Within a century after the Puritan migration to New England, life in the
colonies was changing. New England Puritans were becoming Yankee
traders, and the religious fervor that brought Bradford and Winthrop and
their followers to the New World was dying out. At this time there
appeared upon the American scene a great preacher and theologian,
Jonathan Edwards. After entering Yale College at the age of 13, he had
gone on to study theology and then enter the ministry. By 1729 he had
succeeded his grandfather as pastor of the village church in
Northampton, Massachusetts. During his ministry in Northampton, Edwards
led a great revival movement, which has come to be known as the Great
Awakening. It was an effort to rekindle the dying sparks of Puritanism,
and for a time it brought new religious vitality to New England. The
movement also spread to other colonies.
During the Great Awakening Edwards made many converts. While he was
doing this, he also was concerned with the psychology of religious
enthusiasm. One of his most interesting books is called Narrative of
Surprising Conversions. In it he records some of the more remarkable
effects of the revival movement that he led. The account of
four-year-old Phebe Bartlet’s conversion, which Edwards writes about in
the following selection, is an astonishing story. Phebe certainly was
not a typical child, but the fact that any child could undergo the
religious experience Edwards describes reminds us again that religion
played a central role in the lives of our colonial ancestors.
She was born in March, in the year 1731. About the latter end of April,
or beginning of May, 1735, she was greatly affected by the talk of her
brother, who had been hopefully converted a little before, at about
eleven years of age, and then seriously talked to her about the great
things of religion. Her parents did not know of it at that time, and
were not wont, in the counsels they gave to their children, particularly
to direct themselves to her, by reason of her being so young, and, as
they supposed, not capable of understanding; but after her brother had
talked to her, they observed her very earnestly to listen to the advice
they gave to the other children, and she was observed very constantly to
retire, several times in a day, as was concluded, for secret prayer, and
grew more and more engaged in religion, and was more frequently in her
closet, till at last she was wont to visit it five or six times in a
day, and was so engaged in it, that nothing would, at any time, divert
her from her stated closet exercises. Her mother often observed and
watched her, when such things occurred, as she thought most likely to
divert her, either by putting it out of her thoughts, or otherwise
engaging her inclinations, but never could observe her to fail. She
mentioned some very remarkable instances.
She once, of her own accord, spake of her unsuccessfulness, in that she
could not find God, or to that purpose. But on Thursday, the last of
July, about the middle of the day, the child being in the closet, where
it used to retire, its mother heard it speaking aloud, which was
unusual, and never had been observed before; and her voice seemed to be
as of one exceeding importunate and engaged, but her mother could
distinctly hear only these words (spoken in her childish manner, but
seemed to be spoken with extraordinary earnestness, and out of distress
of soul), “Pray BLESSED LORD, give me salvation! I PRAY, BEG, pardon all
my sins!” When the child had done prayer, she came out of the closet,
and came and sat down by her mother, and cried out aloud. Her mother
very earnestly asked her several times, what the matter was, before she
would make any answer, but she continued exceedingly crying, and
wreathing her body to and fro, like one in anguish of spirit. Her mother
then asked her whether she was afraid that God would not give her
salvation. She then answered, “Yes, I am afraid I shall go to hell!” Her
mother then endeavored to quiet her, and told her she would not have her
cry—she must be a good girl, and pray every day, and she hoped God would
give her salvation. But this did not quiet her at all—but she continued
thus earnestly crying and taking on for some time, till at length she
suddenly ceased crying and began to smile, and presently said with a
smiling countenance, “Mother, the kingdom of heaven is come to me!” Her
mother was surprised at the sudden alteration, and at the speech, and
knew not what to make of it, but at first said nothing to her....
The same day the elder children, when they came home from school, seemed
much affected with the extraordinary change that seemed to be made in
Phebe; and her sister Abigail standing by, her mother took occasion to
counsel her, now to improve her time, to prepare for another world; on
which Phebe burst out in tears, and cried out, “Poor Nabby!” Her mother
told her she would not have her cry, she hoped that God would give Nabby
salvation; but that did not quiet her, but she continued earnestly
crying for some time; and when she had in a measure ceased, her sister
Eunice being by her, she burst out again, and cried, “Poor Eunice!” and
cried exceedingly; and when she had almost done, she went into another
room, and there looked upon her sister Naomi, and burst out again,
crying, “Poor Amy!” Her mother was greatly affected at such behavior in
the child, and knew not what to say to her. One of the neighbors coming
in a little after, asked her what she had cried for. She seemed, at
first, backward to tell the reason. Her mother told her she might tell
that person, for he had given her an apple; upon which she said she
cried because she was afraid they would go to hell....
From this time there has appeared a very remarkable abiding change in
the child: she has been very strict upon the Sabbath, and seems to long
for the Sabbath day before it comes, and will often in the week time be
inquiring how long it is to the Sabbath day, and must have the days
particularly counted over that are between, before she will be
contented. And she seems to love God’s house—is very eager to go
thither. Her mother once asked her why she had such a mind to go?
Whether it was not to see the fine folks? She said no, it was to hear
Mr. Edwards preach. When she is in the place of worship, she is very far
from spending her time there as children at her age usually do, but
appears with an attention that is very extraordinary for such a child.
She also appears, very desirous at all opportunities, to go to private
religious meetings, and is very still and attentive at home, in prayer
time, and has appeared affected in time of family prayer.