Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-04-12
CSC.
Erou The Hartford Waterman.
ITUHt U'e 117' ? "
.,,,,>,-n pASTOEAL RECOLLECTIONS.

,,ade oftic Gauss which operate 10 dIsap-
oint the hopes of Coils children in rcgnrd
10 revvals ut trellglon.-AnI have thought
!. NAV ms duv 10 contribute ml;c TO
the same purpose by giving you an account
of some of my own experience iii t"ls res-
:: ct.
When was fist put in charge ofa fock
bv or iGHltion, trast hal SOM r1 Il dcSrr
ior the salvation OF souls, AMI my ooicc'
Vas TO apply the appointed means, accord
ing 70 my best udg gmcnt SO rs 20 promote
t.,is object. AAd as lregardci rcvvaIS OF
religion as the harvcs: seasons N winch
sous were gathered in, i: became prime
o,,icc, in my minis rations 10 secure the
frequent recurrence of such seasons. III
aim.nr at tits ciicct. Was Id % TIC mli!h-
rI:cailon o! IN c:ngs and mHaGS, and my
appeals 10 tic conscrnccS and feelings OF
my hcararS were as drec, and p"nccHt as
conll find langu sc 10 express. was, as
bcl;c"e, sincerely and deeply drsrous OF
their salvation. But: though | was a be-
lever in what are called Inc Distinguishing
doctr;nes of grace, such as native and entire
de ri,y. andrhe sim. rscltirc dependence,
Wei from prudential considerations. KEEP.
tAcm IN Il great m2asure out OF SIGHT; o.,
if | trough. them forward in .,;Ibi!c ins.ruc-
ton. it was in so cautious aAd guarded q
manner rs nearly if 10, Gur,to ncutrailZc
their poAcr. | was not afraid Of sacrifices
of nv "wn interest, but | was afraid tha,
pr,i,idi:c> would be excited, and that souls
would De iaiureI by TIC plain AID full exhl-
bition o. IaeSe doctrines.
co I'D perceive that my i,borrs were al
tended with some effects, and a: times there
was consid rab!e and even powerful excite
ment. Mlny We're in tears, and the vsi-
bic Sympous Of revival were manifest.
1t was called a revival.-But vet, when |
came to convcrs. with the ANXIOUS | found
defect in their exercises. They were
;l1rmcd and excited, but there was wan;
ofgenu;ue conviction ofsin. The feelings
Of the anxious were in q great measure
those of selfish fear, and appeared to be
occasioned by sense Of danger rather than
u sense of guilt. observed, also, that the
exercises of tho awakened appeared TO de-
pend in gicat measure On circumstances.
When they were DIT meeting, and surround
ed with others, then they would be mos: al
t:ctcd. Bat when away from tic social
meeting their seriousness was scarcely dis
coverablc, and many times they were evil
dently und the inlucuce Ola tr.fling spirit.
To meet the circumstances of the case,
found myself under the necessity otreducng
my standard ofcLnvicton. so as 10 include
all the different degrees Of thoughtfulness,
or my Inquiry meeting would be hln.-So,
instead of inviting the convicted, | gave an
invitation to all who were willing to lake the
subject into consideration. In this way
kept up the appearance o:a great number
of the anxious. On Inc same account |
had to reduce my Standard Of conversion,
and to admit of evidence which was doubt.
flu, instead of the evidence ola deep and
thorough work on the heart. All who would
say tha, they resolved TO serve the Lord,
or manifested JOY in apprehension that there
sins were forgiven, and that they were 60
ing TO heaven, put down as converts. In
this way a great revival was reported, and
an addition OF from one TO Two hundred was
made to the church.
the fruits, | could not but see that something
was wrong. The new converts did not
hold out. The youth who had united with
the church soon became thoughtless and
vain, and resored to the amusemcnts Of the
world for enjoyment. The more advanced
and heads effamilies became worldly, and
neglected emily religion; and in the course
of fevyears. many ofall ages confessed
that they never hid any religion. They
regretted their union 10 the church, and
plead hard 10 be released. This vas a per.
picking c-le. In fact, the revival, as we
called ii, had nearly ruined the church. and
extinguished vital religion among US, | was
led to review my course of treatment with
deep solicltude, for | saw that these souls
were like y still to be lost.
In retr&cing my steps to search for the
cause of the failure, it occurred to me that
in giving los ruc.lon 20 my people, had not
declared all the counsel Of God-that had
kept back some Of the truths revealed in his
word, and my conscience smot" me, as
probably having caused the evils which we
now experience. resolved, by divine help,
10 take different course, especially fever
there should be q season Of special attention
among my flock.
Not long after, there were symp oms Of
seriousness, and the work put on the com.
mon aspect ofexcenent and alarm, wA,ch
became general.-Thc prospect was very
encouraging for powerful revival. | re-
remembered my VOW, and now the time had
come to perform it. tremblcd in view of
the crisis. was no. without my fears that
the doctrine Of dependence and sovereign
grace wonlI put an end to the attention.
But remembering my former experience
and resol c, dared not pursue my former