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History of the Jerks: Bodily Exercises and the Great Revival (1803–1967)
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Excerpt from Joseph Thomas’s Life of the Pilgrim  (March 1806)

Excerpt from Joseph Thomas’s Life of the Pilgrim (March 1806)

1805-1809, Christians/Disciples of Christ, Dancing Exercise, Diaries & Journals, Laughing Exercise, Union Presbyterian Seminary

“In my serious reflections and enquiries after the salvation of my soul, the various noise and exercise of the people would oftentimes stagger me. I was sometimes rather doubtful, and almost led to believe that it was all enthusiasm and strong delusion….”

Excerpt from Joseph Thomas’s Life of the Pilgrim  (March 1806)

Excerpts from Joseph Thomas’s Life of the Pilgrim (Fall 1808–Spring 1809)

1805-1809, Christians/Disciples of Christ, Diaries & Journals, Union Presbyterian Seminary

“[W]hile [I was] preaching a young woman was taken with the jirks…, and the people being mostly strangers to the like were much alarmed at the operation, as she was frequently jirked from her seat and thrown involuntarily over the floor and across the benches in different directions….”

Excerpt from Joseph Thomas’s Life of the Pilgrim  (March 1806)

Excerpts from Joseph Thomas’s Life of the Pilgrim (November 10, 1810–May 5, 1811)

1810-1815, Christians/Disciples of Christ, Dancing Exercise, Diaries & Journals, Falling Exercise, Laughing Exercise, Other Bodily Exercises & General References, Union Presbyterian Seminary

“[T]he subjects of this work receive no damage or injury whatever, and the most of them are exceedingly happy when they are thus exercised…. One may ask…, can they not be happy in religion and have the jirks?”

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