Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-04-14
The Great Awakening .

WHICH tukHBN uuAru oNaAeAf SUI Ofeaha
down the wAlls Of secls, and sttracts tie
attention II na,ioo, becomes legitimately
the sdbjsct Of comment in the secular
A stirring revival u religious
interest exists in many Of the communities
which The Republican reAehea, and prOni-
ses 10 pei wade ell elaases. all sects aud Ill
of men. The pbsnomena which
appear are peculiar, and 10 say nothing Of
the Christian and humanitarian aspects
which they present, cam fad 10 be Of iu-
tsrest 10 the philosopher. A disposition
TO religious contemplation and action come
upon a community before It is aware. A
general PRAYER meeting is proposed by
those who catch the signs Of the OncOming
infusDSe,tbe doors are trsmbliugIy opened:
and before We can expr-ss our wonder,
every seat is full. Men aud women. some
of whom would seem 10 have been RIG
ously dead for years, are there. There is
evidently deep Interest. The hymn goss
up heartily, aud then springs forth from
elOQuently or unframed lips simple pray.
er. There is no study in it. There is Bn
nice measuring Of phrases. lis pS.i
ton, coming FROM heart oppressed with
natural fervor. Then one after ABolhsr
rises aud ays q few words Of exhortation,
aud the prayers aud the hyms miugIe 10
with wonderful spontaniety, until the hour
is exhausted. There is no noise, no ex
citensnt -nothins but deep anl decided
interest. They separate, and as they pass
along the street 10 resume their business,
snme carry faces Of earnest solemuity, and
others of undisguised and grateful joy.
We say that these phenomena are such
as may well engage the attention Of every
philosopher Let him look at theIn.--
Let him explain thsm. Is this movement
y disease 40 epidemic disease Ofthe minds
Diseases produce only bad results. That
which lnakps man more spiritual, which
calls him out of his sel6shness. which re
WRITES bis moral nature and brings hiuI
into legitimate relations With CID snd
msu, eau hardly be calIed y 'liserSe. Dis
eases bring disorder, but this brings bar
mony. Sectanan names are forgotten,
and people come together simplyss Chr's
tans. This Is what reformers have been
laboring for rs y measnre Of health,
There is no disease about it. At least We
think there is not Is it delusion? Do
decisions fly in the airf Do they usually
seize upon the beet mindsl Are they apt
to get such huId upon iUfdaIs' and pr'z-
fighters, against their wishes and their Of
fort, so rs to transform them into believers
ard meek. humble, toachsble men! D.
deIusions take men from their business
and their Sensu,I pleasures and make them
ineff 'bly happy in self abhegatou, aud
sell. f.devOtion to the work Of making men
better? This is certainly tot the usual
course with deIusions. DeIusious are ap!
to make men worss--to give rein to pass
ion, and excuse to appetite. That, we be.
lisVe, is the history Of delusion the world
over, They do not improve people. It's
against nature aud reason that they
should.
Ish a sham? is humbug? We
Judge not. MeL Go not put themselves
out IN this way for shams. Besides, II
cause, whatever it may bs,wLich beads be-
fore it whole nation OF minds, rs the wind
bends the forrest; whict stills passion and
abates the mad pursuit of gain, and re-
forms impure and immoral life and forces
the relinquishmsnt" If opinions. proudly
and persistortIy held through long life
ty other force than that Of argument.
which makes children of the wise aud
wise men Of children, which pushes out
Of sight Sectsrian prejudice, and melts
whole communities into sympathetic
mass of mind, must be somSLhIng more
than sham. Men DO not get in earnest
over what they believe to be shame. Men
of character like great multitude OF thUst
who engage in this movement are not The
ones 10 engage in the perpetration ofShams
rbeV are above it.
What ia iti We shall not undertake to
answer this definitely. 1t is enough fol
us to express the CONVICTION that it is nei
ther an epidemic disease, nor deluSiou
nor humbug,aud that there is something
really great and good in it. 1t is snougl
for us to assert our belief that it is legit'
ilDate movement. whose results cannot fal
to beof incslcuabIe benefit 10 all those coin
munities which become the scenes Of it
phenomsnS. A revival of religious utter
est iu community or conntry, given, III
ours is, TO headlong pursuit Of money. il
good thing, and All good things CONF
from Heaven. A revival Of religious iu
terest is VS. legitimate ss the revival Of any
Interest. Il takes extraordinary interes
to preach extraordinary results. in anything
The Christian church Of this country ha
been extraordinarily dead for years. Th'
breeze that lie passing over it nov sets j
bowing. and quIVering, and whispering
Nith awakening life - The wind move
the whestfieid: There has been extraor
diuary prostitution Of honor and honest.
in politics. There bas been extraoriinar,
corruption 10 business. rhsrs has bseI
extraordinary sWindling through bsseIss
schemes of speculation. There has bee'
an amount of extravaganza and luxury
There has been an extraordinary amour
Of wiSkednes of every sort, and to cOun
tsrAct aud correct all this must take som
extraordinary means Accordingly, theF,
is an extraordinary influence abroad, e.
extraordinary interest excited, and an ex
traordinsry course Of procedure-quie
and ustaral enough has been instituted
Last fall there swept over the country
great business reyulsion. We did not kuo'
exactly where it came from. Some sal
Il sEk..w,kr4l mo,v,a NOsyav