Farmington is a delightful village in Franklin County, Maine, amid varied and sublime scenery, the seat of the widely known and excellent "Abbott School;" the birth-place and resort of the Abbotts.

Rev. Mr. Howard, the brother of the beloved and noble General Howard, of the army, who lost an arm in the battle of Fair Oaks, is the pastor of the Congregational church. He published in the local paper, an account of the glorious refreshing which came to that place in February, during which, a hundred and fifty were, it is believed, brought to Christ, besides an interest awakened in other

towns:

"Will you allow me a little space, in which to speak of the present marked attention to the subject of religion in this community? The unusual meetings were commenced by a union prayer meeting at the Academy, on Monday of last week. This was attended and participated in by all the clergymen and many of the people. It was then expected, that Edward Payson Hammond, the Evangelist, would address a united meeting on Thursday evening, but the detention of the cars preventing his arrival, the meetings each day and evening during the week were conducted by the resident pastors. In spite of the unfavorable weather, the meetings increased in numbers; professors of religion were aroused and much earnest prayer was offered, that Mr. Hammond's labors should receive the blessing of God. But the blessing was not delayed till his arrival. A number of persons began seriously to ask the question- 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' Mr. H. held his first meeting Sabbath even

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ing, and the Congregational Church was crowded. His method of procedure is to conduct the exercises of singing, reading the Scriptures, prayer and preaching, without much regularity but with singular earnestness. After these services an inquiry meeting is held, to which all persons wishing to converse on the subject of salvation are invited to stop, and also such ministers and Christians as are disposed to instruct them. This inquiry meeting has been a blessed meeting. A large number of persons, of all ages and conditions in life, may be seen nightly in all parts of the house, conversing, praying and weeping, with occasional general admonition from Mr. H. and others. The unanimity among Christians, ministers and laymen, seems to be perfect. All recognize it as a work of God's Spirit, and all seem to love the evangelist, and to co-operate with him with all the heart.

"The scenes here are but a repetition of what has been witnessed in Portland, Bethel, Bath, and South Paris.

"Will not the prayers of all God's people go up for this dear brother who has been the means of bringing so many sinners to their Saviour? As he is about to leave us,I am expressing only the general voice, in saying, that our hearts are filled with gratitude and love to him, and we have no doubt that wherever God shall call him to especially labor and pray, an abundant blessing will follow."

We shall not forget an evening we spent in a meeting three weeks afterward, when, among others, a popular physician related the steps by which he was led from mere curiosity to anxiety, from anxiety to distress, and from anguish of soul to peace in believing.

And at the same moment a scoffer lay dead in his

home, one of a business firm that opposed the meeting; followed soon after by the most thrilling scenes of the death-bed of the wife, kneeling on her bed and begging for prayer and for mercy. Thus judgment followed blessing, the usual order of God's providence among inen.

CHAPTER IX.

The Old Colony. The Church of the Pilgrimage. The Winter and Spring of 1862. Facts and incidents. Lewiston, Maine. The cloud like a man's hand. The mighty outpouring. Letters of experience. Farewell meeting. Brunswick. The College. and cases of striking conversion.

Scenes

In the providence of God, the writer seeking health, went to Plymouth, Mass., in the Autumn of 1861. With all descendants of the Pilgrims in natural or spiritual lineage, he felt a deep interest in the Old Colony, with its beautiful bay, where the Mayflower rocked, - Burying Hill where their ashes lie, and the church they planted, with sacrifice and suffering without a parallel since the days of the apostles. The Congregational Society there, during the first 180 years, had only seven pastors, including Brewster, who would never consent to be ordained, although in labors of love, the shepherd of the flock in the wilderness. Since the exodus from Arminianism in 1800, with the loss of all material possessions as a parish, a period of sixty years, there have been, also, seven pastors; showing that a sad change has gone over Puritan New England since the days of the fathers. Precious revivals of re

ligion have been the repeated benediction of the Lord upon his heritage. But the enemy of all righteousness' seems to have had a peculiar hostility toward this Jerusalem of the new world, and every possible form of attack has been made upon the faith and peace of the church.

Errors were rife in the community, and too often the Zion, which should beat them back, had slept, while her adversary sowed the tares. For three months before the date at the beginning of this chapter, the sanctuary of God had been closed, from reasons material, and conditions of feeling; and "the ways of Zion mourned." When invited to supply the pulpit, and afterwards to remain, the conviction, which laid aside all other plans, was, that the time to favor her had come with God. The parish was visited, church fasts appointed, and the necessity of a revival kept before the people on all occasions. The aspect of the congregation gradua'ly changed to a marked seriousness, and indications of unusual interest apparent among the impenitent. But health not yet confirmed, forbidding extra meetings, and the exciting war news, between the Sabbaths, kept back the outbreak of feeling,- the outgushing of the waters of the sanctuary. At this crisis, attention was turned for help to Mr. Hammond. The church invited him to come; and he held the first services on Sabbath-day the last of March.

The work in a brief time, assumed a decided