jects to occupy his mind on the Sabbath?' He instantly replied, and with emotions of deep compunction, 'O what a wretch I am!' In the exercises of the sanctuary, he manifested a profound ness of attention, and a solemnity, which I never before, nor since, witnessed. He appeared as if influenced with an awful conviction of the immediate presence of the all-seeing Jehovah. There was depicted in his countenance an evidence of such entire inattention to every object around him; of such intenseness of solemn thought; of such total abstraction from every thing but his devotions, as seldom failed to excite the attention, and even the inquiries of those unacquainted with him. This evidence was not deceptive. For it was not often that he could name with certainty any one present, except the preacher. On the evening of the Lord's day, his looks and conversation asumed, usually, an aspect of uncommon cheerfulness and serenity. He would sometimes lament the lukewarmness and languor of his affections; but he much more frequently spoke of the satisfaction with which he had spent the day; of his nearness of access to God; of the bright and ravishing views with which he had been favored of the Divine character; and of the condescension and mercy of Jesus Christ in the work of redemption. The time of his admission to college was a period of daring licentiousness among the students. A great portion of them were distinguished for their profanity, their gambling, and their infidelity, and no small number of them, for vices that need not be named. The moral character of the institution was suffering under a deep and an alarming depression. Belief in revelation was deemed, generally, a mark of pusillanimity, and of slavish dependence in thinking; and a public profession of faith in its doctrines, and an engagement to walk conformably to its precepts, as an almost infallible characteristic of stupidity or hypocrisy. Herrick found indeed few companions, who like himself, estimated their religion above every thing else. He manifested a deep solicitude for the spiritual interests of his fellow students. He appeared to feel as Faul felt when he saw the city of Athens wholly given to idolatry. Constrained by an irresistible sense of duty, he soon began to raise his voice against the prevailing principles and practices. In such a state of things, we might well expect that such an undertaking would have brought upon him the displeasure of the looser part of his companions, and have been met by an opposition next to persecution. But the fact was otherwise. He reprimanded the vicious with such tender concern for their welfare, and coafuted the arguments of gainsayers with so much humility of spirit, and ingenuity of understanding, as could not fail to secure both their good will and respect. There was, in the whole deportment of this young man, so much unaffected and Lative simplicity; such entire absence of every thing looking like art or accommodation; such a certain something, so irresistible in its evidence of the controlling power of religion, which, though it cannot be described, yet, by all who knew him, must be distinctly recollected, as excluded from the mind all doubt of his integrity. His sincerity, in the view of no one who knew him well, was ever, it is presumed, for a moment questioned; and the most unprincipled and profligate have been heard to remark, that could they feel as Herrick felt, and live as he lived, they should be willing to be Christians. The adoption of some measure, which might check the progress of licentiousness, and reform the morals of the institution, was an object near to his heart. He early suggested an association of the religious and moral part of his companions, as a matter, in his view, highly expedient. But it was, in the opinion of many, who ardently wished for a reform, attended with so numerous, and in the opinion of some, with such insuperable objections, that it met at first but with little encouragement. His belief, however, was strong in the success of the undertaking: And at length, principally through his arguments and importunities, a society was formed. He lived to see his exertions rewarded far beyond his expectations. Many, within a moderate period, quitted their profanity and the gambling table and became respectable members of the association. And there is much reason to believe that his exertions, under God, were the means of saving several of his fellow students from temporal, and some of them from eternal ruin. ry course of studies and sustained his final examination with great reputation, he went home to spend a few weeks with his family; with the expectation of meeting his companions at commencement and receiving the honors of the college. But alas! God who orders all things, had otherwise determined. He A short time after his return home, he was attacked with a nervous putrid fever, which raged with such violence, that it baffled all medical exertions, and soon terminated his life. But before we consign him to the tomb, let us for a moment draw around his death-bed, and mark the constancy of his faith at this all-trying hour. He appeared firmly persuaded, soon after the attack, that death was at his door. But his usual composure of mind did not forsake him. manifested no anxiety about his recovery. He continued strong in the faith; viewed the time of his departure approaching with entire resignation; and expressed a desire, if it was the Divine pleasure, 'to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.' principally Lord.' During the most of his sickness, although his reason was unimpaired, he seldom conversed indeed he took but little notice of those that were around him. He appeared, as if absorbed in solemn meditation and in communion with his God. Perceiving, however, not long before his death the solicitude and sorrow of his friends, he addressed them notwithstanding his extreme debility with a very audible voice, and in words, as nearly as can be recollected at this distance of time, of the following import; 'O weep not Having finished the customa for me! dry up your tears! Make my death a memento of your own mortality! O let us meet in heaven! Prepare! O! prepare to meet your God! My time is come 'tis the only time;-'tis God's time; it must be the best time. I think I shall soon be in the bosom of my Father; and among the spirits of the just.' Being asked whether he still felt a cordial reliance on the mercy of God and as he had always hoped to feel when he should come to die, he replied, "O yes! O yes! I am a great sinner; I have no merit: but I know his grace is sufficient for me. He has been a gracious God to me; he has never disappointed me; I think I know he never will; I rejoice that I am in his hands.' He soon after closed his eyes, and it is trusted fell asleep in Jesus. Reader! whatever be thy age; whatever be thy character; be entreated seriously to contemplate for one hour the life and the death of this excellent young man. And will not thy heart constrain thee to exclaim, 'O that my last end may be like his.' RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS. REVIVAL OF RELIGION IN SOUTH ter, they were entirely discontinued. Our youth were remark TOWN OF SOUTHBURY, (CON.) ably thoughtless, and in many To the Editor of the Panoplist. Sir, If you shall judge the following narrative of a work of God, among the people of my charge, calculated to promote the interests of religion, you are at liberty to insert it in your valuable Magazine. Yours affectionately, BENNET TYLER. South Britain, Aug. 16, 1813. THE first favorable appearances, which gave us reason to hope, that the Lord was about to visit us with the effusions of his Spirit, were discoverable early in the spring of 1812. During the preceding winter, it had been a time of unusual stupidity. The wise and the foolish appeared to be slumbering together. Meetings for religious conference and prayer, which, for five years previous, had been statedly at tended, so far declined, that at the commencement of the win instances began to be dissipated. Although the generality of the people paid a constant and decent attention to public worship on the Sabbath, yet there was but very little of the life and power of religion manifested, even among professors. sense Such was the state of things among us, till about the beginning of the month of March; when the minds of a few members of the church, in different parts of the society, were unusually impressed with a of our deplorable situation. About eight or ten pious persons, as I have since learnt, had very similar impressions, almost at the same time, each one being ignorant of the feelings of the rest. They were led deeply to humble themselves before God for their past backslidings, and earnestly to implore the reviv ing influences of the Holy Spirit. Shortly after this, it was proposed to the church to set apart a day for fasting and prayer; partly on account of the distressing and mortal sickness which prevailed in some neighboring towns; but more especially, on account of the great stupidity which prevailed among ourselves. A day was accordingly appointed, and, to our great surprise, a larger congregation assembled than had been witnessed for a considerable time previous, on the Sabbath. A pray er-meeting was attended in the forenoon, which was very solemn. A sermon was preached in the afternoon, and another in the evening, by two ministers who were present from abroad. An unusual attention and solemnity, were visible throughout the, assembly; and from that time forward our congregations on the Sabbath assumed a new aspect. About this time, a little circle of Christians set up a weekly prayer-meeting, for the express purpose of supplicating the inAluences of the Holy Spirit. This meeting will never be forgot ten by those who attended it. At these seasons, there were special tokens of the divine presence, and such wrestlings in prayer, as are, perhaps, rarely realized, The joys experienced by this little circle of praying people, were such, as a stranger intermeddleth not with. They were precious foretastes of joys to be realized in a better world. Not long after this prayer-meeting was set up, a public, weekly conference was also instituted, which was In the crowded and solemn. Such was the state of things among us, in the fore part of the month of April; and although no persons were then known to be under special awakenings; yet we were led to hope, that the Lord had mercies in store for us which he was about soon to bestow. Several pious persons were anxiously waiting for the consolation of Israel. They watched with trembling hope every motion of the little cloud, which they discovered rising above the horizon; and they felt that confidence in the promises of God, which usually attends a peculiar spirit of prayer. It was not long before their hopes began to be realized. Four or five persons, in different parts of the parish, were awakened to a sense of their sin and danger, and began to inquire, what they should do to be saved. These fresh tokens of the divine presence added new courage to those who had been praying, and waiting for the blessing, and inspired them with sanguine expectations, that their prayers were soon to be answered. But it was necessary that their faith and patience should be tried, that they might be the more fully prepared to give God the glory. For several weeks, things remained stationary. The cloud which had been rising, and which, as we had fondly hoped, promised a refreshing shower, appeared to stop. No new instances of conviction occurred. It was a time of trembling anxiety and awful suspense. During the month of May, however, those, who had been first awakened, obtained a hope of an interest in Christ; and some others were found to be under serious impressions. The members of the church began more generally to take an interest in the work; for it is to be remarked, that although, previous to this, individuals had been very much awake to the subject of religion, this animated attention had been by no means general in the church. A more fervent spirit of prayer was poured out, and, in the latter part of June, the rain of divine influences descended, in every part of the parish, like a mighty shower. Great numbers were awakened, and through the month of July scarcely a day passed, which will not be remembered, as the spiritual birth-day of some one, or more souls, who, as we hope, have been born of God. As many as forty in the course of that month, obtained a hope of a saving interest in the Redeemer. The scenes, which were at this time passing before us, cannot be described; nor can they be conceived of but by those, who have witnessed scenes of a similar nature. The eyes of God's people sparkled with joy inexpressible; while in the countenances of sinners were depicted distress and horror. The things of eternity were now regarded as realities of infinite moment. From the gray-headed sinner to the child of nine years old, the question was daily and earnestly repeated, "What must I do to be saved?" Religion was now the great theme of discourse. In the family, in the street, in the field, and in the shop, it enVOL. IX. grossed almost the whole con versation. The customary amusements of youth were entirely laid aside, and meetings for prayer and praise and religious instruction, were substituted in their stead. Not a circle met together, however accidentally, but it was converted into a religious meeting. The taverns were forsaken, the ball-room was left desolate, and in lieu of the viol, were heard psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. At this time, it is believed, the whole congregation were more or less impressed. Satan seemed to be bound for a little season, and all opposition was silenced. Opposers stood aghast. They beheld, and wondered, and like the magicians of Egypt, were constrained to confess, "This is the finger of God."" Several who had been open revilers were arrested, and like the persecuting Saul of Tarsus, were brought to espouse that cause, which they had attempted to destroy. Religious meetings were very frequently attended, and notwithstanding it was the most busy season of the year, they were usually crowded. A very considerable congregation might at any time be collected upon the shortest notice. So great was the desire of people to obtain religious instruction, that not unfrequently, persons have been seen three or four miles from home, at an evening conference. But although the attention was so great, there was very little appearance of enthusiasm. Convictions, though in many instances very deep and pungent, appeared to be rational. The utmost decorum prevailed in our 26 |