Morning Star

REVIVAL AT FORT ANN, N. Y.

The Vermont Chronicle publishes the following letter from the Rev. Bowman Brown, dated Fort Ann, Jan. 5, 1835.

There is now going on in this town, a most interesting and glorious work of grace, which has been progressing, and increasing in interest for several weeks. When I came to this place in Sept. last, it seemed to me in many respects, the most forbidding field of labor that I ever entered. Wickedness prevailed with a high hand; the Sabbath was disregarded, even by some who professed themselves the servants of Christ.

"Bitterness and wrath; evil surmising and evil speaking" were prevailing sins among the different churches toward each other and like a little leaven had leavened almost the whole lump. And what made Satan and his emissaries no less to rejoice and be glad, was a want of Christian, and even of friendly feeling, between some members of the same church. I have reason to bless God, that he sent to my help, about this time, two faithful ministers, to labor with the Baptist and Methodist churches; whose hearts vibrated with my own, in relation to the course to be pursued, to bring about a better state of things. I immediately sought an acquaintance with them; and our first effort to bring about a union of feeling among Christians and churches, was to let them know that there was a cordial feeling among ourselves, and that we would be united whether they were or not. We established a kind of association, or weekly minister's prayer-meeting, and also began visiting together from house to house. By-standers began to look on us, as if gazing at something new under the sun, and to say, "Behold how these brethren love one another." From that time, a change in the whole aspect of things, among the different churches, and between individuals of the same church, seemed visible. Those who had been alienated in their feelings towards each other began to confess their sins, and a holy flame of divine influence, began to kindle through the Christian church. It seems now no longer necessary to say to Christians, "Brethren love one another," but only, "Let brotherly love continue."

The work of grace now in progress has been gradually increasing, as Christians have come up to the work, while there has been nothing to excite animal feelings, any more than will always be excited by plain and pointed presentation of divine truth. It is evidently the work of the still small voice, yet it speaks loud in the ears of hardened sinners. An interesting number have been converted, and among them are some of the most prominent and influential persons in our now peaceful village; and the work goes on increasing in interest daily.