American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-04-15
CITY OF LANCASTER:
'huT sdny Morning, April 5,ls5s
From the Cincinnati Daily Times.
Abstract Ofa Sermon, on the Present 'Gen-
eral Reviyals,'
DELIVERED on SUNDAY, APRIL
4th INST, ~ THE NEW JERU-
SALEM TEMPLE. ClNCIN>
NATI, BY REV. CHAUN-
CY GILES.

The Burden Of Dumah-He call0th to me out of
Seir, Watchman what of the nightf The Waterman
anid the morning cometh, and also the night IT ye
will inquire, inquire ye; Return, Come.-lsAiAH
KILL, l2.
It may he as well, Mr.. E;ltor. to note
the fact, by way Of preface, that the pres.
ent excitement in regard to religious mat
ters, is confined to what is called the or
thodox or Evangelical churches, while all
others seem to bt excluded from the bene-
fits of this special outpouring Of GOd'sSpir-
it, if such be its real character. Roman
Catholics, Friends, Universalsts, Unitar-
iaus, with others. probably, that claim to
be christian churches, have no lot or part
in this immediate and direct manifestation
of the mercy and power of God. We are
told in the Word, nevertheless, that our
Father in Heaven is Interchangeable, the
same yesterday, o,day, and forever; that
he is no respector Of persons, and that His
rain anI His Sun shine, fall alike upon the
Just and unjust.
Within my own Recollection, however,
these revivals were once almost wholly, if
not entirely, confined to Methodist meet.
ings, while the respectable and formal
Churchman, and the grave metaphysical
Presbyterian looked upon them as emotion.
al excesses, unchastened by Intellectual
culture, and not based upon we'll establish :
ed principles, which could not then be in
cluded in the category Of Methodism.
l will say further, introductorily. that
the abstract given below, comes from
church claiming 10 Lave new dispense
ton Of Divine Truth. in advance Of rather
than distinct from, that Of the Christian
Church, as the Christian dispensation was
and is in advance Of and distinct from, the
Israelitish Church. and emphaticaliy de
claims a secsarian character, in connecti1 u
with what il calls 'coasummated church
which has had its morning, moon. and now
its night.
Mr.. lilies commenced by saying tia
we live in a remarkable age, humanity be
ing moved to and fro by mighty forces O
the most opposite characters. Old meth
ods Of operation nave been changed ant
duickened, in the arts, in the agricultur
in iuance, and in politics producing result
more stupendous and more densely crowd
ed into, time and history his elsewhere re
corded. No effect can be without an ade
quate cause; what then has produced wit
10 the present century, such unusual &C
tivities, such vibrations from extre ne
extreme, especially in those more sensi
tive and flexible departments Ct huma
thought and action.
There is heat and cold, winter and sui
mer, in hurried succession. Within
year society passes from prosperity to at
versity in its financial operations, and the
as by aleap, rebounds from its depression
The Church from deadness Of spiri
ual winter, rushes into the burning an
passionate activities of summer. boundir
iu moment'from the artic to the torr
zone. A few months ago, our ctize
worshipped with oriental devotion in a,
around abe temples OF Mamou, or gather
in multitudes about their closed doors, b
waiting the prostatiou Of their idol. No
with almost equal frenzy and eagerness, '
find them daiIyin the churches, prayi
dsspairiug, hoping. rejoicing; then blac
ness gathered upon all faces, thousau
were ruined, and panic became ty.wO
now, the same terror is exhibited Of spir
nal failure aud eternal bankruptcy. A &
weeks ago. aiarge and respectable body
Christians in cur city bewailed the tori
state Of the Church, now many believe
Millennium is nigh, &C., go.
These rapid changes and antagousms
society express the operation of some Ut
usal power upon humanity. It sho
that principles oi opposite characters
contending in the arena Of natural life
Are they indicstions Of brighter day,
ofthe coming night? To me, said