Dear Uncle,
It will give you and aunt some happiness to hear that myself and family are well; and to increase your joy, I shall add a short account of the revival of religion in Kentucky. The best way to give you a satisfactory idea will be to describe a communion occasion.
Out of many I shall select that of Caneridge, which I attended with eighteen Presbyterian ministers and Baptists and Methodists, I do not know how many, all being either preaching or exhorting the distressed with more harmony than could be expected: The governor of our state was with us and encouraging the work.
The number of the people computed from 10 to 21,000 and the communicants 828. The whole people serious, all the conversation was of a religious nature, or calling in question the divinity of the work. Great numbers were on the ground from Friday until the Thursday following, night and day without /226/ intermission engaged in some religious act of worship. They are commonly collected in small circles of ten or twelve, close adjoining another circle, and all engaged in singing Watt's and Hart's Hymns; and then a minister steps upon a stump or log and begins an exhortation or sermon, when as many as can hear, collect around him. On Sabbath night, I saw above one hundred candles burning at once -- and I saw I suppose one hundred persons at once on the ground crying for mercy of all ages from 8 to 60 years. Some I had satisfaction in conversing with, others I had none; and this was the case with my Brethren as some of them told me. When a person is struck down he is carried by others out of the congregation, when some minister converses with and prays for him, afterwards a few gather around and sing a Hymn suitable to his case. The whole number brought to the ground under convictions, about one thousand, not less. The sensible, the weak, learned and unlearned, the rich and the poor are the subjects of it. At Cinthiana, Paris, Flat- creek, Point Pleasant, Walnut Hill and George Town, great congregations are all in these places, and exercised in the manner as above described.
There are many irregularities among us, so it was in 1776 among the wigs in their enthusiasm for liberty, and so is human nature every where; sitting up whole nights is extravagant, but you cannot bid them quit, or you need not. The Methodists are friendly, and are very anxious to do good; and for my part I should be sorry to forbid, or even discourage them. -- I see several things I do disapprove; but can say, if only the tenth person convicted is truly converted, 'tis a great work. In Cumberland the work is also great; they often meet in congregations of twenty five thousand, and spend sometimes two weeks together. At Conewago, there were one hundred and forty waggons, and six coaches -- I cannot descend to particulars respecting the exercises of little boys, and old grey headed men, some struck down on the spot, some at their plough, and some affected in the same manner on their beds; and many rejoicing in hope, &c. The neighbourhood in which I live, is /227/ beginning to think more seriously, but are far short of the neighbouring societies.