Munger, Hiram. The Life and Religious Experience of Hiram Munger, Including many Singular Circumstances connected with Camp-Meetings and Revivals; Written by Himself. Chickopee Falls, Mass.: Published and For Sale by the Author, 1856. First Edition. [9525]
Black pebble cloth, blind patterns front and back, 17 cm (6 3/4 x 4 5/8 inches), binding very good with slight wear at the corner tips and ends. 180, 25, (3), (2), (2), (4), (4) clean pp. Very good. Hardcover.
Roberts, Revival Literature: An Annotated Bibliography, no. 3871. "Experiences in the Millerite movement."
The book consists of four parts: Munger's Life and Experience, Plain Truths, Adverts, and 4 Tracts that are bound in at the end. The last page of each tract has advertisements for books.
Contents - Munger's Life and Experience, 180 pp.; Plain Truths, 25 pp.; Adverts for prophetical books by H. L. Hastings (3) pp.; Ancient Landmarks No. 1. The Coming and Kingdom of Christ, by Twenty Thousand Baptists in 1660 (2) pp.; No. 3. Scripture Searcher - The Coming of the Lord Jesus (1), p.; Adverts for prophetical books (1) p.; Ancient Landmarks No. 2. The Duration of the Earth, by Adam Clarke, with one page of adverts (4) pp.; Ancient Landmarks No. 3. Hope and Duty of the Church, by Matthew Henry, 4 pp.
Here is a sample: "Another time, I was helping survey some land on the rail-road, and the surveyor called me by name. I told him that I didn't remember him. He said, he did me, and said that a number of years before that, I took him as a camp-meeting as a prisoner, handled him very roughly, and put him into the preachers' stand. But he succeeded in getting out in my absence, and ran out of the place to get rid of the scrape. he soon saw the folly of his course, and turned over a new leaf. He was very good natured about it, and found no fault with me. His name was Phelps. He was worth considerable property, and had a large salary yearly. I could multiply such cases, some on steam-boats, rail-roads and various other places in other states...All this leads me to wonder that I have not been killed, when I see so many straight and dangerous places that I have been through, and the hatred of the 'Cain family.' Three times a dirk has been drawn on me, and once a jack-knife. But, thank God, I continue to this day, safe and sound, am am at war with the devil, his works, his workmen, and always shall be, I hope, while I live here in this state of temptations and trials." - pp. 102-103.
Hiram Munger (1806-1902), b. Monson, MA; d. Chicopee Falls, MA. The son of a miller, Munger's family was poor, and in his autobiography he relates instances of his work as a child - tollgate keeper, cotton factory worker, and grist-mill tender. About 1836 he was converted in a Methodist revival meeting under the preaching of Josiah Litch. In 1842 he was hired to manage the camp ground near Chicopee where Methodists were holding meetings. His novel method of dealing with those causing trouble - he tied them up near the podium - drew attention. He was hired by Joshua Himes to perform the same role in their Millerite camp meetings, held on the same camp ground. In this same year he began his own revival meetings, holding to the Millerite or Second Advent doctrines. His meetings were noted for extravagances that were criticized by the Methodists and others. After the Great Disappointment, Munger continued his camp meeting revival work, and was loosely associated with the Advent Christian Association. He never joined with the Seventh Day Adventists, and in fact opposed them. He remained active in the profession to which he held, and was associated with hundreds of camp meeting revival efforts. The "Plain Truths" section of this book sets forth his beliefs.
