The following excerpt is one of several increasingly hostile reports on the Great Revival published in the annual minutes of the Presbyterian General Assembly in Philadelphia from 1803 to 1809. Click here to view related excerpts from the Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (1847).
The narrative on the state of religion was again brought in, and being read, was approved, and is as follows, viz:
“The General Assembly once more approach the churches under their care, that they may lay before them a condensed narrative of the state of religion within their bounds.
The dealings of God with us, brethren, during the past year, call for renewed emotions of wonder, love, and praise. He has not left himself without a witness among us; the east, the west, the north, and the south, can testify; for in them all his stately footsteps may be seen. In answer to the prayers of his people he has come down like dew upon the mown grass, and like showers that water the earth, and we are happy to state that his glory is yet passing before us, and that his power and grace are still displayed in the conviction and conversion of sinners, as well as in building up his people in their most holy faith. These are the great outlines of our situation, to the more particular description of which we now call your attention.
It is with peculiar pleasure, then, that we state, that peace and harmony, so ornamental and necessary to the Christian Church, have prevailed in the past year, with but few exceptions, throughout our bounds; that the worship of God has been generally and respectfully attended in our churches; that the distinguishing doctrines of grace have been well received, and, in many instances, have been attended with great and visible success. Although from the great extent of late revivals, and the numbers received into our Church, there was reason to fear that many tares were interspersed with the harvest, yet we are happy to state that instances of apostasy have seldom occurred.
The leading features that have characterized our churches during the last year, have, we apprehend, been a growing thirst for divine knowledge, and an increased attachment to the distinguishing doctrines of grace. Family visitation and the catechetical instruction of our beloved youth, have doubt less contributed, in a great degree, to excite as well as to satisfy, this desire. We are happy to state that catechetical instruction has been attended to during the last year, with perhaps greater assiduity than has ever been witnessed among us; and we are persuaded that its results will be highly favourable to the dearest interests of the Church of God in our country. Deeply impressed with the conviction that holiness becometh his house for ever, the churches of Christ have turned their attention, with increasing care, to the support of a wise and salutary discipline. Societies for diffusing evangelical truth have been organized, and are now in operation. Bibles and small religious tracts have been extensively distributed. Praying societies, formerly established, have been maintained, whilst many new ones have been added. These institutions, by calling into exercise the latent gifts and graces of the people of God, in an essential part of his worship, as well as in promoting zeal and brotherly love, have served as nurseries of the Church, and have produced, and are producing, almost incredible effects upon the moral and religious state of the community.
The Presbytery of Long Island has experienced a very general revival from the presence of the Lord. The Presbyteries of Albany and Hudson, in some of their congregations, have been visited with divine influence from on high; while a large district of East Jersey, as well as its extreme in the west, has known, or is learning to know, the Almighty power of God. Acknowledged infidels, and practical unbelievers, who so lately eyed the cross with malignity, and its adherents with contempt, are now seen in considerable numbers, clothed, and in their right minds, at the feet of Jesus; whilst the poor, dissipated prodigal, who so lately was a burthen to himself and to the world, is seen returning to his father’s house, or already encircled in his father’s arms. Those parts of the Church which were favoured with revivals in former years, appear to be securing the advantages they have gained, and to be gathering in the gleanings of the vintage; whilst bodily agitations, where they had appeared, have almost wholly subsided, and have given place to calm inquiry into the great and leading doctrines of the gospel.
The Assembly have observed with pleasure that the various missions under their direction, have been prosecuted with exemplary diligence and fidelity, and with a measure of success calculated to rejoice the hearts of those who have contributed of their worldly substance to the support of this great object, and to engage them to a continuance of their liberality. Through the instrumentality of these missions, not only a large population of our own citizens, who would otherwise remain almost wholly destitute of the gospel, have its doctrines and ordinances dispensed among them; but several Indian tribes have the invaluable blessings of civilization and the Christian religion brought within their reach; and the unhappy children of Africa are also greeted with those glad tidings of salvation to which, in a Christian country, they have a peculiar claim.
But whilst events of a prosperous nature are recounted with pleasure, it is the duty of this Assembly to inform the churches, that circumstances have occurred of an opposite description, and such as ought to be considered as highly calamitous and distressing. They have learned with regret, that, whilst some parts of our country have recently been supplied with a gospel ministry, and the regular administration of ordinances, others, in these re spects, are in an exceedingly destitute situation. ‘The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few;’ pray ye, brethren, ‘the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.’ In a portion of country of some extent, embraced within the bounds of the Synod of Kentucky, we are sorry to learn that a spirit of fanaticism, propagating the most palpable errors, as well as insubordination to the constituted authorities of our Church, has greatly prevailed. In consequence of this, some of our congregations have been torn by intestine divisions, and are yet bleeding at every pore. The Assembly conceive that they cannot do justice to their own feelings on this occasion, or to the cause of Christ, without noticing, in terms of high disapprobation, so ruinous a departure from duty; they hold out at the same time the hand of conciliation to their erring brethren, and invite a speedy return to the good order and discipline of our Church.
In addition to the above, the Assembly have heard with pain of the prevalence, in some parts of our bounds, of a form of religion without its power, as well as of vice and immorality. Lukewarmness, detested by the Head of the Church; intemperance, ingulphing every social and domestic virtue; an awful profanation of the Sabbath; sports and unlawful games, like so many ensigns of death, have appeared, assailing the kingdom of Christ and strengthening the empire of his foes. Whilst we are undoubtedly called to mourn over these evils, we are equally called to counteract them; ‘the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God,’ and shall finally pre vail. ‘For Zion’s sake, therefore, will we not hold our peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake we will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.’
From the accounts received from our sister churches of Connecticut and Vermont, it appears that the great Head of the Church has manifested toward them, during the last year, the most signal interpositions of divine love and mercy. Yale College has been visited, and a number of her sons have been hopefully gathered into the bosom of the Church. Many towns and villages, in both of these States, have felt, in a very uncommon degree, the power of sovereign grace, and accessions to their communion have been exceedingly numerous. Infidelity is confounded, or retires from the public eye. Characters distinguished by talents, learning, morals, and property, have been led publicly to profess themselves the disciples of our Lord. A knowledge of the holy Scriptures is diffusing itself far and wide. We are also informed, that distinguished revivals of religion have existed in several parts of Massachusetts, and that hopeful appearances have also begun in New Hampshire, and in the district of Maine.
On a review of the whole information we have received, the Assembly take their stand at the foot of the cross, and rejoice in the wonders of redeeming love.
If the state of religion in the churches under their care had even been generally dark and unpromising, though they might mourn over the ingratitude of man, they could not cease to confide in the faithfulness of God. But in justly deserved wrath, our God has remembered mercy; once more he has given us abundant cause to glorify his name, and to rejoice with trembling.
Source
Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America: From Its Organization A. D. 1789 to A. D. 1820 Inclusive (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, [1847]), 419–421.
