pretending to be able to determine how many have lately
been the subjects of such mercy; but if I may be allowed to declare any
thing that appears to me probable in a thing of thin nature, I hope that
more than 300 souls were savingly brought home to Christ, in this town,
in the space of half a year, and about the same number of males as
females. By what I have heard Mr. Stoddard say, this was far from what
has been usual in years past; for he observed that in his time, many
more women were converted than men. Those of our young people who are on
other accounts most considerable, are mostly, as I hope, truly pious,
and leading persons in the ways of religion. Those who were formerly
loose young persons, are generally, to all appearance, become true
lovers of God and Christ, and spiritual in their dispositions. I hope
that by far the greater part of persons in this town, above sixteen
years of age, are such as have the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. By
what I have heard I suppose it is so in some other places, particularly
at Sunderland and South Hadley.
This has also appeared to be a very extraordinary dispensation, in that
the Spirit of God has so much extended not only His awakening, but
regenerating influences, both to elderly persons, and also to those who
are very young. It has been heretofore rarely heard of, that any were
converted past middle age; but now we have the same ground to think that
many such have at this time been savingly changed, as that others have
been so in more early years. I suppose there were upwards of fifty
persons converted in t