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Editorial Annotations |
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Several portions of Bangs's journals that
deal with the Hay Bay camp meeting have been transcribed
by George Rawlyk and published in The Canada Fire:
Radical Evangelicalism in British North American,
1775-1812 (1994). I indicate with footnotes where my
readings differ from Rawlyk's. Rawlyk appears to have
examined only the photocopies of these journals held at
the United Church Archives in Toronto (Rawlyk 232). It
should be noted that an anonymous researcher has placed
incorrect dates in the margins of the manuscript that
carry with them a suggestion that the camp-meeting took place in early October
1805. Published primary sources (see Stevens 151ff.)
and modern scholars agree, however, that this revival
took place over the last weekend in September 1805. The
early-October dates seem to have arisen from the earlier
researcher's failure to notice that Bangs was recording
events retrospectively on October 5th. Although all
these entries appear to have been written at one
sitting, they have been broken up here for purposes of
clarity and annotation. |
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Fryday Oct 5 1805 [Friday 4 October]
I have been to attend a Camp-Meeting at
the bay of Quintie and it was a glorious time to my own Soul
and the Souls of many others. On Sunday evening [29
September] I had such a opperation [sic] upon me as I never before
felt. I felt a Shock[*] of Divine power come upon me and I
immediately lifted up my voice in Exhortation, but was soon so
filled that I was held by some of my friends whilst I shouted
forth the praises of my dear redeemer. I was carried out of
the Camp and it seemed that my body was benumbed with the
power[†] of God. I tried to speak but my lips and tongue was
stiff. I was then laid in the tent where the blessing of the
Lord seemed to circulate all through my body as well as soul. I
lay thus overwhelmed for some time while[‡] the Glory of God
filled the tent and many shouted aloud the praises of
Immanuel. O what love did I feel for soul[s]. I wanted to take
them in my arms. The dear children of God seemed as my
heartstrings and
I am sure I would have laid down my life for them if it
would have done them any good. I have felt the divine flame
ever since running through my soul which makes all within
me rejoice. I feel less than nothing in my own sight and
Christ is my all and in all [cf.
Col 3.11]. O that I may never be
disobedient to his blessed spirit. I am certain that Camp
Meeting is an institution of God for he honors them with
his living presence as may be seen by the following account of
the above mentioned one. The minutes I took down myself and
they are here corrected and enlarged upon.
[Friday 27 September 1805]
[Saturday 28
September 1805]
[Sunday 29 September
1805]
[Monday 30 September
1805] * Rawlyk has "spark" (153)
† Rawlyk has "praises" (153)
‡ Rawlyk has "until" (153)
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