The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-16


mated christian, seem to recognize the
fact that ultra emotionalism in relig.
ious work and service is inimical to
the best interests OF both the indivId-
ual and the church
ut Is true that the reasons do not
always appear TO be very well or
clearly defined. In fact in many In :
stances they depend more upon intui
ton than reason. To those 1t may be
said that science fully sustains their
objections to that form Of emotional
ism In religious service specifically
covered by the term revivalism
Lest there be some whose under
standing of this term differs from the
meaning here attached TO II, the fol-
lowing brief account of religious re-
vival vii serve to more clearly define
the term as IL is here employed:
Some years ago the writer attended
revival service OF the character here
referred to. It was conducted by one
Of the most eloquent and enthusiastic
revivalists OF the country From The
result OF his work 1t would appear that
he possessed the ability to play upon
all the strings OF emotional human ma :
NuAG ct WILL, AIS SLOCA Oh RdNHCLIC
stories seemed inexhaustible, and the
manner in which he employed them as
fuel to warm UP the emotional sym
pathies OF the hearers was both dra-
matte and artistic as well as highly
entertaining.
"A mourners' bench was provided
in the foreground, where the sins!ck'
souls were urged to 60 and kneel for
prayer. Those who went were sup
posed to be under conviction >
the special purpose was to- carry them
to the point OF conversion. The
revivalist preached. then prayed then
exhorted, then told pathetic stories,
the choir sang, then followed more of
the same, This continued with an
ever increasing enthusiasm, until the
atmosphere seemed to vibrate with IN
tense emotion.
Gradually men and women began
to give way to their emotions. One
after another they found their way TO
the mourners' bench, where they knelt
to pray and mourn over their sins.
In the midst OF prayer and song and
exhortion and agonizing groans alsd
ecstatic shouts they worked them
selves and each other, and were work
ed, into a state OF emotional frenzy.
When. through the effects OF emo
tionaI subiectivity, an individual felt
himself distinctly in touch with the
spiritual plane Of intelligence, he
sprang to his feet and proclaimed in
ecstatfc shouts that he was saved
Or In some instances the individual
fell PROSTATE on the floor In the con-
dition of trance. In this condition he
was removed and cared for by those
whose intelligence was still intact.
All their effort had been TO
receive some sign which should be to
them a token that their sins had been
forgiven. This. touch with the spir-.
itual world answered to them as the
sign for which they had labored and,
suffered. 1t therefore had but enc
meaning. 1t was the tangible and
therefore unmistakable evidence of
salvation It could mean nothing else.
And thus many were brought to
Christ and the revival was deemed
great success.
Their experiences are genuine, not
only this they are spiritual, exper-
fences. The fact that they are inter-
preted by the individual as direct
from God is not to be
wondered at. This is precisely what
anyone else would do under the same
Many were thus converted
and many more received what to them
is 'sanctifcation' or the second bless
ing"
Now and then during these emo
tlenal cataclisms an Individual is sub
jected to complete trance control.
Such cases, however. are usually pro-
emotional insanity or 'relig
ious insanity or religious MANIA and
the individual is sent to the asylum
for the insane. 1t is a matter Of as
to those who have followed
the subject to know how few OF this
class ever fully recover.
Within a few months an authentic
instance is reported from neighbor-
ing state where almost an entire COM
was thrown into a state of
religious frenzy as result
of just such revival as that referred
to. Three of the leaders were officially
pronounced insane and committed to
the asylum, while many of the others
were temporarily non compos.
Upon asking the revivalist
what was the most difficult problem
with which he had to deal in his re-