The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-30
FoE THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
RECENT REVIVALs.

1t is worthy of note that in recent reyi-
walls, the Lord has been hOnoring himself in
his usual way, by employing agencies not
relied upon by men. He has been working
as he did during the last century when true
religion was almost extinct in the British
empire. At that time he did not use the
hierarchy that had been maintained in sll its
e. s-s.ss ..a sp,,sa1,s. IEs &c LOT send a
message to Lambeth palace, and direct the
Primate to issue circn, II to all his bishops
and inferior clergy, ordering general prayer.
Instead Of this he raised up few unlettered
itinerants-W White6eld, the Wesleys and
Otbers-and sent them forth to preach upon
the commons and along the highways; and
then when the whole country was moved, the
ecclesiastical dignitaries came forth, and be-
gan to ask, What is this Those of them
who we're true Christians re;Oiced over the
gork, bat they were followers and not lead
ers in it.
A short time ago, a well known man of
science, avowed himself an atheist, while de-
hveriug lecture in the city of Belfast. The
audience was brilliant One-the sensation
produced was great, good men were appalled,,
the faith of the weak was staggered. And
whom did the Lord raise up to meet this
Goliath of materialism Was the honor Of
vanquishing him granted to some Christian
champion clad in the armour of orthodox
sciencel No, the Almighty found himself
David, in the former clerk of a shoe-store,
who trained amid the Christian enterprises
of an American city, went over to the place
of conflict, and with his ungrammsticsl
speech, and his unelabOrste style, addressed
there an audience of twenty thousand per-
sons, from the text, $50 ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel TO every crea-
ture." Such is Gods way to give to an
humble herald to speak to more people in
one hour, than the abless and most learned
sceptic can induce to listen to him in life
time. True, some may say, in the spirit Of
the Pharisees Of old, "this people who
knoweth not the law of science, are cursed,
but the age Of despising individual souls has
gone by, and such a salvation as the gospel
offers, multiplied into twenty thousand, is
worth more than all she good which scientific
sceptics have conferred upon the world since
its creation.
Further, the revival of last year in ST.
Louis and Texas, commenced with the labort
one-to whom exception was very proper.
Y taken BY the best and wisest resident
pastors. They could not approve all the
means used, and yet they united in testify,
ing to the genuineness of the results after
wards secured.
The writer of this, being in Monterey
Highland county, West Va, last summer
inquired as to the fruits of the work of grace
in that community several months before
and was told that the gathering of men anc
boys to play erOquet in vacant lot neal
the village, which had long been daily
thing, was since the revival entirely discOn
tinued No better proof of permanent i'm
prOvement could be given. Young convert
may abstain from what is positively sinful
in order to satisfy conscience, and maintain
respectable consistency; but when they ar
drawn away from inferior pleasures whicl
they might indulge in without censure-the,
show the unmistakable expansion and eleya
tiOn Of the new life.
The conclusion is, not that we are to b
Indifferent as to the character of the meas