Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

it nr til Cabinet* VOL. 11. THE CABINET Is published every Saturday by P. L ROBINSON, Warrenton , Geo. at three dollars per annum, which may be discharged by two dollars and fifty cents i f paid within sixty days of the time of subscribing. To the Editor of the Cabinet. In the 9(h No. of your paper, you in serted an extraordinary amount of the reanimation &<:. of Kemble, the sailor. Its perusal, 1 opine, excited no inconsiderable degree of astonishment in most of the rea dors of your amusing miscellany. It forcibly reminded me of a sin gular account, l had some years before seen, of the reanimation s*c. of the Rev. William Tennent; and thinking un amount of Teti- trance as given by himself and others, and published in sketches of his life by his Execu tor, might not be unacceptable to your readers, I herewith forward it to you for insertion in the Rural Cabinet. L. The late Rev. William Ten nent, of freehold in the county of Moo, mouth, in the siate of New Jersey, of whom we write, was the second son of the Uev. William Tennent, minister of the gospel at Neshamicv, in Bucks-coun ty,in the state of Pennsylvania William Tennent, the tather on hi§ first coming td America, settled at East Chester, in the then province of New- York, and afterwards removed to Bed ford. In k short time he was calhdto Bocks-county in Pennsylvania, and preached at Bensalem and Smithfield but. soon after settled permanently at Nes haminy, in the county. After his arrival in Bocks county on full consid erati o he left the church of England, and joined the Presbyterian church His second son, William, who is the subject of these sketches, was born on the 3rd day of June. 1705. in the county of Antrim, in Ireland, and was just turn ed of thirteen yfears when he arrived in America. He applied himself, with much zeal and industry, to his studies, and made great proficiency in the languages, particularly in the Latin. early impressed with a deep sense of divine things, he soon determined to follow the example rs his father and elder brother, by devoting himself to the service of God in the ministry ot the gospel. His broth, er Gilbert being called to the pastoral charge of the church at New Brunswich, in New-Jersey, And making a very con siderable figure as a Useful and pdptilar preacher, William determined, as he had completed his coursfe in the languages, to study divinity under his broth'-r. Ac cordingly, he left his fathers house, with his consent and by his advice, and went to New Brunswich. At his departure from home, which was considered as his setting out in life, his father addressed liirn with great affection commending him to the favor and protection of that God, from whom he himself had received so much mercy, and who had directed him in all his migrations. He gave him a smalt sum of money, as the amount of all he could do for him, telling him that if he behaved well and did his duty this was an ample provision for him; and if he should act otherwise, and prove ungrateful to a kind ad gracii us God. it was too much, and more than he deserved. Thus, with a pittance, and the blessing of a pious and affectionate parent, of more consequence than thousands of pounds, the yung stu dent set out in the world. After a regular course of study in the ology,Mr. Tennent was preparing for his examination by the Presbytery, as a can didate for the gospel ministry. His in tense application affected his health,and brought on a pain in his breast, and a slight hectic. He soon became emancipa ted, and at length was like a living skele ton. His life was now threatened. He was attended by a physician, a young hi an who was attached to him by the t rictent and wannest friendship. He Warrenton, August 29, 18 ‘ 9. •grew worse and worse,till little hope and life was left. In this situation his spirit failed him, and he began to enter'rin doubts of his final happine&s. He vas conversing one morning with his brother, in Latin, on the state of his soul, when he * fainted & died away. After the usual time, he was laid out on a board, according to the common practice of the country, and the neighbourhood were invited to attend his funeral on the next day. In the evening, his physician and friend returned from a ride into the country, and was afflicted beyond measure at the news 6f kis death. He could not be persuaded that it was certain; and on being told that one of the persons who had assisted in laying out the body thought he had observed a little tre mor of the flesh under the arm, although the body was cold and stiff’, he endeavour ed to ascertain the fact. He first put his own hand into warm water, to make it as sensible as possible, aid then felt under the arm, at the heart, and affirmed that he felt an unusual warmth, though no one else could. He had the body restored to a war m bed, and insisted that the people who had been invited to the fuiieral should be requested not to attend. To this the brother objected as absurd, the eyes be ing sunk, the lips discolored, and the whole body cold and stiff - . However, the doctor finally prevailed, aud all probable means were used to discover symptoms of returning life. But the third day arri ved, and no hopes were entertained of success but by the doctor, who never left hun night nor day. The people were again ihvited, and assembled to attend the funeral. The doctor still objected, and at last confined his requests lor de lay ”f one hour, then to half an hour, and finally to a quarter of an hour. He had discovered that the tongUe was much swoln, and threatened to crack. He was endeavouring to soflen it by sotbe emollient ointment put upon it with a father, when the brother came in, about the last period, and mistaking what the doctor was doing for an attempt to teed him, manifested some resentment, and, in a spirited tone, said, “It is shaiheful to be feeding a lifeless corpse;’ and insisted, with earnestness, that the funeral should immediately proceed. At this critical and important moment, the body, to the great alarm and astonishment of all present, opened its eyes, gave a dreadful groan, and sunk again into apparent death. This put an end to all thoughts of burying him, aud every effort was again employed, in hopes of bringing about a speedy resusci tation. In about an hour, the eyes again opened, a heavy groan proceeded from the body, and again all appearance of an imation vanished In another hour, life seemed to return with more power, and a complete revival took place, to the great joy of the family and friends, and to the no small astonishment and conviction of vety many who had been ridiculing the idea of restoring to life a dead body. Mr. Tennent continued in so weak and low a state for six weeks, that great doubts were entertained of his finai recoyeiy. However; after that period he recovered much faster, but it was about *wclve ’ months before he was completely restor ed. Aftfer he was able to walk the room, and to take notice of what passed aroOnd him, on a Sunday afternoon, his sister, who had staid from church to attend him. was reading in the Bible, when he took notice of it, and asked her what she had in her hand. She answered that she was reading the Bible. He replied, “W hat is the Bible? I know not what you mean. ’ This affected the sister so much that she burst into tears, and informed him that he was once well acquainted with it. On her reporting this to the broffier when he returned, Mr. Tennent was found, upon examination, to be totally ignorant of ev ery transaction of his life previous !o his sicKness. He could net read a single word, neither did he seem to have any idea of what it meant. As sobh as he be ! came capable of attention, he was taught I to read and write, as children are usually taught, and afterwards b< gau to learn the J Latin language, under the tuition of his brother. One day as be was reciting a lesson in Cornelius Nepos, lie suddenly started, clapped his hand to his head, as if mmetfoing had hurt Inm, and made a pause, His brother a*ked him what was the matter; he said he felt a sndden shock in his head, and now se.emed to him as if he had read that book before. By degrees hia recollection was restored, an 1 I ecould speak the Latin as fluently ts before his sicknelss. His memory so completely revived,that he gained a per fect knowledge of the past transactions of his life, as if no diffipilty had previously occurred. This event, at the time, made a considerable noise, and afforded not on ly matter of serious contemplation to the devout Christian, especially when con nected with what follows in this narra tion, but furnished a subject of deep in vestigation ?nd learned enquiry to the real philosopher and curious anatomist. The writer of these memoirs was grer tly interested by these uncommon evebts; and, on a favorable occasion earnestly pressed Mr Tennent fora mm uteaccount of what his viesvs and appre hensions were, while he lay in this extra ordnary state of suspended animation. great reluctance to enter intoany explanation of h s perceptions and feelings at this time; liut being im-j portcnatel v urged to do it, he at length | and proceeded with a solem nitynot to be discribed: I “While I was conversing with my brother,” said he, “on the state of my soul, and the fears I had entertained for I my future welfare, I found rnysel , in an instant, in another state of existence un der the direction of a superior Being, who ordered me t * follow him. 1 was; accordingly wafted along, I know not how, till I beheld ar a distance an ineffa-, b!e glory, the impression of which on r y mind, it is impossible to communicate to m ftaltm.n. I immediately reflect and n my happy change, and thought—-Well, ole>sed be God! I am safe at last* not , withstanding all my fears. I saw an in numerable host of happy beings, surround ing the inexpressible gloiy in acts of, adornation and joyous worship; but 1 did not see any bodily shape or representa tion in the glorious appearance. I heard things unutterable. I heard their songs and hallelujahs, of thank-giving and praise, with unsp akable rapture. I felt joy unutterable and full of glory I then applied to my conductor, and requested leave to join the happy throng; on which he tapped me on the shoulder, and said, ‘You must return to the earth.’ This seemed like a sword through my heart. In an instant I recollect to have seen my brother standing before me, disputing with the doctor. The three days rjurmg which 1 had appeared lifeless, seemed to me not more than ten or twenty minutes. The idea of returning to this world of sorrow and trouble gave me such a shock, that l fainted repeatedly.” He added, “Such was the effect on my mil and of what I had seen and heard, that if it be possible | for a human being to live entirely above the wot id and the things ol it, for some time afterwards I was that person. The rav ishing -ounds of the songs and hallelujahs that i heard, afid the very words that were uttered, were notout of my eais, when awake for at least three years. All the kingdoms of the earth were in my sight as nothing and vanity; and so great were my ideas of heavenly glory, that nothing which did not in some measure relate to it, could command my serious attention.” The author has been particularly soli citous to obtain every confirmation of this extraordinary event in the life of Mr. Tennent. fie,accordingly, wrote to ev ery person lie could think of likely to have convers’ and with Mr. T on the sub ject< He received several answers; but i the following letter. from the worthy suc ! cessor of Mr. ‘Tennent in the pastoral 1 charge of his church, will answer for the 1 authors purpose; | “ Monriiouth , A*. Jersey , DtC. 10,1805. “Dear 8m, —Agreeably to your re quest, l now serld you, in writing, the remaikable account which I some turn since gave you verbally, respecting your good friend, my worthy predecessoi, the late Uev. William Tennent, of this place- In a very free and feeling conversation on religion, and on the future rest and bless edness of the people of God (while tr?.v ----e together from Monmouth to Prince town} l mentioned to Mr. Tennent that 1 should be highly gratified in hearing, from his own mouth, an acccount of the trance which he was said to have been in, unless the relation would he disagreeable to himself After a short dlence, he pro ceeded. saying, that he had heen sick with a fev*r—that the fever increased, and he bv degrees sunk under it. After sometime (a his friends informed him) he died, or appeared to die, in the same manner as persons Usually do—that in laying him out, one happened to draw hi& hand under the left arm, and perceived a small tremor in the flesh-nthat he waa laid out, ami was cold and stiff. ‘l’he time for his funeial wag anpoin ed. and the people collected, but a young doctor, his particular friend, pleaded with great earnestness that he might not then be buried, as the tremor under the arm con tinued; that his brother Gilbert, became impatient with the young gentleman, and said to him * What ! a man not dead who is cold and stiff as a Stake! The impor j lunate young fiend, however, prevailed* another day was appointed for the bu ial, ‘and the p-ople separated During this interval mariy means were made use of to discover, if possible, some symtoms of life; but none appeared excepting the tremor. The doctor never left him for three n'ghts and three days. The people again met to bury him; but could not, even then, ob tain the consent of his friend, wiio plead ed for one hour more; and when that was gone, he pleaded f*r half an hour, and then for a quarter of an hour; when, just at the close ol this period, on which hung his last hope, Mr. ‘Tennent opened his eyes. They thru pried open his mouth which was stiff', so as ‘o get a quill into it, through which sum liquid was conveyed into the stomach, and he by degrees re covered. | “This account, as intimated before, Mr. Tennent said he had received from his friends. I said to him,‘Sir, you seem ito be one indeed raised from the dead, and may tell us what it is to die. and what you were sensible ol while in that state ’ He replied in the following words: ‘As to dying —l found my fever increase, and I became weaker and weaker, until, all at once , 1 found myself in heaven, as I thought. I saw no shape as to the Deity, bitt glory all unutterableV Here he p used, as though unable to find words to express his views, let Sis bridle fall, as St. Paul did. I heard and I saw tilings all unutterable! 1 saw a great multitude before this glory, apparently in <iie height of bli6s, singing mist melodi ously. 1 Was transported with my own situation, viewing all mys iroubles ended, and my rest and glory begun and “ai ib. uttoj .in the great and happy multi tude. when one came to me, looked me full in the face, laid his hand upon my shoulder, and said,‘You U"t go back.* These winds went thr"Ugh me; nothing could have shocked me more; I cried out, Lord, must Igo back! With this shock I opem dmy eyes in this world. When I saw I was in this world I fainted, then came to, and fainted for several times, as one probably would naturally have done in so weak a situation * “Mr. Tennent furtner informed me, that he had so entirely lost the recollec tion of his past life, and the benefit of hie former studies, that he cobid neither un derstand what was spoken to him, nor m rite, nor read bis own name—that he had to begin anew, and did not recollect that he had ever read before, until he had again learned bis letters, and was able to pronounce the monosyllables, such as thee and thou. But, that as his strength returned, which was very slowly, his memory also returned. Yet notwith standing the extreme feebleness of his situation, his recollection of what be saw and heaid while in heaven, as he suppo ed, and the sense of divine things which he iheie obtained, continued all the time in their full strength, so that he was contin ually in something like an ecs*acy of mind, •Aud,’said e, ‘for three years, thfc IVo. 12.