Journal of Brother J. H. Cheeseman
July 5th, 1850
To day our quarterly union meeting commenced at my church, and as we had had for
some days previous as intimation of the Divine presence, we expected a gracious shower from on
high, and surely the promise that “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,” was
fully realized. At the very commencement of our exercises the Lord appeared by his Spirit in our
midst, and our hearts began to bum. We returned home rejoicing that we had gone up to the
house of God.
6th — Christians attended worship today as with one accord, and throughout our exercises
it was evident, from the deep solemnity that pervaded our congregation, that the Lord was
present.
7th -- Holy Sabbath — We supposed this would be the last and, consequently, the great
day of the feast; but not so, although it was one of great interest. Yet the Lord had in reserve a
better feast, “a feast of fat things, of wines well refined.”
In the evening I remarked that I could not close our exercises without a solemn appeal to
the unconverted. The remarks were not without their effect. Several persons appeared serious
and one, a native young woman, who had been for more than two years in my family, could not
refrain from weeping aloud. We spent a short time in singing and prayer, after which we
concluded to protract the meeting, and returned home rejoicing for all the things which the Lord
had done for us.
8th — Met this evening for worship, believing that the Lord would meet with us. We
spent the evening in exhortation and prayer. I could not refrain from weeping when I beheld the
deep contrition manifested by some.
9th — This morning while engaged in meditation, my native young woman came up from
the forest, rejoicing in God her Saviour. Ah! thought I, here is enough, nay more than enough, to
compensate me for all my labor. We had worship in the evening.
1 0th — Spent some time in conversation with my native youths on the propriety of seeking
for a new heart, some of them appeared serious and I had hoped that they were deeply affected.
May the Lord bring them savingly to a knowledge of the truth.
In the evening after worship my native young woman was received as a candidate for
baptism.
21st, Sabbath — Preaching in the forenoon as usual. After preaching, repaired to the river
and baptized in the presence of a large congregation. In the afternoon our church was perfectly
filled; a deep seriousness pervaded the whole audience; hardened sinners were seen to weep.
One of our citizens, a wicked man, found it impossible to suppress his feelings, rose up and left
the church, but found his way back in the evening. He may succeed in wearing off impressions,
