Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-03-16
Religious Intelligence.


During the present religious revival in
Cincinnati, over 2000 converts have joined
the churches.
Rev. DR. w. G. Prime, writing from
India, closes one Of his letters to the Ob-
ssrrer in these hearty and welcome words
As | look back upon my own beloved land
from these ends Of the earth, and from the
midst Of the heathenism Of this and other
lands which have been visiting, the points
Of difference between many Of the people o.
God seem very small, and the points on which
all agree, who are one in Christ, appear so
much more important that | only wonder that
the process of union is not going on more
rapidly. May God hasten it, in his grace
for the sake Of our perishing world.
DR. Bellows insists that Mr.. Beecher is
a Unitarian and the latter returns the COM
pliment by affirming that DR.. Bellows is or
thodox. At the recent meeting of the Hud-
son River Unitarian conference, Dr. Bellows
said "Beechor may say what he will-the
general tone Of his preaching does not differ
materially from what we wish TO promulgate
| want no better Unitarian than he is. The
orthodox preaching to-day is SO great an inn
provement on what it used to be, that much
labor is taken out Of our hands, To which
Mr. Beecher's organ, the Christian Union,
replies that in thus speaking, DIR. Bellows
comes over to the Orthodox ground, and he
must allow us TO rejoice over this new testi.
mony to the power of truth upon the human
soul. But he ought TO shake of bad COM
pany."
The Pope aud his Jesuits are caucusing
vigorously for their inialibility dogma, but
do not make much headway Of late. Only
two of the American bishops had signed the
address in its favor, at last accounts, but most
of them are known to favor it. The amiabc
old Pope, himself Jesuit, says, " Before
was Pope | believed in his intalibility-now
| feel it." Plenty Of folks in Rome as well
as here and in France, are hoping that the
scheme will succeed, because, they say it will
"put Peter in the pilory,' meaning that il
will bring Rome to grief. Some new ordeu
have lately been drawn up to check discussion
in the council and these are declared to b,
fatty contradictory to the precedents Of tn,
council Of Trent. But that does not troubl,
a man who believes himself inlallible. {
Religion how many blasphemies are com
mitted in thy name.
George w. Bungay gives the iollowin.
hint to visitors of Sabbath schools. Severa
months ago | visited one Of the mission school
of New York, when a visitor was called upol
to open the Sunday school service with prayer
There were present about two hundred child
rem, many Of them under seven years Of age
They were all requested to stand erect will
folded arms and closed eyes during the prayer
After taking his attitude aud clearing hi
throat, which seemed unused to the passag
Of prayers for the little ones, the visitor com
menced, aud he prayed for foreign and dome-
tic missions, for the heather abroad and III
heather at home for reforms and revival,
for showers Of grace upon pastors and p9opl
in the West and in the East, for educational in
situations, and for legislative bodies BY thi
time the children became tired and sleepy
Some dropped their arms, but raised thcr
again when they saw their superintendent
whose eyes like two bullets threatened {
shoot them on the spot if they did not " shou
der-arms." In the meantime the prayer flow
cd ON and on like an interminable stream
The poor little boys and girls anxious I
please their teachers, tried hard to keep o
their feet and to keep their eyes closed, br
the man who plead for mercy had no mere
for them. He prayed and prayed and prayed
and his young auditors winked and blinked i
their efforts to keep their eyes closely shu
and they leaned from side to side and lifte
first the most tired foot and then the othe
as chickens do when the ground is coverc
with snow. The cold words of the speakt
fell like fakes of snow from the frozen Lip
Of statue. Finally he stopped, after pral
ing three-quarters Of an hour. Did thu
prayer benefit those children2 Were plea.
ant thoughts and radiant hopes associate
with that prayer Would those children |
glad to have him lead them in prayer again
Did he not do an injury to their bodies by h
long, tedious and disconnected address to II
Deity2 Did he not trespass upon their p
tience2 Was not his prayer a positive inAi
tionl There is not prayer in the Bib
which cannot be repeated in five minute
Long, cold, hoartloss, incoherent prayers in
Sunday school are a source Of pain and i
jury to all who hear them