St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-03-21
IF that Scotch t'revivap' of which he

IF that Scotch ''revivap' of which he
speaks, answered to his idea of it, it was
no revival but a reformation. He might
a. we'll call John Knox a great revivalist,
IS to designate any unusual growth in
grace and acknowledge Of the Lord" as a
revival. Revivals do not pretend to teach
the way of life, through any enlargement Of
the understauding-through any increase
of knowledge as to their relative duties to
God and man. The knowledge of the new
converts is not subject of inquiry. It'll
simply their feelings. "Well brother how
do you Jeels" is compound of the whole
matter; and if the brother should feel
like-should feel like, should "feel like
shouting glory" the thing has arrived at
the acme of perfection. All that il then
to be done is to keep tie feelings lust 50,
and the TRIUMPH of his case is complete.
No kind Of occasion that he should be
better man or more useful c;tizen-no
particular reason that he should have anv
biblical or other knowledge. He need 1t
stop cheating unless it suits him. All he
has got to do is to let his cheating, pray
ing and feeling good, bear just proper
ton to each other It he cheats more than
formerly. he must pray more and feel bet
ter and better. We never saw this better
illustrated than in the case of young girl
who got religion under Mafit. Her faith
er was retired Methodist preacher; but
objected to her attending meetings.
They were our ncighbors and he discover
cd that our opinions had some Influence
over Lizzy; and one day he came to us
in great perplexity, saying he did not
know what to do. He and her mother
had lost all control over Lizzy, and could
not keep her away from Mafit; AMI fear
cd the very worst. No one had any influ-
ence over her but us; and if We would
take her into our family he would legally
transfer all his authority as guardian, and
put her under our control. We consented
to take her, but declined the indentures.
These however he had drawn up in full
form and brought them to us, when we
handed them to her. We saw the child
was in serious danger, and endeavored by
kindness, confidence and reason to bring
her right. We had no trouble in re-
straining her church going to suitable
hours and in suitable company; and by
trying to induce her to read one chapter
in the Testament every day, we hoped to
give her religious fervor a turn in the d.
rection of solemnity, and awaken something
like reason. 1t was coming near the time
for her first communion. We talked with
her quietly and kindly, to induce her to
read the Scriptural account of the iustitu.
ton and objects of the Lords Supper
told her she should reflect, and know if
she felt in her heart that the dying COM
man6 of the Saviour, ''Do this in remem-
brance of me" was specially addressed to
her; and if she wished to comply with His
command, or was led by desire to go
with the others. While we talked she
suddenly dropped her hands in her lap,
and sat the image Of hopelessness, then
speaking like one in dream she said:
"Well, Mrs. S., I do not believe any
one could live in the house with you and
keep their religion. If Brother Mafit was
in the house with you he would lose his
religion in two weeks"
"Why, you poor child" VIC replied, "it
would never take me two whole weeks to
take the whitewash off Brother Mafit.-
He is painted sepu.cher and whited
wall, full of rottenness and dead mems
bones. | would undertake to scour bi n
down to the old crumbling brick, inside
Of one week, so that even you could see
him as he is. But Lizzy, if your religion
and his was the genuine article, the more
l should scour it the brighter it would
shine. True religion is pure gold and is
indestructlble."
This was in Kentucky, and is a fair
specimen of all the revivals of religion we
have ever seen anywhere. Nothing so
dispels the hallucination as little whole
some, biblical instruction. 1t acts like
wet sheets on fever. Lizzy got over her
disease and the last we heard from her
father, was likely to make good woman.