The Revival and Its Lessons

The short papers here for the first time gathered, had a certain measure of acceptance, less from their ovm merit, than from their having been struck off during the prevalence of an unusual interest in divine things. For the most part they were penned in the intervals of a hurried life, with the hope that scriptural instruction of the simplest kind might gain a hearing, at a time when every one’s attention was drawn to the work of God in the land.

The occasion may be fitly seized for a brief retrospect of the scenes through which we have been led, and which, to a certain extent, surround us still; for we would fain speak of this Revival of Religion, not as past, but as present.

The greatest commercial alarm which our country ever experienced took place in the summer and autumn of the year 1857. It is unnecessary to rehearse what is imprinted on the hearts of thousands, or to open wounds which are still bleeding. Besides the great numbers who were utterly ruined, there were ten times as many whose earthly destinies seemed to be in libration. If we were to look no further than to the wear and tear of mind and brain, caused by pecuniary apprehensions and troubles in business, such as drove some to despair and madness, the evil could not be leckoncd at the rate of millions of gold and silver.

The writer returned to his native country after a short absence, to find as it were a pall of mourning over every house. Visitations of this kind — the remark is common concerning pestilence — often produce a hardening eflfect. In the present instance, it pleased God, in his marvellous loving-kindness, by the ploughshare of his judgments to furrow the ground for precious seed of salvation, and to make distresses touching worldly estate to awaken desire for durable riches and righteousness. Out of the eater came forth meat and outr of the strong came forth sweetness. From the very heart of these trials emerged spiritual yearnings, thirstings, and supplications after the fountain of living waters. We can not always trace the sequence of events, but it is certain that the meetiDgs for prayer, which noted the dawn of this great Revival, had their beginning while we were still amidst the throes of our commercial distress.

It is believed that the first of those daily prayer-meetings which have now become general, was held on the twenty-third day of September, in the year just named. The place thus honored was the Consistoryroom of the North Dutch Church at the corner of William and Fulton streets. The simple pious thought of Jeremiah Lamphier, and a few like-minded servants of God, was to gather a handful of business men, at the hourt)f noon, to confer, to read the Word, to sing, and to cry unto God for the outpouring of his Holy Spirit. But Revival was already begun. God had already poured out the Spirit of grace and of supplications. Vro doubt not there was a simultaneous efi’usion, on other groups and in other places. Prayers long treasured up were beginning to receive copious answer; prayers, of which some, we have thought, may have been offered by those venerable ministers of Holland, whose portraitures still adorn the walls of the Consistoryroom. It has been questioned who first conceived the project of these meetings. The problem is unprofitable; human plans looked forward to no such results; let God have the glory!

It is not the place for a history, nor shall any thing of the kind be now attempted.* Suffice it to say, this meeting so grew in numbers and interest as to demand increase of accommodation. Daily prayer-meetings had not been altogether unknown, during periods of unusual awakening; but here was a large congre-, gation of worshippers, almost all men of business, near the very centre of trade, day after day, and — as ’ the event has proved — without abatement for a twelvemonth. The great attraction was Prayer. The great business was intercession. This, as springing fi-om the “love of the Spirit” seems especially pleasing to God, who answers us more signally when we seek the good of others. As the meeting went on, solicitude for the conversion of sinners unto God became more apparent. Requests bearing this character were greatly multiplied. From curiosity, from inward anguish, from vague alarm, from the mingled motives in which religious concern has its beginnings, numbers of worldly visitors entered the doors. Conversion after

* Ample histories of the Revival may be espected from the competeat pens of the Rev. Dr. Prime and the Rev. Dr. Chambers.

conversion was reported. Men who had felt the emptiness of earthly things, and smarted under losses, came hither for consolation. Ministers of the Gospel often embraced the opportunity to address the words of truth to assemblies singularly prepared to drink in every syllable. Other similar prayer-meetings were established in New- York, of which some are continued till this day. During a brief period, Burton’s Theatre, opposite to the City Hall, and capable of holding three thousand persons, was converted into a place of prayer, and was crowded. Other cities and towns speedily entered into the same labor of love, until the daily prayer-meetings of the land might be numbered by hundreds. The longest continuance of devotional interest, in immense assemblies for prayer, has probably been witnessed in the city of Philadelphia. There also has been seen the phenomenon of a widely-spread awakening among the Firemen, so that the houses occupied by their engines and associations have not unfrequently resounded with the voice of prayer and praise. The attention of the churches of Christ throughout the land was naturally attracted to the spectacle of thousands, including the busiest and hitherto the most worldly, flocking to the most imadorned exercises of devotion. It ought not to be withheld that many of these services are maintained without diminution of vigor to the moment of this writing. Meanwhile churches of every religious denomination received remarkable increase. The statistics of conversion are sometimes unsafe; where there is so much room for mistake and exaggeration, it may be wisest to venture no figures. “The Lord thy God add unto his people, how many soever they be, an hundred fold!” The report of this gracious visitation has gone abroad to other Lands, where true Christians have been led to inquire with avidity into the origin, nature, and sequel of a reformation so unprecedented.

The Church of Christ, and our American portion of it, can not be unmindful of frequent refreshings in former days. Each of these, if the means of studying them were at hand, would doubtless be found to have peculiarities of its own; arising from acknowledged diversities in the sovereign dispensation of the Spirit. The present revival of religion has some characteristics, which ought not to escape our observation.

The work of grace, in which we rejoice, was not the result of any human project, concerted arrangement, or prescribed plan. It was not an excitement foreseen, predicted, and made to order. So far from this, it stands out among kindred reformations, as differing from them all. No man pretends to have ever seen the like. And this it is of the greatest importance to record, for the silence of such as stigmatize the entire proceedings as the creations of ingenious artifice working upon overheated fancy.

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