The same day the elder children, when they came home from school, seemed
much affected with the extraordinary change that seemed to be made in
Phebe. And her sister Abigail standing by, her mother took occasion to
counsel her, now to improve her time, to prepare for another world. On
which Phebe burst out in tears, and cried out, Poor Nabby! Her mother
told her, she would not have to cry; she hoped that God would give Nabby
salvation; but that did not quiet her, she continued earnestly crying
for some time. When she had in a measure ceased, her sister Eunice being
by her, she burst out again, and cried, Poor Eunice! and cried
exceedingly; and when she had almost done, she went into another room,
and there looked upon her sister Naomi: and burst out again, crying,
Poor Amy! Her mother was greatly affecte
This seems to have been a very extraordinary dispensation of providence;
God has in many respects gone out of, and much beyond, His usual and
ordinary way. The work in this town, and others about us, has been
extraordinary on account of the universality of it, affecting all sorts,
sober and vicious, high and low, rich and poor, wise and unwise. I
reached the most considerable families and persons, to all appearance,
as much as others. In former stirrings of this nature, the bulk of the
young people have been greatly affected; but old men and little children
have been so now. Many of the last have, of their own accord, formed
themselves into religious societies in different parts of the town. A
loose careless person could scarcely be found in the whole neighborhood;
and if there was any one that seemed to remain senseless or unconcerned,
it would be spoken of as a strange thing.
This dispensation has also appeared very extraordinary in the numbers of
those on whom we have reason