This work was edited and updated to modern English by John Clark.

PREFACE

CHAPTER I. - BIRTH AND EARLY EDUCATION.

Purpose of the Author - Birth and early circumstances - Want of religious privileges - Entering upon the study of law - First interest in religion - Questionings on the subject of prayer.

CHAPTER II. - CONVERSION TO CHRIST.

Decision to attend to religion - Spiritual conflict, and the triumph - Baptism of the Spirit - Sense of justification.

CHAPTER III. - BEGINNING OF HIS WORK.

A retainer from the Lord Jesus Christ - Call to preach - Conversation with neighbors - Evening meeting - Revival in the village - Visit at his father's - Deacon M at the monthly concert - Conversion of Squire W. - Morning prayer meeting - Great light - Fasting and prayer - Experience of the burden of prayer.

CHAPTER IV. - HIS DOCTRINAL EDUCATION AND OTHER EXPERIENCES AT ADAMS.

Discussion on the atonement - Revival revived - Further discussion - Encouragement from Elder H. - Lectures on Universalism - Licensed by presbytery - Father Nash - Review of Mr. Gale's theology.

CHAPTER V. - PREACHING AS A MISSIONARY.

Labor at Evans' Mills - The people pledged - Experience of Miss G. - The railer's death - The false hope - The Universalist subdued - Father Nash's transformation - Mr. D's conversion.

CHAPTER VI. - REVIVAL AT EVANS' MILLS AND ITS RESULTS.

The German church - Meeting for inquirers - Taught to read - Moving scene - Habit of testifying in prayer meeting - Style of preaching - Preaching at presbytery.

CHAPTER VII. - REMARKS UPON MINISTERIAL EDUCATION.

The judge's view - Criticisms of ministers - The preacher's aim - Danger in the schools - Advantages of extemporaneous preaching - Manner of preparation - Facsimile of skeleton.

CHAPTER VIII. - REVIVAL AT ANTWERP.

Impression of the place - Prayer on Saturday - Plain preaching on Sabbath - Scene at Sodom - Preaching to the Universalists - Sermon on election - Cure of insane woman.

CHAPTER IX. - RETURN TO EVANS' MILLS.

Author's marriage - Return to his work - Winter at Brownville - Conversion of Mrs. B. - Attempt to return for his wife - Stopped at Le Rayville - Premonition of a work at Gouverneur - The vain young woman converted.

CHAPTER X. - REVIVAL AT GOUVERNEUR.

Ride in the rain - Discussion with Dr. S. - Opposition of young men - Father Nash's announcement - Conversion of Mr. S. - Opposition of Baptists - Discussion of Baptism - Aunt Lucy's relief - Conversion of Mr. M.

CHAPTER XI. - REVIVAL AT DE KALB.

Presbyterians falling - Visit of Mr. F. - The Catholic tailor - Elder S's new light - Effect upon the meeting - Going to Synod - Meeting with Mr. Gale - Spirit of prayer.

CHAPTER XII. - REVIVAL AT WESTERN.

The Western revivals - Afternoon prayer meeting - Praying of Mrs. H. - Conversion of the B children - The home of a convicted daughter - The hayloft - Adaptation of religious labor - Mr. Gale's new views and experience.

CHAPTER XIII. - REVIVAL AT ROME.

Remarkable inquiry meeting - Great interest - Little H and her father - Death of a reviler - Conversion of Mr. H. - Visit of Sheriff B. - The spirit of prayer - Conversion of the officer's wife - Conversion of Mrs. C.

CHAPTER XIV. - REVIVAL AT UTICA, NEW YORK.

Abundant prayer - Conversion of Sheriff B. - The Lowville merchant - Beginning of opposition - Mr. Weeks' doctrines - Sudden death of the minister - Conversion of Miss F T. - Scene in the factory - Conversion of T. D. Weld - False teaching.

CHAPTER XV. - REVIVAL AT AUBURN IN 1826.

Further opposition - Victory in prayer - Dr. S's new baptism - Conversion of Mr. H. - Division of the congregation - Dr. Lansing's painful experience - Public confession.

CHAPTER XVI. - REVIVAL AT TROY, AND AT NEW LEBANON.

Visit to Dr. Nettleton - Influence of the opposition - Dr. Beman before presbytery - Conversion of Judge C's father - Conversion of Miss S. - The work at New Lebanon - Conversion of Dr. W, of Mr. T, and of John T. Avery - Committee of presbytery - New Lebanon Convention - Notice of Dr. Beecher's Biography - Remarks on Revivals.

CHAPTER XVII. - REVIVAL IN STEPHENTOWN.

Anxiety of Miss S, Election evening - Family of Judge P and of Mr. M. - Death of Mr. B. - Influence of Miss S.

CHAPTER XVIII. - REVIVALS AT WILLWINGTON AND PHILADELPHIA.

Mr. Gilbert - New School preaching and its effect - Beginning in Philadelphia - Theology at Philadelphia - Hopkinsianism - Conversion of a desperate man - Of a despairing young woman - Fondness for dress - Interest among the lumbermen - Mr. Patterson.

CHAPTER XIX. - REVIVAL AT READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

Unsound teaching - Arrangement for balls - Inquiry meeting - Death of Dr. Greer - Conviction of Mr. B. - False counsel to inquirers - Conversion of Mr. O B. - His death - Preaching to the editors - Labor at Lancaster - Conversion of Elder K. - Fatal delay.

CHAPTER XX. - REVIVALS IN COLUMBIA, AND IN NEW YORK CITY.

Account of Mr. H. - Reorganization of his church - Invitation to New York - Anson O. Phelps - Diligence of a young woman in restitution - Conversion of Lewis Tappan - The first Free Presbyterian church.

CHAPTER XXI. - REVIVAL IN ROCHESTER, 1830.

Selection of a field - Adjustment of differences - Conversion of Mrs. M. - The Anxious Seat - Panic in church - Work in the High School - Conversion of the merchant and his wife - Conversion of Mr. P. - The burden of prayer - Effect upon the morals of the city - Effect abroad.

CHAPTER XXII. - REVIVALS IN AUBURN, BUFFALO, PROVIDENCE AND BOSTON.

Leaving Rochester - Rest at Auburn, and remarkable invitation - Abel Clary - Six weeks' labor - A month in Buffalo - Conversion of Mr. H. - Three weeks in Providence - Conversion of Miss A. - Invitation to Boston - Sensitiveness of the people - Giving up all to all - Orthodoxy questioned - Proposal from New York.

CHAPTER XXIII. - LABORS IN NEW YORK CITY IN 1832, AND ONWARD.

Chatham street theatre - Installation - The Cholera - The revival - Diligence of the membership - Conversion of Mr. E. - The free Presbyterian churches - Organization of a Congregational church - Broadway Tabernacle - Voyage to the Mediterranean - A day of prayer at sea - The New York Evangelist - Excitement on slavery - Revival Lectures - Invitation to Oberlin - Decision.

CHAPTER XXIV. - EARLY LABORS IN OBERLIN.

The tent - Financial failure - Hostility of the surrounding region - Embassy to England - Providential supply - Lectures to Christians in New York - Relations to Western Reserve College - Theological prejudice - Popular idea of Oberlin - Spiritual progress at home.

CHAPTER XXV. - LABORS IN BOSTON AND PROVIDENCE.

General excitement upon slavery - Marlborough chapel - A few weeks' preaching in Boston - Call to Providence - Two months' labor there - Interest of Rev. Dr. C.

CHAPTER XXVI. - THE REVIVAL IN ROCHESTER IN 1842.

Rest in Rochester, and invitation to preach - Lawyers request for a course of Lectures - Judge G's conversion - Pastor of St. Lukes - The quit-claim deed - Doctrines preached - Interest in lawyers - Chronic skepticism - Mr. W. the priest.

CHAPTER XXVII. - ANOTHER WINTER IN BOSTON.

Second-Adventism - The church in Marlborough Chapel - A false prophet - A chapter of personal experience - A new consecration - Experiences in connection with the death of Mrs. F. - Experiences not appreciated - Need in Boston.

CHAPTER XXVIII. - FIRST VISIT TO ENGLAND.

Mr. Potto Brown and his religious enterprises - Invitation to England - Labors in Houghton - Invitation to Birmingham - Interview at Mr. James Close - Communion Theology and Dr. Redford - Interesting letter - Preaching at Worcester - Invitation to London - Dr. Campbell and the Tabernacle.

CHAPTER XXIX. - LABORS IN THE TABERNACLE, MOORFIELDS, LONDON.

First inquiry meeting - Large attendance - Visit at the British school room - Definite aim in preaching - The borrowed sermon - Interest in Episcopal churches - A tea-meeting for poor women - Visit to France - Embarking for home.

CHAPTER XXX. - LABORS IN HARTFORD AND IN SYRACUSE.

Brief labor in New York - Invitation to Hartford - Difficulty of cooperation among the pastors, adjusted - Timidity in regard to measures - Prayer meetings among converts - Organized effort - The churches in Syracuse - Cooperation of Christians - Interesting communion - Mrs. S's new baptism - Ladies' meetings - Taking up the Cross - Mother Austin's faith.

CHAPTER XXXI. - LABORS IN WESTERN AND IN ROME, 1854-5.

Case of crime - Confession and restitution - Conversion of the school teacher - Preaching at Rome - Distraction in the church.

CHAPTER XXXII. - REVIVAL IN ROCHESTER IN 1855.

Pressing invitation - Preaching to the lawyers - Prevailing interest - The University - Zeal of the ladies - Ingenious spirit - Restrictions in New England.

CHAPTER XXXIII. - REVIVALS IN BOSTON IN 1856-57-58.

The pastor's renewal - Divided feeling - Establishment of prayer meetings - The South - Conversion of Mrs. M.

CHAPTER XXXIV. - SECOND VISIT TO ENGLAND.

Labors at St. Ives - Borough Road chapel - Church distraction and regeneration - Theological apprehensions - Reasoning in the pulpit - Labors at Huntington - Family of Dr. F.

CHAPTER XXXV. - LABORS IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND.

Preaching in Edinburgh - The E. U. Church - The ladies prayer meeting - Preaching in Aberdeen - Circumscribing prejudice - Going to Bolton, England - First evening at Bolton - The week of prayer - Cooperation of denominations - Canvassing the city - A more quiet manner - Work in Mr. B's mill - Cases of restitution - Conversion of the miserly mill-owner - Labors in Manchester - Want of cooperation - Return home.

CHAPTER XXXVI. - WORK AT HOME.

Arrangements for labor - General movement - Failing health - Diverting influences - The time for work - Improved arrangements - Solemn Sabbath - Conclusion.