A Short History Of The Methodists... - Media Sabda Org

still among the people. And it was found that prayer meetings were singularly useful in promoting
the work of God.
This out-pouring of the spirit extended itself, more or less, through most of the circuits, which
takes in a circumference of between four and five hundred miles; and the work went on with a
pleasing progress till the beginning of May; when a quarterly meeting was held at Boisseau's
(commonly called Bushill's) chapel, about twelve miles from Petersburg. At that meeting the
windows of heaven were opened indeed, and the rain of divine influence continued to pour down for
more than forty days.
The second day of the quarterly meeting, a love-feast was held. As soon as it began, the power
of the Lord came down on the assembly, and it seemed as if the whole house was filled with the
presence of God. A flame kindled and ran from heart to heart. Many were deeply convinced of sin;
many mourners were filled with consolation, and many believers were so overwhelmed with love,
that they could not doubt but God had enabled them to love him with all their heart.
When the love feast was ended, the doors were opened, and many who had stayed without, came
in, and beholding the anguish of some, and the rejoicing of others, were filled with astonishment,
and not long after, with trembling apprehensions of their own danger, several of them prostrating
themselves before God, cried aloud for mercy.
The multitude that attended on this occasion, returned home alive to God, and spread the flame
through their respective neighborhoods, which ran from family to family, so that within four weeks,
several hundred found the peace of God; and scarce any conversation was to be heard, but
concerning the things of God. In many large companies one careless person could not be seen; and
the far greater part seemed perfectly happy in a clear sense of the love of God.
This work in a very short time spread through Dinwiddie, Amelia, Brunswick, Sussex, Prince
George, Lunenberg, and Mecklenburg counties.
The work was so great on the last day of the quarterly meeting, that they continued in the meeting
house till night, and then sent for candles, and continued till some time in the night before they broke
up. I left them about the setting of the sun, and at that time their prayers and cries might have been
heard a mile off.
It has been frequently observed, that there was never any remarkable revival of religion, but some
degree of enthusiasm was mingled with it. This work was not quite free from it. But it never rose to
any considerable height, nor was it of long continuance. In some meetings there was not that order
observed, which could have been wished. Some of the assemblies resembled the congregation of the
Jews at laying the foundation of the second temple in the days of Ezra. Some wept for grief; others
shouted for joy; so that it was hard to distinguish one from the other. So it was here. The mourning
and distress were so blended with the voice of joy and gladness, that it was hard to distinguish the
one from the other. But the voice of joy prevailed, the people shouted with a great shout, so that it
might be heard afar off.