Extracts from the Journals of Thomas Mann (May 18–August 4, 1805)
“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….”
Extracts from the Diary of John Early (November 18–December 21 1807)
“She…said the Jirks came from the Devil & wou’d go Back to him again. I told her to pray or [I] Did not know But the Jirks wou’d Kill her & she’d go to hell & she said she wished I might to go Hell above all people….”
Excerpt from the Autobiography of Mary Morris Smith (ca. 1811)
“There were skeptics who thought they could keep from jerking if they wished, but if any one made sport of it, they were sure to have it the next time they were in a crowd. “
Excerpts from Joseph Thomas’s Life of the Pilgrim (November 10, 1810–May 5, 1811)
“[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?”
Thomas Cleland’s Published Letter on “Bodily Affections” (ca. 1812–1824)
“The phenomenon of…suddenly falling or sinking down, under religious exercises, has not been uncommon in times of great excitement…. But the bodily agitation called the jerks is a very different affection….”
