The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-02-13
RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENT.

We publish on our first page, thi.
week, an admirably written article unde'
the above caption, by Methodist" call
ed out by some remarks which appeare'
in THE WIG on Rcvivals, in our issu,
of the 3Oth ultimo The writer hes
elaborated our suggestion, and discusses
the subject as one thoroughly convers
ant with it. We commend the artic'
to the careful study of those earnes,
brethren who too often seem to mistake
muscular demonstrations for true piety :
and whose zeal would be far more
potent in the cause they aim to advance
did it not lack every trace of charity
Their hatred for sin too often leads then
to hatred of their fellow man, and like
Moses they sin by shifting the rock i'll
anger, where words of gentleness are
commanded to be used. These Jealous
brethren, who doubtless mean well
often do the cause of religion serious
injury by violently calling on the Lore
as though they thought Him deaf, anf
manifesting frenzy in place of love
The worldly are neither terrified nos
persuaded by such unrestrained fur,
as we often behold manifested in tn
name of righteousness. by ignoran
members of excitable and nervous TEN
peraments. who work themselves to tn,
front by dint of violence Methodist
very tenderly, but very plainly ant
justly points out this abuse so common
of Methodist revivals, whose chic
source and apparent aim is excitemen,
which exhausts itself finally and thu
Revival" which to-day seems full o.
glorious promise, tomorrow falls Aa'
and apparently dead.
Methodist" takes exception to oul
charge that more than half the converts
made at revival meetings are subjects
of nervous excitement Our use of q
mineral adjective was probably i'm
proper to express the meaning intended
The exact percentage of this class is
probably debatable question not cas-
lily determined but" Methodist "agrees
with the idea expressed, and very justly
with every observant christian man
deplores the waste of effort which ex-
hauSts itself to make Converts anc
gather members into the church, reserv-
ing none apparently to keep them there
The latter is problem they never seem
to give a serious thought to, or have
even a conception Of 1t is a grea,
misfortune that ignorant, violent ranter>
control many of the churches, and il
the language of the poet
Deal damnation round the land
On each they judge their foe."
We will close these remarks, alread,
more extended than we proposed, by a
quotation from modern writer and
preacher who is conspicuous among the
great religious thinkers of the day.
Periods of religious revival" says
this writer, in the evangelical sects,
during which men and women become
freshly persuaded of the claims of their
creed on their mental allegiance, are dis
tinguished by attempt at return to the
austere living of the former days
Such attempts are spasmodical and
short-iived. The creed loses its hold
on the mind the conduct, forced and
strained and out of keeping with the
constitution of society, cannot long be
continued, and lapses by degrees into
closer and closer conformity with the
accepted habits of the world and, after
q brief experiment, the old order is
allowed to resume its sway"
Those accepted habits of the world !"