Dancing Exercise, Falling Exercise, Laughing Exercise, Other Bodily Exercises & General References, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Uncategorized, University of Michigan
“[The Jerks consist] in a sudden inclination, or reclining, of the shoulders, and is so quick, that the head appears to move too slow for the shoulders…. This is common to both sexes, but with this difference, that men seldom have more than one jerk…; whereas, a woman will frequently continue a repetition of that motion…for ten or fifteen minutes, reclining backwards as far as her feet, or some other obstacle will permit her, and bending so far forwards, as almost to touch the floor with her head….”
1805-1809, Barking Exercise, Benjamin Seth Youngs, Correspondence, Falling Exercise, Issachar Bates, John Meacham, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Other Bodily Exercises & General References, Pennsylvania, Richard McNemar, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Reserve Historical Society
“Soon after they began to sing several were taken with the Jerks, while sitting on their seats. Their heads, & shoulders were Jerked back & forth, with such increasing violence, that in a few seconds their hats, & bonnets, & even hankerchiefs which were tied close to their heads would fly off. Some would soon be Jerked flat on the floor, in a manner very mortifying to all delicate feelings….”
1805-1809, Dancing Exercise, Diaries & Journals, Duke University, Methodists, North Carolina, Other Bodily Exercises & General References
“Som Shouted Som cryd Som Had the Jurks and I was powerful tempted. I never Saw Aney person Have them befour and I Cannot Account for it. God only know the Causes….”
1805-1809, Anonymous/Unknown, Church Records, Gideon Blackburn, Other Bodily Exercises & General References, Pennsylvania, Presbyterians, Tennessee
“There appears…reason to believe that in certain places, some instances of these bodily affections have been of such a nature, and proceeded to such lengths as greatly tended to impede the progress and to tarnish the glory of what, in its first stages, was so highly promising….”
1805-1809, Barking Exercise, Benjamin Seth Youngs, Dancing Exercise, Diaries & Journals, Dreams, Trances & Visions, Falling Exercise, Issachar Bates, John Meacham, Kentucky, Ohio, Other Bodily Exercises & General References, Richard McNemar, Running Exercise, Uncategorized, Winterthur Library
“Charity M. came about 10 A.M. with the Jerks & in trouble & opened her mind to B. She said She received the Jerks to be a compelling power from God….”
1805-1809, Dancing Exercise, Diaries & Journals, Kentucky, Kentucky Historical Society, Other Bodily Exercises & General References, Presbyterians, Tennessee
“Mr. McGready said sometime afterwards that we could not account for jerking &c. on any natural principle, that the jerks were designed to answer the end of miracles, in drawing the attention of mankind & convincing infidels of the power of God….”
