Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-03-01

Moral Eject or the HARD Tunes
New York is experiencing that rare thing
for a city so blase in almost all thiogs,-a new
sensation. The "Dlily Prayer" which orig
n tied with some Of the meeting houses down
town, during the dark, gloomy days OF the
commercial crisis last fall, has been so much
Of n grent success that it is no longer con-
fined TO William street or John street,-6ut,
Overlapping the boundaries OF the lower
wards, it ls spreading up and along the
avenues, and bringing under It's Influences
thousands and thousands, hitherto insensibIe
to everything like spiritual impressions. In
shot, If all we hear be true, the "daily
PRAYER" meeting is come be a fixed instltu'
ton among US. People pray now who never
prayed before, and they who prayed before
pray now the more. This remarkable stir
ring up Of the religious senslbllities Of the
community is not limited to any particular
class.--but embraces within its grasp,-sO we
are told,-the rich III III and the poor man,-
the millionaire and the mechanic, the fash
ionable djwaser and the unpretcnding fac
tory girl,-the CAPITALIST, who lives IN a
palace, and The chiGomier who gets his living
Wy IL ANh.bS up y
the streets. The whole thing is a pleasing
phenomenon, and az agreeable relief 10 the
intense worldIiuess OF metropolitan life
Stimulated, as IT was, by the wreck and RUN
in the business world towards the close OF
the year,--it may DO looked upon as a peni-
tential recognition, not only that "uou
governs" but a sort of sackcIoth-and ashes
acknowledgment that it is better to seek tue
Lord" than to "hod riches"
There is nothing like misfortune, IN this
world. for sOttening The hearts of men, harden
ed a Ly long career Of worldly prosperity
Viewed 10 this light, then, we can afford to
come to the cJnciuslOa tnat the memorable re-
vulsion with which the year 1891 closed IN,
was a great blessing instead o.--as many OF
us wVrldIiugs thought 1t was-a great ahi T.
ton. 1t was one OF those evils from which we
are bound TO believe, good is coming. 1t the
banks had not supended specie payments-
if mercantile character and credit had not
experienced 50 many rude reverses-Te may
reasonably conclude that the moral regenera.
tiou-wbich these daily prayer meetings
show is going On in the heart OF this Nam
mou-worshipping abyloL-would never
have taken place. Let this reflection re
/ GJUCll u " III llhC III ''ei
meanwhile, let the struggle thus valIantiy
begun with the World go on. LIT Us have
such a religious revival all round rs We never
had before, and Satan must eventually sue
cumb. This is a terribly wicked city at best.
and the most righteous among Us have mucn
to repent Of, II but remembering that the
prayers of the righteous avalleth much" let
there be neither u~alting in nor retreat from
the good work DOW SO enthusiastically IN
progress. Let the prayer.meetlngs 90 o.
Daniel prayed three times u day: let US see
IT we cannot fnd tune to pray at least once.
But have a care hat il is not over-1One. ID
not push il into q mere animal excitement.
Let it be something better and mjre lasting
than a spasm. Especially, let good deeds De
It's fruits, aud the moral reformation Of the
individual man, az much as may be, It's im-
mediate ohject.-N. !. Express.