American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-03-12
From the Hew York Chronicle.l
TIE GREAT AWAKENING.


"The exchange newspapers, both re-
ligious and secular, that como to us
from all quarters, speak of an unwont-
ed revival of religious feeling in their
vicinity, and in the country far and
near around them. Everywhere men
are crowding to religious meetings,
and the spirit with which the crowds
are impressed, and which incites them
to so general an attention to religion
and religious services, seems to be an
mating the whole land. One church
breaks out into a revival, and in few
weeks the next in the village, or the
town, or tho city, follows the exam
pie, until the whole district is awaken
cd and aroused. In some instances
the enthusiasm seems to have spread
from place to place with all the rapid
ity of fire on prairie.
"a similar religious feeling has not
been known in this city for twenty
five years. About twenty-five years
ago revival of great power, which ex-
cited the sympathy and cooperation
of great numbers ofpersons, both church
members and others, occurred in New
York, though it's extent and results
were far less remarkable than those
which have been already witnessed in
the present instance. Public religious
meetings were then held in unusual
places, and at unusual hours, and were
throngingly attended, but we believe
that a mid. day prayer meeting, held
in the center of the business circles Of
the city, and sustained largely by the
most prominent business men, is o no.
Helty that was not then known. In fact
if the idea of such meeting had been
proposed six months ago, with any
probability that it would soon be at
tended to such an extent as to REQUIRE
three rooms for the divided and over
flowing audience, it would have been
regarded as hardly less than preposter-
GUS" '. s.# ~ pei
Following this introduction is an ac
count of the progress Of the good work
in the various sections of the Union.
In New England, and particularly in
Connecticut and Massachusetts. the
number ofconversons are unpreccdent-
ed, and the present revival is said to
exceed even the "Grcat Awakening, /"
in the time Of Jonathan Edwards, IN
the extent, ifnot i'll the fervor Of is
work. 1t is said that there are sever
al towrs in New England in which not
u single adult person can be found who
has not been converted, and become q
member of a church! ...
In the West and South while the in
crease Of religious interest is shared
by all denominations, this revival is
Tree from the scenes of unnatural and
even supernatural excitement which
have sometimes characterised religious
awakenings in the newly settled por.
tlons OF our country. con the contra
ry, the present revival, as it is mani
tested both at the East and West, is
marked with great sobriety, and com
mendable freedom from undue excess.
1t gives evidence Of well.regulated
enthusiasm rather than q wild excite
ment, and as such has better promise
of salutary effects than any previous
revival that has ever passed over the
country
In regard to the number Of conver-
sions, it says:
cit is of course impossible to give
accurately, or even to estimate approx
imately the actual number of conver-
slons which may he set down as the
results of such work. All such re-
suits are expressed, to some minds,
somewhat repulsiyely by mere figures.
The actual increase of religion in a
community is not to be measured by
statistics. 1t is not unlikely that thoro
have actually occurred, in a single
soeek, all parts of the country, taken
together, as many as fJ1y thousand
conversions. This statement, surpris.
ing as it may seem, is amply borne out
by the facts"
The "Grcat Revival" is now the alb
sorbing topic even for ordinary conver-
sation in this city. Notices of meet,
ings for prayer and and other religious
exercises have been publicly placarded
i'll many of tho places where handblls
are usually posted. In many counting
rooms and stores, similar printed adj
yertisements have been hung up, call.
ing the attention of business men and
others to the devotional convocations.
In addition to these, tracts have been
distributed IN the cars, in the omnibus.
es, and in the ferry boats, calling the
attention of the chance reader to the
subject of religion, quoting passages
from the Scriptures, and giving notices
of the meetings. Some tracts have