Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-08-26
RELIC Gus REVIVAL NEAR9
One of the Worlds Great Spiritual
Movements Indicated.

One of the Worlds Great Spiritual
Movements Indicated.
From England and from all parts OF
the United States come reports which
would seem to indicate the possibility
Of one of the great religious move
ments which have manifested them
selves at various times during the last
century. In many large cities, notably
in some of the Western States, the re
vival Of religious interest has led to
the occasional suspension of business
In order to facilitate attendance upon
special meetings.
For some time, and particularly dur
Ing the last twelve months, says the
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle,
prophets have not been lacking who
have predicted the revival wave, the
advance influence of which is indl-
Gated daily in the news dispatches, and
the manifestations do not greatly sur
prise other thinkers who, without as
Stunning the gift of prophecy, base their
belief in a coming revival upon the
presidents afforded by history.
As rule, with the usual exceptions
not greatly In evidence, all of the great
manifestations of religious interest In
the nineteenth century were preceded
by aggressive assaults upon some one
or more of the fundamental principles
Of what is broadly denominated evan
gelism. In the earlier years OF the
century these attacks were based upon
the writings and teachings of Paine.
Noltaire and others. 1t was subse-
quently realized that these writers and
thinkers, while they attempted to cut
the underplnning of religious faith, af-
ford nothing tangible as a substitute.
In simply denying fundamental doc
trines they We're destructionists, pure
and simple.
1t has never been considered sur
prising, therefore, that the men, some
of them Of gigantic intellect, who diff.
fered from the iconoclasts, rallied 10
their standard and organized for de-
Tense This defense had the twofold
effect of arousing public interest in
theological questions not only but OF
attracting the attention of people 9th
erwise conservative In religious mat
vivals as that which swept the conn
try in the time of Finney. Midway I'm
the century and again Just before the
beginning OF it's last quarter there vera
special manifestations of religious In
terest, In each case following more or
less violent attacks upon cardinal doc
triues of faith.
While it would not be strictly accur-
ate to say that these attacks are ante
types Of the trend of thought in many
quarters on dOctrlnal lines In the first
four years of the twentieth century. II
Is clear to every nonprejudlced obsery-
er that that there is a certain tendency
to discredit authorities and beliefs
which have been understood to under.
lie the entire evangelical structure. So
true Is this that many who have hith-
erto adhered to certain doctrines now
find themselves adrift on a sea which
Is, to say the least sufficiently tumul-
tuous to produce an undercurrent of
doubt in their minds Many of these
iconoclastic views. which Just now find
such wide and rapid dissemination. are
no doubt at best founded upon specu-
lations which form as yet but hypothe-
ses; yet they are none the less unset
Ting in their effect on the faith OF
mankind.
1t is not strange. then, that follow
ing the precedents of the past, there
should be reaction and that this re-
action should still follow precedents in
taking on the form OF renewed rellg-
ious activity.