Smyrna times., 1857-08-26
The Ser:i5.

I
The cer.i5.
In 1904 first witnessed that strange cXer
else, " the jerks, alhongh bad heard mucl
about it before. 1t took subjects from all dc
Nominations and all classes of society, even til,
wicked but it prevailed chiefly among Pres
byterians will give some instances:
A Air. Doke, Presby terian clergyman, o
high standing, having charge of a congregation
in Joncsboro,' was the first man OF emncnce II
this region that came under it's influence
Often 1t would seize him in the pulpit, with e
much severity that spectator mIght fear i
would dislocale his neck aud joints. lie woult
laugh. stand and halOS at the top of his voice
and iualy leap from the pnlpIt and run 10 tho
woods, screaming like madmaD. When the
exercise was over, he would rcturL to tie
church, calm and rational rs ever.
Sometimes, at hotels, this affection would
visit persons, causing them, for example, IL the
very ACT OF raising the glass 10 their lips, tC
JERK anu throw the liquor to the ceiling, much
to the smuseulenl OF some, aud to tie alarm ol
others. have seen ladies take 1t at the brea L.
lus table; as they We're pouring out tea or cui-
fee, tnUy would throw the contents towards Tho
kcebIug, and sometimes break the cup and sau-
Ger. Then Fastening from the bic, their long
suits Ot braided hair hanging down their backs
! would crack like a whp. Fora time, the Jerks
were the main topic of cOnversatIon-publlc
and private-bUIh in the church and out of it..
Various Opinions were expressed concerning it
-sume arcribng 1t 10 the deVli. others TO an
| Opposite suurce; some STRIVING against II, others
cOurllng It as the power OF GOu unto salvation.
| la some Gases lis Consequences were disastrous
in some fatal.
/ A preacher, who in early life was dancing
m,slpr. joined the conference, and when the
Jerks ere at their height. was stationed on
! ;h,s cIcuit. He declared II vas Of the devil,
rnd that lie Oud preach 1t out of the Melho-
dist Church. He commenced the work with
great zeal and high expectations; but before
ne had got once round be took the jerks HIM.
spit--er rIher they took him. When the IL
began, re would say "Ah, yes! Oh, nor AT
every le he used his hands and arms as if he
was playing the violin. One mOrning. being
seized as he was gong to his appointment, he
let 20 of the BRIDE, and the horse ran off till he
was stopped by gate. The rider having dis
mounted in order 10 steady himself laid hold of
the fence, which unfortunately gave way; the
lady OF the house coming to the door 10 see
! what was the matter heightened his mOrllica-
ton. Attempting TO hide himself by running
into the orchard, his strange movement as he
ran tddlng along, and the tail of his long
gown flying to the wind, attracted the attcn-
ton of the hounds, the whole pack of which
pursued him with hideous yels. Being Ltra,d
of dogs, he turned and went INTO the house by
the back door, and, running up stairs, jumped
into bed, where he lay until the fit was over
HIS proud heart would not submit, aud the dis
ease, as he termed 1t, growing worse and worse,
lie gave up the circuit and Withdrew into re-
trement, where hIs sun went down under Il
: cloud. Poor man loved him!
Usually the subjects OF this strange affection
were happy when they had 1t, aud happy wher
it passed off aud i, did them harm. The
wise ones of the day, such as William NJ Ken
dree and Thomas Wlkerson, SAID iIttle about
it, but preached, cxbored aud prayed if il
was not in the country.
At the close OF the year ] attended camI
meeting at Carers station, where about ter
thousand people assembled Here "a cOntro
versy had been going on between Presbyterian:
aud Methodlsts-the former saying, among
other bitter things, that the latter were hypo
critics, and could retra III from shouting il they
would They were the arlsocracy, we iht
poor. On Monday morning ! preached, pre-
eeded by the venerable VaRpei, who left th,
congresa alton calmly and silently weeping.
arOse--like most men who know n0hlng-
fearing nothing, ana UNDERTOOK 10 account 10
the Jerks The preachers looked frightened
aud the audience astonsbed. | viewed it as
; Judgement of God. Taking compendiou
!, view Of the nations, shaved that God wa
! liust, as well as mefciful, and his Judgments
though long Delayed, sure to come. | nd
: verted to the wiekedness of the people, cnlar
ging on their intolerance and bigOtry, char
ging that Middle Tennessee had gone ss far "a
any part of t1e United States in these par'icu
lars. !, glanced at the rise of Methodism ant
the persecutons it had endured, and quoted th'
taunting language Of it's enemies, .'fe ar
hypocrites, and can cease shouting II you will.
l Aftera pause | exclaimed at the top of m.
}. ! voice, 4" DO you leave off jerking if you can
d IL was sstms ted that instantly more than fv
: hundred persons commenced Jumping, shouting
. D and jerking. There was no more preaching
! that dsy.--Fson the AuiObiog raphy Of Reu
/ ..k nsg,asr