REVIVALISM IN OLDEN TIMES.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3785, 14 February 1881, Page 3

REVIVALISM IN OLDEN TIMES.

(To the Editor of the EvEBlKa Stab.)

Sib,—l think there is an improvement in revivals as they are now conducted. The way they used to get up revivals was : They generally got a zealous person that was a fluent speaker, that would preach night after night, and hold prayer meetings after the preaching; it was at the prayer meetings that the main work of conversions went on. At those prayer meetings there was a good deal of confusion : sometimes singing, praying, talking, laughing, and crying all- at once; and some would be kneeling, some standing, some sitting, and some lying down. They had a bench cleared for the penitents that wanted salvation, and some of the brethren would go among the congregation to persuade penitents to go up to the bench that the bretheren might advise and pray with them. Three or four would be praying at one time at the top of their voices until it sometimes amounted to a Bcreech. There was a great deal of repetition at those times. The common phrases were—Lord save souls, Lord revive Thy work, Praise God, Hallelujah, jGHory, Glory, Glory, and Believe, Believe, only Believe. Then, when one got salvavation, the whole congregation would Sing-

Praise God for what he's done for me, Once I was blind, but now I see ; I on the brink of ruin fell, "'■ GHory to God, I am cut of hell. The ministers of the Gospel often used to dispute whether those Revivals did more harm than good ; others admitted there might be a few grains of good amongst bushels of chaff. But the on-lookers wanted the grain not the chaff, the fruit, not the leaves ; the noise and show was nothing to them. But if it really made men and women better —better husbands and wives, better parents and children, better neighbors and tradespeople—if it made them more gentle, more truthful, more upright, more forbearing, and more loving and kind—if those are the fruits, it cannot fail to make an impression, and very few would take the trouble to ask their belief, or whafc Church they belonged to. But if being converted makes people more bigoted and bitter, and intolerant against all others that do not see as they see, their conversion will pass for nothing amongst .the good and the thoughtful. The great work of life is not done by one sudden spasmodic jerk, but by a steady constant pull.—l am, &c, ■.'.-.■ J. HoBN.