Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1857-12-12

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THE JEMKs-A REMINISCENCE OI
THE OLDEN TIMES.
In 1904 I first witnessed that strang,
4 exercise the CLERKS" although hat
heard much about it before. 1t tool
y subjects from all denominations and al
!: classes of society, even the wicked, bu
it prevailed chiefly among Prcsbyteri
!. ans. / will give some instances:
A Mr.. Doke, o Presbyterian clergy.
man, of high standing, having charg,
of congregation in Jonesborough, wa.
the first man Of eminence in this regior
that came under its influence. Often il
> would seize him in the pulpit with SC
much severity that spectator might
fear it would dlslocate his neck and
joints. He would laugh, halloo to the
top Of his voice, and finally leap from
the pulpit and run to the woods, scream
ing like q madman. When the exer-
else was over, he would return to the
church, calm and rational as ever
Sometimes, at hotels, this afflicton
would visit persons, causing them, for
example, in the very act of raising the
glass to their lips, to jerk and throw the
liquor to the ceiling, much to the mer-
riment Of some, and the alarm Of 9TH
! +.ers.. I have often seen ladies take it at
the breakfast table, as they were pour
ing out tea or coffee they would throw
the contents towards the ceiling, and
sometimes break the cup or saucer :
Then fastening from the table, their
long suits of braided hair hanging
down their backs, would crack like a
whip. s aeHs.
For time, the jerks were the main
topic of conyersation-public and prl-
vate-both in the church and out. Va
srious opinions were expressed concern
ing it-some ascribed it to the devil,
Others to an opposite source; some
striving against it, others counting it as
the power of God unto salvation. In
many cases its consequences were dis
.astrous-in some, fatal.
A preacher who in early life was a
dancing master, joined the conference,
and when the jerks were at their height,
was stationed on this circuit. He de-
clared that it was the devil, and that he
would preach it out Of the Methodist
Church. He commenced the work with
great zeal and high expectations; but
before he got round he took the jerks
himself-or rather, they took him.
When the fit began, he would say,
"Ah, yes! O, nop' At every jerk,
he used his hand and arms, as if he
was pla ing the violin. One morning,
being seized as he was going to his ap
-pointment, he let 60 the birdie, and the
horse ran off till he was stopped by a
gate. The rider, having dismounted,
in order to steady himself, laid hold Of
the pailings Of the fence, which, un-
fortunately, gave way but the lady of
the house, coming to the door to see
what was the matter, heightened his
modification.
Attempting to hide himself by run
ming into the orchard, his strange move
ment, as he ran fddling along, and the
tail Of his long gown flying in the wind,
attracted the attention of the hounds,
the whole pack Of which pursued him
with hideous, yells. Being afraid Of
dogs, he turned, and, running up stairs,
jumped into bed, where he lay till the
fit was over. His proud heart would
not submit, and the disease-as he
termed it-growing worse, he gave up
the circuit, and withdrew into retire.
ment, where his sun went down under a
cloud. Poor man loved him.
Usually the subject Of this strange
affection were happy when they had it,
and happy when it passed off, and it did
them no harm. The wise ones Of the
day, as William M'Kendree and Tho's
Wilkerson, said little about it, but
preached, exhorted and prayed, as if it
was not in the country.
AT the close Of the year attended a
campmeeting at Carter's Station, where
about ten thousand people assembled
Here q controversy had been going on
between Presbyterians and Methodists
the former saying, among other bit
ter things, that the latter were hypo-
critics, and could refrain from shouting.
if they would. They were the aristoc-
racy-we the poor.
On Monday morning preached,
preceded by the venerable Vanpelt, who
left the congregation calmly and silent
ly weeping. / arose-like most men
who know nothing fearing nothing,
and undertook to account for the jerks.
The preachers looked frightened, and
the audience astonished. [ viewed it as
ajudgment of God. Taking a compen-
dious view Of the nations, l showed that
God was Just, as well as merciful, and
his judgments, though long delayed,
sure to come. / adyerted to the wick
edness of the people, enlarging on
their intolerance and bsgotry, charg-
ing that Middle Tennessee had gone as
far as any part Of the United States in
those particulars. glanced at the rise
Of Methodism and the prosecutions it
had endured, and quoted the taunting
language Of it's enemies. :" Ye are hyp-
ocrites. and can cease shouting if you
will" After pause, exclaimed, at
the top Of my voice, 6 do you leave off
jerking if you can" It was estimated
that instantly more than FIVE hundred
persons commenced jumping, shouting,