New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-27
ltOOnY ND S4NKEY AG4IN

Tho American reyiyasts continue to occupy
a large share of letters AMI kilograms from
England. There can be no doubt now that
the movement produced By them is genuine !;
they held ten meetings last Sunday. The
streets were blocked around the Opera-house
for squares, and toe whole city was moved by
the excitement Just as Il large Ere when burn
ing, if it does not heat the surrounding air
will at least alter the currents in it, AS their
audiences increase in numbers and zeal, the
attacks of certain journals become more viru-
lent and savage, the higher class OF periodicals
attempt philosophical explanations OF the
movement, aud the clergy of the established
church look on, limiting doubts and mild ap.
proval afraid to censure and afraid to ap-
plaud The Archbishop Of Canterbury " finds
ait impOssihlc not to take the deepest interest
Gin q movement which draws great masses
"of people to hear the simple truths OF
"the Gospel; but he fears the counsel given
"aftcr the meetings contains crude errors OF
"doctriue, urges friendly romonstrancc with
" the reyivalsts, and hopes that The clergy viii
"cndeavor to deepen the salutary impressions
Introduced by them" The disciples of Mcssrs.
Moody and Sankey, on the other hand COM
pare the movement to the OutrOurnS OF the
Spirit on the Day of PentecOst, and affirm not
only that the people and churches were i'll a
state of Ignorance and GOODNESS and destitute
of vital grace until the advent of these ap0s-
tles of truth, but that any man who hints a
doubt of the genunencss of the revival Is an
emissary of Satan, and throws stumbling
blocks in the way of the Lord.
1t is easier for unbiased spectators over here
to sec the case in its truc aspect and stripped
of tho prejudices OF ono side and the other.
Messrs. Moody and Sankey themselves, We are
sure, are too sensible and just men to assert
that the truths they teach to breathless multi
tudes are one whit different from or contain
! one spark more of "saving grace" than those
taught in half empty cathedrals by the Arch
bishop and lis cOmpeers for centuries. 1t is
the same repentance, tho same Christ that is
| taught. Their audiences indeed are largely
made up of good Christian people who have
been faithfully striving to serve God for many
years. Nor can we accuse those critics OF
"warring upon the Holy Ghost" who assert
that the excitement lis largely due
| "to the nervous tension produced by
"innammatory appeals, curiosity to hear
remarkable and powerful efforts in
emusic, or to that magnetic infection which
"sways mob, or makes any strong emotion
"epidemic for the time in any crowd of people"
There may be, and doubtless is, a partial truth
| in all of these statements. But only partial.
Neither the singing nor mOb-magnetism is
sufficient to account for the steady and long
continued force of this remarkable movement,
which has extended not only through the igno-
rant and more emotional classes in England,
but through the educated orders, among men
and women not apt to be swayed from their
usual course by well sung song or dramatic
| pcroration. The interest of these masses OF
well-clothed and ragged LondOners can be ex-
planned by the simple fact that there is nothing
after all so interesting to any man as religion,
the position of his own soul before God. The peO-
pie being the same and the gospel the same, we
think it would be worth while for the clergy
here as well as in England to try to find out
why these masses choose to hear the gospel
from the American revivalsts rather than
from men who offer it with exactitudo of
doctrine and in chastc and scholarly language.
Why do tho great audiences collect about
Spurgcon and other preachers whom Christians
of refinement shrink from as unorthodOx and
too often blasphemOus and vulgarf Not we
are sure because Of their heterOdoxy, BIAS
phcmy or vulgarity; but because t4eso men