Yet let us hold to the old foundations. There are many yet to maintain the right, and the recovering spirit, we are assured, will accomplish the purposes of divine mercy, will correct and convert the world. I may add that the past year has been distinguished by revivals of religion throughout New-Hampshire, generally in connexion with protracted meetings, and of a highly interesting character. A great amount of professional influence has been brought into the churches. In a few instances, I suppose, the meetings have not been under the most judicious management, but generally our ministers have been wise. An important convention of ministers has been recently holden at Windsor, for the discussion of protracted meetings, and the discussion will prove immensely advantageous. With my best wishes in behalf of your undertaking, I am, Dear Sir, yours sincerely, N. LORD. REV. W. B. SPRAGUE, D. D. LETTER XVI. FROM THE REVEREND HEMAN HUMPHREY, D. D. MY DEAR BROther, Amherst College, April 10, 1832. I am glad to learn that you have consented to the publication of your sermons on the all-important subject of Revivals; and in compliance with your request, I send you such brief sketches of what I have myself witnessed, in "times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord," as the extreme pressure of other duties will permit. Although my experience, in this regard, falls far below that of some of my brethren, I desire always to retain a grateful remembrance of what "my eyes have seen and my ears have heard." While I confine my remarks, chiefly, to the character and fruits of the revivals which have taken place in this college, since I became connected with it, in 1823, I cannot persuade myself wholly to pass over the memorable summer of 1821, in the church of Pittsfield, Mass. which was then under my pastoral care. There had been large additions to the church, in the preceding year, under the blessed effusions of the Holy Spirit; and I did not, I am ashamed to say, expect to "see greater things than these," so soon after the cloud seemed to have passed away. But early in the spring, Mr. Nettleton came, "to rest a while," in my family; which, however, the importunities of the people did not permit him to do: and so far as means were concerned, I have always ascribed it, chiefly, to his earnest and pungent preaching, that the attention of many was soon called up, and that in the course of a few weeks, we were all constrained to exclaim, "What hath God wrought!" It was, indeed, a "year of the right hand of the Most High." Never were such tokens of the presence and power of God seen before in that community. And yet there was very little animal excitement, even at the height of the revival. The sinner would often turn pale and tremble, under the awakening and searching truths of the gospel: but there were no outcries, either in our public, or more private meetings-no attempts to enlist the passions. The object was, to make the impenitent feel that they were under a righteous condemnation-that they had destroyed themselves-that their hearts were entirely alienated from God—that in this alienation lay their guilt and not their excuse—that, of course, they were bound to repent and become reconciled to God without a moment's delay-that, nevertheless, so desperate was the depravity of their hearts, that nothing short of the power of the Holy Ghost would ever subdue it; and that God was under no obligation to exert that power. So far as could be known at the time, and so far as the "fruits" enable us to determine, these and other kindred truths were "the power of God unto salvation," to multitudes that were ready to perish. The design was, to exalt God and bring the sinner in guilty at every step-not to terrify, even the vilest transgressor, so as to render him incapable of reasoning and reflection; but to induce him, under the strong convictions of an enlightened conscience, "to flee from the wrath to come, and lay hold on eternal life." I cannot enter into particulars at all. I wish I could. Many of them would be highly interesting to every pious mind. By those who witnessed and felt them, the scenes of that summer will never be forgotten, While life and thought and being last, Or immortality endures. But I hasten to the more immediate object of this communication. It was near the close of the spring term, in 1827, that God poured out his Spirit for the second time upon Amherst college. The revival began in the church, as is most commonly the case. For several weeks there was a manifest increase of concern for those "who were ready to perish," till there came to be mighty wrestlings with the Angel of the covenant-such as I believe always prevail. The "noise and shaking among the dry bones" was sudden, and the work was rapid in its progress. The word of God was quick and powerful! In many cases, convictions of sin were extremely pungent. In some, they may be said to have been overwhelming. But in most instances, they were short. When the student became convinced that the wrath of God was justly abiding upon him, he shut himself up with his Bible, and APPENDIX. REE UNIVERSITY CALIM his stricken heart, under the full persuasion that the crisis of his eternal destiny had come. "Once he was alive without the law,' but now "the commandment came, sin revived, and the young pharisee, as well as the publican, died." In a few days about thirty, and among them several who had been very far from the kingdom, and leaders in the broad way, were raised up, as we trust, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. It was a glorious change-a most delightful spectacle. "These, where had they been?" We saw the rock from whence they were hewn, and the hole of the pit from which they were digged. It was the Lord's doing, and it was marvellous in our eyes. The next year, 1828, God poured out his Spirit again upon the college, and to a considerable number of the students, "the gospel," as we believe, was "the power of God unto salvation." This work was not so decisively marked in all respects as the former; nor were so many "brought out of darkness into marvellous light," as in the preceding revival. All the leading characteristics, however, were the same. "The fruits of the Spirit were, in both cases, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance ;" and the effects upon the institution were visible and happy. In the spring of 1831, the divine Saviour once more came to our unworthy seminary, "upon the chariot of salvation." The church had been for some time in a low state, and among the first favorable indications of returning life, there were those deep searchings of heart, which generally precede a powerful work of the Spirit, in the conversion of sinners. Soon the great inquiry was made, by one and another, "What must I do to be saved?" As had been the case in 1827, the work was rapid, and very marked in all its leading features. Fear of punishment there undoubtedly was, in many cases, perhaps in all. But we heard little of this in our most intimate conversations with the awakened. The burden of their complaint was, a hard and stupid heart. They had sinned against a holy God, and in this they were utterly inexcusable. The sentence had gone out against them, and it was just. It was their immediate duty to submit themselves to God, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. There was extreme guilt and infinite hazard in every moment's delay. All this they would in general ad NIA mit, and when they really felt it all, they were in most instances soon brought to the great decision. Indeed, from a careful observation of some hundreds of cases since I entered the ministry, I have been led to think, that a sinner rarely remains but a short period under genuine conviction before he either submits to the terms of the gospel, or begins to lose his impressions. A person may be thoughtful for weeks, and even months. He may feel a great deal of distress at times; he may think, and his friends may think, that his convictions of sin have been deep and searching for a long while, when, in fact, he has never seen himself in the blazing light of God's holy law, and of course has never been prepared to lay hold on the hope set before him in the gospel. The number of apparent conversions in the revival of which I am now speaking, was about the same as in 1827; and in this, as well as that, some were almost literally plucked as brands from the burning. Such and such young men, we had been ready to say, will hold out against every threatening and every invitation. But where was our faith? "A new song was put into their mouths, even praise to our God." I need not tell you, that these "times of refreshing" have been of inestimable advantage to the college, by raising the standard of morals, and diffusing a strong religious influence throughout our whole youthful community. During the ten years that the institution has now existed, there has been a decided average majority of professed Christians in the four classes. In some years more than two-thirds have been professors. Two hundred and seventy have graduated-sixty of them at the last commencement—more than two hundred of whom are hopefully pious; and about one half the number of students who have entered college without piety, since it was established, have, as we trust, found "the pearl of great price," before completing their academical course. "It is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes." I ought to add, in this place, that there was a powerful revival in this seminary, under the presidency of Dr. Moore, and that within a few months past, several individuals have expressed "hope in Christ," though nothing like general inquiry has prevailed. If you ask me, what means and measures have been most eminently blessed, in the revivals which have fallen under my own |