940 THE GHOST-DANCF, RELIGION [eth.axn.H 



The most remarkable of these exhibitions took place under the preaching 

 of Wesley, following him, as we are told, wherever he went. Whitefield, 

 although more forcible and sensational in his preaching, did not at first 

 produce the same effect on his hearers, and considered such manifesta- 

 tions as but doubtful signs of the presence of the Lord and by no means 

 to be encouraged. On preaching, however, to a congregation in which 

 Wesley had already produced such convulsions, and where, conse- 

 quently, there was a predisposition in this direction, several persons 

 were thus seized and sank down upon the floor, and we are told by the 

 biographer -'this was a great triumph to Wesley." 



Wesley himself describes several instances. At one time, he states, 

 a physician suspecting fraud attended a meeting during which a woman 

 was thrown into a fit, crying aloud and weeping violently, until great 

 drops of sweat ran down her face and her whole body shook. The doe 

 tor stood close by, noting every symptom, and not knowing what to 

 think, being convinced that it was not fraud or any natural disorder. 

 ''But when both her soul and body were healed in a moment he acknowl- 

 edged the finger of God." On another occasion, Wesley tells us, "While 

 I was earnestly inviting all men to enter into the Holiest by this new 

 and living way, many of those that heard began to call upon God with 

 strong cries and tears. Some sank down, and there remained no 

 strength in them. Others exceedingly trembled and quaked. Some 

 were torn with a kind of convulsive motion in every part of their 

 bodies, and that so violently that often four or five persons could not 

 hold one of them. I have seen many hysterical and epileptic fits, but 

 none of them were like these in many respects. I immediately prayed 

 that < rod would not suffer those who were weak to be offended; but one 

 woman was greatly, being sure that they might help it if they would, 

 no one should persuade her to the contrary; and she was got three or 

 four yards, when she also dropped down in as violent an agony as the 

 rest." 



At another time, -'while he was speaking one of his hearers dropped 

 down, and in the course of half an hour seven others, in violent agonies. 

 The pains as of hell, he says, came about them; but notwithstanding 

 his own reasoning neither he nor his auditors called in question the 

 divine origin of these emotions, and they went away rejoicing and 

 praising God. . . . Sometimes lie scarcely began to speak before 

 some of his believers, overwrought with expectation, fell into the 

 crisis, for so it may be called in this case, as properly as in animal 

 magnetism. Sometimes his voice could scarcely he heard amid the 

 groans and cries of these suffering and raving enthusiasts. It was not 

 \oi\ii before men. women, and children began to act the demoniac as 

 well as the convert. Wesley had seen many hysterical tits and many 

 fits of epilepsy, buf mine that were like these, and he confirmed the 

 patients in their belief that, they were torn of Satan. One or two 

 indeed perplexed him a little, tor they were tormented in such an unac- 

 countable manner that they seemed to be lunatic, he says, as well as 



