Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-04-19
THE RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT.


Not only IN our own vicinity. but
throughout ChristendOm, great relig-
iOus movement is going on. The Amer
lean revivalists, Moody and Sankey. as
sisted by the clergy. have stirred Eng
land. Scotland and Ireland to their pro-
foundest depths. 1t is estimated that
from Fifty to one hundred thousand per-
sons have been converted through their
agency. while the work instituted by
them is going on in the great cities, and
its influence is extending all over those
countries In Europe the power of PO-
perry is being reduced. and barriers that
have heretofore existed to prevent the
spread of the gospel, are being removed.
In France, Italy and Spain, missionary
enterprise and modern intellectual pro-
gress are working to open up new fields
for the PRONUNCIATION Of religious knOwl-
edge. As the result Of missionary labor
for the past fifty years, the gospel is be-
ing spread rapidly in many Of the dis
tant parts Of the earth, and in America,
many of the savage tribes Of the West
are being brought to a knowledge of
Christ. New missions are being estab-
hshed in many countries, and the cross
banner is being raised where idOlatry.
paganism or ignorance Of the true God
abound.
In America, through the great desire
Of the churches, and the active effort Of
the Young Mems Christian Association,
work is in progress, the like Of which
has never before been seen. Without
any heralding Of great names and great
things that were to be accomplished.
bands Of earnest Christian men have
gone out from their homes and places Of
business on evangelical missions. They
have met with the people of the world,
and eonversed with them on the subject
Of the souls salvation. They have not
spoken of sect or denomination, but
Christ's universal church has been their
theme. With no noisy demonstrations.
no forced show of feeling or interest,
with no attempt at Oratorical display,
they have sought by persuasion to con-
vince their hearers that religion is es-
sential. and that it becomes rational men
to embrace it. These men have left
home and business, paid their expenses,
and in many instances put themselves
to trouble and inconvenience, that they
might assist in the great work. The
people have seen their sincerity and sac
ri6ees, and have been forced to acknowl-
edge that there is something more than
policy. something more than sel6shness,
that has caused these christian men to
come among them, and they have been
moved and overcome.
This movement has been like the flow
Of great river, quiet but deep and
irresistible men that have withstood
the influence of preaching for years hav,
yielded, when they have seen the inter
est that was felt for them by friends anc
neighbOrs. They have been unable Il
withstand the effect Of prayer when i
has been made for them. Backslider
are fastening back into the fold; tn,
young are being converted, and there i
general coming up to the help Of tn
Lord. The times are propitious so gen
eral and so remarkable is the mOvemen
that it is attracting to itself many VIII,
would otherwise keep out Of the reach o
religious instruction and sacred inhuen
ces- But greater than the worl
Of man is the Divine power that is guild
ing and directing the great movement
and to Him must all the praise be Civ
en-. He uses men and worldly mean
as instruments in the work. and in thes
prOpitiOus times many noble men an,
women are coming forward rs willin
agents.
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