The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-05

Deen travelling, states In recent sermon
that the country was never so prosper
Gus. He affirms that all irritating ques-
tons are now settled, and that the coun-
try is not only growing rich and power
full, but that PEACE reigns in all our bor-
ders
AS to the churches, he told his audi
ence, that in the different cities he visited,
he inquired about the state of Religion.
Everywhere (here in Richmond, among
other places he received the same an
swer, DEAD"
But everywhere also, he said, the min
listers and earnest workers of the Church
were praying for ReviUal There was
felt sense Of the need of the Divine
help, and godly men and women all over
the land were besieging the throne Of
grace for an outpouring of the Holy
Spirit.
In view of this, he predicts that there
is going to be GREAT REVIVAL, which,
he says, have always appeared in the
past under corresponding conditions.
1t is an old saying that it is always
darkest just before day, and another, that
"mans extremity is Gods opportunity. E"
PROFESSIONALLY revival is needed
the whole air is filled with unbelief, a
spirit of worldliness, an unaccountable
frivolity. Men and women seem reck-
less, and Christians are borne along by
current of ungodliness that sweeps
through society like some mighty river
surging wide over it's food-plaln.
Unquestionably the Church, humanity
speaking seems arrested in her move
ment by the united powers of darkness
that seem as it were to be making in this
our day supreme effort to break down
the memory of the crucifed Galilean.
Openly or indirectly he is the mark at
which all the materialistic philosophy,
the -spiritualised SCIENCE and the dia-
bolistic criticism of the day are aimed.
Not in the rude words of Voltaire, hun
dred years ago, but in the same devilish
spirit, though in polite phrases, from
every camp of modern infdelity the cry
goes up, Crush the wretch Some
would crush him roughly like Haeckel
and Ingersoll; some would crush him by
covering him with garlands of flowers
like Renan; some would crush him, like
Spencer, by simply ignoring him some
would crush him by putting another in
his place, like the Romanists; some would
crush him, by substituting for the deep
spiritualities of his gospel sensuous color
ing and the voluptuous strains of music {;
some would crush him, by affecting to be
unwilling to accept that SO gentle spirit
ever meant to affirm the serious punish
ment of the wicked.
In different ways, and from many quar-
ters, but all prompted by the malice and
profound cunning of the Devil, there is
widely extended and concerted at
tempt at a final assault on the Church,
as the elements sometimes seem to close
around stately ship.
The false teachings of these leaders of
thought have at last reached lower
plane, and leavened the mass. People
who read only magazines learn that Her
bert Spencer says we cannot know any
thing of God, and that Haeckel says there
is not a God, and that Huxley says, we
all came from apes, and SO they begin to
inquire, Why trouble ourselves, then
with these preachers? and why listen to
all this stuff about hell? off l come
down lineally from some beast, I am not
responsible for my beastly appetites, and
cannot act against my nature-and so g
beast 1 will be-" This is the train o.
thought that has been sown broadcast il
Europe and America.
Some who are not entirely convinced
compromise matters, they take a middle
course; these say, 1--WE will seek out 6
mild type of religion; there is no use il