Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-04-05

the first grand religious revival inaug-
urated under peaceful auspices.
Then after centuries of corruption
and attempted change, after ecclesias-
tical power and its resistance had
long alternated but always to the vic
tory of the former, because sustained |
by the civil arm, came forth the Revi- |
val, in the Reformation Under Luther.
This, as all know, was at first quiet,
peaceful and scriptural. But as prince
ly devOtees and papal legates banded
together against the religously arous-
ed people and their spiritual leaders,
the evil passions of weak humanity.
prevailed over a yet weaker faith and
love, till the blood of battle ran on
both sides, and men like Zuinglius,
exchanging the Bible for the sword in
their right hands, fell contending
against their religious foes. This
therefore was a revival but partially
OF peace, beginning therein and end
ing with war
Through the following centuries
that antagonistic spirit was religious
ly kept awake and strong, not only
10y the conflicts of different nations,
but by such wars as those of the Gov
enanters, and such martyrdOms as
those of the inquiSition or Of Smith
field.
Under Whitefeld and the WeSleyS,
the religious movements of their age,
may only be regarded as peaceful, al
though these were embittered by per-
secutions On one side and controver.
sizes on the other which enlisted those
malign passions that before were de-
veIoped in warlike force.
However, this religious movement
more nearly than any preceding one,
reSembled that Of primitive and pen
tecostal times. The same mysterious,
and as it IS claimed supernatural in-
huence prevailed. principally among
the lower classes, the so-called mas
ses. bu: not by any means confined
to them, for a few noble and mighty
ones like lady Huntingdon were call
ed.
1t was in this revival, and its coun-
terpart under Edwards and the Ten
nents in our land, that those physical
manifestations began first to appear
such as had been hitherto only knowD
in the retirement of the clositer or
monastery. These have been mani
tested more or less in every great re-
ligious movement in our land, where
muItitudes have been crowded to-
getbcrin churches or on camp-grounds.
To-day they appear a puzzle to both
skeptic and believer, among either the
spiritual ecclesiastics or to the philos-
ophic laics. The sudden faintings or
commissions, the rigiditieS and cold
nes5es of the trance, the visions and
apparitions beheld, the contortions
and jerkings of the frame, which all
have occurred more or less during
these reviYals, have been ascribed by
some to the power Of Gods spirit aud
by others to the subtitle forces of mag
netism or mesmerism and their kin
drcd mysteries. or to some Satanic
agency. Admit now, what the bold
est skepticism aud the keenest philos-
ply cannot explain, however much
they may deny that there is a secret,
mysterious influence at work in these
reyivals, marvclously resembling the
supernatural such as their subjects
aud advocates ascribe to the Spirit of
God. Is it necessary to receive as
the genuine and legitimate effects Of
that Spirit all these strange and re-
pulsiye phenomena? We may agree
with the calm and philosophical Ed
wards, whose pre-eminently spiritual
wife was subject to such effects, that
the power of truth poured into the
mind and enforced on the conscience
may overcome not only a weak but
the strongest frame, may elicit strong
crylngs and tears, may stimulate to
marvellous gesticuIations, but all these
may be the occasional and incidental
results growing out of the weakness,
the want Of control and the ignorance
OF those who at first may have been
touched by a truly divine influence
7 The eXcrescencies and parasites Of
the oak are not lis legitimate offspring.
The chips and straws in the counter
eddies OF Niagara are not born of its
cataract, The carcas5es and ship
wrecks on the ocean crests or shores
are not the children of its life. They
are the fearful effects, the unavoidable
evils of its reSistless power. So all
these physical phenomena of revivals
from the cold swoon to the wild jerk
are not "born Of the Spirit" they
are only the PROSTATE condition of
helpless humanity under the mighty
whirlwind-rush of Gods celestial
breath.
Doubtless many of these phenome-
ma are the result Of sympathetic ex-
citement. of assOciationaI influences,
spontaneously and uncOn8ciously ex-
erted by eloquent speakers appealing
to the fears and susceptibillties OF
men, by human vocies praying promis-
cuously and loudly or singing accord
, ingly. There may be something OF
magnetism and meSmerism in all this
/ doubtless there is;-possibly even
some deviIish agency. Yet after all,
, when We Sift down this mixed and
f heterogeneous material, when we test
; this mass, we always find some moral
reslduum, some pure modicum OF spir.
, itual life, which puzzles US unless we
admit that Gods Spirit has been here
, at work. Though but one-half or
only one-fifth Of all those thus power.
| fully worked upon exhibit a change
, from evil to good, and come forth in
J a newness of life, yet these constrain
; US to admit, even though it be reluct.
antly that there has been some won.
! der working power above and great
, cr than that of man.
, But why, it is asked, and we ask
. it of ourselves, why may or does not
that secret invisible influence work in
: individual aud isolated cases ? We
) know that it does, but then the in.
stances are so comparatively rare
that they seem exceptions to the gen
; eral order which appears to necessi
tate revivals. Even then we do not