The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-08-03
A SOCIAL. REVIVAL.
Interesting End Sensible Reflections,

through and stole the savings OF years, or
the Aoth of distrust wastcu the value OR
their Accommodations, they sought to lay
up .lrea,uye in heaven. Probably
the preachers are right when they say
that panics and financial crash are
sent for just this purpose. Whether 1t
bc true or not, they always put IN the
sickle ut such timcs, and find the har-
vest ripc. Churches are filled, religious
interest increases, and out of the cloud oil
human disasters the sunshine Of spirit
uul peace Is evoked But there are eX-
ccption, to all rules aud the panic OF
1873 with the business depression which
nus existed ever since, seems TO mark Il
case where no religious results
have followed. In fact the season
has proved particularly barren IN tins
country over on the other side OF the
Atlantic, the American eyanSeliStS
Moody and Sankey, have been iortu-
nate in calling attention 10 themselves
and their message. They have awak-
rnrI the couscienceS OF cottager and
uoblcruan alike. and have succeeded IN
bringing down upon themselves the
sharp criticism of the influential Portiou
of the Press. America, however, has
continued obduraic. Not even the cI"-
oueut uersausions of Henry Marley have
been able to waken more than passing
interest. though he drew throngS TO t"r
IlupoIrume. and was widely advertised
In the newspapers and the pulpltS.
What Is the reason that events took
.yrb ap cycrp,ional turn in the United
States There must De some potent
cause. since We are VIGOROUSLY an emo
,luual people, in ,pIte of our eager pur-
-ul, ol business, 1t Is not P"ssloir
tha, the space OF nearly two years winch
has interviewed since the financial crash
came ha, been without It, drvc.opmrnt
IN some way affecting our Aa,ionN!
character.
/, will br found on examination that
our people have undergone II change
guitr:., revolutionary a that CAUSED by
y religious revival, and an experience
that will stand them in quiteAs good
stead in the future The same forces "a
of old have been ut work, only they
have cNcrtcd themselves in different
channel. Instead OF II religious revival
with its spiritual eXaltatlon, Il strong
deeply marked social revolution haS oe'h
ut work. whose good effect Will mani
fest itself in higher tone IN the fanny,
in society, and the State. 1t came BE-
rs,,.r II was needed and caught the
putuc attention because the minds OF
men had been unhinged by the pane
Being notuuconnccted with the pulpit, 1t
naturally took the place OF the religious
agitation which usually follows such I"
crisis.
II IS safe to say that had there been
no era of clerical scandal ~ this time
there would have been re-
irious revival. \ series of sad stories
relating to pastors and their charges
eliminated in one wretched tale OF huge
dimensions, whose shadow extended 10
every corner of OF the land "der
such a condition of things 1t was iul
possible to create the zeal of the pletlstS.
There, Wa. widely prevalent ice.ing
from the first that the matter evidenced
the need Of II social revival rather than
religious tcryor, and that this WAS the
be-, time To- create the demand Tor
reformation that should reach through
ont society carrying both cicrgymen
and their people with it. Society mad
been too long NJ the mercy OF expert
mcuters. The crusade OF tree love or
rather, unbridlcd license had reached
even totLr church.doors, and Was knock
n, for admission To- the sanctuary. II
Wa, feared that even those haliuwed pre-
misses were invaded by the fanatics OF
the new gospel OF Just, for certain
uawki- mode ~ expression had made
itself manifest in the pulpit To the
peril of pure doctrine. Hence thought
Iil men were not sorry when they
found that trial vhlch threatened TO
~cuuduliZr ChrIstcndOm, would be- likely
tn result in an overthrow of the con-
/ ,pirucy against purity, and IN establish
my the supremacy oI the iam"y and
the home. False ideas OF society have
been ventilated during the last six
month, q, never before, and have been
held up to the light /, show that they
ARE the m,rrst driycl and insanity. n"
dnr,Ht this has been done at Il terrible
cost; but the price, great rs 1t Is, wi,i
%, remind in the increased satellites when
for the future W / surround our. social or
gUuzation.
There :, no peril in forgetting at any
time even for moment, that the home
* supreme 1t i even older than the
Church Ii establishment Is cocV"! with
the creation OF the human race, ana
anu.dutrs tue irst temptation and i'H,
Of man. Into the ancient and sacred
circle of its simpathlcs there had crept u
new tangled and dangerous mode "i
thought or expression. IL was danger
Gus 10 individual morals and 10 the re-
li,;nus status of the country, because
il seemed to appeal wholly to sympa-
thi,s and emotion. The stern, moral
nrerruts Of the fathers became old
fashioned in the light Of this new, GLIB
,,srrl of ease. and the result WAS seen IN
IN iurrry.iug looscnCs> Of ideas relative
:, marriage, and tendency to daily
with roonsh and periious theories. 1t
is possible that no real harm was done
to the world, which unqneStionahiy
grows better and happier with each ad-
y,,rriur wear. But there was danger
that. if the new notions of lndIvidua!
responsibility were widely extended
they would break up the ties OF the
family and destroy the foundations OF
home.
Certain it is that, after the breath OF
the whirlwud of scandal Sna!. have died
ont of the land. there VIII be return
to the good old paths IN when our
fathers found safety and peace. Already
We begin To experience n revival OF the
old fashioned earnestucss and straight
turwardncss in matters OF morals.
There may have been lacking in former
generation something Of the brilliancy