American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-03-26
MORGANTOWN MONONGALIA Co, VA, FRIDAY MARCH % 1853
he could not unless he fell perpendic-

he could not unless he fell perpendic-
ularly. t.EllGNt
CATER meeting, 1 rode eighteen
miles to hold meeting at night. The
people Of this settlement were mostly
Quakers, and they had said, as l was
Informed, that 'the Methodists and
Presbytcrians have tho jerks because
they sing and pray so much but We
are still, peaceable people, where
fore we do not have them however
about twenty of them, came to meeting
to hear one, somewhat in a Quaker
line. But their usual stiffness and ST.
lence was interrupted, for about doz-
en- of them had the jerks as keen and
as powerful as any l had seen, so as to
have occasionod kind of grunt or
groan when they would jerk. 1t APP
pears that many have undervalucd the
Great Revival and attempted to ac-
count for it altogether on natural prin-
ciples; therefore it seems to me, from
the best judgment can form, that God
hath seen proper to take this method
TO convince people that he will work in
a way to show his power, and sent the
jerks as a sign of the times, partly in
Judgment for the people unbelief, and
yet as mercy to convict people of di-
vino realities. s.. . t..'. - .sria g
81 have seen Prcsbytcrians, Meth
odist, Quaker, Baptists, Church of Eng
land, and Independents exercised with
the jerks. Gentleman and lady, white
and black, the aged and the youth, rich
and poor, without exception from
which [ infer, as it cannot be account
cd for on natural principles, and car
ries such marks of involuntary motion,
that it is no trifling matter. | believe
that they who were most pious and Civ.
en- up to God are rarely touched with
it; and also those naturalists, who
wish and try to get it to philosophize
upon it are excepted; but the lukewarm
lazy, halfhearted, indoent professor,
is subject to it, and many / have seen
who when it came upon them, would
be alarmed and stirred mp to rcdouble
their diligence with God, and after
tkey would get happy, were thankful
that it ever came upon them. Again,
the wicked are frequently more afraid
OF 1T than the smallpox or yellow.fe-
yer. These are subject to it but the
prosecutors are more subject to it than
any, and they sometimes have cursed
and swore and damned it whilst Jerk
ing. There is no pain attending the
jerks except they resist them, which if
they do, it will weary them more in
an hour than days labor, which
shows that it requires the consent Of
the will to avoid suffering.
81 passed by meeting house, where
| observed the underground had been
cut up for camp-meeting, and from
fifty to one hundred sapplings left
breast high, which to me appeared so
slovenish that | could not but ask my
guide the cause, who observed they
were topped so high, and left for the
people to jerk by. This SO excited
my attention that / went over the
ground to view it and found, where the
people had laid hold of them and Jerk
ed so powerfully, that they had kicked
up the earth as horse stamping flies.
| observed some emotion both this day
and night among the people. A Pres
bytcrian minister with whom / stayeh
observed - csterday, whilst | was
speaking, some had the Jerks, and
young man from North Carolina min.
licked them out of derision, and soon
was siezed with them himself (Which
was the case with many others. He
grew ashamed, and on attempting to
mount his horse to go off, lis foot Jerk
ed about so tllathe could not put it in
to the stirrup. Some youngsters sec.
ing this, assisted him on, but he icrkod
so that he could not sit alone, and ono
got up to hold him on, which was done
with difficulty. / observed this, went
to bin, and asked him what he thought
of it. Said .hc, i believe God sent il
on me for my wickedncss, and think
ing light oft in others, and he request.
cd me to pray for him.
HOME. THE Natchcz Courier tells
of a rough boatmah passing along the