A letter from a refpectable character in Austinburgh dated 29th Nov. 1803, alfo confirms the pleafing intelligence that the divine goodness and mercy are visiting them alfo. After the writer had attended a facramental occafion, with three of his children and eight or ten others, at about fixty miles distance, and returned home, the company feemed defirous that there might be an evening meeting. "And notwithstanding the shortness of the notice, God fo stirred up the hearts of the people, that more than fixty attended and were much impreffed. The night was spent in prayer.-None went from the place A folemn night! Some loft their bodily ftrength. The next fabbath Mr. B. preached for us.-The people were all very folemn. As the affembly was difmiffed and began to go out, behold, three young men, each about fixteen years of age, were fallen down together near the door. They were in fuch agony of mind, that every beholder was struck with astonishment. Mr. B. immediately went to prayer, in a manner peculiarly adapted to the occafion. Few could refrain from weeping.-A number of young men who had begun to boast of infidel principles, were struck, and one perfon fell. Three little girls walking from the place of meeting with locked arms, fell on the ground and loft their bodily strength; one of whom did not recover till after midnight; which night was

fpent in prayer. At times, the number of eight loft their bodily ftrength. But little was heard from them but deep fighs.—At a meeting of our youth last evening, I am informed that thirteen were impreffed in this extraordinary manner, which are more than ever happened at one time before.-These marks of power are not limited to awakened finners -Many chriftians, where the work has prevailed, have also been thus affected under a fenfe of divine truth.".

By late accounts from new Connecticut it appears, that there is a very general revival there: that it has extended to most of the fettlements, and its effects are fimilar to thofe of the revival in Kentucky and other Southern States. The harvest there is truly great, and the labourers few. It is hoped therefore, that the pious people will pray earnestly to God to raise up and qualify fuitable labourers for that extenfive field, and that they will cheerfully contribute of their earthly substance to enable the Trustees to fupport a competent number of Miffionaries there, and in other places, where they are wanted.

The Berkshire Missionary Society

HAVE alfo been very active: they have had three missionaries among the new fettlements 40 weeks in the whole.-In which time they travelled near three thousand miles, preached two hundred

B

and feventy-feven fermons, attended 53 religious conferences, bap tized 43 perfons, and visited 186 families &c. &c. The Miffionaries bring back accounts of their reception and encouragement in their work, which must be animating to all who love the prosperity of Zion. They uniformly teftify, that the people are generally dif pofed to attend upon the preached word; and in many instances, through the infinite mercy of a fovereign God, their hearts are opened to receive in the love of it, the truth as it is in Jefus.

The Connecticut Missionary Society

HAVE had reason to blefs God for their fuccefs during the past year. They have had thirteen Miffionaries in the field of labor; fome through the year; others for a fhorter time. The golpel has been thus preached over a vast extent of Country. The gofpel ordinances have been administered to fuch as would otherwise have been deftitute of them. Some have been awakened out of security, and several new churches have been formed in the wilderness. Some they have reafon to hope have been turned from fin unto God; and the hearts of many chriftians have been made to rejoice.

"There is great reason to believe, that although the efforts which have been made, have not borne down every obstacle, yet that feeds have been diffeminated, which will gradually fpring up, and for years to come, will augment the harvest of fouls." A letter from a Miffionary in Vermont fays, "refpecting the state of Zion in this Country in general, I have good news to write. There has been much religious attention in the country within a year, and is much now in many places. You doubtless have heard of the glorious revivals in Pittsford, Rutland and Bennington; the attention began in those towns, and has been very great. Since, it has been great in Dorset, and of late, very great in Benfon, probably more powerful than in any part of our land. It feemed to overpower the town at once, and a number of bold enemies have been cut down, and bowed to almighty grace. I have feen many glorious awakenings, but have never feen a more powerful work, than in fome towns in this State. It has extended to the following towns, Hubberton, Castleton, Orwel, Shoreham, Weybridge, Bridford, Addison, Hynesburgh, Sudbury, Brandon, Duxbury, and Jericho, and I have heard of late, that there is fome attention in Tinmouth, Rupert, and Sandgate. A holy fprinkling appears in all thefe places, and in fome of them, fhowers. It is therefore a time of the most gracious visitation among us. Oh! that we had a heart to give God the glory!"

Another Gentleman writes to his father thus, concerning the awakening in these towns, "My last informed you of the good work in Pittsford, Weft Rutland, and fome other places, and the hopeful profpect here (Hubberton) At Pittsford, the number hopefully born into the kingdom of grace is 200 and upwards. At Weft Rutland, 100 or more. About one month fince, there was the found of abundance of rain in Benfon, which still continues to pour down, and it is emphatically a time of refreshing from the prefence of the Lord. Converts fpring up from every quarter. The wilderness and solitary places are glad for them; and this northern defert is made to bloffom as the Rofe. Saints feed on hidden manna, and join in the joy of angels. I have heard fome grey headed Chriftians, exclaim in extacy, "Lord now let thy fervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have feen thy falvation." The good Lord, is now by his spirit, in this finful town. A greater fhaking, I never faw among dry bones. O pray for the enlargement and peace of Zion. May her borders be as extenfive as the globe-her children, numerous as the human family, her peace as a river, and her righteousness as the waters of the Sea."

A perfon of intelligence, who lately came from Benfon fays, there does not appear to be a careless person in the town. It is faid "that laft fpring the people had a town meeting, and appointed a committee to defire their minister to leave the town. Very soon after this, the Lord's hand was visible amongst them. At Castleton there is a promifing beginning. Numbers are under deep impreffions, and some have obtained hopes."-A private letter from Dorset says, "It is now about eighteen months fince there first appeared an unufual attention to things of religion. But nothing very extraordinary took place till last spring, when a folemnity awful as judgment, feized the minds of almost all claffes of people in the fociety.Since that time, we have witneffed a fcene truly aftonishing and glorious! The mighty Redeemer has rode forth conquering and to conquer. Almighty power and grace have been gloriously triumphant. Such a day I have never before witneffed. The friends of Jefus have been all life and engagedness.

Their hearts and their mouths have been full. To them indeed it has been a remarkably refreshing time. The work has been diftinguishingly still and regular. Nothing that an enemy could call enthusiastic has appeared. Perfons of almost every age have been the fubjects of the work; but the principal harveft has been among the youths. In one family, fix young perfons have been hopefully fnatched from the power of Satan, and united to Chrift.-Fortythree have been added to our communion. Twenty-fix are propounded; and there are not lefs than fixty, who have manifested hopes, but have not come forward.-There is a marvellous work at Ben

fon forty miles north of this; and in feveral towns in that vicinity, Alfo in Sandgate, and fome hopeful beginnings in Rupert, Manchester, Wenhall &c. These things will no doubt gladden your heart.We much need your prayers, that God would not take from us his holy Spirit.

Another who attended a facramental meeting, writes from New Connecticut December 1803. "The facramental occafion was the most folemn fcene I ever witneffed. I fhall not attempt the defcription. But could you Sir, be present at such a scene as I there faw, however much you have heard, I doubt not you would have fuch feelings and impreffions as you never had before. The folemnity, the impreffions, the evidence of the divine prefence were fuch, as are not to be told. I never conceived any thing which appeared fo much, as fome parts of the folemnities, like the judgment day. The number of communicants was about 300. The evening meeting was peculiarly folemn: a great deal of that kind of falling, which has been common in the revival in this country.

The meeting continued till 4 o'clock in the morning. You once obferved to me, that you wished to have an account of the work in the western country, from one who had been an eye witness, and who was acquainted with Connecticut ideas, modes of thinking and expreffions,This you have had in a letter from Mr. B. But from that, and all which I had heard, I had got a very inadequate conception. Accounts of things at fuch a distance commonly are general; but it is from particulars that we ufually obtain accurate ideas. I have not much knowledge of the prefent state of this work, except in Pennfylvania.-Of all the Congregations under the care of the Synod of Pittsburgh, amounting to 80 or 90, there are not more than 5 or 6, which have not been vifited with divine grace. I conceive this work in many respects to resemble the great revival of religion in New England in 1740 and 1742.-In extent of territory it exceeds that.-In moft or all of the Societies which are vifited, I trust there is a good number delivered from the reign of fin, who will adore the riches of fovereign grace forever. The minifters appear to conduct with great moderation and propriety. People at a distance may fay what they will, but when they come to be eye witnefies, every reafonable man is effectually restrained from declaring it to be any thing, but the mighty power of God. It is proper to remark, that this work is in many refpects mysterious and extraordinary. And after the most careful obfervation, long experience and enquiry, there are fome things which cannot be understood.

Is this an evidence that it is not the work of God? It is, if the creation of matter from nothing, which is a mystery, be an evidence that God did not make the world. But there are things to be

feen which cannot be defcribed. After all that could be told or written, your conceptions would be far fhort of the reality; or of what they would be, if you could be an eye witness. With regard to the numbers who fall, my ideas are very incorrect. By far the greater part of those who are fubjects of this work, fall. Of those who have been made the fubjects of grace, or who have had real genuine conviction, fo far as I have feen, at least two thirds or three quarters fall. But there are many, who are evidently made fubjects of the work of the fpirit, and have deep and powerful convictions, who do not fall, and are not at all affected that way. They generally, first fall under a conviction of fin. And they fometimes obtain comfort the first time they fall, but not generally. I have never heard of any falling once only. It is commonly repeated many times. If they obtain a hope, and give good evidence of a reconciliation to God, they ftill continue to fall. Good people fall in many inftances. Several minifters have, who appear to be men of piety. Many people who have been profeffors of religion for years and who have given good evidence of a chriftian life and character, have fallen. Elders of the Churches, ferious men, have fallen, and in fome inftances in the exercife of public prayer.

Perfons fall on all occafions, at public worship and at their So. cieties. Frequently at family prayer, fometimes alone, fometimes in merry company, being fuddenly ftruck by the truth. Sometimes they fall when they are in their ordinary bufinefs.--Perhaps if private religious meetings in Connecticut were conducted there, as they are in this part of the country, and lefs for fpeculation, they would find more evidence of the divine prefence. In the places where the work is, there is fcarcely a time of public worship without fome perfons falling. I use the word fall indifcriminately.-I know of no other word fo proper. But the degrees of bodily affection are indefinitely various. From the leaft nervous agitation, every grade to the most violent you can conceive; or to a death-like weakness and inaction. Some can fit who cannot ftand.-Some must be held as much as infants; fome as much as perfons in high convulfions. The duration of the affection is very diverfe. In fome cafes it is but a few minutes. In others an hour or two; and fometimes twenty-four hours, or feveral days. Though they continue this time without fuftenance, they feel no inconvenience afterwards; and on their recovery are able to attend to any bufinefs.—In their affections, though they appear to a beholder to be in the greatest bodily distress, they are not fenfible of any pain, or any other than mental diftrefs. There is very rarely an inftance of any one being fenfible, at the time or afterwards, of any injury from the fall, however fevere. And when they are so agitated, that two or three perfons have to niake the greatest exertions to hold one, and of course are held by violence,