fed another change greater and more glorious than the frit. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."

The falling down of perfons under religious exercifes, however unusual and remarkable, is not, it is thought, a fufficient argument to prove it a work of error and de

Obfervations on the revival of reli-lufion. This may appear by the

gion in Kentucky.

HE

T religious intelligence

from the state of Kentucky has confiderably occupied public attention. Concerning it, different fentiments are entertained and various obfervations made. All this from the nature and circumftances of the work, might naturally be expected.

Verbal intelligence, which is too often incorrect, is not the only means, by which, we are acquainted with the remarkable work, which is going on in that state. I have read feveral letters written by eye witneffes, befide those published in the magazine. They all correfpond concerning the revival; especially, with refpect to thofe appearances, which diftinguish it from others.

following obfervations taken in their connection.

1. It is plain from common obfervation, that an intimate connection fubfifts between foul and body. They mutually affect each other. No fooner are impreffions. made on the bodily fenfes, than correfpondent fenfations and ideas exist in the mind. And in like manner; when the emotions and paffions of the mind are exci ted, correfpondent effects of body are often produced. How fenfibly is the body often agitated by the fudden paffions of joy, anger, and fear? These are daily observ-, able in children; and not, uncommonly, in thofe of riper years. By great joy or fudden frights perfons are fometimes overcome, divefted of strength, and fall to the

2. The objects, which occafion religious impreffions are vaftly more. important, interefting, and fublime in their nature, than any others imaginable! What objects con

Multitudes meet and continue | ground. long together for religious worship; particularly on communion days. This may be accounted for, from the practice of the Prefbyterian focieties, among which the awakening has more generally prevailed.ceivable are, fo eminently calculaIt has been, and now is, a com- ted to excite the feelings and agimon practice of the Prefbyterian tate the power of the foul as thofe churches to have religious worship of eternity-Heaven and heilboth preceding and following the the perfections of God—the purity communion day; and also for fo- of his law-and an heart of enmity cieties to vifit each other on thofe in oppofition and confequent expofednefs to the everlasting wrath of the Almighty! Thefe, furely, furpafs all others in roufing the paffions of the foul.

occafions.

But the circumftance of perfons falling down under religious impreffions, which has been common in the revival in Kentucky, is fingular and strange.

On this, which has led many to fufpect the genuineness of the work, I defign to make fome ob fervations.

3. God is able to bring those objects into the view of the mind, in a moft clear and fudden manner. For he is not limited in the circumftances of manifefting truth to his creatures. God can uncover

hell to the finner, and heaven to the faint, in a more gradual or fudden manner; in more faint or lively colours, as feemeth him good. For his thoughts are not our thoughts; neither are his ways our ways. Great effects on the countenance and body would no doubt follow fuch fublime and fudden discoveries of divine things as God is able to make.

calculable variety refpecting the measure of conviction, fuddennefs of operation, clearness of discovery, and the immediate effects produced on the countenance or body.

This is confirmed by common obfervation; and to the truth of it, the facred fcriptures bear teftimony, in the various relations they afford us of Christian experience. In furveying them, we find many, who embraced the truth by fober confideration, until the day star of the gofpel arofe in their hearts. But fome, the hearers of Peter, by a fingle fermon, were cat to the heart, and fuddenly cried out, men and brethren what fhall we do? and believed immediately. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the things fpoken by Paul, until the believed in Chrift. But, when the woman of Samaria had found the Meffias, fhe immediately left her water pot, and haftened to the city, and proclaimed him. Felix trembled at the reasoning of Paul, upon righteoufnefs, temperance and judgment to come. But Paul, himself, in his perfecuting journey to Damafcus, was inftantly ftruck to the ground by divine light and truth, and cried out, Lord what wilt thou have me to do?

4. God has not, precifely, revealed all the circumftances attendant upon the manifeftation of his truth. The fpirit is promised to convince of fin, righteousness, and judgment; and to create a new heart and renew a right fpirit. But, as to the various circumftances, degrees of operation, and immediate vifible effects he has not informed us. Therefore, in furveying the holy fcriptures, we are totally unable to measure the terrors of the law, which the finner may feel; or the glory of the gofpel, which the faint may behold. The fcriptures do not determine, whether religious impreffions fhall be gradual or fudden; fmall or great; faint or clear. Neither do they defignate the immediate effects; whether they fhall be attended with fober folemnity or flowing tears, ftill contemplation or audible outcries, fadness of counte- Once more Chrift endured the nance, trembling of body, or fall-penalty of the law in the finner's ing to the ground.

ftead. He drank the cup of divine 5. The fovereignty of God is wrath, when he expired on the abundantly manifeft in the marvel- crofs. Of which awful scene, he ous work of grace. And, parti had a previous view, while he was cularly, in the diverfity of their in the garden. And what was the exercifes and operations, in whom effect on his body? We are told, the fame fpirit is produced. A he was in an agony and fweat, as careful attention to the various re- it were, great drops of blood fallligious experiences of Chriftiansing to the ground! will corroborate the remark.

Although all the real friends of God are brought, in degree, to a fenfe and love of the fame gofpel truths s yet there is almost an in

In review of the above remarks taken in their connection, what fhall we fay of the fingularity apparent in the revival at Kentucky? Bearing in mind the mutual influ

ence of the body and mind, will it be deemed inconfiftent with the nature of things, to fuppofe, that the paffions of the mind may be fo powerfully excited, as to occafion all thofe appearances which diftinguifh and characterife the fuppofed work of religion in Kentucky? May not God, in perfect confiftency with his word and fovereign pleasure, overcome the bodies of men, by the clear and fudden manifeftation of truth to their minds? A hardened Felix trembled, and a perfecuting Paul fell and cried out, by the application of divine truth and a fudden view of eternal realities and may not fimilar caufes produce fimilar effects at the prefent day? Who hath been the counfellor of God? Who can fet bounds to the operations of his holy fpirit? And fay hitherto fhalt

thou come and no farther!

Being highly pleafed with the millionary object, and with what I

But, notwithstanding what has
been obferved, it is, doubtlefs, un-
wife haftily to decide, either in fa-
ver or against the awakening, at
Kentucky, merely from the pecu-ently attended to.
liarities of it. Other attendant

circumstances, which indicate the
genuineness of the work, are lefs
fallible criterions of decifion. And
the fubfequent fruits, which
may in
future
in the life and con-
appear
verfation of the subjects, we hum.
bly hope, will give abundant occa-
fon
on to rejoice in the victory of di-

vine grace.

To conclude: Let the eneniies

of this remarkable work, wait and be cautious. And, inftead of venting their oppofition, by calling

it the work of Satan, or the Kentucky enthusiasm, be exhorted to take the advice of Gamaliel ; re

hear in relation to the fuccefs of
thofe who have been, and are en-
gaged in the benevolent business;
and wishing to do fomething to en
courage the continuance and the
increase of exertion for the fpiritu-
al good of my fellow men, I
tranfmit to you, by the bearer of
this, one hundred dollars, which I
beg you to receive as a facrifice to
the Lord-Upon the ground that
exifting emergency can be fuffici-
I am pleased
with the idea of funding property
the intereft of which only to be ap-
propriated for the propagation of
the gofpel; but being apprehen:
five that the prefent call for miffi-
onary fervice is very great, it is my
choice that what I fend you be
put to immediate ufe, and I enter-
will gratify

tain no doubt but
my wishes.

you

ation of happy revivals of religion

The well authenticated inform

in

is, gentlemen, truly animating. many parts of the new countries, "This is the Lord's doing-it is marvellous in our eyes." May God frain; for if this work be of men,gainst infidelity and irreligion, may continue to lift up his ftandard a. it will come to naught; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; left haply, you be found to fight even against God!

he infpire all his friends with encreafing ardor in his glorious caufe, may he give unto those who are

firft book of Kings.

ments, and among the heathen may A verfification of the 18th chapter of the be greatly promoted.-I am gentlemen refpectfully yours,

CHENANIАН.

JEHOV

TEHOVAH'S awful voice the filence
broke,

And thus his meffage to Elijah spoke :
Go fhew thyself to Ifrael's king again,
And on the earth I'll fend a mighty
rain.

The prophet went, nor fear'd the He met him walking near the city tyrant's hate,

On the 5th day of May last, the Rev. Afa King was ordained paftor of the firft Church of Christ, in Pomfret in the room of the Rev. Aaron Putnam, difmiffed. The public exercifes commenced at half after 11 o'clock A. M. and were performed as follows. The Rev. Eliphalet Lyman made the introductory prayer. The Rev. MoJes C. Welch preached from Acts, The Rev. Elifba Atkins made the confecrating prayer. The" Rev. Jofiah Whitney gave the

viii. 5.

not,

"But thy own crimes these mighty
woes have brought;
"Go, therefore, fend thy heralds round
the coafts,

"And at Mount Carmel gather Ifra
el's hofts:

"Let the whole race of idol prophets hear,

And with the people at the Mount appear."