two years there were
nearly twenty that Mr. Stoddard hoped to be savingly converted; but
there was nothing of any general awakening. The greater part seemed to
be at that time very insensible of the things of religion, and engaged
in other cares and pursuits. Just after my grandfather's death, it
seemed to be a time of extraordinary dullness in religion.
Licentiousness for some years prevailed among the youth of the town;
there were many of them very much addicted to night-walking, and
frequenting the tavern, and lewd practices, wherein some, by their
example, exceedingly corrupted others. It was their manner very
frequently to get together, in conventions of both sexes for mirth and
jollity, which they called frolics; and they would often spend the
greater part of the night in them, without regard to any order in the
families they belonged to: and indeed family government did too much
fail in the town. It was become very customary with many of our young
people to be indecent in their carriage at meeting, which doubtless
would not have prevailed in such a degree, had it not been that my
grandfather, through his great age (though he retained his powers
surprisingly to the last), was not so able to observe them. There had
also long prevailed in the town a spirit of contention between two
parties, into which they had for many years been divi
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