St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-03-21
Revivals Of Religion.
NIN1SoER CRY, MIMI, |
March IL, 1861. +

Mas. JANE g. Sw1ssHrLM-Madan. :
y y Till perused the article ia
your last issue, headed "Revivals of Reli-
gion," did not know, that like myself,
you hailed from the "Laud Of Cakes"
Do you not appear to forget in that ar
t'cle, that "strong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age, even those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised
to discern both good and evil" Fresh
proselytes cannot be expected to eat ,oood,
although see by your special notices in
recent issues it appears to be the staff Of
life to the Edtr. of the DEMOCRAT. There
is, us the wise man says, "a time for every
thing" and for babes We know that milk
is the best diet.
You say that you have been, and intend
to continue to be. a prosecutor of the saints.
Now one would be almost inclined to sup
pose that you must have penned that part
OF your article after rather hearty meal
on oak, hickory, Or sorae other indisestible
commodity, otherwise you would most likely
nave bee" ratfer more inclined to let your
moderat'ca be known unto all men, and prob
ably would have said the lIind Of STUNTS
WHO say "God I thank thee that lam not
as so, and So" And not lead any one to
infer that you meant those who are EARNED
with the same mind which was in Christ
Jesus" Quite coincide with your views
on forced revivals. Among other reviyals
in Scotland was present at one in the
town Of Kilsyth of which you may have
heard-the abundant good fruits of which
proved its gcnuineness. There was no at
tempt made there to hustle excited people
into church membership, but, as you say,
in all cases persons had to apply for ad-
mission and be examined by the Elders Of
the church of "thelr knowledge to discern
the Lords body, &c." 1t is rot the Gus
tom there for persons to be drummed up
to expatiate unedifyingly on their own
sensations at meetings for prayer, while in
Minnesota l have not only seen this, but
baye seen them drilled like new recruits
and almost forced to stand up, quick time.
one after another to "witness for Christ"
"a IT, was ballad T ho,o roror .oon - Co,.oh
person led by the nose in this way, however
l agree with you that I would as soon have
circus in town as church got up in
this way. No doubt the most strenuous
exerticns ought to be made to get the pco-
pie to attend where the gospel is preached,
but that is altogether different affair from.
as you say, dragging people into "church
communion" have also, like you, seen
and heard in this State what never rec
ollect Of seeing { because it would not be
tolerated. in New York, London or Scot
land, ministers preaching themselves by
dilating SO long upon their own supposed
conversions and animadverting about the
styles and the dress of other ministers
and other modifying matters instead of
preaching Christ. Probably they forget
and ought to charitably take hint on
the error that there is no promise of the
slightest blessing upon preaching about
|
themselvcs, or other ministers, ( the best
of whom readily admit they are imperfect J
or anything but Jesus Christ and him
cruci6ed, otherwise they would surely not
lose time and "grieve the Holy Spirit" as
they do.--Doubtless you must have MOTTO
ed, however, that We have here in Mime
sofa great number of what would, in
Scotland or anywhere else, be recognized
as most faithful preachers Of the gospel
and who appear to recollect that our Sa-
viour said, "He ( the Holy Spirit } shall
testify Of me-" but who are not, however,
FIR the time being so generally appreciated
as the would be smart men who depart
from their marching orders.
l may occasion]y send you some Scotch
religious papers as I infer from some o:
your articles that you like the old land
lnarks-you will there find extracts from
the writings of DR.. Chalmers ( of whnse
Church my father was an Elder) Erskine,
Guthrie, McCheyre, Bonar and others.
Hoping that your paper may increase in
exerting a good influence and when need.
full boldly come out for the faith once de.
livercd to the saints, remain
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