The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-01-19
The Profrae;ei Meeting.

/ dutcCN To estimate. Reason M the highest de
gree approves of the final object aimed at, an
the efforts pat forth At such a time ard in some
such manner All denominations Of christian,
have >cmcthu, Of this kind The Catholic ha- h.-
lieut.; other socts have merged the name, vC such
gatherings for religious PURPOSES under the com
mon head of "p-otactci meetings"
The md sough, is a reformation IN mona, chm,
actcr, and the tuning OF the aiI,c,ioIs 70 the Ma
blr and BcucGctor of mankind The merH,uscl
are truths pertaining to the spiutasl nature of
man, ana lis relation TO God and eternity The
medium for the operation Of truth upon tie mind
is,pcrhars, IN tie cas-, Of many, an excited curo,
i'y, and tlcn the sympa,hcut feelings O.! our M.
uue. The distinction between successful work
and aspurious eNciicmentwil! turn generally upon
the fact whether the symp1thies wrought upon
are the moral sympathics, moved by the srea, and
unutterabe truths pertaining to the soul or the
nervous synpatlaes which pertain To the animal
nature
The work oftle former is deep ,ul permanent
and involves the WILL the intellect. AMI the u.lcc.
tons. The Latter excite only the emotions
which fora time NAV control reason h,,loul the
intellect and obscure the aims and powers Of the
soul-Ihe former are called into action in all cc.
mime reforms; such for instance, IS that of TEN.
Pcrance; and is the mobiles; c.,ort Of man to ,xalt
and improve lis nu,urc
In spiritual the change consists, !, S sup.
posed, III the adoption Of nsr yript.pi.s Of action
IN mans relation to God aud the niyers of crea.
lures. Hence 1t i, plain that ;ru,h--r.a'i:-
must be the means, and that the moral >ympa
tAe' may be the medium Of ciIcc'ing the change
These moral sympa'hcs may, therefore, on
well established philosophical principles, be more
readily moved in large assemblies, and the con.
yer'iot spirit fix, in moment anA.unclan-cahIy,
the better resolutions and purposes of man, Is hc
resolves evermorr, honestly and additionally, ,o
render unto Caesar the things which are Ccsars
ani unto God the things which are Co.'s
Freedom Of speech and Of opinion, together with
equality Of condition and common symPa,h.cs as
people. render . democratic country the most
suitable area for religious Influences to become
~ ''''''''''e '''r.'N a. N''N '4'''h N4iAt az
other
In accordance with this suppo-ition, Ne have
only to trace the history Of what are improperly
termed "Re'iyals Of Religion to find that they
are pr.n1ipali' confined to North America that
they commenced very early in our history: and
mat Tor more Than century, they have given a
type to the morality and p'eiy Of this nation As
early As 1885 We tini records Of such influences
becoming very powerful and Widespread, extend
InS from town TO town, and from state to state
hII"O,F!h; thousands ot conTerslon'. such work
commenced ii northampton Mass, that year, and
WIS characterized py solemn stiffness and mystic .
nous power.
again. III INV such influences spread during
t's"'eeA months through al! the coiones for near
" oeo miles One hundred and sixty ofthe most .
resi- el'ao'e ministers IN Aew England, New York
and New Jersey, joined in public attc'auon OF
the commences and purity Of the changes effect
Ell II was estimated that the number ctcunverts, .
As proved oy Their subsequent lives, IN New Eng
'An" "'''e' was $4,000 when the entry popp.a' .
""A was Out 5vHVJo. Besides these were many
u'''s"A-' among the FrcsOyierians N New York, .
VI" Jersey, and Pennsylvania, Tie rasg., Of /,
these reforms, the migrating o!noOle principles Of
virtue ana freedom had how great effect IN pre-
p'FnS Tor the holy struggle for American indie .
l,Adentc'
The demoraliz.nS influence ofwar, and tie prn
'iple7 os French m!iIeli;y, produced reaction at .
the close Of the Revolution as great and as salu .
'aTy As reason Is greater than Atheism, and Rel .
gion p1Fer and holier than ianaticsn. Tho begin, 7
mng OF this ceniury-the era Of the commence .
meht OF modern revIya!s was marked BY tic pow .
eF and extent Of religious influence, unparalleled in
the history Of man.
kentucky may be regarded as the centre from .
west n Lraalth If ,.,rly -nn nil. sL
being sufficient to accornno.lo,o tho ,.,,,..I.r.
sands ,,,,n, ,,oro s,r-,,oJ III,