South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 93

Searchable source text

MINISTRY    OE    REV.    MR.    CARROLL.  83
ministry,  there  was  more  or  less  seriousness  among
his  people,  and  occasional  conversions.  In  the  course
of  the  following  year,  (1856,)  these  cheering  manifesta-
tions deepened  into  a  powerful  revival,  which  affected
not  only  his  own  congregation  in  Jamesburg,  but  also
the  neighboring  congregation  of  Manalapan,  where  he
labored  a  part  of  the  time.  A  brief  account  of  this
revival  was  published  in  the  New  York  Observer  by
Mr.  Carroll,  under  date  of
"Jamesburg,  Dec.  11,   1856.
"  Since  it  has  pleased  God  most  signally  to  bless  my  own
and  a  neighboring  Church,  and  indeed  tins  whole  section  of
his  vineyard,  with  the  special  out-pouring  of  his  Holy  Spirit,
I  take  tlio  liberty  of  sending  you  a  brief  narrative  of  the
state  of  religion  here  at  the  present  time,  knowing  it  will
prove  a  matter  of  rejoicing  to  you,  as  well  as  to  the  hearts
of  your  numerous  Christian  readers.  During  last  Spring,  my
Church  enjoyed  a  delightful  revival  of  religion,  the  influence
of  which  has  continued,  and  been  manifest,  more  or  less,  ever
since.  But  it  is  within  the  past  six  weeks  that  indications
of  the  sjiecial  presence  of  the  Spirit  have  been  seen,  and  the
effects  of  his  presence  felt.  In  this  period,  besides  the  usual
prayer  meeting,  we  have  held  two  weekly  services  in  the
Church,  so  eager  and  earnest  are  the  people  to  receive  the
word  of  life.  Indeed,  never  in  this  community  has  there
been  such  an  intense  and  pervading  interest  on  the  subject
of  the  soul's  salvation,  as  now.  Christians  are  awake.  El-
ders are  at  work,  meetings  for  prayer  and  inquiry  literally
thronged,  and  in  going  from  house  to  house  and  from  soul
to  soul,  time  and  again  is  heard  the  cry,  '  What  must  I  do
to  be  saved  V  And  so  universally  is  the  influence  of  the
Spirit  of  God  felt,  that  I  have  not  found  five  out  of  the
thousand  and  more  diiferent  individuals  whom  I  have  ad-
dressed personally,  who  were  not  both  willing  and  waiting
to  hear.  AVith  us,  truly  blessed  is  this  scene  and  season.
Of  the  ninety  members  received  into  our  Communion  dur-

Cite this page

Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0093. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 93. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n97/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

Historic U.S. publication before 1931; public-domain assessment based on publication date. Internet Archive does not necessarily provide an explicit license. Preserve publication and digitizing credits.