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Book One - Pages 51-60
[[50/51]] altho. she had probably never heard a person shout in a religious meeting in her life, she made a very happy effort, and altho. she had never before witnessed the conversion of a soul, she said God had converted her soul & she knew it. Her words were indeed words of fire, she immediately began to assist the Pr in encouraging those who were weeping around to look to Jesus, Then followed a scene which cannot be described, one over which doubtless Angels rejoiced, but for a time there were none in that assembly to rejoice but the Pr and his newly converted ally. The doors of the Church were opened, and a class of eight formed on that day. The congregation at length retired, many with a wounded heart & tearful eye, the Pr remaining to spend the night with the family. He felt considerable anxiety to learn what the opinions and feelings of his host, relative to the proceedings & exercises of the day, but refrained from any enquiries, choosing rather to let the old gentleman make his comments in his own time & manner. Nothing however was said for some hours, and he began to fear that the work would be checked by the disapprobation of the one who, of all others, was the oracle of the neighborhood, but his doubts and fears were removed in the eve<ning>. [[51/52]] For when, in the twilight the Pr had laid aside his book and sat musing, upon the past, and hopeing + for future direction. [illegible word del] The old German bringing his own chair quietly seated himself by his side commenced talking of the extraordinary scenes of the day, saying <he> had never seen the like, especially the falling down of the woman, that he had been tinking + & tinking about it and he hardly knew what to tink &c. He was told that such scenes, tho. a little extraordinary in their character, were not uncommon in Christian assemblies, that such scenes had occasionally been witnessed from the early ages of Christianity, that Saul was stricken down even in the highway, and tho. previously a vile persecutor, yet, after praying a few days, was truly converted, and became an eminent Christian, a minister & and Apostle. And that this woman was evidently under the divine influence, and gave evidence that the work was genuine, and that she was truly & happily converted &c.
O yes,” said the aged man, “I knows that woman, she is a very sensible woman, a very goot + woman, the best woman in the whole settlement, I knows she wouldnt + make it,” and while the tears glistened in his eyes, he added, “I does pelieve it was the power of the Lord, but by sure I wash scared.” The Pr’s heart swelled with joy, while a smile [[52/53]] unbidden curled his lip, a pleasant conversation ensued all doubts were removed from his mind, and in the morning he left with a light heart, and went rejoicing on his way.
The good work continued to increase, and at the close of the year this house was left as a regular appointment with a large & flourishing society (and among the fruits of that revival, was a son of this venerable German, who subsequently became a devoted minister of Christ and member of the Pittsburgh annual Conference.) [interlinear gloss to this last clause: <This was stated to the writer, but there are some doubts in his mind of its correctness.>]
There were many other scenes of deep interest [that] occurred during <the> labours of that memorable year, which will never be forgotten, tho all cannot consistently be written here. One other scene, however, of deep and solemn interest must be noted.
In the town of D_. the revival spread and increased, till happy scores were brought into the Church. Here sometime in the winter he was called to visit a young Lady who was deeply & strongly afflicted both in body & mind. He found a beautiful and accomplished maiden, of nineteen summers, belonging to one of the best families in the town, and who had always been accustomed to move in the first circles of society, seated in a darkened room, having recently without any apparent cause lost her sight, and at times uttering the most bitter [[53/54]] moanings, She told him that she considered her total loss of sight as a just judgment of God, fallen upon her for rejecting and grieving the Divine Spirit which had taken its returnless flight from her breast, and that she knew her destiny was irrevocably fixed, and that she was hopelessly lost. Every effort made to comfort her proved abortive, the promises were mentioned, the sacrifice of the cross presented, but in vain, the response was too late, too late. After some three months, she lost her speech, and from that time till the close of the conference year, she remained in darkness & in silence, entirely unable to see or to speak. She could still hear, and having been well educated, by means of a slate & pencil, she could communicate, intelligently her thoughts and feelings, and in this manner held converse with her friends. Physicians were called from various places, yet all their skill was vain, nor could they discover any natural cause for the unusual affliction, her mild blue eyes, when she was led to the light, appeared as bright & clear, as in former days, yet could she not discern the light which shone upon them. The Pr and other religious friends visited her frequently during the season, and strove to inspire her with hope but all in vain, there was no perceptible change, only her gloom & distress of mind appeared [[54/55]] to become more deep & immovable. When he visited the town for the last time, he called once more on the morning of his departure, to visit the faded form of the once blooming, vivacious & most lovely L_. He found her as usual in her darkened room, to which he was conducted by her elder sister, He asked her a few questions which she answered <in the> affirmative or negative by a simple nod or shake of the head, When he told her he must leave, knowing it was his last visit, she made signs to her sister to bring her slate & pencil, and for the young Pr to be seated by her side, which being done, she wrote in substance as follows. “You remember on such a sabbath + (giving the date) you preached in our meeting House, & at the close you invited penitents to approach the Altar?
said he “I do.”
She added I was there, I wanted to go forward, but I was afraid & kept back, with a heart deeply burdened went home.” Do you remember that on another Sabbath (giving the date) you invited any who might wish to join the Church to remain with the Class after preaching?
He answered again “I did.”
She proceeded “I was there. I wanted to stay. I felt it was my duty, but dare not, and fearing that I should expose my feelings in the congregation, I left the house and hastened home, with a fixed determination to go [[55/56]] there never <again> more, and at that moment the Holy Spirit left my heart to return no more, I have lost my sight and have lost my speech, and will be no better till I am in hell.”
As soon as he could command his feelings sufficiently (for he was moved to tears, who could refrain?) he said, “my dear L_. you say you was afraid to come to the altar, and afraid to join the Church, will you tell me of what, or of whom, you was afraid?”
She appeared to hesitate, and he said, Your Parents altho. not members of the Church, I think would not have opposed you, was it your Parents?
She shook her head.
Well will you tell me of whom you was afraid?
After a moment more of hesitation & silence, she wrote upon the slate the name of a young gentleman of that town, a man of respectability and high standing in + community, but opposed to vital godliness <& one to whom she was shortly to have been married,>. And having wrote + his name in a large plain hand, she wrote immediately under it, “There, for his sake, I have grieved the Spirit of God and damn’d my soul, and added ”wherever you go make known my case, that it may prove a warning to others, not to do as I have done.” After singing & prayer he exhorted <her> as he had often done before to look to Jesus, but was answered by a decisive shake of the head and a convulsive, agonizing squeeze of the hand, [[56/57]] and he left with a sad heart, that sorrowing one to meet no more on earth, wondering in his own mind at <the> mysterious dispensations of Heaven, still hoping and still inclined to believe, that when the designs of Deity were accomplished by this strange affliction, the clouds <would> break and her captive spirit yet be set free, For this he often prayed, and has often been heard to say that he can never forget that pale sad countenance, the sighs which heaved that troubled breast, the big tears which gushed from those sightless eyes, as with a trembling hand, and attenuated fingers she wrote “For his sake, I have grieved the Spirit of God and damn’d my soul.” O how sad, how full of horror the scene should she meet her betrothed amid the darkness of perdition, but O! let us rather pray and hope that through her uncommon affliction, they may both be led to trust in Christ, obtain salvation, and be prepared to dwell together in the better land. --
The last Sabbath spent on the Circuit in Youngstown, it being the 4 th of July Doctor Bostwick met him there by agreement and both preached to a more numerous congregation than perhaps ever before collected in that town, it was said some came from a distance of twenty five miles to attend that meeting. The venerable Doctor took for his text the [4 del] 2 verse [[57/58]] of the 2 nd Chapter of the 1 st Epistle to the Corinthians. (28) He preached a most able sermon, his word was with power and in the demonstration of the Spirit, The crowd in the house and the hundreds that stood in a dense mass around it were deeply affected, Our young Pr immediately followed on the close of the Doctor’s discourse, his text was 1 st Kings 18: 21. (29) He spoke, it was thought, with more than usual liberty, and the scenes of that day were such as cannot be described with pen and paper, but such as can never be forgotten. He has often refered + to it as among the happiest days of his life. He went that night to Canfield and lodged in the house of his good friend the Doctor, and in the morning bade adieu to that kind family where he had now spent the last as well as the first night in the bounds of that work, for in the morning he left, to return to that circuit no more. He came down and rested a day or two with his good friends in Steubenville, thence to Athens County and spent some two weeks with his aged Mother and other friends in that neighborhood, and from there to the Ohio annual Conference which met in Cincinnati on the 7 th of August 1819.
At this Conference he was examined
[interlinear gloss: The class consisted of Chas. Elah, Allen Wiley, Peter Stephens, Phillip Green, Jno Stewart, Job M. Booker, Jno M. Taylor, Richd Carleone and our young Pastor]
+ admitted into full Connexion, elected and ordained Deacon, Bishop R, R, Roberts confering + the orders. At this Conference Bishop George feelingly represen[[58/59]]ted, in open Conference, the destitution of the new settlements in the Missourie Conference (which then embraced within its bounds, most of <the settled part of> the State of Indiana, Illinois, Missourie and Arkansas territory, <This conference was then composed of 25 members, 8 Probationers,>) and by his tears and pathetic appeals for volunteers for that distant field, induced some four or five young men to offer themselves for that work, and our young Pr being of the number was accordingly transfered + to the Missourie Conference, and appointed to <the charge of> Silver Creek Circuit in the Indiana District with Joh. M. Baker as his Colleague, and went immediately to his work.
This Circuit (which was one of five composing the Inda Dist-) extended from the falls of Ohio about fifty miles up the River, & then extended north without limit, that is as far as a settlement could be found, and the Pr could find time & strength to search it out, for, at the upper part, especially, there was no work, or Ct further north to the Indian lands. The Indiana District was composed of the following Circuits, to wit, Silver Creek, Indian Creek, Blue River, Patoka, and Vincennes. Sam l Hamilton P.E. The return of members for these five circuits show 2121 whites & 18 coloured, The whole membership in the Missourie Conf, being 5,388 whites & 185 cold [[59/60]] Two circuits in Ia belonged to the Miami District Ohio Conference, these two circuits joined that year (1819) 1299 whites & 4 coloured members showing the whole membership in Indiana to be 3420 white. and 22 coloured, or 3442 white & coloured in the whole of Indiana.
The two Preachers appointed to Silver Creek Ct- met and spent their first Sabbath on the Ct- in Charlestown the County Seat of Clarke County. They lodged at the house of Rev. Joh Garner, an aged local Preacher of precious memory. After having preached to the people on the Sabbath morning & evening, on Monday after having obtained what information they could concerning the Circuit, they separated, to hunt up the appointments & settlements in different parts of their extensive field, both determined by God’s help to play the man, and do the work of Evangelists. (30) Baker was a young man of considerable talent, an evangelic speaker, and the people in the country thought themselves highly favoured, as the previous year they had but one Preacher, Rev. D. Sharp, But few weeks however passed untill + Baker was removed. For the Preacher appointed to Vincennes Circuit having failed, the P.E. called him (Baker) to take charge of that work, and our young itinerant was left on [[60/61]]