In this letter from a published collection of revival reports, Methodist circuit rider James Ward describes the earliest outbreak of the jerking exercise in the Greenbrier Valley of Virginia (now West Virginia). Ward assesses the jerks cautiously, contrasting the somatic phenomena with authentic conversions. The “wild country Strougs” likely refers to an early settlement on the Gauley River about fifty miles north of the Big Levels (near modern Lewisburg, West Virginia) associated with the family of German immigrant Adam Stroud.
Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia,
November 8, 1804.
OUR first quarterly-meeting was in this circuit at Moffit’s meeting-house, the first Saturday in June. It continued three days, and we counted about twenty-seven converted.
The next quarterly-meeting was on the Cowpasture, at Brown’s, Pendleton circuit, and seven, we hope, were converted.
The next was at Edward Mitchel’s, Bottetourt. It continued five days, and great power attended. Eighteen professed to find peace, the most of whom were powerless before they obtained a confidence, and when they arose, in general, it was with joy. Glory to God and the Lamb forever!
The next big meeting was on Indian Creek, at Bethel, by Cook’s, which continued four days. Here we had a time of great power. We calculated on thirty converted.
The next Saturday, quarterly-meeting began for Greenbrier circuit, at Mount Tabor, in the Little Levil’s, where we had a truly marvellous time. The Lord made bare his arm in great power. Meeting continued six days, and we suppose, at least, one hundred were converted. Thus, glory to God, He is riding on victoriously, and sinners are coming home. The next was in Old-Town, Alleghany circuit, which continued three days: and about eighteen professed to find peace. The next was a camp-meeting appointed by brother Mead, in Bottetourt circuit, on Glade Creek. This meeting broke up the fifth day, and fifty persons professed faith.
Wednesday, we went into Fincastle, and at three o’clock began meeting, which continued till Thursday evening, in which time twenty souls professed saving faith in Christ, and two on Friday at Amsterdam.
On Saturday, quarterly meeting began for Bottetourt circuit, at Salem, when some opposition was made, some good done, and seven found the Lord; so that in this tour, through that circuit, between seventy and eighty, we have reason to believe, were happily converted. Glory to the Lord for all his mercies.
The next was a camp-meeting in this circuit, on Lenvill’s Creek, August 18th. This meeting continued nine days. Some did not leave the ground until the tenth day. We had good times among old professors, and a number of awakenings; and we ascertained seventy-four that found peace, but have reason to believe there must have been one hundred converted during this meeting. Glory to God. Our next was a camp-meeting in Munroe, at Rehoboth, Greenbrier circuit. Here we had brother Jesse Lee with us, who was also with us at Salem quarterly-meeting, and the Lord was with us here. Though we dragged heavily at first, our meeting continued six days, and we calculated on fifty converted.
The next was a camp-meeting at the Big Levils. At this meeting some began to jirk, which seemed to stop the progress of the work; but the Lord wrought, and about twenty, we trust, were converted: some of these were from that wild country Strougs, and they took the fire home with them, and a considerable work has taken place among them, without the assistance of a preacher. Thus, glory to God, he works by various means upon the hearts of the people.
The next was a quarterly meeting in Pendleton circuit, which lasted three days, and about ten, I trust, were converted.
At the next camp-meeting in Bottetourt circuit, on the old ground, we had a gracious season. Old professors were generally enlivened, and many renewed the second time, and from twenty to thirty were newly converted, and a gracious season we had.
Thus I have given you, in a few words, an account of the work of God, in its progress in this district, since conference, at the meetings I have attended. And it is observable, that the work is principally carried on at our quarterly and camp meetings; but we have reason to fear, from what has appeared, that the jirks will check the work in a considerable degree; for many are so fearful, that they will not go to meeting, lest they should catch them. May the Lord direct us in all things.
Source
Extracts of Letters, Containing Some Account of the Work of God since the Year 1800 (New York: Ezekiel Cooper and John Wilson, 1805), 101–103.
Images courtesy of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts.
