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1842 BOSTON REVIVAL. Unpublished Letter Re: Elder Jacob Knapp, Baptist Revivalist. People Acting Insane!
1842 BOSTON REVIVAL. Unpublished Letter Re: Elder Jacob Knapp, Baptist Revivalist. People Acting Insane!
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A superb first-hand, unpublished 1.5pp. letter datelined Boston, MA; Jan. 16, 1842.
Written by B. Dunbar to his mother, this lettre provides valuable insight regarding the popular response to the revival of the period [happening simultaneously in Boston among Baptists, Congregationalists, and Methodists], and some less than biased assessment of the overall situation.
Dunbar reports that Knapp is "raising the devil", and "has made a great many raving crazy, and are carried to the insane hospital", and expressed his opinion that "he ought to be strung up alive".
"Knapp, the preacher that you heard me speak of, is raising the devil up here. He has made a great many raving crazy and are carried to the insane hospital; others are sick abed, and I think he ought to be strung up alive. It is three weeks last Thursday since they began their meetings, and they have held them ever since. The begin at 6 o'clock in the morning and last until 10 in the evening. They have not missed one day nor night since, and do not see any prospect of their leaving off. He has two hundred dollars a week for saving souls, but I do not think he will save mine by any of his lies . . . "
There is some paper loss at the left edge, resulting in the loss of a couple of words of text, and the last name in the signature. (a former owner's pencil notation identifies his last name and the name and location of his mother).
Elder Jacob Knapp [1799-1874] was a noted Baptist revivalist of the 19th century, especially during the religious revivals which took place in Boston in 1841-42. He was always controversial, working alongside Edward N. Kirk [who had been mentored by Charles G. Finney], he was in a way the Baptist Finney. He preached non-stop for months in Boston, finally ceasing their all day meetings in late March.
His schedule included preaching afternoon and evening services at various Baptist churches throughout Boston, & for part of the time, a predawn service in South Boston, (at the South Boston Baptist Church). He dressed in a humble fashion, and his preaching style was compared to that of John the Baptist. Vast numbers attended his preaching, and such excitement prevailed, that mobs threatened him and his hearers, requiring the protection of the civil authorities & the Boston militia.
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