Mr. P----, an elder in a vacant church called Locust Bottom, had applied to the Rev. Mr. P---- to come and administer the communion in that church, and to bring me with him. The meeting was to begin on the Friday before the third Sabbath in August. I left home on Thursday morning, and reached the place, fifty-four miles distant, at noon the next day. In the afternoon I addressed the audience by telling them what the Lord had done in so many other places, and that I felt assured if they would seek him with their whole hearts he would bless them too.
The next morning we were assembled at nine for prayer and exhortation. At eleven Mr. C----, a student of divinity, spoke with much fervor. After recess I spoke with much liberty, and five came out as inquirers. We held meetings at night in two places; both well attended, and several were awakened. The Sabbath morning prayer-meeting was crowded. The communion was administered by Mr. P----; and after recess I spoke again, and we had nine inquirers. The next morning we had a crowd, and there were clear indications of the presence of the Spirit of God.
Some weeks previous, Mr. W----, a colporteur to whom I have alluded, had been all through this region, and circulated books. A daughter of Colonel S----, one of the elders, became awakened by reading one of them, and her state of mind had aroused some of her friends and companions, who were among those most deeply concerned; and it was agreed to hold the evening meeting at the colonel’s, though four miles distant.
In addition to the colonel’s large family, a number of others were present, all seeking peace with God. After tea was over we were all seated in a large parlor, to the number of at least twenty. As Mr. C---- expected soon to leave, I asked him to lead us in prayer, and especially to remember the anxious souls in the room. At the close of the prayer, one of the colonel’s daughters was sobbing as if she would break her heart. I sat down beside her, and pointed her to Jesus who died for sinners. She looked at me a moment, and then sprang into her mother’s arms, and said, “Oh, mother, I have found Jesus.” But a short time had elapsed, when a daughter-in-law of Mrs. S---- went to her and said, “Oh, mother, I have found the Saviour too.” Soon the wife of one of the elders who was there cried, “Oh, Mrs. S----, the Saviour has blessed me too. Oh, what a Saviour I have found.” This woman had been so opposed to religion that her husband could not have family prayers. All these three had been awakened by reading tracts. During all this time the old grandmother, ninety years old, and for over seventy years a follower of Christ, was walking through the house saying, “Oh, Mr. C----, is not this heaven? my poor soul can bear no more of the divine glory.”