nervous to the most violent, or even "to a death-like weakness and inaction." Some could sit who could not stand. Some could sit when in part supported, who could not otherwise. Some, however, needed to be held "as much as infants," some as much "as persons in high convulsions." "Nervous affections and convulsions" were more frequent than a loss of strength and animal powers. In the latter case the subject was silent; in the former he sighed, or sobbed and groaned, in proportion to the degree in which he was affected.

The duration of the "exercises" was various,-in some cases only for a few minutes, in others for hours, and sometimes for days. Yet no after-inconvenience was occasioned by it. Though apparently deeply distressed, they experienced no bodily pain. Rarely was any one sensible of any injury received through his fall, either at the time or afterward.

One feature in the experience of those affected is especially noted. "They never lost their senses." Their minds appeared, indeed, to be then more active than ever, and all their powers "intent upon the things of religion and the interests of eternity." Their perceptions were remarkably clear, and their memories. uncommonly retentive. Many would speak "in broken accents and half expressions," begging for mercy, deprecating wrath, groaning under sin, calling upon perishing sinners, or giving glory to God.

When they recovered, the impulse to speak seemed irresistible. Some would speak for quite a time, and "speak to admiration." "It seems," says Mr. Robbins, "almost not from the manner, but from the truths they utter as if they had been to the invisible world."

Yet the people were carefully instructed that there was no religion in the mere falling, or in the bodily

exercises. Against this idea they were repeatedly put upon their guard. It received no encouragement from the ministers; and even among those who had ridiculed the phenomena, who had pronounced them delusions or mere excitement, some were affected. That the work was genuine, and that it could not be explained on any known principles, all alike, friends. and foes of the revival, were finally agreed.' witness, fully competent, whose testimony has been so freely adduced, closes his observations with the remark, "I firmly believe this to be a conspicuous and glorious work of divine grace, and that thousands of

The

1 One gentleman who attended upon one of the sacramental occasions declared to the ministers and others that he could account for all the extraordinary exercises by his medical skill and on philosophical principles. He said none but weak women and persons of weak nerves were made to fall; but if some stout, healthy, brawny-built man should fall, he should think it something above human art. It was so ordered that he had the most fair trial. Some time in the meeting, he found himself alarmed from his security, and, instead of philosophizing on others, was constrained to attend to his own soul. His strength was so far gone that he could not rise; and he asked help to be carried out. But when beyond hearing of the preacher, "Oh, carry me back!" he called out: "God is here: I cannot get away from God. I know now that I am in God's hands: this is God's work." Subsequently, when others came to speak with him, he said, “Oh, I have lived forty-seven years an enemy to God. I have been in some of the hottest battles, and never knew what it was to have my heart palpitate with fear; but now I am all unstrung. I have cut off limbs with a steady hand; and now I cannot hold this hand still if I might have a world. I know this is not the work of men. I feel that I am in God's hands, and that he will do with me just what he pleases." Mr. Badger met this man a few weeks later, when he said to him that "he thought at some times he could see a little how God could save, through Jesus Christ, such a sinner as he was; but most of the time he was in total darkness."-Conn. Ev. Mag., Sept. 1804.

immortal souls, the subjects of it, will adore the riches of divine mercy through eternity.""

It was during the first weeks, the opening scenes, of this powerful revival, that the Synod of Pittsburg met at Pittsburg and organized themselves (October, 1802) into the Western Missionary Society. The field which they felt called to occupy was suddenly expanded, and emphatically-beyond all that they could have anticipated-was white for the harvest. The laborers already employed were tasked almost beyond measure; and yet they flagged not in their efforts. Others were needed to aid them; and not a few-as the result of this revival and the efforts of the Synod-were brought forward to their aid. The excesses of the revival-if indeed they can be so termed-passed away, and ere long were wellnigh forgotten, overshadowed, at least, by the more remarkable phenomena of the Kentucky revival; but the results that followed have their lasting monuments in the churches scattered over the broad region swept by the revival.

1 As to the leading features of the work, the testimony of Rev. Mr. Badger (Conn. Ev. Mag., Sept. 1803) is coincident with that of Mr. Robbins. In speaking of the impression made upon his own mind while participating in one of the large gatherings during the revival, Mr. Badger says, "The sweet and lovely frame Christians appeared to be in, the meekness and humbleness of mind, exceeded any thing I ever saw before. It helped me to get some faint ideas of what the saints will enjoy when they come to see the King in his beauty and be present at his table, without sin or flesh to intercept their sight."

CHAPTER XXIII.

NEW JERSEY, 1800-1820.

IN 1800, there were in connection with the Presbyterian Church in New Jersey, and under the care of the two Presbyteries of New York and New Brunswick, which covered the field,-thirty-two ministers, twenty-seven of whom had pastoral charges, while there were also thirteen vacancies. The number of all the Presbyterian churches in the State was, thus, but about forty.

During the first twenty years of the present century, there was a steady and healthful growth. In 1809, the Presbytery of New York was divided; and from the portion of it lying within the bounds of New Jersey the Jersey Presbytery was erected. In 1817, the Presbytery of New Brunswick was likewise divided, in order to form the Presbytery of Newton. In 1820, there were thus within the bounds of the State the three Presbyteries of Jersey, New Brunswick, and Newton. The thirty-two ministers of 1800 had increased to fifty-four, the twenty-seven pastors to fortythree; while the churches had advanced from about forty to sixty-seven, or at the rate of about seventy per cent.

The Presbytery of Jersey embraced the churches in the northern part of the State. The First Church of Newark, through the influence of the great revival of 1807-08, and under the labors of Dr. Griffin, received

1 Other churches were connected with Presbyteries of other States.

large accessions,-ninety-seven on a single occasion, and one hundred and seventy-four in a period of six months. A membership of two hundred and two was in the course of eight years increased to five hundred and twenty-two, and the result was that, shortly after Dr. Griffin's removal to the Park Street Church in Boston, a Second Church was formed.' In 1815, this church, then vacant, extended a call to Dr. Griffin, which he felt it his duty to accept,-the First Church, meanwhile, having enjoyed the pastoral labors of Dr. James Richards.

Among the distinguished ministers of the age, Dr. Edward Dorr Griffin occupied the foremost rank. Nature had been munificent in the gifts which she had lavished upon him. His large and well-proportioned frame and commanding presence impressed the beholder at a glance; and his intellectual endowments. were in keeping with his person. A native of Connecticut, and a graduate of Yale College in 1790, he pursued his theological studies under the younger Edwards, and for several years after his licensure preached in different places in his native State, until his call to New Hartford in 1795. A revival of considerable power followed almost immediately upon his settlement; and three years later, one still more remarkable attested and crowned his fidelity to his work.

In 1801, he was called to Newark, as the colleague of Dr. McWhorter. Here he remained for eight years, and for the last two or three his church enjoyed an almost continuous revival. Such was his reputation

1 The churches of Newark date as follows:-Second, 1810; Third, 1824; Fourth (of short duration), 1831; African Presbyterian, 1831; Free Church (since Congregational), 1837; Central Presbyterian, 1837; Park Presbyterian, Sixth Presbyterian, and High Street Presbyterian, 1848; German Presbyterian, 1852; South Park Presbyterian, 1853.