the ftout-hearted made to bow under fearful apprehenfions of the wrath to come. Among finners the common inquiry was, "What fhall we do to be faved?" The care of the foul was confidered as indeed the one thing needful. Worldly bufinefs, beyond what was immediately neceffary, was, in a great measure, laid afide, and made to give place to the concerns and interests of eternity. Much time was fpent in vifiting from house to house, and religious converfation might properly be faid to be the order of the day. Little elfe was to be heard in any circle. Many were mourning under a penetrating fense of the wretchedness and danger of their ftate as finners, and not a few rejoicing in the grace of the gofpel. This was the state of things through the months of January, February, and March., In the month of April, the ardour of the attention appeared, in fome measure, to abate. The habitual seriousness, however, remained much the fame as before, and continues, in a good measure, to the present time. Confiderable numbers still appear under deep and genuine conviction

Perfons of almost every age, from 65 down to 1Q.or 12 years, have apparently been fubjects of the work. Children from 10 years old have been much awakened, and fome of them have given evidence of a faving change. Those who have exhibited the most fatisfactory reafon of their hope, have generally been from 16 to 40 years of age. There have confiderably rifing of a hundred obtained hope of their faving intereft in Chrift, befides a pretty large number of backfliders, who have returned to Zion, hopefully in the way of true humiliation, and have been much comforted. Fifty have joined the church, and others are about coming forward.

Under conviction, the fubjects of the work have, in general, been made deeply fenfibly of their utterly loft eftate by nature. They complain much of hard hearts and blind minds. When thus reduced to felf-defpair, they have ufually experienced divine manifeftations. These manifeftations have, in fome inftances, been immediate and clear at first, and connected with great fenVOL. I. No. 5. H

fible joy, and peace in God and divine things, but moïe commonly they have been flow and progreffive. The perfon has felt an unusual calm, and experienced a de gree of inward peace and fatisfaction in a view of the things of God. But these exercises have not been fuch as to bring in fatisfying evidence of their being new creatures at firft; they have rather been fearing the lofs of their convictions. Many have continued in this state for a confiderable time (fome for weeks) without any apprehenfions of their being the fubjects of renewing grace, This has been the cafe till the increase of light, and comparing their exercifes with the word of God, have lead them to a comfortable hope of their good eftate.

Through the whole of this remarkable seriousness, much regularity has been observed. A good degree of order and decency has marked its rife and progrefs, and it has been attended with much outward peace and harmony of fentiment: no oppofition has appeared. Satan has not been permitted to get advantage againft us, by exciting a spirit of rafh judging, or cenforious fpeaking one of another. From the beginning, every body seemed convinced and difpofed to acknowledge, that what they faw was indeed the work of God. Its effects have been moft falutary: the veftiges of fcepticism and infidelity were fwept away by it; and differences and prejudices, which had long interrupted the peace of fociety, were happily healed. Brotherly love, which has all along abounded, ftill continues. It remarkably put an end to complaints against the hard doctrines of the gofpel; fuch as the total depravity of the human heart, fovereign grace, &c. There was no danger of giving difguft, by preaching thefe doctrines too plainly; the truth of them could not be denied, whilft the power of them was fo deeply and manifeftly experienced. The moral reformation has also been, in foine good measure, fuch as we could with. Taverns, and other places of diffipation and vanity, which ufed to be frequented, are deferted. The novel and the romance are exchanged for the Bible, and other books, calculated to furnish the most useful

knowledge, and improve the heart in habits of virtue and piety. The houfe of God is ftill the place of general refort; and the Sabbaths of the Lord are devoutly reverenced and confcientiously obferved. Family religion, in its various branches, I have reason to believe, is tenfold more attended to than heretofore; and these principles of piety, and the fear of the Lord, have no fmall influence upon the relative duties of life, which are much more regularly performed than before the times of refreshing, which have recently paffed, and are now paffing over us. Such habitual alterations of character appear in many individuals, and the general state of fociety among us as bear an honourable teftimony to the truth and importance of experimental religion. Many who have obtained hope complain much of the grievous corruption of their hearts, and their want of fenfible chriftian comfort, but ftill appear engaged to prefs forward in the ways of the Lord. As yet I know of no inftances which look like apoftacy, though it is to be feared that all will not endure to the end, and be faved.

I would just add, that this revival of religion appears to have taken place in answer to prayer. Previ oufly to it, the ftate of religion among us was exceeding low, and had been fo for many years; but in the preceding April, by certain communications refpecting the revivals of religion in Connecticut, and fome other concurring circumftances, a fmall number of Chriftians appeared defirous of attending meetings of fpecial prayer for Zion. Such meetings were accordingly introduced, and attended every week. They were kept up through the fummer, but few, fometimes not more than 10 or 15, attended. Thefe meetings were, however, made edifying, and an unusual spirit of prayer feemed to be granted. Though no fpecial outward encouragement appeared, for a confiderable time, they were continued till it pleafed God to hear and anfwer in the fignal manner which has been stated. Herein he hath glorioufly manifefted himself a prayer-hearing God, and exhibited,

according to his word, the fufficient reafon which his people have, even in the darkest feafons, perfeveringly to wait upon him in this way of his own appointmentin due time they may expect to reap if they faint not.

There has alfo, for a number of months, existed a very confiderable revival of religion in a small congregation, called Middletown, about forty miles weftward of this, and in Coram, a fociety adjoining. I vifited and fpent fome time with them in May. There was a very great and unusual engagedness manifefted to hear the preaching of the word. Though the feafon was very hurrying, multitudes flocked for many miles round to attend divine fervice, once, twice, and even three times, a day. I alfo vifited them again about two weeks ago, and found the fame fpirit prevalent, though, perhaps, not attended with altogether fo much engagedness as before. The ferioufnefs there has appeared, in general, much as in this place. Between forty and fifty have obtained hope, and about thirty have joined the Church. The change which it hath effected in the face of things, is truly furprising. For a number of years religion had greatly declined. In the beginning of the year 1799, they loft their minifter, deacons, and a number of other moft active and influential characters, by death. There appeared no evidence that these awful judgments were fanctified. On the contrary, iniquity more abounded, and the love of many waxed cold. But, by the late interpofition of divine grace, thefe defolations are happily repaired. The profpects of the profperity of the Church are now animating. The revival has been hitherto attended with a spirit of union, and is connected with a great and general reformation of manners.

Among a fmall tribe of Indians, at a place called Cold Spring, under the care of Paul, an Indian minifter, there has alfo of late been a great awakening, and it ftill continues in a good degree. At Huntington, Southold, and fome other places on the ifland, there have been, and are at prefent, hopeful appearances of the revival of religion. On the whole, it may be prefumed, that there

has not been a time, for many years, in which there were fo many tokens for good refpecting Zion, in the churches in this quarter, as at prefent. May the work of God go on and profper. Verily, when the Lord builds up Zion, he appears.in his glory. I am, with refpe&t, yours, &c. AARON WOOLWORTH,

To the EDITOR of the MISSIONARY MAGAZINE.
SIR,

You have gratified many of your readers, by publishing the ferious addreffes of the Indian chiefs to Mr. Holmes. As nothing of that kind can be uninterefting to the friends of Miffions, I now fend you a complimentary fpeech, delivered by Captain Hendrick, in behalf of his people, in the fummer of 1798, to the fame perfon. It is a talk truly in the Indian style, and expresses, by the ftrongest and most appropriate figures, their hofpitality to the weary traveller, and fympathy with one whofe foul was bowed down under the diftreffes which the peftilence was then producing in the city where he had left his relatives and friends.

I'

Father, attend!

C.

T is by the goodness of the Great Good Spirit we are allowed to meet together at this time. We rejoice, that by the goodness of the fame Spirit you have been preferved during your abfence, that he has again put it in your mind to pay us another vifit, and find us all in health. But when we look at you, we fee your tears flowing down from your eyes, on account of the difficulties and darkness being on the fea and on the fhore.* I now, according to the custom of our ancestors, stretch forth my hand, and wipe off your tears, that you may fee your children clearly.

* "Difficulties and darkness being on the sea," are significant of wars and tumult-and, " on the shore," the prevalency of epidemic disorder and death.