ESSAY XX.

BODILY EFFECTS OF RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENT.*

The

DURING the years 1800, 1801, 1802, and 1803, a revival of religion occurred in the southern and western sections of Kentucky, or what is generally known as the Green River country. principal instruments were the Rev. Messrs. M'Gready, Hodge, Rankin, and M'Gee. The first named individual was in the van. He was a devout, evangelical, powerful preacher; a pupil of Dr. M'Millan, lately deceased. These men, let it be recollected, were the original leaders and abettors of the subsequent irregularities and disorders of the Cumberland Presbytery, which will be noticed hereafter. Previous to this revival of religion, Kentucky, and all this western region, was in a state of great coldness and declension. The country was new, and a heterogeneous mass from all quarters had pressed into it. Presbyterians, both clergy and people, were very formal. Sacramental services were very long, and often irksome, and apparently unedifying, or rather uninteresting, to the large mass of attendants. Communicants were heads of families generally; rarely was there to be seen a young person at the Lord's table. The services were conducted on the plan suggested in our Directory for Worship, chap. viii., sec. 6. The Sabbath was occupied in preaching, fencing, and serving the tables, as it was called, from five to eight hours. The communion was held twice in the year in those churches which had stated pastors or supplies, and in many churches only once in the year. Such was the state of things when the revival commenced, which was some time in the year 1799, in the region before mentioned. The population there was sparse at that time, and widely scattered. The work, at first, was no doubt a glorious work of the Spirit of God. The calls for ministerial labour were so great and extensive, that it was impossible for the few clergymen, recently settled there, to supply the demand. This circumstance suggested the idea of protracted meetings; that the ministers might have the opportuni

*The article here reprinted was originally in the form of a letter, from one who was well acquainted with the facts detailed. These are highly instructive, and ought to be recorded and remembered for the benefit of the coming generation.

ty of meeting people at one time and one place. There were then no missionaries to go from place to place, and preach to the scattered population. And, inasmuch as no neighbourhood had a population sufficient to support so many people as assembled on those occasions, this gave rise to the plan of camp-meetings. A grove was selected; " a pulpit of wood," or, as we generally term it, a stand, for the clergy, was erected. The multitude who intended to be stationary, located themselves, with their wagons, carriages, or tents, in such places around the stand as their fancy or convenience dictated. The assembly was often so great that secondary stands were erected: the congregation divided, so that three or four preachers were discoursing at the same time, in different parts of the grove. Here was the commencement of disorder and confusion. The sermon had scarcely commenced, when some one or more would become the subject. of bodily exercise. This was commonly called the falling exercise; or, as it was often said, such and such an one was "struck down." We cannot better describe this exercise than Dr. M'Millan has done, in his letter to President Carnahan. "It was no unusual thing to see a person so entirely deprived of bodily strength, that they would fall from their feet, or off their feet, and be as unable to help themselves as a new-born child. We have seen some lie in this condition for hours, who yet said that they could hear everything that was spoken, and felt their minds more composed, and more capable of attending to divine things, than when their bodies were not thus affected. As far as we could observe, the bodily exercise never preceded, but always followed, upon the mind's being deeply impressed with a sense of some divine truth." Another fac simile, if we may so call it, you may find in Mr. Gulick's letter, written on the Island of Kauai. See Miss. Herald, vol. xxix., p. 404. "Some were seized with a kind of convulsive trembling; and in a few cases, overcome by their feelings, they fell prostrate on their faces, and lay for a length of time weeping in a most affecting manner. And what, in our estimation at least, renders this work the more remarkable is, that many of these very persons who now felt so deeply, have, for years, been in the habit of hearing the most solemn and alarming truths in the Bible without the least apparent emotion. But now, without any special cause of excitement or alarm from us, they are thus deeply affected." But now, as we conceive, commenced the principal mischievous measure. When any one would become the subject of this bodily exercise, immediately a group would collect around, and commence singing, and then praying, and then exhorting. Many instances of this kind obtained in different parts of the congregation all at the same time. Hence it happened, that, throughout the assembly, as far as the eye could reach from the stand, there was a continual commotion and confused noise of preaching, exhorting, singing, praying, and shouting, going on at the same instant. Many, from curiosity or anxiety, were seen continually running from one group to another; so that the multitude

was in a perpetual state of commotion and agitation. This scene of things continued day and night, with little or no abatement. The ministry rather yielded up the reins to the multitude, who, being carried away with such a state of things, considered the pulpit of little account, if any at all. Indeed, preaching, especially of the didactic character, was considered a great hindrance to the progress of the revival. This sentiment was not confined exclusively to the populace, for some of the leading and most popular preachers gave way to the opinion that such kind of preaching was rather an interruption to the great work that was then going on. Hence, the most zealous, arrogant, and enthusiastic of the laity, finding the ministry ready to surrender their posts, very naturally took the whole management of the service out of their hands, and controlled it at pleasure. Moreover, if a minister, however evangelical in faith and practice, did not come "fully up to the mark," i. e., if he expressed any disapprobation, ministered any caution, attempted to correct any extravagances, he was not only set down immediately as being hostile to the revival, but even interrupted and prevented from proceeding in his discourse, by some of the multitude, who commenced singing, or praying, or exhorting, or shouting, whichever was, at the time, found most convenient, by the leaders of such disorder. It was, ultimately, out of this hot-bed of wild enthusiasm and disorder that there sprung up that fruitful crop of heresy and schism that afterwards assumed the shape, as well as the name, of New Lights, Schismatics, Marshallites, Unitarians, and Shakers. By these heresies the Synod of Kentucky was deprived of eight members, viz: Marshall and Thompson (who afterwards recanted their errors and returned), Stone, Dunlavy, M'Namer, Huston, Rankin, and Bowman. All these, except Stone and Bowman, became Shakers. For a particular account and description of bodily exercises, as they were perpetuated and fostered among the New Lights, after they became a separate and distinct body, being excluded from our church, we refer to the "Evangelical Record," p. 217, written by M'Namer, while one of that party, or perhaps after he turned Shaker. The description is indeed ludicrous, but so far as our knowledge and observation extended at the time, we cannot detect anything incorrect in the statement. We do not consider it exaggerated or too highly colored. As to these extravagances, the Presbyterian church by this time began to pause, and look on these scenes, as they were fully acted out by the New Lights, with a degree of wonder and disgust. Still there was enough, and more than enough, among ourselves, to make us blush, on a review, and excite in us a desire to hide our mother's nakedness if we could. The work was conducted by Bishop and M'Chord. We return to the revival scenes.

We have seen the origin of camp-meetings, which have so much importance now attached to them. They originated in the Presbyterian church from necessity; and this necessity, perhaps, at the time, justified the measure. And so long as they were confined to the

circumstances which seemed to call for them, were extensively accommodating, and thought to be highly beneficial. The meetings, at first, were awfully solemn; and no doubt much good was done. But when they were extended, and adopted in the more populous parts of the country, where they were attended by thousands and tens of thousands, induced by every motive good or bad, together with the lax and irregular management of them, they exhibited too much the appearance of disorder and confusion, which baffled and defied all description. It is proper to remark, however, that the form and arrangements of camp-meetings now, differ very much from those in former days. Then, the people came together without any shelter but their wagons and their tents, erected where convenience or fancy might dictate. They brought provisions for themselves and horses, and whatever else was thought necessary to their continuance on the ground for many days. Now, the plan of temporary buildings of small log huts, in regular order, around the stand, and the space where the congregation is to assemble, is adopted. Order and solemnity generally prevail, and are carefully inculcated and constantly maintained. Formerly, as we have seen, it was entirely the reverse. As for the comparative good or evil attending camp-meetings, we have nothing to say, as my acquaintance with such meetings is very limited. They appear to be lauded or condemned, according to the opinions and prejudices of their advocates or opponents.

We confess ourselves much at a loss to know the proper shape and size of the subject now before us; how far the plan of this history should extend; what to set down, and what to omit. To descend to particulars and minute circumstances, would not be agreeable to the feelings of some yet living; nor do we know that it would be edifying. We will state a few facts and anecdotes, connected with the subject before us. The writer was licensed to preach in April, 1803; both before and after which, he witnessed many things, the detail of which would make a little volume. The largest meeting he attended was in June, 1801, at Caneridge, Bourbon county, where B. W. Stone was then pastor. The exercises, as well as the encampment, were such as are described above. Many appeared to be deeply affected; and many had fallen down. There was much singing, praying, exhorting, &c., at tents, at the meeting-house, and every place where small groups were assembled around one or more of the persons who were "struck down." Subsequently, during the years 1802-3, we witnessed many cases of bodily exercise, the most of which, we have reason to believe, were entirely involuntary; while some others, we thought, were the reverse, i. e., either the persons conceited, or fancied themselves under exercise; or desired to be, and therefore sought for it, and yielded to the first impulse, which might, however, have been successfully resisted. Many persons, within my knowledge, became hopefully pious, the most of whom continue unto the present, and many have fallen asleep in Jesus. The number of apostasies was much fewer than

might be supposed. Indeed, when we look back on those times, we greatly wonder that there were not ten for one. The Presbyterian church suffered greatly, lost many members, more ministers, proportionably, than others: but she continued unconsumed, and was much better prepared, by practical knowledge, and dear-bought experience, for the next revival than she was before. But to our narrative.

A contemporary brother minister, by our request, has given us, in substance, the following facts. The first personal knowledge he had of any of the subjects of the revival was in the winter of 1800-1, near the borders of the State of Tennessee. Shortly after the people began to assemble, two or three persons appeared to swoon away, and after lying fifteen or twenty minutes, appeared to be wholly convulsed, some more than others. His attention was particularly called to a young female, who, after some time lying apparently motionless, began to move her lips. On a near approach, he found himself the subject of her prayer; from which it appeared that she was under the impression that he had come a considerable distance, and from a cold region, to see the great work that was going on in that place. And she prayed fervently that he might not be disappointed. When she recovered, and resumed her usual posture, and state of mind, there was great solicitude manifested by her minister, and others, to know the result of her exercise, what she had seen, &c. She informed them that she had seen that they were to have a glorious meeting that day, and the minister (Mr. Rankin) said he had no doubt of it. In that same place, there were others who saw, during their exercises, as they expressed themselves, certain persons (who were yet unconverted), in the act of preaching, and a very great work going on under their ministry; and they appeared to expect it with as much certainty as if it had been revealed to them from heaven. At that time and place, there was a considerable mixture of wheat and chaff. On the one hand, there was manifestly an anxious disposition to converse on religious subjects, particularly about the experience and exercises of the heart; a close attention to the preaching of the word, with apparent desire to profit thereby. There appeared among many a docile temper, a spirit of inquiry, with fervent prayer and cautious zeal. On the other hand, there was a prevailing sentiment, that the subjects of the revival had more than common attainments in evangelical knowledge and piety; that the millennium was just at hand, even at the door; of which fact these extraordinary exercises were certain precursors and evidences. These and such like extravagant notions were, of course, attended by an arrogant boldness and self-importance, which did not savour of the religion and spirit of Christ. Social meetings catechetical instruction, &c., were almost, if not altogether neglected. As before intimated, the intervals between sermons were occupied by the multitude in various exercises. The ministers took, comparatively, but little interest in conducting the worship, except in the time of