The log college by Archibald Alexander (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Appendix III (Mr. Dickinson's letter) and Appendix IV (Mr Beatty's journal).
The third appendix is a letter from Mr Dickinson giving an account of the revival he experienced. We read of:
(i) the spiritual state before the revival;
(ii) an initial revival;
(iii) the decay of converts;
(iv) George Whitefield's visit (which yielded little fruit);
(v) another revival under Dickinson's preaching with longer lasting fruit.
I appreciated Dickinson's honesty about how he felt when he heard reports of revival nearby: 'Though there was such a shaking among the dry bones so near to us, as is above represented, and we had continual accounts from Newark of the growing distress among their people, (their young people especially) our congregation remained yet secure and careless, and could not be awakened out of their sleep. You will easily conceive, that this must needs be an afflicting and discouraging consideration to me ; that when from other places we had the joyful news of so many flying to Christ as a cloud, and as doves to their windows, I had yet cause to complain that I laboured in vain, and spent my strength for nought. '
It is certainly difficult to remain content when others are experiencing a joyful harvest.
Commence '
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
2 comments:
I enjoyed that selection! I fear I knew nothing about any of those men, which is a pity as they were so used by God during that out-pouring of the Holy Spirit at that time. I whole-heartedly concur and pray with the writer: "Oh that a race of ministers, like-minded, burning with a consuming zeal, might be raised up among us."
I'm pleased you enjoyed it CJ.
It was a bit random at times, but the lives of the men were certainly heart-warming.
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