The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-07-11
MAD MOKES.
Extraordinary Religious Excite
mont Among the Negroes
Of Atlnntn, Ga.

in Il wild state OF religious excitement
for the past three weeks, Some OF the
DEVELOPMENTS Of this sacred frenzy
have Occn very peculiar, ana nave
caused great Inconvenience to the
white people Of The city, rs they are
almost entirely dependent on negro la,
Dor, A religions revival, which began
II the Wheat Street Methodist Church
leoIorcd) five weeks ago, eliminated
about two weeks later IN u general lu,
ror among the negroes Of the city,
which Is now in full blast At this re
yiyaI there were many wonderful oC,
currences which no description could
portray in all thci? lrcnzicd energy,
As soon rs the minister would finish
, his sermons the "%mOurners" would be
called up, aud Il hundred or more ne
groGs Of all ages and colurs, from
black to the Wilderness Of m ]oCtoroou,
would crowd and press around the al
tar. Some good old brother would be
| gin a prayer for The "holy spirit" In
u few minutes there would be a pre-
mouilory shout, and soon the cOngrG
CATION Olive or SIX hundred would UG
in the widest excitement. Scores OF
negroes would leap from the altar and
rXGIuim that they were converted, and
would begin TO pranCe aud yell in 4
manner that indicated the highest pas
sion, Muay Of them were so highly
wrought that they went into pNrOXysm,
which were called blessings, while 9th
cr3 sunk into complete exhaustion, and
they were said to be in u trance. IN
this state they lay sometimes two or
three days without food, and were not
removed from the church. Some Of
them, IN their hoIy gIec, tore all the
clothing of Of them, and could be
seen almost MS nude as they were on
their first appearance in this world If
sin. Hundreds Of servants in the city
gave up good positions and went to
the church to enjoy the enthusiastic
pleasure which abOundei there, Ser
vices were carried Oh ut every hour,
day and night, for nearly Il week, the
ministers relieving each other by turns,
white many Of the most faithful re-
naiucd uI every service until they
dropupd down from sheer exhaustion,
and were taken home or were ALLOW we'd
TO lie still and enjoy the luxury OF Il
trance. White ueople nOckod to see Il
religious excitement such as vas never
seen even in the old lln.atiOn days
when the negroes were without eXrcp-
ton RELIGIOUS The excitement took
in all classes. Children Of five were
admitted into the church., and joined
Che genera jubilee. An old woman Of
lO1 years was actually converted and
IN Il moment rcpcnlcd the sins OF a
century, amt the next Sundpy was i'm
mcrscd in u pond, and on her return
from her holy bath vas lrnderly re.
crived by her gaIlun, son Of 80, n pop
Ilar ice cream ycudcr in This city.
when all the CONGREGATION was Assem-
bIed, and the shouting became general,
the noise could easily be heard u mile.
The .reuzied darkie5 ram out into the
streets ard proclaimed the Judgment
day at hand and warned all to flee
from it's dirrful wrath. Some of them
were 50 intent on the approaching
dcslructIor Of the world, that they
omitted to supply the ncccsearies of
life. and several cases Of semi-starva
ton are reported on good authority.
SIany Of the old men and women
would claim to he inspired and would
.I,i., ;. l., i,,,ir,I o,I ,,,,Il t,u Of