The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-03-19
From the Philadelphia Press
The Religious Awakening.

faithful chronicler Of events cannot iaii 70
notice the remarkably earnest state OF ieenhB
now manifested in the public mind IN refer
ence to the subject Of Religion. Ihe indiea-
tons are abundsntly clear that the county
10 about entering upon an ere OF femslAao,o
religious excitement. In point OF universal.
ity Of extent and derth OF earnsstness, o'a'
fair to equal, u not surpass, sny similar sen ns
sational epoch In the country's history Inc
initial point Of the present. deyelopment ~,
pears to have been the city OF New YORK anu
the journals there have been, for the last lew
weeks, teeming with accounts OF the progress
of the devotional tide wave. The revival
as II Is technically termed. appears rom tue
n. Y. journals, to have been almost IKE an
epidemic. From one point 10 another the re.
ligious enthusiasm has ran career resembling
that Of fire on the Western prairies. fuo-
lie meetings for worship and prayer nave
been, as It were, spontaneously organized IN
all the villages and towns near New hofk'
and the appearances warrant the conclusion
that, for some time to come OF least, the In
tensity OF the fervor thus manifested must
be increased rather than slackened.
In referring to the historical aspect Of the
subject, we lind that at irregular intervals
there have been seasons peculiarly marked oy
an outpouring Of devotional manifestations.
From 1880 to 1850 the Great Awakening, Us
II Is usually designated, formed Striking
feature Of the times. Starting from England
spreading with singular rspidity thro scot.
land and Ireland, IL made It's hrst margin tho
year 1888, at Norihampton-a lovely town
IF Massachusetts, lying at the foot OF Mount
Tom and Mount Holyoks. The church nj
that point had been originally started by the
distinguished Reverend Eleazer Mather, who
died in 1870, and was succeeded by the Rev.
Mr.. Stoddard. who presided over It for the
almost unprecedented term Of dhysseven
years. 1t was during the period OF Mr.. Stod.
dard's ministration that the famous Jonathan
Edwards rose to that high reputation which
afterwards placed him In charge Of the same
church, on Mr.. Stoddard's, and which finally
led the wsy to his selection as President OF
Nashua Hall College ut Princeton. New Jer.
sey. Mr.. Edwards has left . record OF the
.Great Revival written cotempofaneousl
with the event, and highly valuable as re-
markable illustration OF that early period OF
the country's history. 1t 10 evident, from the
testimony which he has lett, that prior to the
era of which he formed 30 conspicuous hg-
ure, the religious feeling was ut a low ebb.
From Massachusetts the flame OF religious
feeling, kihdled by the eloquence Of Edwards,
spread to the Connecticut, and from thence
southwark to the other colonies. 1t was the
first spur to the planting Of new churches In
regions previously deprived OF such spiritual
luxuries. The whole Atlantic coast (Which
then contained comparatively sparse popu-
lation) received the influence OF that enthu-
siasm wisch had started from the interior OF
New England.
From period OF fifteen years prior to the
middle OF the last century until the second
visit of the celebrated George Whitefeld, there
was complete lull in the religious zeal OF the
colonies. DR.. Holmes says in his American
Annals that 'the zeal which characterized
the New England churches at an earlier Pc
Rod had, previous to Whitehld's arrival, sub.
sided, aud a calm lethargic state ensued.-
Indeed, according to DIR. Chancey, in his
Reasonable Thoughts on the state OF Relig-
ion in New England a reaction had set IN,
which had carried the religious condition oil
the country to SO low APPOINT as that described
by DIR. Edwards Narrative. At the close oil
his curious work, he admits, that disorderiy
walkers have been suffered to take their own
course without the administration OF those
censures which are proper to the Kingdom Oh
Jesus Christ
twas in Philadelphia that Whitefeld found
the wsrmest welcome. and made the deepest
impression. From the balcony OF the old
fashioned frame building, known as 'Loxleys
House, which stood undisturbsd till q year
or two ago, at the junction OF Little Dock
and Second streets, the eloquent Whiteheld
held spell bound audiences which gathered
on the gentle slope OF Society's Hill. oppo.
site, at whose loot the famous Bathsheba
Bowers, of old time memories, dispensed to
all corners the grateful cup Of water from the
beat spriny of water which was then to be
found in our city, according to Watson. New.
or were such audiences gathered together in
this country. BY the powerful cooperation
of the talented Tenants William and Gilbert)
whose names are so conspicuous in the list oil
American divines, the work OF revival pros
pered' in New Jersey and the adjacent States.
Whiteheld created q wonderful sensation
wherever he went. Georgia, Virginia, Mass.
achusetts, were alike the scene OF wide
spread enthusiasm, which thronged the
churches wherever he was announced to
preach. Large additions were made to the
churches through the winning influence OF
his eloquence, from among the most distin-
guished men OF the timo.
AT the beginning of the present century
another revival occurred, which originated
in New England, passed throughin rapid sue
cession the Middle States, and spread both
North and South and West. Some idea may
be gathered of the intensity Of the excitement
from the perusal of the Evangelical Magazine,
published at that time. The great centre Of
It's action at this period was in Pennsy lvania
and the immediate vicinity, and Kentucky
In the latter State (then having a population
of over zoe, 000), the magazine We have re-
ferred 10. saws 'the number OF baptisms' in
one wear alone (lS0l) amounted tn over ten
thousand From letter dated January ~,
1902 from Mount Ararat prince Edwards
county. yirginia,) addressed to Robert Raj
atom In name 90 familiar in the mercantile
annals of Philadelphia,) We extract passage
to show the state Of religious feeling which
peryaded the Old Dominion There could
mot have been fewer than three thousand
peopls out to hear the sermon on Friday land
this at a very small village.) The people
were much affected at times. They continued
together all day till night. Near the close OF
the first sermon, the writer states, Il am per-
suaded more than half the audience were In
tears. disappeared that something like super.
natural power suddenly rested on almost ev.
ery mind Tho number Of. conversions,
taking the Evangelical Magazine as authors
~, exceed that at any previous awakening.
Some twenty i've years ago, another repe'
tition Of the conventional iervor dihused IL
self throughou this State. and drew into in.
fiucnce many other sections OF the county
Through the interior towns-Harrisourg.
Carlisle, Chambersburg. Pittsburs-the great
topic OF conversation in every circle OF soeie.
~ was the 'srea, revival Prayer-meeting,,
for the time drove out convivial parties, and
young ladies and young gentlemen who had
been attending 'cotillon parties and kindred
.frolics, were suddenly brought to deny them.
selve. such amusement, and TO devote Their