with
extraordinary success in his ministry, in the conversion of many souls.
He had five harvests, as he called them. The first was about 57 years
ago; the second about 53; the third about 40; the fourth about 24; the
fifth and last about 18 years ago. Some of these times were much more
remarkable than others, and the ingathering of souls more plentiful.
Those about 53, and 40, and 24 years ago, were much greater than either
the first or the last: but in each of them, I have heard my grandfather
say, the greater part of the young people in the town, seemed to be
mainly concerned for their eternal salvation.
After the last of these, came a far more degenerate time (at least among
the young people), I suppose, than ever before. Mr. Stoddard, indeed,
had the comfort, before he died, of seeing a time where there were no
small appearances of a divine work among some, and a considerable
ingathering of souls, even after I was settled with him in the ministry,
which was about two years before his death; and I have reason to bless
God for the great advantage I had by it. In these two years there were
nearly twenty that Mr. Stoddard hoped to be savingly converted; but
there was nothing of any general awakening. The greater part seemed to
be at that time very insensible of the things of religion, and engaged
in other cares and pursuits. Just after my grandfather's death, it
seemed to be a time of extraordinary dullness in religion.
Licentiousness for some years prevailed among the youth of the town;
there were many of them very much addicted to night-walking, and
frequenting the tavern, and lewd practices, wherein some, by their
example, exceedingly corrupted others
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