This is a transformation "of the heart" as complete as a revivalist could desire it, and in a particularly unpromising subject. These two preliminary points established, we can turn, to the peculiar psychic atmosphere of Revivals and to the nature of the influences which create it. We shall, of course, be able to take notice of the more powerful factors only; a minute study would fill a volume. The theses which we maintain and intend to prove in the following pages are (1) that the effect of the ethi-co-religious commotion called a "Revival" is to produce in many a state of increased suggestibility which would make possible more or less sudden and comprehensive alterations of character, provided sufficiently powerful and frequent suggestions to that effect be made to those under the influence. (2) That the suggestions are in fact made, reiterated and effectively supported by a formidable mass of facts and circumstances.

Our task will be much shortened and made easier by the unusually intelligent account given of the Northampton revival by its promoter, Jonathan Edwards, the distinguished theologian and metaphysician. *

Northampton was at the time a town of 200 families. At the death of Edward's grandfather, Stoddard, whose successor he was, the youth of the town had fallen below the New England average of public morality. Under Edward's ministry, they amended little by little. In 1734 two young people died suddenly and that event, together with the sermon preached on the occasion, influenced greatly the small community, - it must not be forgotten that the ground had been prepared by Edward's early activity. "Young people began to meet for religious edification in several parts of the town. Shortly after, a young woman, one of the greatest company keepers in the whole town, was next converted. The news of it seemed to be almost a flash of lightning upon the hearts of the young people all over town. Presently upon this, a great and earnest concern about the great things of religion and the eternal world, became universal in all parts of the town, - all other talk but about spiritual and eternal things was soon thrown by.

"It then was a dreadful thing amongst us to lie out of Christ, in danger every day of dropping into hell; and what persons'

* "A narrative of surprising Conversions in Northampton" and another pamphlet by the same author on "The Revival of Religion in New England." minds were intent upon was to escape for their lives and to fly from the wrath to come. Souls did, as it were, come by flocks to Jesus Christ.

"Our young people when they met were wont to spend the time in talking of the excellency and undying love of Jesus Christ. And even at weddings, which were formerly merely occasions of mirth and jollity, there was now no discourse of anything but the things of religion, and no appearance of any but spiritual mirth." The contagion spread to neighboring villages and cities; all were affected, young and old, rich and poor, sober and vicious. 'I hope that more than 300 souls were savingly brought home to Christ in this town, in the space of half a year, and about the same number of males as females. Many elderly persons; upwards of 50 above 40 years of age.'

The little Northampton town was subjugated and maintained for six months under one poignant fear or one inexpressible joy. Would you know more definitely what ideas filled the minds of the people? Edwards numbers them as follows: An extraordinary sense of the awful majesty and greatness of God, so as often times to take away the bodily strength; a sense of the holiness of God, as of a flame infinitely pure and bright, so as some times to overwhelm soul and body; a sense of the piercing all seeing eye of God, so as sometimes to take away the bodily strength and an extraordinary view of the infinite terribleness of the wrath of God which has very frequently been strongly impressed on the mind together with a sense of the ineffable misery of sinners that are exposed to His wrath, that has been overbearing." No wonder that persons fainted, that their flesh waxed cold and benumbed, that their bodies were set into convulsions, "being overpowered with a strong sense of the astonishing, great and excellent things of God and the eternal world."

Before putting down his pen, Edwards, as if to convince the blindest and place our first thesis absolutely out of doubt, narrates the following event: "Six months from the beginning of the awakening, in the latter part of May, it began to be very sensible that the spirit of God was gradually withdrawing from us. The first instance wherein it appeared was a person putting an end to his own life, by cutting his throat. He was of a good, intelligent family, but prone to the disease of melancholy and had been extraordinarily concerned from the beginning of the awakening. He was kept awake nights, meditating terror, so that he had scarce any sleep at all, for a long time.

"After this [suicide] multitudes in this and other towns seemed to have it strongly suggested to them and pressed upon them to do as this person had done. And many that seemed to be under no melancholy, some pious persons, that had no special darkness or doubts about the goodness of their state, nor were under any special trouble or concern of mind about anything spiritual or temporal, yet had it urged upon them, as if somebody had spoken to them: ' Cut your throat, now is a good opportunity. Now! Now! So that they were obliged to fight with all their might to resist it and yet no reason suggested to them why they should do it. About the same time, there were two remarkable instances of persons led away with strange, enthusiastic delusions."

We have before us a whole community for whom hell and heaven were kept gaping day and night during six months by a skillful, persistent and terribly earnest man. Every day the sombre dread and the glowing delight were intensified by new convulsions and new conversions. That the population could not be otherwise than in one of those abnormal conditions in which the force of alien ideas is indefinitely multiplied, will be evident to all.