A History Of The Rise Of Methodism In America - Media Sabda Org

Methodists, encouraging lay preaching, holding class meetings, love feasts, and watchnights, and all
rejoicing in God, with the Church minister at their head. Concerning this revival Mr. Jarratt observes,
"There never was any remarkable revival of religion in which there was not enthusiasm, and some
wild fire mixed with the sacred flame. It seems this is unavoidable in the nature of things. Some of
our meetings resembled the congregation of the Jews when the foundation of the second temple was
laid -- some wept and others shouted, and it was hard to distinguish one from the other." This crying
out, trembling, falling, and convulsions among his people led him to read President Edwards on
Revivals, who observes, "That wherever these most appear there is always the greatest and deepest
work. Sometimes five or six were praying at the same time in different parts of the room, and others
exhorting at the same time; and this Dr. Edwards (a Presbyterian) also defends." As this kind of
confusion abated, the work of conviction and conversion usually abated, too. In this excitement Mr.
Jarratt did not speak against it in the congregation, and by so doing, gratify the people of the world,
and wound the children of God; but prudently checked it by singing and short exhortations, and by
advice given to the leaders of prayer meetings how they should manage it, so as not to destroy the
genuine work of God. In this great reformation and revival in Virginia and in North Carolina in 1775
and 1776, the Methodists added to their societies between three and four thousand. How many
hundreds Mr. Jarratt took into his societies we cannot say. The subjects of this great work amounted
to several thousand.
Such a zealous minister of the Church of England was the Rev. Devereaux Jarratt. He was the first
minister that received the despised and almost friendless Methodist preachers, when strangers, to his
house, and had societies formed in his parish; and some of his people became local and traveling
preachers among the Methodists. He preached in most of the parish churches within fifty miles of
him, besides preaching on many solitary plantations, and in many Methodist chapels. His ministry
was crowned of God in awakening more sinners than that of any other minister in Virginia. He lived
to see four or five periodical revivals in his parish. He died in peace the 30th of January, 1801, aged
sixty-nine years. A sermon was preached on the occasion by Bishop Asbury on Matt. xxv. 21. Of
him Mr. Lee says, "He was the greatest preacher and the most pious person that I was acquainted
with, among that order of ministers."