[Note F. p. 46.]

Form of vote passed upon application, in relation to those who are employed as Foreign Missionaries.

Voted, That the Secretary be authorized and directed to inform the Rev. that having devoted himself to the service of Christ, among the heathen, he is released from his pecuniary obligations to the American Education Society, while he continues in this holy and self-denying work.

Form of vote passed upon application, in relation to those who are employed as Home Missionaries.

Voted, That the Secretary be authorized and directed to inform Rev. that his pecuniary obligations to the Society will not be considered as binding, unless his future circumstances should be such as to enable him to pay without embarrassment; in which case the Directors doubt not but it will highly gratify him to do it, and thus comply with the expectations of those who aided in furnishing him with the means of obtaining an education for the ministry.

Form of vote passed upon application, in relation to those who are settled in feeble churches.

Voted, That the Secretary be authorized and directed to inform Rev. that whatever interest may have accrued upon the notes held against him by the American Education Society, is cancelled to this date, and that he will not be required to pay the principal, nor the interest, that may hereafter accrue, unless his circumstances should be such as to enable him to do it without embarrassment; in which case the Directors doubt not it will gratify him to comply with the expectations of those who have generously contributed towards his education.

[Note G. p. 52.]

Communications to the Secretary, respecting revivals of religion in Colleges.

Yale College, May 30, 1835.

Rev. and dear Sir,-President Day has just handed me your letter, with a request, that I will give you a brief account of the origin and progress of our recent revival.

This work of grace may be traced, with more than ordinary clearness, to the efficacy of prayer. During the whole of our first term, a part of the church were deeply interested in the spiritual concerns of college. At its close, they separated with a mutual engagement to unite their prayers and efforts with increased earnestness, for an outpouring of the Spirit, at the commencement of the ensuing term. During the vacation, those of the brethren who remained in town, held a meeting for special prayer for the same object. When college came together in the early part of February, a stated prayer meeting was commenced for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and held every evening, immediately after tea, during the whole of the term. The number of those who assembled was at first small-not more than fifteen or twenty-and for a time they felt great discouragement. Still they persevered, and it was at their suggestion, that the college church made a public request in the religious newspapers, for the special prayer of God's people at the concert for colleges, "considering the existing state of the institution." This request, we have since learned, awakened the sym

pathy of Christians, and called forth their fervent prayers for us and others, in many parts of our country. In the early part of March, the brethren of this praying circle, sent a committee to the faculty, to state "that the body of the church did not seem to be awakened to the spiritual interests of college; and that unless something effectual could be done, their hopes of a revival, and the efforts which they had made, must result only in disappointment." Under this appeal, it was decided to have a special prayer meeting of the whole church, to which every member was particularly invited by a message from the president himself. All attended, and the meeting was deeply solemn and affecting. Another was appointed for the next evening but one, and a third for the subsequent evening, which was Friday. On each of these occasions, a very marked progress took place in the feelings of the church. A sense of backsliding-humiliation before God-earnest desires for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit-a feeling of absolute dependence on divine grace—of pressing want, which God alone could supply-such to a great extent was the spiritual state of the church. It was strikingly manifested even in their external deportment. They walked softly" as those who felt that they had sinned against God. Thus, in the strictest sense of the term, there was a revival of religion in a large part of the church, without one instance being known of conviction or even of thoughtfulness among the impenitent. We felt ourselves, to a greater extent than I have ever known before, cast upon the direct interposition of God's Spirit, for nothing encouraging or even hopeful among the impenitent had given rise to the prayers of the church-nothing but a sense of want, and of God's willingness to grant the mercy.

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On Saturday afternoon, the brethren united in special prayer, for the blessing of God on the exercises of the ensuing Sabbath. That evening, and three times the next day, the preaching was addressed particularly to the impenitent, in very strong and affectionate terms. The truths insisted upon, were the entire depravity of the heart by nature; the duty and ability of the sinner to turn immediately to God; the aggravation of his guilt, as consisting wholly in obstinacy and wilful perverseness; and his entire de pendence on divine grace-on the special influences of the Holy Spirit-for regeneration. A course of sermons was commenced at the same time, on the doctrine of election, by one of the officers of the Institution, which was listened to with deep and solemn interest. In looking round the chapel during the exercises of that day, and indeed during the remainder of the term, you might see plainly, as any striking thought was presented by the preacher, that a hundred hearts were lifted up in an agony of prayer, “O) God make this effectual for the awakening of some sinner." The solemn stillness which prevailed, the upraised eye, the clasped hand, the speaking countenance, all indicated to the attentive observer, the unutterable emotions of the children of God. On Monday morning the inquiry went round. with deep solicitude, "Is any one known to be serious?" Two or three were found to be tenderly affected: a sudden death in the institution deep-. ened the impression; a number more were awakened at the funeral on Wednesday afternoon; preaching was attended for an hour every evening but one during the week: the praying circle after tea was increased from twenty to nearly one hundred and fifty, and was at once highly animated and deeply humble; and at the close of the week, about fourteen hoped they had given themselves to Christ. Thus the work went forward, during the subsequent five weeks of the term, till nearly fifty were added to their number, making in the whole somewhat more than sixty hopeful converts. The most striking feature of the revival was its entire calmness. There was no excitement, no agitation, and comparatively little distress from a sense of danger. The predominant feeling was conviction of guilt and of duty-a sense of having been utterly in the wrong-of having abused the purposes of their existence, the mercy of God, and the compassion of

Christ-all heightened by new views of the love and forbearance which they had experienced in the midst of such ingratitude and rebellion. So calin were most of those who were impressed, that many were led to distrust the genuineness of their feelings. They could hardly believe it possible for a sinner to turn to God without deeper and more agitating emotions. Generally, however, their feelings, especially sorrow for sin, became more strong after they hoped that they had embraced the Saviour.

Ten weeks have now elapsed since the commencement of the revival, and nearly five since the close of the term. The hopeful converts have passed through the ordeal of vacation, and all on whom reliance was placed at the close of the term, appear well. Two or three who hoped for themselves for a time during the progress of the work, relinquished their hope before the close of the term; but I cannot learn that these, (as too often happens,) nor indeed any of the students, have shown any marked opposition to the revival. Many who were not affected by it have said, in the circles where they visit in town, that religious truth has been presented with so much kindness and candor, that they have been treated with so much delicacy and yet faithfulness by the members of the church, as to take away all ground of opposition or complaint-that they know and feel the work to have been of God.

The only measures which have been adopted in the present or past revivals here, are preaching, meetings of inquiry and private conversation. Peculiar delicacy is requisite in an institution like ours, as to any outward acts designed to bring the impenitent to a decision, which may separate them from the rest of the audience, and make them objects of remark. Whether expedient or not elsewhere, they have never been adopted here.

I need hardly add, that the beneficiaries of the American Education Society, have shown a lively interest in the progress of the revival; and it cannot be doubted, that their prayers and labors have done much to promote this blessed work of grace.

I am, with great respect, your friend and brother,

CHAUNCEY A. GOODRICH.

Dartmouth College, June 15, 1835.

My dear Sir,-My absence from college, on a journey of business to the north, will be a sufficient apology for this late answer to your inquiries respecting our religious interests. I have now great pleasure in communicating a brief account of the revival with which it has pleased God to visit

us.

It deserves to be remarked, that the character of our college studies and instruction for a course of years has favored the habit of philosophical inquiry, as well upon religious subjects, as those more purely intellectual and moral. Such a habit the faculty have been willing to encourage, on the part of students, in the hope that the cause of vital Christianity would not suffer, under such a direction of the minds of our young men. But the exceeding difficulty of maintaining the spirit of piety in minds so accustomed, and, at the same time, engaged deeply in the prosecution of other branches of study, and exposed to the numberless seductive influences of these times of unhallowed excitement, and speculation, became, during the last year, increasingly evident to the faculty, and awakened new solicitude and effort to secure the college against the dangers of religious declension, and to connect feeling and emotion with the severer exercises of the mind on subjects connected with the gospel.

At the close of the last and the beginning of the present college year, this subject was considered by the faculty with much attention. Their frequent conversations resulted not in any change of views as to the proper

business of thorough classical instruction, but in a deeper sense of the importance of connecting always the spiritual with the intellectual and moral in a course of study, and in a more active conviction of the desirableness of the work of the Holy Spirit upon the minds of all classes of the students.

It soon appeared that the minds of the religious members of college had been for some time moved with corresponding sentiments. They aspired after something better than scientific attainments. They began to speak often to one another of the things of the Spirit. And although no direct influence was used, from without, to promote any special religious attention, or effect, it became evident that an invisible agency was employed in quickening the zeal, the courage, and faithfulness of Christians, and in preparing others to receive religious counsel and admonition.

An unusually large accession of religious students, in the class then entering college, gave additional encouragement to our minds. The tone of religious and moral feeling, during the fall term was sensibly elevated, the spirit of prayer was increased, and hopes began to be expressed that the Spirit of God was about to revisit us, as at other favored seasons in the history of the college, when many now active in the cause of Jesus Christ received their first direction to his service.

As an instance of the state of feeling in college about this time, it may be related, that when it was understood that the trustees, in view of the moral evils of the old system of college distinctions, were considering the question of a change of arrangements, in that respect, the students almost unanimously petitioned for such a change, as, in their view, favorable to the interests of virtue, and that the action of the trustees entirely abolishing that system, was, and has been thought as well by the students as the faculty, to promise the happiest results, in respect both to the moral and intellectual advancement of the college, a progress of opinion, which, I assure you, has given no little pleasure to many ardent patrons of Christian education, of whose theories, on this subject, we are now determined to make a full and fair experiment.

At the commencement of the spring term, indications of the Divine presence, both in the college and village, were unquestionable. Some of our young men had come from scenes of religious revival, with a new animation, the spirit of Christian confidence and affection, of prayer, of resolution, and enterprise became general; the chapel, the lecture room, the walks, and resorts of students were marked by a sobriety, decorum, and frequently a solemnity, which showed the mind to be affected by the truth and the Spirit of God; and for a period of six or eight weeks the college enjoyed, in connection with the village, a revival of religion of peculiar interest and importance, establishing the influence of vital Christianity, and giving an impulse and direction to all Christian minds, which seem to us of unusual promise in regard to the advancement of the gospel.

A series of religious meetings holden by the church and congregation, in the village, during the spring term, in connection with the settlement and active labors of a pastor, contributed materially to increase the religious feeling in the college. The influence of those meetings in promoting the activity and confidence of Christians, and especially in confirming their minds in the view of Christianity as a spiritual religion, and in its advancement as connected with the zeal and prayers of Christian believers, seems to us as remarkably evident and salutary, and of peculiar importance in reference to those who are contemplating the Christian ministry.

About twenty of the students have expressed the hope of salvation, and it may be eighty, or ninety persons in the village and vicinity. We rejoice to record the goodness and loving kindness of the Lord. Through his mercy we have increased in strength; we are confirmed in the hope of guiding the minds of our young men, more prevailingly, by the moral influ

ences of the gospel, of improving our system of education by the aids of religious and moral principle, and of rendering the college subservient to the great purpose for which it was established, the glorifying of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yours, dear Sir, with much affection and respect,

N. LORD.

Amherst, May 31, 1835.

Dear Sir,-Professor Fiske has put into my hands your letter requesting some account of the revival in Amherst College last term. We have thought it due to the Christian public to make some brief statement on the subject in some of the papers or journals, but absence during the vacation has thus far prevented. We may do it still: but I will in this place make a brief statement respecting this work of divine grace.

It may be stated for the encouragement of Christians, that the last Thursday in February (the annual concert of prayer for literary institutions) never passes, without producing a powerful effect upon this institution; even though no distinct revival follows. This year the effect see:ned . rather greater than usual. Indeed, from the beginning of the term, it was clear that some Christians had set their faces unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth and ashes, for the revival of religion; as you yourself had occasion to know during your salutary labors among us. After the concert, however, it was equally clear, that Satan was loosed for a little season. Besides other excesses, which rendered the work of thorough discipline indispensable in many instances, one meeting for non-professors of religion was disturbed by the explosion of crackers; and in the midst of a subsequent one, more than a pound of gunpowder, previously arranged in trains, was exploded. This was quite overdoing the work of Satan; and from that time to the close of the term, the revival continued with an unusually uniform state of feeling. It was probably most powerful in its influence over professors of religion; many of whom for a time abandoned their hopes, (and often with good reason,) and others saw and felt the dangerous alienation from God in which they had been living. The number of students on the ground when the work began, was probably a little over 200; and only about 50 of these were destitute of a hope. At least one third of this number professed to have experienced a renewing change. The cases of conviction were mostly insulated, and each case seemed to require a great deal of effort and prayer on the part of the whole church before the individual was made willing to submit to God. Meetings were more numerous than has been usual with us in time of a revival; yet uniformly well attended. Several entire days were devoted to fasting and prayer, attended with the preaching of the gospel; and personal conversation with Christians and with sinners was very frequent and much blessed. Upon the whole, though the number of conversions is not so great, this has been one of the most thorough and pleasant revivals which we have ever witnessed among us: and it was particularly interesting to see so good a state of feeling to the very last day of the term. Whether the members of the Institution will return during the present week still animated with the same spirit, remains to be

seen.

It has not generally been known that a revival among professors of religion has taken place in this college nearly every year since its establishment, attended with a few conversions. And we have learnt of late greatly to value these visitations on account of their powerful influence in checking that downward tendency so generally manifest among literary men who are professors of religion. Although, therefore, Christians may not always hear of special revivals in our literary institutions in answer to