“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 taken with the Jirks and the impresson was followed with power….”
“The religious people now have the Jirks which operates like Hickups….”
![Newspaper Article from the [Richmond] Virginia Argus (October 24, 1804)](https://blog.richmond.edu/jerkshistory/files/2018/02/VirginiaArgus1804-1080.jpg)
“There is one species of these ‘religious exercises’ which are certainly involuntary, and they have spread from the camp and other religious meetings, in an alarming manner. These are called ‘the jerks.'”
“[The Presbytery] is hereby enjoined on all the members of this Presbytery to prevent as far as may be in their power, all extraordinary bodily exercises which appear voluntary & ostentatious…”
