The Washington union., 1858-03-14
coArILED roe THE WASHINGTON UNION

day morning column of religious ntellgen gathered
from journals especially devoted TO sacred matters, to-
day compile notices OF the extraordinary religious
ehoncied by the secular press Our exchange pa
pers from all sections TEEN with accounts of revvals Of
religion in the Methodist Baptist Dutch Reformed and
Pesby churches aud in these accounts find ev
dence Of the spread Of deep devotional feeling amount
ing in places almost to socia revolution Neither
is this movement remarkable for its extent and
affected by il Men whose past lives have been careers
of crime who have been without the pale Of any
church. foremost among the 1t is also
remarkable that while the redeemed have been of this
rreigous class the attraction of them the truth Of
the Gospel has been generally speaing results
of clerical labor The clergy appear indeed to have
been amazed by the strange conversions which they have
witnessed, Of them almost miraculous, and il has
reused many them faithful aud conscientious
discharge of their duties but il is the laymen who have
tlken the lead in the movement often dragging both
churches and clergymen after them.
Man tsays a writer who takes very sensible view of
this natter is naturally religious being This is the
supreruely ruling principle of his nature Hence periods
of skeptcis always followed by reaction and may
safely be said that there was, and will be-
any nation considerable body OF men who for long
pcrioIs neglected the due cultivation of the religious
element their natures but what after time experienced
eactiye energy and violence Of impetuos,y exactly in
proportion to the previous neglect Let any read the
history the Ja,senists among the French Roman Cath
ocs in the reign Louis XIV the extraordinary
of the preaching OF Wesley and Whitfield in England
and Of Jonathan Edwards in this country and spugeon
in London and he will that they all followed periods
of codness and skeptcsm among the classes where they
produced the greatest effects in which the devo
tonsl elements heart had lsl uncultirated by
| the community generally.
The apparent beginning Of this grea, and prevail
ing revival OF religion be traced TO the opening OF
a mems MONDAY prayer meeting At a Hnfth Ia New
York. This took .',ss5o during the height of the late
hnanc'a CRISIS This meeting was near the very
centre OF business in that city II was confined to no
s%at D,t open all Ii presented spot where the
harrassed and wcared mind might taku a momeutary
refuge from the tunult and the strife cf wfAt erges
and give brief specr e prayer and serious meditation.
There wts no excitement urgent appeal to the feeling
no eloquent narrowing denunciations but
the silent work of serious conviction the feeling of hui
weakness. the realization the necessity Of higher
support than mans feeble powers and resolves and as
the fruit thereof there doubtes. often the conslinc
assurance OF having found IT, This religious feeling
grew, spread and incisai 4 cg ut AS il were almost
like tohtagion. The restorative process commenced
where 1T most needed in the very centre OF crrup
on and hss thence extended its influence over the states
and cities almost of the whole continent
Portland, Ne.-A correspondent writes us from this
place " Religious prospects frightening in Portland
morning prayer meeting in The Free Street baptist
vesry, crowded TIRE first week, expands into thre, the
second week. at different hours DR. Dwight and Mr.
Moores weekly preaching service is also commenced
at High street. for different pastors DR. Chckeripg and
ms crowded yestry assembly, Sabbath evening last
were electrified by an address from lawyer who had till
lately been worldly and skep:iel but on faky avows
new purposes ard the joyful assurance that he
| has fulii,d the Saviour
Aei0 Hampshire 1T is stated that reyivals in religion
are IN progress IN Hampton hampton Falls Greenland
h9s, for'smou'h PAD other places of New Hampshire
-, ~ e 'se .nuled place persons admitted to
" different churches last sabbath than had been
known before.
Massachusetts Daily prayer meetings are held at several
churches IA Boston and Lowell Haverhll Newbury
port, Worcester, Springfield aud other placcs Some OF
these business mems prayer meetings. into which
those engaged in business go for ten fifteen minutes
''lhc people come to them doves to their windows -
and the churches receiving large accssions their
numbers. Ncwburyport correspondent states as "a
gratifying fact that quite proportion Of the new con-
verts young men, and that the change in life has
radical and thorough So wonderful revival as iears
numbers, has never been known in this section Its in
uence felt In every department Of life and the Of
society has materially changed In business well
in pleasure cannot fail in detecting the wholesome
atmosphere which has grown out of the interest And
what gratifying the work continues undated In
za though no, daily bringing out many numbers "
Rhode hlaad The woonsocket Patriot saws The
religious interest in this and the neghborng villages and
towns continues unahated Several persons are to be
baptized by Rev Mr. Breed of the Baptist church in
this village, next communion day In North Uxbridge
several conversions announced and quite a number
at Whitinsville correspondent informs OF rev-
val ut Thompson, seventy five conversions at Woodstock
seventy Mt Pomfrct and thirty at Putnam Similar re-
| ports come from all parts cf the country"
! CbHncicla, The Religious Herald, Of Hartford Con
necticut, says " There has been than usual rei
gious interest in nearly all of the evangelical churches in
this city for weeks past In the Pearl Street Church
there has been union rayermceting OF the young
held every Tuesday, Thursday and saturday evening
since the first of January, and the interest has become
/ general. Afternoon prayer meetings were commenced
this week, and are held at half past four O'Clock
every day, for all who desire pray for the influences of
\ the Spirt The New London Daily Chronicle says
An extensive revival has been in progress among the
churches of this city for time past and is going
without apparent abatement OF the interest mani
tested large number have experienced conversion,
and numerous acoons have been made to the churches
of various denominations, The Hspsts and Methodists
especially have made large additions TO their numbers
New York lin the city, according the Express the
awakening has continued fur several weeks and the
sphere OF its influence is becoming wider every day The
numerous PRAYER meetings all crowded and the
ber Of additions 10 the churches h eckoncd by hundreds
every Sunday Among the ''reyivnlists in the Metho-
dist church Is society OF members which from its
tinuaIly changing field has been chrseued the Flying
Artillery sunday the artillery opened their batteries
in the Norfolk Street Methodist church. the morning
ternoon, and evening s-rvicss being passed entirely in
exhortation and prayer The church crowded
utmost all the available space either for sitting or
standing, being occupied The artillery force consisted
OF between 30 and 40 mostly OF middle aged persons who
took their pasfT within the altar Among them Al
dcrrnan Wesley smith, whose conversion has been recently
announced Mr.. samuel HsIstcad who led in the SCI.
vices OF the afternoon then read the requests of