New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-15
NemNork Dailp Gribn,re
THE RELIGIOUS REVIVAL.

REVEALS: THE TRUE AND TIE FALSE.
The Rev b. PETERS Of the Fourth street Unver-
saIist Church, Wilhamsburgh, preached yesterday
morning on the subject Of "Rsvivals: The True and
the False" His text was selected from Hesea, XIV,
A..
II will heal their beckslidng, / will love them
"freely: for mine anger ia turned away from hun.
will be az the dew unto Israel; he shall grow az inc
"Ily ard cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His
branches sba spread and his beauty shall be az Inc
" olive tree, and bis smell as Lebanon. They that
dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall re-
vive as the corn and grow as the vine; the scent
~ thereof shall be the wine OF Lebanon II
YOU are accustomed to read the daily papers you will
have seen during the past few weeks thai there Is
some stir at the present time IN the regous coWmu-
pity: not merely sectional excitement, but move
mont national in its extent, and embracing nearly
every religious denomination in its operation.
That such Movement may be a healthy Indication of
religious progress | don't take upon myself TO deny.
Yet we must remember that our past experience OF
such excitemens popularity entitled religious revivas,
sre az frequently injurious az beneficial Such re-
vivas prevailed in State some years ago. under
such men az John Motif, Burchard Knapp and
others, have been invariably injurious. These re-
vivas are generally got by rule; the plans are all laid
beforehand by certain leaders, the campaign agreed
upon, and then 1.-THE wires are pulled, Just as poit
clans get up their party excitements. The revivas
which grew out Of the Millerte excitement were gen.
eray pespicious in their effects. A great cause Of
such excitements is found in savish fears. Wherever
fear enters into revival such revival we shai always
regard az very suspicious and shall all be looking for
ward for the sad results which inevitably flow from
it, II generally the very worst class OF society that
are wrought upon by such motives as fear those who
have no fear OF God and no belief IN regon-who, at
such times 90 to church to seof, but, being in the
midst Of strong excitement, become excited In turn,
and fancy that they have got religion; but the flush
soon passes away and they become worse than before
TIE sOundest conversion is that which Is based upon
of and dpliy Tor
life. | believe that there Is n need of warning our
backsliders-a need Of general and individual
awakening to religious truth; and where such an
awakening really takes place in the heart OF any In
diyidual It's true revival and when such influences
spread through congregations aud communities, then
they indicate such revival a. that spoken of by the
prophet 1t must be admitted that the present revival
Il got UP somewhat different from those of which We
have been speaking, nasmuch as 1t is, for the most
part, nOn-sectaiian movement. The preacher then
went ON to show that this revival grew
out of the sense of dependence which the late
financial revulsiOn had brought home to the
understandings of most men; the total stagnatlon
tf trade had made the merchant and mechanic alike
sensible Of their and had TUNED u, S tnem
God. 1t had also given men more time to attend TO
the of their souls. There was no gansaying
the fact that the nation was fast sinking INTO the
depths of Materiasm ere the revival began; ana the
men in high plsces-u the halls OF legislation, the
rulers and Judges of the pcople-were corrupt and
sinful beyond belief. If ever there was nation
which needed thorough religious awakening TINS
surely did. 1t time the nation went down on Its
knees before God. From this revival, he had come
hopes of good still he could not forget how prone we
IN times of prosperity to forget the uSes OF I'D
versty. II was a generally acknowledged fact thai
wherever men acted through fear, or any strong ex
element the effect generally passed away with the
cause Hence lie led to fear that as soon as bust
revived and men felt Their temporal ioundauon
once more firm, they would relapse into their old
spiritual apathy In conclusion, Mr. Peters urged hi
congregation, If they would naugufate revival in
their church which would be deep and lasting In IT.
effects, to cultivate better spirit toward each other
ard thus work out q more perfect love.