The editor has taken the liberty to add to this collection the following copy of a letter received from the western country, State of Tennesse, written. by a Rev. gentleman well known, and on whofe knowledge and firiat veracity great reliance may be placed.

Rev. and dear Sir,

MARYVILLE, January 20, 1804.

The wonderful appearances attendant on the revival in the state of Tenneffee has arrested the attention of both the friends and enemies of religion. The bodily exercise has affumed such a variety of Thapes as to render it a truly herculian task to give an intelligent statement of it to any perfon who has never feen it. However, I do not Thefitate to fay that it is evidently the Lord's work though marvellous in our eyes.

Since my return to the state of Tennessee I have attended eight facraments, and these in different parts of the country. From 1000 to 3500 have been affembled together-of course, collected from confiderable distances. I have converfed particularly with upwards of 800 perfons on their exercifes, views, feelings &c. and I am constrained to fay, that I have discovered far less extravagance, disorder and irregularity, than could have poffibly been expected in fo extraordina ry an awakening, efpecially when part of it took place among perfons fettled in the back parts and entirely deftitute of the means of grace. If crouded audiences, earnest praying-practical preaching-and animated finging, may be confidered irregular, there is a great deal of irregularity. If crying out for mercy. If fhouting glory to God for falvation, are diforderly? then there is fome diforder, but I prefume not more than there was at the day of Pentecoft.

The only thing with us, which can be conftrued into disorder or extravagance, is the motions of the body under the exercise. These I will attempt to defcribe. In a number of inftances, the first symptom-fit, is a violent trembling throughout the fyftem-a difficulty of breathing and a preffure about the heart as if the diffclution of nature was faft approaching; and often the perfon (in fact) believes that it is juft at hand. Sometimes they fall and lye motionless for fome time-the length of the time is very irregular. Some do not fall, but a jerking takes place in the nerves, which has every symptom of the ftrongelt convulfion and produces motions precifely of the fame kind.-The head will be fometimes jerked forward and fometimes backwards, with fuch violence you would fuppofe it would fly off the fhoulders. At other times the arms will be projected the fifts clinched and the finews fo ftrong, that it is impoffible to bend them and fo of every other part of the body, on which the influence lights. The muscles, about the brain and jaws fometimes become affectedthen the perfon will laugh in the moft extraordinary manner, though

it is altogether involuntary, as indeed all the bodily exercises are; I have frequently feen perfons who would forely lament, after it was over, faying they felt more difpofed to cry, than laugh, but they could not avoid it. In a few minutes the fame perfon will break into a flood of tears and be in the utmost distress, but it is only when affected in this way, they can fhed tears while in the bodily exercise, which appears evidently to take the place of and fupercede them altogether. If at any time tears break forth in an affembly, the bodily exercise ceases, at times, almost entirely. Sometimes the tongue will be fo affected that though the perfon is walking about in perfect health and quite fenfible, yet he cannot fpeak a word for hours. The eyes will also be frequently affected in the fame way. The whole fyftem is often fo influenced, that in whatever posture the perfon is, whether ftanding or fetting, when taken, he will remain motionlefs and as stiff as if dead for feveral hours; during which period you can fcarcely difcern the motion of the pulfe, and the extremities will grow completely cold. In this ftate they are ufually infenfible to any thing paffing around them, but the mind is in full employ, and they can clearly recollect their meditations.-Frequently the effect falls on the nerves of the thighs and legs, and then the perfons will be fo difpofed to run, that if you hold them (which has been attempted) it nearly takes their life. If let alone, they will run from 20 to 100 yards through the thickest woods, with their eyes fhut, with a moft aftonishing velocity, and then drop motionless as if fhot; and what is very remarkable, few cafes have ever happened, where the subject of any exercife has done themselves any injury. In most of the cafes, when the paroxifm begins to go off, the fubject feels the strongest defire for prayer, and frequently expresses himfelf in the most pathetic, fluent and pertinent manner I ever heard. Children of 5 or 6 and perfons who before appeared grossly ignorant exprefs themselves in fuch a manner-form their petitions fo judicioufly and introduce fcripture fo pertinently, that I queftion, if the greatest Doctor of divinity in America would not blush in the view of his own inferiority. A number of the bodily exercises immitate pieces of conduct, which are known by common names, and from that circumstance are denominated; and thus, with those who are not eye witneffes, has all the odium of the practice in common use, attached to it but a person who candidly views the whole affair, will fee fuch a difference, that though, from hearsay, he has imbibed prejudices, he will change his opinion, and admire the power of God. Of this kind, are thofe motions call dancing, pointing, fighting &c. Under the exercife, fometimes the feet and hands will move fomething like dancing and if they are fo confined that they cannot rife, the motion will continue; and if you hold the particular part, fuch convulfions will feize the whole frame as you would

fuppofe would tear it in pieces-yet in all the convulfions and exercifes, there is no pain, but the most pleasing fenfations, except when first seized, or what rifes from the distress of mind. The dancing (as it is called) is one of the moft folemn appearances I ever have feen. The eyes are fhut. The countenance brightened with joy and the motions of the body, a kind of leaping or dancing very expreffive of their feelings. This exercife is ufually attended with a tune, which is uniformly the fame, in thofe who fing at all, and is very melodious. Some use words which are descriptive of their train of thought-fuch as "come Lord Jefus-Oh come lovely Jefus❞— or Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord of Hofts! &c. &c" I have seen children, who I am fure never danced a step in their lives, nor ever faw any body dancing, rife and have the fame motions with thofe, who might be supposed to have done it from practice, or from immitation! Old men of 60, who have fupported an unblemished character for religion. for 30 years and who held dancing in the most perfect abhorrence, have notwithstanding been brought to the exercife (fo called) though the moft against their inclination. It has ferved as an effectual check to carnal dancing in this part of the world -fuch a thing can scarcely be heard of in the circle of an acquainWhen the arm is ftrung, and raised horizontally with the forefinger projected, it is called pointing; this often takes place, though the eyes are fhut, and they have no defign in the cafe-alfo when the fift is clinched in one of thofe convulfions, the perfon will ftrike any thing indifcriminately, as well a tree, or a stump, as a man; this however is called fighting. And the fame obfervations, are applicable to all the bodily exercises which appear. The subjects of thofe exercises are found in all claffes, ranks and degrees. The perfon of 80 and the child of 4-the master in affluence and the flave in bondage. The clergy in the pulpit and the laity in the pews, The man of long religious ftanding, thofe of a recent date and many who have no religion at all. It is univerfally agreed that there is no religion in the bodily exercife; yet it is thought to be a very folemn, external call-is well calculated to imprefs the mind, and ought to be improved. It never can be accounted for, from fympathy, nor is it always increased by thinking-numbers have taken it, when a fleep, or at their work, or in thoughtless mirth; tho' having never attended to any means of grace for years paft, and after they felt it, they fought against it for feveral days, and attempted to banish it by drinking or diverfions, till at laft conquered, they were forced to acknowledge it was the hand of God.

tance.

Should the folution be attempted on the ground of fympathy, we must not only fuppofe a firft pretender to bring it into motion, but alfo fuch to be regularly acting in concert in every worshipping affembly to carry on the farce; and how we fhould account for the

individuals in the woods taking of it, I know not, feeing that they have it more violent in private devotion, than in company. In fhort,

I have not only heard of it, and feen it, but have felt it, and am perfuaded that it is only to be effected by the immediate finger of God. There are fome impoftors-there are fome extravagancies, but these make no characteristic feature of the work, and are held in abfolute aborrence by the fimple and pious. The best evidence of a revival is the fruit produced.-To this we fhall attend—a full enumeration of this would fwell my long letter to a volume. The infidel of many years ftanding, is often feen laying down his weapons at the foot of the crofs; and heard crying out, “There is a Jefus I enjoy more sweetness in a moment, than I have done for years, &c." Thefe things I have feen and heard. They have alfo declared, that men and books could never have fo effectually convinced them of the truth, as the bodily exercise has done. Thofe of the fame clafs, who are not convinced, are completely filenced, and have obtained their ne plus ultra. The Ball Room, tipling fhops, and taverns, have, in a number of inftances, been thrown open to the pious, and converted into places of prayer and praise in focial exercise. The most loose and profane fettlements, where religion was not known, or the name of God mentioned, only in blafphemy, are regularly formed into focieties, and meet weekly for focial prayer. The very caves of the mountains where a few of the more indifferent had crowded, are now founding with praise to God. Praying focieties may be attended every day or every night in the week, by a ride of a few miles. In thefe, boys of 12 or 15 will chearfully take their part, when called upon. In all thefe focieties, there is one appointed to prefide, who reads the Scriptureschooses and points out the hymns, and calls on perfons to pray as he chooses, and thus all is conducted with decency and order. It is not uncommon on Sabbath evenings and frequently in the week, to find 20 or more children affociated in a filent grove, none of them more than 12 years old, and engaged in the most folemn prayer.

I have under covert, drawn near them, and seen and heard wonders indifcribable. Some crying to Jefus for mercy-some shouting," glory to God for falvation." Others, praying for their own fouls their brothers, fifters, fathers, mothers, friends, minifterspraying for the church-the heathen-yea for the world at large. O fir nothing but the Hofanna's of the children on the entry of Christ into Jerufalem, could equal the praises of thofe infants. Nor is this a hafty flash, but continues, while they are evidently become both more dutiful and docile. Their defire, as foon as they take the bodily exercife, for inftruction and for the means of grace, is past conception, The poor black flaves, are much reformed-they are more dutiful,

faithful and upright; and many of their nights, after days of fatigue, are fpent in focial prayer. In a word the christian is animated-the hypocrite alarmed and finners tremble. The doctrines of the cross are thirfted after and more fully understood, than they would have been, in a common way, in 10 years regular attention-total depravity— free grace- inexcufable rebellion, and infinite mercy, are favourite topics-The great object appears to be, to defpife felf, and exalt the redeemer. The finner ceafes to make terms with his creator, and furrenders in entire, unconditional fubmiffion. The love of christians for each other, has increased at least tenfold, efpecially with those who have been the subjects of the bodily exercises (for it is to be remarked, that all chriftians are not the subjects of it) and the zeal for the intereft of Zion has had a proportionate increase. Prayer, praise and religious converfation, are clearly the order of the day; and this practice, paffing through the common circles of fociety, has bettered their state and fweetened the relations of life.

Thefe are fome of the effects produced, and while fuch is the fruit of the moral tree, I fhall confider the root good, and the caufe producing it divine. I ought to have remarked, that the bodily exercife, is not the effect of the weakness of the nervous fyftem, for the weak hyfterical female, will often remain unmoved, while the ftout and sturdy veteran, will fink and fall by her fideAs foon as any person who has been the subject of the exercises has been attacked by fickness, the exercise leaves him entirely, until he again recovers ftrength, when it returns with force, proportionate to his returning ftrength. After all I have said, you will not be able to form an accurate judgment of the thing without being a spectator yourself, nor can it be fully described by any man on earth. I have fimply stated facts fo far as I have gone, not any by hearsay, but what I have feen myfelf.-Should the bodily exercise produce as good fruits in Philadelphia, as it has done here, I should fincerely wish to hear of it making its appearance in that city. When perfons are under the bodily exercile, they can think and express themfelves beyond their common level very confiderably, and of this I am convinced by experience.

I am, &c.

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