| Citation |
BEP(F.743.010
14 Mar 1743:21,22 (397)
Extract of a letter from a gentleman of unquestionable
veracity in Hopkinton, to his friend in this town [Boston],
dated March 1. 1742,--3.
There has such extraordinary things happened lately in an
adjacent town, and in this town also, of which I have been
an eye and ear witness, that I thought it would be
acceptable to you to have the account of. Last Thursday at
Mendon there was a meeting, the ministers that carried on
the service of the day, were Mr. Prentice of Grafton and Mr.
Bliss of Concord, and one Byram, a young man from Scituate.
Bliss preach'd in the morning (which was the only part of
the day I attended) He began in a low and moderate strain,
and went on for some time in the same manner; but towards
the close of the sermon, as it was called, he began to raise
his voice, and to use many extravagant gestures, and then
began a considerable groaning amongst the auditors, which as
soon as he perceiv'd, he raised his voice still higher, and
then the congregation were in the utmost confusion, some
crying out in the most doleful accents, some howling, some
laughing, and other hugging, and Bliss still roaring to them
to come to Christ, they answering, I will, I will, I'm
coming, I'm coming. I must confess it so shock'd me that I
was oblig'd to leave the place, for the surprize was so
great, that I believe had I stay'd much longer I should have
fainted but those that tarried the afternoon, and the next
day, say the confusion was much greater. The last Lord's
Day there happened much such a confusion in the time of
publick worship in this town. While Mr. Barret was in his
sermon, towards the close, a boy began to cry out in a very
extraordinary manner, which as soon as Mr. Barret perceived,
he stop'd from preaching, and spoke to the friends of the
lad, desiring that if he could not compose himself, that
they would take him out, that he might not disturb the
congregation: Upon that the boy hallowed out, it is not I,
but you, Mr Barret, that makes the disturbance. . . '[10
lines] When he saw it was not possible to perswade them to
order, he left the meeting-house and retired to his own,
with a great number of the congregation, where he concluded
the service of the morning with prayer; and for an hour and
a half after we left the meeting, there was nothing but
singing, praying and exhorting. These things you may assert
for facts.----
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