Litchfield Enquirer

The Jerks -In 1804 I first witnessed that strange exercise, the Jerks, although I had heard much about it before. It took subjects from all denominations and all classes of society, even the wicked; but it prevailed chiefly among Presbyterians. I will give some instances:

A Mr. Doke, a Presbyterian clergyman, of high standing, having charge of a congregation in Jonesboro', was the first man of eminence in this region that came under its influence. Often it would seize him in the pulpit with so much severity that a spectator might fear that it would dislocate his neck and joints. He would laugh, stand and halloo at the top of his voice, finally leap from the pulpit, and run to the woods, screaming like a madman. When the exercise was over, he would return to the church, calm and rational as ever. Sometimes at hotels this affection would visit persons, causing them, for example, in the very act of raising the glass to their lips, to jerk and throw the liquor to the ceiling, much to the merriment of some and the alarm of others.

I have often seen ladies take it at the breakfast table : as they were pouring tea or coffee they would throw the contents toward the ceiling and sometimes break the cup and saucer. Then hastening from the table, their long suits of braided hair hanging down their backs would crack like a whip. For a time the jerks was the topic of conversation--public and private-both in the church and out of it. Various opinions were expressed concerning it, some ascribing it to the devil, others to an opposite source; some striving against it, others courting it as the power of God unto salvation. In many cases its consequences were disastrous, in some fatal.

A preacher, who, in early life, was a dancing-master, joined the conference, and, when the jerks were at their height, was stationed on this circuit. He declared it was of the devil, and that he would preach it out of the Methodist Church. He commenced the work with great zeal and high expectations; but before he had got once round, he took the jerks himself, or rather they took him. When the fit began, he would say, "Ah, yes! O! no!" At every jerk he used his hands and arms, as if he was playing the violin. One morning, being attacked as he was going to his appointment, he let go the bridle and the horse ran off till he was stopped by a gate. The rider, having dismounted in order to steady himself, laid hold of the palings of the fence, which, unfortunately gave way; the lady of the house, coming to the door to see what was the matter, heightened his mortification. Attempting to hide himself by running into the orchard, his strange movement, as he ran fiddling along, and the tail of his long gown flying in the wind, attracted the attention of the hounds, the whole pack of which pursued him with hideous yells. Being afraid of dogs, he turned and went into the house by the back door, and, running up stairs, jumped into a bed where he lay till the fit was over. His proud heart would not submit, and the disease-as he termed it-growing worse and worse, he gave up the circuit, and withdrew into retirement, where his sun went down under a cloud. Poor man: I loved him.

Usually the subjects of this strange affection were happy when they had it, and happy when it passed off, and it did them no harm. The wise ones of the day, such as William M'Kendree and Thomas Wilkinson, said little about it, but preached, exhorted and prayed as if it was not in the country.

At the close of the year I attended a camp meeting at Carter's station, where about ten thousand people assembled. Here a controversy had been going on between Presbyterians and Methodists, the former saying, among other bitter things, that the latter were hypocrites, and could refrain from shouting, if they would. They the aristocracy, we the poor.

On Monday morning I preached, preceded by the venerable Vanpelt, who left the congregation calmly and silently weeping. I arose—like most men who know nothing—fearing nothing, and undertook to account for the jerks. The preachers looked frightened, and the audience astonished. I viewed it as a judgment of God. Taking a compendious view of the nations, I showed that God was just, as well as merciful, and his judgments though long delayed, sure to come. I adverted to the wickedness of the people, enlarging on their intolerance and bigotry, charging that middle Tennessee had gone as far as any part of the United States in those particulars. I glanced at the rise of Methodism and the persecutions it had endured, and quoted the taunting language of its enemies, "Ye are hypocrites, and can cease shouting if you will." After a pause, I exclaimed at the top of my voice; "Do you leave off jerking if you will." It was estimated that instantly more than five hundred persons commenced jumping, shouting, and jerking.

There was no more preaching that day.

From the Autobiography of Rev. Jacob Young: