“The news of our Country thro’ last season no doubt you have heard. I mean that concerning Religion. The meetings concerning this have been great. The Subjects affected in a very extraordinary manner. They fall down some as in swoning fits be quite motionless. Others are affected when they fall as if in a convulsive fit….”
“I was lately informed by a neighbour of mine, just returned from the Miami country, where Mr. McNamaar is now settled (he lately moved from Kentucke) that at such meetings there, they who fall down are strongly convulsed, and so violently agitated, that it will require two or three to hold one of them….”
“While many within the bounds of those [southern and western] Presbyteries have been, as is hoped, effectually called…, there have been multitudes of instances in which great bodily agitations, and other circumstances out of the usual course of religious exercise, have attended the work….”
“On the first Sabbath, the day after my arrival, soon after I began to speak the [cries] agonies and distress of the convicted drew my attention. Their bodies had all the appearance of convulsions….”
“We have now got the Silent, the jirking, the laughing, and the dancing also the [runing] & pointing exercises. Each one of these in their turns have staggered serious people but they are still as it were constrained to acknowledge this O Lord is thy work, and it is wondrous in our eyes….”
“Two days ago I beheld for the first time…a subject of the very singular bodily exercise common among us…. He wept sore for a long time, & was frequently wrought for a short space as men are in a convulsion fit….”
