A
  BRIEF ACCOUNT
  OF THE ENTRANCE AND PROGRESS OF WHAT
  THE WORLD CALL
  S H A K E R I S M,
  AMONG THE SUBJECTS OF THE LATE REVIVAL
  IN OHIO AND KENTUCKY.

HE flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that every person according to that principle by which he is governed, whether flesh or spirit, will conceive, judge of, and denominate things around him. And hence what is food and medicine to one man, may be poison to another; what one calls truth, another calls error; what is the work of God to one, appears the work of the devil to another; and even the heaven of one, may be another's hell. Thus the same thing is often distinguished by names directly opposite according to the sense of different persons. He who was called the Son of God by some, was denominated by others, prince of the devils. And thus what one calls Shakerism, another calls the testimony of Jesus Christ; and a shaker in the language of some, is by others called a true believer, a child of God, a follower of the lamb. And what is still a greater contradiction, that which is called a work of redemption by some, others distinguish as a work of the deepest delusion.

      From this diversity in the sense and language of mankind, it will be necessary to treat of this new religion^{1} [73] in a twofold order 1. According to the real sense, and understanding of those, who have embraced it. And 2. As it is addressed to the external senses of mankind in general.

      In each part of the history, impartiality requires that I use the names of distinction and modes of expression peculiar to each. Accordingly I shall proceed in the first place, to give a brief account of the entrance and progress of the testimony of Jesus Christ, among the subjects of the late revival in Kentucky and Ohio.

      Great expectations had been formed by the subjects of the revival, of something very great to take place in the summer of 1805. In which God would especially answer their ten thousand prayers, in delivering them from sin and opening the way into the holiest of all. Pursuant to which, the same spirit that had convinced them of sin, inspired them to pray, and confidently look for deliverance from it, and stirred up such warm expectations of its near approach. I say that same spirit on the first day of the first month, in the self same year, dispatched three men, viz. John Meacham, Benjamin S. Youngs, and Issachar Bates, from the Church at New-Lebanon, town of Canaan, in the state of New-York, with the testimony of Jesus Christ, and as living witnesses of God to open and confirm to the people, that way, and only way out of sin, that complete salvation which they themselves had found, and that everlasting life and glory, of which the Church in that place were in possession. They arrived in Kentucky about the first of March, tarried a few days at Paint-lick, where they were kindly entertained; from thence they journeyed to Caneridge and spent a few days among the subjects of the revival in that place, among whom they were universally treated with unfeigned respect. From thence they passed over into Ohio and paid their first visit to Springfield, but without exercising any particular labors in any of those places; they prosecuted their journey until they arrived at Turtle-Creek near Lebanon, on the 22d of the same month. They came first to Malcham Worley's and tarried over night, and the next morning they came to my house, which was the first means by which [74] I knew that a church or people by such a name or description existed upon earth. We spent the remainder of the day principally in conversation on the most interesting points in religion, and from, all the evidence I could collect, I judged them to be men of honest principles, singular piety, and a deep understanding in the things of God, and as such I determined to treat them so long as their deportment was correspondent.--Some of their conversation I could not so well understand; a number of things appeared new, but considering the copious field of truth too extensive for my comprehension, I was rather disposed to hear and learn more of God, than to shut out every thing that was not included in my little sphere of knowledge. The next day was the Sabbath, and as they desired to know whether the rules of our meeting would admit them to speak in public, provided they had a feeling so to do, I answered I knew of nothing to hinder. I was sensible the spirit of the revival, as well as that of our wholesome government, imposed no restrictions on any man from testifying his faith, nor bound the conscience of any from hearing whoever they chose. And upon this principle, the door was fully opened for them to make any labours at Turtle-Creek, either in public or private to which they conceived they were commissioned. Accordingly Issachar and Benjamin attended the meeting and opened the testimony of Jesus to the congregation, which might all be summed tip in this one saying, namely. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

      From their own feelings, as well as in behalf of the Church from whence they came, they expressed great union with the work of God that had been for years past among the people, convicting them of their sins and pointing out by words, signs and particular sensations, the way and method of salvation; but they further testified that the time was now come for them to enter into actual possession of that salvation, of which they had received the promise--That the way to attain [75] it, was by self denial, taking up a full cross against the world, the flesh and all evil in our knowledge, and following Christ, walking as he walked, and being in all things conformed to him, as our pattern and head. Particularly according to St. Paul, becoming dead with Christ to the rudiments of the world--dying unto sin once--rising with him to a new, spiritual, and holy life, and ascending step by step in a spiritual travel, and separating farther and farther from the course of a corrupt and fallen nature, until we arrive at the perfect stature and measure of the sons of God. That the first step in this saving work, was to confess all our sins, and when we confessed them, forsake them forever. And wherein we had injured and defrauded any one, to make restitution; in so doing we should find mercy; and being faithful, should receive that measure of the holy spirit, which would be an overcoming power, not only sufficient to keep us out of all actual sin and defilement, but to cleanse and purify both soul and body from the very nature of evil. These things they delivered, not as matters of mere speculation, but as things that had for many years been reduced to practice, and established by the living experience of hundreds in the church of Christ, to be the way and only way of God; the one door of hope for a lost soul, and the sure entrance into the righteous, peaceful and holy kingdom of God's dear Son. They did not pretend to direct others a way which they themselves had not travelled, but testified that with these plain terms of the gospel, they had complied; and the substance of the promise they had received, and could say without boasting or dissembling, that they had received that overcoming power, which kept them faultless before the throne of God, even in the presence of his glory. And moreover that it was a matter that greatly concerned us. That as Christ had now made his second and last appearance, for a final settlement with every soul of man, and as God had, wrought so great a work among us, in waking up, enlightening and preparing us to make a final choice; and by a special gift of his spirit, had sent us his lasting testimony truth, we ought [76] to be very cautious how we treated it. For such as were illuminated in the great and marvellous light of the revival, to see the evil nature of sin, and stirred up to seek the way out of it, and had the last and only way of God opened to them, if they should reject it, their case must be deplorable. That although the light and power of the spirit might have been again and again restored to such as fell into sin, while they had not the proper means of keeping out of it, yet when those means were offered, should they be rejected, there remained no more protection for such a soul; but they must lose the salutary effects of their former light, and fall under the power of the wicked one. And upon this principle, that the subjects of the revival must either embrace the present call of God, and in obedience thereto, take up their cross and follow Christ, or gradually lose the extraordinary effusions of the spirit they had been under, and leaven back into a more corrupt and deplorable state than ever.

      If a historian cannot be disinterested and unbiassed, it is necessary that he be honest; and therefore I acknowledge that nothing ever presented itself to me, that so powerfully interested my feelings as the above testimony. And although I was not wholly unbiassed, I can say with infinite propriety, I was far from being biassed in its favor. A thousand objects presented themselves to bias me against it. But its intrinsic weight--the importance of the work that was past--the salvation of thousands that hung upon the point of its termination--and that of my own soul with the rest, balanced the weighty demands of the three insatiable idols of time,^{2} and held me at least, upon an equilibrium for several weeks, so that without prepossession or predetermination, I could candidly investigate the subject, ready to go with the weight of evidence, where-ever it should preponderate. During this interval, my searches and researches into the scriptures--their history, precepts, promises and prophecies--the signs of the times--my own past experience in religion for fifteen years--the nature of the past extraordinary work, [77] and the present state of the subjects of it, with all the rest of christianity's professors--with the many questions and answers that passed in conversation--were they all written, would swell into a large volume.--And in this kind of exercise I was not alone. The general agitation may be in some measure conceived of, from the following letter, dated Caneridge, April, 2, 1805.

      "My dear brother Richard,

      "I never longed to see any person so much--If I was not confined in this clay tabernacle, I should be in your embraces in less than an hour. The floods of earth and hell are let loose against us, but me in particular. I am seriously threatened with imprisonment, and stripes I expect to receive for the testimony of Jesus.--Kentucky is turning upside down--The truth pervades in spite of man--Cumberland is sharing the same fate. The young preachers, some of them, will preach Jesus without the covering put on him by the fathers--The scribes, the disputers of this world, are gnashing upon us--Brother Matthew Houston has clean escaped the pollutions of this world--and he and his people are going on to perfect holiness in the fear of God--A few more will soon follow--Come over and help us is the cry made to us from every part.--Brother Purviance is gone to Carolina to preach the gospel there, by the request of some there. In a few weeks I start to fulfil a long daily string of appointments to Cumberland--by request I go--I have appointed two communions among many Christians on the heads of Little and Big Barrens.--Brother Dooley is among the Cherokees again--His last rout there was successful--some poor Indians received the gospel--He was solicited to return--He is truly an Apostle of the Gentiles--some few are getting religion amongst us."

      "The churches thus, quid dicam? Nescio: What shall I say? I know not: my heart grieves within me. Certain men from afar whom you know, inject terror and doubt into many; and now religion begins to lament in the dust among us. Some as I suppose will cast away [78] the ordinances of Baptism, the Lord's Supper, &c. but not many as yet. Most dear Brother, inform me what you think of these men among us and you, from a distant region--Thank God he gave me his word.^{3} Letters shew the substance and faith eats it. We all want to meet with you shortly: but by reason of my absence to Cumberland--Brother Purviance to N. Carolina--Brother Houston in Madison, we cannot meet on Turtle-Creek. Nor sooner than third Sabbath June, and that in Kentucky. Brothers Marshal and Houston parted from us yesterday. We administered the Lord's Supper at Caneridge the day before--Many communicants--much exercise. I am pushed for time to write to you. We have five students of the Bible, all but one know the languages--full of faith and of the Holy Ghost--just ready to preach. They all fled from the Presbyterians, to their grief, pain and hurt. Brother Stockwell exceeds expectation, and is beloved and useful. Our Apology is yet living and working, and tearing down Babylon in Virginia. It was re-printed there to the great injury of Presbyterianism. It is also re-printed in Georgia. We are just publishing a short tract on Atonement--I will send you one soon. This truth has unhinged the brazen gates already--I am hurried--pray for me--farewell.

	"B. W. STONE.
"By friend Bates."

      Great prospects were presented according to the above letter, on the part of the revival; the truth pervading and turning the whole country upside down. The Macedonian cry sounding from every part. The apology and tract on atonement, tearing down Babylon, or unhinging her brazen gates--some full of the Holy Ghost, just ready to preach--and one among them all who had clean escaped the pollutions of the world, and was going on to perfect holiness. But all this appeared unspeakably short of the glad tidings brought by the brethren from New-Lebanon, provided that what they testified concerning the church was true. It was well [79] enough for those who were in Babylon to cry for help, and for such as were appointed to the work, to tear her down and unhinge the brazen gates; but something beyond this must be taken into the account. We have news of a Zion, and what if her foundations are already laid. May it be that God has sent down the new Jerusalem for the refuge of souls, before he began to tear down the old buildings?

      The Lebanon Brethren paid their first visit to Brother M. H. Perhaps he has believed and taken up his cross. How else can he have escaped the pollutions of the world? They have also been with Brother Stone, and opened the testimony there in part: perhaps he has taken hold of it, and means to make a final push for the kingdom through stripes and imprisonment. Or have these students of the Bible learned to appropriate scripture phrases to false and inferior objects.--Brother S. and others may have received the name, Holy Ghost out of the Bible, but the thing must certainly dwell in the church. And admitting they are blazing full of the spirit, burning and shining lights, this goes no further than John the Baptist, it is far short of the kingdom of God. Those brethren from the east tell us that their people have got the kingdom--that they have attained it, by taking up the cross, and doing the works of Christ, and overcoming sin by faithful and diligent combat--that they are of God, and do not commit sin: but walk even as Christ walked, and are righteous even as he is righteous.^{4} And moreover that he that committeth sin, whatever his profession or gifts may be, he is yet of the devil. These things inject terror and doubt into many. John was full of the Holy Ghost, and for his testimony concerning Jesus, he was actually cast into prison, full of terror and doubt, whether this was he that should come or whether he should look for some other.

      In fine, I could see nothing in the past work as a foundation to build upon. And what these strange brethren testified, appeared plain scriptural truth, and presented a way entirely safe for those who were able to receive it, and whether they were the people or not, [80] who had actually attained this salvation, it was very evident they were far before us in light and understanding concerning the way; and it was no doubt the will of God that those who desired to be saved should walk in it. Thus in the midst of reasonings, doubtful disputations and close examinations, the testimony was investigated at Turtle-Creek publicly and from house to house until it obtained the full credit of a number who had been leading characters in the revival.

      Malcham Worley was the first who embraced it, opened his mind and took up his cross. With this I confess I was at first staggered, from a deep rooted prejudice that I had imbibed against some of his peculiar sentiments; but finally concluded that if Malcham had been more wild in his former exercises than the rest, he certainly needed salvation the more; besides it appeared that his conflicts with the man of sin, the son of perdition (as he expressed it) must shortly have terminated his existence upon earth,^{5} had not his expected deliverer come out of Zion to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. But I was not a little surprised, that these strange brethren should come directly there, and he receive them with such cordiality, when I was well assured that no previous acquaintance had existed between them. This, with many other singular circumstances that occurred, restrained me from attempting to judge the mysterious work of God's spirit, but rather labor to get a deeper and more practical acquaintance with it. Soon after [81] Malcham set out in the narrow way, he was followed by a number, so that within three or four weeks from the first opening of the testimony, it had pervaded ten or twelve families. And from that period continued gradually to increase, so that at Turtle-Creek, the number of families which now stand in the faith of Christ's second appearance, may be stated between thirty and forty.

      I shall now consider the entrance and progress of the testimony more particularly, as it respects the individual who receives it. The first point of faith in relation to the testimony, is to believe, that he who bears it is a true messenger and witness of Christ, in whom the spirit of truth continually abides; and that whatever instruction, reproof or counsel is ministered by such, it comes from Christ, who speaketh in him. Therefore all who are taught in this manner are strictly and properly taught of God, and in obeying what they are taught they yield obedience to Christ.

      Upon this ground the believer has to make a final settlement with an old systematic idea, that the spirit of God speaketh invariably in the scriptures. Upon an impartial examination he finds that all the contradictory spirits among the professors of christianity, speak in the scriptures, and even the devil himself can speak in the scriptures; so that the scriptures are as liable to be spoken by an evil spirit as the good. It then remains to follow that spirit which goes as contrary to sin, and manifests its purity by its fruit, according to the scriptures, and the inward test of conscience. This is the spirit of Christ, and it sets them immediately to work to do the righteous will of God. And first of all to confess before God what they have done contrary to his will and the light of their own conscience. In this work, the honest believer might as well try to cover or conceal the most chafing mote in his eye, as try to hide or conceal any thing which be has committed, contrary to the pure doctrine of the scriptures, and the holy example of Jesus Christ, of which he stands convicted by the witness of the spirit in his own conscience. And here he has to combat the spirits of wicked men, who pretend [82] to speak in the scriptures, and say that it is idolatry to confess sin in the presence of man--and that God is to be found any where, in the fields, on the hills or under the green trees, and there we ought to make our confession in secret. But by following the spirit of truth, he overcomes this wild pagan error, and discovers, that according to the scriptures, God never accepted a confession of sin, which was not either made to those whom he had set in order in the church, or at least with the face toward that temple which was typical of his last habitation, viz. man. But the greatest evidence the true Believer receives, of this being the order and institution of heaven, is the divine light which he receives in consequence. Light by which sin appears more than ever hateful, and by which he is inspired with a growing zeal to roll out of his heart and practice the last remains of it; and lastly by which he discovers with increasing brightness the succeeding footsteps of true gospel obedience. To the sense of those who in the faith of Christ, have cleared their conscience from the deep rooted stains of sin, and received his spirit as their ruling principle of life, sin is so exceeding sinful, so hateful and pernicious that I am bold to say they cannot commit it.^{6} But he that is begotten with the divine nature of the Son of God, keepeth himself in the element and works of that nature; so that he can no more commit sin than a fish can fly through the air, or an eagle dive to the bottom of the sea. But that abiding fervor and power of spirit which overcomes every motion of evil, belongs not to the entrance of the testimony, but a degree of progress in it. And this degree all must attain who come into it, or fall off as withered branches, for there remains no more room for either imputing their sins to Christ, or to a deceitful heart, or any thing else by which they can be excused; but the soul that sinneth must bear its own iniquity, and burn under it without any mitigation or covering.

      With an inward sense of the power, protection and presence of God, the Believer travels out of the use of shadows and signs, ceremonies and forms of worship, to which he might have been strongly bigoted while in [83] bondage under the law. There is no more occasion for calling upon God afar off, when he has taken possession of his body and lives and walks in him, nor of calling to his memory a departed Saviour, by signs and shadows of his dying love, when the only Saviour that ever redeemed a lost soul, is formed and living in him, and executing every branch of his office. Water applied to the body appears a beggarly element, compared with the baptism of the spirit. And as one baptism is sufficient to purify the conscience, he takes that and travels away from the superfluous shadow. Bodily exercises, dreams, visions and ecstasies, which had but a momentary effect on the blind and obdurate heart, and furnished at best, but a fleeting joy, gradually give place to the sun of righteousness, that shines continually the same, without cloud or eclipse. Hence in the progressive work of the testimony, a blessed reality, an enduring antitype is wrought in the Believer, which fully answers to all that he could possibly have conceived of, while longing, praying and hoping for the kingdom to come. As Believers become more and more leavened into the nature of Christ, they discover with increasing accuracy, the latent corruptions of a fleshly nature, and the secret wiles of Satan in injecting his poison into the heart. And as they discover, so by the cross they overcome and gain an increasing victory over that which is death to the soul, by dying to it--the spirit of the testimony runs through all the Believer's deportment, in public, in private and in secret, so that in no circumstance is he released from the work of self denial, or at liberty to defile his conscience with any act of injustice or uncleanness, contrary to the spirit of the divine law, or the nature of the Son of God who first fulfilled it. To the unclean lust of the flesh, in which the sinful selfish nature of man is formed, the followers of Christ stand in a peculiar manner opposed, and count it their distinguishing privilege to preserve their bodies in sanctification and honor. In the death of that in which all men by nature are held, they find deliverance from every branch of evil; such as pride, covetousness, anger, hatred, &c. so that by crucifying the flesh, its affections and lusts [84] wither of course, and they grow into a peaceable, gentle, kind and loving spirit, in which they can live together from one year's end to another, without feeling a hard thought, much less expressing a hard word one against another. And in such a spirit and deportment as cements them together in one fellow feeling, and promotes the peace, purity and happiness of the whole, the progress of the testimony mainly consists.

      Moreover all who receive the testimony in the spirit of it, are taught thereby to be diligent and faithful in things temporal as well as spiritual, and to serve God with body and substance, as well as with their spirits. Hence the testimony has a proportionate progress in the frugality and honest industry of Believers, whereby they lay up in store a good foundation, not for their own pleasure and aggrandizement but for the honor of God, and the relief and succour of him that needeth.

      By faith in the testimony, and the influence of that spirit which accompanies it, without any other stimulus, Believers at Turtle-Creek began with confessing their sins, forsaking them and taking up their cross, and by the same faith and spirit, they came together on the 23d of the fifth month, received one common gift, united in one common worship, and without murmuring or caviling, have continued in it, increasing in love and union, peace, joy and harmony and every good word and work, unto the present day; and by this, I am emboldened to testify that the kingdom so much prayed for, is come according to the promise of God, and the order which divine wisdom laid out; and the saints have begun to possess that enduring substance, which prophets and kings desired to see and died without the sight.

      The same faith produced by the preparatory work of God, began also to break out at Eagle-Creek sometime in the sixth month; which gave occasion to the testimony being opened there.--A few at first embraced it with full purpose of soul, as the only way of God.--In the month following brother Dunlavy stepped into the ignominious path and began to preach the faith, which for a time he had laboured to destroy; and from thence forward the same work, worship, and [85] spiritual travel, went forward there as at Turtle-Creek, and exists at present in twenty or thirty families in the bounds of the meeting. Through the faith and special light of Matthew Houston, Samuel Henry, John Bonta, Elisha Thomas, &c. The testimony entered and was received on the south side of Kentucky about the middle of the eighth month, and continued to spread until it embraced as many as were willing to embrace it, in Mercer, Shelby, Paint-lick, and Long-lick. In each of which places there are a number of families, who have denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, taken up their cross, live together in the unity of the spirit and bond of peace, and while with open eyes they are travelling from death into life, they shine as lights in the world. A few families at Beaver-Creek set out in obedience to the testimony in the spring of 1806, who were numbered with the faithful. The testimony is one and the same, wherever it is ministered. Is received into one and the same honest and good heart, and wherever it springs up and bears fruit to perfection, that fruit is one and the same. And that lawless and disobedient nature of the first man, which never did bring forth fruit unto God, they can jointly address without pity or compassion in the following language:--

[KRSO 73-86]