Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-05-08
TOT the Telegraph.
Revaval I'm TfcOnderoua. NJ


rlous for religious recklessness. For manv
years, several pernicious isms, with the
execrable brood of vices they naturally GEN
crate, operated to a lamentable extent The
sanctuary was abandoned by the majority
OF the people; the Sabbath was frequently
desecraled; kennels of unclenness were
sometimes thrown open to entertain the
vile; and intemperance, with its horde Of
concomitant evils, rotted the bodies. and
drowned the souls of men in perdirion.-
Such was the view Of morals and manners
given to the transient sojourner by some
who resorted TO public places, and acted as
II they wanted to render their proAigacy
popular. Hence the notoriety of the place
for dissipation.
But though the torrent of irreligion rolled
sometimes rapidly, there have been always
persons to stem it-persons Of moral worth
and stamina-some as consistent christians
as have ever seen. These constantly
prayed and yearned over the moral wreck
OF human nature around them. Last Octo-
Der it was deemed important to use special
effort Tor the salvation of sinners, and con-
sequently protracted meeting was held in
the Baptist church. Divine influence then
descended III answer to prayer; number of
souls were converted; and, for ought we
can see, the excitement would have passed
on through the fall and winter, had not our
machinery been clogged by rain, dark nights,
and muddy highways. A few, after this.
diligently watched every opportunity to as
san Inc citadel OF the devil; and about the
middle OF December we commenced 10 hold
evening meetings in the school houses
lhe Holy Spirit moved on the souls Of
christians, and many confessed their wan
derlngs, and began to cry nightly, night
and day, between the porch and the altar.
Zion emphatically travelled; religious en-
ergles were called into action; moral influ-
ences became concentrated, and onward
they moved, through every difficulty, in the
glorious enterprise against sin. MANY were
reused from their deep and stupid lethargy,
ard started to ''flee from the wrath to come. %
Very soon religion became the general
topic OF conversation, even in "lhe chief
places OF concourse"-the exciting and alb
sorblng subject in every directioa-among
every class. 1t was deeply interesting to
|
witness the conflicting agencies engaged in
this excitement. The devil was disturbed
In one OF his strongest holds, and seemed
fully determined to maintain his POSITION
lie became completely enraged at some
striking triumphs Of the cross, and so bid
daring defiance to its fully unfurled stand
ard. Every one had something to do and
TO say on the subject of religion. While
some were swearing and staggering jump
ing half mad from place to place-Ripqing
their wretcned reproaches, and pitiful as
pensions all around them, others were pray
ing and preaching, with all their mich,
determined, in the strength of Israeps holv
God, to "press the battle to the gate,n and
win the field, or die in the mighty conflict.
Scrapes, balls, 6ddles, dances, cotilions.
the devil, earth and hell, were our allied
enemies. The whole, marshalled and slim
ulated by the rel;eration OF the old serpent's
sermon, "ye shall not surely die,n present
ed an array of hostility that sometimes
enfeebled the most vigorous faith. But
there was manifest movement of Omnin-
otence. The distant mutter, and the still
nearer clap, of Sina's awful thunders. were
heard; its vivid lightnings occasionally
flashed on the darkness Of impenitence and
unbelief; the Spirit spoke with still small
voice, and sometimes swept Ikea mighty
rushing wind; the excitement rose higher
and still higher, until at length the place
became completely agitated.
This was the faslow ground broken up
the stones blasted fiom the quarry-when
Mr.. Burchard entered the field in the begin
ming of February. He very soon had chris
tians Of every name, with their time, their
influence, and, to a certain extent. their
property, entirely at his disposal Through
mud and mire, the meeting continued nearly
four weeks, when the number who had
submitted to the Prince Of lite and glory
amounted TO about two hundred and fifty.
Many of them were from the adjacent towns,
into which the revival extended. Shore
ham, on the Vermont side, especially, shared
in it, for about twenty have been hopefully
converted around "Larrabee's Point" since
the meeting closed. The converts are of
every age, class and grade. have baptized