gion was the theme of converfa defpifed. This providence was I tion. Profeffing Chriftians con- believe generally received by the feffed with tears their fhort com- youth as an admonition from heavings, in duty and the wound the en. They gave up their vain bleffed Redeemer had here receiv-amufements, crouded to conferenedinthe house of his friends. They ces and lectures, and a goodly looked back with grief and won-number of them have, as we charder upon themselves and melted itably hope, been brought from with contrition before God.- darkness to light. It was indeed The aged and the young were a glorious feafon; a season which agreed in faying," It was never will long be remembered by many fo feen in our Ifrael." The call precious fouls, as the time of their for religious inftruction was now efpoufals to Chrift. fo great that it became necessary befides the lectures to establish conferences, which were attended by numbers with great seriousness and profit. At the clofe of the year, I found the number of persons serioufly impreffed to be about 7014 of this number belonged to the Epifcopal fociety, but as they had not conftant preaching in their own church, they generally attended with us. Some had already obtained a hope of cordial reconciliation to God through Jefus Chrift, but many others refufed to fubmit themselves to Chrift on the terms of the gofpel. To the number above mentioned who appeared to be under great distress of mind, may probably be added many others who were more or lefs alarmed, as there was an almoft general appearance of ferioufnefs and alarm throughout the fociety. As feveral of the firft cafes of conviction were among the youth, a ferious oppofition was on the eve of commencing among fome of the young people, who objected to the religious attention of their companions as calculated to deftroy their amufements. On thefe they were bent: take thefe away, they could almost fay with Micah, "Ye have taken away my Gods, and what have I more?" A merciful God interpofed and taught them that the work was his own. They wifely and prudently defifted, that they might not be found fighting against God. One young man, on the appearance of religious concern among the youth, began profanely to ridicule thofe who were under diftrefs of mind. In the midft of his career, he attended public worship on the fab-age thofe who had obtained hopes, bath, and as he entered the gal- to a fudden union with the church. lery, God met and pierced him The duty of felf-examination, and with a fharp arrow of conviction. a faithful comparison of their He ftumbled to a feat, and amid views and exercises with the truths the horrors of a guilty, awakened of God's word were strongly urged, confcience, fat trembling in view that they might not come to the of truth and the awful iniquity of gofpel feaft without a "wedding his heart; and foon after teftified garment," or conformity of heart to the excellency of that Saviour to Chrift. No addition to the and that religion which he before church from among them took Confidering the importance of a right judgment of ourselves, in the view of divine truth, and the extreme danger of thofe who fettle down on a false profeffion, I judged it proper, not to encour place until the fummer of 1800, when at different times 35 were received, 6 have been fince admitted making in the whole 41. Of thefe a few had entertained a previous hope, and receiving fresh anointing from the Lord during this revival, were emboldened to appear openly for Chrift. A confiderable number remain, of whom we cannot forbear to think favorably, and to hope that they have paffed from death to life. Speak ing to one of them on the duty of a acknowledging what Chrift had done for her foul, fhe replied, "I acknowledge the duty, but I am afraid I have not experienced true religion. It is a great thing to profefs religion, I am afraid I do not act for the glory of God, I am unprepared and durft not come." On being told that those who had come forward spoke the fame language, and expreffed the fame fears, the replied, "I hope and truft they are prepared, but I am afraid my wicked heart has not like theirs been bowed to the will of Chrift:" Remarking to her further that as it was a great thing to profefs religion, it must be a great thing to make no profef fion, the replied, "I have no excufe but what condemns me. I fit and fee the church, communion days, and think my heart is with them. I often weep and long and refolve to be foon with them, if I may; but what am I? I am not worthy to be there. Chrift expects there to find his friends, and I am afraid I have not yet truly received him on his own terms." We indulge a pleafing hope that a number more will be added to our Zion. The awakening has embraced perfons of almost all ages from 15 to 65. Of thofe united with the church 17 were young people, 6 males and 11 females. Of the whole number 41, 24 were females and 17 males. Excepting the 17 young perfons, the remainder were moftly young heads of families. This gives a hopeful profpect that the rifing generation will more extenfively enjoy the great bleffings of family prayer and religious inftruction. These bleffings it is hoped will be more highly valued than they havebeen, for the greater part of the convictions and hope, ful converfions among us, have exifted in families of prayer, and where one or both of the parents were profeffing Chriftians. The fovereignty of God has been eminently difplayed in this revival. Not thofe whom we expected, but those whom God pleased, were called to repentance. One is taken and another left. Great exertions and pains were bestowed on fome who yet remain unconcerned; while upon another, a tranfient remark, or the occafional quotation of a text of fcripture, in the hands of God, became effectual to conviction and falvation. From what God has done for us, it is thought, all churches may learn the importance and fafety of faithfully maintaining the difcipline which Chrift has established, for the recovery of his erring children. If the difcipline of the church is conductd with the prudence, vigilance and brotherly love which the cafe requires, the bleffing of God may be confidently expected. It gives me unfpeakable pleafure to mention the general good conduct of thofe, particularly the youths, who have made a public profeffion of religion. "By their fruits ye fhall know them," is the maxim of Christ, and it is hoped they will continue by exemplary lives to manifeft to the world that the temporal bufinefs of the people was well done, and in good time. May I not be indulged the remark that true religion, inftead of leading to idlencfs and diffipation, ever leads people to be diligent in bufinefs, fervent in spirit, ferving the Lord. It was common for thofe under ferious impreffions to experience much oppofition to the doctrines of grace, particularly the juftice of God in the eternal punishment of the finally impenitent-divine fovereignty and the electing love of God; but they found no fold peace or comfort until thofe doctrines were made the foundation they have been with Jefus, have and numerously attended, yet imbibed his fpirit, and are like him devoted to honor and glorify their father who is in heaven. In a world like this we cannot indulge the hope that there are no tares among the wheat; yet, at prefent, appearances are favorable. The effect of the awakening on the morals of the fociety was happy. It appeared to make children more dutiful to their parents, and refpectful and kind to others and to one another. There was an uncommon appearance of friendship among thofe who were enquiring what they fhould do to be faved. They appeared to harmonize in fentiment, and by means of converfation and correfpond-of their hope. When reconciled ence, have already acquired more religious knowledge than they would probably have done in the whole compafs of their lives, had they continued in ftupidity. The joy experienced by Chriftian parents, whofe children were the fubjects of conviction, was indefcribable. Many declared, they never enjoyed fuch fatisfaction in their children before. That now they were fond of home, of their bibles, of religious converfation, and of the domeftic fire-fide: That their children were not defirous of vain, gay company or of being abfent at late hours, but chofe rather to be in their closets, on their knees, fecking an intereft in the mercy of God thro Jefus Chrift. To ufe their own familiar expreflion, they could go to bed and know where their dear children were. The revival has entirely removed one objection often made, that an awakening is injurious to the temporal bufinefs and property of thofe under difrefs of mind. The revival here began in the moft bufy feafon of the year. Lectures and conferences were frequently to God through the merits of his Son, they expressed great fur prife that they had never underitood these plain gofpel truths before, or beheld their excellency and beauty. The people under convictions, often expreffed to me their furprife, on finding themselves fo ig norant in the doctrines and duties of real religion. It seemed that their former religious advantages had been greatly mifimproved, their bibles neglected or fealed to them. Moft earnefly did they defire and feek inftruction, and fo different were their feelings from what they formerly were, that it became a common idea that minifters preached better than before with more clearnefs and pungency, and with a particular reference to them. With many tears did they lament the mifimprove. ment of their precious time and privileges. They uniformly declared they had never been happy, or enjoyed true peace of mind while neglecting Chrift and his falvation; and that they often enjoyed more fatisfaction at one conference than they had ever done in their whole lives. providence, then, even then, righteoufnefs and judgment are the habitation of his throne." In all things God is above us. His ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts. Chriftians are too apt to forget this peculiarly comforting doctrine, fo fully expreffed in the humble, form of prayer, which our bleffed Redeemer has left on facred record, for their use, to the end of the world.-How ftrange it is! Anfwered Rofetta,-I have tho't of it many times,-how ftrange it is, that I was ever brought to join with you in the worship of God! My parents were of a different denomination. I knew it Several of the youth confeffed that in their purfuit of vain amufements, they found no pleafure, and lamented that the beft, and faireft portion of their lives had been foolishly wafted in purfuing a phantom, which always kept at the fame distance before them. They could not be perfuaded to be in a place of fuch amufement, and would often appear much affected while reflecting upon the danger they had efcaped. They now felt, how little the thoughtlefs, volatile youth realize the danger of thofe fafcinating amufements, which form an impenetrable barrier to ferious reflection-would be agreeable to them, to join prepare them for the day of adverfity, and a thick cloud of diftrefs and horror for the bed of death. Some account of particular exercifes of individuals will be communicated in a future letter. I remain, gentlemen, with due refpect, yours in the bonds of the gofpel, IRA HART. Middlebury, June 15, 1802, ROSETTA, a fragment. OR thine is the kingdom, Fo and the power, and the glory, for ever."-The doctrine contained in thefe words is my confolation, in all my trials and afflictions, and in all the apparently dark feenes of providence which I am called to experience, faid a minifter of Jefus, one day, as he fat feriously converfing with the pious Rofetta, upon the kingdom and glory of God. My anthem of praife is, "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." For when "clouds and darkness are round about him" in any of the difpenfations of his with them, in public worship, and embrace their tenets; and I wifhed to please them. I was afraid to ask their confent to join the church under your care, left I should offend them, But my heart was filled with joy, when upon Mr. 's asking, for me, their confent, in this interefting point, they to freely gave it. It was a great trial to me, to let them know the feelings of my heart, and how much I defired to join with the people of God, under your care. But my burden was greatly lightened when I made known to them all that I had experienced in my foul, and found them fo far from cenfuring me, as to acknowledge what Ï had experienced might be a work of God. Indeed, Sir, how ftrange it is, that I never was awakened to any feeling fenfe of my deplorable state, as a depraved, guilty, miferable finner! For a long time, I had almoft wholly neglected the public worship of God. I felt no defire to attend it on the fabbath. I was stupid, and greatly hardened in carnal fecuri confidered, wholly as the happy effect of thy merciful, governing providence. Left to myself, inconfiderate and hardened in fin, without the bleffing of thefe gracious means, I fhould have perifhed forever in my fins.-How ftrange it is, continued Rofetta, that I have lived fo long in the ty. It was the conference meet- | ings in the neighborhood, which firit awakened my attention to the foul-humbling doctrines of religion. I feel that I have great reafon to blefs God, for the appointment of them. I cannot but hope, they were bleffed by him, as the means of bringing me out of the darkness of my former hard-world, and never have had any ened state into the marvellous light proper fenfe of the evil of fin, or of his gracious kingdom.-Well, of the glory of God, till the late then, replied the clergyman, you revival of religion among us! I fee, from this courfe of provi- frequently think of it with aftondence, how evident God has made ifhment. How blind I have been it appear that the kingdom of the to all that is beautiful and gloriwhole world is his. In this, you ous! How deaf to the voice of fee, how all these things have ta the charmer, who so affectionately ken place, and worked together proclaimed love and good will to for your fpiritual good according the fouls of perifhing finners! to his ordering and purpofe; and How infenfible of the all-fubduto all appearance, among other ing power, fweetnefs and glory of things, for the exprefs end of ma- divine grace!-Oh, how powerking you an heir of his gracious ful is the work of God! I fhall kingdom. Had not God ordain- never forget the memorable time, ed thefe things had he not pur- when God impreffed upon my pofed, in this way, to convince heart fuch a deep fenfe of the you of fin, and bring you to re- greatnefs of my fins, and of his pentance, would you not have ftill dreadful wrath, as revealed from lived and died in your fins? What heaven against all ungodlinefs. makes all these things, when laid How like a criminal I then felt. together, appear fo wonderful to Guilty, felf-condemned, my mouth you is, because it has been from was ftopped, and I had nothing first to laft the planning and gov- to fay for myself. Language can erning providence of God, and but feebly defcribe the anguifh of not a scheme of your own con- my foul, till, at length, my mind certing. Your ways and your was in the most surprising mantho'ts were different, and would ner brought to submit to God; have still remained fo, had not an and fuddenly impreffed with a deholy God mercifully appeared in lightful view of his great goodness drawing your attention to the and forgiving mercy, through the great things of his kingdom. Lord Jefus. And then, how When, therefore, you put the memorable the change! Then, question to your own heart, How my mind was filled with inexprefis it to be accounted for, that I fible joy and rejoicing in God. have been brought to fuch an Then, I feemed to be in a new humbling fenfe of my fins, and to world, fo different did every thing fuch a fweet enjoyment of God? appear, as flowing from the goodThis is the proper anfwer, "For nefs of God. O! How could I thine is the kingdom," O my fin as I have done against a God of God. My change of life is to be fuch infininite goodness! O! How |
