er.

5. This revival has been characterized by a remarkable spirit of prayOften has it been said-" Christians pray as they have never prayed before." Many have been in deep distress, and felt what it was to travail in birth for souls. With this burden pressing upon their hearts, they have cried to God for help, feeling they could not let him go without a blessing; and where Christians have been united and persevering in their supplications, astonishing, and in some instances, overwhelming influences of the Spirit have been witnessed. So great, and so general has been the excitement, that worldly business was in a considerable degree suspended, and religion was the common topic of conversation in all companies and in all places.

6. Unusual strength of faith in the promises and threatenings of God has been manifested in many of our churches. Christians have not only assented to the testimony of God, that there is a heaven and a hell; but they have seemed, in many instances, to have such a spiritual perception of these amazing truths, and others connected with them, that they have rejoiced with trembling. With the eye of faith open upon the eternal world, they have laid hold of the arm of the Lord, with a grasp which seemed to say-It is a case of life and death with our friends and neighbours; we cannot be denied. They have not been denied. The ear of the Lord was "open unto their prayer," and "his arm brought salvation."

7. An unusual spirit of prayer has prevailed among converts, and they have manifested a disposition to converse with their friends and others on the subject of religion. It has often been remarked of them, that they were born praying. Many of them appear to have the strength of spiritual manhood, and promise to be among the brightest ornaments of our churches.

8. This revival has extended to all classes of society. Some have been born again in old age. Many, very young, have given satisfactory evidence of piety, especially among those who have been trained in religious families, and in our Sabbath schools. Many men of wealth, and learning, and talents, have been converted, and become like little children. Many, who in common parlance were moral men, have seen that their morality was devoid of that holiness of heart, "without which no man shall see the Lord," and have cried, " God be merciful to me a sinner." Many, who had embraced universalism and other errors, have fled from their refuges of lies, to lay hold of the hope set before them in the gospel. These facts should encourage ministers and churches to

pray and labour for the salvation of all men, the high and the low, the rich and the poor, the old and the young, the moral and the profane, animated with the thought that " he that converteth a sinner from the error of his ways, shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins."

9. Great heart-searchings among professors have characterized this revival. This we have seen in former revivals, but never before to so great an extent. It has been very common to hear professors say, with a solemn, downcast countenance, "I have no religion." They have had severe seasons of conviction. Some probably have, for the first time, been brought to repentance. Most, however, have, after a short time, given evidence of an increased devotion to God; and such have been eminently useful in promoting the work. Those ministers, also, in whose societies the revival has been powerful, have been led to close self-examination, and been apparently deeply humbled for past unfaithfulness.

10. Converts, especially during the greatest excitement, have manifested more joy and stronger hopes, than in any preceding revivals among us. Strong hopes have been considered by many an unfavourable indication. Whether this be a correct opinion, we shall not undertake to determine. But it is worthy of consideration, whether the faint hopes of converts may not arise from not being earnestly pressed with truths adapted to their case, and from the want of more spiritual strength in the church, in wrestling with God in prayer for their deliverance from sin, rather than from deep humility, and a just sense of the danger of deception.

11. Much opposition has been made to this revival. This appears from the preceding accounts. But the half is not told, and for the honour of the county, we think, ought not to be told. False reports have been circulated. Gross misrepresentations have been made of the preaching, and other means which have been employed to promote the work. Prejudices have thus been excited in the minds of some, who are doubtless the friends of religion, but who have not been in circumstances favourable to judge for themselves. It is not to be expected, that men actuated by the best motives, and pursuing with hallowed zeal the most noble objects, should act with perfect wisdom and discretion. But from the preceding accounts, and from personal observation, the committee feel warranted in saying, that ministers and churches have exhibited as much sound wisdom and discretion, as has ever been exhibited in any revival of which they have any knowledge. Yea, we believe that there

has been an unusual spirit of prayer to God, for that wisdom which is profitable to direct.

It would savour of weakness and spiritual pride in our churches, to` justify every thing which has been said and done, in public and private, by the friends of the revival. But we believe it a duty we owe to the cause of truth, to say, that most of the opposition has been excited by that preaching, and those means, which have met the approbation of the great Head of the Church. Indiscretions, real or apparent, are the only things which have given most of the opposers any pleasure. Their consciences, could they speak, would tell the world, that ninety-nine hundredths of all the stir they have made, has originated from a naked exhibition of gospel truth, and from the agonizing prayers and faithful exertions of the people of God for the salvation of their fellow-men.

It is not the wish of the committee to dwell upon this opposition. Care has been taken to guard the churches from talking much about the opposition, and allowing their personal feelings to become enlisted by the falsehood and abuse of opposers. But we have said thus much, to give the christian public what we verily believe a just representation of this outcry, and to prevent any from being alarmed at opposition to revivals, and neglecting to use means which God blesses in promoting them. We believe, from the history of the church, and facts that have `occurred in this revival strengthen the belief, that the elements of opposition to a revival of "pure and undefiled religion," exist in the most enlightened and moral districts of christendom, and are to be found in that pride, and worldliness, and ambition, and love of pleasure, which reign predominant in the hearts of the unrenewed, and which exist to an alarming extent among ministers, elders, deacons, and private members of the church of Christ. Many, in christian as well as heathen lands, have their idols, and they are too strongly attached to them to give them up without a severe struggle. Those who would attempt the work, must count the cost, and make up their minds to put on the whole christian armour, and prepare to receive many fiery darts from the enemy, before he will submit.

Means which

appear

II.

to have been blessed in promoting this Revival.

1. SEASONS of fasting and prayer. In most, if not all, the societies which have shared in this work of grace, days have been set apart for the special object of praying for the influences of the Spirit, to humble and sanctify the professed disciples of Christ, and to convert sinners. The blessing of God on such seasons has been most apparent, where Christians have looked forward to them with interest, and made them a subject of prayer.

Wherever churches have met, and

2. Confession of sin in churches. with evident sincerity of heart, confessed their " faults one to another," God has granted them a sweet sense of his forgiving mercy, given them free access to his throne of grace in praying for others, and great bold-· ness and zeal in using means for their salvation.

3. Church discipline. This has tended to humble churches, and to alarm the impenitent. Discipline, judiciously administered, has been found a powerful method of enforcing some of the truths of the gospel. Many are hardened in unbelief by the irregular lives of professors. When such are led to repent and confess their sins, or are excluded from the church, one of the objections is removed, with which sinners often successfully ward off the sword of the Spirit pointed at their heart.

4. Visiting from house to house. This has been done extensively. These visits have been strictly religious. Every member of the family, capable of receiving instruction, has been addressed; and such visits have usually been closed with prayer, adapted to the character and circumstances of the different members of the family. By such visits, many have been addressed who could be addressed no where else, and who were thus brought to attend on the usual means of grace; cold professors have been roused, and many carcless sinners awakened.

sons.

5. Preaching the gospel, its doctrines and precepts, its promises and threatenings, with great plainness and earnestness. Every class of people have been addressed with truths adapted to their character.— Churches have been reproved in the most pointed manner, for their lukewarmness, their pride, and worldliness, and unbelief. They have been urged as strongly to repent and humble themselves before God, as the most rebellious sinners. This plain and faithful application of divine truth to the churches, while it has produced great searchings of heart, and led some to abandon their hopes, has in several cases, excited greater alarm among sinners than a direct address. The truths of God's word have been pressed upon sinners without respect of perThe sinner has been followed into all his hiding places. Every mask has been torn off from the moralist and self-righteous. The deceitfulness of the heart has been exposed; and the sinner has been met at every turn, with the naked sword of the Spirit pointed at his breast. While Christians have prayed with more faith than usual, ministers have also preached with more faith than heretofore.* They have felt the importance of probing the disease of sin to the core. They have appeared to throw themselves upon the altar, resolving to preach the truth of God, if they were driven from their societies, or sacrificed by the rage of the wicked. This preaching has, as might be expected, produced much commotion. But while some have, with unwonted strength, braced themselves against the truth, and hardened their hearts, till their case may be hopeless, multitudes slain by it, have applied to the "blood of sprinkling" for relief, and have found joy and peace in believing.

*It is a question worthy of very serious consideration, how far the gospel is rendered unfruitful by the weakness of faith in those who preach it. We use faith here in its most extensive signification. We mean by it, that moral impression on the whole soul, which corresponds with the gospel mould, with the nature and magnitude of spiritual objects, so far as the limited powers of man are capable of such impression. The weakness of faith exposes a minister to innumerable dangers. He is in danger of preaching the truth so coldly, that the natural impression is, either that he does not believe it, or that it is of little importance. If he is eloquent, he is in danger of being more solicitous that his hearers should admire his talents, than that they should adore and embrace the Saviour of the world. The preaching of men of the most brilliant talents, has in many cases, it is to be feared, done as little towards reforming mankind, as the exhibitions of the stage-actor. He who has strong logical powers, and little faith, is in danger of so distracting the gospel, by dwelling on abstruse points, as to lead the common people to fly