Second Great Awakening Part Three - Visitors from Shiloh

The following are some quotes on two visits to the sacramental meetings in Red River and Gasper River respectively by a some people from the Shiloh congregation in Gallatin in Sumner County TN.

Account #1:
”Before the Gasper River [sacramental] meeting [in July of 1800], some members of the Shiloh [Gallatin TN] church, while visiting one of McGready’s sacramental meetings [Red River], had been converted [to Christ], and had returned home shouting the praises of God.  And old elder at Shiloh said it was all ‘fox-fire’.  “I’ll send Rich.  They can’t fool Rich.”  It will be remembered that [his son] was not only a member of the church, but had been educated for the ministry.  It was to this grand meeting at Gasper, in 1800, that he was sent.  It was there that he discovered the necessity of a change to which he had hitherto been a stranger.  It was there, too, that his soul was set at liberty.

When he and the other Shiloh people returned from Gasper and met their friends, they rushed into their arms, shouting and telling what wonderful things God had done for their souls.  Fire in dry stubble were these returned converts among their neighbors.  The private houses rang with the cries of poor sinners who were now awakened to their ruined condition.  Nor were their soul struggles protracted to the extent that others had been the previous year in McGready’s field.  Shouts of new converts were soon heard in those pioneer cabins.  A nephew, a little boy, of the elder’s son [that went to Gasper River] was among those stricken down under deep conviction when all the rejoicing converts returned from the Gasper River meeting.  [After a time he was up and] shouting the praises of God.

There were 20 conversions in that Shiloh neighborhood before there was a single sermon preached.  And then they [Shiloh church] had a [sacramental] camp meeting and there were one hundred conversions: this, too, in that sparsely settled region [of Gallatin TN].”
Except taken from Cumberland Presbyterian History, Chapter 3, The Great Revival.

Account #2: By Rev. James McGready
"At this sacrament [Gasper River in July 1800] a great many people from Cumberland [northern TN], particularly from Shiloh Congregation [Gallatin TN located in Sumner County], came with great curiosity to see the work, yet prepossessed with strong prejudices against it; about five of whom, I trust, were savingly and powerfully converted before they left the place.

A circumstance worthy of observation, they were sober professors in full communion. It was truly affecting to see them lying powerless, crying for mercy, and speaking to their friends and relations, in such language as this: "O, we despised the work that we heard of in Logan; but, O, we were deceived--I have no religion; I know now there is a reality in these things: three days ago I would have despised any person that would have behaved as I am doing now; but, O, I feel the very pains of hell in my soul." This was the language of a precious soul, just before the hour of deliverance came.

When they went home, their conversation to their friends and neighbors, was the means of commencing a glorious work that has overspread all the Cumberland settlements to the conversion of hundreds of precious souls. The work continued night and day at this sacrament, whilst the vast multitude continued upon the ground until Tuesday morning.”
*From Narrative of the Commencement and Progress of the Revival of 1800 by the late Rev. James McGready