excellent Rev. Dr. John
Blair Smith, had to investigate the matter at prayers,
that evening, in the prayer hall. When he demanded
the reason of the riot, a ringleader in wickedness got
up and stated, that it was occasioned by three or four
of the boys holding a prayer-meeting, and they were
determined to have no such doings there.
"The good president heard the statement with
deep emotion, and looking at the youths charged
with the sin of praying, with tears in his eyes he said,
'Oh, is there such a state of things in this college?
Then God has come near to us. My dear young
friends, you shall be protected. You shall hold your
next meeting in my parlor, and I will be one of your
number.' Sure enough we had our next meeting in
his parlor, and half the college were there. And
there began a glorious revival of religion, which
pervaded the college, and spread into the country
around.
"Many of those students became ministers of the
gospel. The youth who brought me Alleine's Alarm
from his mother, was my friend the Rev. William
Calhoun, still preaching in this state; and he who
interrupted me in reading the work, is my venerable
and worthy friend the Rev. Dr. Blythe, now president
of a college in Indiana. Another was Rev. Clement
Reed of this state; and a fifth, the late Rev. Carey
I. Allen of Kentucky."
This revival included among its subjects half of
the students in the college. It extended into neighboring churches, and then into those more remote,
and was more extensive and powerful than had been
184 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
experienced in Virginia since the days of President
Davies, who died in 1761. Dr. Smith, the president
of Hampden Sydney, was greatly quickened. "Two
hundred and twenty persons, chiefly young people,
were added to the churches to which he ministered
within eighteen months; and the revival extended
over Prince Edward, Cumberland, Charlotte, and
Bedford counties, and to the Peaks of Otter," in the
Blue Ridge.
Dr. Archibald Alexander in Central Virginia. 1789, 1790.
The history of Dr. Alexander's early life in the
valley of Virginia, shows how great was the moral
dearth there prevailing in the latter part of the last
century, and illustrates the grace of God in raising
up laborers to fulfil his own purposes of mercy.
Though descended from a worthy Scotch Presbyterian ancestry, he says of himself at the age of seventeen, in 1789, "My only notion of religion was, that
it consisted in becoming better. I had never heard
of any conversions among Presbyterians....  The
state of morals and religion after the revolutionary
war was very bad." He engaged that year as a tutor
in the family of General Posey, of which a venerated
and pious Baptist lady was an inmate, who proved to
him an invaluable friend. She loved the writings of
Flavel, and as her eyes were weak, she often sent for
him to read to her. - Her conversation and this reading with other influences called his attention to religion, and Soame Jenyus on the Internal Evidences
banished the prevalent French Infidelity which was
assailing him. He proceeds to say:
"My services as a'eader were frequently in requi
185 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
sition, not only to save the eyes of old Mrs. Tyler, but
on Sundays for the benefit of the whole family. On
one of these Sabbath evenings, I was requested to
read out of Flavel. The part on which I had been
regularly engaged was the'Method of Grace,' but
now, by some means, I was led to select one of the
sermons on Rev. 3:20,'Behold, I stand at the door
and knock,' etc. The discourse was upon the patience, forbearance, and kindness of the Lord Jesus
Christ to impenitent and obstinate sinners. As I
proceeded to read aloud, the truth took effect on my
feelings, and every word I read seemed applicable to
my own case. Before I finished the discourse, these
emotions became too strong for restraint, and my
voice began to falter. I laid down the book, rose
hastily, and went out with a full heart, and hastened
to my place of retirement. No sooner had I reached
the spot than I dropped upon my knees, and attempted to pour out my feelings in prayer, but I had not
continued many minutes in this exercise before I was
overwhelmed with a flood of joy. I was filled with
a sense of the goodness and mercy of God." He
passed through many fears, doubts, and conflicts before he was satisfied of his good estate, but in his
later years he regarded this as the period of his conversion to Christ.
Hearing of the great revival above noticed in the
neighborhood of Prince Edward, east of the Blue
Ridge, he accompanied some of his fellow-students
and their revered instructor Rev. William Graham,
rector of Liberty Hall at Lexington, Rockbridge
county, to the scene of wonders, where he passed
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
some days; attended a communion-season at which
multitudes were present, heard Dr. John Blair Smith
and others preach, saw William Hill and others of
the recent converts, and on their return "a revival
of great power commenced, which extended to almost
every Presbyterian church in the valley of Virginia."
He, with several other young men, fruits of that revival, entered on study for the ministry; he was licensed to preach, October, 1791, and devoted himself to
labors in the destitute and frontier settlements of Virginia and North Carolina. A private record of texts
and places shows that, in the first fifteen months
of his ministry, he preached one hundred and fiftytwo sermons, and he says, "I never thought of any
compensation for what I did." His subsequent labors
and influence, especially in founding the Theological
seminary in Princeton, and for nearly forty years
diffusing a missionary and revival spirit among the
hundreds of its members, are well known.
From a letter of Rev. Dr. Furman of Charleston, S. C., to
Rev. Dr. Rippon of London, August, 1802.
Dr. Furman gives a particular account of a large
union meeting held by Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, and others at the Waxhaws, about one hundred
and seventy miles from Charleston, at which he estimated that three or four thousand were present, and
about twenty ministers.
"The services," he says, "were conducted with
much solemnity. Many seemed to be seriously concerned for the salvation of their souls, and the preaching and exhortation of the ministers in general were
well calculated to make right impressions. Deep
18T 
REVIYAL SKETCHES.
conviction for sin, and apprehension of the wrath of
God were manifested at first, and several afterwards
appeared to have a joyful sense of pardoning mercy
through a Redeemer.
"A very considerable number had gone seventy
or eighty miles from the lower parts of this state to
attend this meeting, and since their return an extraordinary revival has taken place in the congregations
to which they belong. It has spread also across the
upper parts of this state. Taking it for granted that
you have seen the publication entitled,'Surprising
Accounts,' by Woodward of Philadelphia, containing
the accounts of revivals in Kentucky, Tennessee, and
North Carolina, I therefore say nothing of them, but
only that the work in North Carolina increases
greatly."
Other accounts from all the states here named
show the marvellous displays of divine grace. In the
Kioka church, Georg,ia, in 1787, under the labors of
Mr. Marshall, one hundred souls were brought in, and
"a remarkable ingathering" in that church is recorded about 1802, "the- time of the great revival which
prevailed in many parts of Georgia."
Revivals in Western Pennsylvania. 1778-1805.
The aged Rev. Joseph Stevenson, who entered on
his pastoral labors about fifty years since in Western
Pennsylvania, writes:
"It may almost be said that the Presbyterian
church in Western Pennsylvania was born in a revival. In 1778, Vance's fort, into which the families
living adjacent had been driven by the Indians, was
the scene of a remarkable work. There was but one
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
pious man in the fort, Joseph Patterson, a layman,
an earnest and devoted Christian, whose zeal had
not waned even amid the storm and terrors of war;
and during the long days and nights of their besiege ment, he talked with his careless associates of an
enemy more to be dreaded than the Indian, and a
death more terrible than by the scalping-knife. As
they were shut up within very narrow limits, his voice,
though directed to one or two, could easily be heard
by the whole company, and thus his personal exhortations became public addresses. Deep seriousness filled every breast, and some twenty persons were there
led to Christ. These were a short time subsequently
formed into the Cross Creek church, which built its
house of worship near the fort, and had as its pastor
for thirty-three years one of these converts, the Rev.
Thomas Marques.
"From 1781 to 1787, a more extensive work of
grace was experienced in the churches of Cross Creek,
Upper Buffalo, Chartiers, Pigeon Creek, Bethel, Lebanon, Ten Mile, Cross Roads, and Mill Creek, during which more than a thousand persons were brought
into the kingdom of Christ. Considering the unsettled state of the public mind at the close of the Revolutionary war, the constant anxiety and watchfulness
against the incursions of hostile Indians, the toils and
hardships incident to new settlements, and the scarcity of ministers, this was a signal work of the Spirit,
greatly strengthening the feeble churches.
"From 1795 to 1799, another series of gracious
visitations was enjoyed by the churches generally
throughout Western Pennsylvania, extending to the
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
new settlements north of Pittsburg. In this work
Dr. McMillan, the first settled pastor in Western
Pennsylvania, received into his church one hundred
and ten, Mr. Marques one hundred and twenty-three,
and large additions were made to many others.
"These works of grace prepared the way for the
larger outpouring of the Spirit in 1802 to 1804.
Many of the subjects of these early revivals emigrated to the surrounding counties, and became the elements of new churches, while not less than twenty
of those converts prepared for the ministry, and
were prominent laborers in the great revivals for
which God had thus raised them up.
"In the latter part of 1801, and the beginning of
1802, the meetings for social worship, and the observance of public ordinances throughout Western Pennsylvania became remarkable in regard both to numbers and solemnity. In the spring and summer of
1802, there was a great increase of prayer and expectation of a blessing, leading many to continue all
night in pleadings for the Holy Spirit's presence.
In the autumn of 1802, the sacramental seasons in
the various churches were attended by large numbers
even from the distance of fifty miles, and deep solemnity felt by all. It is believed that more than
five thousand people sometimes came together on
these occasions, and remained for three, four, or five
days, during which almost constant services were
maintained.
"At a communion held in Cross Roads, a great
multitude assembled, and nine ministers were present.
The meeting-house, though large, being insufficient to
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
contain half of the people on the Sabbath, the sacra ment was administered at the tent to about eight
hundred communicants, of whom forty-one were ad mitted for the first time. On Monday three minis ters preached at different places, one in the house,
and two in the encampment. This was a very solemn
day. At the close of public worship it was the desire
of the ministers that the people should disperse, but
so intense was the feeling that few would leave.
Many of the young people were deeply exercised,
frequently speaking to sinners of their lost condition,
of the glories of the Saviour, of the excellency and
suitableness of the plan of salvation, warning, inviting, and pressing sinners to come to Christ; and all
this in a manner quite astonishing for their years.
Experienced Christians also were much refreshed and
comforted, and affectingly recommended the Lord Jesus and his religion to those around them. Such meetings were held in various churches crowded with people from all the surrounding country, thousands were
brought under deep conviction, and many hundreds
professed faith in Christ.
"This work extended with more or less power
over most of the churches in Western Pennsylvania
and North-eastern Ohio. It continued with little
abatement for two years, attesting itself to be a true
work of God by its blessed fruits. From that day
to this those churches have remained faithful witnesses for Christ, have established schools, founded
colleges, trained hundreds of ministers, and sent forth
thousands of Christians, as the nuclei of churches
over the west and south."
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
From Rev. Thomas Marques, Cross Creek church, Western
Pennsylvania. 1804.
"I took the charge of this congregation in June
1794, and preached here and in Buffalo congregation
alternately until 1798. During this period there was
in general a solemn attention, a considerable number
were awakened, and one hundred and twenty-three
were admitted to the communion, who have generally
supported a profession becoming the gospel.
"In 1799, the Lord poured out the gracious influences of his Holy Spirit on the congregation, many
were awakened, and twenty added to the church.
"In the spring of 1802, the Lord again revived
his work, and carried it on until the first Tuesday in
October, at which time the Spirit seemed like a rushing mighty wind, as on the day of pentecost. Many
were alarmed with a view of their own sinful condition, and that of others around them.
"They generally had a deep sense of their undone
state by nature, and their exposedness to the wrath
of God. It seemed as if the sins of their childhood
and youth all came up to their view, but especially
the heaven-daring sin of rejecting the Lord Jesus
Christ, as offered to them in the gospel. Those who
have obtained relief, have scriptural views of the
moral character of God, of the method of salvation
through a Redeemer, of the sufficiency of his atonement, and the way in which God can be just and all
his attributes remain unspotted in saving sinners according to the new covenant. They appear to acquiesce in the method of salvation through Christ, making a full, free, and hearty surrender of themselves
]92 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
to God and his service, embracing Christ as their
prophet, priest, and king, under a deep sense of their
need of him in all these offices, and of their entire
unworthiness of the least favor at his hand.
"The fruits and effects of this work evidence it
to be of God. Those whose tongues were dumb have
learned to speak the language of Canaan. Those
who were formerly Sabbath-breakers, scoffing at sa cred things, and guilty of other immoralities, have
not only forsaken their former evil practices, but
have become regular and sober, diligently attending
the ordinances of God's house, and conscientiously
performing the duties of religion. Those who once
depended upon their own attainments and good works
for acceptance with God, have renounced all for the
righteousness of Christ. Those who formerly delighted in carnal company, merry jests, profane songs, and
foolish and vain conversation, now seek the company
of them who fear God, and delight in holy exercises
and spiritual communion. Those who formerly attended upon the preaching of the gospel either as idle
spectators, or to cavil at or quarrel with it, now
attend with a desire to know their duty, to enjoy
communion with God, and receive grace and strength
from him to enable them to live to his glory. Many
have, in the most solemn, sweet, and affecting manner,
spoken of the wisdom, love, and glory of God shining
in the plan of salvation through Christ. They have
also lamented their ignorance and want of love to him,
the evil of their hearts, and the total depravity of
their natures-have frequently expressed their desire
after holiness and conformity to God, and their ten  Rev. Sketches          9
193 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
der concern for his cause and the salvation of sinners.
In short, many evidence a sweet, solemn, and humble
disposition, equal to any thing we have ever witnessed in young converts. About one hundred have been
admitted to the church."
Revivals in Kentucky and Tennessee about 1800.
The "Great Revival of 1800 " is as well known
in Kentucky and Tennessee as in the Atlantic states.
Dr. Davidson, in his history of the state of the churches in Kentucky, says:
"On the eve of the nineteenth century, notwithstanding the increase of ministers and churches, the
prospect was sufficiently gloomy to appall both the
Christian and the patriot.   The population of the
state advanced with incredible rapidity, and soon
outstripped the supply of the means of grace. Worldly-mindedness, infidelity, and dissipation threatened
to deluge the land, and sweep away all vestiges of
piety and morality. The rising generation were
growing up in almost universal ignorance of religious
obligation. The elder church-members were gradually dying off, and were replaced by no recruits from
the ranks of the young. Except a little Goshen here
and there, the shadow of night was gathering over
the land. At this juncture, when hope was ready
to expire, an unlooked-for and astonishing change
suddenly took place.  This event was the GREAT
REVIVAL of 1800, SO called from its wide extent and
influence, and which, after all necessary allowances
for the disorders which deformed it, was, beyond
controversy, attended with signal benefits. A preparatory work had been going on for some time prr
194 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
vious. The zealous labors of the Virginia missiona ries, and others of the younger clergy, were not with out effect, and there was yet a remnant in the land,
that had neither bowed the knee to mammon nor
Thomas Paine. An unusual attention to religion had
been awakened in the south-western section of the
state, in what was known as the Green River country,
and the Cumberland settlements, a year or two
previous."
A record of the Baptist churches in Kentucky
states, that "in the remarkable outpourings of the
Holy Spirit, from 1799 to 1803, in most parts of our
land, among different denominations, about ten thousand were added to the Baptist churches within that
state, who gave evidence of genuine conversion."
Of Rev. Robert Donnell, one of the fathers of the
Cumberland Presbyterian church, who early entered
on itinerant labors in Tennessee and North Alabama,
and preached the gospel with fidelity and success for
nearly fifty years, his biographer says, " He professed
religion in the year 1800, in that ever memorable
revival of pure experimental religion in which the
Cumberland Presbyterian church had its origin."
It cannot be denied that in this revival, elsewhere
so free from nervous excitement, there were, in parts
of Kentucky and Tennessee, extraordinary "bodily
exercises," called the jerks, falling down, etc., in the
meetings, which the enlightened friends of the work
lamented, and which excited its enemies to ridicule
and blaspheme. But it must be remembered, that
these physical agitations took place at the large
camp-meetings, in which were gathered all the ele
195
4 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
ments of excitement from every quarter, and which
were continued day and night, till the consequent
exhaustion of the multitudes in a great measure took
away the power of self-control. These remarkable
phenomena by no means proved that it was all fanaticism and delusion. There were beyond question
many true conversions.
The Rev. Dr. Cleland wrote, in 1834, after witnessing the fruits of this work for more than thirty
years, "The work at first was no doubt a glorious
work of God.  Many within my knowledge became
hopefully pious, the most of whom continue unto this
present, and many have fallen asleep in Jesus. The
number of apostates was much fewer than I supposed."
The Rev. Dr. Alexander said of that work,
"Many facts which occurred at the close of the revival were of such a nature that judicious men were
fully persuaded that there was much that was wrong
in the manner of conducting the work, and that an
erratic and enthusiastic spirit prevailed to a lamentable extent. It is not doubted, however, that the
Spirit of God was really poured out, and that many
sincere converts were made, especially in the commencement of the revival; but too much indulgence
was given to a heated imagination, and too much
stress was laid on the bodily affections which accompanied the work, as though they were supernatural
phenomena, intended to arouse the attention of the
careless world."
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
REV. DR. DWIGHT, YALE COLLEGE-REFLECTIONS
ON THE WORK ABOUT 1800.
I have reserved for this place the name of one
whom the churches delighted to honor, Dr. TIMOTHY
DWIGHT, president of Yale college, a fast friend of
revivals, as well as a renowned and beloved teacher
of the young men who resorted to that institution for
classical education.
To go a little further back, when Dr. Dwight
came into office, in 1795, many of the leading students in the several classes were deeply tinctured
with French infidelity, and its bold champions were
not backward to encounter the new president, at the
first favorable opportunity. This was soon granted
them, in a discussion before him involving the truth
and inspiration of the Scriptures. They mustered all
their force, and anticipated a signal victory. The
day came in the class-room. It was a mortal onset
for them, but a proud day for the college. In the
summing up, he so scathingly exposed their ignorance,
and so triumphantly overthrew them at every point,
that they never wanted to measure weapons with him
again. From that hour infidelity lost its prestige in
Yale college, and has never dared openly to show its
head since. The victory was an incalculable gain to
the cause of religion in that popular seat of learning,
and through the agency of its graduates who entered
the ministry. It enthroned the president in the confidence of the students, and prepared them to listen
with new interest to his admirable discourses from
the pulpit, which, as professor of divinity, he preached
in the college chapel from Sabbath to Sabbath, dur
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
ing the period of his presidency. It was morally impossible to sit four years under such preaching, so
convincing in argument, so solemn and earnest in
appeal, and so eloquent in delivery, without being
instructed and profited, at least in some degree.
Nothing very remarkable, however, took place, till
the spring and summer of 1802, when the revival, in
its triumphant progress on the right hand and the
left, reached Yale college; and there it came with
such power as had never been witnessed within those
walls before. It was in the Freshman year of my own
class. It was like a mighty rushing wind. The whole
college was shaken. It seemed for a time as if the
whole mass of the students would press into the kingdom. It was the Lord's doing, and marvellous in all
eyes. Oh, what a blessed change!
As the fruit of this revival, so memorable in the
history of the institution, fifty-eight were added to
the college church, and others, I know not how many,
joined the churches at home. It was a glorious reformation.  It put a new face upon the college.  It
sent a thrill of joy and thanksgiving far and wide
into the hearts of its friends, who had been praying
that the waters of salvation might be poured into the
fountain from which so many streams were annually
sent out.
The triennial catalogue shows, that for many years
there had been but very few in the seminary preparing for the pulpit. In the four preceding classes,
only thirteen names of ministers stand against sixtynine in the next four years; nearly if not quite all of
them brought in by the great revival.
198 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
Thus we see how dark were the prospects of the
churches when it commenced. Only thirteen from the
college in four years; less than four in a year, and
that when there were but two or three other colleges
in the country, from which any additional supplies
could be expected.
It was indeed the bright dawn of a new Christian
epoch, when the heavens were opened, and poured
down righteousness upon Yale college, and upon
scores of churches; and I may venture to say, that
the influence of those revivals upon the cause of vital
religion at home and abroad, has already surpassed
the most sanguine hopes of those who witnessed and
rejoiced in them.
At that time, when a student was converted in
college, or before he entered, it was taken for granted
by everybody, that he intended to devote his life to
the service of Christ in the gospel.  It was so at
Yale, in the revival of 1802. I cannot call to mind
a single convert who did not at once ask,'Lord, what
wilt thou have me to do?' and who did not set his
heart upon becoming a preacher. Nearly all of them,
as the catalogue shows, entered the ministry. The
exceptions were very few, and mainly from causes
which they could not control. How different, alas,
from what we witness now! If one-half of the graduates from our colleges who profess religion enter
the ministry, it is about as much as the churches and
a perishing world are allowed to expect. I bless
God it was not so then.  Had it been, what a loss to
the cause for which Christ shed his blood. And who
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
will say that the demand for good ministers is less
now, than it was then?
And why this great falling off? It is not because
souls are less precious, or less in danger of perishing,
in the middle of the nineteenth century, than they
were at the beginning. Is it because young men obtain hopes easier under the preaching of the present
day, than they did under the ministry of Hyde, Griffin,
iHallock, and their contemporaries, who were so eminently doctrinal in their discourses? I cannot help
thinking it is, at least in part.  As he loveth much
to whom much is forgiven, so he who has most deeply
felt the plague of his own heart, and the justice of
his condemnation under discriminating preaching-he
who has most deeply felt his own perishing need of a
Saviour-will feel more constrained by the love of
Christ to enter the ministry, that if possible he may
save some who are under the same condemnation,
than if the terrors of death had not taken hold upon
him when he was passing through the deep waters.
Such were the preachers who came out of the revivals now under review, and who were to carry forward the work when the fathers had fallen asleep.
They knew what truths had taken the deepest hold
of their own minds, and made them the basis of their
ministry.
Whatever view we can take of the work of God
at the beginning of this century, it was a glorious
period in the religious history of the country. The
apostasies have been comparatively few, and besides
their rich'harvests in gathering souls to Christ, those
revivals stand connected, in the history of Redemp
200 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
tion, with those aggressive agencies by which He is
now turning our own moral wildernesses into fruitful
fields, and sending the gospel to all heathen lands.
When that era dawned, there were no Missionary
societies, foreign or domestic, no Bible societies, no
Tract societies, no Education societies, no onward
movements in the churches of any sort, for the con version of the world. At home it was deep spiritual
apathy; abroad, over all the heathen lands, the calm
of the Dead sea-death, death, nothing but death.
All the first foreign missionaries, Hall, Newell,
Mills, Judson, Nott, Rice, Bingham, King, Thurston,
and others who entered the field a little later, were
converted and received their missionary baptism in
that revival. The American Board of Foreign Missions was formed in 1810, at the urgency of the first
band that went out from this country to India. But
for their earnest solicitation to be sent forth with the
glad tidings of the gospel upon their tongues, no such
Board would have been formed; certainly not at that
time; and if it had, it could not have done any thing:
there would have been no missionaries to send, if God
had not poured out his Spirit, and raised them up
and prepared them to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. In these revivals the holy fire
was kindled, and waked up and warmed the churches
to an onward aggressive movement, such as had never
been known in this country before. Other missionaries soon followed under the same Board. And about
the same time, the Baptist Foreign Mission Board
was organized to sustain Judson and Rice who had
joined their communion, and commenced a mission in
9*
201 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Burmah, which has become one of the most prosperous
missions of the present age. And now, behold what
from these small and feeble beginnings God has
wrought, in the four quarters of the world, and the
isles of the Gentiles.
From the same revival source sprang home missions. It began to be felt, we have a wide and fast
spreading population within our own borders that
must be cared for, and then domestic missionary societies were formed to meet the want.
Nor was this enough. The churches having once
waked up from their long slumbers, could not rest
here. The destitute at home must have the word of
God put into their hands, and it must be sent abroad
with the missionaries, and translated into the tongues
wherein the heathen were born, that they might read
the wonderful works of God and be turned from darkness to light, from the worship of dumb idols to
the worship of Hiim who made the world. Hence
sprang the American Bible Society, and in succession
its hundreds of branches and kindred institutions, that
are now preparing and distributing the bread of life
from one end of the earth to the other. 
Nor yet again could the yearnings of Christian
benevolence, once excited, rest without still further
expansion. A Christian literature, in a cheap and
attractive form, must be created and diffused. Small
religious tracts must be written, printed, and scattered over the land; to this end Tract Societies must be
organized, funds must be raised, and the press be enlisted. It was done, and through this ever active and
all-pervading agency, what hath God wrought!
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
Having proceeded thus far with these aggressions
upon the kingdom of darkness, was there any thing
more to be done to pour into it the light of heaven?
Yes, a great deal more, and through many other
kindred agencies. So the Sabbath-school Union was
formed. The Colored population, and the Sailors
must be cared for, the ravages of Intemperance must
be arrested on the land and on the sea.
Thus the glorious cause of religion and philanthropy has advanced, till it would require a space
which cannot be afforded in these sketches, so much
as to name the Christian and humane societies which
have sprung up all over the land within the last forty
years. Exactly how much we at home and the world
abroad are indebted for these organizations, so rich
in blessings, to the revivals of 1800, it is impossible
to say, though much every way-more than enough
to magnify the grace of God in the instruments he
employed, in the immediate fruits of their labors, and
the subsequent harvests springing from the good seed
which was sown by the men whom God delighted
thus to honor.
It cannot be denied, that modern missions sprung
out of those revivals.  The immediate connection
between them as cause and effect, was remarkably
clear in the organization of the first societies, which
hlave since accomplished so much; and the impulse
which they gave to the churches to extend the bless
ings which they were diffusing, by forming the later
affiliated societies of like aims and character, is
scarcely less obvious. Taken altogether, the revival
period at the close of the last century and the begin
203 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
ning of the present, furnishes ample materials for a
long and glorious chapter in the History of Redemption.
What if the Spirit had not been poured out when
it was so greatly needed, after the long spiritual
drought under which the land was suffering? Or
what if a different character had been stamped upon
the revival by ignorant and fanatical preachers?
What if Dwight and Griffin and the other ministers
of the day, whose testimony we have in'these sketches,
had made it an easy matter for sinners to repent and
gain a hope, instead of holding up before them the
character of God, the strictness, justice, and terrible
penalty of his law, the entire and dreadful depravity
of their hearts, the absolute sovereignty of God in
having mercy on whom he will have mercy, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and justification bv faith
alone-what would have been the fruits? Under
smooth, superficial preaching, there might have been
some real converts; but as the late Rev. Daniel A.
Clark says in one of his printed sermons, "They
would not have known when they were converted,
WHO converted them, or what they were converted
for." There is no reason to think, I am sure, that
under any preaching that "heals the hurt slightly,"
the revivals, if they had taken place at all, would
have filled and strengthened the churches by their
thoroughness and the ripeness of their fruits, or their
influence upon the age and the world, as those of
which I have been speaking did. They went down
into the depths of the soul, searched out all the
deceitful hiding-places of its enmity against God, and
204 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
brought the sinner helpless and self-condemned to the
foot of the cross.
I have dwelt longer upon the revival epoch which
opened in our own land at the commencement of this
century, than upon any that preceded it, because I
was then upon the stage, and passed through those
remarkable years of the right hand of the Most High,
so that I can speak what I do know, and testify what
I have seen; because I think the work was freer from
objectionable drawbacks, and a greater proportion of
those who obtained hopes held out to the end, than in
"the great awakening," or any preceding revival since
the Reformation; because there was so little of'Lo
here, and Lo there,' to divert men's minds from the
state of their own hearts, and their absolute dependence upon the Spirit of God to work in them by his
renewing and sanctifying power; and because it stir.
red up the churches to aggressive action upon the
country and the world, through the combined instrumentality of missionary and other kindred societies,
as no former revival had ever done.
In looking back fifty years and more, the great
revival of that period strikes me, in its thoroughness,
in its depth, in its freedom from animal, unhealthy
excitement, and in its far-reaching influence on subsequent revivals, as having been decidedly in advance
of any that had preceded it. It was the opening of a
new revival epoch which has lasted now more than
half a century, with but short and partial interruptions-and blessed be God, the end is not yet. In the
next chapter I shall resume the subject, and bring
these sketches down to the present time.
205 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
CIIAPTER VI.
THE REVIVAL EPOCH ABOUT 1800
CONTINUED.
THE great Revival of 1800, as we have seen, was
so quiet and orderly and free from objections, there
were so many demonstrable proofs of the mighty
power of God in arresting and converting men of
all classes, infidels, universalists, drunkards, profane
swearers, as well as multitudes of others, and there
was so marked a change for the better in the state
of society, that nobody could help seeing it. In some
respects, as I have already shown, its distinctive characteristics were quite different from the Great Awakening sixty years before, under Edwards, Whitefield,
and their fellow-laborers of like precious faith. As
there were no such outbursts of high-wrought animal
excitement as often disturbed public worship then,
so no such fanatical divisions supervened, to rend the
churches and bring reproach upon the cause. No
itinerants, flaming with zeal not according to knowledge, now sprung up to distract the churches, grieve
the Holy Spirit, and bring into discredit all revivals.
On the contrary, the most sceptical were constrained
to say, "This is the finger of God.  It can't be man's
work. What we have witnessed is utterly beyond
all human power to accomplish." They may not have
been converted, though some of them were, but their
mouths were shut.
For some years after the revivals recorded in the
206 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
last chapter, though the work was not so general as
at the going out of the last, and the coming in of the
present century, yet there were many revivals of
the same marks of genuineness, showing that God
had not shut up the heavens, but was waiting to be
more earnestly inquired of, again to come down and
multiply the trophies of redeeming love. So that,
when God again more copiously poured out his Spirit,
it was not marked as a new epoch, but the same continued and extended.
It was in that interval of partial suspension, that
by the grace of God, I was permitted to enter the ministry. I was ordained and settled in 1807, and by
the help of God I continue unto this day to witness
what I have seen, and to give a brief sketch of the
revivals in this country for the last fifty years. Very
brief it must be, to leave room for the Manual in the
second part of this volume. This I regret the less,
because if I had ever so much space, the narratives
are so recent and so ample, and are to be found in so
many volumes within the reach of all who take an
interest in the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, that not much enlargement seems to be called
for. Brief sketches are now more likely to be read,
I think, than many repetitions of minute narratives,
as repetitions to a great extent they must needs be,
where the phases of revivals are substantially alike.
About 1814, as near as I can fix the date, from
my own recollection and the helps before me, the
clouds, laden with their rich refreshings, began again
to gather over more of the churches. Those who kept
near the throne in prayer, and had wisdom to discern
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
the signs of the times, began to expect great things,
and they were not disappointed. It was as if the
Saviour had said, "Ye shall see greater things than
these." Not greater displays of divine power than
they had witnessed in the revivals a few years before
at the opening of the century, but in their longer continuance, if not in their wider extent.
Many of the converts in these first revivals were
now entering the ministry, and a few of them remain
even unto this day. The rest have fa4en asleep.
I believe that not far from four-fifths of the younger
pastors of evangelical churches, who were especially
blessed during the succeeding twenty years, were
themselves converted under the labors of Dwight,
Alexander, Hyde, Griffin, HIallock, Mills, and their
contemporaries, many of whose names I have given in
a former chapter. They of course came out of the
best schools for learning what a genuine revival is,
and what preaching is most blessed in carrying on the
work. When they came into the same care of souls,
they would naturally refer back to their own experience and observation, when the arrows of conviction
were piercing their own consciences, and the inquiry,
What must we do to be saved? was sounding in their
ears. They could not help it. They would adopt the
same style of preaching, and substantially the same
other means, as they had felt and witnessed to be
mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; and in reviewing the history and results of their
labors in winning souls, we should be disappointed
not to find the same image and superscription enstamped upon the revivals under their own ministry.
208 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
How far this expectation has been realized, will
appear as I proceed with these sketches.
If I do not name so many of this second genera tion of revival preachers in our current century, nor
dwell so long and specifically upon their labors, as I
have done in the earlier period, it is not because I
think them inferior in talents and ministerial gifts to
their fathers, nor that I think them, as a body, de serving of less honor in their Master's service, but
because of their relative position and antecedents.
The pioneers in any important era of human advance ment are of course more prominent on the historic
page, than those who are taught by them to follow
in the same line and carry out their plans and principles, though the latter may be as much devoted to
the cause as the former. So here, though the disciples may not have been a whit behind their masters
in piety, in zeal, or in ministerial qualifications to
serve Christ in the gospel, entering as they did into
the labors of their predecessors and teachers, the
less need be said of their labors and success in the
same fields.
With few exceptions, like their fathers they did
most of the work themselves. They recognized the
scripture distinction between pastors and evangelists,
and rejoiced that the great Head of the church was
raising up and sending out evangelists to preach the
gospel and plant churches in our new and destitute
settlements; but they did not seek much aid from
preachers without charge, since familiarly called revivalists.
At the same time they were glad of such assist
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
ance as God in his wisdom might please to send them.
And as he in a former age raised up George Whitefield to help the pastors wherever he went, and they
received him, so I must here record the grace of God
in raising up, and so eminently qualifying ASAEEL
NETTLETON, to perform a similar service over a wide
region where the revivals of which I am now to speak
most remarkably prevailed. If there were others
who were equally devoted, judicious, and helpful to
pastors, I did not know them, and must leave it for
those who did to name them. Mr. Nettleton's labors
were so widely extended, so long continued, and so
remarkably blessed, that it would be impossible for
me, in my sketches of this period, not to refer to him
often, as holding a high place among those whom God
was pleased to honor in the conversion of souls. President Dwight, whose pupil he was, and who knew
him well, is reported to have said, "Nettleton will
make one of the most useful men this country has
ever seen." Of course, in the inspired sense of the
term, this was not prophetic; but Dr. Dwight was
justly celebrated for his remarkable penetration of
young men's talents and character. His judgment
seemed to be almost intuitive, and it seldom failed.
If there has been, since the days of the mighty
elders in the Great Awakening, a preacher more successful in winning souls to Christ within the same
number of years, than Nettleton, I have yet to learn
his name, and what he did. I cannot refer to all the
places where Mr. Nettleton labored, nor give the exact
number, but it was very large-scores, I believe, where
the revivals were very powerful, and most of which
210 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
sprung up in immediate connection with his untiring
labors. Wherever he went, as his Memoir and Re mains by Dr. Tyler show, the Lord went with him,
working mightily in turning men from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God. His
great experience in revivals, his deep penetration
of the workings of the human heart in all the stages
of awakening and conviction, and with all its conflicting exercises up to a comfortable hope in Christ,
gave him an advantage, of which he availed himself
to the full extent of his powers, which I am persuaded
has rarely if ever been surpassed, and seldom equalled
in these modern times.
I verily believe that no great warrior ever studied military tactics with more enthusiasm, or better
understood the art of killing men with the sword of
war, then Nettleton did how to wield the sword of
the Spirit, to deliver them from captivity to sin and
Satan, and save their souls. I am sure no warrior
ever studied his art under so great a Teacher. No
matter whether Nettleton had ever met an inquirer or
caviller before or not, he seemed to see just where
he stood, and how to address him at a glance. If all
revivalists had the talent and wisdom and piety and
meekness and deep Christian experience which he
had, pastors with more work than they can do when
God is pouring out his Spirit might safely receive
them with open arms. But the ability to do what he
did as a helper, and do it so well, is granted to very
few. It is one of the most difficult services in which
an itinerant popular preacher ever engaged, to go in
and labor with pastors of ordinary standing, in revi
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
vals. It requires wisdom, prudence, and self forgetfulness, which very few of that class possess, so as not
to do quite as much harm as good, by throwing the
ministers whom they came to assist into the background. Many a faithful pastor has been undermined and dismissed, unintentionally we must believe, to
the great loss of the church, just in this way. Not
so with Nettleton. Wherever he labored, he Ieft the
churches and their ministers stronger and more united
than he found them. This was the universal testimony. I never knew or heard of an exception. Most
manifest was it, that God had raised him up and kept
him in this land for that very service, when he had
set his heart upon a foreign mission. He labored
with me three months in the most powerful revival
that we ever enjoyed, and for whatever I know of the
means which God has been wont especially to bless
in reviving his work, I am more indebted to him
than to'any other man, more than to all others put
together. How he was regarded by other pastors
with whom he labored, we shall see in their letters
and narratives as we proceed.
This renewed time of refreshing in the current
century commenced, as I have said, about 1814, and
as nearly as I am able to fix the dates, continued
about thirty years, when the ways of Zion again went
into mourning for a brief period, till the spirit of
prayer was remarkably poured out upon the cities of
New York, Philadelphia, and many other places, a
little more than a year ago, of which more in its
place.
From 1814 to 1845, the spiritual harvests were
14
212 
NINETEENTHII CENTURY.
more productive in some years than others-in some
thirty-fold, in some sixty, and in some a hundred-a
period which will ever be referred to as one of the
most extraordinary hitherto in the religious history
of our country. Not tens, nor scores, but hundreds
of churches and congregations shared in those copious
outpourings of the Spirit. We began to hope that
these showers would henceforth continue to pour
down righteousness, without any such intermissions
as had so often occurred. Oh, it would be delightful
to take a full survey of the great field while Christ
was so gloriously triumphing everywhere, and to
count the thronging trophies of his victories.
But my limits warn me to confine myself to briefer
sketches. The narratives of the revivals during the
period to which we have now come, if they had all
been fully written out, would fill many volumes. I
have enough before me for hundreds of pages; but
all that I can do is to make a few selections from the
mass, which is the less to be regretted as the essential
leading features of these revivals, spreading over
about one-third of the century, bore such striking
resemblance, that to multiply testimonies would be to
repeat nearly the same things. As I leave out vastly
more than I shall put in, I see not how I can do
better than to insert the substance of a few of these
narratives, and then glean extracts from others as
they come in my way.
. From Rev. Gardiner Spring, D. D., New York.
Dr. Spring, in his closing sermon in the old Brick
church in Beekman-street, May 25, 1856, recounting
the dispensations of divine grace in connection with
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
his ministry, which commenced August 8, 1810, proceeds to say:
"The thought has no doubt often crossed the
minds of reflecting Christians, that those who have
occupied a place on the earth during the last fifty
years, have lived in a remarkable age of the world,
not only as it respects science and the arts, and the
progress of civil society, but in regard to the cause
of vital piety. The period, commencing with the year
1792, and terminating with 1842, was a memorable
period in the history of the American church. Scarcely any portion of it, but was graciously visited by
copious effusions of the Holy Spirit. From north to
south, and from east to west, our male, and more
especially our female academies, our colleges, and our
churches drank largely of this fountain of living waters. It was my privilege to enter upon the course
of academical life not far from the meridian of this
bright day. There were no subjects that interested
my mind more deeply, when I began my ministry
among this people, than those revivals of religion
which passed over the land of my boyhood.  This
interest increased with time and official labors and
responsibility, and exercised a most important influence upon my whole course. Sparse clouds of mercy
had been hovering over the congregation during the
first four years of my ministry, and not a few, especially of those in middle life, had been brought into
the kingdom of God.
"The year 1814 was a year of severe labor and
deep solicitude-as it drew towards its close, of great
discouragement and depression. It seemed to me
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
that I must abandon my post, and that neither my
mind, my heart, nor my health were adequate to its
constantly accumulating duties. My intellectual re sources seemed to be exhausted, and drained dry.
Many a time, after preaching, did I remain long in
the pulpit, that I might not encounter the faces of the
people as I left the church; and many a time when I
left it did I feel that I could never preach another
sermon. Yet I labored on week after week, without
discovering to what extent the Spirit of God was
carrying forward his own noiseless work.   I perceived nothing to encourage me but an unusual enlargement and urgency in prayer, a greater facility
in the selection of fitting themes for the pulpit, and
more freedom and earnestness in declaring the whole
counsel of God. God remarkably interposed to relieve my mind from its depression, and gave me such
enlarged and delightful views of his truth, that my
whole ministry received a new and cheered impulse.
It was easy, also, to perceive that the spirit of grace
and supplication was being poured out upon the people. The weekly prayer-meeting and the weekly lecture were full of interest. Days of fasting and prayer
were occasionally observed, and a Saturday evening
prayer-meeting was established by the young men of
the congregation. Our Sabbaths became deeply solemn and affecting; we watched for them like those
who watch for the morning, and I verily believe we
anticipated them with greater pleasure and expectation than the sons and daughters of earth ever anticipated their brightest jubilee.   This was the first
strongly marked revival of God's work among this
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
people; and I take this notice of it because it was so
emphatic an expression of God's goodness to your
young minister.'Poor a thing as I have been, and
still continue to be, it was this work of grace which
made me what I am-which gave me entirely new
views of the great objects of the ministry, and made
my work my joy. I loved it before, but never so
ardently as then. But for this early season of mercy,
during the summer of 1814, I do not see how I could
have remained among you. It was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvellous in our eyes. The ingathering
was not great, but it was the finest of the wheat. I
may not mentiou their names.
"This was but the beginning of days of mercy.
The commencement of the year 1815 was the dawning of a still brighter day. The last Sabbath of the
old year and the evening services of that Sabbath
will be long remembered. Eight or ten persons, during the following week, were found to be awake, and
in earnest for their salvation. The whole winter was
a day of the right hand of the Most High. The cloud
of mercy extended itself through the following spring
and summer and autumn. In the month of November the Bible-class was reorganized, the Saturday
evening prayer-meeting was renewed, and God appeared to take the work into his own hands. There
was complaint and hostility; there were not wanting
apprehensions in the minds of some of the pastors
and churches in the city, that the work savored more
of fanaticism than intelligent and sober thought. But
the apprehensions were groundless.   The blessing
was near; the sacred influence was silent as the dew
216 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
of heaven. There was no outbreak and no disorder.
There was prayer.  There was solemn and earnest
preaching. There were unexpected and unthought
of instances of seriousness among the gay and frivolous, in the families of the rich as well as the poor,
among the immoral as well as the moral, and many
were the instances of conversion to God. The third
Thursday of January was set apart by about thirty
members of the church as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. It was in a private house in the
rear of St. Paul's, in Church-street; and such a day
I never saw before, and have never seen since. It
was closed under strong and confident expectation
that God was near, and that his Spirit was about
largely to descend upon the people. And so it was.
A delightful impulse was given to the work by this
day of prayer. The promise was made good,'Before
they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear.' The weekly lecture, attended on
the evening of that day, was perhaps the most solemn
service of my ministry. The subject of the discourse
was suggested by the words,'Marvel not that I said
unto you, Ye must be born again.' God was with
the hearers and the preacher; his Spirit moved them
as the trees of the forest are moved by a mighty
wind. There is good reason to believe that the minds
of more than one hundred persons were deeply impressed with a sense of their lost condition as sinners, and their need of an interest in Christ, on that
evening. Enemies were silenced; members of other
churches came among us to see and mark the character of the work for themselves, and all classes were
Rev. Sket,ches        10
217 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
constrained to confess,'This is the finger of God.'
Between one and two hundred attended the meetings
for religious inquiry and conversation, and deep solemnity pervaded the whole people. There was great
eagerness for religious instruction, and great satisfaction in the soul-humiliating and soul-encouraging doctrines of the cross. The work was rapid. The period
of awakening and conviction in many instances was
very short, so short that older Christians began to
doubt the genuineness of such conversions. There
was no reason for the doubt. Some of the brightest
and most enduring Christians among us were those
very persons whose conversion was almost as sudden
as that of Saul of Tarsus. The gathering of this
protracted harvest was rich, consisting sometimes of
thirty and forty, and at one communion of more than
seventy, filling the broad aisle of the church-a lovely spectacle to God, angels, and men.
"There have been five seasons of the especial outpouring of God's Spirit upon this people during the
ministry of their present pastor. They were interspersed between the years 1812 and 1834, more or
less copious, but always seasons of delightful refreshing from the presence of the Lord.   If the tree is
known by its fruit, they are proved to have been the
fruit of God's Spirit. The subjects of this work of
grace have in almost all instances run well; they
have turned out intelligent and active Christians.
Many of them have been called to their last earthly rest; nor shall I forget the blessedness and the
blessed scenes of their last hours.   Many of them
are ministers of the gospel, and more the wives of
218 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
ministers. Many of them are teachers and superin tendents of Sabbath-schools. Many of them are rul ing elders and deacons in other churches, while some
remain in the honorable fulfilment of these offices
among ourselves. Very many of them are scattered
through this wide land, and distant churches and the
distant wilderness are made glad for them. I never
was so gratefully impressed with this fact, and with
the high privilege of preaching the gospel in this
sanctuary, as on an unexpected tour through Western
New York and the western states on the Upper Mississippi. Everywhere I met those who remembered
the young minister and the old Session-room. I heard
of the death of some far away, and it was affecting
to learn that in their last hours their thoughts of
grateful praise were turned towards these scenes of
mercy.
"It will be found, by an inspection of our records,
that after the separation of the Brick and Wall-street
churches, and before the installation of the present
pastor, the session were faithfully employed in acts
of painful discipline. Church discipline is not less
truly an ordinance of God than church communion.
No church can prosper that connives at heresy or
immorality among its communicants. This unwelcome duty was faithfully pursued for several years
after my settlement among this people, and has been
discharged with perfect unanimity ever since.   In
the early part of my ministry there were some avowed infidels in the church, who were the disciples of
Paine and Palmer; there were also avowed Universalists; there have been from time to time immoral
219 
REVIVAL SKETC-HES.
men and licentious, whom no means could reclaim,
and they have been cast out.  It has often been at
great sacrifice of feeling, and some of interest and
influence, that these acts of discipline have been performed; but however reluctantly and cautiously, it is
a work which has been done."
From Bishop McIlvaine, of the diocese of Ohio.
In closing a letter on revivals in 1832, Bishop
McIlvaine says, "I owe too much of what I hope for
as a Christian, and what I have been blessed with as
a minister of the gospel, not to think most highly of
the eminent importance of promoting the spirit of
genuine revivals. Whatever I possess of religion
began in a revival. The most precious, steadfast, and
vigorous fruits of my ministry have been the fruits of
revivals. I believe that the spirit of revivals in the
true sense, was the simple spirit of the religion of
apostolic times, and will be more and more the characteristic of these times, as the day of the Lord draws
near."
The Bishop's annual address to the convention of
the diocese of Ohio, in June, 1858, is chiefly devoted
to the subject of the revival of religion, occasioned
especially by "the blessed work of grace which God
had so mercifully, and so widely and wonderfully
vouchsafed to the churches of our land within the
few preceding months."
"It is more than forty years," he says, "since I
first witnessed a revival of religion. It was in the
college of which I was a student. It was powerful
and pervading, and fruitful in the conversion of young
men to God; and it was quiet, unexcited, and entire
220 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
ly free from all devices or means beyond the few
and simple which God has appointed, namely,'prayer
and the ministry of the word.' In that precious sea son of the power of God, my religious life began. I
had heard before; I began then to know. I must
doubt the deepest convictions of my soul, when I
doubt whether that revival was the work of the Spirit
of God. Many that have labored faithfully in the
ministry, and are now at rest with the Lord; some
that are still in the work; many whose mark has
been strongly made upon their generation, on the side
of the gospel, were the subjects of that work. Till
Satan shall be bound, so that he cannot go about to
deceive and devour, a work of religion more genuine,
less perverted by human infirmities and devices, less
dishonored by the defection of such as professed to
have been born of God therein, is hardly to be expected.
"About the time of that revival, and for several
years after, similar blessings were enjoyed in various
communities of the land. They were, for the most
part, equally simple, exhibiting numerous and decided
conversions, elevating the spiritual character of Christians, and sending forth many faithful men to be ministers and missionaries of the gospel, at home and
abroad."
"During this period, our Episcopal churches, under
a greatly extended and more earnest and evangelical
ministry, were in many places favored of God with
marked manifestations of the power of his Spirit;
bowing the hearts of many persons, within a short
space of time, to the obedience of Christ. I have
221 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
nowhere seen more fruitful'revivals of religion,' in
which the conversions were more marked, the spiritual results more beneficial and permanent.  iHow
many of our clergy can tell of such movements under
their labors, and bless God for their issues of life.
And how many of them can point to revivals in Episcopal churches as marking their spiritual birthdays."
Proceeding to notice a period of several years of
apparent unfruitfulness, in which "it seemed as if the
preaching of the word had lost its power," he says,
"Then it was, just in that time of rebuke and darkness, and apparent deep discouragement, that God's
hand appeared and this present work of grace began.
It began in our chief commercial centres, precisely
where the credit of religion had been most impaired,
and the tide against it was the strongest. It began
in a remarkable indication, among persons deeply
immersed in business cares, of a desire to meet together for prayer. Its progress has exhibited the
same simple features as its beginning.  How widely
it has gone over our land; how it has appeared in
hundreds of our cities and villages almost simultane'
ously, reaching all classes of population; the same
thing among all, silent, simple, subduing, harmonizing, and uniting, making people love the word of God
and prayer who never cared for them before, I need
not tell you. I rejoice to know that our churches, in
this diocese and in others, have largely participated
in the blessing, and are gathering more and more
fruit therefrom. Our diocesan college is thus favored. Pray for it, my brethren, that all the youth
therein may be turned to the Lord. Pray for our
222 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
whole church, that no part of it may be unvisited in
these'times of refreshing from the presence of the
Lord.' "
"You see a daily assemblage of intelligent people
gathered from the walks of business, at an hour of
the day which the world claims for its own interests,
in some lecture-room or public hall, or Sunday-school
house: they pray with one another; they'speak to
one another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs;'
they read a few verses of Scripture; they exhort one
another. If a minister be present, as often is the
case, he addresses them for a few minutes: they thus
pass an hour; separating as punctually at its end, as
they met at its beginning; and this, added to the
parochial work andt exercises of the churches, is all
the exterior instrumentality under God, on which
this remarkable movement has made its march through
the land. The strong tendency is, to strengthen a
sense of the value and necessity of the regular ministry, to enhance reverence for the old paths of gospel truth and ordinances, and greatly to increase the
attendance upon the regular, sober services of the
Sabbath, and of the judicious, faithful pastor.
"There have been, in the American churches, revivals as pure and simple, and in their sphere, as
effective for good.  But we read of none of such extent; reaching at the same time so many people;
scattered over such a length and breadth of territory;
appearing in so many denominations of Christians, of
widely separated ecclesiastical institutions; leavening so many colleges, and other institutions of education; so penetrating with one and the same influence
223 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
all gradations of society, from the most cultivated to
the most unlettered; in cities and villages, in the
counting-house of the merchant, in the workshop of
the mechanic, in factories, in printing-offices, among
classes of persons usually regarded as peculiarly removed from and fenced against the influence of gospel truth. iow can we witness all this, and not see
the hand of God, and take courage, and desire and
pray for more and more of such manifestations of his
grace?"
One of the revivals in which Bishop McIlvaine
speaks of having labored, was in the apparently very
unpromising field, the Military Academy at West
Point, about 1826. Being called upon one day by a
student who he thought would be as likely as any
other to receive in good part a word of serious ex.
hortation, he presented him four tracts, two of which
he requested him to read for his own personal benefit,
and the other two to drop where some of his sceptical
fellow-students would be likely to find them.
The next Saturday another student called on him
and said, "You do not know me, sir; my name is
;" and then burst into tears.  For some time he
could not utter a word. "My friend," said Mr. McIlvaine, "if, as I trust, your grief is connected with
religion-if you desire to become a servant of God,
be encouraged to open your heart to me, whose heart
is already open to you." "I do desire to become a
servant of God," said he; and deep emotion again
prevented utterance. He soon related that he had
found a tract in his room, the Death of anInJfidel; that
he had not considered himself an infidel, but had been
224 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
very profane, and in the habit of speaking lightly of
religion.  He not long after gave evidence that he
had been born of God, and united himself to the com munion of the church.
This young man was then intent on the salvation
of his fellow-student through whom he had received
the tract; and in a few days he brought him, leaning -
on his arm, to Mr. McIlvaine, who threw around him his
arms of Christian love. "I can hold out no longer,"
said the student; "this is not the first time; I have
been often called; I can hold out-no longer. I will
be a servant of God, his grace helping me, henceforth
for ever." It was in reading the "Shepherd of Salisbury Plain," that he first felt his heart expanded with
love to God, and bursting with the spirit of prayer.
These two young men became active members of the
church of Christ; they labored faithfully in tract
distribution and Sabbath-schools; by one of them a
school of a hundred children was raised up where the
gospel had scarcely ever been preached; one of them
established a weekly prayer-meeting among a people
destitute of the means of grace; by the instrumentality of one of them, as many as ten, who had been dreadfully wicked, were hopefully converted, and so changed as to astonish their former companions. Both
consecrated their lives to the ministry of the gospel,
and one of them is now a bishop of the Protestant
Episcopal church in the distant west.
From Rev. Dr. Archibald Maclay, New York. 1809-1820.
"From February, 1809, when eighteen members
were constituted a Baptist church, and received the
right-hand of fellowship from the venerable Rev.
225 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
John Williams, father of Rev. Dr. William R. Williams, till December, 1820, I think it can be truly said
that we enjoyed a perpetual revival. We were few
in number, but it pleased the Lord to grant a spirit
of grace and supplication. We felt an ardent and
longing desire for the salvation of sinners, and corresponding efforts were manifested. At that time we
met in a large school-room in James-street, while
erecting our first place of worship in Mulberry-street.
The access to the school-room was inconvenient, but
it was filled to overflowing, and became the birthplace
of many precious souls. When we removed to our
new place of worship, it was immediately filled, and
the work of God in the conversion of sinners continued
to increase. In a few years we rebuilt, on the same
site, a house of double the size, and this too was filled
to its utmost capacity.  The Lord continued to bless
the word, and conversions to God were multiplied.
Almost every week, I was visited by individuals anxiously inquiring,'What must I do to be saved? How
shall I escape the wrath to come?' During this period, I am persuaded that not less than five hundred
were brought out of darkness into God's marvellous
light.
"A Sunday-school was established in 1810, under
the instruction of Charles G. Sommers and Joseph
W. Griffiths, the first that was organized in this city,
or so far as I know in the United States, exclusively
for religious purposes.   We  afterwards organized
three other Sunday-schools, one of them very large,
in a destitute part of the city, under the care of Mr.
David T. Valentine, and all were well attended. I
226 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
taught a Bible-class of young men on Monday even ing, and a class of young ladies on Wednesday afternoon. I was accustomed to preach three times on
the Lord's day.  In the morning I usually expounded
the Scriptures; expounding in this way the whole
New Testament and some portions of the Old, which
proved very profitable both to me and my hearers.
In the afternoon I generally preached for the instruction and edification of Christians, and in the evening
addressed'more especially the unconverted.   Our
regular lecture on Tuesday evening, and our prayermeeting on Friday evening were well attended and
deeply interesting. The young people also met for
prayer on Saturday evening.
"During the period that I was pastor of the
church, eighteen brethren were licensed to preach,
and became useful ministers of the gospel; and six or
seven other brethren who were dismissed from us to
other churches, also became preachers. Some of these
are still living, and have labored in the cause of
Christ for nearly half a century.
"In my ministry it has been my aim to keep back
nothing profitable to my hearers, but to declare unto
them'all the counsel of God.' The leading theme
of my preaching has been Christ, and him crucified,
as the only Saviour of lost sinners. I have shown the
universal and total depravity of men; that every
unconverted sinner is under the dominion of a carnal
mind, which is enmity against God and not subject
to his law; that a change of heart, a heavenly birth,
is absolutely necessary to see the kingdom of God
and enter therein; that the same power that created
227 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
the world, and raised our Lord from the dead, must
quicken the sinner dead in sins, and make him alive
to God; that if saved from sin and hell, it must be by
free, sovereign, efficacious grace, through faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ; and that nothing En meet the
necessities of a sinner awakened to a sense of his
guilt by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, but what
satisfied divine justice, the full atonement of Jesus
Christ.
"To guard my hearers against self-deception, I
have insisted that true religion demands nothing
short of entire conformity to the image of Christ, and
obedience to all things that he has commanded.
"Those that were converted to God during this
revival, were brought generally to see and feel deeply
the evil of sin as committed against God, and their
just exposure to the wrath to come, and were led to
renounce all dependence on works of their own, and
rely alone for life and salvation on the great Redeemer.
"Many of those who embraced the gospel at this
period were young.  One was only seven years old.
She came to me in my study in great distress, asking
if God could save her, for she had lived seven years
without loving him, and all the time sinning against
him. She united with the church, and has lived to
train up a large family in the fear of God. Hler grandmother found Christ after she was ninety years of age.
The great body of those who made a profession of
religion, have continued in the faith, rooted and
grounded in love, and have not been moved away
from the hope of the gospel."
228 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
From Rev. Dr. Hyde, Lee, Mass.
"In the summer of 1821, there was an increase
of solemnity in the church and congregation, and some
were known to be anxious for their souls. The church
often assembled for prayer, and in the month of August we observed a day of fasting. The hearts of
many seemed to burn within them, and there were
increasing indications from the rising cloud, of abundance of rain. At this interesting crisis, the Rev.
Asahel Nettleton spent a few days with us.  He
preached five sermons to overflowing assemblies, and
his labors were remarkably blessed. The Spirit of
God came down upon us, like a rushing mighty wind.
Conversions were frequent, sometimes several in a
day, and the change in the feelings and views of the
subjects was wonderful.
"At the suggestion of Mr. Nettleton, I now instituted what are called inquiry meetings, and more than
a hundred persons attended the first. These meetings, as I found them to be convenient, were continued
through the revival; and I have ever since made use
of them, as occasion required, sometimes weekly for
many months in succession. The church have always
been requested to assemble for prayer in the upper
room of the large school-house, in which these meetings
have been held. In these meetings the ruined and
helpless state of sinners, the exceeding wickedness
of their hearts, and the awful consequences of neglecting the great salvation, have been impressed on the,
minds of the inquirers.  They have not been directed
to take any steps preparatory to their accepting of
Christ; but repentance towards God and faith in
229 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Christ have been enjoined upon them as their immediate duty and only safe course.  No language can
describe the deep feeling which has been manifested
at some of these meetings; The work continued till
the close of the year, and the church received an
accession of eighty-six persons as the fruits of it.
"Between this revival, and that which took place
in 1827, the seasons of prayer in the church were
frequent, and occasionally whole days of fasting and
prayer which all the people were invited to attend,
were observed. The church also by a large committee visited every family in the town, and conversed
with parents and children on the concerns of their
souls, closing these interviews with prayer. This
has been repeatedly done, and sometimes the whole
has been accomplished in one day.
"On the Sabbath preceding the first day of the
year 1827, I invited the people, as it had been our
practice, to assemble at the rising of the sun in the
sanctuary, for the purpose of prayer and praise. Several hundreds- attended, and an uncommon interest
was evidently felt in the meeting. Another display
of the all-conquering grace of God commenced, which
was very powerful, and continued through the winter
and spring. In the course of a few mohths it was
found that thirty new domestic altars were erected.
As the fruits of this revival, one hundred and twentyfive were added to the church.
"The year 1831, which was a year memorable for
the effusion of the Spirit in almost every part of the
land, this people were not passed by. For a number
of months the excitement was very great, and our
230 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
meetings were frequent, crowded, and solemn. Some
instances of conversion were more striking than any
I had ever witnessed. The almighty and sovereign
power of God was remarkably displayed, evincing
the truth of his own declaration,'I will have mercy
on whom I will have mercy.' This revival was fol lowed by the addition of forty-four members to the
church.
Of the whole number received during my minis try, six hundred and seventy-four, none have been
admitted under two or three months after they began
to hope they had passed from death unto life; and
many chose to wait longer. Whenever we have been
favored with outpourings of the Spirit, meetings have
been appointed with particular reference to the young
converts, at which they have been freely conversed
with respecting the ground and reason of their hope,
that they might test their character by having the
great truths of the gospel presented clearly to their
view. A confession of faith has also been read and
explained to them, and their full assent to it has been
obtained, before they offered themselves to the church.
"I have never countenanced the praying of women
in promiscuous assemblies, whether great or small,
from a full conviction that the practice is contrary
to the spirit of the word of God. Neither have I
seen it to be proper, even in seasons of the greatest
excitement, to call upon impenitent sinners, either in
public or private meetings, or in the inquiry room,
to manifest their determination to seek religion 6r to
give any pledge that they would do it. It would be
a departure from the practice of Christ and his apos
231 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
tles. In their preaching they inculcated repentance
and submission to God as the immediate duty of
sinners."
From the Rev. Dr. Porter, Farmington, Conn.
"The year 1821 was eminently, in Connecticut,
a year of revivals.   Between eighty and a hundred
congregations were signally blessed. From the commencement of the year a new state of feeling began
to appear in this town. On the first Sabbath in
February I stated to the assembly the tokens of the
gracious presence of God in several places in the
vicinity, and urged the duties peculiarly incumbent
on us at such a season. Professors of religion now
began evidently to awake. In their communications
with each other and with the world, they were led
spontaneously to confess their unfaithfulness; and
about the same time a few without the church were
pungently convicted.
"In this state of things, Rev. Mr. Nettleton made
us his first visit. His preaching, on the evening of
the Lord's day, from Aos 2: 37, was set home by the
power of the Spirit upon the hearts of many; add his
discourse on the Wednesday evening following, from
Gen. 6:3, was blessed to the conviction of a still
greater number. As many asfifty, it was afterwards
ascertained, dated their first decided purpose of immediately seeking their salvation from that evening.
"At a meeting of the anxious, on the evening of
February 26, about a hundred and seventy were present. Here were persons of almost every age and
class, some who a few weeks before had put the subject of personal piety at a scornful distance, and
232 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
others who had drowned every thought of religion
in giddy mirth, now bending their knees together in
supplication, or waiting in silent reflection for a min ister of the gospel to pass along, and tell them indi vidually what they must do.
"From this time, so rapid was the progress of the
work, that at the next similar meeting, March 12, a
hundred and eighty were present, of whom fifty sup posed that since the commencement of the revival,
they had become reconciled to God; and a week afterwards, I had the names of more than ninety who
indulged the same persuasion concerning themselves.
"The state of feeling which at this time pervaded
the town, was interesting beyond description. There
was no commotion, but a stillness in our very streets;
a serenity in the aspect of the pious, and a solemnity
apparent in almost all, which forcibly impressed us
with the conviction that in very deed God was in
this place. Public meetings, however, were not very
frequent. They were so appointed as to afford the
opportunity for the same individuals to hear preaching twice a week, besides on the Sabbath.   Occasiohally there were also meetings of an hour, in the morning or at noon, in private dwellings, at which the
serious in the neighborhood were convened on short
notice, for prayer and conference. The members of
the church also met weekly for prayer, and commonly on the evenings selected for the meetings of the
anxious. From these meetings, the people retired directly, and with little communication with each other,
to their homes. They were disposed to be much alone,
and to take the word of God for their guide.
233 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
"The topics principally insisted on in this revival,
were the unchangeable obligations of the divine law,
the deceitful and entirely depraved character of the
natural heart, the free and indiscriminate offers of
the gospel, the reasonableness and necessity of immediate repentance, the refuges and excuses to which
awakened sinners are accustomed to resort, and the
manner, guilt, and danger of slighting, resisting, and
opposing the operations of the IHoly Spirit.
"Among the first subjects of the work, there was
a large proportion of the more wealthy and intelligent. A considerable number of youths belonging to
this class, had just finished a course of biblical instruction, for which I had met them weekly for more than
a year, who, with scarcely an exception, at the very
commencement of the revival embraced the gospel
which they had learned, and by their experience of
its power commended it to the families to which
they belonged.  I suppose that within three months,
there were about two hundred and fifty persons who
hoped they had passed from death unto life. On the
first Sabbath in June, a hundred and fourteen were
added to the church; and at subsequent periods a
hundred and twenty more. Many have died, and
many have removed from our immediate connection;
but those who remain, now constitute the chief
strength of the church."
From Rev. Dr. Tenney, of Wethersfield, Conn. April, 1822.
"Previous to the revival, our church consisted of
about two hundred and sixty members. As its fruits,
precisely tko hundred more have been added, of whom
seventy-nine are heads of families.   Sixty-two are
234 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
males, and thirty-two are young unmarried men. A
number of others have indulged hope. Generally the
subjects of the work still appear well.
"Some instances of conversion have been strongly
marked.  The awakening of some has been sudden
and powerful, and has soon issued in triumphant
peace. In others it has been as the'still small voice.'
One individual who had been a total disbeliever in
revelation, began to examine the subject of religion
with all the coolness of a mathematician; till, in the
course of a few weeks, the great truths of Scripture
bore upon his conscience with insupportable power,
and had almost that'keen vibration through his soul,
which makes hell;' and his heart yielded to God.
One aged man said, If I have been born of God, it
was on the day when I was seventy-six years old.
Another said, It was the day when I was sixty-eight.
In one family, a mother of eleven children, who had
long gone to the table of Christ mourning that of
her great family there was not one to accompany her,
now hopes that eight of her children are the children
of God. In another family consisting of parents and
seven children, all have indulged hope, except one
son who was absent at sea.  A widow, the mother of
seven children, some of them pious before, now has
hope of all the others. The whole family now belong
to the church.
"Greatly are we indebted to a number of neighboring ministers whose labors were of great use.
Peculiar are our obligations to the Rev. Asahel Nettleton, who was much with us, and whose labors were
eminently blessed, reminding us of'the chariots of
235 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Israel, and the horsemen thereof.' Though in this
work there has been the strongest coincidence between the means used and the success, and between
the prayerfulness of Christians and the conviction
and conversion of sinners, yet God has displayed his
glorious sovereignty, as well as faithfulness. The
work is emphatically his. To him all the glory is
due. To him let it be given, now and evermore."
From Rev. Dr. Ashbel Green, late President of the College
of New Jersey at Princeton, to Rev. Dr. Sprague.
After glancing at the earlier history of the college, Dr. Green says, "In the spring of 1782, when
I became a member of the institution, the walls of the
building were still perforated in a number of places,
the effect of the cannon balls which had passed through
them from the artillery of the American army, to
drive out a British foe that had taken shelter there.
"While I was a member of college there were but
two professors of religion among the students, and
not more than five or six who scrupled to use profane
language in common conversation. To the influence
of the American war succeeded that of the French
revolution, still more pernicious.   The open and
avowed infidelity of Paine, and other writers of the
same character, produced incalculable injury to religion and morals throughout our whole country; and
its effect on young men who valued themselves for
genius, and were fond of novel speculations, was the
greatest of all. Dr. Smith, then President of the college, told me that one man who sent his son, stated
explicitly in a letter that not a word was ever to be said
to him on the subject of religion. The youth was re
236 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
fused admittance. The tendency to dissipation and
dissolute morals which had long prevailed, had risen
to a most fearful height when I was called to the
presidency in the autumn of 1812."
After two years of faithful and abundant labors
to effect a reformation, he perceived that "there was
a marked attention to the religious duties of the college.  Every religious service was attended with a
solemnity that was very impressive. In the second
week of January, 1815, without any unusual occurrence in providence, without any alarming event,
without any extraordinary preaching, without any
special instruction, or other means that might be supposed peculiarly adapted to interest the mind, the
effect became more apparent.  In about four weeks
there were very few individuals in the college who
were not deeply impressed with a sense of the importance of spiritual and eternal things. There was
scarcely a room, perhaps not one, which was not a
place of earnest secret devotion. For a time it seemed as if the whole of our charge was pressing into
the kingdom of God. The result was, that of one
hundred and five students, there were more than forty
in regard to whom favorable hopes were entertained
that they were the subjects of renewing grace.
"The means which were employed and blessed of
God in producing the revival, were chiefly the study
of the holy Scriptures, accompanied with comments
on the portion read, and practical application of the
leading truths contained in it. God has remarkably
honored and blessed his word. Appropriate addresses were frequently made, and the public exer
237 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
cises were conducted with a special view to religious
edification.
"The few youths who were previously pious had
for more than a year been earnestly engaged ill
prayer for this event. When they perceived the
general and increasing seriousness, several of them
agreed to speak privately and tenderly to their particular acquaintances on the subject of religion; and
what they said was in almost every instance not only
well received, but those with whom they conversed
became earnestly engaged in those exercises which it
is hoped have issued in genuine piety.
"In preaching on the Lord's day morning, subjects were selected suited to the existing state of the
college; a weekly lecture, intended for the students
exclusively, was given every Tuesday evening; a
prayer-meeting was held every Friday evening, at
which one of the theological professors commonly
made an address; a prayer-meeting was every evening held by the students themselves, at which a large
proportion of the whole college attended; smaller
and more select associations for prayer were also
formed; the individuals whose minds were anxious
were, as often as they requested it, carefully conversed and prayed with in private; writings of approved character on doctrinal and practical religion
were recommended, and a short system of Questions
and Counsel* was drawn up by myself for the use of
those who appeared to have entered on a life of practical piety.
* These Questions and Counsel constitute No. 113 of the
American Tract Society's series.
238 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
"The fruits of this revival were happy and lasting; for although a number lost their impressions, yet
there are a goodly number now in public life who are
bringing forth the fruits of that renovated nature
which was imparted to them by the gracious Spirit
of God in this revival. I once counted the number
of ministers of the gospel whose conversion was believed to have taken place at that time. I forget
what the number was, but I remember I thought it
greater than that produced on any similar occasion
in Nassau-hall.
"There were two other periods during my presidency, at which hopes were excited that we were on
the eve of another general revival. But though the
favorable appearances passed away without realizing
this hope, it was not without leaving several monuments of divine grace, some of them very remarkable. May God soon grant a general revival to an
institution consecrated by its founders to the promotion of science in union with piety, and in behalf of
which many fervent prayers, both of the living and
the dead, have ascended to the throne of mercy."
From Rev. Dr. John McDowell, E]izobethtown, New Jersey.
1812-1825.
In a letter to Rev. Dr. Sprague, Dr. McDowell
gives a record of revivals in 1772 and 1784;- and one
in 1807, which apparently commenced in connection
with "a powerful sermon on prayer by the Rev. Dr.
Gideon Blackburn," and continued about eighteen
months, as the fruits of which about one hundred and
twenty were added to the church. He proceeds to
say:
239 
REVIYAL SKETCHES.
"Another revival visibly commenced in December,
1812. It was on a communion Sabbath. There was
nothing peculiarly arousing in the preaching. I was
not expecting such an event. I saw nothing unusual
in the appearance of the congregation; and it was
not until after the services of the day were ended,
when several called in deep distress to ask me what
they should do to be saved, that I knew that the
Lord was specially in this place. This was a day of
such power, (though I knew it not at the time,) that
as many as thirty who afterwards joined the church,
were then first awakened. And it is a remarkable
circumstance, that the same powerful influence was
experienced on the same day in both of the Presbyterian churches in the neighboring town of Newark.
It was also communion-season in both those churches.
This revival continued about a year; and the number
of persons added to the communion of this church as
its fruits, wasabout one hundred and ten.
"About the beginning of February, 1817, this
church was again visited with a great revival of religion. It commenced most signally, as an inmmediate
answer to the united prayers of God's people. The
session, impressed with a sense of the comparatively
low state of religion among us, agreed to spend an
afternoon together in prayer. The congregation were
informed of this on the Sabbath, and a request made
that Christians would at the same time retire to their
closets, and spend a season in prayer for the influences of the Spirit to descend upon us. The season
appointed was the next afternoon; and that evening
was the monthly concert of prayer, which was unusu
240 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
ally full and solemn; and before the week was out,
it was manifest that the Lord was in the midst of us,
in a very special manner. Many cases of awakening
came to my knowledge, and the work soon spread
throughout the congregation. This revival was mark ed, not by the deep distress of the preceding, but by
a general weeping in religious meetings. There was
doubtless much of sympathy. A larger proportion
than usual of the subjects were young, and many of
them children. Some were long in darkness, but
most of them, much sooner than in either of the former
revivals of my ministry, professed to have embraced
the Saviour. The number in the congregation who
appeared to be seriously impressed, amounted to sev eral hundreds. The special attention continued about
a year; and the number added to the communion of
the church was about one hundred and eighty.
"At the close of the year 1819, it pleased a gracious God to grant to this church another season of
special refreshing, which continued about a year; and
the number added to the communion of the church as
its fruits, was about sixty.
"In the early part of the year 1824, there was
a considerable increase of attention to the subject of
religion, which continued through the year 1825.
About sixty were added to the communion of the
church during this time, as the fruits of this special
influence. But the work did not terminate with this
ingathering. These were but as drops before a mighty
shower. About the beginning of December, 1825,
the work was greatly increased. It commenced visibly on a day of fasting and prayer, appointed by the
-ev. Skethee          1 
241 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
synod of New Jersey, on account of the absence of
divine influences from their churches generally. Within a few weeks many were awakened and brought to
seek the Lord. This revival, with few exceptions,
was not marked by deep distress, and the subjects of
it generally, soon professed to hope in Christ.  It
continued through the year 1826, during which time
about one hundred and thirty were added to the communion of this church, as its fruits."
REVIVAL IN PITTSFIELD, MASS., AS WITNESSED BY
THE AUTHOR, IN 1821.
The most extensive and powerful revival that I
have ever witnessed, took place in Pittsfield, Mass.,
in the summer of 1821. We had enjoyed a cheering.
time of refreshing the year before, which brought in
about fifty additions to the church; but it reached
very few of the prominent and influential members
of the congregation, and there were but few of that
class then in the church. That first revival had apparently come to a close, and the fruits had been
mostly gathered in, before the opening of the spring
of 1821. The strong men had not bowed themselves
at the foot of the cross, and we were afraid that before another such season should return, many of them
would be in their graves.
It was about the middle of May, that the Rev.
Asahel Nettleton, who had been for several years
laboring in revivals with wonderful success, came unexpectedly to make me a visit, and as he said, "to
rest a while;" for he was very much worn down by
his almost incredible labors.
242 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
His fame as a revival preacher had come before
him. Though he kept himself close, it soon became
known that he was here, and many were anxious to
hear him, as much from curiosity perhaps as any
thing else. Though I knew his need of the rest which
he came to find in the bosom of my family, I rather
urged him to gratify them by preaching once, if no
more. He declined, till after two Sabbaths, I think,
when, as I was providentially absent, the funeral of a
child on a week-day brought him out. There was a
large gathering, and I presume he saw something
which indicated the return of the Holy Spirit, though
nobody else did. The next Sabbath he preached
once, and it seemed evident to him at least, that the
Spirit was moving upon some during the services of
the day. These indications gradually increased, till
the church began to be encouraged with the hope
that we might have another revival, which all felt
was greatly needed; for many more were left, than
had been taken the preceding year. Mr. Nettleton
saw by this time, if not before, that here was harvest
work to be done, and that he must not rest too long.
He remained with us about three months, including
one or two short visits to neighboring fields, which
were white for the reapers.
I published a narrative of the work the next year
in the Christian Intelligencer, the substance of which
I shall repeat, though I have it not now before me.
And I shall venture to give it more at length, than I
can find room for any other revival of those remarkable years of the outpouring of the Spirit-not because
the number of converts was greater, or so great as in
243 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
some other places, but because I was an eye-witness
and a coworker in the field of divine wonders; and
also, as at the critical stage of the revival the great
adversary did his best to stop it, to show how signally God defeated him.
The revival did not break out suddenly, as has
been often the case, but there was a growing solemnity visible in the congregation, which quite early in
June encouraged us to let it be known, in a still way,
that we should be happy to meet any who might be
disposed to come to my house for a short meeting
the next evening. It was understood to be for inquirers, if there were any. A larger number than
we had dared to expect came, and it was noticeable
that most of them were from the more prominent and
leading families in the village. We could not help
regarding this as a favorable omen, most of them
having been passed by in the former revival. It was
a sort of test meeting, and from that time the work
advanced and spread rapidly; but not without exciting opposition on the part of some who were capable
of wielding a wide influence.
Something they thought must be done to check
the epidemic, before it should come into their families, and get beyond control. What should it be?
It would not be safe to come out openly, as so many
were already asking what they must do to be saved.
St. John's day, as it was called, (June 25,) was near
at hand; and it was resolved to hold, in Pittsfield, a
grand festival of all the masonic lodges round about.
We could not say that the ruling motive on the part
of those who sent out the invitation, was to put a
244 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
stop to the revival; but the movement was so sudden,
that, taken in connection with all the circumstances,
it looked very much like it.
A very popular speaker, who had once been an
approved minister of the gospel, was engaged to come
and deliver the oration. We were distressed. We
exceedingly feared that such a gathering would divert
the minds of the people from the great salvation
which was then so freely offered; but we could not
prevent it. The occasion called for earnest prayer
for direction, and that God would graciously interpose and prevent the dreaded consequences.  One
thing we could do. The orator chosen had, as I have
just said, once been a minister. We-Mr. Nettleton
and myself-addressed him a joint letter, saying we
understood he had engaged to come; that there was
a very interesting revival in progress here, which we
presumed he had not heard of; that we did not write
to dissuade him from coming, but that we hoped he
would give his discourse such a shape as to interfere
as little as possible with the work of the Lord. He
came.  The day was very fine. The anniversary was
very largely attended by the masons from all quarters.  The church was crowded.  We were there,
and greatly relieved. The discourse was more like
a sermon than a popular oration. There was nothing in it to which we could object, but a good deal
which was rather calculated to promote the revival
than to check it. We thanked God, and took courge.
The masons were astonished. What could it
mean? They were so excited, that they could not
245 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
help expressing their disappointment to the speaker,
and asking him what he meant. He excused himself
by saying that he had been induced to give that
religious shape to his address by a letter which Mr.
Nettleton and I had written him. This brought down
upon us a storm of vituperation for our interference.
But the Lord was on our side. He had undertaken
to accomplish a great work in Pittsfield, and neither
earth nor hell could prevent it. We could not see
that the masonic festival hindered the revival at all.
But the disappointment and opposition were soon
manifested in another form.  The people of the town
had been in the habit, on the fourth of July, of celebrating the declaration of American Independence,
ever since it was declared; and at the close of each
festival with toasts and speeches and drums and cannon, to appoint a committee to make arrangements
for the next year. Such a committee had been aty
pointed the year before. As the revival was now
becoming general and powerful, we were very desirous of having a religious celebration, and inviting
our friends in the comunty to come in and enjoy it with
us. I accordingly inquired of the committee whether
it was their intention to have-the usual festive celebration; stating that, if it might be dispensed with
under the present unusual circumstances, we should
be glad to substitute a religious service, and that we
found a great many were in favor of it. The committee cheerfully assented to the proposal, and we
made our arrangements accordingly.
Thus, as to the regular arrangements, the matter
was settled in our favor; and we supposed there would
246 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
be no interruption. But we were mistaken; those
who wanted the customary noisy celebration, determined not to be deprived of it. So the young Wem
resolved to have an oration and a dinner at the usual
hours. How far they were encouraged by some older
men opposed to the revival, did not openly appear;
but that they were to some extent, was not doubted
at the time. The oration was delivered in the forenoon, and at two o'clock our public meeting was held.
The meeting-house had never been filled with a more
serious and respectable congregation. The day was
fine, and a large number of our friends from abroad
were there. I tried to persuade Mr. Nettleton to
preach; but as he positively declined, I was obliged
to make the best preparations I could. My text was,
"If th Son shall make you free, ye s/l be free indeed."
John 8: 36.
Though there was some noise outside from the
commencement of the services, it did not appear that
there was any intention to disturb us, till the sermon
was about half through Becoming impatient when
the guests had finished their dinner, and loaded- the
four pounder, and got primed for the toasts, they first
sent their band with drums and fifes to-march round
the house, and warn us that it was time to close and
leave the ground. One or two gentlemen went out
to remonstrate, but they were disregarded. I went
on with my discourse, and I believe made myself
heard.
Finding that their martial music did not succeed,
they determined next to try what powder would do.
The first discharge was so unexpected, that it almost
247 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
started the whole congregation from their seats. The
high-sheriff of the county, with one or two of our
most respectable citizens, went out to persuade them
to desist; but they would not. Many within turned
pale, but none of the audience retired.  By the third
round they were entirely composed, and a —more solemn assembly I never looked upon. How many
rounds were discharged I cannot remember, but as
the cannonading went on, and I drew towards the
close of my written discourse, it came so aptly in
my way that I couldn't help adding something to the
improvement, by contrasting the liberty wherewith
Christ makes his children free, with the bondage of
Satan's servants without. This I suppose added ten
or fifteen minutes to the length of my discourse, after
which Dr. Shepard of Lenox closed with prayer, and
the evening lecture was appointed from the desk.
The great audience then retired as if nothing had
happened, only more deeply impressed.
As we went out, the sheriff expressed his determination to make the disturbers smart for it; but I
begged him to do no such thing: "They have not
injured us, but shot themselves dead, and don't meddle with their remains:'The Lord of hosts is with
us, the God of Jacob is our refuge."' And so it
proved. It needed no enemy to spike their cannon,
or to scatter them. Whereas, on all former celebrations here, the noise was kept up to a late hour in
the evening, the green was now entirely forsaken by
sundown, and the stillness of the evening throughout
the village was like the Sabbath. The lecture at
half-past seven was crowded, and iunusually solemn.
248 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
It was on that occasion, that Mr. Nettleton took for
his text those urgent words of the angels to Lot, "Up,
get ye out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this
city;" and so vivid was his description of that sudden
and awful destruction, that not a few of the audience
involuntarily turned their faces to the windows, as
if the storm of fire and brimstone had actually come
down upon the place.
Taken altogether, the triumph of the day and the
evening was truly sublime. It was wonderful to witness with what power the Spirit of God triumphed.
A new impulse was given to the revival. From that
time, there was no more open opposition to the work.
Whatever any might have felt, they were afraid to
show it. Some of those who had been active, if not
ringleaders in the disturbance, were afterwards hopefully converted. The work went on with great power
through the months of July and August, and extended
far into the autumn. It was such a summer as Pittsfield never saw before, nor since.
The narrative would be quite incomplete if I were
to close it here. In all revivals God works by means
and instruments, and some may be glad to know what
course was here adopted.                -
In the first place it was fully understood between
Mr. Nettleton and myself, that as I was the pastor,
he was to be the helper, and not the main director.
Hle could not have been persuaded to make the appointments, and tell me when and where I should aid
him. He was not the man for that anywhere, and if
he had been, I certainly should not have come into
any such arrangement. I always consulted him as a
11*
249 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
matter of course, for he knew incomparably better
than I did, what means had been most successful in
the progress of revivals. But it was my parish, and
not his. In placing me here, the Head of the church
had devolved upon me a responsibility, which I did
not feel at liberty to throw off. And with this understanding, I do not believe that any two preachers
ever labored more harmoniously together than we
did.
Our general course of preaching and incidental
labors was as follows: Three discourses on the Sabbath, one of which was always in the evening. Two
public lectures on week-day evenings, preceded by a
short prayer-meeting a little before sundown; occasional lectures and prayer-meetings in the outdistricts, one object of which was to bring as many as
we could to attend the central lectures; an inquiry
meeting every Monday evening, and a church prayermeeting at the same hour. Besides these, a great
many smaller neighborhood meetings were attended,
connected with visiting from house to house as we
could find time. I also held a meeting once a week
with as many aged members of my flock, who were
not professors of religion, as I could collect, and there
is reason to hope that some of them were brought in
at the eleventh hour.
In our discourses in season and out of season, we
did not shun to declare "all the counsel of God," as
we understood it. Mr. Nettleton's preaching was
"not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and with power." It was
plain, earnest, direct, searching, driving the sinner
250 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
from all his refuges; now making the law thunder as
but few preachers can, and then from a full heart
pouring out the melting invitations of the gospel.
Though there were diversities of operations, for the
most part the converts were led to Calvary by the
way of Sinai. They experienced a law work before
they closed in with the terms of the gospel.  "When
the commandment came, sin revived, and they died;"
and when the Spirit raised them to a new life, they
lived all the better for it.
The subjects of the work were chiefly heads of
families; some of them below, and not many of them
much above middle age. They were in the midst of
life, and more than any equal number of the congregation exercised a controlling influence in the community. Among them were our principal lawyers,
doctors, merchants, and men of standing and business in the town. And it was very interesting to
notice how, as they were brought out one after another, they went at once and reported to their friends
of the same class what a Saviour they had found,
urging them to come to the meetings and see. It
reminded us of the manner in which the disciples of
Christ were brought to him one after another, as
recorded in the first chapter of John. "John (the
Baptist) stood, and two of his disciples; and looking
upon Jesus as he walked, he saith,' Behold the Lamb
of God I and they followed Jesus. One of the two
who heard John speak and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.   He first findeth his
own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have
founid the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth
Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found
him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did
write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And
Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come
out of Nazareth?  Philip saith unto him, Come and
see." So it was here, and so it ought always to be
in a revival. Just as soon as Andrew finds the Saviour, he should go and bring in Peter. So Philip
should find Nathanael, and bring him also to Christ,
that they may all rejoice together in their discipleship.
In the progress of the revival, a great many inci
dents occurred which heightened the interest of the
work, but I have room for only two.
One  Monday morning early, a colored woman
about forty years old came to my house bowed down
as if by some great calamity.  "Dinah," I said, "I am
glad to see you; but what is the matter?" "Oh, I
don't know, but I feel dreadfully." "How long have
you felt so?"  "Ever since yesterday, when you was
preaching it seemed as if a knife was stuck right into
my heart." How could I help calling to mind instantly, Peter's sermon on the day of pentecost?
"When they heard this, they were pricked in their
hearts, and cried out, Men and brethren, what shall
we do?" Here was a poor woman who had been
brought up a slave, and could not read a word, feeling just as they did, and using nearly the same language, without knowing or suspecting it. How could
252 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
I doubt, how can anybody doubt, that if it was the
Spirit of God that pricked the hearts of Peter's hear ers, it was the same Spirit that seemed like a knife
piercing Dinah's heart; corresponding too as it did
with that other scripture, "The word of God is quick
and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword."
Though Dinah couldn't tell what ailed her, I soon
found that she was in deep distress for her soul. She
of course needed a great deal of instruction; but in a
few weeks she was brought out of darkness into marvellous light, joined the church, and adorned her profession to the day of her death.
The other was the case of an ignorant, swearing,
intemperate man, one of the vilest of the vile, who
rarely, if ever, attended public worship anywhere.
One Sabbath afternoon, in the midst of the revival,
he strayed into the church; he could not tell why;
took his seat near the door so that he could easily
slip out, but remained quiet till the sermon commenced. The words of my- text were, It is the last time.
As he said afterwards, it struck him to the heart,
and threw him into the greatest agitation. Hlis first
thought was, that he would go at once to the tavern
and drive it off with a dram. But somehow he found
himself fastened to his seat till the meeting closed,
and then he knew not where to go, or what to do.
The arrow had struck too deep to be extracted by
any but a divine hand. A scene of terrible distress
followed.  For a number of days he was almost in
the horrors of despair. Prayer was offered continually for him, and he was assured that the mercies of
God were not clean gone for ever, if he would repent
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REVIYAL SKETCHES.
and cast himself upon Christ to wash away his sins.
How long he remained in this condition I do not
remember, but at length light began gradually to
break in upon his mind. He embraced a humble
hope that God had brought him up out of the horrible pit and the miry clay, and after a probation of
several months he gave such evidence of a saving
change that he was received into the church, and as
those who knew him best believed, he died a true
penitent.
Though the revival commenced early in the summer, as I have already stated, none of the subjects of
it were received into the church till at our regular
communion-season, the first Sabbath in November.
My judgment was and still is, that as a general rule,
it is best that hopeful converts should take considerable time to test the genuineness of their hopes, before
making a public profession. It appeared to me that
the candidates for membership, as a body, needed a
good deal of instruction to prepare them for an intelligent profession of their faith in Christ.
Accordingly, besides conversing with them individually touching the reasons of the hope that was
in them, I called them together- in a body, and spent
several evenings in explaining to them our confession
of faith and covenant, article by article, and exhorting them to be fully persuaded in their own minds, of
the scriptural basis of our creed, before subscribing
to it; and I have reason to think that no evenings
were more profitably spent than these. They afforded full scope for asking and answering questions, and
examining proof-texts; and I am not aware of a sin
254 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
gle case of departure from" the form of sound words,"
as we believed them to be, in our articles.
When the converts presented themselves for admission, they were examined one by one, by the pastor and a committee, in presence of as many of the
church as chose to attend, to which no one of the
number made any objection.  When the time arrived
for their admission, that Sabbath-day was a high day.
Nothing like it had ever been witnessed in the history of the church. I think the number who came forward was eighty-five; and to see the long broad aisle
filled, from the communion-table down to the door,
with disciples hastening as it were to meet their Master for the first time at his table, was a spectacle
which caused the aged fathers and mothers to weep
for joy, and filled the great congregation with wonder and awe. While there were persons of all classes
and different ages standing together to take upon
themselves the vows of their consecration, what made
the scene uncommonly impressive was, that there
were so many husbands and wives of our most influential families-so many men in and out of the professions, who, from their position in society, would
have it in their power to exert so wide an influence
in the cause of Christ, and for the good of the town.
Though in the providence of God I was called
two years after to leave my beloved charge, and labor
in another field,* I was near enough to keep myself
advised of the Christian walk of that large band of
professors; and having long since returned to reside
in Pittsfield, it affords me the highest satisfaction to
* The presidency of Amherst college.
255 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
be able to say, that now, at the end of thirty-seven
years from the time of their public espousals to Christ,
there has not, so far as I can learn, been a single case
of apostasy from the faith once delivered to the saints,
nor of yielding to the mastery of any of those habits
which disgrace the Christian name, and drown men
in destruction and perdition. There was indeed one
of the number, who for a time was in great danger
of being brought into bondage again to bad habits
from which he had been reclaimed, insomuch that
the church stood in doubt of him, but he did not
utterly fall away; he was reclaimed, and gave evidence that God had restored him from his backslidings, and that he died in the faith.
To the foregoing account I venture to append a
few brief extracts of a letter to the editor of the
Charleston, S. C., Intelligencer, from a gentleman
who was present at the meeting on the fourth of
July.
"The opposers of the revival, finding that a religious celebration was agreed on, resolved to have a
political celebration. They occupied the church in
the morning. At two o'clock they who loved the
Lord began to assemble in the same place.  The
church was crowded. While the people were assembling, and as they passed near the rioters, crackers
were repeatedly exploded to annoy them. The service began and went sweetly on.  Mr. H, pastor of the church, took his text from John 8: 36, " If
the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.' Towards the close of the sermon the word
fire was heard, and our ears were suddenly stunned
256 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
by the report of a cannon. It was the attack of the adversary, and well kept up. But unfortunately for
him, every shot preached louder than ten thousand
thunders. Meanwhile the drums beat, the fifers play ed as they marched back and forth before the church door, animated by the music of the cannon, and the
hope of a glorious triumph over the cause of God.
"Some few Christians of delicate frame and quick
sensibilities were agitated and alarmed, and others,
though not intimidated, dreaded the consequences of
this violent attack; but generally there were high
hopes that it would be overruled for good. And so
it was. So skilfully did the preacher allude to, and
apply his discourse to the conduct of the opposition
out of doors-such advantage did he take of every
blast of the cannon, and every play of the drum, by
some well-pointed remark-that it went like a twoedged sword to the hearts of listening sinners. Indeed, Mr. II     afterwards informed me, that, had
he previously showed the heads of his sermon to the
riotors, and requested them when he reached such a
point to fire, and when he reached another point to
fire, they could not have more effectually served the
purpose of the discourse. One gentleman-who had
previously been somewhat serious, told me that every
shot of the cannon pierced his soul-filled him with
indescribable horror, and by the blessing of God
brought him to such a hatred and detestation of sin
in himself and others, as constrained him quickly to
fly to Christ.
"I confess I trembled for the ark of God.  After
the sermon was concluded, I went and expostulated
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
with the ringleader, whose companion I had once
been in wickedness, and over whom I thought I might
have some influence. I sat near Mr. Nettleton, and
so delighted was he with the discourse, and so accurately did he foresee the result, that whenever an
apt allusion dropped from the lips of the speaker, he
would turn round with a holy smile and whisper, That
is good, that is good. Nothing could be more appropriate, or more naturally rise out of the text, than
Mr. H's description of the miserable bondage in
which those out of doors were serving their master.
"This was an eventful day for Pittsfield.  From
that time Immanuel gathered his trophies from among
great and small. They who thought to crush the
work of God were bitterly disappointed.  The fruits
of this revival were one hundred and forty converts.
Praise the Lord."
258 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
CHAPTER VII.
THE REVIVAL EPOCH ABOUT 1800
CONTINUED.
BRIEF NOTICES OF REVIVALS-1815TO 1825.
"IN the summer of 1815, there was a great revival in the town of Salisbury, Conn.  The subjects
were of different ages, but generally youth. As the
fruits of this revival, more than two hundred were
admitted into the churches.
"In the summer of 1816, the revival reached Torrington. At the communion in November, the first
fruits were gathered into the church, and the number
of hopeful converts was about seventy.
"About the same time, the Holy Spirit visited the
town of Waterbury in a signal manner, with his convicting and converting influences. It embraced all
the variety of operations, from the still small voice
to the most powerful threatening of a broken law,
and embraced all ages from youth to grey hairs.
More than one hundred were the fruits of this revival.
"In the fall of 1817, there was a revival in the
parish of Rocky Hill, Conn., as the fruits of which,
Dr. Chapin the pastor says eighty-four persons be came members of Christ's visible church.
"In the fall of 1818, a revival was enjoyed in the
small society of Ashford, and eighty-two were added
to the church.
"In the spring of 1819, there was a happy revival
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
in the town of Bolton.  The convictions of the subjects of this work were deep, increased rapidly, and
were of short continuance. Unconditional submission
was urged as the ground of their acceptance with
God. As soon as this was exercised, in most instances the sinner was filled with joy, and fifty-nine were
added to the church.
"The same year, 1819, was a remarkable year of
the right hand of the Most High, in the county of
Saratoga, New York. The work commenced in the
summer, at Saratoga springs, and about forty made a
profession of religion, including some of the most
prominent persons in the village.
"About the same time, there was a remarkable
revival in Stillwater. In February, a hundred and
three were added to the church, and about a hundred
more were rejoicing in hope, expecting soon to be
received.
"In Ballston too the work was very powerful,
and at two communion-seasons a hundred and eighteen were added to the church, while the work was
still increasing.
"In the adjoining town of Milton, the work was
overwhelming. In less than two months, more than a
hundred and fifty were brought to rejoice in hope. In
Amsterdam, there were about fifty hopeful conversions.
In a letter dated Union college, April 28, 1820,
Mr. Nettleton writes, "I have no time to relate interesting particulars. I only add, that some of the most
stout-hearted and heaven-daring rebels have been in
the most awful distress, and within a circle whose
diameter is about twenty-four miles, not less than
260 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
eight hundred souls have been hopefully born into the
kingdom of Christ since last September. In Malta,
there were such displays of the power of God's Spirit in crushing the opposition of the natural heart, as
are very seldom seen. The Deist and Universalist,
the drunkard, the gambler, and the swearer, were
alike made the subjects of this heart-breaking work.
It was a place of great spiritual dearth, and like the
top of Gilboa, had never been wet by rain or dew;
but the Lord now converted that wilderness into a
fruitful field. A church was soon organized with
eighty-five members."
In the same year, 1820, was a powerful revival in
New Hlaven, and about three hundred were added to
the churches. It extended to most of the neighboring towns. Out of thirty-one congregations in the
county of New Hlaven, at least twenty-five were visited, during the winter and spring, with the special
presence of the Lord, and it was estimated that within these limits between fifteen hundred and two thousaind souls were called out of nature's darkness into
marvellous light.
In North Killingworth the revival was very powerful. It commenced about the last 6f August in a
Bible-class, and rapidly spread over the town. The
hopeful converts were a hundred and sixty-two, a
hundred and seven of whom united with the church
at the communion-season in January, and soon after
twenty-five more.
In 1822 and 1823 were many extensive revivals
in the eastern part of Connecticut, of which Mr. Nettleton gives the following summary view:
261 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
"Most of these churches have in years past been
favored with seasons more or less reviving, but never
with such a general and powerful refreshing from the
presence of God. The following towns have shared
in the work. In Somers, one hundred and fifty have
been made the subjects of divine grace. In Tolland,
one hundred and thirty. In South Wilbraham, one
hundred. In North Coventry, one hundred and twenty. In South Coventry, North and South Mansfield,
about one hundred in each. In Columbia, forty. In
Lebanon, ninety.  In Goshen, thirty.  In Bozrah,
seventy.  In Montville, ninety.  In Chaplin, fifty.
"The work has recently commenced, and is advancing with power in Hampton, and within a few
weeks fifty or more are rejoicing in hope. Also,
within a few weeks past, the Spirit of God has descended with overwhelming power in Millington and
Colchester. In the former place about seventy, and
in the latter sixty are already rejoicing in hope.
They have never witnessed the like in the power and
extent of the work. In the above cluster of towns,
all contiguous, more than thirteen hundred souls have
hopefully received a saving change since the work
began. Of these, more than eight hundred have already made a profession of religion. In Chatham also
the work is interesting, and about seventy are rejoicing in hope. The Lord has done great things for
Zion, whereof we are glad; and let all her friends
humbly rejoice, and bow, and give thanks, and exalt
his name together."
The above items from memoranda in the life of
Dr. Nettleton, whose labors were extended to other
262 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
parts of the northern states, and for three successive
winters, 1827-1829, to Virginia, are scarcely a tithe
of the places where revivals spread, and where the
Spirit wrought mightily in the conversion of sinners.
Hundreds and thousands of churches, connected with
the various evangelical denominations in all parts of
the country, were visited and blessed by the gracious
outpourings of the Spirit, notices of which constantly
appeared in the weekly and other periodicals for a
score of years, but which the design and limits of this
work do not require or permit me to notice more in
detail.
In Central and Western New York, the revival
was very extensive and powerful. In Troy, Utica,
Auburn, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and many other
places, the revivals between 1820 and 1825 surpassed
all that had been seen before. They were noticed in
the religious newspapers of the day, and through
some other channels of religious intelligence, but I
have not been able to find narratives of them in more
permanent forms.
SOME THINGS TO BE REGRETTED.
But glorious as these revivals were,- I believe
that in the retrospect nearly all the ministers who
were then on the stage can recollect some things to
be regretted, which were at length in some places
introduced, as there were in the "great awakening"
of the last century, and which, cnsidering the imperfection of the best of men, are liable more or less to
mar every great revival. I cannot do less than glance
at them in these brief historical sketches.
263 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
None but the decided enemies of vital religion
could then say, or can now say, that those mistakes
were so many and so wide spread anywhere as to
destroy the good there was in them in that remarkable day; though there were some things to be guarded
against and avoided, which in a greater or less degree interrupted the good work, and gave some occasion to such as sought occasion to oppose it. It could
not be denied that in several places the pressure was
for a time so high, under certain revival measures, as
to disturb the calm and regular action of men's minds.
Outbreaks of nervous excitement were so far from
being checked, that they were rather encouraged in
the prayer-meetings, if not in the more public assemblies.
It having been found that four-days' meetings
were remarkably blessed, they were in many cases
multiplied and repeated till they were fairly worn
out. It came to be thought, in some churches, that
when religion was at a low ebb, they had only to
arrange for a protracted meeting, and were almost
sure of a revival. Accordingly when four days did
not do it, the meetings were continued indefinitelysix, ten, fifteen, twenty, and in some cases much
longer-till all who attended them were exhausted
in body and mind; and whatever forced excitement
was at last produced, was unavoidably followed by
a speedy reaction, which left the church and congregation in a far lesstimpressible state than the meek
ing found them. I presume that few if any of those
churches would now repeat the experiment of very
long protracted meetings.   In consequence of such 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
failures as were witnessed, unreasonable prejudices
have ever since existed in some quarters against all
such meetings.
The great demand for preaching in western re vivals, brought out a number of zealous young men
with but little experience, who felt it their duty to
enter into the work, and help the pastors wherever
their services were desired. They soon took the
name of Evangelists, or Revivalists as they were more
commonly called. Some of them, in process of time,
became zealous overmuch.   They introduced measures which many pastors of riper judgment and more
experience in revivals could not approve. And as
their zeal increased, they wanted to go to places
where they were not sent for. Nor would they be
hindered for want of regular invitations. Influential
members of the churches who sympathized with them
were approached, and enlisted to overrule the judgment of their ministers, and wring from them a reluctant consent. If the ministers would not yield, they
must be broken down, as the phrase was. This was
often attempted, and sometimes succeeded. Nor would
the Evangelist long consent to labor under the advice
and direction of the pastor.  He must give up the
reins, and stand aside and look on, or take a subordinate part in the revival. The consequence was, that
divisions were created in the churches, part holding
with the pastors and part with the Evangelists; and
though scores of converts might le announced, some
chuires were actually weakened, and to such a degree.that if not quite broken up, in what has since
been called the'burnt district,' they have scarcely
Rev. Skctches          2
265 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
recovered to this day. Not only were good ministers
driven from their congregations in this manner, but
such prejudices against revivals were created by
these extreme measures, that it has taken a whole
generation to remove them.
Some of these Revivalists found their way into
the border congregations of New England. And
though they did not find so free an entrance as they
desired, they visited and labored in towns enough to
test their extreme measures by the fruits; and while
in looking back we do not feel warranted to say they
did no good, it is certain they caused many unhappy
divisions, and that their success was nothing like
what they proclaimed upon the housetops. Places
might be named where they counted scores if not
hundreds of converts, but few of whom could be
found, ten years after, to have joined and adorned the
Christian profession in any of the churches.   One
great object was to gather in the converts as soon
as possible, and the consequence was, that not a
few petitions were erelong presented for dismissions
back again to the world, by persons thus hastily admitted. They said, We thought we were converted
when we joined, but are now convinced it was mere
animal excitement: we have no more religion than
we had before, and have no right to be counted as
Christians, and come to the Lord's table.
This is not the place to decide what ought to be
done in such cases. But it is obvious, upon a moment's reflection, that they must be extremely embarrassing. Nor is it uncharitable to express the fear,
that many who are thus hurried in, and who do not
266 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
ask to be released, have the form of godliness without
the power, and by remaining weaken the churches
instead of strengthening them. These were serious
drawbacks upon the revivals of the period now under
review. In some cases they put a stop to them.
Nevertheless, as I have already said, they were unquestionably glorious years of the right hand of the
Most High.
REVIVALS IN COLLEGES AND SEMINARIES.
It is ground of devout thanksgiving to God, that
within the last fifty years our colleges have been much
oftener visited by the special outpourings of the Spirit, than during'any former period; and that a very
large proportion of the most able and successful ministers and missionaries have been converted and nurtured in these institutions. In Yale, I believe there
have been ten revivals at least. In Williams and
Amherst there have been nearly as many, and others
have shared richly in these blessings. From what
sources could faithful ministers have been obtained,
if these institutions had not been thus visited?
Nor must we forget to magnify the grace of God
in the effusions of his Spirit upon our academies, highschools, and other kindred educational seminaries,
both male and female. It would be safe to say, that
within the last forty years, there have been hundreds
of revivals in these nurseries of the churches and of
the state, the like of which have never before been
enjoyed in this or any other age or country.
In many of the Female seminaries especially, they
have been remarkable, frequent, and powerful; upon
267 
REVIYAL SKETCHES.
some of the largest Qf them, the Spirit has been poured out almost every year. Among these the Mount
Holyoke seminary in South Hadley, Massachusetts,
was so highly favored under the instruction and religious training of that remarkable woman MARY LYON,
its founder, and her associates, that I cannot refrain
from copying the following letter of one of the teachers, Miss Whitman, written by request to President
Hitchcock in 1846, which I find in the new edition of
Miss Lyon's life.
"The school has been in operation nine years, and
each year since its commencement there has been
decided religious interest, unless we except the first
and the eighth, several times amounting to a deep
and extensive work of grace. Among the pupils of
the first year, there were but ten or twelve who were
not hopefully pious; and although there was a general consistency of character and deportment, and
great zeal in building up the new institution, there
was no marked religious interest.
"The second year, the number regarding themselves as unconverted was about thirty. During that
year, God manifested his acceptance of the consecrated institution, not by a visible cloud, but by a baptism of the Hioly Ghost. The work was very rapid,
and advanced with great power. It occurred in connection with the fast for literary institutions. The
whole school bowed beneath its influence. The breathings of the Spirit were felt in every heart. The
lukewarm professor and the openly irreligious alike
trembled for their personal safety. The light footstep, the hushed voice, and the solemn countenance
268 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
indicated the thoughts of all hearts. Many a slum bering professor awoke to newness of life. During
the three days succeeding the last Thursday of February, which had been sacredly observed by the teach ers and scholars as a season of fasting and prayer,
about one-half of the impenitent indulged the hope of
having passed from death unto life.
"Saturday of the same week was a day of recreation. In the afternoon, nearly the whole school with
one accord came together, filling to its utmost capacity the reading-room, where the meeting was held.
After continuous prayer for an hour, the meeting was
appropriately closed by one of the teachers. No one
rose to leave the room. The feeling pervaded the
circle that prayer must be continued until every soul
was converted. Another prayer was then offered,
after which the same teacher proposed that they
should all retire to their rooms for half an hour, and
then those who desired, should meet again in the
same place. At the end of the half hour the burdened souls came together to plead once more for their
companions who were still out of Christ. But one,
that year, remained destitute of the Christian hope.
Many were the prayers offered for that halting one,
and in after-years it was found that praying breath
had not been spent in vain. She has since died in a
peaceful hope of divine acceptance, referring its origin to that second year of the Holyoke seminary.
"Thus did this young seminary receive its baptism of the Spirit. Thus did God condescend to manifest his acceptance of the offering.  Thus did he
receive as his own the seminary which had been pri
269
1. 
REVIYAL SKETCHES.
vately and publicly consecrated to him by the donors,
the trustees, and most of all by her who, standing at
its head, was often heard earnestly pleading that not
one of all who should enjoy its privileges down to the
dawn of the millennial day, should fail of eternal life.
"This revival gave the school that religious character which its founders desired. Its effects were
felt for several successive years, but especially in the
next, which was the third in the history of the seminary. That year, ad indulged the Christian hope. The
work was gradual, and there was a continued interest from the first week of the school till the close of
the year.  The presence of the Spirit was manifested
from the first, by attention to instruction, the tearful
eye, and exhibition of tenderness of feeling whenever
the subject of personal religion was introduced. The
number of cases of hopeful conversion this year was
nearly the same as the preceding, or about thirty.
The fourth year, the religious interest still continued, somewhat diminished in its power, yet manifest
through the year. Christians were not so generally
and deeply affected as at some former times, yet there
was an interesting growth and maturing of Christian
character; six or eight only remained at the close of
the year without hope. The fifth year, our building
was enlarged, and our numbers greatly increased.
There were in many cases a decided and interesting
development and settling of religious principle, and
also several cases of hopeful conversion of an unusually marked character. The number expressing hope
was perhaps about seventeen, being nearly half who
entered without hope.
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
"The following year, the sixth, was one rich in
blessing. A more careful division of responsibility
and labor among the teachers was made, and from
the commencement of the year, there was an increased personal effort in relation to every member of the
family. God crowned these efforts with abundant
success. From the first there was an attentive listening to instruction, and truth seemed to be taking a
deep hold of the understanding and conscience. But
it was not till March, that the Spirit of the Lord
came upon us with great power, and at once a large
number stood up on the Lord's side, having received
the breath of life. The work was sudden, rapid, and
powerful. We could only stand still and see the
salvation of God. Some cases of conversion were of
a very marked character, and of great interest. Of
the sixty-six who entered the school without hope,
only six remained destitute of it. The missionary
interest this year received a new impulse by the departure of Miss Fisk, one of our teachers, on a foreign
mission, and there was an increase in the missionary
contributions. During the seventh year, there were
about thirty cases of hopeful conversion. In our last
term, there were about twenty, and a number have
occurred the present term."
During the twelve years which have since transpired, that consecrated school of some three hundred
pupils has been almost equally blessed by annual
revivals. The spirit of the founder has rested on her
successors whom she trained up for the service.
271 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
REVIVALS ON MISSIONARY GROUND.
While God was pouring out his Spirit so copiously
upon the church in this country, as we have seen,
he was strengthening the hands and encouraging the
hearts of her missionaries in foreign lands, by precious refreshings from the same inexhaustible fountain.
To begin with the Sandwich islands.  When the
first missionaries of the American Board landed there,
in 1820, they found the natives sunk in the most deplorable ignorance and barbarism. A more hopeless
missionary field could scarcely be found in the whole
heathen world; but God had gone before them, and
moved those wretched islanders to cast away their
idols, they knew not why, as the first step towards
receiving the gospel. Much earlier than the strongest faith had dared to anticipate, God poured out his
Spirit in a most wonderful manner. The missionaries
stood still in amazement, as they witnessed the power
and progress of the work.  They had seen great
revivals in their own country, but they "never saw
it on this fashion." Almost the whole population was
simultaneously moved by an invisible mighty impulse,
which they could not withstand. Such a revival, it
is believed, had not been witnessed for seventeen hundred years.  "So mightily grew the word of God and
prevailed." I have no room for statistics, if I had
them all before me. They will be found in the reports and correspondence of the missionaries with the
American Board at that period. Suffice it to say,
that the converts were numbered by thousands, so
that within a very few years a larger proportion of
272 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
the natives,. hopefully born again, were received into
the churches, than could be numbered in any Christian land. The church in Hilo was for a great many
years, and is now the largest evangelical church in the
world. Several powerful revivals have been enjoyed
in those islands since the first and the greatest. Christ
has taken possession of them as a part of his inheritance; and how any, who claim to be Christians even
in the most "liberal" sense, can with this history before them doubt that he is able to subdue all things
to himself, surpasses my comprehension.
From the Sandwich islands let us pass over the
great seas to Burmah, where the sainted Judson endured all the lingering sufferings of martyrdom, up
to the very point of the spear, from which he was
scarcely saved by the almost superhuman efforts of
his heroic wife. Next to that at the islands, the mission           amon g  t he Karens, under the Baptist Foreign
Board, has, I believe, been the most prosperous of any
in modern times. I do not pretend to give dates in
these sketches, nor the number of converts from heathenism at any of the stations. It is unnecessary to my
purpose,  which is to show that God has been, and is
carrying on his work of saving sinners chiefly by
revivals where missions are planted on pagan ground,
as we have seen he does in Christian lands. Suffice
it to say, that there have been several marked revivals            among th e Karens- perhaps it would come nearer
the actual state of things to say there has for several
years been a connected series of them there-in which
thousands have been brought out of darkness into
God's           marvellou s l ight. "Two thousand and thirty                         12*
273 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
nine," say the Missionary Union, "were brought into
connection with the Aracan churches by baptism, in
1844. The average annual accessions in the last five
years exceed fourteen hundred. The number baptized from the beginning, is sixteen thousand. The
number of hopeful converts through the preaching of
the cross of Christ by missionaries and native preachers of this Board, is more than twenty thousand."
This I copy from the Retrospect of 1851, and large
additions have since been made to the churches.
What hath God wrought in pagan Burmah!
Although no such very extraordinary success has
been reported from other Protestant missions, there
has been enough to show that "God is not slack
concerning his promise." There have been repeated
revivals in the missionary schools at Ceylon and
other parts of India, of the same type as in our schools
and academies at home. Also in the schools of our
missionaries among the Nestorians. There are revivals still in progress, of greater or less extent and
power, as there have been for some time past under
the labors of the American missionaries among the
Armenians of Asia Minor. So also among the Zulus
in South Africg, as there had been long ago among
the Hiottentots. In Western Africa too, the Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Congregational missionaries have been cheered by special
refreshings poured upon their respective fields of
labor, from the river of God which is full of water.
So it has been with the Choctaws, Cherokees, and
other pagan tribes of our North American Indians.
Wherever they have been christianized, and churches
274 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
established among them, it has been by the mighty
power of God's Spirit in revivals. I cannot call to
mind an exception.  So it was in the days of "the
apostle to the Indians" John Eliot, the Mayhews,
and other first missionaries to the tribes on Martha's
Vineyard and the New England shore. The Holy
Spirit was poured out, churches were established, and
there were at one time fifteen or twenty congregations of praying Indians, as the natives were then
called, who renounced heathenism and attended public worship.
In like manner, about the middle of the last century there were revivals under the labors of that
devoted missionary David Brainerd, whose name will
be had in everlasting remembrance for his labors
among the Indians, in the depths of their forests and
their barbarism at Crossweeksung and the forks of
the Delaware.
I might add others to this list of examples on
heathen ground, but I have named more than enough
to show that the divine economy for spreading the
gospel in heathen lands has been by revivals. I nothing doubt that if they could all be chronicled in their
full extent since the world began, they would fill
some of the longest and brightest chapters in the
History of Redemption, down to the present hour.
THE REVIVAL OF 1858.
To return again to our own land. I have brought
these sketches down to about 1845, when there were
but few powerful revivals, and for some years these
sacred visits seemed to be becoming less and less fre
275 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
quent. Many churches here and there were refreshed, and many souls brought in; but to an alarming
extent the young were growing up without hope and
without God in the world. There was increasing
coldness and worldly conformity in the churches.
From some of the watch-towers of Zion the alarm
indeed was sounded. There was weeping in secret
places over the general decline, and many prayers
were offered for the return of the Spirit. But to the
question, "Watchman, what of the night?" there was
no cheering answer.  It was very dark, and seemed
to be growing darker. As in the days of the prophet
Israel was mad upon her idols, so we had our idols
of gold and silver. A money mania pervaded not
only all our commercial cities, but the whole country
more or less, involving all classes. The old paths to
competence by the moderate gains of industry and
frugality were being more and more forsaken, as no
longer suited to this progressive age. Speculation
in stocks, in city and village lots, in wild lands, in
paper villages and flourishing marts of business, and
in every thing that promised sudden and extravagant
gains, had reached the crisis of fever-heat, and filled
the dreams of thousands upon thouands with uncounted treasures, with fairy mansions, and all the
delights of " the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye,
and the pride of life." Would that it had been but
an Arabian night dream, instead of the actual every
day state of the scrambling multitudes.
And then such a highly inflated and insane grasping.for riches could not fail of creating temptations,
to an alarming extent too strong to be resisted, in the
276 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
large business transactions of the country. Hence
those enormous frauds which have made the ears of
the nation tingle, and by which multitudes of widows
and orphans have been swindled out of the small
hard-earned investments, on which they depended for
their daily bread.   It was painfully manifest that
without some check to this all-absorbing worldliness,
there was no reasonable prospect of such a return of
the years of the right hand of the Most High as we
had once enjoyed, under the opening heavens pouring
down the Holy Spirit and reviving his work. The
church was fast falling into the current which swept
madly on, and threatened, if possible, to swallow up
the very elect. To change the figure, we were descending an inclined plane with all the steam on, and
no brakes to check the engine and save the train
from being dashed to pieces.
Just then, in the summer of 1857, God interposed
in a way which but few if any would have chosen or
thought of. When men were saying," Soul, thou hast
much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease,
eat, drink, and be merry;" when they were building
their castles in the air, not easy to be numbered; when
the common talk on change was of hundreds of thousands and millions; when, in short, all were saying,
To-morrow shall be as this day, and more abundant,"
then suddenly came the crash, as if thunders from a
clear sky had simultaneously broken over the whole
land. Like a yawning earthquake, it shook down
the palaces of the rich, no less than the humble dwellings of the poor, and swallowed up their substance.
Men went to bed dreaming all night of their vast
277 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
hoarded treasures, and woke up in the morning hopeless bankrupts.
Happily these overwhelming losses brought many
prosperous business men to a stand, who had given
themselves no time to think about laying up treasures in heaven; and under the wise and merciful
orderings of Providence, this prepared the way for
a new revival epoch, differing in its commencement
and some of its aspects from any that had preceded it.
It is quite too early to speak with confidence of
the extent and fruits of this most remarkable revival.
Its rise and progress have been so fully registered in
the religious and secular journals of the day, that
repetitions are not called for, if we had room for
them.  But as I have sketched the leading characteristics of former revivals which have come under review, it is in place to inquire in what respects, if
any, this work differs from them. That there are
some striking differences must be patent to all who
are conversant with this branch of the history of Redemption.
1. In its commencement.  How and where did it
begin? The kingdom of God came not with observation. Such a visit at such a time was not looked
for. On the contrary, many feared that the financial
disasters of the country had so absorbed the minds
of the whole people both in and out of the churches,
as to leave no room for the concerns of the soul. But
it would seem that the mighty crash was just what
was wanted in the great marts of business and speculation, to startle men from their golden dreams, and
278 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
lead them to seek for durable riches and righteousness.
The horseleech epidemic had spread so wide, and
reached such a crisis, that no ordinary means could
arrest it. There is no reason to believe, I think,
that this revival would have commenced as it did,
and spread as it has, if the spell which held men in
its embrace had not been broken by some sudden and
violent convulsion. It came; and the rushing throngs 
of fortune-seekers stood still in amazement.  Wall street was shattered and tottering from one end to
the other. Every shock threatened wider ruin, and
where could the merchant princes and bankers find a
place of refuge? Their millions were gone or going,
and they had laid up no better portion. A thickening gloom hung over all the cities, and spread over
all the country. While the earth reeled, the heavens
were shut up.
It was just then that God put it into the heart of
a humble individual to propose a daily prayer-meeting in the lower part of the city of New York, at
such a time as would best suit the convenience of
business men. At first but few attended, in a little
room on the third floor of the consistory of the Reformed Dutch church in Fulton-street.  But "behold
how great a matter a little fire kindleth;" soon, to
the astonishment of everybody, thronging multitudes
filled all the three rooms of that building to their
utmost capacity. It was a vast daily prayer-meeting
of an hour at twelve o'clock, attended by those of all
classes and conditions, and included great numbers
of business men who had never been seen in a prayermeeting before. It was the Lord's doing, and mar
279 
REVIVAL SKETCHES.
vellous in all eyes. Nor could it long be confined
within such narrow limits.
The fire from heaven that kindled the flame there,
spread rapidly in all directions. The call to prayer
became louder throughout the city than it ever was
before. It daily filled some of the largest churches;
it gathered thousands into one of the vast theatres;
it reached the free academy; the fire and the police
departments opened their doors for daily prayer.
Rooms were opened by merchants in their stores, in
which their clerks met for prayer, and the waiters in
one of the large hotels had their daily prayer-meeting. Even Jews participated in the great revival
movement, and attended the meetings in various parts
of the city. Such in brief was the commencement of
this marvellous work of the Spirit. The oldest Christians stood still and exclaimed, "We never saw it on
this fashion;" and may I not ask, who ever did? Of
such a simultaneous movement we have no recorded
example.
2. They were union prayer-meetings, attended by
all who chose, without respect to denominational differences. This was a new feature in the revival.
The middle walls of partition had never before been
so thoroughly broken down. Evangelical Christians
of every name found they could come together and
pray for the outpouring of the Spirit without any
sacrifice of church order, and were astonished that
they had not sooner found out "how good, and how
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity"
at the throne of grace. Oh, how it liberalized the sectarian spirit; how it enlarged the heart; how it tended
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
to unite the whole household of faith in one common
brotherhood. Let it be our united prayer that Satan
may never more get an advantage of us, by rebuilding the walls which have so long kept us apart to
our mutual discredit and loss. Have we not all one
Lord, one faith, one God and Father, who is above
all, through all, and in us all? and shall we ever
hesitate to unite in praying for the descent of the
Holy Spirit, whenever and wherever we can enjoy
the privilege?
3. Another remarkable feature in this revival, is
the rapidity with which the spirit of united prayer
spread from city to city, and from state to state,
gathering the vast multitudes who in a few weeks
were everywhere seen crowding the meetings, giving
unmistakable evidence that God was in the midst of
them. His presence and power were manifest as
never before, in making New York, Philadelphia,
Cincinnati, and almost all our large cities centres of
this great movement, radiating the spiritual light and
warmth which they were the first to enjoy, upon all
the regions round about. Thus the united prayermeetings and the revivals spread with wonderful rapidity to hundreds of places, from the centre to the
circumference. It has been variously estimated that
there were within one year, between three and five
hundred thousand converts.
4. The earth came in and helped the woman as never
before, since she fled from the great red dragon into
the wilderness. Thirty years ago, it was difficult to
get even a short paragraph of religious intelligence
into a secular city paper.  Such a thing as a notice
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
of a revival, we may almost say, was never heard of
through such a channel. The best that could be
done was chiefly accomplished with singular tact and
perseverence by a minister, well and widely known at
that time, as bent on doing good in every possible
way.* At first it was a volunteer and gratuitous
service, collecting and writing out short articles,
handing them to the editors, and getting them inserted more as special favors to the man, than to their
readers and patrons. Finding how much good he
was doing in this way, a number of religious men
contributed moderate sums to sustain him; and this
was all that could be done to reach the masses of
newspaper readers. I believe I might say it took a
whole year to get the amount of two columns into
any secular city paper, when revivals in almost every
part of the country were going on with mighty power.
But how astonishing the change! Scarcely had
the union prayer-meetings been set up in New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, and other cities, when the same
papers, of their own accord, devoted whole closely
crowded columns, weekly and daily, to this new religious phenomenon; vying with each other who should
most minutely chronicle the progress of these meetings, and spread the news widest. In fact, for some
time they took the lead of the religious papers in this
department of general intelligence. The change was
so sudden and so surprising, that we could hardly
believe our own eyes in reading the dailies. This
was a great advance upon what had ever before been
witnessed.
* The late Rev. Austin Dickinson.
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
5. I believe there have been more public prayers
offered up by request for individuals, and more remarkable answers, than in any former revival. This
is a step in advance, and a great encouragement for
the future.
At the same time I cannot help thinking that proclamations of sudden and surprising conversions have
been too many, and too confident in some of the great
daily prayer-meetings. Some of the individuals who
are spoken of without qualification as brands from
the burning, will not hold out. It cannot be known
at the time who they are, but some will fall away
and bring distrust upon the conversion of others, and
upon the genuineness of the great work. Indeed, if
I have read the reports right, there is a much greater
degree of confidence expressed, as soon as awakened
sinners get a hope, that they are truly converted, than
there was in the earlier revivals of this century.
The fathers used to-speak and write with caution.
They did not say without qualification, "We have
twenty, fifty, or a hundred converts;" but that "so
many have obtained a hope; that most of them have
been received into the church, and that so far they
appear well." They thought this the safest way.
They were accustomed to say, after the example of
Peter in his recommendation of Sylvanus, "a faithful
brother, as I suppose." And I confess that if the suppose were retained in a great many cases where it is
left out, and if there were not so many hasty admissions, I think the revivals would bring in a larger
number of true converts, and with them more strength
to the churches. Still, the work is glorious, and has
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brought a rich revenue of praise to the Redeemer.
Perhaps the number of the truly regenerated has been
larger in the last, than in any former year. That
the work may continue and spread, and bring still
greater numbers to the cross, will be the devout petition of all who love the cause, to God with whom is
the residue of the Spirit.
And just here let me say, there are some dangers
to be guarded against, growing out of the very remarkable rise and progress of this general revival.
As it began outside of the church, as it were; as
there had not been seasons of special prayer for the
outpouring of the Spirit; as no such mighty works
as he has wrought were expected by anybody; as
few ministers took an active part at first, and the
great union prayer-meetings have been chiefly conducted by laymen, there is danger that the churches
will hope for future revivals without much prayer;
that they will rely too much upon the prayer offered
up for them at the union meetings; and that they
will think too lightly of ministers and their preaching, and thus displease the great Head of the church
who has appointed "the ministry of reconciliation,"
without whose labors his cause has never been advanced. However a revival may commence, and
seem to prosper for a time, it needs the guidance and
teachings of a pious and faithful pastor to guard
against irregularities; to go before the flock and lead
them safely to the fold of the good Shepherd.
Every revival makes a great deal of work for the
minister. This is especially the case when, as in this
revival, many are suddenly arrested and hopefully
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converted, who before had never given serious atten tion to the subject of religion; and of course, have
yet to receive all needful instruction with regard to
its nature and evidences. The time allowed in these
daily prayer-meetings leaves little room for instruc tion into the things of the kingdom; and as many of
the converts are attached to no Christian denomina tion, they are to be looked up and taught and encour aged, and led along in the way where, till now, they
have been almost as much strangers as if they had
been born in a heathen land.
I have said it is yet too early to speak with confidence of the fruits of this revival. We cannot yet
compare it with former spiritual harvests. We hope
it will continue a great while. But it is easy to see
that our hopes may be disappointed. The great adversary is no indifferent spectator It is certain he
will in some way get the advantage of us, and stop it
if he can. There was never greater need of watching and praying against his devices. If he can break
up the union plrayer-meetings, or cause them to be
indiscreetly conducted; if he can induce the churches
of our several denominations to depend more upon
the prayers offered up in these meetings, than upon
the ministry of the word and other divinely appointed
means; if he can any way "sow discord among brethren," and lead them to scramble for the sheaves in
the harvest, he will certainly do it. If he can induce
those who are now so happily united to separate, saying, "I am of Paul, and I of Apollos," so as to
leave as few as possible for "Christ," he will avail
himself bf the advantage to the utmost; or if he can
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
induce the awakened to substitute dreams and visions
and other fanatical delusions for true conviction and
conversion, he will make the most of it to corrupt
and put an end to the good work. Our only protection is in the guardianship of Him who is infinitely
powerful to protect his church, and for his protection
let us now and ever devoutly pray.
ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND.
In dwelling so fully on the glorious work of God
in our own land, in the revival epoch which began
with the going out of the last and the coming in of
the present century, God forbid that I should overlook or undervalue the simultaneous work He so wonderfully wrought in the mother country. The terror
justly awakened by the rapid spread of French infidelity not only across the channel, but across the Atlantic, stealthily entering the minds of millions, and sapping the very foundations of piety and hope in God,
was felt as deeply by Hannah More, and Bishop Porteus, and John Newton, and Dr. Bogue, and George
Burder, and Andrew Fuller, and Rowland Hill, and
others of kindred spirit, as by any in our land. To
roll back this flood, Hannah More for years devoted
her gifted pen in issuing millions of her cheap Repository Tracts, so fascinating that they could not but be
read, and yet effectually tearing off the mask by
which infidelity presented herself as an angel of
light. This led directly to the formation of those
noble parent institutions in London, the Religious
Tract Society, and through that, the British and Foreign Bible Society. The organization and efficiency
286 
NINETEENTH CENTURY.
of these institutions, of the Baptist Foreign Missionary
Society, the London Missionary Society, the Church
Missionary Society, and the kindred evangelical move ments in the mother country for spreading the gospel,
which have been so successfully imitated and cooper ated with on this side of the watersall are fruits of
this blessed work of the Spirit graciously poured out
about 1792, in a period of darkness when the hearts
of Christians were failing them for fear; and through
the same hallowed influence, their efficient labors have
been continued and blessed till the present hour.
And not only did these servants of God devise
and carry into effect these great evangelizing organizations, but many of them labored personally in the
spirit and power of Whitefield and the Wesleys, full
of faith and of the Hioly Ghost, to preach the gospel
to perishing thousands in the moral wastes around
them, under whose labors precious harvests of souls
were gathered.
Among the foremost of these were those two remarkable men, the brothers Robert and James Alexandger Haldane of Scotland, who will be had in everlasting remembrance for their burning zeal and untiring labors in the service of Christ, and for the cheerfulness with which they consecrated their wealth and
talents to Christ in building churches-tabernacles
they were called-for the poor, and providing in
every practicable way for their religious instruction.
As an example of it, Robert sold his princely estate
for seventy thousand guineas, and bought into the funds
for the purpose of being ready to appropriate his
money for promoting the interests of religion. Out
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of the income of six thousand pounds a year, he limited his family to five hundred pounds-two thousand
dollars for himself, and twenty-eight thousand annually
for Christ and the church.  He aided no less than
three hundred young men in preparation for the ministry, and in his own personal visits to Geneva was
blessed in giving an evangelical character to the theological seminary now under the care of Dr. Merle
D'Aubign6 and men of kindred spirit. The memoir
of those noble Christian brothers, an edition of which
the American Tract Society have just issued, is a religious biography of great interest, showing how eminently God blessed their preaching and other labors
by the outpouring of his Spirit. I might enrich these
revival sketches with more copious extracts, but only
select a few striking passages.
"In May, 1801, James Haldane proceeded on a
preaching tour in the south of Scotland, and for four
months preached every Lord's day to large congregations in the open air, and under a tent, and every
day in the neighboring towns and villages. Of the
good effects of these labors there was abundant evidence. Nor did he, in 1802, seek repose, but again
went forth burning with zeal for Christ. Many interesting circumstances were connected with his
labors in Buxton, Macclesfield, Matlock, and other
places, where he proclaimed the message of salvation
in the towns, villages, hamlets, and green hill-sides
of Derbyshire and Stratfordshire.  Everywhere his
preaching was acceptable, and often was it seen that
the word was with power. A few years before this
period, Messrs. Simeon and Haldane had visited Mou
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lin, and as the result of their labors the conversion
of eighty persons was reported; in the neighborhood
of Dunkeld a minister reported one hundred andforty five persons whom he had ascertained to be the fruits
of these itinerating labors, and in Aberfeldie fifty seven attributed their conversion under God to the
labors of Robert Hialdane's missionaries.
"But the most remarkable revival of religion of
this period occurred at Breadalbane, by means of a
Mr. Farquharson, a catechist of lowly origin, who
had been recommended to Robert Haldane's class
of students for the ministry, on account of his earnest
piety and zeal. So great was the opposition to this
devoted catechist when he entered upon his labors,
that in a circle of thirty-two miles round Lochsay,
there were only three families who would receive
him, and every public-house was shut against him.
In spite of opposition and neglect, he went during
the whole winter from village to village, reading the
Bible and speaking the words of salvation to all who
would listen to him. In the early part of 1802, so
extraordinary a revival had been gradually brought
about, that one hundred persons previously ignorant of
the gospel, seemed to be converted.
"The accounts of success in Caithness were even
more delightful. While the missionaries were sending home the intelligence from Breadalbane and elsewhere, Mr. Cleghorn, the excellent pastor of Wick,
wrote of one hundred and twenty as giving evidence
of the power of truth; and adds, that at Thurso the
gospel had been at least equally successful.
"In the spring of 1805, James iHaldane, accompa  Rev. Sketches-        13
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nied by Mr. Campbell, made a tour by way of Perth
and Dunkeld into Breadalbane, and the people came
to hear' the gospel by thousands. Mr. Peter Grant,
a pious preacher, says,'The novelty of a field preacher, especially a gentleman, attracted great multitudes.
In a short time the whole country was in a stir, and
many said that we were all in a lost condition;
others endeavored by argument and ridicule to banish their fears, but the gospel kindled a flame at that
time, which I hope is not yet extinguished.'
"In reference to the work which had been performed, the late Dr. Russel has left this testimony:
'By means of the movement which took place at that
period, there was awakened a spirit of greater religious zeal in various religious bodies; a more pointed
manner of preaching was adopted by many.  There
came to be more discrimination of character. The
empty flourish of the instrument gave place to the
well-defined tones and melodies which awaken all
the sympathies of the soul. The unfettered freeness
of the gospel was more fully proclaimed, while its
practical influence was more distinctly unfolded. In
the course of time there appeared an increasing number of evangelical ministers in the Establishment, and
a beneficial influence was found to operate upon other
denominations."'
The foregoing is a mere glance, chiefly at the labors and success of James Haldane in the earlier part
of his long ministry. He lived to see his fftieth anniversary, and died not long after, in 1851.  He was
for half a century a revival preacher in the best
sense of the term, and almost wherever he went his
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labors were richly blessed. He counted it his greatest privilege to spend and be spent in the service,
and witnessed many scenes of awakening which we
should call, and which truly were, genuine revivals.
Thus all along from 1800 down  to the middle
of the century, was God here and there reviving his
work in Scotland, and England also, under the labors
of the ialdanes and other zealous evangelical preachers; and the signs of the times, I think, now give
promise of approaching rich and glorious spiritual
harvests in those lands.
GENERAL SUMMARY REVIEW.
ilere, lifting up our hearts in devout thanksgiving to God, let us pause and review the ground which
we have gone over. We have seen that seasons of
special religious awakening and reformation, bearing
all the essential features of genuine modern revivals,
date as far back as the time of Joshua. We have
seen that when that generation had passed off from
the stage, after ages of national degeneracy, there
was a great awakening, though of short continuance,
in the days of Josiah; and another soon after the
return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, in
the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. After that, there
was another great falling away, down to the close of
that dispensation when Shiloh came.
Coming down to the New Testament, we have
seen that there was a remarkable awakening under
the preaching of John the Baptist, when many were
turned to the Lord. We have seen that there was a
marvellous outpouring of the Spirit on the day of
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Pentecost, followed by a wonderful series of revivals
in the apostolic age. We have seen how fast Christianity spread over the pagan Roman empire, during
the second and third centuries, and went on from
conquest to conquest, till, in the person of Constantine, it ascended the throne of the Casars.
Scarcely had he descended to his marble tomb,
when the " Man of sin exalted himself," and reigned
in his stead; and thence, entering the shadows of spiritual death, we groped our way as well as we could
through the midnight of a thousand years, by far the
longest captivity that the Christian church ever endured-illumined, indeed, by here and there a star
of the first magnitude, but scarcely more than to
make the darkness visible. It was then that the
blood of the martyrs flowed to the horse-bridles,
and the devil no doubt congratulated himself that he
should be thwarted by no more revivals.
But we have seen how the glorious Reformation
in the sixteenth century disappointed and baffled him;
spreading rapidly on every hand, and carrying dismay to the pontifical throne itself. Marvellous resurrection, from the slumbers of so many ages!
Then, again, we have seen how God, in the next
century, poured out his Spirit upon the north of Ire
land and the churches of Scotland and England, and
scattered a righteous seed across the ocean to people
this western land.
Coming down another hundred years, we have
met the "Great Awakening," which turned back the
captivity of Zion in England, Scotland, Wales, and
America. It was the most remarkable and wide
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spread revival since the first promulgation of the
gospel.
We have next seen how, from various causes, there
were grievous backslidings during our revolutionary
war, the invasion of French infidelity, and the unsettled state of the country, till near the close of the
last century; and how God then once more interposed by "reviving his work in the midst of the years,"
and visiting his American heritage with an almost
unbroken series of revivals, down to the present time.
Thus unmistakably has it been God's method,
under different dispensations, and all along through
the ages, to carry on his work by successive outpourings of his Spirit.
From this history of the past, we may derive instruction and encouragement for the future.   We
cannot perhaps confidently predict, in this case, that
"that which hath been, shall be."  But how, in view
of the past, can any church rest contented with only
such gradual additions as are ordinarily made where
for long years there are no revivals? Does not experience prove that such churches, even if their numbers are not diminished by death and removals, lose
much of the life and power of religion? However it
may be elsewhere, I am quite sure it has been and is
3o in this country. The exceptions, if any, are very
few indeed. If a church that has been running down,
or standing still in cold formalism, could not hope for
a revival, how gloomy would be its prospects for
coming years and generations. But with the records
of the past, in Bible and church history, and in view
of what God is now doing, how great the encourage
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ment that, in answer to prayer, He will revive his
work even where to human appearance the prospects
are darkest.
As God waits to be inquired of before he pours
out his Spirit, how earnestly ought every church to
pray and labor for the blessing.   Yes, to labor as
well as to pray; for there is much work to be done,
as well as much prayer to be offered. The fallow
ground must be broken up; the backsliding church
must rise and shake herself from the dust. She must
do works meet for repentance. She must carry her
Master's gracious invitation to all within her reach.
She must go out into the highways and hedges, and
compel them to come in, that his table may be filled
with guests. No church that is settled down on her
lees has any warrant to expect a revival.  "Go, work
to-day in my vineyard," is the command. Soul-harvests are to be secured by interceding for them, to the
Lord of the harvest, and by cooperating with the
Holy Spirit, in humble subordination, as laborers together with him. It was the servant who went into
the vineyard who received the reward, and not he
who stayed behind, saying, I go, sir, but went not.
To crown the whole, we have seen that, beginning
with the apostles, all the prominent laborers in the
revivals for eighteen hundred years, have, in every
thing essential, seen eye to eye, and minded the same
things; as much so, as if they had all lived in the
same age, and labored together in the same glorious
cause. Though differing somewhat in the external
means employed, they preached the same doctrines,
urged the same motives to faith and repentance, and
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looked for success to one and the same infinite source
of all wisdom and efficiency. In coming along down
through the centuries, it is delighful to see how they
agreed together, how the same Spirit was in the revivals,'awakening sinners, raising them by his quickening and almighty power from spiritual death to a
new life, and working in them "to will and to do
according to his own good pleasure." Oh, they are
all divinely illuminated chapters in the history of
Redemption. What would the world have been without them? How could the gospel have been spread
in the first ages as it was, without revivals? And
so in every age they have been as life from the dead
to the church.
In our own country what would have become of
the churches, but for the "Great Awakening" and
the Revivals of 1800, and those by which they have
since been so often refreshed? From what other
sources could they have obtained an adequate supply
of faithful and godly ministers? What, without them,
would have been our religious condition at this hour;
aye, and our temporal condition too? Who will say,
or believe, that there would now have been three or
four millions of professors, or half that number, in the
evangelical churches of this land? Great as are our
obligations of praise and thanksgiving to God for
giving us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness, who can say
that they are less due to him for raining down righteousness upon us, as he has done in these times of
refreshing.
All evangelical Christians agree that God pour.s
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out his Spirit in answer to believing prayer, and that
the more earnest and specific the prayer, the greater
the encouragement that the very thing asked for will
be granted. In his infinite wisdom and sovereignty,
God may sometimes depart from his general method
in carrying forward the work of redemption. We
have no right to say that he never pours down his
Spirit upon a church and congregation, till it is specifically and earnestly prayed for; but if there be
any such exceptions, I am persuaded they are very
few. I very much doubt whether, if we could see the
connection between prayer and the glorious revivals
that have blessed this land, we should find one that
was not definitely prayed for by some earnest wrestlers, or wrestler, at the throne of grace. God loves
to hear the petitions of his children for the blessing
of the Spirit, and in this richest of his gifts to grant
the very thing asked for, just as parents do when
they give bread to their children.
Now we cannot ask our heavenly Father to revive
his work in any place, unless we truly desire it. If
for any reason we are afraid that it would not be a
blessing, it would be scarcely less than mockery to
ask for it. No truly pious person could understandingly do it.  To pray aright, we must from the bottom of our hearts desire the things we ask for. Nothing seems plainer to me, than that this is essential to
true prayer.
If a church can be found in this land, or any other
land, where the minister and the members of it are
afraid of such genuine revivals as distinguish the
religious history of this country, they cannot honestly
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pray for them; and would it be strange if such a
church and congregation were passed by, when other
places around were visited? Would it not, on the
contrary, be strange if it received the blessing? Is
there evidence that God ever revives his work where
it is not wished for? If I knew that anywhere revivals were not desired, but rather dreaded, I should
want no other explanation of the fact that they are
not enjoyed. This seems to me to be reason enough.
There may be individual conversions and gradual
additions to the churches in answer to prayer, and
because they are desired; but can such glorious harvests as many of our churches have from time to time
been reaping be expected, if not desired, or prayed or
labored for?
When I was abroad more than twenty years ago,
and when many powerful revivals were in progress
here at home, I was often inquired of by ministers,
whether the accounts which they had heard were
true; and what was the character, and what were the
fruits of these revivals. In answering these questions
as well as I could, I magnified the grace of God in what
I had myself witnessed. The impression upon some
minds was obviously very favorable. They desired io
share in the same blessing, and doubtless prayed for it
not in vain. There was soon after what we should
call a genuine revival in Dr. Reed's church in London,
who had travelled extensively in this country the year
before, and witnessed what God was doing among us.
And other such revivals I believe there have since
been in England, though not so much spoken of under that name as they would have been with us.
13*
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Within the last year, our brethren in England and
Scotland have been remarkably stirred up to the
establishment of church and union prayer-meetings
for the outpouring of the Spirit, and from the latest
accounts it would seem the Lord has heard and answered. It looks very much as if revivals were now
springing up in various parts of the kingdom. May
they be increased a thousand-fold, not only there, but
in all the fatherlands as well as our own. Oh, how
delightful it will be to hear songs, "Glory to the
righteous," borne across the ocean on every breeze I
"Though the vision tarry, let us wait for it; because
it will surely come, it will not tarry."
God will work all things according to his own
holy and righteous will, but who can conceive that
all the dark and besotted millions of heathen and
nominally Christian lands will be brought to Christ
solely by the slow process of individual conversions
through the long succession of years and centuries?
As the revival which has just occurred in our own
land, in some of its features, differs from, and I think
is in advance of any former revival era, so God may
speedily bring up the churches to a still higher standard, and multiply conversions both at home and
abroad, beyond any thing that has yet been witnessed.
Every one will admit that this is possible.
I can conceive that multitudes more of the hopeless
classes of the wicked may be plucked from the burning, than in any former revival. I can conceive that
far greater numbers of the young may be born again,
than ever before, where God has poured out his Spirit. I can conceive that where whole classes have
298
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sometimes been converted in our Sabbath and other
schools, all the classes may be taken in a single year,
or month. I can conceive that the next revival may
spread over the whole land; that not a single church
may be passed by; that it may find its way into both
houses of Congress, and pervade all the halls of leg islation, and bring our great men with all their influ ence into the churches.  I can conceive that God
may give his ministers higher qualifications for their
work, endowing them all with a double portion of
his Spirit, that he may convert all our merchant-ships,
and all the navy, like the ship-of-war "North Carolina," into Bethels to bear the songs of salvation with
our stripes and stars round the world, and that all
the officers and soldiers in our army may become soldiers of the cross.
The Spirit is not bound. Nothing is too hard for
the Lord. I can conceive that in one or more of
these respects the next revival may be far in advance
of the present, and that in as many of them as may
precede the millennium and bring it on, the last may
be the most glorious of all. Then there will be no
more room nor need of what we now mean by revivals, for the churches will always remain in a revived state; but I am afraid not before. Then, in the
thousand years promised and sure to come, all shall
know the Lord, from the least to the greatest.
HEow the successive generations will be gathered
into the fold of the true Shepherd and Bishop of their
souls, we cannot tell.  Children will then be "by
nature children of wrath" as they are now, and will
just as much need to be born again by the Spirit.
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REVIVAL SKETCHES.
Whether they will be sanctified from the womb, we
do not know; but if not, we have reason to think it
will be in very early childhood. I cannot believe
they will be left for years to grow up enemies to
God, when with infinite ease he can convert them
before they begin to harden themselves in rebellion
against him. It seems to me it could not be the millennium which the Scriptures promise. ill would not
know the Lord, from the least to the greatest.
But I make no pretensions to be wise above what
is written. In his own time and way, the whole
"earth shall be filled with the knowledge and glory
of the Lord."
And now, in closing these imperfect sketches, I
feel specially called upon to lift up my heart in devout thanksgivings to God, that he has permitted me
to live in this eventful age of the world's religious
history; that for more than fifty years, I have had
such advantages for studying the character and marking the progress of revivals, and laboring in them as
God has given me strength for the service, during a
pastorate of sixteen years in two rural parishes, twenty-two years as a pastor and teacher in a public seminary, and as a helper to my brethren in such times
of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Oh, to
have been allowed to witness the triumphs of Zion's
King, travelling in the greatness of his strength, since
I came upon the stage; to have been spared* to go
back into the ages past, and trace the footsteps of
the Angel of the covenant down through so many
* Dr. Humphrey, in writing this, had reached the age of
fourscore years.
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NINETEENTH CENTURY.
centuries, and to bear this testimony in favor of ancient and modern revivals; what a privilege! It is
at best, but a rapid, imperfect sketch that I have
given. Others I am sure could have done it better,
What a history will that be, when some one competent to the task shall collect and arrange the materials which are already so ample for a great work, and
which will be increased by every future revival. That
day will come; and then, how much will such a history, recording the triumphs of the Captain of salvation over the prince of darkness, surpass all the conquests of all the Alexanders, Cesars, and Napoleons
of the world I
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I' s - 
PART SECOND.
REVIVAL MANUAL.
CIIAPTER VIII.
"PREPARE YE THiE WAY OF THE LORD."
HiAVING in the preceding sketches traced the
progress of true religion down through the ages for
more than three thousand years, and established, as I
think, the great fact, that the church has been restored from her many backslidings mainly by successive
reformations or revivals, in other words, by special
outpourings of the Spirit, the way is now prepared to
inquire, with devout supplications for divine guidance,
how such revivals are to be sought for, and by what
means they may be promoted.  These are vital practical questions.
I am far from supposing that there are any exclusive methods of promoting revivals, suited to all cases
and circumstances. Whatever instrumentalities may 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
be employed, there are two conditions which must
never be lost sight of:
That there can never be any true revival without
the outpouring of the Spirit, and that it can proceed
no further than it is carried forward by that divine
influence; and
That a revival is never to be expected but in answer to prayer.
But beyond these two conditions there is room for
different administrations, as there are divers operations by the same Spirit. Guided by the teachings of
the word and Spirit of God, there is room for the
exercise of a sound discretion, aided by the best
experience which the history of revivals furnishes;
and this is what, seeking divine assistance, I have
attempted in this humble manual. It is the result
of my own experience and observation, with the best
helps which I have been able to derive from other
sources.
"0 LORD, REVIVE THY WORK."
This prayer was offered by the prophet in a time
of great religious declension.  The people had "slid-,
den back by a perpetual backsliding," and he felt
that nothing short of a revival could save them from
utter apostasy. It was the greatest and most urgent
of all their needs.
As it was then so it is now, wherever a church is
in a cold backsliding state, and sinners are slumbering on the verge of the pit. That the need is not felt,
that the danger is not apprehended, is so far from
proving that no special revival is needed, that this
304 
0 LORD, REVIVE THY WORK.
state of things in any church and congregation makes
a revival more necessary; the more profound the in difference, the greater the necessity.
Is this the case, dear brethren, with you? You
either need a revival, or you do not. Perhaps your
church and congregation are large, strong, and united.
You have a good minister and support him well, and
your congregation rather increases from year to year,
than diminishes. You are ready to say with the
church of Laodicea, "We are rich and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing." Is this your condition? are these your contented feelings? Then, like
that church, are you not spiritually "wretched and
miserable and poor and blind and naked;" and except you repent, what will all your harmony and outward prosperity avail?
How long is it that you have been thus settled
down upon your lees, sowing pillows under all armholes? How many years since you have had a revival? How is it with the rising generation? Are
they converted, or likely to be, without a revival?
The older members of your church are passing off,
and who are to fill their places, if others are not
"baptized for the dead?" And what are you doing?
Are you on your knees, praying with the prophet,
"0 Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years;"
or are you waiting for one another, hoping that the
whole church will wake up, and call upon God for the
blessing? If waiting for this, your expectations will
never be realized. That time will never come. We
have no reason to think that all the members of any
church are themselves truly converted; and if not,
305 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
how can all the church be expected to unite in prevailing prayer?
Other churches around may be as languid as you
are, or they may not. If they are, is that any reason
why you should remain so? Ought it not to awaken
your fears that God has forsaken the whole region,
saying, "They are joined to their idols; let them
alone." If, on the other hand, your neighbors are
rejoicing in the midst of revivals, why should you
not be excited and encouraged to strive for the blessing?
Hlow, dear brethren, would it be with you, in another case somewhat analogous, though infinitely less
urgent. Suppose there was a great drought in your
town, consuming all your crops and threatening you
with famine when what you have on hand shall all
be eaten up; and suppose the same were the case
with all the region around, would it give you any
comfort to know that you were no worse off than
your neighbors? Or if the showers were refreshing
their parched fields, would it not awaken and increase your anxiety for equally copious rains? Oh,
with what eagerness would you watch the rising
clouds, and how it would distress you to see them
from day to day passing by upon the mountains, and
leaving your farms to become "powder and dust,"
under a brazen and burning sky.
And how can you remain indifferent while a more
parching spiritual drought is consuming you? Will
you not rise as one man, and call upon God to pour
down the rain from the upper heavens, to revive his
work in the midst of the years?
306 
LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH.
"LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH."
The disciples had faith, but on the occasion in
which this prayer is recorded, they seem not to have
had the faith necessary to work miracles in Christ's
name. They now felt their deficiency, and prayed
their Master to help them-to increase their faith, so
that they might be able to make full proof of its
power.   They were brought to feel their absolute
dependence on Christ for the increase which they
needed, at the same time that they felt they deserved
his rebuke for their unbelief.
In like manner, Christians are absolutely dependent on Christ to enable them to pray in faith for a
revival, or when it is in progress, that it may be continued. Hlow often have we heard the exhortation,
"Pray, pray in faith, and God will certainly hear and
answer you." This is very true. It shall not be said
that such praying breath was ever spent in vain. But
faith is the gift of God; and how can you pray in
faith, till you receive the gift? The Christian, whether in a revival or out of a reyival, is dependent on
Christ for a spirit of prayer.
Every true Christian has some faith, however
weak and wavering, as the disciples had, and can
therefore pray as they did, "Lord; increase my faith;"
but that faith, though less than "a grain of mustard
seed," would be as much the gift of God as was the
strong faith of Abraham or Moses.
If this be so, what is one of the first duties of the
members of a church, when their graces are languishing, and stupidity reigns throughout the whole community?  Is it not prayer for themselves? "Lord, stir
307 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
us up, give us a spirit of prayer for those who are perishing around us. Lord, we believe thy promises;
help thou our unbelief. Increase our faith." This is
beginning at the beginning, and if you are in a cold,
backsliding state, what can you do? What will your
prayers for a revival avail, till you have a revival
spirit of prayer? And will you not earnestly ask for
that, as the first and essential thing? See what David's penitential prayer after his fall was: "Restore
unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me by
thy free Spirit; then will I teach transgressors thy
ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee."
So, dear friends, when iniquity abounds, and your
love waxes cold, should you say, "Lord, increase our
faith," then will we pray earnestly and prevailingly
for the revival of thy work in the midst of us. Oh,
how much prayer for the conversion of sinners is lost,
for want of faith in the hearts of Christians.
HINDERANCES TO REVIVALS.
Are there any; and if so, what are they? That
there are no insuperable obstacles in the way we
know, for revivals have often taken place where, to
human view, they were least to be expected.  And
yet there are hinderances everywhere, which nothing
short of divine power can overcome. These are the
world, theflesh, and the devil. I know of none but may
be classed under one or the other of these three obstacles.
1. The world, by which I mean its inbred hostility
to all spiritual religion, whether in individuals or
communities: its direct hostility, its maxims, its al
308 
HINDERANCES TO RPEVIYALS.
lurements, its temptations in their wily and protean
forms, stand directly in the way of a revival. There
never would be one if the world, thus understood,
could prevent it. In enlightened Christian communities, unconverted men may profess to be the friends
of true religion, and to wish to see it prosper; but as
in their hearts they are opposed to it, they will, in
one way or another, discourage that interest and concern in which a true revival consists. They want to
have things continue as they are. "We are now at
peace among ourselves," they say, "and why should
it be broken in upon? Why not let well enough
alone? Religion is a good thing," it may be added,
"but all public excitements are dangerous. These
revivals, as they are called, lead to enthusiasm and
fanaticism. They often divide churches and families,
and are rather to be dreaded than desired." Thus
do the opposers of revivals reason in their hearts, if
they do not think it polite to speak it openly. All
their influence is directly or indirectly against them.
This, in many places, is a very great hinderance.
And the world, ever wise to do evil, knows how
to set the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life against the intrusion of revivals. It
holds up so many dazzling fascinations, it keeps men
so busy, so eager in the pursuit of pleasure, riches,
and display, that they have no time for any thing better. It spreads out all these allurements, and hangs
them up in their most tempting attractions along the
broad way; and alas, with what success-drowning
thoughtless multitudes "in destruction anid perdition."
How many revivals have been kept out by these hos
309 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
tile influences, will not be known till the day of judgment; but they are certainly great hinderances. In
fine, whatever the world can do to hedge up the way
against revivals, we may rest assured will be done
in one way or another. But,
2. The flesh is a still more insidious and dangerous foe to revivals. There is more danger within,
than without. The hinderances are greater from the
church itself, than from the world. It is reasonably
expected, that those who profess religion will do
more to honor and promote it by their example, by
their consistent lives, and by their active influence
than any, or than all others out of the pale of the
church. HIinderances from this quarter are often
many and exceedingly grievous.   Sometimes there
are bitter internal dissensions, which would disgrace
any mere worldly association. "Brother goeth to
law with brother." The personal friends of the parties take sides with their respective favorites, and
thus the breach is widened, "as when one letteth out
water."  The house is divided against itself.  Criminations and recriminations are engendered and multiplied. The world looks on jeeringly, and exclaims,
"Behold how these Christians hate one another! If
this is religion, we want none of it. If these are some
of the fruits of revivals, the fewer the better."
Sometimes reproaches come from open and indulged immorality. Members of the church become intemperate, dishonest in their dealings, or fall into
other habitual transgressions of the second table of
the law, bringing great scandal upon their profession,
and are not called to account by the church. They
310 
HINDERANCES TO REVIVALS.
are allowed to retain their standing, and come to the
Lord's table, year after year. The world looks on
and perhaps says, " Here you see some of the fruits of
a great revival, as it was called, years ago. These
were some of the converts. See what they have
come to, and see how the church winks at such scandalous violations of their covenant, when they are
known and read of all men. We don't wish to see
any more such revivals."
Or if the church-members become so conformed
to the world, to its feverish passion for money getting and show, for doubtful, if not positively sinful
amusements; if they strive to outshine the gay and
thoughtless in dress, in furniture, in parties, in equipage; if instead of "striving against sin," they fall
in with the loose maxims of mere worldly men, it
cannot but be noticed by those who make no pretensions to piety, and thus prejudice many, not only
against real religion, but against all revivals, since
in many cases it is understood that the majority of
the church-members have been brought in during
such seasons of religious interest.
These are "works of the flesh," yielding to biases
within and temptations without, which are among
the greatest hinderances to revivals. Such churches
are in no condition to receive the blessing. The
wonder is, not that they are passed by for years and
years, but that they are ever visited.
3. There are still other hinderances from a greater foe than either the world or the flesh, "the wiles
of the devil," who is sure to guard the entrance to a
revival by throwing every obstacle in the way, that
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
his vast capacity and malignity can invent. Against
these the church cannot too vigilantly work, or too
earnestly pray. His devices to keep out revivals,
and to oppose and corrupt them in their progress,
are inexhaustible.   If he could prevent it, there
never would be another. Blessed assurance, that
"for this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil;" and
He will do it.  He is doing it, by various instrumentalities in the heathen world, and by revivals there,
as well as in Christian lands.
All these three, the world, the flesh, and the devil,
are positive hinderances, and if God does not interpose, either of them is sufficient to prevent a revival.
"TAKE UP THE STUMBLING-BLOCKS OUT OF
THE WAY."
Having pointed out some of the main hinderances
and obstacles which lie in the way of revivals, I feel
bound to show, if I can, what is to be done to remove
the stumbling-blocks-how the way of the Lord may
be prepared, that he may come into his vineyard and
water it. Where great obstacles lie in the way of
any thing, they must be removed. This is the first
step. It may or may not be all - that is required in
any given case, but it is the first thing to be done.
The stone that blocks the wheels must be removed.
Obstacles which by accident or design forbid the
advance of the railcars must be taken away, the track
must be cleared; then they can proceed, but not before. So with all physical impediments; they must
be removed, or in some way overcome.
312 
HINDERANCES TO REVIVALS.
The same is true in morals and religion, within
their legitimate spheres. Whatever hinderances are
found to lie in the path, must be taken out of the
way.   These hinderances to revivals, as we have
seen, are the world, the flesh, and the devil. We
cannot prepare the way by gaining "the friendship
of the world," which "is enmity with God;" but by
his help, we can counteract its hostile influences upon
ourselves and others. Neither individuals nor churches can secure themselves from those outward temptations which war against the soul; but by the grace
of God, they can resist them. They can let their
own light so shine before men, that there shall be no
occasion to inquire, "What do ye more than others?"
They can so withdraw from conformity to the world,
and so carefully shun all appearance of evil, as to
shut the mouths of gainsayers, and constrain them to
admit, that there must be a reality in religion, and
that revivals which produce such fruits cannot be of
men, but must come from a higher power. A church
that has let down its watch, and ceased to discipline
its members when they fall away and bring reproach
upon the cause of Christ, can repent, and purge out
the old leaven, and take away the reproach. A backsliding church can rise and shake herself from the
dust, in spite of all the opiates that the world has
power to administer. She can betake herself in earnest to invite a revival, by taking up the stumblingblocks which impede the chariot of salvation.
There is no preventing our adversary the devil
from employing all his temptations and stratagems to
keep out revivals. There is nothing that he hates and
Rev. Sketches.        14
313 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
fears so much as the opening of the heavens to pour
down righteousness upon a languishing church, and a
dying congregation. With his consent, as I have said,
there would never be another "awakening," great
or small, to the end of the world.  But we "are not
ignorant of his devices," and he  can be resisted.
When the proper means are used to obtain the blessing, he can no more prevent a spiritual shower from
descending upon the most parched enclosure of the
vineyard, than he can stay the bottles of heaven
when the dust groweth into hardness, and the clouds
cleave fast together.
There are no hinderances to revivals from without or within, but may be removed or overcome. It
is not in wicked men or devils to fence out these visitations from on high, to throw such stumbling-blocks
in the way that they cannot enter. Every temptation, every opposing influence, whether open or secret,
may be successfully resisted; "not by might, nor by
power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."
THE SAYIOUR'S RETURN.
THIE SAVIOUR' S RETURN.
"When Jesus returned, the people gladly received
him; for they were all waiting for him."  Christ had
crossed over the lake of Galilee to Gadara, where he
found a raving maniac among the tombs possessed
with many devils, and cast them out.  How long he
staid there, we are not informed; but when he came
back, he found the people gathered on the shore and
waiting for him. They had enjoyed his presence
and instructions and seen his miracles, and they were
so anxious for his return, that they resolved to be at
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THE SAVIOUR'S RETURN.
the place of landing in season to welcome him; and
when he came, they received him with rejoicing.
This incident is full of instruction and encourage ment, and was doubtless recorded for our learning
on whom the ends of the world are come. Let us
inquire then what is meant by waiting for Christ's
return, when he has been for a longer or shorter time
absent.
1. It implies desire. When we wait for an absent
friend, it is not in a state of indifference. It is because we want to see him, and want to enjoy the
pleasure of his society. So it was with that waiting
company on the shore of the lake.  They would not
have gathered there, much less would they have waited, if they had not wished for his return. Neither
can a church, that once enjoyed the special presence
of Christ in a revival, be said to be waiting for a like
blessing, if they do not earnestly desire his return.
Time passes. Years perhaps roll away. They sometimes talk about him, and profess, it may be, to lament
his long absence. But they are not waiting for him,
till they desire his return so earnestly as to pray for it.
Any thing short of this is not waiting for him.
2. Waiting for Christ implies hope and expectation.
Thus when you are waiting for a valued friend who
has been some time absent, you have some expectation
at least that he will come, though you do not certainly know when; else you would not wait for him:
you could not; you would have no motive to wait any
longer, however anxious you might be to meet and
welcome him. Neither could a church in a time of
general declension be said to wait for the Saviour's
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
return, if they had no encouragement to expect it.
It is not in the constitution of the human mind, sanctified or unsanctified, to wait for any thing without
hope or expectation. The multitude would not have
stood on the shore of Galilee, anxiously looking across
the water to catch the first glimpse of the boat, if they
had not expected it. They would have gone away,
or rather, they would not have come.
3. Waiting for Christ to come and revive his
work, implies a preparation in the church to receive
him. When he came back from his mission across
the lake, the people "gladly received him." They
were ready to listen to his instruction, and witness
his wonderful works. This was what they came
together for. They did not remain at home till they
heard that he had landed, but went down to meet and
welcome him. This was their preparation. This
was the proof that they were anxiously waiting for
him.
And how do you do when you are expecting a
visit from a dear friend, or when you are looking for
some distinguished guest, and do not know at what
time he will come, whether to-day or to-morrow?
You don't put off your preparations till the coach
drives up to the door.   You consider beforehand
what kind of reception he will reasonably expect, and
do your best to prepare for it. You would not, when
you met him, say, "I am very glad to see you, I have
been expecting and waiting for you a long time,"
when you had got nothing ready to make him welcome and comfortable. There may be delay, but
there is no real waitin.g like that which we are now
316 
THE SAVIOUR'S RETURN.
considering, which does not include these three things
at least-desire, expectation, and some good degree of
preparation for the desired visit or blessing.
And now, dear brethren, how is it with you? How
is it with your church? Much as we read and hear
of revivals, and however so many of them there may
be in the land, hundreds, yea, thousands of churches
remain unvisited, and yours may be one of the number. How long is it then since the Saviour made
you his last visit? How many years since he was
with you, calling sinners to repentance, and making
them "willing in the day of his power?"  How long
has he been gone, and you mourned his absence?
Are you waiting for him to return, as the people were
at4the lake of Galilee? Do you earnestly desire him
to come to you speedily? Does this desire ascend up
to his mercy-seat in earnest, persevering prayer? Do
you expect him? You may, if you ask aright; for his
ear is always open, and he has bound himself by
great and precious promises. Have you not been
long in a state so cold and indifferent as almost, if
not quite, to give up the hope that he will ever return;
and have you not very much given over asking him?
The people of Galilee received him joyfully, because they were waiting for him, and prepared for
his return. Are you, I ask again, looking anxiously
out for him? If he were to return, are you prepared
to welcome him into your houses, and into your
hearts? Would he find you waking, and looking out
for his return; or would he find you saying, " A little
more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to sleep?"
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
Oh, brethren, brethren, this will not do I "It is
high time to wake out of sleep." Souls are perishing, and you are answerable. Christ would ere this
have been with you, reviving his work, if you had
been waiting for him. Whose urgent voice is it but
his, that I seem to hear at your very threshold, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. If any man hear
my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him,
and sup with him, and he with me." And if he will
come to one who is waiting for him, how much more
if he finds all his friends waiting as he did on the
shore of Galilee?
"COME DOWN ERE MY CHILD DIE."
Jesus Christ was a great physician. He was so
regarded by the Jews at Nazareth, where he was
brought up. "Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself." They had heard of the
wonderful cures which he wrought in Capernaum,
and reproached him for not doing the same among
them, when they were so far from receiving and listening to him even with common civility, that they
thrust him out of the city, and sought to cast him
down headlong from the brow of the hill on which
it was built. Why should he heal their sick when
they would not even allow him to remain another
day or hour among them?
He was a physician of the bodies as well as the
souls of men. Of this we have the most abundant
testimony in the gospels. We have reason to believe
he wrought more bodily cures than any other physician ever did, or ever will. Take the following as
318 
COME DOWN ERE MY CHILD DIE.
examples: "At even, when the sun did set, they
brought unto him all that were diseased, and them
that were possessed with devils; and all the city was
gathered at the door. And he healed many that
were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils." This was done at Capernaum. Mark 1: 32-34.
"And Jesus went up into a mountain, and sat down
there," near the sea of Galilee, "and great multitudes
came unto him, having with them those that were
lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast
them down at Jesus' feet, and he healed them." Matt.
15:29.  "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of
the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and
all manner of disease among the people." Matt.
4: 23, 24. He was not the physician of any one city
or place merely.  He went about doing good.  He
travelled all over the land. He visited and healed
the sick wherever he was sent for, and he never lost
a patient. Nor did he confine his cures to the sick
of his own country: "His fame went throughout all
Syria, and they brought unto him all sick people, that
were taken with divers diseases and torments; and
those which were possessed with devils, and those
which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy, and
he healed them."  What multitudes must he have
cured of all sorts of diseases, during the three and a
half years of his public ministry, wherever he went.
A number of affecting incidents are recorded, of
which this is one: " & certain nobleman's son was
sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was
come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him,
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
and besought him that he would come down and heal
his son, for he was at the point of death. Then said
Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye
will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Come
down ere my child die." And Jesus would doubtless have gone down at once, had not the nobleman's
faith prevented.  "Go thy way," saith he, "thy son
liveth." The man believed the word and went his
way, and that very hour the child began to amend.
Jesus no longer visits the sick, or cures diseases
by his visible bodily presence; but there are now, as
there were then, diseases of the soul far more malignant and alarming, and we have, if possible, still
greater encouragement to apply to him for healing.
Suppose there was now a terrible epidemic raging
all over the land, and sweeping off thousands every
week, and so malignant as thus far to baffle all the
skill of the best physicians. And suppose that in this
state of universal gloom and despair, we should learn
that a physician had just come from afar into the
very next town, and had already effected many wonderful cures in cases of the greatest extremity; in
fact, Curing all as soon and as fast as they applied to
him, and that he was just as much needed with us as
with them; what would you do? Would you not
send for him at once, urging him by every possible
motive to come, and give you too the benefits of his
skill? If the first application did not prevail, would
you not dispatch messenger after messenger, urging
him with increasing importunity, "Come down ere
we all die?" I am sure you would, and so would all
in like circumstances, who should hear of his wonder
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COME DOWN ERE MY CHILD DIE.
ful success. You would give him no rest as long as
there was a possibility of persuading him to come.
You could not stand and see your children die, till
the last effort to save them had failed. And if it be came known that he had already visited many other
places, with unfailing success, and had never given a
refusal when suitably applied to-if by any unaccountable infatuation you had delayed sending for him till
he was gone, leaving the pestilence still to sweep
on, would not all who should hear of it say, "They
have no one to blame but themselves. They are perishing by their own neglect. The physician was near
and ready to come, but he was not invited." I know
that such a case can never happen. But it strikingly
suggests a familiar analogy, which must be still more
astonishing to the angels than that would be.
Jesus Christ, the great Physician, is present by
his Spirit, wherever there is a revival of religion.
MIany such gracious visits he is now making, in
almost every part of the land. He is doing his
mighty works in healing multitudes who were ready
to perish. But the number of places yet unvisited is
far greater-places where there are no revivals.
Yours may be one of them, and the great Physician
may have come into your immediate neighborhood,
where souls were perishing, and where he is now
plucking them as brands from the burning. Certainly he is not so far off, but that you can apply to him
without the least delay. Some of you hope, that in
some former visit, years ago, when he found you at
the point of death, he applied the balm of Gilead and
saved you. But in looking round over your families
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
and neighborhoods. you see that hundreds, it may be
thousands, are in the same danger that you were in,
and you know that they must perish for ever, if not
healed in like manner. It is a case of life and death
with every one of them-not of temporal, but of eternal death.
And what are you doing? You cannot save them.
None of your physicians can reach their case. It is
desperate beyond all human help. But there is the
almighty Physician, perhaps within an hour's ride,
multiplying his spiritual cures, and waiting to be invited by you with the same earnestness which brought
him there. You "stand between the living and the
dead;" and let me affectionately ask, What are you
doing? Why are you not enjoying the blessings of a
revival, as well as your neighbors-as well as any
other church and congregation in the land? God is
no respecter of persons, or of places. It cannot be
owing to any reluctance to come, on the part of the
great Physician, that he has passed you by. Nothing
is wanting but preparation of heart, and earnest, believing prayer, to bring him to you. lHe wants to
come. He is only waiting for you to ask aright, and
he will come. As he never refused when he was personally going about doing good to the bodies and
souls of men, so now it shall never be said to those
who seek him, that they seek in vain. If there was
a mortal sickness threatening to sweep off not more
than one-tenth of your population, and you heard of
a physician anywhere within reach, who was performing more cures of the same disease than all others to
whom you could apply, though he might have lost
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PREACHING.
some patients, you would lose no time, you would
spare no expense to bring him to the bedside of your
sick friends. And now, will you, can you do less,
when the great majority are infected with the heartplague, which no medicine can arrest; when there is
One of infinitely more than mortal skill, who stands
ready to come and cure all, without money and without price? If you have no revival and they perish,
consider, 0 ye professed friends of Christ, in whose
skirts their blood will be found. Dare you slumber
on and meet the answer in the great day? Can you
give one blameless reason why you are not now enjoying a revival as well as other churches and congregations?
PREACHING.
PREACHING is the chief instrumentality by which
the way of the Lord is prepared, when religion has
sunk to a low ebb, and he is about to revive his work.
The first thing is that the church be awakened from
its slumbers. Till this is done, there is very little
hope that sinners will be awakened; and it requires
an earnestness in the pulpit, a directness of appeal, a
sounding of alarm to professors, which shall make
their ears tingle. They must be dealt with plainly,
as standing in the way of a revival, as stumblingblocks lying in the path, instead of living witnesses
for Christ before the world. The guilt as well as
the danger of their backslidings must be faithfully
pointed out. They must be earnestly exhorted to
"repent and do their first works;" to examine themselves whether they are in the faith, whether their
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
own hopes are well founded, whether remaining as
they are, they can have any good evidence that they
are not yet in their sins. They must be told plainly
that there are false professors in the churches, and
they must be exhorted to wake and rise from the
dead, that Christ may give them life. They must be
shown that they are in a fearful degree answerable
for the reigning worldliness and spiritual death
around them. In dealing with them, the preacher
must use the word of God, which is sharper than a
two-edged sword, as the surgeon uses his knife, though
it cut deep into the quick. It may lead some real
Christians for a time to distrust and renounce their
hope. It probably will, but it will do them good in
the end, by making them more watchful and prayerful and faithful to their covenant vows. Under such
a course of preaching, it may be hoped that the wise
virgins will be startled from their slumber, and that
'fearfulness will surprise the hypocrites.' It may
require more than one sermon, or two. It probably
will. How many, no minister can tell till he has
made the trial and witnessed the effect. Let him
not give over till he has made full proof-' line upon
line, precept upon precept." l He must expect that
many of his hearers will wonder why he should dwell
so much upon one topic, and it will not be strange if
some of his best members should feel that he bears
too hard upon them, though they may not tell him so.
But if his searching appeals sink down in their hearts
and rouse them to prayer and action, and God pours
out his Spirit, they will be thankful that the preacher
did not let them alone till, by the grace of God, they
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PREACHING.
were constrained to rise and shake themselves from
the dust.
Said one of the most pious deacons of my church,
after a glorious revival which brought in nearly all
the most influential men in the place, "I wondered,
before the work commenced, why you preached so
long and pointedly to the church. I knew we were
in a cold state, and needed to be waked up, but at
the time it seemed almost cruel in you to lay the
blame of our never having had a general revival so
heavily upon the church; I now see that we needed it, and bless God, that he moved you to deal
so faithfully with us, both in the pulpit and out of
it." Some others had the same hard thoughts, and
were led to change their minds in the same way, after
they had seen and rejoiced in the salvation of God.
If we had all the facts, I believe it would be found
that nearly all of the most powerful revivals have
been immediately preceded by a loud and earnest
sounding of alarm in the ears of the churches. How
can any pastor of a dead church, who "travails
in birth" for souls, rest satisfied till, relying on
Divine aid, he has faithfully made the attempt? Nor
should it be confined to the pulpit. The subject should
be kept before the mind of the church at weekly lectures and prayer-meetings, and in private exhortations, till it shall be evident that she is in some good
degree prepared to receive a blessing. As soon as
that shall be the case, the prayer will go up from
many lips, Lord, what wilt thou have us to do?
When a church is brought to this point, there is
every reason to hope that God is about to revive his
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
work in the congregation. And then the way is prepared for a series of pointed and rousing discourses
to the impenitent. Then is the time for the preacher
to wield "the sword of the Spirit," to lift up his voice
like a trumpet, to cry aloud and not spare. Just
here, the first thing to be aimed at is to gain the
sinner's attention. Failing in this, though an angel
were to come down from heaven and occupy the
pulpit, his preaching would avail nothing. It would
do no more good than speaking into the cold ear
of death. The careless sinner must somehow be influenced to "think on his ways," to consider what his
actual condition is, what his relations to God are,
what the law requires, what the gospel offers, and
what must be the inevitable consequences of his living as he has done, and dying in his present state.
I say you must first gain his serious attention, before
you can hope that your preaching will do him good.
And how is he to be awakened?  "Not by might, nor
by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." Nevertheless, it hath "pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching," as the Greeks stigmatized it, to awaken
sinners as well as to save them.
And in such a state of things, when a cloud of
mercy has come over a place, what kind of preaching
is wanted? What texts and subjects are best adapted
to wake the slumbering, and constrain them to flee
from the wrath to come? Not such preaching as a
backsliding church needs, not such as young converts
want, but a series of discourses upon such topics as
these: the entire sinfulness of the human heart in the
sight of a holy God; the strictness and righteous
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PREACHING.
penalty of his law; the certainty that it will be in flicted in the awful and endless punishment of all who
die impenitent-leading sinners to despair of obtaining salvation by the merit of their own works, or by
their own unaided strivings, be they ever so earnest;
stripping them of all their vain excuses, driving them
from all their refuges of lies, and pointing them to
the cross of Christ as their only refuge.
Many of the most successful preachers in winning
souls to Christ have dwelt much and earnestly upon
these preparatory topics, as I venture to call them,
in the commencement of revivals. They are needed,
they come at the right time. This is the proper place
for them in the use of the means which God has appointed, and I see not how any minister can hope for
a thorough work of the Lord in the conversion of sinners, who does not thus begin at the beginning, who
does not show them the desperate wickedness of their
hearts, who does not make the law thunder in their
ears, and uncover the pit of destruction before them.
This is what Whitefield did; this is what Wesley
did; this is what Edwards did; this is what Bellamy, and the Tennent's did; this is what all the most
successful laborers in revivals have done since their
day; and I hazard nothing in saying, that the work
has been deep and thorough in proportion to the
thoroughness of the preaching in its earlier stages.
Sinners must be "shut up to the faith" by the flaming sword turning every way, before they will despair
of help from any but an almighty arm. No man,
however critical his case may be, will send for a
physician till he believes he is sick, and then the
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
more critical he regards his condition, the more ready
will he be to use the remedies which the best medical
skill can prescribe. So with the sinner; he is sick
unto death, but he will never apply to the great Physician till he feels that the case is desperate. The
first thing is to bring him to feel this, and to cry out
for help. There must be no palliations. His heart
must be probed to the bottom, and its corruption laid
bare, so that he may loathe himself in his own sight,
and smite upon his breast and cry out with the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
In laying so much stress as I have done upon holding up the terrors of the law in the beginning of a
revival, and dwelling mostly for some time upon the
guilt and danger of impenitence, I do not mean that
the way of escape from the wrath to come should be
kept out of sight even then. The voice of mercy
from Calvary should be heard in the midst of the
loudest threatenings from Sinai. But Sinai must utter
its thunders. The careless multitude must be alarmed,
so as to cry out for help, before they will be ready
to receive it. While here and there the Lord opens
the heart of a Lydia at once to receive with joy the
good news of salvation, this has not been his ordinary
method. In the language of the old divines, there
must be "law work " to bring sinners to Christ. The
experience of Paul in this regard, has been the experience of multitudes who have been converted in
revivals: "I was alive without the law once; but
when the commandment came, sin revived, and I
died."
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THE PASTOR IN A REVIVAL.
THE PASTOR IN A REVIVAL.
These things being premised, I will suppose, my
young brother in the ministry, that you and your
church are now in the midst of a revival. Some are
asking what they must do to be saved, and others are
beginning to rejoice in hope. It is a critical time
with them, and under God much may depend upon the
means employed. The revival may pervade the congregation and bring many into the kingdom of Christ,
or it may be checked at once. Perhaps there never
was a revival so powerful, but that, to all human
view, the Spirit might have been quenched, as many
have been suddenly brought to a stand by unwise and
indiscreet proceedings.
I do not profess to have had very large experi.
ence. Many have oftener seen the salvation of God
in these blessed times of refreshing than I have, and
are more capable of giving advice to the inexperi.
enced; but it has pleased God to afford me a good
many precious opportunities of witnessing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, in the conviction
and conversion of sinners.
In the thoughts which I have to throw out, and
the advice which I have to offer, I shall give the
results of my own observation and inquiries, without
claiming any right to mark out a course for others.
God has not shut up his ministers and churches to
any one method. A considerable range is left for the
choice of means according to times and circumstances.
In reading a hundred narratives, we might not find
the same features and stages of progress in any two
of them. As there are diversities of operation by the
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
same Spirit, so there are diversities of means and
agencies, which God is pleased to own and bless in
reviving his work. Our part is to pray, Lord, what
wilt thou have us to do? and then to follow the leadings of his providence and Spirit.
It will sometimes be found, before the work has
advanced far, that something lies in the way of its
progress. It seems to stand still. Those who have
been awakened, remain for days just about where
they were; and there are no new inquirers. This
ought to alarm the whole church. What is the matter? What hinders the chariot of salvation from rolling on? There should be great searchings of heart;
and if we could see the hearts of those who have
been waiting for the salvation of God as he sees
them, it would probably be found that there is less
fervent prayer than there was. Christians are in
danger of taking it for granted, as it were, that when
God has begun to pour out his Spirit in answer to
prayer, he will continue to carry on the good work,
though they should neglect this great duty and privilege. But for this they have no warrant. Continuance in prayer, if I may so express it, is the motive
power, and without which it must come to a stand.
But however this may be, there is some cause, some
letting down, some neglect of duty on the part of
the church, which must be searched out and repented of.
So, again, in the midst of a powerful revival, when
Christians have been long on their knees with their
faces bowed in the dust, the impression may be
stronger than ever, that God not only can, but will
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THE PASTOR IN A REVIVAL.
carry on his work and glorify himself, though their
prayers should cease; or that their supplications
might now give place to thanksgivings. When this,
or something like this feeling appears, the church
should be called together, not to discourage their
thanksgivings for what God hath wrought, but to
exhort them at the same time, instead of relaxing, to
wrestle more earnestly with the Angel of the covenant. Indeed, judging from what I have witnessed
in revivals, the church needs to be often called together by the pastor, to keep them constantly advised
of the progress of the work, and of the hinderances
which threaten to retard it. Without some watch
like this, suited to the flowing and ebbing of the
waters of salvation, I see not how the church can be
expected to preserve a healthful tone of prayer, and
a vigorous state of action.
Again, when a revival has lasted for months perhaps, and a great harvest is already in the sheaf,
Christians are apt to feel that it is as large as can
be expected in one season, and in this way to limit,
as it were, the Holy One of Israel. From what I
have seen in revivals, I am satisfied that this is a
common case. The impression on many minds is
something like this: The blessing has already been
larger than we could have hoped for, considering our
infinite unworthiness, and we regard it as a rich earnest of what God will do for us, when he shall be
pleased to come and revive us again; but we must
wait.  This may never be uttered, but such is the
feeling- "We must wait God's time for the conversion of the many who are left." In this way I fear
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
Satan often gets an advantage of the church, which
he could not gain in any other. I look upon it as
one of his stratagems, because I believe he is never
so busy as in revivals, and because I find nothing in
the Bible to warrant the impression that the work in
progress must needs cease, so long as there are sinners to be brought in, but that, "contrarywise," there
is much encouragement to pray and work on.
When the prophet Elisha directed the king of
Israel to take arrows and smite upon the ground, he
smote thrice and stayed. Whereupon the prophet
was angry, and sharply chided him: "Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou
smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it; whereas
thou shalt now smite Syria but thrice." Final deliverance from the invasions of that powerful enemy of
Israel was forfeited by stopping short when there was
nothing to hinder. So in a revival, what is there
but the want of faith and perseverance, to hinder the
conversion of all who are brought under its influence?
A hundred, perhaps, have been born again. It is
certainly a great and glorious work; but why should
it cease, when hundreds are still impenitent and ready
to perish? Is the Lord's hand shortened, that it cannot save any more? Is his ear heavy, that he cannot
any longer hear? Dear brethren, are you straitened
in him? Is it not wholly in your own bowels? You
say you desire the salvation of every soul; and if so,
why not still use the means that have been so signally blessed?  Why wait for another revival?  If you
forfeit your privilege in this, are you sure that you
shall ever see another? And if another should be
332 
THE PASTOR IN A REVIVAL.
enjoyed in a few years, will all who are yet unconverted live till that time?
You will say, perhaps, that in no place has the
whole impenitent population ever been converted in a
single revival. And what then? Does it prove that
this never can be? that it never will be? As the
millennium approaches, we may expect to see greater
things than have yet been witnessed.   If we are
warranted to pray for the outpouring of the Spirit at
all, we have the same warrant to pray for the conversion of many as for few. As there is no respect
of persons with God, so there is no limitation to the
promises, "Ask, and ye shall receive;" "Open your
mouth wide, and I will fill it;" "If ye shall ask any
thing in my name, I will do it "-" any thing."
",How large the promise, how divine!"
It would certainly be very remarkable if God
were to convert all1 in a great revival. But that he
can, if he pleases, no praying person can doubt.
There seems to have been something very much like
it, in the apostolic age. Thus we read, that when
Peter passed throughout all quarters, "all that dwelt
in Lydda and Saron turned unto the Lord." And
in our own times, we have heard of revivals, if we
have not witnessed them, in some of our higher
seminaries, of the same comprehensiveness. So it is
not very uncommon for whole families to be taken at
once. Dear brethren, "be not faithless, but believing." Pray without ceasing. Do not let the Angel
of the covenant go till you have prevailed for the
largest blessings which he has to bestow. The fact
that you have already seen the salvation of God be
333 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
yond all that you dared to hope for, that greater
numbers, it may be, have been converted than in any
former revival, is so far from affording any reason
for relaxing in prayer and efforts for the immediate
conversion of those who are left, that the larger the
gift received, the greater the encouragement to ask
for more.
It were easy to bring many illustrations bearing
on the point that the church ought never to be satisfied so long as any remain outside of the ark, hourly
exposed to be swallowed up by the rising deluge.
If your neighbor's house was on fire, and the family were all fast asleep, or if they had been waked in
time to escape, and some of them had been already
rescued from the flames while others were still left,
what would you do? Would you say, we have already saved more than we expected, and so relax
your efforts to save the rest? No. You would if
possible increase them, and never give over till the
last child was snatched from the devouring element.
And will you cease to pray for those who are still
exposed to everlasting fire, because so many have
been plucked as brands from the burning?
In a terrible storm, such as often happens on our
seaboard, a vessel is driven upon the breakers, and
becomes a hopeless wreck. The crew and the passengers are seen from the shore clinging to the
shrouds, and ready to be swallowed up. What is
to be done? The life-boat is launched. Struggling
through the roaring surf, and almost swamped, she
reaches the wreck. There are a hundred to be saved,
and she can take only ten. Again and again she
334 
THE PASTOR IN A REVIVAL.
returns, till more than half the number are landed
safe on the shore. But what is to become of the
rest?  Will the hardy boatmen say, "We have saved
many more than we expected when we saw the danger. The winds and waves are more and more appalling. It is night-fall, which increases the danger of
further efforts. We will go home, thankful for what
we have been able to do, and return early in the
morning, hoping to find the sea calmer, and then we
will bring the rest ashore." Impossible! It would
not be safe for any man to hint such inhumanity to
the most hardened sailor. And can you, dear Christian friends, sit down and rest satisfied for the present with the rescue of less than half of your friends
and neighbors who were ready to perish, when, by
your own acknowledgment, those who are left are in
equal danger?
But I have not room for enlargement here.  I am
not so vain as to feel sure that the course of preaching which I have sketched and recommended before
a revival, and in the early stages of it, is better than
some other, when there is so much room for consulting times and circumstances. What I have said is
chiefly drawn from my own experience and observation in revivals. It may or may not accord with the
larger experience of others. Let it stand upon its
own merits, nothing more.
It can hardly be necessary to add, that no wise
master-builder will indulge the idea that by laboring
for a revival in season and out of season, and bringing many converts into the church, they and the older
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
members will need little more of his help to "build
them up as lively stones, a spiritual house, a holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable
to God by Jesus Christ." It is just here, if I mistake
not, that some excellent pastors are in danger of losing half the fruits of their labors in sowing and reaping, and shouting the harvest home. Believing that
all who are born again will be kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation, they seem to forget that all who have lately been converted, however
well instructed and established in other things, are
but babes in Christ, and need the sincere milk of the
word, that they may grow thereby till they become
strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
Those more especially who, till the revival, and
perhaps till it was far advanced, had paid no attention
to religion, and are brought in suddenly, as in these
days many are, have almost every thing to learn of
its doctrines, of its evidences, and of its claims. Being just brought into the school of Christ, now is the
time to teach them, till they are rooted and grounded
in the faith.  Now they will learn faster than at any
other period of their discipleship, and to this end
they will require more teaching.
Some ministers, in their great zeal for the immediate conversion of sinners, think it their duty to
preach and exhort at all times just as they do in the
midst of a revival, and feel as if they were doing very
little good, if they do not see the immediate fruit of
their labors in bringing sinners to Christ. Doubtless
they cannot be too anxious to have them brought in.
But they have work to do in the church, as well as
336 
THE PASTOR IN A REVIVAL.
out of it.  By pressing too hard after a glorious revi val, and without giving the church any time to re cover from the physical and mental exhaustion which
is likely to supervene, they are in danger not only of
increasing the exhaustion, but wearing out their own
remaining strength and religious susceptibilities with
little or no profit. Mr. Nettleton used to say, that
if he was a settled pastor, he would not always be
preaching what would be distinctly regarded as revival sermons, as it might disgust and harden sinners,
rather than convert them; and I believe he was
right.
Suppose there should be an interval of even four
or five years between two revivals, would the pastor
have reason to mourn that he was all that time laboring in vain, and spending his strength for naught?
By no means. If he is doing the work of the Lord
faithfully during that interval, he may be eminently
useful. The husbandman is not always employed in
gathering in his harvests. When one is over, he prepares his grounds for another. Hle sows for a new
crop, though he may not expect it to take root and
spring up at once. So the spiritual husbandman, who
"goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his
sheaves with him."
The interval is preeminently the time for study,
for imparting solid instruction, for preaching all the
fundamental doctrines, for convincing and confounding gainsayers, and for building up a stable, thoroughly educated church, upon "the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief
Rev. Sketches.        1 5
337 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
corner-stone." It is just here that some ardent and
excellent ministers mistake. They exhort more and
better than they teach. When there is no revival,
they do so little to prepare for one by raising the
standard of piety and training up prominent members for active service, that they derive not half the
assistance from them in prayer-meetings, Sabbathschools, and by other lay helpfulness, that they might
have done by thorough training.  And owing to this
neglect, when trouble arises they have not half so
many strong men to lean upon as they might have
had.
I am persuaded that a pastor will be most and
oftenest blessed with genuine revivals, who, relying
upon divine aid, does most to prepare his church for
them by thorough doctrinal and practical preaching
in the intervals. He will have a stronger and purer
church than it is possible to build up without a great
deal of teaching, as well after the converts are received into the church as before.
WHERE A REVIVAL HAS JUST COMMENCED.
"And he did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief." Jesus Christ had come to
Nazareth, and showed the deep interest which he felt
in their highest welfare by teaching in their synagogues, and healing a few of their sick. From what
they saw and heard, they could not dispute that his
motives were kind, that he had both the will and the
power to do them good. But they were not ready
to receive him. He had been brought up among
them as the son of a poor carpenter, one of their
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REVIVAL JUST COMMENCED.
neighbors. Whence then, they said, hath this man
this wisdom, and these mighty works? and they were
offended in him. He was to them as "a root out of
a dry ground;" he had "no form nor comeliness " in
their eyes; "when they saw him, there was no beauty
that they should desire him." He had already by his
miraculous power healed some of their sick, and was
ready to heal them all; but no, he was the carpenter's
son, and who gave him this power? As Jesus Christ
never staid where he was not wanted, he left them,
and it does not appear that he ever returned.  It was
not their unworthiness that cut off his kindred from
the blessings which he had to bestow without money
and without price; it was their rejection of him.
"He did not many mighty works there, because of
their unbelief." He departed out of their coasts. If
any whom he would have healed were mortally sick,
he left them to die.
So it is now in times and places of special revival.
Jesus Christ by his Spirit comes into a church and
congregation, and shows his presence and power by
healing here and there a sin-sick soul; or in other
words, awakening and converting a few individuals.
In this beginning of miracles of grace, he manifests
his readiness to heal all who apply to him, trusting
in his ability and readiness to save.
Are the churches whom he thus condescends to
visit, always ready to welcome him, and urge him to
remain with them as long as he can? If so, what is
the reason that sometimes, when a revival has commenced and there have been a few conversions, he
departs and the work ceases? Such cases, alas, axe
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
but too frequent. Ah, he does not do many mighty
works there, "because of their unbelief." This is the
sole reason.
What then is this unbelief, that cuts them off? It
must be a criminal distrust of his power, or his promises. Nothing is wanting but that faith which takes
hold of the promises by earnest persevering prayer
to retain him. It can never be true, that any incipient revival ceases after a very few have been
awakened and brought in, where the church is on
her knees pleading with the Saviour to stay and multiply the trophies of his victorious grace.  She must
take the blame to herself, if he leaves her families
and neighbors unconverted.
And now, dear friends, what is our present condition in this place? After a long absence, in which
the ways of Zion have mourned, and all have been
ready to die, Jesus of Nazareth has returned, and begun his mighty works among us. Here and there a
sinner is asking, What must I do to be saved? A
few, we hope, have been born again; but what are
they among so many? Scores, hundreds lie in the
same perishing condition. What will you do? Will
you treat him as his town-people did, and send him
away; or will you constrain him by your prayers to
remain, and come into your houses and visit all your
neighborhoods, and cast out all the evil spirits, and
heal all the sick, constraining you to stand still and
to exclaim, What hath God wrought!
The state of things with us is beyond expression
critical. Now Christ has come, and you see what he
can do. He has quickened some who were dead in
340 
REVIVAL JUST COMMENCED.
trespasses and sins. But the work seems to be at a
stand, and where is our faith? There are but few,
if any new cases of inquiry. Things cannot long remain as they are. It is an awful crisis. The revival
must receive a new impulse, or soon cease. Manifestly Christ is ready to depart, and shall we let him
go while so much remains to be done; while of all
the multitude who are sick unto death, only here and
there one has been healed? Shall we let him go?
Let us fall down before him, and plead his great and
precious promises. Would he have visited us as he
has, if he had not more blessings in store, and was
not ready to bestow them? When he thus visits any
place, and begins to do his mighty works, there is
one obstacle to his leaving suddenly which he never
breaks over, and that is, "We will not let thee go
except thou bless us." Such importunity always prevails. It will with us, if we wrestle as Jacob did.
Nothing but unbelief can stop the revival where
it is.
0 brethren, will you grieve the Holy Spirit to
depart; will you send the blessed Saviour away,
leaving so many to perish whom he is ready to save?
for not to persuade him to prolong his visit,-when he
is waiting to be gracious, is virtually sending him
away. "And he could there do no mighty works,
save that he laid his hands on a few sick folk, and
healed them. And he marvelled at their unbelief."
So here, if he departs, he will leave the great body
of the sick, with the most terrible of all diseases,
"drawn unto death." How many have we reason to
fear have died the second death since he last came
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
among us. As he never went back to Nazareth, who
can tell, if he leaves us now, whether he will ever
return? And if he should, years hence, how many
of those whom he came to cure will then be in their
graves, and beyond the reach of salvation.
Mr. Nettleton, writing to a brother in the ministry in 1823, says, "A revival begun, is likely to subside without the constant pressure of gospel motives
on the consciences of the awakened. It is obvious
from experience that God generally blesses far more
extensively the means for extending his work, than
he does for commencing it in the midst of surrounding darkness. As the conversion of one sinner is
often the means of awakening a whole family, and the
impulse is again felt through every kindred branch,
and through the village and town, so one town may
be the means of revival in another, and that in another. There is as really a season of harvest in the
moral, as in the natural world. Neglected a few
days, the harvest fully ripe is lost for ever.
"So there is a crisis in the' feelings of a people,
which, if not improved, the souls of that generation
will not be gathered. In the season of a revival,
more may be done, more often is done to secure the
salvation of souls in a few days or weeks, than in
years at other times. One sermon often does more
execution in a revival than a hundred out of it. And
I verily believe that more good may be lost for the
want of that one, than can be done with it, and with
a thousand like it, when the crisis is past.'Say not
ye, there are yet foursnonths, and then' -it is now, or
never."
342 
INQUIRY MEETINGS.
With these views, so far as my own observation
and experience have gone, I fully concur.
INQUIRY MEETINGS.
Among the means which God has signally blessed
in carrying forward revivals of religion, meetings for
personal conversation with the awakened are found
to hold an important place. These meetings are by
common consent called Inquiry meetings, in distinction from all others-a better name, I think, could
not be given them. And in the progress of a powerful revival, when large numbers are in the several
stages of alarm and inquiry, they are so essential,
that no pastor who would make the most of his
strength, can dispense with them.
When they were first introduced among the means
which God has been pleased to own in the glorious
"times of refreshing from his presence," I do not
know. Where the Lord has poured out his Spirit,
good ministers have always encouraged inquirers to
come to them for personal conversation and advice,
either singly or several together; but where a great
many awakened sinners have needed their attention
at the same time, they have found it impossible to
meet them all, and say even a few words to them at
the critical stages of their need of instruction-perhaps the turning-point of their immortal destiny. The
question was, Can any thing be done to bring all the
inquirers within our reach, so that in a single hour
we may learn the state of fifty or a hundred anxious
souls, that demand our immediate attention? At this
critical point, God put it into the heart of somebody,
343 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
no matter who or where, to invite all who were anxious to meet their pastor at a given time and place.
It was found that in this way the desired object
might be accomplished without taking time which
could not be spared from other duties that always
press hard during a revival. In the great revivals
at the beginning of the present century, I neither saw
nor heard of such inquiry meetings as we are all now
familiar with. Indeed, my first acquaintance with
them was about 1817, it might be a little earlier,
when Mr. Nettleton was in the midst of his remarkable career, going from place to place in the shining
armor of his mission, "the Lord working mightily
with him," wherever he went. He held inquiry meetings, (anxious meetings as he called them,) and felt
that in the midst of a large revival he could not do
without them. Other highly favored servants of the
Lord, ever since his day, have felt so; and such inquiry meetings as he held are now almost as firmly
established, where God pours out his Spirit, as special
meetings for prayer.
Rightly conducted, they afford the best possible
criterion of the actual stage of the revival, in a large
and scattered population. Such a meeting brings inquirers of all classes and from all quarters together,
enabling the pastor to feel the pulse, as it were, of
the whole vital action, and to judge what instruction
from the pulpit and lecture-room is most neededwhether the work is advancing, or at a stand, or
declining, that he may "give to every one his portion
in due season." In an outpouring of the Spirit, such
changes often take place in a few days, that I see not
344 
INQUIRY MEETINGS.
how a pastor can adapt his discourses to the existing
state of his flock, -without a general inquiry meeting
at least once a week, to guide him. In that room, he
learns more in half an hour than he could, perhaps,
were he to spend his whole time with individuals as
he might meet them elsewhere.
It is obvious at the same time, that the helpfulness
of inquiry-meetings will depend very much upon how
they are commenced, and the manner in which they
are conducted. Ministers are sometimes quite at a
loss whether there is interest enough in the congregation to respond to such an invitation. If there is
not, it might prove a hinderance rather than a quickener towards a revival. If with a vague impression
that the way is prepared for such a movement in advance, a pastor were publicly to give out an appointment and nobody should come, the enemy might take
advantage of it, and turn it to the prejudice of religion.  In pastoral visits the state of individual minds
may be so far learned as to guide the pastor aright.
Publicly inviting any who may wish for religious
conversation to call at the pastor's house or study, is
quite a different thing, as it involves no responsibility
with regard to the signs of the times.
The next question is, When an inquiry meeting is
appointed, who should be invited? Not all the congregation of course. It is a meeting for inquirers, for
those who feel some concern for their souls; not for
those who feel no anxiety, whether old or young. I
need not say that a great deal depends upon the solemnity of the meeting. If you make the invitation so
broad, that those who are in no degree awakened
15*
345 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
may come in, and they choose to come, it will be likely to affect injuriously the real inquirers, especially if
their concern is not very deep; very much as bringing a cold body into near contact with substances but
moderately warm, would tend to cool them down to
the freezing point, rather than to melt the ice. The
careless, in times of revival, are by no means to be
neglected; but the inquiry room is not the place to
meet them.
I was once invited by a brother, to go into an
inquiry meeting and assist him. I went, and found a
large room full. There had been a powerful revival
in his congregation. In this case, hoping to reach
some who had stood aloof, he had made the invitation
very broad. I noticed at once the absence of that
pervading solemnity which I had been accustomed to
witness in such meetings; and when I came to pass
along from seat to seat, and converse with individuals, I found nearly as many who gave no evidence of
religious concern, as of the anxious; and I was convinced that while the former class were not likely
to derive much advantage from being there, their
presence was chilling and injurious to the latter.
So I think, constituted as the human mind is, it must
be in every case. The aphorism, "Old Adam is too
strong for young Melancthon," applies here in an important sense.  In sympathetic influences which come
in conflict, the colder will be almost sure to prevail
over the warmer.
The two great objects of an inquiry meeting are,
to ascertain the actual state of the revival, and in a
very few words, to drop into the ear of the inquirer
346 
INQUIRY MEETINGS.
such advice as seems to be wanted at the moment.
Where the number is large, there is no time for ex tended conversation; but as he passes round, the pastor will ascertain where it is needed, and will reserve
such cases for personal interviews elsewhere. The
meeting should always be opened with a short prayer,
and all should be requested to kneel. Some may regard the posture as a matter of very little consequence; but it is "much every way."  It brings down
stiff knees, that perhaps have never kneeled before;
begets a sacred awe and reverence which pertains to
no other posture; and no other posture should be encouraged at such a meeting, where there is room to
kneel A few words may or may not follow the
prayer. Then it should be understood by the inquirers, that they must have no communication whatever
with each other in the meeting; but that they must
"commune with their own hearts, and be still."  In
passing round, the minister may either speak to each
individual, in a voice not so low but that those who
sit next can hear at least a part of what is said, or
lower it down to a whisper, so that the individual
alone can hear. I have witnessed both methods in
the inquiry room, and am decidedly in favor of the
latter. The former diverts the attention of those who
sit by, from their own alarming state, and leads to a
comparison of feelings, which in my judgment should
always and everywhere be discouraged, where the
great question is, "What must I do to be saved?"
In passing from seat to seat, a few words suggested by the state in which he finds an inquirer, may be
usefully addressed by the pastor to all assembled
847, 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
two or three times perhaps before he gets through,
closing the meeting with a short address and short
prayer.
Experience proves, I think, that these meetings
should not be very protracted; and that they should
never be continued to unseasonable hours. Where
the congregation is large, some of them may be held
in the remote districts; but it is preferable, in general, to hold them in the centre, and to bring the inquirers together from all parts. It makes them acquainted with one another, and helps to bind them
together in a common brotherhood. The room should
not be much larger than comfortably to seat as many
as may be expected to come. However it may be
accounted for, the fact is unquestionable, that there
will be greater solemnity in a small room well filled,
than in a large one where many of the seats are
empty.
How often such meetings should be held, depends
on the state of the revival-as often as once a week,
at least, when it is at its height, and generally early
in the week, so as to take advantage of whatever impression may have been made by the preaching of the
word, and other religious meetings on the Sabbath.
The pastor, when there are a great many inquirers, may feel that he needs help, and if such assistance can be had as dealing with anxious souls requires, let it be called in. Every minister of the gospel ought to be qualified to take part with his brother
in this labor of love, but hardly any one is, till he
has had some experience himself in revivals. It requires a knowledge of the workings and subterfuges
348 
CONVERSING WITH INQUIRERS.
of the human heart, in all the stages of awakening
and conviction up to the last struggle, and a quickness of apprehension of the real state of things, which
must be acquired before they can be exercised. When
ministerial aid of the right kind cannot be had, perhaps some lay brother may be found, and called in
and help. But it is not speaking disparagingly of
intelligent members of the churches to say, that very
few of them are qualified for this kind of service.
They have not had the experience which it requires.
They can be exceedingly helpful in many ways, but
not in this. But I will not enlarge.
The foregoing remarks and suggestions are chiefly the result of my own experience and observation.
Others may be better guides when and where inquiry
meetings should be held in revivals, and how they
should be conducted. If so, I hope they will be followed.  So far as I know, these meetings are a step
in advance of the aids which pastors had learned how
to avail themselves of, half a century ago. If any
improvements can be made, or any thing better substituted, I will bless God for putting it into the
hearts of his ministers.
CONVERSING WITH THE AWAKENED AND THE
UNAWAKENED IN REVIVALS.
There is much to be said by the pastor, and by
others outside of the inquiry room; and very much
depends upon who shall say it. "A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Every
member of the church has something to do to help
forward the work. We are all, or should be, labor
349 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
ers together with God. There is no one but can
speak a word in season to somebody. The plea; so
often made, "I can't do any thing, I am not capable
of talking with any body," will not hold. You can
say something.  "Out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaketh;" and God will hold you accountable for what you have, for what you can do and say,
whether it be much or little.
It is true, indeed, there may be few members of
a church who are capable of conversing with sinners in all the stages of awakening and inquiry. It
requires more knowledge, discrimination, and experience than some of the most devoted Christians possess. There are cases where a few words of wrong
instruction or advice might "heal the hurt slightly,"
might quiet the sinner's conscience with a false hope;
or on the other hand, drive him almost or quite to
despair. But every one is capable of saying something t6 friends who remain unalarmed in the midst
of a revival, or who are not much interestedsomething which by God's blessing may prove the means
of their salvation. If you cannot go abroad, if you
cannot exhort your neighbors, you can at least speak
to the unawakened in your own households, and urge
them to seek the Lord while he may be found, and
call upon him while he is near. Talents and learning are not at all essential, so far as this. What is
wanted is a warm heart, a yearning of soul which
can take no denial. Those who would not dare to
talk with inquirers, for fear of doing hurt, can go out
into the highways and hedges, where they will find
ample room for earnest exhortation, and may perhaps
350 
CONVERSING WITH INQUIRERS.
do as much to increase the number of inquirers and
converts by bringing in those who would otherwise
never come to the gospel feast, as if they could guide
inquiring souls to the cross.
It will not be denied, that in the progress of a
revival, all impenitent persons belonging to the con gregation, or to whom access can be gained, ought
to be spoken to and exhorted to avail themselves
of the accepted time, and the day of salvation.  But
there must first be a preparation of heart for this
service, before much good influence can be expected
from it. No member of the church, however gifted,
is in a condition to urge sinners to flee from the
wrath to come, till his own heart glows with love
and compassion.  His conscience may constrain him
to attempt the duty while he himself is not awakened,
but remains in a cold backsliding state; he may force
himself to speak to his neighbors, but they will see at
once that it does not come warm from his heart, and
may be rather repelled than persuaded by any thing
he can say. The Psalmist deeply felt the necessity
of a penitent, heart preparation for this duty, when
he prayed, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation,
and uphold me by thy free Spirit; then will I teach
transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee." And no one can be in a right frame
to discharge this duty, till the joy of God's salvation
is restored to his own soul. But beware, my brother,
how you try to excuse yourself by pleading your own
coldness and spiritual leanness. It will not do. The
Searcher of hearts will not accept it. So far from its
being a good excuse, it is your own fault, and you
851 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
will be held accountable for the neglect. Offer no
such plea. You bring yourself in guilty when you
say that you are not in a right state of mind to talk
with careless sinners, and persuade them to come in.
It is pleading a great sin as an excuse for shrinking
from an important duty. Every professor of religion
ought always to be in such a frame as to converse
freely with those who are living without hope and
without God in the world; and how much more, when
he is pouring out his Spirit, and the kingdom of God
is brought so nigh to those who are ready to perish.
I have already said that it requires much judgment and experience to converse with awakened sinners, and lead them to Christ. But few, compared
with the whole number in a church, are likely to possess these qualifications. So that while all the members may try to alarm the stupid, and ought to do it
to the extent of their ability, the majority cannot be
safely advised to go much further in the time of a
revival. When they find cases of real awakening,
they should report them at once to the pastor, or to
some one of his efficient helpers, that they may receive
such instruction and guidance as they need. A judicious pastor will generally know who can be trusted
to talk with persons asking what they must do to be
saved, and he will feel it his duty to discourage
others from venturing beyond their depth as guides,
where mistakes might be fatal.
In all ordinary cases, the most competent members of the church, in dealing with souls during the
critical period between their being awakened and
converted, ought to act under the advice and direc
352 
CONVERSING WITH INQUIRERS.
tion of the pastor, and to keep him fully informed,
from day to day, of the progress of the work as it
falls under this vigilant observation; and to report
all difficult cases to him, that they may be promptly
attended to. And to aid them in the discharge of
their personal duties in laboring to win souls to
Christ, a pastor experienced in revivals will call
them together as occasion may require, to hear their
reports, and in free conversation give them the results of his experience to aid them in the work.
If any one should ask how often the awakened
ought to be conversed with, no definite answer can
be given. It must depend upon constantly shifting
circumstances. It should be often enough to mark
their progress step by step, and to sound the alarm
at once if they show signs of drawing back. But
there is such a thing as saying too much to an awakened sinner, especially when he has come to the
turning-point-when his vain excuses have all been
taken from him, and he sees clearly that he ought to
hold out no longer.  Then it is better to stand out
of the way, and leave him to settle the controversy
with God, than to say much more to him.  He may
come to you in great distress, asking what he shall
do to be saved, and keep coming after you have told
him a great many times, till you see he is leaning
upon you when he ought to cast himself at once
upon the mercy of God in Christ. I have known
such cases. I believe they occur in almost every revival. And then, "I can't help you. You have been
lingering much too long; I have nothing more to
say. You must go to the cross at once; there is no
353 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
help for you till you get there," is more likely to
bring him to a decision, than any thing more you
could say. A young man who had been religiously
educated, whose attention was called up in a powerful revival in college, and with whom I had often
conversed, sent for me late one evening, urging me
to come and see him, for he was on the very borders of despair. I had conversed with him that very
day, and knew that he was in great distress.  It
seemed cruel to refuse. But I sent him word, "I
can do you no good. In the stubbornness of your
heart you are holding out against God. There is
but one hope left for you, which you know just as
well as I could tell you. You must yield yourself to
God, or you are lost for ever." It was hoped he gave
himself to Christ before morning, which it is very
doubtful whether he would have done, had I gone to
see him. It is far more likely that I should have
stood in the way. And so I believe it often happens.
The convicted sinner often lingers, or rather holds
out, as long as he can find anybody to lean upon. It
is sometimes as much our duty to be silent and stand
out of the way, as at others to warn the same persons
to flee from the wrath to come.  "He that winneth
souls is wise."
And here let me add, those who are active in a
revival should have a mutual understanding, so that
too many shall not converse with the same person on
the same day. While the impenitent ought by no
means to be neglected when God is pouring out his
Spirit, there is some danger of repelling them by the
importunity of too many brethren following in quick
354 
CONVERSING WITH INQUIRERS.
succession. It is better to agree upon a division of
labor, so that while none shall be neglected, none
shall have reason to complain that when they are
willing to be conversed with, too many come at once.
One thing further. In looking over any church
and congregation, it will be found that wisdom is
profitable to direct who can approach this and that
individual to the best advantage. This depends on a
great variety of relations and circumstances. There
should be a consultation something like this: There
are many in the congregation who are not much if at
all interested, who ought to be conversed with and
brought in if possible; and who shall do it? Such
a man is prejudiced against me, but he is your friend.
I cannot approach him, but you can. To another, A
has been your intimate companion. He has confidence in you, he will hear you when he might repulse
anybody else. To another, B can be approached better by you than by any of us; you see him every
day, and your personal relations are such that you
can talk with him and be more likely to influence
him; and so on down to the end of the alphabet.
In how many things are the children of this world
wiser than the children of light. When they have a
favorite object to accomplish, requiring widely extended cooperation, with what skill do they avail
themselves of the social principle, and with what success. Let all the members of a church be as much in
earnest, and act as wisely; let them consider, in every
stage of a revival, what there is to be done to win
souls to Christ, and who can do it best; let there be
no shrinking, after due consultation, from any assign
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
ed duty towards those who are yet to be reached and
brought in; and who can doubt that God would own
and bless such a judicious division of labor?
INSTRUCTION TO CANDIDATES FOR MEMBER                      SHIP.
It is commonly the case that sooner or later, in
the progress of a revival, or after its close, most of
the converts are received into the church together.
They are of different ages and classes, and do not all
need the same amount of religious instruction to prepare them for membership. Some understand the
scriptural qualifications for membership much better
than others; but none who offer themselves as candidates, are so well prepared as not to be profited by
still further instruction, if judiciously given and rightly received.  Next in importance, after giving the
heart to God, is an intelligent public profession; and
no one can safely take this step without knowing
what are the evidences of a saving change, and bringing his hope to the test of these evidences, as laid
down in the word of God. A good deal of this
teaching, I take it for granted, will be given to individuals in the pastor's study, and from the pulpit;
but something more is wanted, which can better be
given in meetings of the candidates, called for the
express purpose. Such meetings save a great deal of
the pastor's time, for so far as the instruction is concerned, he can as well give it to twenty or fifty,
assembled for that express purpose, as to an individual; and it is even more likely to be remembered.
Such topics as the following might naturally be suggested at these meetings.
856 
CANDIDATES FOR MEMBERSHIP.
The evidences of true saving conversion, what are
they?   In answering this question, it is necessary
to go into the subject largely, guided solely by the
Scriptures; to point out these "signs," as President
Edwards calls them, distinctly, and then to exhort
the candidates to examine themselves by these signs,
whether they are in the faith. Have you comfortable evidence that Christ is formed in you the hope of
glory?  If not, wait, search the Scriptures, and give
yourselves to prayer, till you have such evidence.
Christ welcomes none but true disciples to his table.
"Eat, 0 friends; drink abundantly, 0 beloved."
It is well also to take up the confession of faith,
and explain it to the candidates in the most familiar
way, so that they may understand what is the doctrinal standard of the church to which they must give
their assent. Neglect here has often occasioned much
future trouble and perplexity. No member of a church
should ever have it in his power to say, "The confession of faith was never explained to me before I
joined the church. There are some things in it which
I do not believe; and if I had known how they were
understood by the church, I should not have come in.
I should have offered myself elsewhere, and unless
they can be altered, I must leave the church."
Now, if in such meetings as I am recommending,
the meaning of every article as understood by the
church, had been taken up and clearly explained, no
such plea could have been offered; or if it had been,
the answer would be, "If you misunderstood our
creed it was your own fault, not ours. Great pains
were taken to explain it, in meeting after meeting,
357 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
held for that very purpose. Then was the time to
object if ever. There was n6 compulsion or constraint. After hearing a full explanation of our doctrinal platform, it was left entirely at your option
whether to join our church or not. Every one ought
to know what he believes, before he puts his hand to
any confession of faith. We have done all we could
to aid you."
It is desirable fully to explain the covenant engagements which are assumed. It is to be feared, that a
great many persons stand up before God, angels, and
men, without any just sense of the solemn obligations
which they take upon themselves. It has often been
found useful, in meetings held for the purpose, to take
up and distinctly present these obligations; and let
all be warned not to proceed without a full and deliberate intention, trusting in God's help, to "stand
to the covenant."
How many meetings with the converts it may require to go over all the ground embraced in these
recommendations, cannot beforehand be determined.
Let time enough be taken to do them ample justice.
Besides the duty of helping the candidates to make
a good and well-considered profession of their faith
in Christ, they are in a better state of mind to receive and be profited by such a course of instruction
and advice, than they will be at any future time. Too
much pains cannot be taken to have them "rooted
and grounded" in the truth, that they may adorn
their profession in all holy conversation and godliness.   With any thing short of such a course as
above indicated, I have not been able to satisfy my
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JOINING THE CHURCH.
self at the close of revivals, where the responsibility rested upon me, and I am persuaded that in letting such favorable opportunities pass unimproved,
some ministers forego advantages for building up
their churches in the faith and order of the gospel,
which with so little labor they hardly ever enjoy.
If the converts follow on to know the Lord, and
add strength as well as numbers to the church by
an active and blameless Christian life, it is the best
evidence of the genuineness of their conversion. But
if, on the otherhand, in a few weeks or months after
the work has ceased, those who were counted as converts relapse into their former state, and bring forth
no fruit, it will be an evidence that the work was
superficial and not genuine, however it may have been
regarded at the time. By faithful instruction, as above
indicated, let the pastor and the officers of the church
clear themselves from blame, if any should come to
the supper without the wedding garment.
TO PERSONS ABOUT TO JOIN THE CHURCH
AFTER A REVIVAL.
MY DEAR FRIENDS-YOU have expressed a desire
to make a public profession of your faith —in Christ,
and to be received into his church. It is well. It is
an unspeakable privilege. It is the duty of every
true disciple to put on the badge of discipleship, to
avail himself of all church privileges, and to witness
a good profession before the world.  It is a great
step which should not be hastily taken, and yet it
ought not to be very long delayed by any: who have
a comfortable hope that they have been born again.
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But "let a man examine himself, and so let him eat
of that bread and drink of that cup." You have been
examined and approved by the pastor and officers of
the church.  From your own lips they have sought
to obtain evidence that you have passed from death
unto life. In this they have gone as far as they can.
But they cannot search your hearts. The responsibility must rest upon yourselves.
The apostolic injunction is, "Examine yourselves
whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves."
And again, "Let a man examine himself, and so let
him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.  For he
that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation (judgment) to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."  What better proof could we
have, that none but true believers have a right to
come to the Lord's table? What then, dear friends,
are your evidences that you have cast off the works
of darkness, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ? You
were once alienated from God. You did not desire
the knowledge of his ways.   You were carnally
minded. Like the poor man in the gospel, you were
blind from your birth, only in a different and far
more incurable sense. You saw no form nor comeliness in Christ, whereby you should desire him. On
the contrary, whether you were conscious of it or not,
you said in your hearts, and in your life, by walking
according to the course of this world, "Depart from
us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." In a
word, you were by nature "children of wrath,"" children of disobedience;" yea, "dead in trespasses and
sins."
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This was once your deplorable and guilty state.
You lay helpless under the condemning sentence of
God's holy law, and under that condemnation you
might have been justly left to perish. In these most
alarming circumstances, you have been called to wake
and rise from the dead, that Christ might give you
life.
Now, dear brethren, what evidence have you that
you have passed from death unto life? I do not ask,
whether you can all relate the same experience.
"There are diversities of operation, but the same
Spirit." In the exercises which go before regeneration, there are striking differences between individuals. Some are much more distressed than others,
and for a longer time before they find deliverance.
Upon the minds of some, the light breaks in suddenly,
so that they can tell the very day and hour when
they were brought out of darkness into marvellous
light. In others, it is a faint beam at first, which
shines more and more unto the perfect day.  You
will never get any satisfactory evidence of your good
estate-I mean, any evidence that can be safely relied
upon-by "comparing yourselves among yourselves."
You must go to the Bible and compare your exercises with that divine standard. There is no other.
"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest
the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh,
nor whither it goeth. So is every one who is born
of the Spirit." All the truly converted are not
brought to Christ in the same way, or by the same
means.
But the change is the same in all, and is wrought
Re.v. Sketohe.        1 6
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by the same almighty power. They "are born, not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God."  By fervent prayer for divine illumination, and by searching the Scriptures, you may
know in whom you have believed. You may have
the witness in yourselves, more or less clear according to the earnestness of your seeking in reliance
upon the aid of the Holy Spirit, who alone can "take
of the things of Christ, and show them unto you."
What then do you say for yourself? You know where
you were once, sinking in the horrible pit and the
miry clay.  Where do you now stand?  Has Christ
brought you up, and placed your feet upon a rock?
Do you begin to feel its firmness, and rest upon it?
Can you say, "One thing I know, that whereas I
was blind, now I see?" Have you seen the plague of
your own hearts, and do you heartily repent of all
your sins? Do you approve of the law of God, which
is holy, just, and good? Have you been brought to
see the impossibility of saving yourselves, and have
you by the grace of God fled for refuge to lay hold
on the hope set before you in the gospel?  Has your
mind within these few weeks passed through a great
moral revolution? Do you love that which you before hated, and hate that which you loved? Do you
love the Bible; do you love the prayer-meeting; do
you love the house of God; do you love the brethren?
Time was when you saw no beauty in the Saviour,
that you should desire him.  How is it now?  Is
he no longer as a root out of a dry ground, but all
your salvation, and all your desire? Have you received him by faith as your Saviour? Renouncing all
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other dependences, do you really trust in him, lean
upon him, love him, cleave to him as your divine
Teacher, your atoning Sacrifice, your Lord, and your
King? In asking to be admitted into his church, have
you counted the cost? Have you considered that a
public profession of religion requires nothing less
than an entire consecration of body and soul, of all
your faculties, of all you have, of all you are, to the
service of Christ; and as far as you know your own
hearts, are you ready to covenant with him, relying
on his grace to help your infirmities?
. These, dear friends, are some of the tests by which
you ought to try yourselves before you enter the
church. Nor will your unaided self-scrutiny be sufficient. Let this be your constant prayer, "Search
me, 0 God, and know my heart; try me and know
my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in
me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
You are all invited to come to the feast. No
sense of unworthiness should keep you away. The
sacramental table will be spread in a few days, and
"whosoever will, let him come." You have no fitting garment of your own in which to come, but the
wardrobe is hard by; the guest-chamber —is-full. An
essential condition of the invitation is, that each of
the invited shall appear in one of the robes taken
from that royal depository; and Oh, fail not when
the King comes in to see the guests, to have on a
wedding garment. Without it you will be speech?
less when he shall inquire why this intrusion, and
turn you out.
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REVIVAL MANUAL.
TO THE CONVERTS IN A REVIVAL WHEN THEY
JOIN THE CHURCH.
MY DEAR FRIENDS-You have stood up in the
presence of God, of angels, and men, and taken upon
yourselves the vows of the covenant. You have
voluntarily and publicly renounced the world, the
flesh, and the devil. You have been received into
the church of Christ, which is "the pillar and ground
of the truth." You are "no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints and of the
household of faith."  You have come to your first
communion with the church at the table of Christ.
You have not by constraint, but willingly, enlisted
under his banner, and your enlistment is for life.
You have put your hands to the plough; you have
opened your mouths unto the Lord, and cannot go
back. You think you would not for the world go
back, if you might. We pray that you may every
one of you be "kept by the power of God, through
faith unto salvation." A profession of religion is no
sinecure. If Christ in the abounding riches of his
grace has called you into his kingdom, it is that you
at once enter into his service; aid your first inquiry
should be, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Christ
wants no idlers among his professed followers: " Follow nme," is the word of command, by the Captain of
your salvation; and who ever set such an example of
activity, of entire devotedness to the great objects
of his mission, as he did? "Wot ye not that I must
be about my Father's business?" was his reply to those
who would have diverted him from the great objects
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of his mission.  "It is enough for the disciple that
he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord."
You are now just entering upon a religious life,
and as you begin you will be very apt to proceed.
If you set your mark high, remembering that "ye are
not your own," but "bought with a price," even the
precious blood of Christ, you will, by the aid of the
Holy Spirit, "witness a good profession before many
witnesses," and they will take knowledge of you, that
you have been with Jesus. If on the contrary, having got into the church, you take a low stand at first,
instead of rising you will invariably decline, till your
brethren will be constrained to stand in doubt of you,
and the world will ask, What do ye more than others?
If a soldier of an earthly prince, upon his first enlistment, by going into winter quarters instead of performing the services of the campaign, would disgrace
his profession, how much more would a soldier of
Jesus Christ, who should consult his own ease, and
shrink away into his cold winter quarters, when he
ought to be in the field.
You will not all be called to the same services in
the church, or the world. The duties of the Christian life are many and various, and there are diversities of gifts. But before I proceed to enumerate
them, I must say something about your putting on the
armor of God, as you can do nothing without it. We
may not forget that you are new recruits, and have a
great deal to learn, as well as a great deal to do.
Some of you are quite young, and you all want a sure
Guide. Till this revival, you scarcely thought of it,
perhaps. The broad way was wide, and you had
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room enough without any guide.  Now, the case is
different. You have entered a new and untrodden
path.  Since you began to inquire the way to heaven,
your pastor and other pious friends have instructed
and directed you, as God has enabled them, and they
will continue to do so. But you want an infallible
Guide, one that will go with you all the journey
through. Can you have such a guide and teacher?
You can. Such a one has always been at your right
hand, though till lately most of you felt very little
need of any special direction.
God might have inspired a prophet like Moses to
lead you through the wilderness.  He  might have
sent his angel to go before and guard you. He might
have given the Shekinah to shine upon every step of
the way to the promised land. But he has done
more; 0 how much more I  He has given you "Moses
and the Prophets."  He sent his Son, "the brightness
of his glory and the express image of his person," to
lead you in the way everlasting. And when he left
the world, he inspired his apostles to be your i-nfllible teachers and guides. And here are all their
teachings in this one book, THE BIBLE, just as if they
were personally to return to the — art, and you could
hear their voices and follow them. Christ is now, as
it were, putting you to school, not under the law
to bring you to Christ, but under the Gospel, that you
may be trained up for his service. And the Bible is
your text-book. There is no such teaching in the
wide world as you will find here. It is put into your
hands now, at your setting out, to be the man of your
counsel and the guide of your life. Take it along
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with you, dear friends, as "a light to your feet and a
lamp to your path." It is a book to be read, and
studied, and learned by heart. In one sense, it is not
new, perhaps, to any of you; but in another sense it
is. The letter of some portions of it may be quite
familiar, but to the spiritual meaning your eyes are
only now beginning to be opened.  You need the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby
and gradually reach the stature of perfect men.
Do the younger of you ask how you can study the
scriptures to the best advantage- where to begin,
and how to proceed? I answer, There is light
in every portion of the word, and whatever interests
you is profitable. If you would begin with the simpler
portions, take the Gospels and the Psalms; pray over
every psalm, chapter, and portion as you read; meditate, and thus prepare your minds to grasp the more
difficult portions. The Bible is its own best interpreter. By comparing Scripture with Scripture, you
will be surprised to find how many difficult passages
are cleared up, and the light will shine more and
more upon the "things hard to be understood," if you
then follow on to know the Lord.
Let me advise you, in reading the-Scriptures, not
to confine yourselves to a single chapter at a time.
The divisions, as we have them, are entirely arbitrary.
They often break off abruptly in the middle of the argument or narrative, so that if you leave off at the end
of the chapter, you lose the connection, and may forget
it before the next reading. In the original, there are
no chapters. Many of the books are not so long but
that they can be read at a single sitting. Read them
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sometimes through, as you do other small books that
interest you, before you close the book; while at
other times, you will find it more profitable to read
and meditate upon short portions. Still further, it
will take but a moment or two to commit a text to
memory every morning, which may be kept in mind
through the day. Do this, and you will have treasured
up three hundred and sixty-five at the end of the year.
How many in ten years?  No less than three thousand six hundred and fifty! Dear friends, will you
not do it, or rather a great deal more than this? I
advise you to commit whole psalms and chapters of
the gospels to memory. It will be garnering the richest of all treasures to aid you in prayer. It will give
a copiousness to your supplications, confessions, and
thanksgivings, which no otlier language can supply.
It was in this way that the Psalmist got his mind and
heart so richly stored with divine truth, that he
could say, " I have more understanding than all my
teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation."
And now, dear young converts, with your armor
on and the Bible in your hands, and the promised aid
of the Holy Spirit, what should hinder you from
growing in grace and divine knowledge?  What
other help can you need, to adorn the doctrine of
God our Saviour in the discharge of your religious
duties? The field of Christian progress and service
which you are just entering, is a very wide field.
Your whole future lives, from this hour, should be
filled up in pressing toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, and doing
all the good you can on the way. Let me exhort you
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to be faithful unto death, that you may receive the
crown.  It is only those who endure to the end, that
shall be saved.
I can only glance at a few of the obligations which
your Christian profession lays upon you. Be careful
to recommend religion by your consistent example.
Without this, your profession will amount to but very
little. Be sure, wherever your lot may be cast, that
you do your part in support of the gospel, and just as
much more as your ability will allow, to supply the
lack of those who penuriously withhold their part.
Fail not punctually and devoutly to worship God
in his house on the Sabbath. Let nothing short of
some providential hinderance ever keep you away.
Never absent yourselves, if you can help it, from the
weekly prayer-meetings of the church. On this point,
let me be very earnest. Every Christian needs the
quickening of such a meeting, at least once a week,
between the Sabbaths. So far as I can recollect, I
never knew an instance of apparent growth in grace,
by a professor who  voluntarily staid away from
the prayer-meetings; and I very much doubt whether
one in a thousand could be found. In the first place,
it shows a low state of religion in the soul of such a
church-member, and in the next place forfeits the
strengthening of his faith which he might have
received in the precious visits of the Saviour. You all
remember the case of Thomas-how he fell into a sad
state of unbelief, by being absent from the prayermeetings of his brethren, when Jesus met them and
comforted their desponding hearts. 0 what a cutting
rebuke, when at the next meeting he said to Thomas,
16*
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"Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and
reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and
be not faithless, but believing." Beware that you do
not thus expose yourselves by absence from the stated
prayer-meeting. One such unnecessary absence may
cost you the hidings of your Master's face, through
many a long month of doubt and declension.
Never excuse yourselves by saying, the meetings
are so dull and uninteresting that I derive no profit
from them. Are they cold and dull, whose fault is it?
You ought to be there with warm hearts, to make
them interesting. When called on to pray, never excuse yourselves, though at first you should not be able
to offer more than a few short petitions; if offered in
sincerity, depending on the Hioly Spirit for help, he
will ere long put thoughts into your hearts and words
into your mouths, with a fulness and freedom of
utterance which you now hardly dare to hope for.
While you foster all the moral and religious inter
ests of the local communities where God may appoint
the bounds of your habitations, and set your faces
as a flint against vice in every form, cast your eyes
abroad over the wide world lying in wickedness,
and ask the Lord what he will have you to do for its
enlightenment. Pray without ceasing for the spread
of the gospel, and contribute according to your
largest ability to Bible, Missionary, and other societies, organised for the purpose of turning men from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan
unto God.
And so, dear friends, I might go on to specify
many more of the imperative duties of the Christian
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life; but what need of proceeding further, when you
have your instructions so clearly written out in the
word of God, which he has put into your hands as
the man of your counsel to guide you into all truth?
Christ has brought you into his church at an
eventful period of its history. It will not do for you
to rest where you find us in our low attainments. You
have more light and greater privileges than most of
us had when we came into the church.  "Go forward," is the command of your great and glorious
Leader. He requires, he expects much of you, as his
representatives in a sinful and gainsaying world.
Ye are a chosen, a highly favored generation, that ye
should "show forth the praises of Him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvellous light." If the
true children of God, ye are "heirs of the righteousness which is by faith." Therefore, "giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness
charity; for if these things be in you and abound, ye
shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
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CHAPTER IX.
BRIEF APPEALS.
HAVING glanced at the obstacles which lie in the
way of revivals, and what should be done to "prepare
the way of the Lord," and noticed some of the means
which by God's blessing have been successfully employed in promoting them, I add brief sketches of
Appeals, which I have found useful in successive
stages of these outpourings of the Spirit.  I do not
offer them as models to my younger brethren, much
less as comprehending all the topics to be introduced
in a revival, but as casting a little into the Lord's
treasury for the advancement of his blessed cause.
Let others contribute more largely from the richer
stores of their experience, and let Christ have all the
glory. He knows infinitely better than we do, what
should be done to secure the choicest and most abundant spiritual harvests, and I doubt not those who
shall come after us, have yet much to learn under his
infallible teaching. 
"SIRS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?"  -
Never was this question more earnestly asked,
than by the Phillipian jailor. Who he was, or what
had been his antecedents, we are not informed, and
his remarkable conversion is the last we hear of
him. It is not at all likely that he had ever troubled
himself much about religion, and least of all about the
new religion, which was everywhere spoken against.
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He needed a great deal more instruction than could
be given in one night. And when he asked the allimportant question, "What must I do to be saved?"
why did not Paul and Silas direct him to take up the
subject in earnest, to study the prophecies which had
been fulfilled in the advent, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ, through whose blood and righteousness alone he could be saved? Why did they not
point out something which he must do preparatory to
a saving act of faith in Christ? Why did they not
allow him some little time at least for serious reflection and prayer? Simply because they had no authority for any such indulgence, and no delay was necessary. The jailor had nothing else to do, but to repent
and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then and there
was "the accepted time." He might die before morning. By one hour's delay he might lose his soul.
And so, anxious inquiring sinner, it may be with
you. You ask just as the jailor did, what you must
do to be saved; and no other answer can safely be
given, but that which he received, "Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." As he
closed in at once, both with the condition and assurance, so may you. There is nothing more in your
way than there was in his-less indeed, for you are
far better instructed into the things of the kingdom,
than we have any reason to suppose he was.  You
have had much greater advantages for knowing your
Master's will, than he had ever enjoyed. Why do
you linger? Why do some of you come day after day
to your religious teachers, asking the same question?
They " cannot go beyond the word of the Lord, to say
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less or more." I mean, they cannot give you any other
answer. They cannot mention any duty which you
must perform before coming to Christ. The Christian life embraces a very long catalogue of duties.
But you must first become a Christian, before you
can perform any of them in an acceptable manner.
"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." It may be good
in the letter, but utterly wanting in spirit. You are
"shut up to the faith."
God now commands you to repent-this hour, this
moment-not to-morrow. There is infinite danger
in the shortest delay. You are anxious. The Holy
Spirit is striving with you. By this one precious
hour's resistance, he may be grieved and depart for
ever. What is your life but the breath in your nostrils, which may be stopped before you leave the
room. Your reason too, how slight a jar may shake
it from its throne.  "Now," anxious inquirer, "is the
accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
If some important duty were required of you, demanding time for its accomplishment, you might delay. If
there was any room to doubt whether Christ will accept you just as you are, you might with some show
of reason ask for some delay to-make yourself better.
If you were not perfectly assured that Christ will ac.
cept you on the terms propounded to the trembling
jailor, the case would be different. As it is, there is
not the shadow of an excuse for delay.
You would not treat an earthly benefactor as you
treat the greatest and best Friend you have in the
universe. Were you in critical circumstances, in momentary canger of some fatal temporal calamity, and
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a friend were to step in and say, do this or do that,
requiring ever so much effort, you would not hesitate
a moment, although he might possibly change his
mind, or be unable to fulfil his promise. But here
you are with the question on your lips, "What must
I do to be saved?" and the answer sounding in your
ears, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved;" infinite truth and almighty power
stand pledged to make the promise instantly good,
upon its cordial acceptance; and do you yet want
more time? Christ is now knocking at your door,
and instead of hastening to let him in, are you leaving him to stand without till his head is filled with
the dew, and his locks with the drops of the night.
You ask what you shall do to be saved. We tell
you, in the very words of Scripture; and do you still
remain in impenitence and unbelief? We cannot
leave you here. Oh, when will you close in with the
condition and the promise?   To-day, even to-day,
after so long a time, if you will hear his voice, harden
not your heart.
"COME UNTO ME, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."
What a blessed invitation; and to whom was it
addressed? Not to the self-righteous scribes and
Pharisees. They would have rejected it with scorn.
Not to the thoughtless multitude who followed Christ
for the loaves and fishes.  It was addressed to those
only, and  there were probably very few, who were
awakened to a sense of their guilt and danger, who
felt the burden of their sins, and knew not where to
look for relief.  The invitation was not confined to
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them, but was intended for the encouragement of all
sin-burdened souls, not only while Christ was here
in the flesh, but in all coming ages. Here then we
have the persons addressed; the thing to be done; and
the promise annexed, with the certainty of its fulfilment.
1. The persons addressed: Come unto me, "all ye
that labor and are heavy-laden"!-you, careless and stupid
sinner, are not included! You are in no condition
to value the blessing. You feel no burden; and till
you do, how can you apply for relief? "They that
be whole need not a physician, but they that are
sick." And they must believe, they mustfeel that they
are sick. Go to your neighbor, and with an anxious
tone and look tell him that a very distinguished physician has just arrived in town, and advise him-to
send for him at once. He will stare at-you, and ask
you what you mean. "I am not sick. I feel perfectly well; and why should I send for him, or any other
doctor?  Let those who need his prescriptions send
for him.  It will be time enough for me when I am
sick."  Or suppose your neighbor to be really diseased, and in a critical state, but entirely unconscious
of it; will he take your advice?  He may thank you
for the neighborly kindness, but he will say, " I feel
as well as ever." He must first be convinced that he
needs the physician, before he will apply to him.
Just so with the careless sinner: he is not "heavyladen;" he feels no burden; he wants no help; he
has "need of nothing." He must feel that he is a
sinner, that he needs help; he must be anxious to
know what he must do to be saved.  Till then, he
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COME UNTO ME.
excludes himself from the invitation.   But, dear
friend, if you "labor and are heavy-laden," if you
feel that you are "poor and wretched, and blind
and naked, and in want of all things," the invitation is meant for you. It is meant for all who feel
their need. You may be ready to say, "I am so
great a sinner, I have so long turned a deaf ear to
the Saviour's call, that I dare not come. Hiow can
he accept me at this late hour?" It is a sad and extreme case, to be sure. It is a wonder that God has
not cut you off with all your sins upon your head;
but you need not despair even now.  The gracious
invitation is, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and
are heavy-laden;" "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red
like crimsom, they shall be as wool."
2. There must be an acceptance of the invitation,
or it can avail nothing. You must come to Christ,
not bodily as those who needed healing did when he
was here in the flesh. This you cannot do, because,
after his resurrection, he ascended up above all heavens. But you can do more; for many who came to
him personally did not believe on him, received no
spiritual healing by it. Sinners have this great advantage now, that he is spiritually present in every
place, especially wherever there is a true revival. In
the sense of the invitation, you can come to him at
any moment.
* And what is it to come? It is to come emptyhanded and broken-hearted, casting away all other
dependencies, throwing yourself into his outstretched
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arms, and trusting in his righteousness and atonement
alone for pardon, justification, and eternal life. This
is the acceptance, and nothing short of this entire
surrender can be of any avail. Yodu must come to
Christ just in this way, just as you are, or you will
be lost.
3. Come thus to Christ, and the promise, "I will
give you rest," is sure, for he is not slack concerning
any of his promises. He will lift off the burden from
your troubled conscience. He will relieve your anxious laboring mind. He will say, Son, daughter, be
of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee. Oh, how
many can testify that they have experienced the fulfilment of the promise: that they could find no relief
till, with Bunyan'a toiling pilgrim, they came to the
cross, and there it fell off.
And now, burdened sinner, what can we more
say?  What need we say more?  "The Spirit and
the bride say, Come;" and will you come? Every obstacle is removed. There is nothing in the way but
your own obstinate and impenitent heart. Will you
come? will you, or will you stay away and perish?
" Come, ye weary, heavy4-laden,
Lost and ruined by th fall;
If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous   Sinners Jesus came to call."
"THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD."
* What is meant here by "the carnal mind?"  The
true answer to this question is vital; and is too plain
to be mistaken by any candid reader of this chapter.
II
STS 
THE CARNAL MIND.
The carnal mind is directly the opposite of the spiritual
mind, as in the sixth verse: "To be carnally minded
is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."
The difference idi a religious sense is as great as that
between life and death in a natural sense. It is the
heart, every heart, in its natural, unregenerate state.
There is no life in it. Nay, more, as the state of the
body after death is in its decay loathsome, and as it
were opposed to life, so the carnal mind is enmity
against God-not only entirely destitute of love to
God, but in a state of actual and habitual hostility to
him, to his holy character, to his law and his government. You see the language of the apostle is in the
superlative degree, intenitive. If he had said, the
carnal mind is opposed to God, is inimical to him,
that would have been very strong; but it is enmity
itself, all enmity.
This being settled, it follows as a matter of course,
that it is not subject to his law,-and remaining in this
state, cannot be. It is impossible in the nature of
things, just as impossible as that a man can live and
move so long as he is dead. An enemy may be reconciled and become a friend. The most inveterate
hatred may be subdued, and give place to-love; but
till that radical change in the affections takes place,
it remains enmity, and nothing else. It is not subject
to the law of God, which demands the heart, "neither
indeed can be."
And the conclusidn in the next verse irresistibly
follows: "So then they that are in the flesh," in this
carnal state of enmity,'"cannot please God."  They
can be subdued, they can be changed, they can be
379 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
brought into the opposite state. for with God all
things are possible; but till then, whatever they may
do, whatever profession of attachment to him they may
make, he can have no pleasure in them.  He can look
upon them only as enemies, who are not subject to his
law, neither indeed can be.
This, my impenitent friends, is your guilty and
alarming condition-every one of you.  There are
different degrees of depravity, different degrees of
enmity in the natural heart; but it is depravity, it is
enmity and nothing else. There is no true love to
God till the heart is changed. Some of you have been
awakened during this revival; some of you have been
more or less anxious for a good while, and in your
unregenerate state you can do many things. You can
read your Bible, you can use the words of prayer,
you can attend all the meetings; you can break off
from your easily besetting sins, and lead a blameless
life in the sight of men; you may be more exact in
all the external duties of religion than some professors are; you may persuade yourselves that you are
growing better; but whatever you may do in your
present carnal state, youi cannot please God. "'My
son, give me thy heart," is the first of his requirements;
he will accept of nothing short; and why should he?
How can he? You are in a state of rebellion. You
must lay down your arms. You must come to the
point of unconditional submission. You must feel
that God is right, and you are wrong; you must close
in with his offers of pardon on his own terms, which
are nothing short of repentance, of godly sorrow for
sin, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
380 
~~~~~~~~~THE CAt~RNAL MIND. ~I
THE CARNAL MIND. --
This, dear friends, is the true state of the case;
how can you help seeing it? Do what else you will,
how can a holy, sin-hating God be pleased, so long as
you withhold your hearts, your affections from him?
Reading the Bible is a duty, prayer is a duty, attending public worship and other religious meetings is a
duty, outward reformation is a duty-all that you
have done, and more, it was your duty to do. All these
externals are a part of true religion, and accepted as
such when the heart is right. Then they please God.
You could not please him without them. Though
you could multiply them a hundred-fold, without faith
and repentance it would avail nothing. "Whatsoever
is not of faith, is sin."  Will you say, "If this is o,
all my prayer and striving, whatever I do, is sin, and
I may just as well leave off praying and strivingnay, better, as it is only making my condition worse?"
Do such thoughts come into your mind? Reject them
at once. They are not from above, but from beneath.
Do you think that neglecting all these means of grace
would please God? You cannot believe it. You
know it would displease him and aggravate your guilt.
The truth is, you are shut up. You cannot go back
without infinite peril to your soul. And you cannot
stay where you are without adding sin to sin. You
cannot please God either way. Your carnal mind is
enmity against him, is not subject to his law, neither
indeed can be. You must repent. You must cast
yourself upon the mercy of God, as a lost sinner.
Your case admits of no delay.
Only one word more. Were it possible for you to
go to heaven, carrying with you the carnal mind
381 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
which is enmity against God, what would be your
condition?  Could you be happy there?  Would it
be heaven to you? Impossible. Perfect love to God
is heaven; perfect enmity is hell; and must be every
where, and for ever and ever.
"STRIVE TO ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE."
This is a very urgent and alarming exhortation.
By the strait or narrow gate, is meant the entrance
into the kingdom of heaven, in contrast with the
wide gate and broad way that lead to destruction.
That those who make no efforts to enter, should fail,
is a matter of course, and they comprise the whole
body of careless, delaying sinners. But it is startling
to hear Christ say, that even many who "seek to enter
in, shall not be able"-shall fall short and perish,
after all their seeking. Why shall they not be able?
What hinders? Though the gate is narrow, it always
stands open till the day of grace is past.  There must
be some strange reason or reasons, why they cannot
enter in and be saved. I can think of four, at least.
There may be others.
Our Saviour, here, does not mean to discourage
seeking.  Far from it.  In another place he says,
"Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you." Without seeking, no one ever entered,
nor ever can. It must then depend upon the kind of
seeking, or the time, or both.
The first reason why some who seek to enter in
shall not be able, is, that they trust in their own good
works and good resolutions to save them. If their lives
have not been blameless, they reform. They break
'882 
STRIVE TO ENTER IN.
off from sinful habits. They "do many things." They
want to be saved, and they strive to work out their
own salvation by the strict performance of external
duties, till they are ready to ask, with the young
ruler, "What lack I yet?"  Like the Pharisees of
old, they "go about to establish their own righteousness, and do not submit themselves to the righteousness of God," to the plan of salvation which he has
ordained and proposed for their acceptance. This is
reason enough why they cannot enter. The gate is
not wide enough to admit them, thickly clad with
their own righteousness; the thicker, the greater the
difficulty of entering. They must strip their rags all
off. That is, they must utterly renounce all dependence upon their own righteousness as the ground of
justification, that they may be clothed with the robe
of Christ's righteousness.  This way of seeking sets
aside the gospel plan altogether. It is seeking salva.
tion by the door of the law, by which "there shall be
no flesh justified."
A second reason why some who seek salvation cannot enter the kingdom of God, is, that they do not seek
in earnest. They are awakened. There is a dreadful
sound in their ears. They feel that they are in danger of being lost, and must do something. So they
break away from their careless associates, and betake
themselves to the external duties of religion. They
read the Bible, they punctually attend public worship
and listen to preaching, as they never did before.
They pray in secret every day perhaps, and sometimes
oftener. They attend prayer-meetings, and perhaps go
to inquiry meetings.  They are seekers, and willing to
388 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
have it known by their impenitent associates, from
whose companionship they have withdrawn. They seem
to be so much engaged for a time, that their pious
friends entertain strong hopes that they will not only
seek, but find-that they will press into the kingdom of
God. Still they do not "strive to enter in at the
strait gate." They are not half so much in earnest as
they would be if some great temporal good was to be
gained, and could not be securmed without their utmost
efforts. Then you would see them in earnest; they
would not turn aside, or permit themselves to be
diverted by any minor interest, till the desired object
was obtained. And how can they expect to win the
heavenly crown, while they are so much less in
earnest? "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence,
and the violent take it by force."
A third reason why many who seek to enter fall
short is that they do not persevere. For a while they
seem to be all engaged to obtain the prize.  You
would think their entrance almost certain. They
seem to be already at the gate, and just ready to go
in. But they are not so near as we supposed. They
vacillate. They hear the word with joy, but the good
seed falls upon stony ground, where, though it springs
up and looks green, it takes no root. In the sense in
which Christ addressed the young ruler, they are "not
far from the kingdom of heaven," but they never reach
it, because they do not persevere. They find it so much
harder than they expected to get in at the narrow gate,
that they give it up, gradually leave off seeking, and
finally sink down into deeper stupidity than ever.
A fourth reason why many who seek to enter in
384 
STRIVE TO ENTER IN.
shall not be able is that they seek too late. I know
impenitent sinners flatter themselves that it can
never be too late as long as life lasts, and they point
us to the thief on the cross, who repented in the last
agonies of crucifixion.  So he did, and we do not
deny the possibility of any sinner's conversion at the
last hour, on his death-bed; but that it is then too late
for thousands who rely upon some such miracle of
grace, does not admit of doubt. Though we may not
know the hour when the day of grace ends, it may
end days and weeks, if not years, before the sinner
dies. There is such a thing as the unpardonable sin,
and it may be committed we know not how long before death. It was too late for Judas to seek forgiveness, after he had betrayed his Master. He could
cast down the thirty pieces of silver, exclaiming in an
agony of remorse, "I have betrayed the innocent
blood," but it was the remorseful repentance of despair. He went away and hanged himself.
So that awful denunciation in the first chapter of
Proverbs: "Because I have called and ye refused, I
have stretched out my hand and no man regarded,"
therefore "I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock
when your fear cometh. Then shall they call upon
me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early,
but they shall not find me;" It was too late; the divine forbearance was exhausted.
So it may be, and so we have reason to fear it is,
with many hardened sinners under the gospel.  The
time comes when it is too late to call. The die is
cast. Nothing remaineth but a fearful looking for of
judgment and fiery indignation.
Rev. Sketches.        17
385 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
But aside from all this, that with many who seek
it will be too late, is settled by our Saviour himself
in the words immediately following those upon which
I have been speaking. Let us take them in their connection.  "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for
many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall
not be able. When once the master of the house is
risen up and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to
stand without and to knock at the door, saying, Lord,
Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer, and say unto
you, I know you not whence ye are: then he shall
say, Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." Ah,
it was too late. However long they might have been
seeking, the day of grace was past-the door was shut.
Heaven was lost. So it will be with many, we have
reason to fear, among us; their seeking will be too
late.
You will not wonder, my friends, that I so address
you at this time.  I could think of nothing more appropriate to the present crisis. God is pouring out
his Spirit.  Some, we trust, have entered in at the
strait gate, and are rejoicing in hope. -But do not
others of you belong to the class of seekers whose
case I have described? You are not indifferent spectators of what the Lord is doing among us. You feel
that you as well as your friends have a personal interest to secure. You want to be saved. You feel
that you are in danger of being lost, and you are
seeking to enter in at the strait gate. But how?
What is the reason that you have not succeeded, as
well as others? If you are trying to establish a righteousness of your own, if you expect in the least de
386 
STRIYE TO ENTER IN.
gree to merit salvation by your good works, that is
reason enough. Though you could multiply them
ever so much, though you could pile them up to the
skies, and live a thousand years to do it in, it would
not aid you at all. The righteousness of Christ is the
only ground of justification before God. Good works
follow as the fruits-they never go before a saving
change as the procuring cause, or reason.  "The bed
is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on
it; and the covering narrower than that he can
wrap himself in it."
Do you belong to another class of seekers, who
have given up the hope of being saved by their works,
but are not more than half in earnest? Is this your
state, dear friend? Then you are in an evil case
indeed. With all your half-hearted seeking, you are
nothing better, but rather grow worse; for you are
commanded to "strive" to enter in at the strait gate,
which you are not doing at all. Your own conscience
testifies that you are not half so much in earnest as
you have sometimes been to secure worldly interests
of no comparative value. Perchance you have risen
early and sat up late, and ate the bread of carefulness, and deprived yourself of sleep, for fear of not
gaining your object. You left no stone unturned,
you would not rest day or night, so long as you was
in danger of losing your property by delay, or for
lack of any possible effort to secure the title. But
here you are seeking indeed-reading your Bible,
attending meetings, and using other means of grace,
hoping you shall feel more, and then seek more earnestly, and so at last obtain. Alas, you are deceiving
387
0 
REVIYAL MANUAL.
yourself. Oh, when will you be in real earnest? When
will you seek the Lord so as to find him? Now he is
near, and waiting to be gracious. Call upon him to
help you; strive to enter in, or you will as certainly
perish, as if you had remained utterly indifferent to
this hour.
Have any of you been seeking without finding,
and are you tempted to give it up? Are you already
beginning to relax, to say in your heart, It is of no
use to seek any longer; I have tried and tried to
become a Christian, and it does no good. "Why
should I wait for the Lord any longer?" Yes, you
have tried, but it has been in your own strength.
You have been seeking, but not so as to find; and you
never will find, so long as you rest in mere seeking;
and never, if you give over.  You must seek salvation, but it must be with an earnestness which you
have not yet felt.  You must "strive" to enter in at
the strait gate. The original here is a great deal
stronger than the translation. The word is agonize
to enter in. Summon all the energies of your awakened
soul; let them be concentrated in the anguish of the
sharpest pangs of an awakened conscience. Strive
with all the agony of a broken and contrite heart.
Cast yourself at once upon the mere mercy of God,
through Jesus Christ, and he will save you. His
blood cleanseth from all sin. His arm is mighty to
save. 0 perishing sinner, why do you linger, grieving the Holy Spirit more and more every hour? Oh, to
perish, after all, with those who seek to enter in and
shall not be able. What an infinite loss! Infinite;
infinite I
388 
CHRIST THE PHYSICIAN.
"SHE WAS NOTHING BETTER, BUT RATHER
GREW WORSE."
This was- the pitiable condition of a woman in a
crowd of people on the west side of the lake of Galilee, where they were waiting for the return of Jests
from Gadara, lying on the opposite shore. She had
long been afflicted with a wasting disease; had spent
all her living upon many physicians; had gone from
one to another, still hoping for a cure, till their skill
was exhausted; and "she was nothing better, but
rather grew worse." Despairing of any relief from
the physicians, she in her great extremity pressed
through the throng till she could touch the hem of
Christ's outer garment; for she said, If I may touch
but his clothes, I shall be whole.
Here was a case of strong faith under the most
discouraging circumstances. Though she had no promise of a cure, and it does not appear that Christ had
ever seen or spoken to her before, she believed not
only that he had power to heal her, but that in some
mysterious way that power would be communicated
through a mere touch of the hem of his garment.
Great indeed was her faith, and she was not disappointed. Straightway the fountain of her blood was
dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague; and how was it?  "Jesus immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out
of him, turned about in the press, and said, Who
touched my clothes? Then the woman, fearing and
trembling, fell down before him, and told him all the
truth." She doubtless expected to be rebuked for her
temerity.  But no; He smiled upon her, and said,
8$9 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
not woman, but, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee
whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."
This remarkable incident in the life and miracles
of our Saviour strikingly represents the case of an
awakened sinner who, instead of coming directly to
Christ to be healed, applies first to many other physicians for relief; who, in other words, resorts to all
the expedients, uses all the means he can think of to
obtain peace and pardon.  He has such a sense of
his danger that he cannot rest. Hie must be doing
something to make himself better, and conciliate the
favor of God.  He begins to break off his sinful habits; withdraws from his wicked companions; reads
his Bible; attends public worship, and listens as he
never did before to the preaching of the word; but
he gets no relief: he cannot rest here; he begins to
call upon God, he attends the prayer-meetings, he
makes his feelings known to some pious friend, and
is resolved to do as well as he can, hoping thereby to
make some amends for the past, and render himself
more worthy of the divine favor. But neither will
this do. He finds no rest. Rather, his distress increases; and what more can he do? He is more and
more afraid he shall be lost; and —if the Spirit of
God continues to strive with him, he repeats and redoubles his efforts, reads his Bible more, prays oftener,
attends more meetings, and resolves to be more exact
in the performance of every religious duty. In this
way he flatters himself that he is making some progress towards securing the favor of God. He is sure
he is a great deal better than he used to be, and cannot think that God will cast him off after doing so
'390 
CHRIST THE PHYSICIAN.
many things. He says he has done all he can, and
tries to persuade himself that it would be unjust;
especially as, if he has not done enough, he is ready
to do more, to make any sacrifice however great, to
secure the salvation of his soul.
Thus, instead of submitting himself to God, he has
all along been trying to build up a righteousness of
his own.  He has been trusting in his outward reformation, in his prayers, in his religious observances.
Or in other cases, like the young man in the gospel,
he is ready to say, "All these things have I kept from
my youth up; what lack I yet?"
Now I do not say that the process which I have
been describing is the only way in which sinners are
led to Christ, or are left to quench the Holy Spirit.
I know it is not. Such cases, however, are not uncommon in revivals of religion. There may be at
least one such person present in this meeting; and,
dear friend, what shall I say to you? You have "done
many things." When one has failed, you have tried
another, and then another. You have, so to speak,
applied to many physicians, and you have flattered
yourself that you were growing better. You probably
do still; but you are not healed. You think yourself nearer the kingdom of heaven than you was
months or weeks ago; and so you are nearer in one
sense, if you ever get there-not that you are better
prepared for heaven. On the contrary, you are nothing better, but rather growing worse.  You are more
guilty, in the sight of God, than you was when first
awakened; and instead of growing better, you are
growing worse every day. Does this startle you? I
391, 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
wish it might. Do you ask how it can be, when you
have broken off from bad habits, and are reading the
Bible and praying every day, and attending all the
meetings, and striving to do better, and be better?
Are you ready to say, "If all I have done is to go
for nothing, I don't see how I can ever be saved?"
Oh, my friend, you never can be saved in this way. A
thousand times as many prayers and tythings would
not save you. The fatal mistake is, that you have
been "going about to establish your own righteousness." You have been building upon your own works
and good resolutions.
Now, I do not say that you have been growing
worse faster since your attention was called up, than
you would have done, had you remained indifferent
to this hour, under all the privileges that you have
enjoyed. I do not know. It is not for me to strike
the balance between the guilt of utter indifference at
such a time as this, and the guilt of resting where you
now are. But I am afraid that even a sorer condemnation awaits you, if you fall short of heaven; for the
Spirit of God has been striving with you; you have
not submitted to his righteousness; and must not the
guilt of sinning on from week to week, or from day
to day under these strivings, be more aggravated?
May not this be your case? Instead of growing better with all your doings, may you not have been
growing worse faster than ever? I do not see how
it can be otherwise. Can you see?
But suppose that, in the sight of God, there is no
such aggravation. Let us look at your case in the
most favorable light possible.  You wil not for a
8go 
CHRIST THE PHYSICIAN.
moment claim that you have committed no sin since
your attention was first arrested. You will admit,
that you have sinned more or less, in thought, word
or deed, every day; and if so, then you are no better
than when you began, but worse. It must be so; for
all your sins, up to that time, stand charged against
you just as they were. Not one of them has been
truly repented of; not one of them has been pardoned;
and now there is this addition to the long black catalogue. You are therefore nothing better, but have
rather been growing worse all the time. There is no
escaping from this conclusion, alarming as it is.
And now, dear friend, what will you do next?
How much more timeb will you waste in trying to
build up a righteousness of your own? And suppose
you could build it ever so high on your sandy foundation, what would it avail when the floods come, and
the winds blow and beat upon it?
Of all diseases, that of the heart is thebmost alarming and fatal. The most skilful physician can do
nothing with it. He cannot reach it. This is your
disease.  Your heart is corrupt to the very core.  No
human skill can stay the plague. Yet, blessed be God,
you need not despair.  There is ONE PPtHYsICIAN who
can cure you, and would have done it long ago, had
you felt that your case was desperate, and applied to
him. It is a wonder that you are not dead; but still
his infinite compassion yearns over you. And will
you not follow the example of that poor woman, who
had spent all her living upon many physicians, and
was nothing better, but rather grew wor se?  This is
exactly your case. Will you not, as it were, press
17*
.393 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
through the crowd this very evening, and in the exercise of like faith touch the hem of Christ's garment,
that you may be healed? Do this, and virtue will
instantly go out of him, and he will say, Son, or
daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.
"And is this all?" methinks I hear you tremblingly ask. "Casting away all my dependences,
may I come to Christ the great Physician, and be
healed at once?" Yes, this is all. Strange, incredible as it may seem, nothing-else is required.  No
worthiness, no fitness to come. Simply "believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."
Embrace  him  as a divine and almighty Saviour.
Receive him by faith as all your salvation and all your
desire, and your sins shall be blotted out, in room
of the filthy rags cast for ever away.  You shall be
clothed with the robe of his righteousness, be justified
through the merits of Christ, and have a new song
put into your mouth, even praise to our God.
And now, dear friend, what do you say to all this?
Do you believe that the way to be saved is so clear,
so simple, and can you remain any longer outside of
the crowd that is pressing upon Jesus to be healed —
merely looking on and wondering, while your spiritual disease is making  steady progress towards as
fatal termination?  It must not be.  Your life, your
soul is too precious to be thus thrown away. You
must press your way through the throng, that you
too may touch the hem of Christ's garment and be
healed. Will you; will you do it now, this very hour,
this very moment?
394 
A CONVENIENT SEASON.
"GO THY WAY FOR THIS TIME: WHEN I HAVE
A CONVENIENT SEASON, I WILL CALL FOR
THEE."
This, you know, was the promise extorted from
Felix, the Roman  governor of Judea, under a sermon delivered by Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ,
brought to his bar by the Jews, not to preach, but to
be judged and condemned.  It was an extraordinary
spectacle There sat the judge in his purple, and
there stood his prisoner in bonds, and under the fierce
accusations of his enemies thirsting for his blood.
At the first hearing, Paul's masterly defence made
such an impression upon the mind of Felix, that he
adjourned the trial, that he might inquire into the
case more perfectly for a new hearing, and this was
the day fixed upon.  He sent for Paul, and strange to
say, instead of going on with the trial, as the Jews
expected, he heard his prisoner concerning the faith
in Christ. It must have been a Divine impulse upon
the mind of this heathen judge, which gave so unexpected a turn to the hearing. And as Paul, taking
advantage of it, reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment, Felix trembled, and answered,
"Go thy way for this time: when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee."
And why did Felix tremble before his prisoner,
as if he himself had been suddenly arraigned before an
infinitely higher bar?  It cannot be doubted that he
was awakened by the Spirit of God to an awful
sense of his guilt and danger; nothing else could have
made him tremble, especially in such a public presence.
Hie trembled because he could not help it. The appeal
395 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
roused his conscience, and overmastered his pride of
office and self-control. But alas, it did not bring him
to a decision to embrace Christianity, to repent of his
sins and put himself at once under the further teaching of the apostle; but so powerful was the impression, that he could not altogether dismiss the subject;
and so, to make a compromise, he again adjourned the
trial, and turning to Paul, said, "Go thy way for
this time: when I have a convenient season, I will
call for thee." It is probable that he really intended,
at some future time, and when he should be more
at leisure, to receive further instruction. But there
is no evidence that he ever did-that the convenient season ever arrived. The contrary is evident
from the fact, that though he often sent for Paul, it
was in some way to get money from him, rather than
further instruction; and that, failing in this, when he
was superseded in the government by Festus two
years after, "willing to show the Jews a pleasure, he
left Paul bound." 0 Felix, Felix, why didst thou
quench the Holy Spirit?  Hadst thou cherished the
convictions which made thee tremble, thou mightest
have been saved; but ah, that fatal procrastination 
The convenient season never came; and where art
thou now?
This melancholy case of Felix strikingly repre.
sents that of thousands who sit under the sound of
the Gospel; and this is the reason why I have taken
it as the basis of an earnest appeal at this time.
Hardly any thing is more common, and nothing is
more dangerous, during a revival of religion, than
this putting off the subject to a more convenient
-896 
A CONVENIENT SEASON.
season. I have met with many such cases; and who
that has had much experience in revivals, has not?
A sinner is alarmed by the Spirit of God, under some
powerful appeal from the pulpit, and like Felix, he
trembles. The danger of his condition stares him in
the face. His guilt has been clearly set before him,
and his conscience testifying against him, urges him to
immediate repentance. There is a great struggle in
his mind. On the one hand, he is not ready to yield,
and on the other he dare not dismiss the subject for
ever.  So he resorts to a compromise.  He virtually
says to the Spirit, who is striving with him, "I cannot
yield now, I am very busy; I will think seriously
of it as soon as I am more at leisure. Go thy way
for this time: when I have a convenient season, I will
call for thee." Thus he grieves away the Holy
Spirit. The convenient time never comes, and he dies
in his sins.
Fellow-sinner, is not this your case?  Has not
God awakened you? Have you not been urged to an
immediate decision; and instead of yielding, have you
not tried to quiet your conscience with the hope that
you should find the more convenient season on which
Felix fatally rested?  Is not this your case now?
Are you not saying in your heart, "Go thy way for
this time;" and promising yourself that you shall
have a better opportunity? If so, Iet me earnestly
expostulate with you. We cannot go our way, we
cannot consent to let you alone, upon a future indefinite
promise.  Nothing can be more delusive, or dangerous. If you are not ready, after so long a time, to
give your heart to God, when will you be? If you
397 
REVIVAL MANUAL. 
send us away now, as Felix did the apostle, when
shall we call again? Shall it be to-morrow? If
that is too soon, shall it be next day? shall it be a
week hence? When shall it be? This trusting to a
more convenient season will never do. JIppoint the
time when you will not only listen to us, but repent
at the foot of the cross-and shall we then go and tell
our Master, that though you are not quite ready, you
are in a hopeful way; that you are making some prog
ress; that you havendone talking about a more convenient time; that we have your promise, that you
will repent to-morrow, and -?
But no; what am I saying?  I take it all back.
You have no right to set us a future time, and we
have no right to ask it.  There are many reasons
why no such compromise can be allowed. God says,
"JVow "-not to-morrow-" now is the day of salvation."
If you wait till to-morrow, God may finally withdraw
his Holy Spirit, and then it will be all over with you.
Every hour's delay is infinitely dangerous. And
again, dear friend, what promise have you that you
shall live through another night; or that if spared,
your reason may not be taken from you by some
sudden and mortal sickness? Let that voice ring in
your ears, "Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou
knowest not what a day may bring forth,"
And still once more, the longer you delay, the
harder will it be to submit to Christ, to break off
your sins and make your peace with Him. So far
from getting any better prepared by delay, you are a
greater sinner to-day than you was yesterday, and if
you live, you will be a greater sinner to-morrow than
IR98 
ALMOST PERSUADED.
you are to-day. Give your resolutions of becoming
a Christian at some future day to the winds.  They
are good for nothing.  They are worse.  They quiet
and deceive you. There will be no more "convenient
season" than the present.
"ALMOST THOU PERSUADEST ME TO BE A
CHRISTIAN."
Agrippa was the son of that Herod who beheaded John and imprisoned Peter. With the title of
king under the Roman emperors, he administered the
provincial government of Cesarea, and several of the
annexed districts. Paul having been sent down under arrest from Jerusalem, charged by the Jews with
the crimes of apostasy and sedition, was on the first
convenient day arraigned for trial; and in so masterly
a manner did he defend himself before the king, that
when he came to make that bold and remarkable
appeal, "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?
I know that thou believest," Agrippa was so overpowered by it, that he answered Paul, " dlmost thou
persst me to be a Christian."
Here we  must carefully distinguish.   Agrippa
was not even an almost Christian.  Saving the conviction of the moment, he was as far from it as ever.
He was only almost persuaded that he ought to become
one. We have no reason to think he ever did. The
greater probability is, that he gave himself no more
concern about the new religion; that he never after
came so near as to be "almost persuaded," but perished in his sins.
In this, king Agrippa may be taken as the repre
399 
I REVIVAL MANUAL.
sentative of a very considerable class of persons in
religious revivals. From a state of deep indifference,
they are awakened by the Spirit of God under the
preaching of the word. They find themselves condemned by the divine law, and that they are in danger of perishing, which they had never realized before. They see others pressing into the kingdom of
God.  They no longer make light of the revival.
Their consciences tell them that they are sinners, and
need the salvation which the gospel offers. They
dare not remain where they are. - They resolve to
take up the subject of personal religion, and yield to
its claims. They are accordingly punctual in their
attendance upon public worship.   They listen to
preaching as they never did before. They brush off
the dust from their neglected Bibles, and may be
said to "search the Scriptures" with considerable
interest. They attend the prayer-meetings, and it
may be the inquiry meetings.  They are willing to
be personally addressed on the great subject, and
their impressions of its paramount importance are
deepened. The thought of being left, while many of
their companions and others are taken, is painful and
alarming.  They "do many things.''  It is no pretence. They are sincere as far as they go. It may
truly be said of some of this class at least, that they
are "almost persuaded" to be Christians, and this
persuasion is not a sudden impulse, as in the case of
Agrippa, to pass away almost as soon as felt, but
abiding, sometimes for days and weeks.
But alas, there they remain. The last and essential step they do not take.  They are only almost per
400 
ALMOST PERSUADED.
suaded, not quite.  In the sense of Christ's address
to the young ruler, they are "not far from the kingdom of heaven;" but like him, they remain without
till the door is shut.
Are there not some of this class here? I believe
there are. You may not in so many words have
classed yourselves with Agrippa, but you stand just
where he said he did. You are almost persuaded to
be Christians. At least, you think you are. You
have become so far interested in the present revival,
as to attend all the meetings and class yourselves
with the inquirers, and under the clear exhibition and
claims of the gospel you have sometimes been almost
persuaded, almost ready to yield your hearts to God.
Your pious friends have been waiting and hoping to
see you come out of the atlmost to a full decision. And
how much longer will you stand halting between two
opinions? What do you expect to gain by it? How
great the danger that you will lose every thing.
You are resisting the Holy Spirit, and how long can
you expect he will continue to strive with you? Oh,
if he should depart for ever, as he may at any moment, what remains but "a fearful looking for of
judgment and fiery indignation?"
You are now "almost persuaded;" but what will
that avail in the day when God shall take away the
soul? What does this being only "almost persuaded "'
amount to, in any case?  Here is an inebriate "almost persuaded" to leave off drinking. Will that
save him from filling a drunkard's grave? Yonder is
an habitual profane swearer.  Will his being "almost
persuaded" to break off from the habit reform him?
.401 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
Will he not keep on profaning God's holy name, till
he is quite persuaded to leave it off? The command
of universal obligation is, "Remember the Sabbathday to keep it holy."  Will any one's being "almost
persuaded " to keep it, prevent his breaking it? Must
he not be quite persuaded? Here, again, is a person
who has been addicted to stealing. Will he steal no
more, because he is "almost persuaded" to leave it
off, and become an honest man? Who does not see
that such almosts fall fatally short of securing a thorough reformation?
How much more in your case, my impenitent
friends, remaining as you are only "almost persuaded" to be Christians. You are yet in your sins, and
if you go no further, you are just as certain to be shut
out of heaven and perish, as if you had never been
awakened at all. Nay more, you will have to answer
for quenching the Spirit, which would have "sealed
you unto the day of redemption." In vain did the
man-slayer only almost reach the city of refuge, however near he got to it, when the avenger of blood
overtook him. He must actually enter the gate, before he could be safe. To escape the scalping-knife
of a savage foe in hot pursuit, the border settler
must reach the fort. Overtaken anywhere outside,
though ever so near, he is cloven down by the tomahawk.
But what can I more say? Here you are, dear
friends, lingering upon the "almost" persuasion of
Agrippa, and in the greatest danger of perishing as
he did. I beseech you not to rest another hour where
you stand.  To be "almost persuaded " is only to be
402 
COMMUNE WITH YOUR HEART.
almost saved, and to be almost saved is to be eternally lost! I
"COMMUNE WITH YOUR OWN HEART AND BE
STILL."
When sinners are awakened under the striving of
the Holy Spirit in a revival, and become thoroughly
alarmed, instead of going to their pastor at once, and
asking what they must do to be saved, they commonly
try something else first. If they are young and have
intimate companions, their sympathies sometimes draw
them more closely together thank ever, long before
they are converted, if converted at all. It gives them
a sort of relief to sit down together and talk and
weep over their danger. And why should they not?
It is a danger to which they are both alike exposed,
and which is much greater than they imagine. Each
needs help, and must have it from some quarter, or
perish. If there were any thing to be gained by
mutual weeping and condolence under such circumstances, it should be encouraged. But what good can
it do? What help or encouragement can either of
them give to his friend? They both lie under the
same condemnation, and can no more aid each other
than if they were condemned prisoners in chains.
Nay, the more they condole together, the greater
the danger that they will grieve the Spirit to depart
from them. Many awakened sinners have in this manner talked and wept away their concern, and returned
to their former careless state.
Rather, 0 sinner, commune with thine own
heart. Be much alone. Your friend, under the same
403 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
condemnation, cannot help you. Pray God to show
you your guilt, as well as your danger. The publican
in the parable did not go to his brother publicans, to
get their sympathies and ask them to help him. He'
knew they could not help him. He went out by himself, and when he got in sight of the temple, which he
dared not enter, and so burdened that he would not
so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, he smote upon
his breast and cried, "God be merciful unto me a sinner." "Go thou and do likewise." Weeping with
thine impenitent friend ever so long, will do neither
thyself nor him any good.
But when two companions are awakened in a re
vival, and one of them is brought out rejoicing in
hope, the case is entirely different. Then he may go
to his friend-he cannot help going-and tell him
what a Saviour he has found, and try to show him
the way to the cross; and with the blessing of God
upon -their renewed intercourse, he may be brought
into the kingdom of Christ.
I go a step further. When two bosom friends are
awakened about the same time, they should not talk
much with each other on any subject, till they have
made their peace with God. The reason is obvious.
Whatever the subject may be, though ever so suitable
under other circumstances, there is danger of its diverting their minds from the great salvation, not yet
secured, which demands all their thoughts. And the
same holds true, I think, in all cases. When a sinner
is awakened and brought to inquire what he must do,
till the great question is settled, till he has submitted
and given his heart to God, it is not safe for him to
:404 
QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT.
talk much on common subjects with anybody. Then
is the time to find and secure "the pearl of great
price;" and he must not let any thing hinder him.
He will not if he is as much in earnest as he ought to
be. "The one thing needful" first, and then other
interests in their proper place.
"QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT."
The Holy Spirit-by whose divine agency sinners
are awakened, convicted, regenerated, and sealed to
the day of redemption-by which also Christians are
sanctified, built up in the most holy faith, and "made
meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." To
quench, in the ordinary sense of the term, is to extinguish or allay, as water puts out fire, and quenches
thirst. In the sense here used, it is to check, to stifle.
As Jesus Christ is the only Redeemer, so the
Holy Spirit is the only Renewer and Sanctifier.
From the highest degree of holy love, shed abroad in
the heart of the established believer, down to the
first awakening of the impenitent sinner, it is the
same Spirit.- And so, all along through every stage
of awakening and conviction, up to the new birth;
and after that, to the "helping of our iinfirmities with
groanings which cannot be uttered;" it is the selfsame Spirit, that worketh all in all.
At every step, from first to last, the Spirit may be
quenched, may be checked, may be stifled, and hence
the necessity of the exhortation now before us. Let
us then inquire briefly, in what way or ways, by what
means the Spirit is often quenched, especially in revivals.
405 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
1. The Spirit may be quenched in the earliest
stage of awakening by some trifling cause, of which
the sinner is scarcely conscious at the time. This
may be your case, my friend. The Holy Spirit may
now be gently moving you to ""think on your ways."
If any Christian friend, seeing you at the prayermeetings, were to ask you whether you feel any particular interest in the work that is going on, you
would probably, or you might answer, that you do
not. You hope you shall, but you persuade yourself
that as yet the exhortation," Quench not the Spirit,"
does not apply to you, as you have not experienced
any thing of His special influence. But beware how
you give Satan this advantage over you. It is one of
his subtle devices, by which he will divert your mind
from the subject, if he can.  With his consent, you
never would have bestowed a serious thought upon
your own salvation; and if he can blind you to the
fact that the Spirit is beginning to strive with you,
he will most certainly do it; for then he counts on
being sure of you. Cherish the divine influence, however faint at first, as you would a spark of fire, if you
had no assurance that, once extinguished, it would
ever be rekindled.
2. The Spirit may be quenched by the neglect of
opportunities. When God is pouring out his Spirit,
preaching is generally more direct and pungent, and
religious meetings are more frequent than ordinary.
There is no reason to doubt that many have quenched the Spirit and lost their souls by withdrawing
from these means of grace, at the turning point.
Their attention was arrested, their interest was grad
406 
QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT.
ually increased at the prayer-meetings, and had they
but held on, they might by striving, have entered in
at the strait gate; but for some cause, after a while
they withdrew, and in so doing quenched the Spirit,
and sank down into deeper stupidity than ever.
I warn you, my friends, against following these
fatal examples. "No man having put his hand to
the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom
of heaven. God, who in his great mercy has called
up your attention to the claims of the gospel, does
not allow you to hope that you shall be saved, if you
turn back and neglect the means which he has appointed. True as it may be-and nothing is more
certain-that there is no saving efficacy inherent in
the means themselves, that the excellency of the
power is all of God, yet he so honors his own
appointed means, that those who voluntarily gLnteCt
them, grieve the Spirit to leave them, just as truly as
if every thing depended on the means alone.  Beware then that you do not in this way quench the
Spirit.
3. The Spirit is often quenched by delay, by putting off the subject to a more " convenient season."
Perhaps there is no temptation on which —the great
adversary depends so much in seasons of revival, as
this. Resolving ever so sincerely to repent at some
future time, be it ever so near, is not to be depended
on for a moment. Every hour that you delay is at
your peril. You are in danger of quenching the
Spirit, which, if finally withdrawn, will leave you to
perish. You may promise every thing for to-morrow;
but what will it avail, if your soul should this night
407
* - 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
be required of you?  Or if not, should the Spirit be
grieved by your procrastination to depart for ever,
what would then be your condition?  It is appalling
to think of it. The convenient season would never
come.  Supposing a sinner, thus forsaken, could live
a thousand years, and in the enjoyment of the highest
religious privileges, he would only be treasuring up
wrath against the day of wrath. No sinner ever
came to Christ, or ever will, without being drawn by
the Holy Spirit.  How fearful then the danger of
quenching it by any delay. "Behold, now is the
accepted time." The promise reaches no further. It
contains no future time.
4. The Spirit may be quenched by the absorbing
demands of worldly business and cares. While industry in some lawful occupation is a common duty and
necessity, there is always the greatest danger that
"the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches,
and the lusts of other things, will choke the word and
make it unfruitful." Especially is this the case - in
revivals. When the attention of a busy worldlyminded sinner is called up to seek the pearl of priceless value; when he begins to feel that he must have
a better portion than this world can give, and the
Holy Spirit urges him to seek for it in earnest, he
has so much on his mind and on his hands, that he is
strongly tempted to put it off a little while, till he
can so adjust his affairs as to be more at leisure, and
then he will give his time and his heart to the work.
The moment he forms this resolution, he grieves the
Spirit to forsake him. It is of God's infinite forbearance, if he does not in this way quench it for ever.
'408 
QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT.
It matters not in such cases how lawful in itself the
engrossing worldly business may be, it must be entirely given up for the time being, or so arranged as
not to interfere with the immediate claims of the gospel. "What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul?" Lose his own soul he
will, if the good seed is choked by the thorns, whose
end is to be burned.
5. Nor may we stop here. When a sinner is
under awakening, he cannot allow any thing, however proper or innocent it might be under ordinary
circumstances, to divert his mind from the one great
question, "What must I do to be saved?" without
running the fearful hazard of quenching the Spirit.
The human mind cannot entertain two engrossing
subjects at once, however lawful and proper in themselves, and do justice to either. There is a crisis in
the case of every awakened sinner, when the least
diversion of the mind may quench the Spirit, and
prove fatal.  It may be nothing more than forming a
new partnership in business, or making an honest
lucrative bargain, or attending a social party, or
going out of town to visitf a friend: any thing which
comes in between the sinner and the Claim of the
gospel to his immediate repentance and faith in Christ
may quench the Spirit, and thus prove as fatal to the
soul as any deliberate rejection would be. And here
lies one of the greatest dangers. While the awakened sinner perhaps breaks off from ensnaring company,
and is on his guard against the most obvious hinder-'
ances, he can hardly be persuaded that trifling, innocent diversions may be equally ruinous. But they
Rev. Sketches.        18
409, 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
may, and probably they oftener are, than the more
obvious worldly attractions.
I might suggest many other cautions against
quenching the Spirit; but let these suffice. If God
arrested you anywhere in the broad way, if he has
awakened you to a sense of your guilt and danger, it
may be the last time, and probably will be, if you suffer any thing to hinder you from hastening to the
foot of the cross in "the accepted time, the day of
salvation."
"THE WILES OF THE DEVIL."
That there is a fallen spirit, malignant and subtle,
walking about among men "seeking whom he may
devour," is so fully asserted in the Scriptures that
I need not stop a moment to prove it. Hie is called
by different names in the Bible-Angel of the bottomless pit, Prince of darkness, Satan, Beelzebub,
the Serpent, the Deceiver, a Liar, the Prince of the
power of the air, and the god of this world.  Frightful names; infernal agencies; awful dangers!
As this great adversary of God and man was
active in trying to counteract our blessed Saviour in
the great work of saving men, which-he came into the
world to accomplish, so we may be sure he will redouble his efforts to counteract the Holy Spirit in
seasons of special revival. In times of profound stupidity, he need trouble himself but little about those
whom he has led captive at his will, for he is in no
danger of losing them. But when Jesus Christ comes
into a town, and sinners begin to inquire what they
must do to be saved, he is sure to be there, and to
410 
WILES OF THE DEVIL.
oppose the work in every possible way. However
mysterious it may seem, the Bible abundantly testifies
that he has direct access to the minds of men, and
knows how to turn and apply his temptations to the
greatest advantage.
His first object of course will be to prevent sinners from taking any interest in the revival. To this
end, he will do what he can to keep them away from
public worship, and especially from extra meetings.
If he cannot keep them away, the next step is to prevent them from treasuring up what they hear. "Then
cometh Satan immediately, and taketh away the word
that was sown in their hearts," lest they should believe, and be saved. This, I doubt not, is just what
he is doing here every Sabbath. If he does not succeed in this, he will persuade them that what they
witness is a mere temporary excitement, which will
soon die away. If under an alarming sermon they
begin to tremble, he will tell them not to be frightened; there is no hell to be afraid of: just as he told
Eve, "Ye shall not surely die;" for he is a liar from
the beginning, and the father of it. If this does not
answer, he will persuade them to dismiss the subject
for the present, and take it up at a more convenient
time.  Thousands have yielded to these and other
suggestions of the great Deceiver, and have perished
in their sins. I have no doubt of it. Nor have I
any doubt that there are some-I fear there are many
in every revival-under the same diabolical delusion.
And the more control Satan has over them, the more
stoutly will they deny that there is any thing in it.
God may open their eyes before it is too late; but of
411 
REFVIVAL MANUAL.
all classes of impenitent sinners, none are in greater
danger; their feet stand on the most slippery places.
Now that some of you are awakened, you must
not flatter yourselves that the wily tempter will let
you alone. Depend upon it, he will employ all his
subtlety to hold you fast in his snare. If he cannot
hinder you from asking what you must do to be saved, he will put you upon such a course of" impenitent
doings," if he can, as will quiet your fears, without at
all losing his hold upon you. He will do his utmost
to persuade you that a person so moral and inoffensive as you have been, cannot be in danger of being
lost. "God is too merciful. If you have failed in
any thing, repent of it. Do the best you can, and
dismiss your concern. Be honest and kind and sober
and blameless in every way, and all will be well."
The Deceiver, I have no doubt, is trying to quiet some
of you by suggesting that you are too young to be so
anxious.  "Wait a few years, till your minds are more
mature, and you have had more religious instruction
to prepare you for taking up the subject to a great
deal better advantage." I am very much afraid he
will suceeed with some of you just here.  Remember,
that "he is a liar, and the father of it."  If it suits
his purpose better, he will tell you that you must
"wait God's time" and not be discouraged; or wait
till the excitement is over, so that you may take up
the subject calmly, and not be deceived.  Or that
"you are so wicked, and have held out so long, that
God will not receive you. You might have come in,
but it is too late."
These are some of Satan's "devices," of which we
'412 
WILES OF THE DEVIL.
are not ignorant.  He, no doubt, employs a great
many others, as occasion serves him, in special seasons of revival; and when all fail, he will in the
last resort do his utmost to persuade you to settle
down upon a false hope. Then, though it will have
given him no little trouble to follow you, step by
step, through your alarm and convictions, he will not
regret it, as his object is gained at last, by your dismissing all your concern, and settling down "at ease
in Zion."
Oh, my friends, this is no bugbear, conjured up to
frighten weak women and young children. It is a
voice of warning from the Scriptures, against "the
wiles of the devil," which should make every impenitent sinner tremble.- Evil spirits are not visible to
mortal eyes, and they are infinitely more dangerous
on that account.  Could you see them waiting for
you at the door to catch away the sermon when you
come out of the church, meeting you in every prayermeeting, and following you everywhere-could you
hear them whispering their temptations in your ears,
to dismiss your concern, and have no more to do with
the revival, it would doubtless startle you. Be on
your guard; the tempter is here. He is in all places
of worship at such a time as this. Your only safety
lies in giving no place to the devil. Not content
with what he and his angels can do to banish your
concern, and drive away your convictions, he will
stir up his agents, some of your neighbors, your companions perhaps, to ply you with plausible dissuasives, with ridicule, or whatever else may better suit
his malignant purpose. It is through such agents
<418 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
that Satan sometimes "is transformed into an angel
of light."  He may deceive and destroy those, who
would be alarmed and resist him were he to show
himself in his true colors.
Depend upon it, dear friends, that whoever opposes you, or tries in any way to prevent your becoming Christians, is an emissary of his father the devil,
who speaks through human organs, just as the devils
did when our Saviour was casting them out. Oh,
my dear friends, put your fingers in your ears as
Bunyan's Pilgrim did, and go on crying, "Life, eternal life l eternal life!"
"THE WILES OF THE DEVIL"-CONTINUED.
To young Converts.
MY DEAR FRIENDS-On a former occasion, when
you were awakened by the Spirit of God, and asking
what you must do to be saved, I took occasion from
the word of God to warn you against the "wiles of
the devil," who is more active in times of revival
than ever; and who, I felt sure, would persuade you
to turn back if he could. Since then, you humbly
trust that God in his great mercy has delivered you,
and brought you into "the kingdom of his dear Son."
Now, at last, you feel safe. This great deliverance
is final, you trust. For why should he hope to get
any advantage of you, now that you have renounced
him and all his works for ever?
But why should he not hope and even expect to
bring you into bondage again, notwithstanding you
have joined the church, or are about to join? How
does he know that you have got beyond his reach?
414 
WILES OF THE DEVIL.
How does he know that you have been truly regenerated? Your being received into the church does not
prove it. On the contrary, he knows very well that
some are self-deceived, and fall away, proving that
notwithstanding their fair profession, they belong to
the class of stony-ground hearers, who "receive the
word with joy, and in time of temptation fall away;"
or to that other class, represented by the thorny
ground, who hear the word, and the cares of this
world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of
other things choke the word, and it bringeth no fruit
to perfection. Tares and wheat grow together till
the harvest, then to be separated, the one to be garnered, and the other to be cast into the fire. Of the
ten virgins, five were foolish, and having no oil in
their vessels with their lamps, were shut out when
the Bridegroom came. And again, many will say
unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten
and drunk in thy presence? and thou hast taught in
our streets; to whom he will say, I know you not
whence ye are. These are very alarming scriptures.
There is no reason to suppose that the devil is ignorant that there are a great many false professors in
church, and that he has again led them captive at his
will. Surely he will not relinquish the hope of leading church-members to apostatize, as long as he has
so many trophies, won back by his stratagems.
If he does not know who are really converted, and
who have only the form of godliness-and there is no
proof that he does-then why should he not tempt
every professed disciple to deny his Master, and hope
to prevail? And supposing he did know that you
415 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
have been truly converted, would that infallibly protect you? It did not discourage him from tempting
our first parents, though perfectly holy as they came
from the Creator's hand; and he succeeded. Nay,
he had the amazing audacity to tempt the Lord Jesus
Christ himself, and to ply his temptations no less
than forty days in succession. What security then
would there be, even if he knew that you had all the
protection which the most eminent Christian in the
world ever enjoyed? God told Satan that his servant
Job was a perfect and an upright man. But that did
not discourage him. Hie only wanted permission to
put Job to the test, and having obtained it, confidently expected to prove him a hypocrite. Failing
the first time, he wanted to subject him to a still
severer trial. It was granted to the extent of satanic
ingenuity and malice, simply forbiding his taking
away Job's life. Who then should he fear to attack?
Now turn to your Bibles, and see how earnestly
the churches, and of course all the members of the
churches, are warned against the assaults of the devil,
and exhorted to put on the only panoply that can
protect them. Let me quote two or three passages:
"To whom ye forgive any thing; I forgive also-lest
Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not
ignorant of his devices."  2 Cor. 2:11.  "Be sober,
be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may
devour: whom  resist, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your
brethren that are in the world," that is, in a/ believers. 1 Pet. 5:8. He would devour every one of
416 
ENDURING TO THE END.
you if he could. Nothing but prayer and vigilance,
relying on the arm of the Lord for protection, can
save you.
In the sixth chapter of Ephesians you have the
Christian armor described piece by piece, and you
will want the whole suit. You cannot be safe without every part of it. For want of a single piece of
this heavenly panoply, many soldiers of the cross
have been cast down wounded. With it, and under
the eye and banner of the Captain of salvation, you
will be sure to come off conquerors, and more than
conquerors.  You need not fear what earth and hell
can do to take your crowns. Watch and pray against
the wiles of the devil, and with every temptation
God will make a way for your escape. The moment
you let down your watch you will find yourselves,
if not actually on the efemy's ground, so near the
lines that some of his fiery darts may reach you.
Therefore stand fast in the Lord, and he *ill be your
high tower and strong deliverer.
"HE THAT ENDURETH TO THE END SHALL BE
SAVED."
To young Converts.
MY DEAR FRIENDXs-We have come here to get
our hearts warmed, and to set up our Ebenezer on 
this spot, so hallowed by the presence and intercession of the Holy Spirit.  For many weeks past, this
has been our Bethel, the morning family altar of the
church, our Bethesda, from whose waters, agitated by
the angel, so many have lately come up, praising God
for his healing and restoring mercies.
18*
411 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
A  hasty glance at the few months past would
show what reason we have to call upon our souls and
all that is within us to praise the Lord for visiting us
in our low estate, and putting this new song into our
mouths. But while you, my friends, who have just
begun to lift up your hearts with your voices, can
never praise him enough for this great deliverance,
you may not sit down rejoicing, as if you would have
but little more to do than to raise your hallelujahs
higher and still higher to Him who hath set you
free.
You are now very much in the condition of the
children of Israel, when, in looking back upon their
marvellous deliverance from Egyptian bondage, and
the destruction of their cruel masters, they sang that
memorable song in the fifteenth chapter of Exodus:
"I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed
gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown
into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and
he is become my salvation.  Who is like unto thee,
0 Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious
in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou
in mercy hast led forth thy people; thou hast guided
them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. Thou
shalt bring them in, and plant them in- the mountain
of thine inheritance, in the place, 0 Lord, which thou
hast made for thee to dwell in."
Thus did the Hebrew tribes rejoice in their deliverance, and such were their anticipations, as if they
had already got possession of the promised land.
They forgot that they had but commenced their journey, that the wilderness was before them, and that
418 
ENDURING TO THE END.
when they had sung out their song, instead of resting
where they were, they must go forward, encountering all its hardships and perils. They forgot that
there were enemies yet to be met, out of whose hand
the Lord alone could deliver them; and that there
was no bread and no water there. But for the miraculous supply which awaited them, they must all have
perished at the very entrance of the wilderness. They
must be sustained by the manna from the skies, and
the water from the rock, all the journey through.
So, dear friends, it is with you, rejoicing in your
late deliverance from a far more cruel taskmaster
than Pharaoh. In the overflowing of your thanksgivings, you are in danger of forgetting that this is
not your rest, that you have only entered upon your
journey towards the heavenly Canaan, and that you
too have to go through the wilderness. While on
the journey, you cannot live without the supplies of
grace in your hearts, symbolized by the manna and
the water that flowed from the smitten rock. The
analogy all along is exceedingly striking-the deliverance in the one case from Egyptian servitude,
and in the other from the bondage of sin and Satan:
the song of triumph, the wilderness, the manna, the
water, the enemies to be encountered and vanquished
by the arm of the Lord.
Yes, dear friends, you have to pass through the
wilderness. There is no other way to the promised
land. In looking forward from your present standpoint, it probably does not appear very formidable.
The setting out is so delightful, every thing seems so
easy, that you cannot understand how there can be
419 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
much of danger or hinderance, or hunger or thirst,
before you-you have safely passed through the Red
sea; the cloud and the pillar of fire will lead you on,
and what have you to fear? You may persuade
yourselves that your spiritual enemies are all dead.
Would that they were. But some of us have entered
the wilderness before you. By painful experience
we have learned something of what you must expect,
and it would be unkind and unfaithful in us, not to
forewarn and give you the best directions in our
power.
First then, as the Israelites could not live without
food, and as the wilderness yielded nothing their
bread must be rained down from the skies, so it will
be with you. You cannot live without spiritual food.
You must receive that Bread which came down   from
heaven to give life to the world. In other words,
you must receive supplies of grace from the infinite
storehouse above. You cannot advance a single stage
without them. And as the Israelites must gather the
manna every morning, so must you seek supplies every
day from your heavenly Father. Just as he supplies
your bodily wants, by giving you day by day your
daily bread-only one day at a time —so you must
ask him, day by day, for the true Bread to nourish
your souls. The grace which God bestows upon you
to-day, is no more than you need to-day, and can no
more be kept over than the manna could. You must,
as it were, gather it fresh every morning. You must
ask for new supplies every day, thus availing yourselves of the blessed assurance that your heavenly
Father is more ready to give the Holy Spirit to those
420 
ENDURING TO THE END.
that ask him, than earthly parents are to give bread
to their children.
Moreover, you must be satisfed with the Bread of
heaven all the way through the wilderness, and till
you reach the promised land. Just here the children
of Israel made a fatal mistake. - Angels' food was not
good enough for them. They longed for the leeks
and onions of Egypt. They loathed the manna. They
lusted for flesh, and God in anger sent them the
quails, and the plague closely followed.   He gave
them their request, but'sent leanness into their souls.
So, dear friends, it will be with you if, at any stage
of your progress, you lose your relish for the spiritual manna, and turn back to "the beggarly elements" of the world. If you long for the carnal indulgences, the follies and amusements which you have
left behind, "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life," God may grant your request, but if he does, he Will ":send leanness into
your souls." You will pine away and die.
Again, as the Israelites would have perished with
thirst, -if God had not brought water out of the rock
for their daily and constant supply, so must you without that living water which Christ alone ican pour
down from the infinite fountain above, and which, if
you receive it, "shall be in you a Well of water
springing up into everlasting life." As the water
from the smitten rock flowed along, and accompanied the Israelites in all their marches till they got
through the wilderness, so Christ was with his ancient
church all the way, as the apostle testifies: "Brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that
421 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed
through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in
the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same
spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual
drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that
followed them, and that Rock was Christ." So, dear
friends, that spiritual Rock will follow you, if you
cleave to him. He will be to you "as rivers of water
in a dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in
a weary land." He will daily refresh your souls with
grace and strength, to go on your way rejoicing.
But after all, it is a wilderness which you have to
pass through, "and there are many adversaries."
You will have fightings without and fears within
The devil, who led Christ himself into the wilderness, will assail you with his temptations. Now is
the time for you, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, to
put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able
to stand against the wiles of the devil. "For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places. Stand therefore, having your loins
girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate
of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the
shield Of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is
the word of God; praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
422 
ENDURING TO THE END.
Though these things are spoken to us in a figure, they
strikingly represent the Christian warfare. You will
have occasion for the whole suit of armor, in many a
sharp conflict, before you reach the fords of Jordan.
But if you are faithful unto death, you will come off
conquerors and more than conquerors, through Him
who hath loved you and given himself for you.
Go forward, not in your own strength, but "strong
in the Lord and in the power of his might." Nothing
else will stand you in stead a single day, for you have
foes within as well as without.  They are your indwelling sins, which though vanquished are not all
slain, and they are in correspondence with the enemy
without. Indeed, but for this advantage the grand
adversary with all his legions could have no power
over you:" Get thee behind me, Satan," would put
him to flight in a moment. When constrained to cry
out with Paul, "Who shall deliver me from the body
of this death?" may you also be able to exult as he
did: "Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ."
And now, dear brethren and friends, what more
shall we say? We bid you God speed with all our
hearts. May He who dwelt in the bush go with, guide,
and protect you all the journey through. The earthly
Canaan, flowing with milk and honey, you may never
see, but if you "endure to the end," you will at last
reach that better country, "even a heavenly," where
there are no foes to be driven out-where the river
of the water of life flows out from the throne of God
and the Lamb, watering all the heavenly plains-where
there shall be no more fighting, no more hunger, no
423 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
more thirst, but where you shall find infinitely sweeter
refreshments than the honey of the rock, or the clusters of Eshcol.  Press on then towards the mark of
your high calling, singing as you go,
Guide me, 0 thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty,
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.
Open wide the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing waters flow:
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong Deliverer,
Be thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside:
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.
424 
REVIVAL CONVERSATIONS,
BETWEEN A PASTOR AND INQUIRERS.
CONVERSATION I.
INQUIRER. (In the pastor's study.) Are you at leisure
for a little while this evening?
PASTOR. I am, and am happy to see you.
I. My mind has for two or three days been considerably exercised on the subject of religion; and I have
called to see if you can help me get over some of my
difficulties.
P. Whatever your difficulties may be, I hope they
are not insurmountable. Will you have the goodness
to state them?
I. My father and mother are both professors, and I
have been instructed in religion. They took me with
them to public worship earlier than I can remmber, and
I have regularly attended on the Sabbath ever since. I
have been taught to believe in the necessity of regeneration, not only from the pulpit, but at home and in the
Sabbath-school; and I have never doubted the reality or
the importance of experimental piety. I always intended to become religious, some time or other; and when I
was a child I was alarmed more than once, under the
preaching of our excelleht minister. But these impressions soon wore off. When I came to college, I had a 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
secret hope that I might be converted before I got
through; and ever since this revival began I have felt
uneasy. Nothing has gone right. I have felt dissatisfied with myself, and with every thing about me. I am
not awakened, but I am unhappy. Preaching troubles
me; religious conversation troubles me; the prayers that
I overhear as I pass through the college entries trouble
me. Sometimes I resolve not to attend any of the meetings; but when the time comes, I cannot stay away. I
go, but do not feel any thing, and I cannot, except it be
an irresistible and unaccountable inclination to find fault
with the doctrines which I hear, and with professors of
religion: sometimes because they do not live up to their
profession; sometimes because they are overmuch righteous; sometimes because they speak to me on the subject, and sometimes because they do not. I am a bundle of contradictions. I cannot analyze my own feelings. I want to be saved, and yet I do not care any
thing about it; if I did, I should not remain as I am.
P. Your case is certainly an alarming one; and I
am afraid it will never be any better. According to
your statement, you have sinned against great light. It
is not for want of religious instruction that you have
lived so long "without hope and without God in the
world."  And what do you think is the reason?  If I
understand you right, you admit the -infinite importance
of being reconciled to God. Why then do you hesitate?
What hinders you from becoming a Christian this very
hour?
I. I do not know. I am a wonder to myself. I certainly wish to be saved, but what can I do?
P. What have you done?  Have you done any thing?
God has been commanding you every day, for a great
many years, to repent of sin and believe in Christ. Have
you done this?  He has been calling upon you, with all
426 
A DELAYING INQUIRER.
the authority and tenderness of a father, "My son, give
me thy heart." Have you given him your heart?
I. Oh, you misunderstand me. I have not got so
far. I have told you already that I am not even awakened; and how can I repent? I am somewhat troubled, to be sure, or I should not be here. But my feelings are all indefinite.
P. Do you think your not having got so far is any
valid excuse for not repenting and giving your heart to
God? The question is not how far you have advanced,
or how you feel, but how you ought to feel.
I. I do not feel any thing. I have no sense of my
sins, and how can I have? I wish I could feel as others
do, but it is impossible.
P. My dear young friend, do stop and think what
you are saying. You do not feel! You have no sense
of your sinfulness I Astonishing! A sinner against a
holy God, and under condemnation, and liable every moment to drop into a burning, hopeless eternity-and yet
you cannot feel, cannot be alarmed, cannot "flee from the
wrath to come I" Oh, how dead you must be I "Hear,
O heavens; and give ear, 0 earth I" What a heart you
must have! You can feel and act on every other subject
but this. What would you think of a man standing still
on a wide prairie, while the smoke and flames were rising to heaven around him, were he in reply-to your expostulations to say, "I have no feeling; I cannot be alarmed at my situation, though I know the fire is all the
while approaching?" What would you think of a prisoner under sentence of death, were he to say, "I know
that if I am not pardoned, I must soon die; but I cannot
feel enough alarmed about it to sue for pardon. I wish
I could. I hope I shall, before the day of execution
arrives." How would you be shocked and distressed, to
hear a friend laboring under a wasting disease say, "I
427 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
know my danger, but I cannot feel it. I have heard of
a physician who has cured thousands under the same
circumstances, and has never yet lost a patient; and I
have no doubt either of  his willingness to hasten to my
relief, or of the infallibility of his remedies. But I cannot
apply to him, I cannot send for him. I wish I felt interest enough in the preservation of my life to come to a
decision; but it is not in my power. I must wait till I
can fed my danger, and then I will send for the physician."
What would you think of such infatuation?  How
would you be shocked at it!  And yet your own case
differs from these only by exhibiting still greater infatuation. It is not your life that depends upon your feeling
the danger and fleeing from it, but your immortal soul;
and if you had a thousand lives to lose, it would be
nothing in comparison with the everlasting pangs of
"the second death."
I. I begin to see the folly and madness of my indecision in a clearer light than I ever did before. I have
delayed too long. I ought to be in earnest. I wonder
I am not; but still the question returns, how can I see
my sins, and feel my danger, and repent? It seems to
me impossible.
P. But wherein does the impossibility lie? Is there
any thing in the way but disiaination,aversion to holiness, and love of sin? Let me now put you to the test.
Will you now, without any more delay, take up the subject of religion in earnest, and do what you can to secure the salvation of your soul? Tell me, my dear young
friend, are you ready?
I. (After a pause.) I do not like to make any promise, lest I should break it; for that, you know, would be
worse than not to promise at all.
P. Just stop and consider into what a maze of con
42'8 
PREPARATORY WORK.
tradictions your deceitful heart is leading you. You
want to be saved; you believe in the necessity and duty
of repentance, and yetyou are not willing to engage to
do any thing, lest you should break your promise. Your
promise to do what? Why, to take up the subject at
once, and do what you can.  How much does that shipwrecked sailor want to be saved from drowning, who
will make no effort to reach the life-boat which is pulling off from the shore to rescue him? How much does
that sick man want to recover, who will neither promise
to take the only medicine that can do him any good, nor
take it without promising? And how much do you want
to be saved from sinking into the blackness of darkness
for ever, when you are neither willing to pledge yourself
to do any thing, nor to do any thing without a pledge?
How much does that prisoner want his liberty, who will
not come out, or even try to cast off his fetters, when
the door is set wide open?
I. I canhot answer you now. I am bewildered. I
want time to think of the subject. I will call again.
P. You want more time I What if you should die in
a fit, before you get home? "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now  is the day of salvation."  "Boast
not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a
day may bring forth."
CONVERSATION II.
PASTOR. (In the inquiry room.) What progress have
you made, my young friend, since I last saw you? Have
you given your heart to God?
INQUIRER. I cannot say that I have; but I hope I have
made some progress.  I have taken up the subject with
the determination to seek till I find. I used, you know,
to indulge in some bad habits. From these I have en
4,29 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
tirely broken off. I never used to pray, nor hardly ever
to read the Bible, nor to attend any sort of religious
meetings except on the Sabbath. But now I read the
Scriptures regularly, and pray morning and evening,
and I do not mean to be absent from a single meeting,
if I can help it. In short, I mean to perform every duty,
to do all I can, and I hope in this way to conciliate the
divine favor.
P. I am glad to hear that you have forsaken your
old companions in sin, that you pray and read the word
of God, and punctually attend on the means of grace.
All this is right and necessary; but according to your
own account, it is merely preparatory work.  You are
not yet a Christian, but using means to become one?
you are not in the ark of safety, but going towards it?
Now, suppose you should die before you get there, or in
other words, while you are taking what you seem to regard as the preparatory steps? What would become of
you? Could you go up to the bar of God, ana plead, that
when arrested by the stroke of death, you was doing
"many things," and even trying to repent? Would such
a plea avail? "God qoww commandeth all men everywhere to repent;" but when and where has he said that
all or any of them must try to repent? Mere trying
falls just as far short of repenting, as trying to speak
does of speaking, or trying to walk-does of walking.
When God requires you to do a certain thing, it is vain
to think of putting him off with something else, as either
preparatory or collateral. You must do the very thing, or
you lose the blessing.
You seem to think, that although you are not yet a
Christian, you are in a fair way to become one; you
have set out, and are a good deal nearer the kingdom
of heaven than you was a month ago. Now, supposing
this were really the case, it would be madness to linger
430 
PREPARATORY WORK.
as you do, when the brittle thread of life may be cut at
any moment. If you should be within one step of repentance when you die, you would as certainly perish as if
you had been ever so far off. The drowning mariner
who only almost reaches the plank that was thrown over
to save him, sinks to rise no more. The man-slayer who
only almost reached the city of refuge before the avenger
of blood overtook him, might as well have been cloven
down a hundred miles off.
Let me tell you, my young friend, and prove to you,
that instead of being better, you are at this moment
more sinful in the sight of a holy God, than you was
when this revival began. You certainly have made no
atonement for the sins which you had committed before
that time. They will stand charged against you, just as
if you had not bestowed a thought upon the subject of
religion. And have you not since committed any sin?
You will not, you-cannot answer this question in the
negative. Your own conscience testifies that you have
sinned every day, and every waking hour. These sins
are added to the long black catalogue in the book of
God's remembranceso that you are a greater sinner
to-day than you was yesterday; and if it were possible
for you to live a thousand years and to spend the whole
time in reading and prayer without regeneration and
without repentance and faith, you would be vastly more
sinful, and of course more unworthy of pardon than you
are now.
I. (In a desponding tone,) I suppose it is so; but
how discouraging I According to this view of the case,
I might just as well have remained as I was to this hour.
It is all lost labor.
P. Yes, all that you have ever done or can do to
weave a robe of self-righteousness, is lost labor. "The
bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it,
431 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
and the covering is narrower than that he can wrap himself in it." Salvation is a free gift, and not a reward
bestowed. "Not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by
the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy
Ghost." God has infinite blessings to give, but none to
sel. He has pardons for the penitent and believing, but
he makes no compromises. He looks upon no other
righteousness, save that of his beloved Son.
CONVERSATION III.
PASTOR. (in the inquiry room.) I am glad to see you
here once more, this evening, and hope you have come
with a new heart, and a new song in your mouth.
INQUImER. I wish I could say that I have; but I do
not see that I make any progress at all. All my struggling and striving does not bring me a step nearer to
the kingdom of heaven.
P. Indeed, I am more and more alarmed for you.
You have held out a great while. The Spirit of God will
not always continue to strive. Excuse yourself as you
may, the sin lieth at your own door. And why, my dear
young friend, will you not throw down the weapons of
your rebellion, and submit unconditionally to Christ?
I. I have no power to submit; and-how can I get the
power?
P. Have no power to submrit! What power does it
require to submit-to leave off contending with God-to
cast yourself down at the foot of his throne as a perishing sinner? It is the prerogative of power to resist, not
to submit. What would you think were a garrison, when
closely besieged and reduced to the last extremity, to
use this plea for not surrendering the fortress-we have
w power to submit? Thousands have had no power to
432 
DONE ALL HE COULD,
hold out against a besieging enemy; but who was ever
too weak to surrender at discretion? How strangely
would it sound in your ears were a perverse and rebellious child, when under chastisement, to plead as an excuse for not confessing his fault and promising amendment, that he has no power to submit!
And yet, when God commands you to repent, to submit at the foot of the cross as a poor sinner, you try to
quiet your conscience by pleading that you have no power to yed.  Why, the difficulty withyou is, that you
have too much power, as you have hitherto used it.  You
have a power of resistanc which is perfectly-astonishing,
and which nothing short of Omnipotence can overcome
You have held out, day after day and week after week,
against motives which one would think must be enough
to conquer a world-against threatenings and invitations and promises the most urgent and alluring that
were ever addressed to rebels under the curse of God's
holy law. What you need is, to have this terrible power of resistance overcome.  All you want is the right
disposition, a "humble and contrite heart;" and that you
lack this is your own fault.
1. I cannot answer your arguments; but although
I begin to see the subject in a new light, it does still
appear to me that I have been honest and sincere in
trying to do all I can; and will not a Gocdof infinite
compassion pity my weakness, and make up the deficiency 2
P. God will never give up his rightful claims.  He
will never cease to command, however you may refuse
to obey; and if you die in your sins, he will justify the
reasonableness of your condemnation before the assembled universe.  Admitting the validity of your plea,
there will be a great wonder in the day of judgment:
you, of all the countless millions of the human family,
Rev. Sketches.         19
438 
REVIYAL MANUAL.
will stand alone, as one that did all he could to comply
with the conditions of salvation-and yet was not saved.
Every one who perishes will be selfondemned.  "Thou
hast destroyed thyself," will ring louder and louder in
his ears, as he sinks deeper and deeper in "the blackness of darkness for ever."
I. What more, then, can I do?  I am sure I am willing to do every thing that God requires, cost what it
will.
P. No, my young friend, you are not willing. Here
lies the fatal mistake.  You deceive yourself. You want
to be saved.  You shrink back from the bottomless
gulf, upon the brink of which you are standing. You
would doubtless give the world, if you owned it all, for
the ransom of your soul; but you will not give your
k,eart to God-you will not repent-' you will not come
to Christ, that you might have life." If there is any thing
in the way but your own obstinate and wicked heart, do
tell me what it is.  Does God stand in the way? do I
stand in the way? do any of your Christian friends? do
your sinful companions? They may try to dissuade, but
they cannot hinder you from coming to the cross. The
difficulty is within, and not without.
C ONVERSATIONIV.
PASTOR. You will recollect, Mr. A-,  that I spoke
with you last' evening in the inquiry meeting;'but not
having time to enter into your case fully, I have called
this morning to renew the conversation. When I urged
upon you the duty of immediate repentance, and entreated you not to delay another hour or moment, I think
your answer was, that you had not been under conviction long enough. Did I understand you correctly?
434 
NOT LONG CONVICTED.
INQUIRER. Yes, sir, you did.  That is one of my di&
culties. It is scarcely three days since I began to think
seriously on the subject; and having been all my life so
stupid and wicked, how can I turn right about and repent at once?
P. How long do you think you ought to be under
conviction, before you repent?
I. I cannot tell exactly; but it seems as if a sinner
must have some time to think, and make up his mind,
before he acts.
P. Well, here is the Bible-will you turn to some
passage which justifies him in delaying?
I. I have read the Bible so:itle and so carelessly,
that if there were a hundre'uld'not be~,ind
them.  But if I was as fng iar with the Scripts as
you are, I presume I could find many such passages.
P. No, my friend, not on, if you had committed every
word of the Bible to memory. There are texts enough
on the other side. "God tww commandeth all men everywhere to repent."  "To-day," even to-day, "after so long
a time, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart."
This is the current language of the Bible on the subject.
It does not allow you a day —no, not a moment-to obtain
clearer convictions of your guilt and danger before you
yield to Christ. But how much longer indulgence do
you want?  Will one day satisfy you? will two? will a
week?
I. It seems as if I ought to repent and give my heart
to God in less than a week; but a day or two longer,
devoted to serious reflection, cannot be much compared
with all my life spent in sin and folly.
P. No; but have you any promise of living a day or
two longer?  What if God should say, "Thou fool, this
night thy soul shall be required of thee?' What will
become of you? Will. your waiting for more time to
.43b 
PREVIVAL MANUAL.
think of the subject save you? Besides, it seems as if
God was now striving with you. But what if he should
in anger withdraw his Spirit the next hour, and say,
This man is joined to his idols; he will not forsake them
at once, he will not repent of sin: "let him alone I";
I. I see the danger of delay. I nay die, I know, at
any moment, or God may leave me; but what can I do?
I am not fit to come to Christ. I want to be better prepared before I come.
P. And when will you be any more fit than you are
now? What can you expect to gain by delay? Will
holding out against God a day or a week longer make
you any better? Are you not adding sin to sin, and
growing more and more unworthy to come, every hour
you live? Will waiting cancel any of your past transgressions; and is not a new page written against you
every day in the book of remembrance? Did the prodigal son, "when he came to himself," wait to strip off
his rags and make himself more fit to return to his
father; or did he go just as he was, in the last extremity of guilt and famine, and cry, "Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy
to be called thy son?" Did the publican wait to make
himself more worthy of divine compassion, before he
"smote upon his breast and cried, God be merciful to me
a sinner?"
0, my friend, if you think that by waiting you can
make yourself any more fit or worthy of being saved,
you mistake the ground of acceptance altogether. Salvation is wholly of grace. No sinner was ever accepted on
account of his own fitness, his own worthiness, nor ever
will be. "The Son of man came to seek and to save that
which was lost." He does not say, " Come unto me, all ye
that are fit," but, "all ye that labor and are heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest." No, you must come just as
436 
NOT LONG CONVICTED.
you are, poor and wretched and blind and naked and in
want of all things, if you come at all. On no other terms
can you be received. Christ has thrones and crowns to
give, but not a morsel of the bread of life or a drop of
living water to sell. "By grace you are saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."
I. Yes; I see, I see at last, that it must be so; but
I am such a great sinner, that I dare not come. I am
afraid Christ will not receive me.
P. That your sins are more heinous in the sight of
God, than you have ever imagined, I have no doubt. But
for whom did Christ suffer and die2 if not for great sinners for David and Manasseh and Mary Magdalene and
Paul, as well as for Samuel and Josiah and Daniel and
John? Are there any little sinners, in the sense which you
mean-any with whom God is but a little displeased?  I
am sure I have never met with such a one; and if there
were, are the offers of salvation addressed exclusively
to any class of sinners? Does Christ say to one, I invite
you; and to another, I invite you to the gospel feast;
but to a third, You must not come-"you are so unworthy, so great a sinner, that I cannot allow you to
taste of my supper?" Does he not say to his servants,
"Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city,
and bring in hither the poor and the maimed, the halt
and the blind, that my house may be filled?"' —
I. (With great emotion.) Still, I have lived so long in
sin, and rejected so many offers, I am afraid he will not
seceive me. What shall I do?
P. What shall you do? Why, my dear sir, your duty
is perfectly plain. You say that you are a great sinner;
and you ought to repent and trust in Christ immediately.
There is a subtle delusion at the bottom of your difficulty,
which I fear has ruined thousands of souls. You must
have some pledge that Christ will save you, before you
437 
REVIYAL MANUAL.
come to him; and when you have it, you are not satisfied. To all your other sins, you add the guilt of distrust of his great and precious promises. You virtually charge him with insincerity and falsehood.  You
do not intend it; but just look at the excuse, and tell
me, if you can, what less it amounts to. You are afraid
that Christ will not receive you if you do come, when he
tells you expressly that hlie will. You would be glad to
come, you wish to comply with his offers, but if you do
he will not receive you. This, it seems to me, is your
real position. This is the deception which you have been
practising upon yourself, on the very brink of destruction. Dare you rest here?
I. No, no, I dare not any longer.  Oh, what shall
I do?
CONVERSATION V.
PASTOR. You see, my young friend, that many are
pressing into the kingdom of heaven, and I am anxious
to know how you feel.
INQUIRER. I feel as if religion was very important, and
I hope I shall not be left.
P. I was afraid you did not feel much interest on the
subject, as I have rarely seen you at our meetings. You
say you hope you shall not be left. -Let me ask you
what you are doing to obtain "the pearl of great price?"
I. I acknowledge I am not doing much-and how
can I? The work is all of God, and I am waiting for
the influence of his Spirit.  He has awakened and converted a great many, and I hope he will, in his own
time, convert me.
P. But what if he should not? Here you are, a sinner, saying with the sluggard, "A little more sleep, a
little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to
438 
WAITING FOR THE SPIRIT.
sleep," and resting upon a vague hope that God will
awaken you. What reason have you to expect it? Has
he given you any promise to that effect? Is he under any
obligation to save you  Will he do you any injustice
if he passes you by? And if he should pass you by, what
will become of you?
I. If he should, I must be lost, of course; but I hope
he will not: I trust he will not. Does not the Bible
somewhere say, "Wait patiently for the Lord?" and in
another place, "It is good that a man should both hope
and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord?"
P. It does; but you entirely misunderstand these
passages, if you suppose they allow you still to continue
in sin and unbelief. They imply an act of humble trust
in God, and his covenant faithfulness. How did the
Psalmist and other holy men of old wait for the salvation of God? Did they listlessly fold their arms as you
do and hope for the best, and sleep on? No: just take
the Bible and read for yourself They waited on God in
fervent and believing prayer for those blessings and deliverancs which he has promised to his people.
You are waiting God's time to arrest you and bring
you into his kingdom. God's time l My dear young
friend, what do you mean by God's time?   When is
it-today, or to-morrow; now, or a week or a month
hence? Point me to one solitary text, if you can, which
justifies you in delaying one hour for God to awaken you, or which authorizes you to expect that he
will come, if you thus delay. What a fatal quietus to
your conscience! What a false and ruinous security!
What is God's time, in the only proper meaning which
can be attached to the inquiry? What does he say in
his word?  "Behold, sow is the accepted time; behold,
mwt  is the day of salvation."  "God nw  commandeth
all men everywhere to repent."  "Boast not thyself of
439 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring
forth." What liberty or encouragement, my dear A       -,
do these Scriptures give you to continue in your sinful
unbelief? 
I. What else can I do? I have no power to awaken
myself; much less, to change my own heart.
P. That is, you mean, or ought to mean, that you
have at present no disposition to make religion the allimportant subject of inquiry-that you have no heart to
break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquity
by turning unto God-that there is in you a wicked
disinclination to do what God commands you to do. You
have power enough on the other side, in opposition to
God, to astonish the universe.
You are waiting, you say, for him to come and save
you. How are you waiting? In the use of the means of
salvation which he has appointed-in reading the Scriptures, in prayer, in devout attendance upon the preaching
of his word? No; but in the neglect of all, or nearly
all these duties. Is this the way in which the farmer
waits for the blessing of the Lord? Does he fold his arms
and say, I will wait for the harvest till it pleases God to
bring it to me; or does he "break up the fallow ground,"
and sow the seed? Were you starving, would you wait
for God to send the ravens to feed you, or would you
make every possible effort to relieveyourself?  What
did the prodigal son do, when he came to himself?  He
said, "I will arise and go to my father," and he went.
Had he remained among the swine, he would have
perished. How was it in the days of John the Baptist?
The kingdom of heaven suffered violence, and the violent
took it by force. What was the answer of Christ to the
question, Are there few that be saved? "Strive to enter
in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will
seek to enter in, and shall not be able." What were
440 
UNPARDONABLE SIN.
the exhortations of his inspired apostles?  "Draw nigh
to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your
hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. Humble
yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you
up?" "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give thee light." And how is it
that sinners in this revival, or any other, "make their
calling and election sure?" Is it not by fleeing from the
wrath to come, and laying hold on eternal life?
Yours, I am sorry to say, is no uncommon case. I
am sure it is not too late, if you will now rise and flee
to the strong-hold; for you are yet a prisoner of hope.
Your case, though alarming, is not desperate; I hear a
voice from heaven, "Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him
return unto the Lord, who will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
CONVERSATION VI.
PASTOR. (To one in the inquiry meeting who had long
been in a state of extreme depression.) Is the great
controversy between God and your rebellious heart
settled?.   INQUmR. O no; and how can it ever be?  I am
afraid I have committed the unpardonable sin.
P. What makes you think so? Have you openly ridiculed and opposed the revival, and tried to stop it?
I. If I have not, I have done that which is worse. I
have resisted the Holy Spirit. God has called, and I
have refused. He has said, "Turn you, turn you; why
will you die?" and I have virtually answered, "Depart
from me; I desire not the knowledge of thy ways."
19*
441 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
P. You say you have resisted the Holy Spirit. Have
you done it maliciously?  Have you spoken against
Him, and ascribed your distress to satanic, or some
other malignant influence, contrary to the convictions of
your own conscience, thus doing "despite to the Spirit
of grace?"
I.! desire to be thankful that I have not yet been
left to pour out the wickedness of my heart in any such
way. The bare thought makes me shudder. But still
it seems to me, that for any one to hold out so long as I
have done, must be unpardonable-must be to sin beyond forgiveness.
P. Has the Spirit entirely abandoned you?  Have you
thrown off the subject from your mind, and determined
to think no more about it? Have you no concern, no
feeling; no longer any desire to be saved in the way
which God has appointed?
I. Oh that I could be saved I But my heart, my
wicked heart-I am sure there never was one so hard
as mine. I am sure it will never yield, and how can I
be forgiven?
P. Your condition is indeed very alarming. I have
thought so for many weeks.  It is certain that if you do
not repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you
cannot be saved. But I see no reason to think that you
have committed the unpardonable s-in  I mean the sin
which seals the man over from that hour to certain destruction. I believe that thousands are now in heaven,
who were once in the very state that you are this morning. They looked round for help, and none came till they
cast themselves unconditionally upon the mercy of God
through a Redeemer.  Every sin has demerit and malignity enough to destroy the soul, if unrepented of.
Far be it from me to cry, "Peace, peace," when God
says, "There is no peace to the wicked." You are in
442 
A DESPONDING INQUIRER.
great danger. You cannot resist the Spirit another moment without adding sin to sin, and increasing the danger; and if you hold out against God to the last, you
will as certainly perish as if you had committed the sin
against the Holy Ghost. All sin is alike unpardonable,
after death. But it is a stratagem of the great adversary
to persuade sinners that they are given over to final
reprobation, when he cannot hinder them from inquiring and striving in any other way; and I think this is
the snare in which he has caught you. Full well does
the subtle destroyer know, that if he can make you
despair of mercy-if he can hinder you from "fleeing
from the wrath to come," he is sure of his prey. My
fears are, not that you have committed the unpardonable
sin, but that you will not accept of pardon on the humiliating terms of the gospeL
L Do you really believe, then, that there is still any
hope for me!
P. Certainly I do. I have no doubt of it. The door of
mercy yet stands open.  Turn, I beseech you, turn to
the strong-hold while you are a prisoner of hope.
CONVERSATION VII.
INQUmEL  (In a desponding tone.)  Do you think I
shall ever come to Christ?
PASTOp I do not know.  I am afraid you never will.
You have held out so long, and your heart is so hard,
that the prospect is exceedingly dark. I do not know
what more powerful motives can be addressed to you,
than you have resisted. You certainly have not grown
any better by delay. On the contrary, the habit of sinning gains strength every day that it is indulged, and
of course the prospect grows darker and darker.
448 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
I. What more can I do?
P. What have you done?
I. I have read the Bible and prayed, and attended
all the inquiry meetings, and been hoping every day that
my heart would bow, and I should find relief; but it all
does no good, and it seems as if I might as well give
up first as last.
P. Give up what?  Give up your heart to God? or
dismiss the subject, and think no more about it? If you
mean the former, you are perfectly correct. It is more
than time that you had given your heart to God. But if
you mean that you may as well give up seeking, and return to your former stupidity first as last, you amaze me.
There is too much reason to fear that you have not yet
seen "the plague of your own heart." If you dismiss
the subject now, it will in all probability settle the
question for ever. You may never witness another revival; and if you should, it may be only to "behold, and
despise and wonder and perish."
I. I know it; and when I think of it, it makes me
tremble. But what shall I do? I am sure I desire to be
saved, and would repent if I could.
P. Do you mean, then, to cast the blame upon God?
I. Certainly I do not. How can you think so?
P. Does he not require, does he not command you to
repent and give yourself to Christ?i
I. If I believe the Bible, I must believe that he does.
P. And yet you say you would repent if you could.
Is not this shifting the blame off from yourself?  And
upon whom, if not upon God-either for requiring you
to repent, or for not giving you a penitent heart, in spite
of your resistance of the Holy Spirit? I know, my dear
young friend, what you want. You want to have me encourage you; and I would do it with all my heart, if I
could in faithfulness to my Master and to your precious
444 
A TREMBLING HOPE.
soul. You would be glad to have me say that I think
you will by and by repent, if you keep on as you have
done; but I dare not say it. I do not see that you are
any nearer the kingdom of heaven than you were a month
ago; and how can I encourage you? I do not know
what God of his infinite mercy may do; but all the
encouragement I can give, when you ask me what you
must do, is, "Seek the Lord, while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near." "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the Lord, who will have mercy
upon him; and to our God, who will abundantly pardon."
"The Spirit and the bride say, Come.  And let him that
heareth say, Come.  And let him that is athirst come;
and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
Indeed, what greater encouragement can you desire,
than is found in these and similar passages of Scripture?
"I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord, to say less
or more!' And how can you expect, or even wish to be
saved on easier terms than these?
CONVERSATION VIII.
PASTOR. (In his study.) Walk in, my young friend;
I have been wishing to see you for two or three days,
but have not found time to call at your room. When
you was here last, you was in great distress. You saw
what your duty was, but your will would not bow; and
it seemed to you that there was very little, if any hope
in your case.  Others might be saved, but your heart
was so hard that nothing could break or melt it; and
you left me with the acknowledgment that it would be
perfectly just if God were to cast you off for ever.  Is
there any change in your feelings?
445 
1REVIVAL MANUAL.
INQTuRE. There is a change;  but I hardly know
whether it is for the better or the worse. The burden
which bowed me down to the earth, and under which it
appeared to me I could not live much longer, is gone.
I sometimes fear that it is because I have grieved away
the Spirit, and I try to bring back my distress, but cannot.
I have been calm for the last twenty-four hours, almost
in spite of myself. What to make of it, I do not know.
P. Will you tell me a little more particularly what
the exercises of your mind have been, since our last interview?
I. I felt that night as if I was utterly forsaken of
heaven and earth.  You told me you could not help me;
and it did seem as if God's "mercies were clean gone
for ever?' I went to my room, and tried to pray; but
my mouth was shut, and it seemed as if the pit of destruction was opening to receive me. At length I was
enabled to say, "God be merciful to me a sinner;" and
it seemed all at once as if there was mercy for me.
Several texts of Scripture came to my mind, particularly these two: "0 Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself,
but in me is thy help;" "Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved."  And I cried out,
"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." From that
moment, light gradually broke into my mind. I did not
then think that my heart was changed, and I am now
by no means sure of it, for I have had too much  experience of its deceitfulness to trust it. But of one thing I
am certain: a great change of some sort has taken
place in my views and feelings. I do not seem to be the
same man I was before. Every thing appears new.
The sun shines brighter, the flowers are more beautiful, the birds sing more sweetly, the mountains lift up
their heads in greater majesty, and all nature seems to
be praising God.
a,
44'6 
A TREMBLING HOPE.
I thought, when I was fighting against him, that he
was a hard master, and wished I could get out of his
hands. I was afraid to trust him. How strange. I do
not, I cannot feel so now. Every thing with him is just
as it should be; his government, his law, his hatred of
sin, his threatenings-all, all is right.
The plan of salvation by Christ is so new, that it
seems as if I had never heard of it before. How wonderful that God should send his only begotten Son to
die for sinners I What a glorious Saviour I And how
astonishing that I could have lived under the light of
the gospel so many years without seeing any comeliness
in him why I should desire him. When I think of my
past life, it seems too much to hope he will forgive my
sins; but I do not see how I can help loving him.
P. How does the Bible appear to you?
I. 0, quite like a new book. I have read it more or
less from my childhood; so that in one sense it has been
familiar to me, but in another sense it has been a sealed
book. Every chapter I read strikes me as it never did
before. The words are the same, but the sense is different. The psalms and the gospels, especially, open
new fields of contemplation which I never thought of.
I used, when my mother required me to read a given
number of chapters every Sabbath-day, to be tired
of it; but now I should be glad to read it all the
time.
P. How is it in respect to prayer?  Your parents
taught you to pray when you was a child, and have been
urging the duty upon you ever since.
I. Yes, but it was always a task. It was.mere lipservice. My heart was not in it. And as I did not love
to pray myself, neither did I want to hear prayer. Many
a time have I hastened off to bed to get rid of the evening devotions of the family. After I was awakened, as
447 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
I have told you, I could not pray. I tried again and
again; but every word was cold as ice, and my conscience told me it was but solemn mockery. I feel very
differently now. Why it is, I cannot say. Whether God
has opened my mouth, I do not know.  About one thing,
however, I cannot be mistaken. Prayer is no longer a
task, but a pleasure. I love to spread my wants before
God, and to make supplication to him. It may be from
selfish motives, or from mere temporary excitement. I
fear it is; and I ask your prayers that I may not be
deceived.
P. Is there any change in your feelings towards
Christians?
I. There is a very great change; and yet the time
is so short, that I do not know whether I can place any
dependence upon it. I used to respect those whom I
thought sincere in their profession, though I confess
with shame that I was sometimes censorious, and secretly pleased to find flaws in church-members. I cannot say that I ever took pleasure in their society as
Christians; my taste led me to choose associates of a
different character. How it will be hereafter, remains
to be proved. I have yet had no opportunity to bring
myself to the test. It seems-and that is all I can sayas if my heart was drawn towards them as it never was
till now, and as if I should be more happy in their company than in any other.
P. If God has chosen you to salvation, and called
you into the kingdom of his dear Son, is it owing to any
worthiness in you, more than in others who are still in
the broad way to death?
I. 0 no, no; certainly not. It is all of grace. There
was nothing in me which a holy God could approvenothing but wickedness and rebellion in my heart.  It
seems to me that no other heart is so hard, so vile as
448 
FEAR OF EXCITEMENT.
mine has been. If saved, I am a brand plucked out of
the burning.
P. But you have always maintained a good moral
character, have you not? How then can you look upon
yourself as the chief of sinners?
I. God has indeed kept me back from open and scandalous sins, and I was ready to thank him that I was
not as other men are, "extortioners, unjust," and the
like; but Oh, this wicked, deceitful heart I This is what
God looks at; and who ever had one more deceitful and
wicked than mine?
P. I think you take the right view of the matter,
and I have been greatly interested in this conversation.
If God has "made you willing in the day of his power,"
it is certainly an act of free and sovereign grace; and
let him have all the glory. If he has "begun a good
work in you," he will carry it on "until the day of Jesus
Christ." But, my dear young friend, it is a great thing
to "pass from death unto life;" and the change in your
views and feelings is so recent, that it is difficult to say
how much reliance is to be placed upon them. You want
time for reflection, prayer, reading the Scriptures, and
self-examination. You cannot tell how you may feel a
few days hence.  Time alone can decide the question.
It is infinitely more important that you should build
upon the right foundation, than that you should be numbered or count yourself at once with the young converts.
CONVERSATION IX.
PASTOR. Understanding from one of your classmates
that you have expressed some interest in the revival, I
have called this morning to converse with you on the
subject.
449 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
STUDENT. It is true I have thought more about religion of late than usual, and for two or three days have
felt extremely uneasy. There is so much said about it,
and so much praying in every college entry, that I have
serious thoughts of asking leave of absence for a few
days, till the excitement is over.
P. Ask leave of absence I you astonish me. How
dare you "flee from the presence of the Lord" at such a
time as this? Nothing should induce you to think of it
for a moment. It would be turning your back on heaven, and might land you for ever beyond the reach of hope.
There cannot be greater madness than for a sinner to
run away from a revival, either through fear of being
awakened, or to throw off conviction. Many have done
it, and thus lost their golden opportunity; and where
are they? It argues infinitely greater infatuation for a
sinner to withdraw from the midst of a genuine revival,
for fear of being brought under its influence, than it
would for an inmate of a hospital, with all the livid
spots of a malignant plague upon him, to flee from it
at the very time when a physician of preeminent skill
was going from ward to ward and curing all who would
submit to his prescriptions.
S. I do not know that I shall leave at present; but
I acknowledge that I am afraid of so much excitement.
It seems to me there is great dnger-that many will
get false hopes, who, if they would look at the subject
calmly and rationally, might ultimately become Christians.
P. Will you explain yourself?  The term excitement
is so indefinite, that I do not know exactly what you
mean. Have you noticed any thing like extravagance
or enthusiasm in any of our meetings or elsewhere
among the students?  Do you hear any vociferous appeals to the passions from -our preachers-any thing
450 
FEAR OF EXCITEMENT.
that is calculated to make fanatics, or to encourage false
hopes?
S. You do not quite understand me. I have no fault
to find on that score. Perhaps there is as little to object
to in this revival as any other. But then, you know,
there is a great deal of feeling. Religion is the allabsorbing topic. One half the students can neither talk
nor think of any thing else.
P. You are quite mistaken on one point, at least.
The recitations are, upon an average, as good as they
were before the revival began, and the attention on college exercises is better.
S. Still, my classmates and others all around me are
excited, and I am getting excited also. The safest way
therefore, I think, is to stand still and wait till the agitation subsides. When every thing becomes quiet again
in college, and I feel perfectly calm myself, I intend deliberately to take up the subject of religion as a rational
thing, and become a Christian.
P. Oh, my young friend, how can you deceive yourself in this manner I You would pronounce any man
insane who should reason on secular subjects as you do
upon this. You have felt interested, excited as you say;
and instead of "fleeing from the wrath to come," you
are going to "quench.the Spirit," and wait till you become perfectly uninterested, perfectly stupid -again; and
after that, when the Holy Spirit is gone, and you have
no feeling, and there is a dead calm all around, you
intend to do-what?  Why, to "think on your ways,"
to repent of your sins, and flee to the ark of safety.
Was any thing ever more preposterous?
451 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
CONVERSATION X.
PASTOR. As it is a time of great religious interest,
and I do not see you either in the lecture or inquiry
room, I have felt it my duty to call and urge you to improve the golden opportunity while it lasts. Soon, I am
afraid, your unavailing and bitter cry will be, "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved."
STUDENT. It is very kind in you to visit me. I wish I
could become a Christian, but it is impossible.
P. What evidence have you that it is impossible?
Many others are pressing into the kingdom of heaven,
and why may not you?
S. Mine is a very peculiar case. I have passed
through several revivals, and have tried over and over
again to repent, but could not. I formed a thousand
good resolutions, but they all came to nothing, and each
failure-left me more callous than I was before. I am
sure I want to be saved, but I dare not take up the subject again. I dare not attend the meetings, for fear my
distress will return, and I am sure it will do no good.
P. Who has told you that it will do no good? Is
God a hard master? Is he insincere when he says, "Let
the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts, and let him return unto the6 Lord, who will
have mercy upon him?" Is it God that hinders you?
Is it Jesus Christ who died for you? Or is it your own
wicked heart?
S. Whatever the hinderance may be, I despair of
ever overcoming it. Having been baffled so often, I
have concluded not to try any more, especially as I
have once been deceived and embraced a false hope. If
I try again, I shall at best be deceived just as I was
before. I know that by sitting down and doing noth
452 
FORMER FALSE HOPE.
ing, I shall be lost; and so I shall, do what I will. Let
me then enjoy the present as well as I can, and think as
little of the future as possible.
P. Oh, my young friend, you do not know how much
you alarm and distress me. You talk as if you were
absolutely beside yourself. Because you have repeatedly tried to escape from the greatest of all dangers,
and have failed, you will make no further efforts. Just
think of it. Suppose you was in a burning house, and
had tried once, twice, or even ten times to escape, and
had been as often driven back by the flames, would you
give over? Would you not again and again rush towards the door or window, as long as life and breath
remained? I know you would, and so would every
other man in like circumstances.
Oh, N, "madness" is certainly "in your heart."
I seem to see you sitting with perfect unconcern upon
a sand-bank which a raging torrent is every moment
washing from beneath your feet. Alarmed at the danger, I call upon you to make for the shore instantly,
and your cool answer is, "I have tried more than once
already, and beg you will not disturb me." Others
gather anxiously around; a rope is thrown within your
reach, and you are earnestly entreated to seize it while
you may; but no, you will not put forth a finger. It
would be the second or third trial to save yourself, and
you will not make it. Nay, I am doing you great injustice by these suppositions. You are not so indifferent
to the preservation of your life. I see you straining
every nerve up to the hundredth trial.
But when I point you to the ark of safety which is
floating by, and urge you to enter the open door, you
coolly reply, that having made several attempts and
failed, you have resolved to stay where you are and
take your chance with the world of the ungodly.  When
453
i. 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
I warn you to flee from the wrath to come, and assure
you that Christ stands with open arms to receive you,
your answer is, that having more than once tried to flee,
you dare not try again, lest you should be equally unsuccessful. I come to you in the midst of this glorious
revival, and entreat you to put yourself in the way of
receiving the blessing; but cannot persuade you to do
any thing, because when you have been awakened in
times past, you have quenched the Spirit, and said unto
God, "Depart from me; I desire not the knowledge of
thy ways." Your poor body you would do any thing,
every thing to save, upon the barest possibility; but you
will not make one effort more to save your deathless
soul. If this is not infatuation, tell me by what other
word I can express it.
CONVERSATION XI.
PASTOR. (In the inquiry room.) Are you not almost
tired of attending these meetings? If I mistake not,
you were present the first evening we met after the revisal began, and though three months or more have elapsed, I am not aware that you have ever been absent.
INQUIRE. No, sir; I resolved from the beginning that
I would attend all the meetings-th  would seek till
I found, if there was any such thing.
P. How, my dear young friend, have you sought, and
what progress have you made?  Is there any change in
your feelings since I saw you last?
I. I do not know that there is; I am almost discouraged; still I cannot bear to give it up.
P. I am discouraged too.  It seems to me your case
is, I will not say hopeless, but it certainly is exceedingly
critical. I have conversed with you so much, and gone
454 
RESOLUTIONS FUTILE.
over the whole ground so often, both in the inquiry room
and in more extended interviews elsewhere, that I really
do not know what more to say. I cannot advise you to
stay away from the meetings; and yet my heart sinks
within me every time I see you.  You have held out so
long against God's most reasonable claims, that I am
afraid you will never yield to them. Going on as you
have done, if your life were to be protracted a hundred
years, and you were to attend some religious meeting
every day and every night, you would be no nearer the
kingdom of heaven than you are now. I cannot-see that
you have advanced a single step for the last two months;
and I believe you do not yourself think you have; but
you/e you shall. When?  The probability is growing
less and less every day.
CONVERSATION XII.
PASTOR. When I saw you last, you expressed a full
determination not to linger any longer, but to flee to
the ark of safety as soon as possible. Have you kept
your resolution?
IxQumEL I do not know how to answer you. I am
sure I was sincere. I did intend to repent and give my
heart to God, and fixed the time.  But-t as, when it
came, I was not quite ready; and so it has been with
me over and over again.  What shall I do?  My best
resolutions vanish like a vapor, and come to nothing.
P. The grand adversary, I fear, understands but too
well how to manage you. He does not try to persuade
you to give up the subject at once, and think no more
about it, for that he knows would alarm you, and you
might break the snare and escape. He is too subtle for
that.  He cares not how many good resolutions you form,
455 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
if you do not keep them. You may, with his full consent, "resolve and reresolve," provided only you "die
the same." And let me tell you, that in the very nature
of the case, you never will, you never can repent, so long
as you are resolving to do it at some future time. If
you resolve ever so sincerely to repent to-rrow, it settles the point that you will not repent to-night. You will
certainly put it off; and when to-morrow comes, you
will almost as certainly defer it to a more "convenient
season." It is the remark of an old divine, that "hell is
paved with good resolutions." The prodigal son could
not remain starving upon husks another day or hour,
after he came to himself. No sooner was his resolution
taken, than it was executed. "I will arise and go to
my father," not tomorrow, but immediately; and he
went, and was received as a penitent child. You must
do as he did; not resolve that you will return by and by,
but return at once.  Every moment's delay is a moment
of danger and sin.
CONVERSATION XIII.
PASrOR. I hope, my young friend, you are no longer
"halting between two opinions," as I found you last
week.  Soon will the "harvest be pasand the summer
ended." If you continue to hesitate and linger, and
finally "return again to folly," the revival will leave
you more callous than it found you; and should you
perish after what you have witnessed and felt, your
condemnation will be more aggravated than it would
have been had you never enjoyed these high privileges.
INQUmER. I am aware of it, and would that I had
never enjoyed them.
P. You make me shudder.  Have you then no thanks
456 
FEAR OF AGGRAVATED DOOM.
to render that the "kingdom of God is thus brought nigh
unto you?" Does infinite tenderness and mercy deserve
such a return from one who is ready to perish?
I. How can I be thankful for that which does me no
good, but may sink me in darker despair for ever?
P. Whose fault is it, if, when the bread of life is freely offered, you will not take itif, when the waters of
salvation flow at your feet, you will not stoop down and
drink if, when the blessed Saviour comes to the door
and knocks, you will not let him in? It certainly will
aggravate your final condemnation, that you have been
thus exalted to heaven, if you remain impenitent. "Unto
whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required."
You wish you had never enjoyed such religious privileges. The wish comes too late. You have enjoyed
them, and can never place yourself back where you was
before.  You can hereafter, if you choose, throw away
your Bible, and forsake the house of God; or if you do
not, you can stop your ears and harden your heart under the means of grace; or you can flee away to some
remote region of darkness, where there is no Sabbath
and no preaching. You can go and live among the heathen, and die with them. But still it will remain true
that you was born of Christian parents, that you received a religious education, and that you passed through
this great revival. It is all recorded in "the book of
remembrance;" and your regrets can no more alter the
record, than they can blot out your existence. There is
no way for you ever to be placed on the same level with
those who never enjoyed the gospel, and never witnessed a revival. If you do not repent of sin and believe in
Christ, it will be more tolerable for them in the day of
judgment, than for you.
Rev. Sketches.
457
20 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
CONVERSATION XIV.
PASTOR. I have just been conversing with some of
your family, Mr. A, who feel a lively interest in the
present revival; and if you have a few moments to
spare, I should esteem it a favor to talk a little with
you. I have always regarded you as among the best
friends I have in the congregation, and you are one of
my constant hearers on the Sabbath; but I am not
aware that you have felt any particular interest in the
work of the Lord which he is now carrying on, not only
in this place, but in all the towns around us. Many of
your neighbors are pressing into the kingdom of heaven.
"Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation,"
and I am anxious to see you also " striving to enter in
at the strait gate."
PARISHIONER. I am afraid that many of them are too
fast. They get their hopes too quick and too easy.
They act as if they could do all the work themselves,
and repent just when they pleased. The good old doc trine of dependance and divine efficiency under which I
was brought up, seems to be going out of fashion. Sin ners nowadays change their own hearts, or at least
think they do. It was not so when I was young. They
were under concern for weeks or months, waiting for
God to renew them. I am for giving all the glory to
God. He is an absolute Sovereign. His time is the
best time, and I know of no other way but to wait and
* hope for his salvation.
P. While it is impossible to ascribe too much glory
to God for his immediate and omnipotent agency in the
conversion of sinners, we must beware how we presume
upon his mercy while we fold our arms in indifference.
Who ever entered in at the strait gate without striving?
458 
SUDDEN HOPES.
While others are asking what they must do to be saved,
and a "new song is put into their mouths," you congratulate yourself upon being more deliberate. You are
afraid they are too fast, and so you sit perfectly still.
You are afraid they are getting false hopes, and so rest
contented without any hope at all. When called upon
to give yourself to Christ, you take shelter under sovereignty and efficiency, and persuade yourself that you
are honoring God by waiting for him to come and do
what he has commanded you to do.
PAR. How can I do any thing till God gives me
strength? Have I not heard you say a hundred times
in the pulpit, that regeneration is the work of God, and
that he alone changes the heart?
P. I dare say you have; but is this all that I have
said? Have I not always urged upon sinners the duty
of immediate repentance and faith, and insisted that
there is no obstacle in the way but a wicked and impenitent heart, which is so far from constituting a reasonable excuse, that it is the very thing for which the sinner
will be condemned?
There is not, my friend, I will venture to say, one
solitary text from Genesis to Revelation, which justifies
you in resting in impenitence for God to awaken and
give you a new heart. Your great error lies in supposing that you honor God by laying so much stress upon
the riches of his grace, as to excuse you in your present
indifference and unbelief. You are afraid to "flee from
the wrath to come, and lay hold on eternal life;" you
are afraid to do any thing, lest you should dishonor God
by taking the work into your own hands. How strange I
You are living in habitual disobedience to every command of God addressed to the impenitent, and you act
upon calculation and principle, so that if you are ever
converted, the whole universe may acknowledge it to be
469 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
by the mighty power of God. How preposterous I What
amazing presumption I
I tremble for you, my respected friend, as I never did
before. Here you are in the midst of a great revival,
blessing yourself that you are not carried away by impulses, that you are a firm believer in divine sovereignty
and irresistible grace, and all the hard doctrines which
many who call themselves Christians reject. And this,
my dear sir, is your religion. You have no other, and
you do not yourself think it will save you. You hope
that God in his own good time will convert you; Oh,
how deceitful above all things is the human heart I You
have been waiting now thirty or forty years for God to
come and save you, and have no doubt for the most part
kept your conscience quiet by persuading yourself that
you was honoring him by entertaining such high thoughts
of his sole prerogative in the work of regeneration. How
much longer will it do for you to wait? Like myself you
are growing old. Grey hairs are here and there upon
you. Death cannot be very far off.-it may be very
near. And if God should not awaken and regenerate
you, wrapt up as you are in false security, will you console yourself at the close of life with the reflection, that
you have waited patiently for him all your days, and
that it is not your fault if you die impenitent?
CONVERSATION XV.
PASTOR. You must have noticed, Mr. N, that there
is a great change of late in the aspect of our congrega tion on the Sabbath, and that religion is the leading
topic of conversation among the people in their daily
intercourse. May I ask what you think of it?
PARISHIONER. I hardly know what to think. I hope
460 
PROFESSORS INCONSISTENT.
some good will come of it, if it lasts; but there is one
great obstacle in the way of my being benefited by it.
P. I am very sorry for that. Will you have the goodness to explain yourself?
PAR. Why, to be perfectly frank, then, I see so much
inconsistency in the members of your church, that it
stumbles me exceedingly, and I know of others who feel
just as I do. If I were a professor, I think I should try
to live up to it.
P. Then you believe there is such a thing as true
religion?
PAR. Certainly I do, and that all who profess it ought
to adorn their profession.
P. Do you look upon yourself as a Christian? We
have long been looking for your assistance on the side
of religion.
PAR. I do not think I have ever experienced that
great change of which you speak so often in your discourses.
P. Do you believe you can go to heaven without it?
PAR. I fear not; and if professors knew what stumbling-blocks they are in the way of sinners, I am sure
they would not give the world so much occasion as they
often do to suspect their sincerity.
P. I cannot stop to debate the question whether
they are sincere or not.  But, my dear sir, suppose the
worst you can possibly imagine-suppose half the members of our church were rank hypocrites; would that
excuse you from the duty of immediate repentance? Do
not, I beseech you, live any longer upon the real or sup
posed faults of professors of religion.  It is poor fare for
a soul that is famishing, and ready to perish.  We read
of those in the Bible who "eat up the sins of God's people as they eat bread;" but we never read of their being
nourished by it.
461
as 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
God, my dear sir, has not set you to watch his church
to see how many "motes," or even "beams," you can find
in it. But he has given you a deathless spirit to care
for; and if you do not "give all diligence," it will be lost.
Many who are in the church may perish; I fear they
will, but that is not the question for you to settle. Were
the whole world to perish with you, that would not assuage the pangs of the second death. Let who will go
down to the pit, be entreated to flee from it, and lay hold
of everlasting life.
CONVERSATION XVI.
PASTOR. Good morning, my young friend; how do
you do?
INQURER. Oh, I am in very deep trouble, and have
come to you again as the last resort. I have read the
Bible a great deal for the last ten days, but it gives me
no light nor relief. I have attended all the meetings,
but it does me no good. I have prayed and prayed, and
prayed again, but God will not hear me. I have tried
to repent and cannot. I have fully resolved to give my
heart to God, but it will not yield to him. I would give
the world if I could come to Christ and be washed in
his atoning blood, but my efforts are all in vain. I cannot move a step further.
P. And so you have come to me, who am but a poor
feeble, sinful worm, as the last resort. But what can I do?
I cannot take you out of God's hands if I would, and I
would not if I could. His claims are perfectly just and
reasonable. His law, which you have broken, and which
condemns you, is a good law. He requires nothing of you
but what would be perfectly easy, if your stubborn heart
did not stand in the way. This is a great obstacle I admit; but it is voluntary, it is criminal. It is just like
462 
CLINGING TO A FALSE HOPE.
the obstacle which hinders a disobedient child from submitting to the authority of his father. He is so stubborn
that he will not. And what would you think were he to
say, "I wish I could submit, but I cannot bend my obstinate will?"  Cannot! you would reply; what sort of
cannot is this?
You have come to me as the last resort! Then you are a
lost man, for I cannot help you.  Oh that I could persuade you to go to Him who is mighty to save, and who
is as ready as he is able "to save to the uttermost"
all who come to him. If you want instruction, I am
most happy to give it to the full extent of my ability;
but what can I say more than I have said, both in sermons and conversation? The case lies in a very narrow
compass. You are a sinner. The law condemns you.
You cannot deliver yourself from its awful curse. But
Jesus Christ can deliver you. He came down from heaven "to seek and to save that which was lost." In dying
on the cross, "he gave himself a ransom for all." He invites you to come just as you are, and receive the rich
and free salvation of the gospel. He bids you come and
"buy wine and milk without money and without price."
You are a prodigal son, and he invites you back with all
the tenderness of a father. Will you return-will you
come and wash in the fountain which infinite love has
opened for sin and for uncleanness-will you accept of
salvation at the hand of a bleeding, dying, risen, and
glorified Saviour? Will you; will you? I can say no
more, I can make the terms no easier, I cannot help you.
[Inquirer withdraws in silence and great depression.]
CONVERSATION XVII.
PASTOR. At our last interview you spoke of a decided
change in your feelings, though you could not then de
463 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
termine what it was. You was beginning to indulge
what you called a trembling hope. Do you still retain
it; and if so, does it grow stronger or weaker?
INQRumER. I cannot say that my evidences are much, if
any, clearer than they were at that time. They certainly
are not so clear as I wish they were; but still, I would
not give up what little hope I have for the world.
P. I do not know that I understand you. I suppose,
when you speak of your hope as weak and trembling,
your meaning is, that you are afraid it is not well-grounded-that although your feelings are changed, and at
times you have some evidence of having "passed from
death unto life," still you have many doubts and fears.
Is this your meaning?
I. It is; I feel a great part of the time as if I had
very little if any reason to hope.
P. And yet you would not give up wiat little hope you
have for the world? Surely, if it is a false hope, you ought
not to keep it for the world. The sooner such a hope is
renounced the better. It is infinitely dangerous to cling
to it.
I. But what shall I do? I cannot think of going back
again into the wilderness, and commencing anew. I
should be the most wretched being in the world if I
were entirely to give up my present hope.
P. I do not undertake to decide whether your hope
is good or bad, sound or unsound. I only say that nothing is so dangerous as a false hope, and that you ought
not to rest satisfied in your present state of doubt and
uncertainty for a single hour. However painful it may
be to find by careful self-examination that you have been
deceived, it is infinitely worse to settle down upon a
sandy foundation.
If a sinner who has embraced a false hope could
never by throwing it away obtain a good one, his case
464 
TRUE TESTS.
would be deplorable indeed. But blessed be God, this
is not the alternative. He may still flee to the stronghold. He may build again, and build upon the right
foundation.   He may repent, he may believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, he may embrace the offers of mercy,
and be saved. Many have given up their old hopes as
unsound and baseless, and have exchanged them. for
that good hope, "which is as an anchor to the soul both
sure and steadfast."
Do not, I pray you, my friend, cling as it were with
a death grasp to a hope which, according to your own
acknowledgment, is very unsatisfactory. No man would
sit down quietly, if his estate was in like jeopardy.
Search the Scriptures. Examine your title. Look well
to your foundation.  Dig deep.  Be thorough and honest in the whole process, and if you find your hope
brightened, strengthened, and confirmed, bless God for
it. But if it will not bear the test, renounce it, and
never rest till you obtain one that will. Many, I fear,
have perished in their sins, because they world not for
the world give up what little hope they had.
CONVERSATION XVIII.
PASTOR. Do yOU think, my young friend, that you
have given your heart to God?
INQUIRER. I hardly know what to think, and have
come to you for instruction and advice. I dread, more
than death itself, the thought of settling down upon a
false hope.
P. Then you have some hope; and it is indeed infinitely important that it should be "a good hope." How
did you obtain it? Will you give me a short account of
your religious feelings and exercises?
20*
465 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
L For some time after the revival commenced, I was
more careless and hardened than ever. I felt a strong
aversion to religion, and did not wish to hear any thing
on the subject. Strange as it may seem to you, I was
unwilling that others should attend to jit; and my heart
rose against God for passing me by and awakening
tbem, at the same time that I was prepared to resist
every influence upon my own heart. At length my
attention was arrested; I do not know how. I became
anxious; and soon began, in spite of the pride and stout ness of my heart, to feel4that I was a sinner.
I tried to shake it off; but in vain. The law of God
thundered not only in my ear, but in my conscience.
Every sermon that I heard made me feel worse. I saw
that it was my duty to repent, to love God, and to consecrate myself to his service. But instead of yielding,
my heart grew more and more obstinate. Nothing could
move it; neither love nor fear-neither the law nor the
gospel. I saw that I was justly condemned, and that
christ was the only deliverer. In this extremity, I tried
to make terms with God. I would repent and yield to
him, if he would save me. I was ready to buy salvation
at any price; but not to accept of it as a free, unmerited
Thus did I struggle like a wild bull in a net, till I
had no more strength left. I was in the hands of a holy
God, who would not relax his claims; and I saw at last,
that it would be just if he were to cast me off for ever.
This brought me to the brink of despair. I knew not
which way to turn. I could not remain where I was-I
dared not go back, and I could not go forward. Here
the thought came into my mind, "I will cast myself
upon the mercy of God; and if I perish, I perish."
I know not how or why it was; but from that hour
I felt calm. I might be lost; it seemed probable that I
466 
TRUE TESTS.
should be. But God was right; his character was glorious; all nature was praising him; the plan of salvation was wonderful-was full of love and mercy: why
had I not seen and embraced it before?  Christ was
precious. My hard heart seemed to be melted, and my
lips were opened in praise. About this time a gleam of
hope dawned upon my souL  Could it be all a dream, or
a delusion? It did seem to me that if I loved any thing,
I loved God, and loved the Saviour, and loved Christians, and loved to pray.
P. You represent your heart as having been very
hard and obstinate at the beginning of the revival. Do
you think it was totally depraved?
L I am sure it was, if there is any such thing as
total depravity.
P. What, had you no love to God at all?
I. None; not in the least. My heart was full of enmity to Him and his cause.
P. How then came you to take up the subject?
I. It was the Spirit of God that awakened me. I am
sure nothing else could have arrested my attention.
P. Do you mean to say that there was a special, divine influence upon your mind, different from what you
had ever experienced before?
I. I have no doubt of it. There must have been; for
I have heard the same kind of preaching for years without being moved at all. Though the last revival was
more general and powerful than this has been, and
though I saw and heard more than I have now to excite
me, I remained through the whole of it almost as stupid
as the beasts that perish.
P. I infer, from your saying your heart was totally
depraved, that you believe in the necessity of regeneration.
I. Ido.
467 
REVIYAL MANUAL.
P. And you hope your own heart has been renewed?
I. I have a gleam of hope, as I remarked in the beginning of our conversation; but my heart is so deceitful that I am afraid to trust it.
P. Then you obeyed the command of God and made
yourself a new heart, did you not?
I. No sir; I never obeyed any of his commands, till
he made me willing in the day of his power. If I have
a new heart, he gave it to me. It seems to me that passage in the thirty-first chapter of Jeremiah, which I was
reading this morning, suits my case exactly: "Surely,
after that I was turned I repented, and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh." If I have any reason
to hope, I ascribe it entirely to the free grace of God,
from beginning to end. I was going down the broad
way as fast as I could, when he arrested me; and if I
am saved, all the glory belongs to him.
P. These are views which it is safe for you to cherish. But you have a great deal yet to learn. Search
the Scriptures. Be much in prayer to God for the illumination of his Spirit. If he has given you a new heart,
and you consecrate it to his service, He will give you
more light, and clearer evidence of your adoption.
CONVERSATION XIX.
PASTOR. I am glad to meet you this morning, Mr.
L. We are going to have a meeting in your neighborhlood this evening, and I hope you will attend it.
CAVILLER. What good will it do me, if I should?
P. That will depend in a great measure upon yourself. If you go with a sincere desire to hear the truth,
and treasure it up in a good and honest heart, it will do
you good.
C. I like your preaching pretty well when I happen
468 
DIFFICULTIES.
to hear it, which, you know, is not very often, and perhaps, if not otherwise engaged, I may comply with your
invitation; but there are some of your doctrines which
I do not believe.
P. I am very sorry for that, if they are true, as I
think they are or I should not preach them. But will
you be so kind as to specify some of them.
C. Why, depravity, for instance. I don't believe
that all mankind are totally depraved.
P. You do n't? I thought you did. I am quite sure
I have heard you say very lately, and with a good deal
of emphasis too, that all the world is a cheat; that you
can trust nobody, and that the longer you live the worse
opinion you have of human nature. This is carrying
the matter further than I do. I do not think all men
would overreach and defraud you, if they had the opportunity. On the contrary, I believe there is a great deal
of honesty in the world, though I at the same time believe that all men are by nature entirely destitute of
holiness, and that, in the language of Scripture, "the
carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject
to his law, neither indeed can be." You believe that
we are all sinners, that we ought to repent of sin, and
that we need pardon through Christ; do you not?
C. Undoubtedly.
P. Will you allow me then tenderly to ask, Have yo7,
repented; have you obtained the pardon of your sins, so
that if you were to die the next hour, it would be well
with you? Whether you are totally depraved or not,
you are certainly so much depraved that you cannot be
saved without repentance and forgiveness. A millstone
of a hundred pounds will as certainly sink a man in the
depths of the sea as one of a thousand.
C. Well, but you hold to the necessity of regeneration,
as well as to repentance. You say that our hearts must
469 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
be changed by the Spirit of God, or we cannot be saved.
Now, I do not believe that any such divine agency is
necessary. We are not machines to be acted upon. We
are free moral agents. Any man can repent and turn to
God when he pleases, and this, I hold, is all the change
of heart that is necessary. My Bible reads, "Awake,
thou that sleepest, and rise from the dead." And again,
if I am not mistaken, "Make you a new heart and a new
spirit; for why will ye die?"
P. My Bible reads just so too. And by the way, you
do believe in total depravity as I hold it, after all. For
how can a sinner rise from the dead, if he is not dead,
but only sick, very sick if you please? Or what need
can there be of his making himself a new heart, if his
old heart is not entirely bad?  But let this pass.  If
you will betake yourself to the task in earnest, if you
will awake and rise from the dead by your own power,
if you will at once make yourself a new heart, as you
are certainly bound to do, I certainly shall not object.
What I earnestly desire is, to see you a sincere and
devoted Christian. Give your heart to God without
waiting a moment for him to make you willing. This
is what you ought to do. "Repent and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out." This is your immediate duty.
CONVERSATION XX.
INQUIRER. Availing myself of your kind invitation so
often given from the pulpit, I have called this evening
to ask a few questions, and get your views in regard to
several points on which I need instruction.
PASTOR. 1 am very happy to see you. Will you propose your questions?
I. You have often spoken during the revival of the
470 
SELF-EXAMINATION.
distress of awakened sinners under genuine conviction,
in view of their guilt and danger. I have for some time
been indulging a trembling hope that I have passed
from death unto life; but I must relinquish it if none
can be converted without such distressing antecedent
convictions, for I have never experienced them. Do
you think that all who are brought to Christ must pass
through these deep waters?
P. I do not. On this point my own observation coincides with what I understand to be the true scriptural
view of the subject. "There are diversities of operations, but the same Spirit who worketh all in all." A
great many are overwhelmed with a sense of their guilt
and danger. Their sins stare them in the face. The
law, which "worketh death," thunders so loudly in their
ears that they can hear nothing else. This appears to
have been the case with the three thousand on the day
of Pentecost. They were "pricked in their hearts," and
cried out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" This
was the case with Saul of Tarsus. Being arrested by
the Lord Jesus on his journey to Damascus, he continued
three days in such extreme mental anguish that he neither ate nor drank. Before this, he "was alive without
the law; but when the commandment came, sin revived,
and he died."  So the astonished and convicted jailor at
Philippi "sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down
before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, what must I do to
be saved?" I know it is often said that these were
extraordinary cases; but I have myself witnessed many
very much like them, as every pastor must have done
who has been much conversant with powerful religious
revivals.
On the other hand, the Spirit sometimes moves so
gently and sweetly on the sinner's heart, that he passes
through the new birth with scarcely any consciousness
411 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
of its pangs. Zaccheus the publican seems to have
been of this number. Attracted by curiosity to see the
Saviour, he runs before the crowd and climbs a sycamore-tree, that he may get a better view of him than he
could from the ground, being "little of stature." "And
when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said,
Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for to-day I must
abide at thy house. And he made haste and came down,
and received him joyfully." A few analogous cases have
fallen under my own observation. Individuals becoming
interested in the revival, have almost immediately come
out "rejoicing in hope;" and some of them have worn
well-they have lived like Christians, and died in peace.
I have noticed, however, that where "the work of the
law" does not precede conversion, it is very apt to follow it. He who does not see much of the plague of his
own heart before he passes from death unto life, will ere
long find himself constrained to cry out with the apostle, "0 wretched man that I am I who shall deliver me
from the body-of this death?"
My own view of the matter is this. Where the doctrines of the gospel are distinguishingly and faithfully
preached, sinners are generally slain by the law, before
they find joy and peace in believing. But I do not feel
authorized to say that this is always the case.  "The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou canst not tell
whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth; so is every one
that is born of the Spirit." But whether the degree of
conviction and distress be great or comparatively small
before conversion, the sinner must see and feel enough
of his guilt to repent, and of his need of a Saviour to
embrace him.
Your main difficulty, if I understand it, is that you
have experienced so little distress in view of your sinfulness and danger.
412 
SELF-EXAMINATION.
I. It is. When I converse with others, and hear
them tell into what straits they were brought before
they found peace; how their hearts rose against God,
and how they trembled in view of his power and justice,
I am afraid my hope is not well founded, for I am sure
I have not had such experience.
P. The question is not how much or how little distress you may have experienced. Many a sinner has
been awakened, without being converted. Conviction,
however clear or long continued, is not regeneration.
Some "quench the Spirit," and "draw back unto perdition," after painful and protracted struggles; while
others, "drawn by cords of love," "hold on their way,
and wax stronger and stronger." Whereas you was
once blind, do you now see? The true question is, Are
you in the ark of safety? not whether you came in just
as others do. If you love God; if you delight in his
law after the inner man; if you truly and heartily repent of all your sins; if Christ is precious to you, and
you believe on him, and trust in him as "all your salvation and all your desire," you need not distrust your
hope because you may not have had so much distress as
is common, but should rather "give all diligence to make
your calling and election sure."
I. There is another thing which sometimes leads me
to distrust my hope. Some of the young converts can
tell the hour when they were brought out; but I cannot
tell the day, the week, nor even the month. The light,
if it shines in my heart at all, broke in so gradually that
I know not when it first began to dawn. If I could
give the date and place and circumstances of my conversion, I should feel much more sure than I do now.
P. This is a point on which I lay very little stress,
one way or the other, in examining candidates for admission to the church. Some converts are undoubtedly able
473 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
to specify the time when God "brought them out of
darkness into marvellous light." All the circumstances
are and for ever will be fresh in their recollection. Zaccheus, the jailor, and most of the "three thousand" were
evidently of this number.
But so far as my inquiries have extended, a very
large majority of those who adorn the Christian profession cannot tell when they gave their hearts to God.
They can say with happy Bartimeus, "Whereas we were
blind, now we see;" but cannot be confident as to the
precise time when the first ray of light broke in. In
judging of the spiritual state of inquirers, I have often
been disappointed both ways. Some who came out remarkably clear, and could name the day and hour of
their conversion, have not only "lost their first love,"
but at length given up their hope, and returned like
"the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the
mire." On the contrary, some who are extremely distrustful of themselves at first, and cannot date their
hope, gradually wax "strong in the Lord and in the
power of his might." It is delightful to watch their
progress, and see how their path, as the shining light,
"shineth more and more unto the perfect day."  "By their
fruits shall ye know them." It is by leading a humble,
devoted, and prayerful Christian life, that one gains, and
gives, the best evidence that he has been born again.
I. I do not know what to think of myself, and I fear
I never shall. If I had not lived so carelessly the greater part of my life, I should sometimes think, that if ever
my heart was changed, it must have been in early childhood. I can recollect some of my feelings then, which
were as much like love to God and love to Christ as
any I have had since, if not more. Is it your opinion
that any are converted so early that they cannot remember
the time when they began to love the Saviour?
474 
SELF-EXAMINATION.
P. I think there are some such, and that as the millennium approaches, there will be many more. The testimony of Scripture seems not only to favor this belief,
but to require it. The prophet Jeremiah was called and
sanctified from the womb. So was John the Baptist.
There can be little doubt that Joseph and Moses and
Samuel and Daniel and Josiah were all converted in
early childhood; and almost every pastor must have
found individuals among his flock, giving evidence that
they were converted to God in their early days. Whether, if you are a Christian, you was brought in at an
earlier or later date, I do not pretend to decide; but I
fully believe, not only that all infants need to be born
again, but as I have just said, that some who afterwards shine as lights in the world are thus early renewed by the Spirit.
I. Do you think the first holy exercises after regeneration are in all cases alike?
P. By no means. No two cases probably are exactly
alike. I have found a great diversity in the experience
of those with whom I have conversed. One first rejoices in the love of Christ. Another is overwhelmed
with shame and contrition in view of his base ingratitude. Another breaks out in admiration of the infinite
holiness of God, and the reasonableness and purity of
his law. One wakes up, as it were, in a new worldthe sun shines brighter than it ever did before, the earth
looks lovelier, and all nature seems to be praising God.
Another has found a new Bible; another feels his heart
drawn out in love to the church, and another in compassion for impenitent sinners. For these and other diversities of views and exercises when men are first renewed, we cannot perhaps fully account, but I apprehend
they may be partly explained in this way. The thoughts
of different persons are directed to different objects and
475 
REVIVAL MANUAL.
truths at the time of their conversion., One is thinking
of the goodness of God, another of the holiness of his
law, another of the death of Christ, and so on; and the
heart of each is naturally drawn out first towards the
object then in view. It is love; or it is repentance, or
it is faith; and then other holy exercises follow, one
after another, as the appropriate objects are presented
to the mind.
I. I thank you for the indulgence you have granted
me, and hope'I shall profit by your instructions. On
some points which were not clear to my mind, I feel
relieved. Allow me to ask a continued interest in your
prayers, that I may not be deceived but be led into all
truth.
P. "Examine yourself whether you are in the faith,"
not so much when or where you first embraced Christ, as
whether you have truly embraced him. Compare your
feelings and exercises with the Bible-with the tests
which you will there find, both in the Old Testament
and the New, in the law and the prophets, in the teachings of Christ and his inspired apostles. Pray for the
teaching of the Holy Spirit, yield your whole heart and
soul to God, and he will guide you by his counsel, and
afterwards receive you to glory.
476 
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