The Great Revival in the West, 1797-1805 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 edition. Excerpt: ...times nearly two feet from the ground notwithstanding she was held by the hands.2 In the winter of 1804 the Schismatics, as those in Kentucky and Ohio who had severed connection with the Presbyterian church were called, began to praise God in the dance, encouraging each other to unite in the exercise. Many justified themselves by scriptural quotations. The dancing is described as a gentle, not ungraceful, movement, with little variety in the step to the accompaniment of a lively tune. Some of those subject to visions declared that as they entered upon the heavenly scenes their whole soul and body were perfumed with a peculiar fragrance, which rendered everything mortal disagreeable and unsavory. Under the influence of this singular perfume, which seemed to answer to the scripture notion of the smell of Christ's garments from the ivory palaces and all the powders of the merchant, "they would swoon away three or four times in a day, recover, rise and dance round with incarnate and elevated springs."1 Other exercises appeared in many congregations. Sometimes the one affected would roll over and over like a wheel, regardless of a chance mud puddle or other obstacles that might happen to be in the way. Others would run with amazing swiftness, leaping over obstructions in the path. One young woman at Salem in 1802, having fallen, lay a great while, then, jumping up, cried as if distracted that others hindered her from serving God. For some time she pranced over the benches, then fell and lay as in a syncope.2 One writer describes a peculiar singing exercise in which the subject in a very happy state of mind would sing most melodiously, not from the nose, or mouth, but entirely in the breast, the sounds issuing thence. This was the accompaniment of...