peat them, but they are delightful, I am relieved." And this was her apparent frame of mind to the laf. Her whole foul faying, let God be glorious, I defire nothing but his own bleffed will to take place. Let him be forever exal ted. ftance. This is of a woman with whom I had no converfation from the time of her awakening till fhe had experienced thefe very things. She was an active woman of 33 years of age, always free to exprefs her mind on religious topics, a ref olute oppofer of the doctrines of fovereign grace, and a person of good natural abilities. In her fentiments fhe was fupported by her husband; who now has hopefully became a fubject of this work, and, feels as though the doctrines which oppofed are the only doctrines confiftent with true peace of mind. I fcarcely ever faw her but she would introduce fomething in oppofition to the diftinguishing doctrines of the gofpel. Our difputes were friendly but I could never convince her of the truth. She was fomething unwell at the commencement of the general attention to ferious things, and as fhe lived about 4 miles from public worship fhe did not attend for feveral Sabbaths. One Sabbath in March, as she was riding to meet Frequently, and indeed a few minutes, before he left the body, fhe uttered fome of the most ardent petitions, that this peculiar work which she had felt might take hold of every heart in this place, fpread more and more in neigh-he boring towns, and through our land and through the world. This work was peculiarly precious to her. She was afraid that many poor fouls might be deluded with a morality like her own, and think they had religion when they were in the gall of bitterness. On this account fhe could not praife the Lord enough for enlightening her eyes, nor could fhe ceafe to be jealous left many like her, fhould be deceived with the form of religion without the power of it. This, except what relates to hering, fhe recollected that he had Lickness and death, is the general complexion of the work among us; but few varying, except in degree, from the fame impreffions, humiliation, feelings and exercifes. Three or four others were relieved the fame week that she was, and although they had no opportunity of converfing together or with any one that could inform them, yet they gave proof of the fame work in each, attended only with a fhade of difference as to manner and degree. any heard there was a great flir among the people in other parts of the town, and fhe came to a refolution to watch if she could fee thing uncommon. During the exercifes of the forenoon the difcovered nothing new, except that the congregation was very still and folemn. There was no noise or confufion, which, according to her miftaken notions of an awakening, fhe expected to fee. But at noon fhe faw a number of young people coming to my houfe. She thought now fhe could difcover all that the wifhed. She therefore followed them. When she came in, I was difcourfing with the young people and they gave manifeft figns of their apprehenfions con But left it fhould ftill be thought that, in this tender ftate of the mind, they would be ready to receive any thing as truth which was faid to them, and take any impreffions that were wifhed, I muft afk liberty to mention another in-cerning their Chriftlefs, finful and undone condition. At firft fhe was struck with a fort of aftonishment. But having reason to think that they really felt as they appeared to, the faid to herfelf, " you 'poor finner, see these young people, fome of them not half fo • old as you? They have done nothing to what you have against "God and his laws, and yet how • distressed they are for their fouls! And why am I not concerned? I have more reafon than they, I know I am a finner and muft per'ish if I remain fo, but I have no ❝ feeling about it. Am I not left? O thefe will go to heaven, and I fhall go to hell. Lord have mercy on me what fhall I do? I • am undone forever!" By this time fhe had forgotten to attend to what she could fee in others, her own concerns were enough: the great things of eternity engroffed her mind; the afternoon fervices were attended differently from any that she had ever attended before, and fhe was ferious from this time till her dying hour, which was in October following. About three weeks after her first impreffions, having heard of her diftrefs, I visited the houfe. I found fhe had been relieved a day or two before. While fhe was talking and telling me how she was awakened, and what were her after feelings, I was almost amazed and tranfported. To hear her defcribe the whole from first to laft, what were her first impreffions-her fubfequent convictions-her endeavors to help herself and patch up a righteoufnefs of her own-how fhe was irrefiftibly convinced that fhe was perfectly helplefs, finful and wretched-and coming into almoft every step with the other cafe mentioned; to hear her fo heartily approve of thofe doctrines which she had before so ftrenuously 1 oppofed, faying, "they must be true, fhe knew fome of them by experience and others were abfolutely neceffary for the recovery of the foul," and at the fame time knowing that she had no one particularly to inftruct her on these points, were circumstances as wonderful as ever I had feen or heard. Such confirmation of what I believed to be the doctrines of the gospel, and poured into her mind with fuch marks of omnipotent mercy-made me rejoice and tremble too. Could I doubt of the work or who was the author? I fhould as foon doubt who made the fun and planets. This and a number of fimilar cafes, induced me to cry out to myself, ftand fill and fee the falvation of God. The cafes which have now been mentioned are only fpecimens of the work in general, the greatest part being affected in the fame way and with the fame truths, attended with a difference only as to time, means and degree. But there are fome others which though they were grounded on the fame truths, and iffued in the fame peace and joy, were nevertheless in fome refpects fingular. A man of upwards of thirty years of age, who had been very intent upon gaining this world, was rather difpleased with what took place among us, and fhewed himself an oppofer; he thought there was no need of fo much attention. One day as he was at work, it came diftinctly into his mind, "You must pray," fays he I can't pray, " But you must pray," I can't, fays he, for the prayer of the wicked is fin, "But you muft pray, and thus a fort of dialogue continued for a long time between his confcience and his wicked heart. It was renewed again the next day, and the day following and fo 1. I this ferious time he felt any peculiar impreffions on his own mind; he answered that he had not. then afked him if he had not lately thought more on ferious fubjects. He faid he had and believed that there was not one man in town but had; but he actually appeared no more concerned for his foul than the generality of people at other times. on for nearly a week, when the impreffions came fo close that he finally gave in that he must retire and make a bufinefs of prayer. The next day or next but one after this point was established, he was attacked in the fame manner by his confcience as diftinctly as if fome one spoke to him, "You muft pray in your family; Oh no, fays he, that I can't do," But you must do it," no, it is not neceffary, 'tis not commanded, " But 'tis your duty, &c. Thus the dialogue continued for almost another week, and finally he was obliged to yield to the impreffion. But not being in heart difpofed to comply, and not being converfant in prayer he became very uneafy, and one kind of guilt and another from time to time starting up into his mind, he began to be greatly dif treffed; yet he determined no one fhould know it; he used all his art to fupprefs his feelings efpeciallying in the evening where his refobefore people, but nothing would anfwer; he was finally obliged to own himself a hell-deferving creature, before the face of all, and after a feason of powerful conviction and heavy diftiefs he found comfort in fubmitting to God. Another man of 35 years, refpectable for his good fenfe and judgment, is also an inftance which I would mention. He was at firft difaffected to the work that was among us. He had oppofed the diftinguishing doctrines of the gofpel, not because he did not fee them in the bible, but through a di relifh of them. He contrived to think that poffibly, there was fome wrong tranflation, or that fome words had been foifted in by defigning men; and with this impofition on himself rested easy concerning them. Being about to preach at his houfe in the latter part of March, I asked him, if in In reading over my text, the latter part of which was, "who bold the truth in unrighteousness ;” Almighty God deeply impreffed him with a conviction that he was the very man; that he had held the truth in unrighteoufnefs. In the courfe of the fermon he came to the most fixed refolutions to reform and lead a better life. He felt it important to delay no longer; and that the falvation of his foul was of immediate and infinite importance. He attended a meet lutions received greater confirmation. But as he was walking home alone, fo earneftly engaged and refolute, the fpirit of the Lord gave him an extraordinary fenfe of his perfect weakness and infufficiency, and indeed of the total moral depravity of his heart; and the conviction was fo clear, that all his hopes were dashed to pieces, and he became fully fenfible, that nothing but the grace of an Almighty fovereign could help him. But whether fucli a vile, ungodly, obftinate finner as he was, could ever partake of that grace, was matter of great doubt and anxiety. He almoft defpaired of it, and fpent the whole night in horrorwithout a moment's fleep. The next day he attempted to labor but his mind was too much absorbed in the view of his certain guilt and expofedne fs to everlasting ruin to allow it. He attended a lec tion. About the dawn of day he had fome new views of the propriety of fubmitting to God, unconditionally; and that it was a thing moft fuitable and excellent that Jehovah fhould do his pleaf ftinacy now gave way; he thought he could acquiefce in the divine fovereignty, and immediately found relief. The thought that all God's administrations were perfectly holy, juft and good; that he would do nothing but that which the beft interefts of the univerfe required, gave him a calmness of mind to which he had been a perfect stranger. But all this time it did not enter into his mind that he fhould be faved; on the contrary it was his prevailing opinion that he must be rejected, for the wrath of God was revealed from ture, hoping to receive that help and thofe good affections which he knew he ought to have. But in this he was disappointed. In ftead of having his heart melted and mended, he found it more unfeeling and inattentive, for he look-ure concerning all things. His ob ed to the means and not to the God of falvation. This increafed his apprehenfions of his danger, he debated whether it would be beft to attend the evening meeting, left he should be made ftill more unfeeling, but finally concluded he would attend-Here, alfo, he found himfelf more stupid than before, and began to conclude that nothing could affect him; that God would moft certainly refufe his grace, and he thought he justly might. Then a fenfe of the all-powerful, and allfeeing God made him tremble in every part, he flept none this night. In the morning, after fome ineffectual attempts to attend upon his fecular concerns, he thought of vifiting me. He came, but found no relief. In the afternoon, he attended a fermon at a funeral, but this feemed rather to harden him ; a merciful God in all these attempts fhewing him the defperate wickednefs of his heart, the infufficiency of human aid, and cutting him off from every dependence but his own infinite grace. He became more and more fenfible of his wretchednefs,and the fources of that wretchednefs; he found that his deceitful heart would look to any thing but to God through Chrift for help; hence he concluded it was perfect enmity against God; and if God did not appear in a way of fove-draw-namely, that he fhould be reign mercy, he must perish eternally. heaven against him. As foon as it was light enough to fee, he read a few verfes in the bible, and fet out to walk a small distance; but the impreffions were fo powerful on his mind as induced him for a moment to stop. In this moment a number of texts of fcripture came to him as diftinctly as if they had been fpoken by fome other man, fuch as thefe, Come unto me that labor and are heavy laden. Ho every one that thirfleth, &c. and a number of others which he did not recollect to have heard or read for a long time. He now concluded it was the Lord of glory addreffing his word to him. But the inference was not fuch as proud and felf-conceited fanatics would ye faved, for God was now his friend, on the contrary he concluded that This evening being exhausted, Jefus addreffed him in this manhe had an hour or two of broken ner to fhew him the aggravation of fleep,but awaked to keener feelings. his condemnation. And his reHe felt himself all night in a moft flections were moft pungent and forlorn and uncomfortable fitua-bitter, "Oh, what a Saviour I have rejected-how able and ready | clofe of that year, he obtained a has he been to help and fave me but I have rejected him and held all his truths in unrighteouf• nefs-eternal death is my portion, in fpite of all the love and merits of Jefus he has in perfect justice turned againft me and I cannot open my mouth to com← plain.” With reflections like these he walked backwards and forwards a few minutes, wringing his hands in fearful agony, as being now certain of his miferable doom for eternity. At this time these words came into his mind as distinctly as before, "Have I not done enough for you ? Have you not ftood out against me long enough?" An overcoming power attended these words fo that he was constrained to cry, 66 yes, Oh yes Lord, I bow to thee, Oh make me what thou wilt." This was fucceeded by a ferenity and peace which he never felt before and of which he had no idea. It was divine refreshment to a foul diffolved in penitence and love. The day before this he told a friend that it seemed to him, if ever he should be fo happy as to obtain an intereft in Chrift, he could never pray in his family, becaufe he was fuch an ignorant and helpless creature. But this morning he foon returned into his houfe, called his family together and poured forth fuch ftrains of adoration and acknowledgement, and fuch fervent prayers as melted the family into tears. I will only add that his apparent perfeverance gives Creafon to believe that this was not a mere delufion. hope that he had paffed from death unto life. But no reprefentations could induce him to pray in his family. This man being the next fpring convinced of the falfe grounds of his hope-gave it up, and after great diftrefs, obtained comfortable acquaintance with the doctrines of the gofpel and the way of life. by Jefus Christ. After this he found that all the obftacles which hindered family worship were of no weight, that it was only the want of a religious heart that prevented him. And his views and feelings being now apparently changed, he could introduce it with joy. From this narrative you are not to conclude that a reformation has reached every perfon in the town or the fociety; on the contrary it is to be feared that great numbers remain deftitute of faving grace. Many have not been impreffed at all, many have loft what they had and fome are more difcontented with gofpel truths than ever. May God of his infinite mercy bring them to repentance! Amen. Yours, &c. JOSHUA WILLIAMS. Harwinton, December 1800. Memoirs of Mrs. H, who clofed a life of exemplary piety with Chriflian comfort and refig nation. E ARLY in life he was a fub jet of fericus impreffions, obtained a hope in Chrift, and made a profeffion of religion. She was far from being confident and affured when speaking of the exercifes of her mind; but gave good evidence to others that her hope was well founded. Her life ap Another perfon, whofe wife joined the church in the fummer of 1798, was deeply impreffed at that circumstance, although noth-peared to be that of a pious, praying that was faid to him could affect him before. Towards the VOL. I. No. 12. erful, humble and exemplary Chriftian. In the management M m m |