Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1815-04-17

and appeared suffering acute pain-her
features were violently asitated, but her eyes
continued closed.. observed, that notwi,h-
standing her head was in convulsiye move
ments and the muscles of her face denoted
extreme agony, yet the rest Other body from
hey shoulders 10 her feet, zvas nanqll as a
statue.
AS had never be fore seen commissions
ipcaiedin the head, or the sense ofpain lin
tied to the distortions of the features,
considered Miss Rachel must be labouriDg
under some peculiar disease, the origin and
charactsr OF which must leave to be &C
counted for by Doctor - and others, bet.
ter acquainted than the writer, with the
physical operations of nature
She continued in this ordeal about five
minutes, then became suddenly calm, with
every dedication OF being il profound
sleep; pre- sently her lips began to move,
and shepoured out fervent, well connect
ed prayer, which listed about IL minutes
she was then seized with another FIT for a
few seconds but relapsing into her former
tranquility, she commenced her sermon Oh
exhor,atiol, with due methpd and solemni-
~. Although her pronunciation WIS cor,
rect, yet her language was choice, and her
mode OF utterance peculiar and impressive.
She displayed an extensive knowledge OF
religious subjects & developed the strcng II
of her intellect, by her replies TO some
questions tina; were put TO her by some Of
the spectators.
She was asked, what was TO be done TO
inherit eternal life-and if she thought that
children who died in infancy, were admitted
to a seat in heaven. Her answer to these
questions, were prompt and pertinent, and
embraced as wide range Of argument, as
could have been used by an experienced or
thodox preacher. She resumed the threed
Of her exhortation, occasionally breaking
forth in some Fights OF fancy, equally beau
tiiul as original. Her sermon occupied
about sixty minutes, WHEN she was gain
seized with fit--after which, she prayed
for some time in a devout and animated
strain, closing the ceremony by convul-
sion, more violent than any of the prece
Ging--in which state lett her.
! was DESTROYS of ascertaining the opin-
ions of the spectators on the scene they had
witnessed, and found that very few If them
suspected it to be pious fraud. When
hin,ed that had seen Jonathan SOuthcote,
aed Jemima Wilkinson, severa! of tie com
parry perceived that it would be difficult, TO
coniiece ME, that Rachel Baker was under
divine inspiration, but thought ii was due
10 truth AID politeness to declare, she was
the most interesting LAY PREACHER that
! had ever heard.
When reflected on how many wonders
had been produced among the human race
by those who stand recorded on tt page of
history, as the founders Of various secs
thai have, for SO many ages, divided and
distracted the Christian world, ii appears to
me possible, that this moral phenomenon
may become the immortal founder of new
form of worship, which for human convent
ence, novelty and interest, has no parallel.
Rachel Baker is now in the bloom of
youth, and although not gifted with extra
ordinary beauty, there is something so Sc
raphic in her system OF pie,y, as cannot fail
to procure her protection and disciples a.
mong the population of this enlightened
city. TO behold her lying in bed, attircd
like celestial bride, with modest night
cap on, from the sides OF which, and over
her temples, is perceived her fine auburn
hair, awakens az interest, such as before was
never excited among religious audience
aud | confess, That when from her rosy
lips flowed the purest truths of our holy re
Iigion, should have deemed myself an in
fidel not to have kneit al her shrine.
have mixed in The solemn devolions of
the catholics--I have heard the melodious
chanting nuns--l have been delighted by
listening 10 some ofthe first pulpit orators
Of the present gel have witnessed in va
rious parts OF the earth, the pomp and the
gloom of those institutions, deemed sacred
among gentiles and heathens--and nave
been present al the ceremony of the dancing
quakers of this state, but none ofthnse sys-
TENS of religious sdola.ion could produce
such sensations as those experienced last
night, while at ending the devotional exerci-
ses OF Miss Rachel Baker. w ID. II.
Nezp York, March H.