History of the M.E. Church, Vol. III - Media Sabda Org

of its history, however our modern criticism, or more decorous ideas of religious life, may judge
them.
On the more important or festival occasions of the Church, especially at the great quarterly
meetings of the time, this spiritual enthusiasm kindled still higher, and spread out like a flame over
whole circuits. They were jubilees to Abbott. On one of them he says: "Our meeting began at six
o'clock in the morning, and when we had sung and prayed, the power of God came down in such a
manner that the slain lay all through the house. Some seemed lost in the ocean of God's love, some
professed justification, and others, that God had sanctified their souls. This meeting was so powerful
that but one attempted to speak her experience in love feast; while she was speaking, she sunk down,
crying out, God has made me all love! Immediately the house was filled with cries and praises to
God; some trembled and were astonished. We had to carry the slain out of the house, in order to
make room that the people might come in for the public preaching; and when we had sung and
prayed the presence of the Lord came down as in the days of old, and the house was filled with his
glory; the people fell before him like men slain in battle. It was a great day of God's power to many
souls; some professed sanctification, some justification. This was a day of days to my soul. The
windows being open, there were hundreds outside gazing at those in the house who were slain before
the Lord; but they lay both in the house and out of it. Prayers were put up to God, both within and
without, in behalf of the penitents and mourners. I trust that many date their conviction, and others
their conversion from that quarterly meeting."
If he deviated for such special occasions to other circuits, the same extraordinary scenes attended
him. "I went," he writes, "to quarterly meeting on Dover circuit; we had a happy day. On Sunday,
in love-feast, the Lord God of Elijah, who answereth by fire, poured out his Spirit. 'Elijah the prophet
came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou
art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, etc. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know
that thou art the Lord God, etc. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifices, etc.
And when the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, the Lord, he is the God the Lord,
he is the God.' 1 Kings xviii, 36-39. So on this day, when the fire of the Lord came down, the people
fell and acknowledged the power of God; and the slain lay all about the house; some were carried
out as dead men and women. The house was filled with the glory of Israel's God, who spoke peace
to mourners, while sinners were cut to the heart. Glory to God, it was a high day to my own soul. It
was thought there were about fifteen hundred looking on, with wonder and amazement at the mighty
power of God, which caused the powers of hell to shake and give way; many of the spectators
trembled and were astonished; numbers professed faith in Christ, and others sanctifying grace; God's
dear children, generally, were refreshed. This was one of the days of the Son of man. On Tuesday,
in family prayer, the power of God came down wonderfully upon us; four fell to the floor, and they
found 'Him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth,' to the joy of
their souls."
Of course there could be no stagnation in the region through which such a man traveled sounding
his trumpet daily; we read that "the flame spread around the circuit, and many were brought to the
knowledge of God." He continued these labors till May, 1795, when, failing in health, he returned
to his home in New Jersey, and was never able to resume his travels on a circuit. He had been
suffering, in Maryland, for three months from fever and ague. On returning to New Jersey, he