Year: 1876

SERMON BY THE REV. MR.. FoRREsTER AT THE


BLEEcKER STREET UNIvERsALIsT CHURCH.


At the Bleeckor street Unversalist church yester-
day morning the Rev. wP Forester, Of Newark,
preached to large congregation on the subject OF
Religious Revivas." He took his text from Matthew
viii, 2l-" Not every that saith unto me Lord,
Lord shall enter into he kingdom of heaven, but he
that doeth the will Of my Father which in heaven"
He said:-In this great American country every few
years there is what is called religious revival when
the people become suddenly imbued with a sort of
maniacal fervor religious insanity. These excite
ments only periodical however and last but short
time They partly from the restless of the
people, when suffering under lit OF depression. You
hear OF great movement in the East the West
or the South that some man, suddenly brought forth
from God knows where, is stirring the hearts Of the
people to religious enthusiasm and this great man s
coming TO convert all before him. You hear again of
the hocks OF people who have suddenly found religion
aud who follow in the wake Of the great preacher.
These revyas are not real reviyais OF region they
are


MERELY RELIGIOUS RFFERvEscExcEs


''Not evoW one that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall
enter into the kingdom OF heaven The sober thinking
men of the people look on these socaed revivals as
merely phenomenal and with real disfavor The true
revival is that silent forco that has been working
throughout the nation for the past fifty years-a
vval in favor OF broad, liberal religion, in favor of
the doctrine OF genuine Christianity-of mans hu-
mainly 10 man. real revival OF religion is revival
of characterlove to God and love to man. When the
community conform to the laws OF God then there
will be real revival The character of man
is the fixed test OF the presence OF religion
When the boy is placed in school is not because he
is naturally depraved but that his character may be
developed 10 the requisite standard. The question
for every man TO put to himself who wishes TO de-
veop in religious life is "Am becoming better
MANI Am l more loyal to the truth that God has
given meS' 1t is in the ordinary affairs Of life that
mans real religion develops ITSELF in fulfilling his du
ties as husband brother or father, citizen and
a man. For IL man has religion he carries it with
him IN all his acts and dealings. We don't want


A REVIVAL INTOLERANCE


or narrow sectarianism that says to each man, "My
path is the way of salvation outside path is damna-
ton" The preacher did not believe that such doctrines
in harmony with the spirit Of the age charac-
torstic OF the American people The American Tract
Society at time refused TO print tract decryng the
greatest sin of which any nation could be guiltythat
Is, holding 1000 COO OF people in pondage-because
thoy did not believe it crime. When the Protestant
Evangelical Conference went to the meetings of Berlin
and Londcn they joined hands with the bgoted
in Germany and London, and they called it revival
OF religion. The Young Mems Christian Association
denies membership to any one not subscribing TO the
tenes of this Protestant Evangelical Conference, and
yet calls itself the exponents Of genuine Chris
tianity When the American VIII throw aside all these
sectarian euds and bitterness and join in the
brotherhood of man, following the example OF Him
who died for man. then will there be real revival Of
religion.