The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-03-10
Religious.

The special interest IN religion, at pres
ent manifested, has become so general and
remarkable as to command universal atten-
ton with those who read. Probably moth
ing equal to it has occurred for more than
a century, indeed there ever has. No part
of the country seems to be unaffected by
it, nor does it seem at all to be attribute
BILE to special, local causes, but is a gener-
al uprising of the public mind to an at
tention to its spiritual concerns as though
the moral and spiritual interests of the
country had touched bottom and were
now experiencing necessary reaction.
The awakening seems not to be confined
to denominations usually termed "evan-
gelical " but is felt and encouraged more
or less by Unitarians, Universalists and
even Catholics. In New York city the
work seems more marked than any where
else indeed it almost seems that the city
is wholly given up to an attention to its
spiritual concerns, The religious press is
filled with accounts of these wonderful
manifestations, which also fill much space
in the secular papers.
The New York Tribune in speaking
of this says -" In New England, and
particularly in Connecticut an Massa-
chusetts, an unusual spirit prevails /; and
the numbers of conversions, and of addi-
tions to the membership Of the churches,
are unprecedented. Since the first great
revival in New England-which was
known as the Great Awakening" and
occurred III the time of the celebrated
Jonathan Edwards-there has been moth
ing equal to what is now passing. In fact,
the present revival is said to exceed the
former-in the extent, at least, if not in
the fervor of its work The memory of
| Whiteield, and the effects which followed
his eloquent preaching cannot but be for
cibly recalled in view Of the great num-
bers Of persons that are now everywhere
protesting conversion and entering the
church. We are informed that there are
several towns in New England in which
not single adult person can be found
who has not been converted, and become
a member of church '
The Tribune in speaking of CONVEX
sions, also says :--"It is of course impos-
sible to give accurately, or even to esti-
mate approximately the actual number of
conversions which may be set down us the
result Of such work. All such results
are expressed, to some minds, somewhat
repulsively by mere figures, The actual
increase of religion in a community is
not to be measured by statistics. But to
give partial idea of the remarkable eff
fects which have thus far been produced,
it may be mentioned that more than a
thousand conversions have been reported
in the correspondence Of single religious
newspaper, for single week. A journal
of the religious press in this city recently
stated that il had counted seuen thousand
in taco weeks; and this was merely the
number which happened to be given among
the religious items" of only portion of
the general newspaper press during that
time. 1t is not unlikely that there have
actually occurred, in a single aceek, all
parts of the country taken together, as
many as ffy thousand conversions.
This statement, surprising as it may seem,
is amply borne out by the facts.
By request we publish the following
New YoRK, Feb. 20, 1858.
MEssRs. EDIToRs--A Business Men
Union Prayer Meeting is held daily, from.
IL to l o'clock, in the John Street Meth
odist Church, "A John Street, few doors
east of Broadway.
This meeting is similar to the one held
in Fulton Street. Owing to the over
crowded state Of the rooms at that place
and the manifest increasing interest, it
has been thought | est to open this place
also.
Already have we seen and heard enough
Of the results of these meetings to make
us firm in the conviction, that if all chris
tians throughout our land we're faithful,
as they have opportunity, we would hear
one united shout of praise going up from
all the people, because of salvation that
has come TO all men. 1t must be evident