Southern Christian Advocate

For the Southern Christian Advocate.

SELMA, ALA.

Brother Capers—I am happy to inform you that the Lord has graciously visited us in this station. Though we cannot tell you of hundreds converted as some we have read of, yet to us the revival seems most glorious. It commenced in September, and has been going on ever since, more or less. More than a hundred have been converted since its commencement, 88 of whom have attached themselves to the Methodist Episcopal Church. We held a camp-meeting for the station, including the first sabbath in October. It continued 7 days, and the Lord was with us of a truth. I think I may safely say sixty were happily converted to God. I will tell you how the time was employed. During the intervals between preaching, those who were seeking the Lord, were taken off to the woods by some of their most intimate friends, and there employed the time in prayer to the great Giver of all good.

I never saw Christians enter more heartily into the work. Seriousness and solemnity pervaded almost every countenance, and good order universally prevailed. There is one circumstance I will mention. There was one of the tent-holders who went expressly to get his children benefitted. but though the work was so general, yet none of his children were converted. They went home, and one of them who had become serious, went out to secret prayer, and got happily converted. She hastened to tell the news, and from that others became concerned, and so the good work went on until seven of the family were converted: six children and a servant girl.

May the Great Head of the Church carry on the good begun work, until all flesh shall see his salvation.

Asbury H. SHANKS.

Nov. 1, 1839.