Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-04-17

speeches are made exciting stories are told /;
fanatical prayers are put up part Of the
assembly seem beside themselves and out of
their minds; they say, "The Lord is u Chi
cago, and a great revival is going on there, y
-"The Lord is In Boston, and he has poured
out bis Spirit here, e,"-"Come to Christ, or
you will 60 to an eternal hell,"-"Come now,
for this night thy soul may be required OF
thee !" prayers are offered for particular per-
sons, and one minister is singled out as a
target which all the petitioners may riddle
one minister asks God to convert him if he
can, and if not, to remove him and let his
influence die with him another asks God to
60 into his study "this afternoon" and con-
found him, so that he shall not be able to
finish his sermon (Which was written FIVE
days before and to confound him in his pul.
pit so that he cannot preach, by putting a
hook into his jaws so that he cannot speak
another asks God to dissuade the people
from listening to this man, and to induce
them to leave that house and come up to fill
"ours." And all this is called religion.
With such prayers the preacher contrasted
those which are uttered by betrothed lovers,
either spoken or in their hearts, that their
love may be blessed by the mother for the
happiness of her children by the pbanthro-
pic men and women who seek to elevate their
race by blotting out the causes of social dis
tress; by the young man away from home,
who seeks to resist the temptations thrown
in his way All these are animated by the
true religious spirit.
In this city, at this day, we see that there
is sect which retains the Old Testament
there is the Roman Catholic which teaches
salvation by compliance with the ritual,
vnd the Trnitariar which teaches salvation
by baptism, and many others, still more
widely differing. All these sects believe in
| God, but how different are their Gods and
their religions-corn, the bread of life, strych-
nine, the poison Of death. BY some Of the
creeds God is variable, i'll. natured and re-
| vengeful--one who goes into minister's
study to put hook in his jaws. That is the
God Of the Park street Church. BY other
creeds he is the father and mother of US all,
Blessing all nations and kinds, sinner and
saint alike. Which religion is best-that
which will kill boy stone man, butcher
nations, cruelty prophet torture men for
opinions or that which will make better
men, husbands, friends, ministers, mechanics
better men in any form?
just now there is a revival Of religion
Tine newspapers are full of it. There are
crowds of men and women at the meetings
| and they cannot get enough Of preaching.
The poorer the article, the more they want of
it. Wonderful conversions are told of. The
innermost secrets Of the heart ore display ed
to the eyes of the gossiper and the pen of the
reporter. The whole thing has been skilful-
'y got up, aud with the greatest pains. 1t is
well known that ecclesiastical tutons in En-
gland and America decay. The number of
church members in America is about three
millions and quarter. There are thirteen
negro slaves increase and the church men,
bers do not. The number Of births increase
rapidly. The number Of baptisms fall off,
The belief in ecclesiastical authority is fading
Men begin to think that God is not so ugly
and develsh as ministers paint him. They
are applying their common sense TO religion,
as well as their business affairs. This state
OF things the ministers seek to change. They
canpot manufacture ecclesiastical doctrines
to suit the people, for the day when the best
talent sought the pulpit has passed. Now
there are hundred men III every congrega.
ton who are superior in talent. and learning
to their pastor, and can beat him in argument:
or reasoning. So the minister tries to scare
men into belief of his doctrine and member.
ship Of his Church.
Attempts ct revivais are no new thing
Two Winters ago the Unitariars tried and
got nothiug-only few spratS and minnows,
which ran out through the net before they
could be hauled into the fishing boat. 1t
was not an attempt to make bricks without
straw, bot with nothing else. AS we'll might
we expect to procure fire By friction of ice.
books as to expect revival among the Uni.
tarians. Nothing came of their attempt, and
their vanity in the beginning of the Winter
turned into vexation of spirit in the Spring.
There was another last year, but that was
unsuccessful.
Now the case is different. The great com.
rai, Il -. I
Men set themselves TO look after the poor,
then to prevent the expected increase Of crime
by the increase Of charity. Other men would
take the opportunity to make church men,
bers. So they set the revival machinery in
motion. That is as well known as McCor-
mick's reaper, and needs not to be described.
1t requires only spark in one place to set
fire to the whole country. If O regiment runs
the whole army will run. The meetings are
gathered in the same way as cattle shows and
musters are. 1t is advertised in the newspa-
pers thrt the Rev. Great Talk will preach on
such day, and placards are posted in the
streets. 1t is business operation, and re-
minds me of the placards of the clothing dea-
lers in North street, the Park street church
having become the Oak Hall of revivals.-
Men with full pockets were not to be scared
by talk about hell, but the panic in State
meeting houses. If the cholera or yellow fe-
yer, or smallpox, should break out, the revi.
walls would be greater than now.
Last year newspaper disgusted the pub
lie with the obscene details OF most unfor-
tuuate trial for indecent and impure conduct.
Now the same newspaper (s) are crowded
with gossip about the reviyals. The same
motive governed them in both cases lfthey
can turn penny, they care not where it
comes from, whether from revival or an
adulterary.
Some good will doubtless be done by this
movement. There are wicked men who are
only reused by fear, and some Of them will be
converted. Dread of hell is stronger than
fear Of the gallows. Some will desert their
evil ways and their crimes, and that is good
work. But it is only the men who do the
small vices who are converted. The doers
Of heavy wickedness are never converted M
til they are too old for anything except hypo-
crisy. Mr.. Polk and Henry Clay understood
that trick perfectly.
And, on tho contrary, much evil will be
done Learned and cultivated men will turn
with disgust faom the hideous form of Deity
presented to them, and will have no faith in
God or immortality. The actual atheist is
to-day cunninger than ever, and will intIench
himself in the church. There is no fortress
ooo;n., tha anlaeiaetinal artiliarv lilo a naw