Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1853 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IT. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. .- .. About a year after the circumstances alluded to in the last chapter, a protracted meeting was held at Fairfield, and great interest was manifested by old and young. This could not pass by without leaving its effects on a mind naturally thoughtful, and predisposed to venerative feeling, though as yet it had never been awakened to a strong and continued sense of religious obligation. Semantha attended the meetings regularly, and became much exercised. Her feelings continually deepened in tone and strength, until at length she was greatly excited and distressed in mind; but finally this state subsided into one of a sweet spiritual rest and peace, which was exactly suited to that early period of development. A little while before her conversion, she attended a prayer-meeting, where she was requested to pray; but the sense of veneration was so strong, and her emotions altogether were so intense, that she lost all power of speech. She felt such a sense of unworthiness to address her Maker, that the words seemed crushed in her mouth; and she could not utter a sound; but was not that feeling, whether it was so accepted or not, the very concentrated essence of all prayer ? After she was brought out into a happy conversion, she, in connection with several children about her own age, used frequently to appoint meetings for reading and prayer; and in those little gatherings she often experienced a sense of delight, which she now believes to have been a true spiritual illumination. She continued in these religious exercises about one year, and then united with the Presbyterian Church of Fairfield. Each candidate for membership was taken into a room with the Minister and two Deacons, to undergo a spiritual...
