Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-02-26
Religious Intelligence.

to be on the increase. The Independent
of this week says:
"In looking over our religious ex-
changes we have found mention, within
the last few weeks, of an unusual num-
Der of revivals of religion taking place
in all parts of the country. Every re-
lisious paper that comes to us from New
England, whether Baptist, Methodist or
Congregational, contains among its local
intelligence the cheering tidings of the
presence of the Spirit of God in the
churches. From the West, also, we re-
ceive similar news, and in some of the
Methodist papers from the South. We
believe that to an unusual degree a re-
ligious interest is pervading cur large
cities. In New York, Brooklyn, Newark
and vicinity, prayer meetings, TO which
all classes of persons are invited, are
crowded even at unusual hours of the
day, and from these rs a cenire, great
influence Is going abroad in all directions.
We look, with many others, for speedy
general religious awakening; and if the
efforts and the faith of those that wish
and pray for it are strong enough, it will
not long delay its coming"
The Puritan Recorder of this city
says " We remember no season within
the eighteen years that we have been
connected with the press, when papers of
various denominations exhibited so much
evidence of the reviving presence and
power OF the Holy Spirit in the churches,
as at the present time" The New York
Eraminer sums up the result of revi-
walls, ascertaincd from its correspondents
and exchanges for the last five weeks, a.
over twenty thousand conversions. which
is exclusive of the large numbers not
specified, and other large numbers not
publicly mentioned at all.
Thursday of next week is the day
usually set apart as day of prayer for
the blessing of God upon the colleges aid
other institutions of learning in our land.
Of late years this meeting in this city
has been but thihly attended. In former
years these concerts of prayer have been
followed by signal manifestations of the
spirit and power Of God in many of the
colleges throughout the country.
The Trumpet (UniverSali>t announces
the conversion of two Baptist CLERGY
men-Rev. Richard Thayer and Rev.
Thomas Walton OF Orleans-to the Uni
versali<t belief
No event of late years has occaSioned
more discussion among the religious
newspapers than the reports growing out
Of the refusal of an Ecclesiastical Coun.
Gil to ordain a young man as an Evan
gelist at North Woburn. The report.
were that the Council refused to orlair
him because he did not believe in til,
doctrine of infant damnarion. Although
the report was emphatically denied by
members of the Council, the conductor
of many of the religious papers, particu
larIy Of the Unitarian and Uniyersalis
denominations, have improved the op
, portunity to charge the belief of tn,
doctrine upon the Orthodox Churches O
J the past and present time, and to en-
] deavor to fortify their charges by Ion;
columns of arguments from their owl
} minds, and by liberal quotations from
! Calvin and other Orthodox writers. o.
the other hand the Orthodox papers ar
regulating the charge that the churche
) which they represent entertain the doc
trine. The CongyegationaGst of thi
D week sums up five column article i
, reply TO the charges alluded to in the fol
loving language. 1t says:
- We do not deny that infant damna
ton was once the Orthodox doctrine {
0 the church-before the day Of Calvin
D We do not deny that Calvin himself h.
lieyed that some infants might be nor
a elect and lost. We 90 not deny tn
U some Calvini>tic writers of eminencr
since his day, have held and taught III;
the children Of unbelieverS and heathe
might be reprobaed OF CID. Bot W
do affirm that Calvin struck the deaf
blow to the old dogma Of infant damn;
ton, wien he demolished the doctrine
baptlsmal regeneration, on which it res
ed. We do affirm that Calvin, in so d.
ing, did more than any other man
/ bring Iout the present universal dish
=, lief of that dogma. We do affirm tIri
our Puritan Fathers, and the R~forme
1t churches generally did not hold il-mair
81 tanning silence on its main position, Al
leaving heather infants 10 the wiSe Al
-. mrrciful discretion OF God. We do a
firm that the New England Digines-
y IN the establishment OF their doctrine
d. the necessarily voluntary character
&c sin->wrpt away the last stone of su
II port from beneath il. and left il amor
the effete errors Of tile past. We {
a.iirm that for the last two generation
~ New England, The doctrine has b.,
FdI-H.,.ffAt.1 ..I =