way. While pleading with God that if the fault was in himself he might be made sensible of it, the Holy Spirit descended upon him as he had never felt it before. He fell prostrate on the ground, and praised God in a voice so loud that the people at the meeting heard him, and as it was during the intermission between lovefeast and public preaching, several came where he was, with whom he returned to the meeting, without any wish to take his horse and leave.

Subsequently to this a quarterly meeting was held in Northampton, several miles north of what used to be called the fish-house, on the Sacundago River, which is the west branch of the Hudson. One circumstance which transpired at this meeting is worthy of notice. The meeting was held in a large barn, the female part of the congregation occupying the floor, while the men occupied the hay or mow. While the prayer meeting on Saturday afternoon was progressing in a good spirit, a wagon was driven up, in which was a number of young persons, of both sexes. They came in high glee, alighted from the wagon, and after standing awhile at the door, and listening to several prayers from some of the females, one of the young women from the wagon pressed through the crowd, declaring she would pull down the next

female that attempted to pray. Accordingly, as one commenced praying she laid hold of her hair and drew her backward, and when another commenced she treated her in like manner. This produced a great excitement throughout the congregation, and yet no forcible means were used to compel the young woman to cease from her rudeness; but several of the females commenced praying that God would lay his hand upon her, and show her and her companions that he could vindicate his own cause, and protect his people. The spirit of these praying females seemed to be instantly diffused through the praying part of the assembly, as by a flash of electricity and I have often thought that if I ever saw a company of praying people agreed as touching one thing, it was on that occasion. While lips and heart were thus employed, this rude young woman seemed at once paralyzed, and stood like a statue, a death-like paleness came over her countenance, she trembled and fell to the floor as one dead. A loud shriek was uttered by her companions at the door; and after a short pause, two young men, who had accompanied her to the place, pressed through the crowd, though with as much apparent alarm as though they had been approaching a loaded cannon, ready to be discharged, laid hold of her

:

clothing, and drew her through the congregation, and through the yard, which had recently been wet by a shower; with her garments torn and besmeared with mud and manure, they threw her into the wagon, which the rest of the company entered with all possible haste, and drove away with speed. What became of her afterward I never learned.

NUMBER VII.

WHEN I commenced these sketches, I thought and stated that I should say as little of myself as consistently I could, and I still wish to do so. But I find as I proceed that "I" must be written much oftener than was at first intended, or the circumstances cannot be stated which I wish to give. I might indeed have adopted the use of the third person, but as some great men have done this, I apprehend that should I do it some might think that I was trying to crowd myself into their ranks. So I must communicate as though I were conversing familiarly with a friend: and if you, Mr. Editor, or any of your readers, think it not useful to continue their publication, let me have a hint to that effect, either privately

or through the columns of the Advocate, and I pledge myself to receive it kindly, and stop at

once.

In 1804, soon after I commenced speaking in public, by way of exhortation and preaching, I made a visit to Brookfield, then Chenango, now Madison county, where some of my family connections then resided. The country was new, and religious privileges were few and far between. There were some Methodists in the south part of the town, but in the north and western parts but little was known or said about religious things. On the next sabbath after my arrival, I was introduced into a Baptist meeting, and the minister requested me to preach in his stead, to which I consented; and when the meeting was closed, a gentleman arose in the congregation and stated that he had just finished a large barn, which was then entirely empty, it being not yet harvest-time, and requested me to make an appointment there in the afternoon of that day. The appointment was accordingly made. The weather was delightful, and a multitude came together at the hour appointed, and found the barn handsomely seated for their accommodation, and a convenient stand for the speaker. The meeting commenced in a good spirit, many were deeply affected, and before

the close two professed to have found peace in believing on the Saviour.

A request was made for another appointment, which was accordingly made for the afternoon of the sabbath two weeks from that day. Another gentleman requested that an appointment should be made at his house, which was a few miles distant, for the morning of the same day. This was also accéded to. But this latter appointment became the source of great uneasiness to my mind. I had learned that there was much in the neighborhood that was forbidding. I regretted that the appointment was made, and as the day approached I became more and more distressed; and when the sabbath came when I was to go, my burden of mind became almost insupportable. I thought of staying away, but this I did not dare to do. I moved toward the place with a heavy heart, being confident that I could say nothing by way of preaching or exhortation. A little relief was however derived from being persuaded in my mind that very few would be in attendance-that I would go and pray with, and dismiss them, and make no more appointments. But as I ascended a hill which overlooked the vale in which the house stood, my heart sunk like a stone within me, when I saw the people on the move in every