the hope and prospect of eter- ticularly impressed, were filled nal life. with solemnity, and ready to say, Verily the Lord is here. In 1805, we were favored with a few refreshing drops, as from the skirt of a passing cloud. The result was a small, but precious harvest. It was composed wholly of youth. Several were hopefully converted and professed obedience to Christ. In every instance, they have uniformly given evidence of grace by a life of holiness. In the fall of 1809, we were blessed with a remarkable effusion of the Holy Spirit, of which it is my intention to give you a more particular account. It was observed for some time, that our conferences, which were held in the several school districts, were more full and solemn than usual. In the month of October a few drops began to fall. Some dead sinners were pricked to the heart, and made to feel the need of a Savior. The cloud seemed gradually to rise, the energy of Christians to awake, and the glories of Almighty grace to unfold. Toward the close of November, the effusion became mighty and glorious. The seriousness spread with great rapidity. The day of Thanksgiving was peculiarly sol. emn. From this time to the next Sabbath was a kind of Pentecost. The numbers impressed exceeded any thing we had before witnessed. At a conference on Sabbath evening, in the section of the parish most powerfully visited, all the anguish of awakened sinners was seen. I was present the ensuing Tuesday evening; with difficulty many could compose their minds sufficiently to attend to religious exercises. All present, if not par A stated time for public preaching was now appointed, the exercises of which were performed by my neighboring brethren, and continued during the special attention. The seriousness soon spread over all parts of the parish. The following particulars will give a more full view of this refreshing season. 1. There was a general attention to the word preached. The assemblies on week days, as well as on the Sabbath, were full, solemn, and attentive. The anxiety to hear was so great, that even in the worst of travelling, and in dark evenings, the house of worship would be crowded. Every mind seemed engaged on concerns the most momentous. Something so unaccountable, on any human principles, appeared in the fulness, solemnity, and attention of religious assemblies, that none pretended to doubt that it was the work of the Lord. So evidently was it his work, that none opened their mouths against it. All seemed fully convinced, that Divine power was displayed in producing the effects before their eyes. Conferences were at this time multiplied, also, and seriously and devoutly attended. Indeed, during the spread of the work, business among the convicted was in a good measure suspended. 2. The exercises of the convicted were very similar, whether old or young. They were slain by the law. They beheld the evil nature of sin. A sense of their own guilt filled their minds with bitter an guish. They felt self condemned. The infinite holiness of God, the purity and extent of the Divine law, and the total inexcusableness of the sinner, were clearly seen. That the sinner could do nothing toward his own justification; that Christ must do all, was the general impression. The heart was dicovered to be a futed fountain, and its native enmity to God was felt. They found their fig leaves would never cover their nakedness; and that mercy, sovereign mercy, alone could save them. It does not appear, that any fled to duties, as the ground of acceptance with God, or felt as though he were under any obligation to confer the least favor upon them. It appeared wonderful to them, that they had been kept so long from endless burnings. 3. God's dealings with the convicted have been various. Some few were advanced, some more in the meridian of life, but by far the greater part in youth. A number who had been awak, ened in the former revival, but had not dared to rest on their hope, although they gave considerable evidence of being in a gracious state, were now remembered by a merciful God, and either effectually called, or received a fresh anointing. Some subjects of the work continued in a state of conviction longer than others. Evidences of grace were communicated in different measures. Great light and comfort, in a very few instances, were succeeded, after a short time, by doubts and darkness: while such as seemed to grope in the dark, and were in bitterness a long time, finally found durable peace and comfort. VOL. IV. New Series. As in all similar events, some of the convicted are blessed with saving influences; others are not gathered into the fold. The pro portion is perhaps as great in this case, as usual. There has not appeared an inclination to be sanguine in the belief of being brought to Christ. Serious selfexamination, and humble prayer, were not only recommended, but appear to have been practised. Neither is it the usage with us, on the first enjoyment of hope, to make a profession of religion. Converts are rather encouraged to wait until they have had time to try the spirits, and examine thoroughly the grounds of their hope. Between fifty and sixty have united themselves to the visible Church by a public pro fession; and we have reason to trust that others, being of the election of grace, are united to the invisible Church, and will find it in their hearts to give themselves publicly to Christ. We have had the satisfaction of seeing, that all who have professed religion thus far manifest that the work was genuine. Faith, in them, seems to produce its natural and happy effects; to be living, not dead. One from the number of young converts has had her religion put to the test. Twice she communed with the Church on earth, and was called from the world. She died with the consumption in the 22nd year of her age. Her death-bed was instructive to her acquaintance, and comforting to saints. Her views were clear, her faith bright, her hopes strong, her triumph over the last foe glorious. She gave her dying testimony to the truth, and power, and excellence of the relig 9 ion of Jesus, and hailed the hour of her departure, as that in which she should be hold her dear Savior face to face. 4. The effect on our schools, on one more particularly, is worthy of notice. In the early stages of the work the minds of several children were seriously impressed. During its progress it affected a conserable proportion of this school, especially the largest scholars. One morning as they were reading in the Bible, they gave vent to their deep anxiety. They were overwhelmed with a view of their guilt and ruin. The instructor himself, also, was filled with great concern for his soul. Surrounded with his sobbing and lamenting pupils, and himself deeply convicted, the usual business was suspended. The forenoon was principally spent in reading the Scriptures. In the afternoon a number of the Christian brethren in the neighborhood attended at the schoolhouse. Great anxiety still appearing, they counselled and prayed with the school. It was not equally solemn on any other day, though much seriousness was apparent for some time. The children chose to spend the intermission in hearing Christians converse, rather than in juvenile recreations. They would go to private houses for this purpose. This anxiety, however, gradually wore off, and but in few instances was hopefully followed by saving grace. The instructor, it is trusted, was enabled to embrace the Savior, and has since professed obedience to him. 5. The experience of a particular person may be worth mentioning. He was a good member of society; perfectly moral, in the usual sense of the word; constant in attendance upon public worship, and in family prayer. Chris tians seemed to be his chosen companions. In the time of the revival he became thought He soon found that he had ested on works, and that they w ground of dependence. His victions became deep: his hstress of mind pungent. In attempting to pray with his family in the evening, he was so overwhelmed with a sense of his guilt, that his strength failed him, although a man of a firm constitution and laborious habits. He remained under trembling and weakness of body two or three. days, owing entirely to his being borne down with a view of his spiritual state. As the light of truth and grace broke in upon his mind, he gradually recovered strength; and enjoyed peace of mind. He was among the first of the converts who made a public profession. The season has been refreshing. Saints have been animated to greater zeal and fidelity. Religious meetings of every kind have been more solemnly attended. Family prayer has been much revived. Every shower with which we have been blessed, has increased the knowledge and love of the doctrines of grace. Those of them esteemed hard, have been uniformly embraced by such as have faith. Beauty has been added to our Zion, and her children, in increased numbers, are ripening, it is humbly hoped, to stand on mount Zion above. I am, dear Sir, yours affectiontionately, JOHN ELLIOTT. 1 And he went up from thence to Bethel: and as he was going up by the way there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD: and there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. OBJECTIONS have been made to the Divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures from the facts they relate. Disbelievers insist, that it is incompatible with the Divine justice and goodness to array, in hostility, one nation against an other; and they strenuously contend, that the command given to the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites, and possess their land, was unrighteous, cruel, and highly derogatory to the character and government of God. The same objection may originate from the event recorded in the text; and the objectors may allege, that it was unworthy of a prophet of the Lord to denounce those little children, and cruel in God, conformably to his denunciation, to send the bears out of the wood for their destruction. Perhaps no event recorded in Scripture is more directly adapt ed to operate upon the tender passions of human nature, and to excite reflections upon the prophet and the God who sent him. That because little children spor tively said to the prophet, Go up, thou bald head, he should curse them in the name of God, and God should execute the curse by sending bears to tear them in pieces, may be rashly described as inhuman and cruel? To remove and prevent such reflections, the following observations are made. It is admitted, and will be understood, that this transaction, on the part of the prophet, was effected by an immediate impulse of the Holy Ghost. When those wicked children mocked the prophet, the Holy Ghost impelled him to curse them in the name of the LORD, and God inflicted the curse in destroying them by bears from the wood. It is to be shewn, that this was necessary, proper, and useful; worthy of the prophet, and honorable to his God. For this purpose the following remarks are offered. 1. Bethel, in which city those children resided, was the seat of idolatry to the ten tribes, or the kingdom of Israel. The sagacity of Jeroboam suggested to him, that if the tribes which he had induced to revolt, should go to Jerusalem to worship, they would return to the house of David, and he should be executed as a rebel. To avoid so undesirable a fate, he instituted idolatrous worship. He made golden calves, and said to the Israelites, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. One he placed in Dan, the other in Bethel. In Bethel he built a house of high places, and an altar upon which he offered sacrifices and burnt incense. 1 Kings xii, 26. From this, Bethel became the seat of idolatry and wickedness. was the residence of idolatrous priests, and full of idolatrous in It pensations of Divine Providence, has been attended with some terrible judgment, productive of benign and salutary effects. Some particular instances may be selected. When the Mosaic ritual was instituted, and the priests began to exercise the sacerdotal office, Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord; and fire went out from before the LORD, and devoured them; and they died before the LORD. Lev. x. After this, no priest presumed to offer strange fire upon God's altar: and such an awful chastisement preserved the purity of God's worship. When Joshua commenced the conquest of Canaan, and reduced Jericho, Achan stole a Babylonish garment and a wedge of gold, for which he was publicly stoned to death, and, with sons and daughters, oxen, sheep, and all that he had, burnt to ashes. Josh. vii. This exemplary punishment imposed an effectual restraint upon the avarice of the army. After this solemn caution, no Israelite presumed to steal a Babylonish garment, or a golden wedge, and the Israelites, preserved from the accursed thing, enjoyed the blessing of God, who wonderfully succeeded their arms. The destruction of the little children in the passage before us, removed obstructions, and facilitated the work of Elisha the prophet. In the days of the Apostles, when Christian liberality induced believers to sell their property, and contribute to the necessities of the saints, Ananias and Sapphira, sold a possession, and laid the money at the Apostles' feet; but kept back part of the price. For this pre 3. It was the custom of idolaatrous priests to wear long hair. This was a badge, and almost an essential ornament, of their office, and rendered them venerable in the view of the common people. When, therefore, Elisha came to Bethel, and the children of idolatrous inhabitants observed his head to be destitute of hair, they said, in derision of him and his God, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. If this visible, public contempt of the prophet, and the God who sent him, had passed with impunity, the prophet would have become despicable, and his God contemned and degraded. It consequently became peculiarly necessary for the vindication of his office, and the honor of his God, that this gross insult should receive a condign and exemplary punishment; and the Holy Ghost instantly impelled him to devote those impious children to destruction, by cursing them in the name of the LORD: and God gave his sanction to the curse, by sending bears out of the wood to tear them in pieces. By this, God magnified the prophet, in the sight of all Israel. After this, no one dared to say to him, contemptuously, Go up, thou bald head; nor presumed any idolatrous king, or Israelite, to molest or obstruct him in the execution of his prophetic office. It merits observation, that the commencement of important dis |