Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-23

1t is estimated that 100000 people
were converted during this awaken
ing and were added to the church.
Then came the revival of 1857.
This was the most unique awaken
ing of them all. 1t occurred at q
time when the country was greatly
0gitatcd over the slavery question
so that you would have supposed
people would have had little dis
position to listen to special re-
ligious appeals. Moreover, there
had followed reaction from the
revival of 1890, and the great
Methodist Church had divided in
1914 over the slavery issue. But
u great financial panic had occurred
in 1857 which had the effect of
turning the thoughts Of people to
spiritual things finding their con-
The revival began in the old John
Street Church of New Yorx City and
in Il prayer meeting for business
men instituted by jeremiah c.
Lamphicr, q lay evangelistic worker,
who felt there was need for such q
meeting. BY this simple method Of
the noon hour prayer meeting, the
revival spread until it had reached
every important city in the United
States and upwards of million
people had been added to the
Christian Churches of the land.
Surely one might have exclaimed at
the close Of this remarkable period
What hath God wrought"
And now let me at least keep my
promise that l would mention some
other events not so prominent in the
history Of American Christianity as
those have already mentioned
but as important no doubt for the
result to be attained, Christian
America One of these things to
be pointed out in this connection Is
the celebrated sail loft in New York
City in which Phillip Embury,
North Of Ireland Methodist local
preacher, first began to preach the
doctrines peculiar to Methodist in
America in 1865, and thus initiated
that movement which has resulted
in the calling together of one. fell
lowship of six millions of people.
And then there is the conversion of
Benz. Randall, a goddess young
sailor of Portsmouth,. n. II. who
when he heard of the death of
George Whitefeld at Newburyport
in ITO was moved to repentance
and conversion. Subsequently ho
became the founder of the Free VIII
Baptist denomina ton, 4 body which
mas had vigorous religious life and
IS worthilv represented in our
midst. And then there is the rise
of the Sunday School begun by
Robert Raikes in England in 1881
and established all over this coun-
try in the first decades of the 10Th
century. There is the organization
of the mission boards of the church
f,YtN TO,
America Of the Salvation Array in
1850: the rise of Christian En-
lcavor and other young peoples
examinations from 1891 TO 1890: and
the great temperance movement of
the 18th century and the first
years of tho 20th century beginning
with the organization Of the w. e.
+. u. in Cleveland in 1874. All these
eVnts have contributed to Il Christ
ian America and should not be for
soften when n summary of the
causes is made.
And now In conclusion would it not
be profitable to inquire what lessons.
il any, are taught us by this review of
the milestones in the winning Of
America for Christ? There are sew
eral that occur to me.
One is that we cannot separate the
fortunes OF RtnCTlCa from the fortunes
of Christianity. The nation and the
church have grown together, they have
suffered together; they have borne the
burdens Of war and panic together!
And Christianity has bound up the
nations wounds: has fortified il for
its crises and the days of prosperity
for the church have resulted in victory
for the nation.
Another lesson is that free church
in free state seems ideal for both
church and state. In what nation Of
the Old World where the church has
an establishment has Christianity
counted for so much as in Ameri-
ca and where in the old World
has the State prospcred so we'll
as here where the church has worked
Independently to achieve it's ideals?
Is the Sabbath observed any better in
Europe where the State guarantees to
uphold the church? Are more people
added to the churches in Europe where
religion exercise greater influence in
England or Germany than. in America?
No. decidedly no. Christianity does
better where 1t is allowed to run it's
own course and the state does not suf-
fer from the evils of inffde1ity or i'm
morality where that system prevails
And finally. I think IL is clear that
the remedy for our national ills is to
be. found in Christianity. 1t was the
great awakening that cemented the