The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-03-26

for Northern bellies ana perhaps helps build
Northern churches, where abolition Is furiously
preached
Ii any siuy Southern paper gets up ridicu-
lous story about the landing Of slaves in the
South, our Northern papers are in arms about
it directly; but they have very little to say
about our Northern operations with the coast of
Africa which seem to keep the several squad
rons busy.
The Present AApeot OF tho Religious Re-
vivals.
The American people, more than those of
any other except the French, are peculiarly liza
BILE to be carried away by sudden furriss of
Observation-Disclosures, political financial and
otherwise. Like the dogs, they all have their
day, and are heard Of NO more. The present
aspect of the religious rcvivals in this city and
throughout the country leads us to the conciu-
zion that the excitement is one Of those mental
squalls which may turn out to be the precur-
SOL Of great storm, but which Is more likely
to be merely momentary, and not at all effec
tive. There ore in the city at present some
twenty daily prayer meetings Those which
are the fullest are nj the Dutch church in Full
ton street and at Burton's old theatre in Cham
bers street The attendance at al, of them ave-
RACES about two hundred and fifty each per diem,
which would make gross daily attendance ofsix
thousand. From the statistics Of the theatres,
it seems that upwards Of fourteen thousand per-
sons attend them on every night so that it would
seem that Satan still has the majority over the
churches. The fact is, that Satan never rests,
while our religious sentinels sometimes sleep
at their posts In the country the revival
if it really is one-has but just COM
menced, and the number of conversions
rather diminishes than increases. And
this in spite Of all the wonderful conversions
that are trumpeted every day through the
press. The drumming up and forcing of re
cruils is carried on vigorously. Almost every
private residence in town has been cxnvassed
by the Jealous reyivalsts; but still the good
work seems to flag. Neither has the religious
revival, 20 far as it has pervaded the public
mind, created any marked change in the man
ners or the morals Of the people. The murder
calendar for next month opens heavily. Within
ten days we have to record as many homcides
The principal avenue in the city is blocked up
for half an hour by the crowd gathered to sec a
fight between two bullies; while their friends,
with pistols drawn, form guard about them to
keep Of the police, who, as usual, did not APP
pear till the riot WAS over and the participants
snugly ensconced in their favoritc grog shops.
The police courts are crowded every day with
thieves and shoulder hitters- The knife and
pistol of the street bully arc superior to the law
Of the land.
II is quite evident, from this state Of things,
that the reyivalists have not, 80 far. brought
to grace those persons who need 1t
most. They have captured few clerks,
q broken down stock broker or two,
a rcpcntant pugiiist, and so on, but they have
not yet succeeded in awakening the majority of
the public to a sense Of its sinful condition.
They have twenty-threc churches open out Of
three hundred and ON attendance Of six thousand
persons daily, not equal to the quarter Part Of
the floating population Of the city. 1t is
matter of doubt, also in the minds Of many sim
cercly pious people, whether or not this zeal for
proselytes may not be carried too far; they
doubt the propriely OF administering religion rs
the doctors give blue pills-of pouring prayers
and exhortations down mans throat and then
shaking him up and corking him tight with
HYMN book Such excitements have often re-
suited in incursbie insanity, and are always ex-
cecdingly dangerous to persons Of morbidy sem
silive temperament. If Awful Gardner and
other men Of his class have been converted, il is
good thing, and it is to be hoped that they
will preach peace, good will TO men" among all
their corjrires; but We are expressly warned In
the New Testament to beware Of the Pharisecs
who make long prayers in the market places
and on the corners Of the streets, and there is
good deal of this spirit exhibited in the prayer
meetings now being held here. The elect pray
for the wicked (mcaning people who do not
agree with them) from perfectly Pharisaical
point Of view, and bully them into receiving
the doctrines which the preachers inculcate.
II may reasonably be doubted whether or not
such conversions can bedepnded upon. Already
we hear Of backslidcrs and when We become
again involved in the full whirl OF business, the
hun a trade will drown the voice Of the shep-
herd xhile the tender lambs will DC driving as
sharp bargains with each other as ever before.
Tho revival sprung up during the dull times;
such il the perverseuess Of this generation that
its duration may depend entirely upon the Hue
iuations Of trade, finance and commerce. Men
-arc rarely pious when they have a good bank
account, nor do they 20 TO prayer meetings
when by staying away they can sell heavy
bill f goods.
How CRNE PRoSrERS.--We mentioned the
other day that Governor King had commuicd