LETTER IX.*. FROM THE LATE REVEREND EDWARD PAYSON, D. D. DEAR BROTHER, Portland, May 29, 1821. I have just received the "Narrative, &c," which you were so kind as to send me, and for which I return you many thanks. It was indeed highly acceptable, and I wish it was in my power to write something which would be equally acceptable to you. But I am just recovering from a long and severe illness, and am still too feeble to make much use of a pen; and were I in usual health I could write nothing which would be of any service to you. I will, however, in compliance with your request, state a few facts relative to my ministry. I have been connected with this society about thirteen years. We have had no general revival, but there has been some religious attention during the whole period of my ministry. The smallest number which has been added to the church in any one year, is eighteen ; the largest, eighty-four; annual average, about forty. I established inquiring (or, as they are called in the Narrative, anxious) meetings soon after I came here, and have continued them without interruption, (except on account of ill health for a few weeks,) unto the present time. We conduct them precisely as they are conducted with you, and have, found them exceedingly useful. The number of inquirers has often been small, but we have always had some, and the number has increased or diminished, as the church has been more or less engaged in prayer. We have found no means so much blessed to keep religion alive in the church as fasting and prayer. Ever since my settlement, the church has set apart one day quarterly for this purpose. On these occasions, our first great object is to obtain just *This letter was obligingly furnished me by an esteemed clerical brother, to whom it was addressed. Narrative of the extensive revival of religion which occurred about this time within the ilmits of the Albany Presbytery. views of our sins. With this view, the several beings with whom we are connected are mentioned; the duties we owe to each are pointed out, and the inquiry, "how far have you performed these duties during the last three months," is pressed upon the consciences of all present. Every other means which we can devise to set our sins fully before us, and to excite deep repentance is also employed. Then, as the Jewish high priest was directed to lay his hand on the head of the scape goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, so we attempt, in the exercise of faith, to bring all our sins to Christ, and confess them as at the foot of the cross, pleading that pardon may be granted and sealed to us afresh for his sake. We then proceed to a solemn renewal of our covenant with God, after which, in a number of prayers, we plead for all the blessings of the covenant. Days thus spent have been exceedingly profitable. But my weakness forbids me to say more. Indeed, I have written thus far rather to show my readiness to comply with your request, than with a hope that any thing which I can write will be profitable. I rejoice in God's goodness to you, and should my life be spared shall be glad to hear from you often. That God may continue to bless your labors, and make you far more faithful than I have been, is the prayer of Your friend and brother, EDWARD PAYSON. LETTER X. FROM THE REVEREND ALEXANDER PROUDFIT, D. D. MY ESTEEMED Friend, Salem, April 4, 1832. I received your letter, and agreeably to your request, venture to communicate my views on the nature of revivals of religion—a subject which so deeply involves the peace and prosperity of the American churches. This is the thirty-eighth year of my ministerial labors in Salem. 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 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 sea sons 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. Contemplated in a moral or spiritual light, the work on those occasions might be compared to that gradual yet perceptible reanimation, which pervades the vegetable world amidst the vernal showers, and the refreshing influences of the returning sun, when the face of nature is clothed with fresh verdure, and the trees which had stood barren, are adorned with blossoms and fruit. These might emphatically be called "times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord ;" and yet I know of no particular cause, except on the last occasion, the revival of the Lord's work appeared to come as an answer to extraordinary importunity in prayer. Few churches during this period, perhaps, have been more honored for raising up young men to adorn the ministerial office ;-men full of the "Holy Ghost and of faith," who now appear as "burning and shining lights" in various parts of our country. On one occasion in the autumn of 1815, six youths took their seats together at the sacra mental table, who are now exercising the ministry of reconciliation, and some of them with more than ordinary success. These facts I feel constrained particularly to notice, for the purpose of correcting that novel and prevailing opinion, that religion cannot flourish without some special and unusual effort. In the year 1824, a revival of a different character from those I have already mentioned, appeared. Several persons residing in different parts of our town, were suddenly and almost simultaneously struck with deep convictions of sin. This arrested the attention of the friends of religion; meetings for prayer and conference were held almost every day in the week, and generally crowded to overflowing. These meetings were usually attended by the Rev. Mr. Tomb or myself, with private members of the church, who assisted in the religious services: ministers and private Christians from other towns were called in, and afforded their aid. So far as I recollect, there was rarely any instance of disorder, although I have seen multitudes melted in tears, and during the year great numbers were added to the fellowship of the two churches. In May, 1831, during my absence, a protracted meeting, as it is generally termed, was held in Mr. Tomb's society, which was attended by a variety of ministers from different parts of the country. A great excitement was produced in almost every part of the town, which has resulted in the addition of a large number to our churches. With respect to the fruits of these revivals, on which you desire information, I have almost uniformly remarked that where the subjects had been early and competently instructed, the impressions have been permanent: those of this character who assumed the profession of religion have been enabled to persevere; but in other instances the excitement has too often been transient as "the morning cloud and the early dew:" the latter class, like those in the parable of the sower, I have frequently seen receive the word with joy, but not having root in themselves, endured for a time, and afterwards returned to the world. From these facts, founded on long observation, I have been particularly impressed with the importance of early instruction. I feel more strongly attached to the good old way trodden by the venerable fathers of the Reformation in Scotland, and Holland, and England, and afterwards by our pilgrim fathers, who brought the “light of immortality and life," to our western wilderness. With them the instruction of youth in the elementary doctrines of religion, by catechising and family visitation, constituted an important part of ministerial labor. It cannot be uninteresting to your readers, nor foreign from the nature of your publication, to incorporate the sentiments of the revered Flavel, in a sermon which he preached to the Puritans after their restoration in 1688. "Prudence," he remarks," will direct us to lay a good foundation among our people by catechising, and instructing them in the principles of Christianity, without which we labor in vain. Unless we have a knowing people, we are not like to have a gracious people. All our excellent sermons will be dashed on the rock of their ignorance. You can never fall on a better way for securing success to your labors, than the fruitful way of catechising. What age of the church has produced more lively and steadfast professors than the first ages; and then this duty most eminently flourished in the church. Clemens, Optatus, Austin, Ambrose and Basil, were catechists." Such were the sentiments of this distinguished servant of Christ, delivered on a most memorable occasion, and before an assembly of divines little inferior to any that ever adorned our world. With these observations of Flavel in Old, let us compare those of Doctor Mather, a character equally eminent in New, England—“That catechising is an ordinance of God few will doubt, when they consider that apostles thus laid the foundation of religion by feeding babes with milk, teaching them in this manner the first principles of the oracles of God.. This hath therefore been a constant practice in the church, and in the first ages of Christianity they had a particular person appropriated to this exercise. All well governed churches have still maintained this practice, knowing the |