“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….”
“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….”
“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….”
“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….”
“I suppose there are but few individuals in the United States, who have not at least heard of the unparalleled blaze of enthusiastic religion which burst forth in the western country about the year 1800…. It was under these circumstances that some found themselves unable by voluntary efforts to suppress the contraction of their muscles….”
“The jerking convert…is seized with violent fits of jerking, which generally brings him to the ground, where he lies as if labouring under a slight convulsive fit; and when the spasm seems to abate, the person immediately begins shouting and praising God for effecting his conversion….”
