where a few families were settled, at about three miles
distance from the main body of the town. At this place, a number of
persons seemed to be savingly wrought upon. In the April following, anno
1734, there happened a very sudden and awful death of a young man in the
bloom of his youth; who being violently seized with a pleurisy, and
taken immediately very delirious, died in about two days; which
(together with what was preached publicly on that occasion) much
affected many young people. This was followed with another death of a
young married woman, who had been considerably exercised in mind, about
the salvation of her soul, before she was ill, and was in great distress
in the beginning of her illness; but seemed to have satisfying evidences
of God's mercy to her, before her death; so that she died very full of
comfort, in a most earnest and moving manner warning and counselling
others. This seemed to contribute to render solemn the spirits of many
young persons; and there began evidently to appear more of a religious
concern on people's minds.

In the fall of the year I proposed it to the young people, that they
should agree among themselves to spend the evenings after lectures in
social religion, and to that end divide themselves into several
companies to meet in various parts of the town; which was accordingly
done, and those meetings have been since continued, and the example
imitated by elder people. This was followed with the death of an elderly
person, which was attended with many unusual circumstances, by which
many were much moved and affected.

About this time began the great noise, in this part of the country,
about Arminianism, which seemed to appear with a very threatening aspect
upon the interest of religion here. The friends of vital piety trembled
for fear of the issue; but it seemed, contrary to their fear, strongly
to be overruled for the promoting of religion. Many who looked on
themselves a