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[Sunday 29 September 1805]
On Sabbath morning as the material sun
arose and darted its luminous rays into our tents, we
presented ourselves before the Lord of all the Earth and
besought the Sun of Righteousness to arise and shine upon
our minds and glory be to God our prayers gained access in the
court of Heaven, for the exhilarating Streams of divine
light illuminated our souls, and the balmy[*] drops of Jesus's
love gladdened our hearts. O what a Glorious morning was
this to us all to find, the tide still continued to rise and bear
up the Ark of God. All about 7 o'C love feast began. We
ranged the people in [a] square body together, and after the
bread and water, the lovers of God and man spake feelingly
and powerfully of the goodness of God to their souls,
especially since they had assembled in that place, and so
expressed their gratitude to God for the introduction of
camp meeting among them. It was now that God shewed himself
again by something the wicked with conviction which again
implored God's dear people in prayer on their behalf.
The people flocked together from different Quarters until we
judged these were at least 2000, some supposed there was
2500. As the prayers of the faithful were so loud and
insistent around the Stage that preaching could not be
heard, we withdrew to a Waggon [sic] where N.B.
[Nathan Bangs] spoke on "Yea
doubtless and I count all things but loss for the Excellency
of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord." [Phil 3.8] After
this the noise ceased so that the congregated assembly
gathered around the Stand, from whence Br. Ryan spoke on,
"Many are called but few are chosen.["
Mt 22.1-14] But even while he was
speaking the cries of the distressed in some of the neighbouring tents was such that it occasioned much disorder and
irregularity, as some would be running to and froe, and from
place to place, to see what was doing for I suppose they saw
strange[†] things to day. There was not,
however, such a Terrible outcry now, as yesterday, yet the
Lord was still at work. Some exhortations followed the
sermon, and then preparation was made for administering the
supper of the Lord. The disciples of Jesus came forward
with boldness and owned their divine Teacher in the holy
ordinance, whilst hundreds of spectators were looking on
with amazement to see the mighty display of God's power, for
many were overwhelmed with the loving presence of God during this
season of commemorating one of the greatest events ever
exhibited to human view [i.e., the Crucifixion;
Mt 27, Mk 15, Lk 23 &c.]. After the sacrament the meeting was
carried on with exhortation, prayer, and singing, shouting
and praising without any intermission til next morning. We shall
notice something remarkable during this period. Just after
the sacrament a young woman of high rank was struck by the
power of God, and her sister seeing her weeping came and
took her away by force from the multitude. Some of the
daughters of Jerusalem seeing the daughters of Pride running
away with one of Christ's lambs pursued after them, retook
the broken hearted-sinner, and brought her back. The wolf
who stole away the lamb, followed back and was soon shot
with an arrow from the Almighty, which constrained her to
roar aloud for mercy, and it was not long before God heard
her cry and changed her ferocious nature into the lamblike
nature of Christ. Anon the retaken-captive was enabled to
say the Lord has become my Salvation, therefore will I
praise him[‡] [Ex
15.2]. A little boy of 11 years old was struck under
conviction in the camp, and converted on the spot. I saw
them carry him away to the tent whilst his tongue was
employed in lifting forth the praises of his Redeemer.
A young man who had received the spirit
of adoption not long since had got into despair, by giving
away to the suggestion of Satan, that he had since sinned
against the Holy Ghost [Mt 12.31]. His distress was so
great, that he was delirious. He was brought into the camp
so much against his will that we were obliged to hold him in
order to help him there. His case was opened to us by Br.
[Darius] Dunham, and his actions plainly indicated that he
was possessed, for as soon as prayer was mentioned he would
struggle with all his might to get away, which seemed to be
similar to that recorded by the Evangelist ["]let us alone,
trouble us not before the time["] [cf.
Mt 8.29]. The
wicked Children of the Devil were so enraged because he was
brought there that they came upon us, and would have taken
him away with violence, had we not formed a ring around him
of 5 or 6 deep[¹] in order to keep them off. We first besought
God for Christ's sake to restore him to his right mind which
was done. He then began to pray for himself; and tho he did
not immediately obtain the faith of assurance, yet he was
delivered from despair, and before the meeting broke up
obtained the peace of God to his soul. Glory be to God who
heareth prayer. The day at length came to
a close, and the sable curtain of night spread her dark
mantle over us, but God who rideth upon the wings of the
wind, and before whom the darkness shineth as the light,
shined into our hearts and gave the Knowledge that Jesus
Christ was with us of a truth [Ps
139.11-14]. This night presented to our
minds one [of] the most awful & delightful scenes we ever
beheld. There was not a cloud in the sky. The stars sparkled
in the firmament of the heavens, and the Glory of God
overshadowed the camp of Israel. The neighbouring forest
became vocal with the high praises of the God of Armies of
Israel [1
Sam 17.45]. Turn our eyes which way soever we would, we beheld
souls crying for mercy encircled round with a number of the
Soldiers of Christ, with their hearts and voices raised in
prayer for their Salvation; and anon the tune would be
turned into notes of the sweetest melody of Glory of God, my
soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God
my Saviour [Lk
1.46-7]. [Although no pages are
missing from the notebook there is obviously some missing
text here.] [...] others with streaming
eyes and hearts uplifted to heaven while their bodies lay
prostrate on the ground, would be shouting aloud the praises
of Immanuel, whilst some would be looking on with wonder,
not being capable of distinguishing between the noise of
shouting and the noise of weeping — The power of God
descended upon a Travelling preacher [i.e., Nathan
Bangs] in such a manner that
his shouts pierced the heavens, while his body was sustained
by some of his friends. He was at length carried out of the
Camp into a tent where he lay speechless, being overwhelmed
for a considerable time with the mighty power of God. When
his strength came, and his tongue was unloosed his song was,
Glory to God in the Highest [Lk
2.14]. While he lay
in that situation, there came in a gross Backslider who had formerly
been a useful local preacher in the M.C. [Methodist Church] and the
arrows of the
Almighty instantly smote him, so that he roared aloud for
mercy. In the meantime many of his friends came round him
with weeping eyes; and asking praying hearts, commending him
to God in prayer. It was not long before God showed, he had
mercy in store of such as him, by sending him deliverance
and restoring comfort to his soul. Thus the work of the Lord
ran like fire in a dry stable until 10 o'C next morning.
* Rawlyk omits this word (151)
† Rawlyk has "stranger" (151)
‡ Rawlyk has "you" (152)
¹ Rawlyk as "3 or 6 deep" (152)
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