The Kanzas news., 1858-04-17
The Religious Awakening.

The Religious Awakening.
As one of the .signs of the times" the
faithful chronicler of events cannot fail to
notice the remarkably earnest state of feel
mo now manifested in the public mind in
refsrence TO the subject of Religion. The
indications are abundantiy clear that the
country is about entering upon an era of
remarkable religious excitement. In point
of universally of extent and depth of ear
nestpess. it bids fair to equal, if not surpass,
any similar sensational epoch in the coun
try's history. The initial point of the pres
ent development appears to have been the
eity of New York, and the journals there
have been, for the last few weeks, teeming
with, accounts of the progress of the devo-
tionai tide-wave. The revival" as 1t is
technically termed, appears, from the New
York journals, to have spread almost like
an epidemic. From ore point to another
the religious enthusiast has run career
resembling that of . ere on the western
prairies. Public meetings "for worship
and prayer have beea, as it were, sponta-
neously organized IA all the villages and
towns near New York, and the appearances
warrant the conclusion that, for some time
to come at least, the intensity of the fervor
thus manifested must be increased rather
than slackened.
In referring to the historical aspect of the
subject, we find that at irregular intervals
there have been seasons peculiarly marked
by an outpouring of devotional manifesto
tons. From 1870 to 1850 the "Great
Awakening," as it is usually designated,
formed a striking feature of the times
Starting from England, spreading with sim
gular rapidity through Scotland and Ireland,
it made Its mark, in the year 1888, at North
ampton, lovely town of Massachusetts,
living at the foot of Mount Tom and Mount
Holyoke. The church at that point had
been originally started by the distinguished
Rev. Eleazer Mather, who died in 1870, and
was succeeded by the Rev. Mr.. Stoddard,
who presided over it for the almost unpre-
cedented term of ffty-seven years. 1t was
during the period of Mr.. Stoddard's minis
tralion that the famous Jonathan Edwards
rose to that high reputation which afterwards
placed him in charge Of the same church,
on Mr.. Stoddard's death, and which finally
led the way to his selection as President of
Nassau Hall College, at Princeton, n. j.
Mr. Edwards has left record of the ''great
IcNhdls
the event, and highly valuable as remark
able illustration of that early period of the
country's history. 1t is evident, from the
testimony which he has left, that prior to
the era of which he formed so conspicuous
a figure, the religious feeling was at low
ebb. In his +" Narrative of Surprising
Conversion" written in 1796, he speaks {:
'Just after my grandfather's death it
seemed to be time of great dullness in re-
ligion. Licentiousness for some years
greatly prevailed among the youth of the
town they were, many of them, very much
addicted to night walking, and frequenting
the tavern, and lewd practices, wherein
some. by their example, exceedingly cor
rupted others. It was their manner very
frequently TO get together in conventions
of both sexes fan early outbreak of the
woman's rights theory for mirth and jolli-
ty, which they called frolics; and they
would often spend the greater part of the
night in them, without any regard to order
in the families they belonged TO. And, in
deed, family government did too much fail
in the town. 1t was very customary with
many of our young people to be indecent in
their carriage (deportment) at meeting,
which, doubtless, would not have prevailed
, 10 such degree had 1t not been that my
grandfather, through his great age, was not
SO able to observe them.'
From this it is manifest that Northamp-
ton boys aad girls were just as much given,
in those early days, to profane "frolics" as
their descendants of the modern era. The
Rev. Doctor had to demonstrate long and
loud in order to check the evil tendencies
of the times. He was the earliest 10
plan prayer meetings, which was the first
step towards the "great revival of North
ampton.'' The chief characteristics of this
work, as described by a cotemporaneous
historian. were ga melting down of all
classes in overwhelming solicitude touching
eternal realities, which banished all conver
sation on frivolous topics, and a spirit O
secret and social prayer, and a practica
concern for humanity which watched anC
embraced every opportunity for doing good
TO others"
ions feeling, kindled by the eloquence o.
Edwards, spread to Coanectic.t, and from
thence southwark to the other colonies. Il
was the first spar to the planting of new
churches il regions previously deprived o
such spiritual Injuries. The whole Atlantic
coast which then contained comparative
iy sparse population received the influences
OF that enthusiasm which had started from
the interior of New England.
From period fifteen years prior to tht
middle of the last century until the second
visit of the celebrated George Whitfield
there was comparative lull in the religious
zeal of the colonies. DR.. Holmes SAYS, in
his American Annals that ..the yea
which had characterized the New England
churches at an earlier period had, previou:
10 Whitfeld's arrival, subsided, and calm
iethargic state had ensued" Indeed, ac
oording to Dr.. Chauncey, in his memorable
;. reasonable Thoughts on the State of Re
iglon in New England" reaction had Sc
in which had carried the religions cnndifio,