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REVIVALS OF RELIGION IN AMERICA.

SIR,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN.

WHEN, more than a year since, I had the pleasure of passing a day or two in Belfast, you requested me to put upon paper, for your useful publication, the substance of a conversation which I then had with you on revivals of religion. It was my design to comply with your request before leaving the country. But in the hurry of preparing for my return voyage, I found this impracticable; and on my arrival home, the subject was pushed aside by the pressure of other duties, and so was neglected, till my attention was called to it, a few weeks since, by the reception of a kind note from yourself, accompanied with several of the back Numbers of The Orthodox Presbyterian, which you had the goodness to send me.

What passed between us in the conversation referred to, has, of course, escaped my mind; but I very cheerfully comply with your request, so far as to give you some account of the revivals of religion which have occurred under my ministry, or within the more immediate circle of my acquaintance.

The church of which I am pastor, like most of the early churches in New-England, was planted in the spirit of revivals. The men who settled in this part of our country were among the best men that have lived since the apostles. They came here from the love of religion; and their churches, their sabbaths, their laws, their rulers, their colleges, their schools, all were subservient to religion.' This circumstance has had great influence on the subsequent history of the church in this country, especially in this section of it. Revivals of religion have been held in high estimation, Christians have regarded them as the most precious of God's blessings, and have sought them, in prayer, in counsel, and in effort, as the great, essential means of saving sinners, and of advancing the cause of truth and holiness. Passing over the seasons of refreshing, with which God most signally visited our churches for a long period after the settlement of the country, I come to what we are accustomed to call the present series of revivals, which commenced something more than forty years ago, and has continued, with intervals of suspension in particular churches, to advance up to this time with evidencing and increasing power. At the commencement of this holy influence, shed down upon Zion by her heavenly King, the

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church of which I am pastor shared richly in its blessings, Dr. Strong was then its pastor.

He was a man of a clear and powerful mind, and of decidedly evangelical sentiments. During the last twenty-five years of his ministry, he witnessed three special seasons of revival among his people; in the progress of which, large additions were made to the church, the tone of piety was much elevated, and the state of religion generally in the city greatly improved. The last of these seasons was of nearly two years' continuance, at no one time very powerful, but marked with a constant, silent descent of divine influence; producing general seriousness among the people, with frequent conversions and frequent accessions to the communion of the church. The fruits were decidedly good. The church was large and flourishing, happily united in sentiment, and "walking," in some good degree, in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost." Among those who then united with the church, are some of the most devoted and active Christians in the city.

About the close of this revival in 1816, Dr. Strong died. I was called to take charge of the church in 1818. During the first three years of my ministry, though not unattended with encouraging tokens of divine favour, I witnessed nothing like a revival among my people. Early in 1821, a work of great power commenced, and continued, with some variations of interest, during the year. As the fruits of this visitation of mercy, nearly two hundred were added to the church. Some of these, as was to be expected among so large a number, have since given painful evidence that they were deceived, as to the foundation of their hope. But of the great body of them, I am happy to say, they have continued to adorn their profession by an exemplary Christian life; and if ever, through grace, I shall be permitted to enter the heavenly world, I have no doubt I shall meet them there as my joy and crown of rejoicing.

Since that period, we have been favoured with three other seasons of special religious attention; but neither of them was of so long continuance, or productive of so abundant fruits as was the first. During the time I have been connected with the church, about six hundred have been added to its communion, not less than four-fifths of whom are to be regarded as the fruits of revivals.

I know not that there has been any thing in the mode of conducting the revivals with which it has pleased God to bless

us, or in the effects that have resulted from them, so peculiar as to be worthy of notice. The people of this town have been rather distinguished for a sober, intelligent, moral character. Especially may this be said of the congregation to which it is my privilege to minister. It includes a large number of publicly educated men, and is generally composed of the well-informed and influential classes of the community. I mention this to correct an impression which is often made on the minds of uninformed or prejudiced persons, that revivals of religion take place only or chiefly among the enthusiastic and the ignorant, than which no impression can be more false, as might easily be shown by an appeal to the history of revivals, especially during the last two years.

It was the object of my predecessor, as it has been mine, to preach the doctrines of the Gospel with great clearness and discrimination, at all times, but particularly in seasons of revival; to address the understanding and conscience rather than the imagination or passions; to guard against every thing like irregularity, and noise, and misguided feeling; and to encourage none in the indulgence of a hope, which did not appear to be based on an intelligent condition of truth, and a sincere conversion of the heart to God. That the effects have, on the whole, been eminently happy, it is needless to affirm, after what has been stated. I have often said, in addresses from my pulpit, that the church is what it is very much from the influence of revivals of religion. And after fourteen years of attentive observation, I am now prepared to say, that if there is among the people of my charge any cordial belief and love of the distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel; any serious, practical regard to the duties of the Christian life; any selfdenial, and bearing of the cross, and following Christ according to his commands; any active benevolence and engagedness in doing good; in short, any pious, efficient concern for the glory of God and the salvation of sinners, either at home or abroad, in Christian or in Heathen lands-all this is to be traced, in no small part, to the influence of revivals of religion, and is to be found, in an eminent degree, among those who have been added to the church as fruits of revivals.

The above remarks are equally applicable to the other churches in this city, belonging to the congregational denomination. A large proportion of their members date their Christian hope from some season of special divine influence; and the tone of religious feeling and action has risen in proportion to the frequency with which such seasons have been

engaged. This is also true of the churches, in our connexion, throughout the state. In 1829, a letter was addressed to the congregational Ministers of Connecticut, proposing, among other inquiries, the following:-"1. What was the whole number of professors of religion in your church at the commencement of the year 1820? 2. What number were added to your church during the years 1820-1, 2, 3, 4? 3. Of those who are now members of your church, what proportion may be considered as the fruit of a revival, and what is their comparative standing for piety and active, benevolent enterprise?" I have not by me, at this time, the documents which were communicated in answer to these and other similar inquiries. But I am able to state, that the answers were in a high degree satisfactory. It appeared that a very large proportion of those who are now members of the congregational churches in this State, became such in consequence of revivals; that the relative proportion of such has been constantly increasing, as revivals have been multiplied; that the most active and devoted Christians are among those who come into the church as fruits of revivals; that those churches in which revivals have been most frequent and powerful, are largest and most flourishing; and that in all the churches thus visited, there has been a great increase of Christian enterprise and benevolent action. These results, stated by men who witnessed them in their own congregations, and many of whom, from long experience and observation, had the best means of judging, should silence the tongue of cavil and scepticism, and excite all Christians to pray with warmer and holier affections for the universal revival of God's work.

Though I have extended this letter beyond what I intended, I feel constrained to add a few particulars, as the result of what little experience God has given me in revivals of religion.

1. The theory of revivals is very simple. It is only the increase and extension to a number of sinners, greater or less, at the same time, of that influence of the Holy Spirit which is employed in the conversion of each individual sinner who is brought to repentance. There is, in fact, nothing more wonderful in seeing, what I have repeatedly seen, hundreds in a congregation under awakenings at the same time, and inquiring what they must do to be saved, than to see one sinner in this state of mind. The effect in both cases is the combined result of truth, and of the Holy Spirit setting home the truth upon the heart and conscience.

2. I see not how any man, who believes in the doctrine of

divine influence, or has ever witnessed a revival of religion can, either on scriptural or rational grounds, doubt the reality, or the decidedly happy tendency of such a work. Right views of the economy of grace, and a little acquaintance with the exercises of sinners under the Holy Spirit's operation, together with the subsequent change in the temper and life, must dissipate all doubt on this subject, and convince every candid inquirer after truth, that a revival of religion is the work of God.

3. To enjoy a revival of religion, or to be co-workers with God in bringing about such an event, it is indispensable that Ministers and Christians be thoroughly convinced of the reality of such a work, and its supreme importance. Any hesitation, or suspicion, or doubt on this subject is fatal. It represses desire, damps zeal, restrains prayer, and prevents effort. And here, permit me to say, is, in my opinion, one cause, why revivals are not more frequent on your side of the water. In not a few instances, even among Ministers, I was pained to perceive, not an absolute scepticism, even on this point, but a state of suspense, of suspicion, and doubt, which was sometimes observable, even in their prayers, and which, I could not but feel, must entirely prevent that fervour of affection and faithfulness in preaching and action which are essential to a revival of religion. I was not surprised at this, seeing revivals are sometimes abused, and have often been misrepresented and traduced by those who are ignorant of them, or are unfriendly to them.

4. It is pre-eminently important, that the preaching, during a revival of religion, should be clear, discriminating, instructive, addressed rather to the understanding and conscience, than to the feelings and passions. In proportion as preaching is of this character, the truth of God is honoured, and he will honour his truth, and revivals will be likely to be pure, powerful, and of long continuance. On the other hand, no preaching is less adapted to produce a revival of religion, or to be useful in advancing such a work than the pretty, the imaginative, the essay, or the declamatory style of preaching.

5. A revival of religion begins in the hearts of God's people. It is first felt in the closet, and is connected with a deep and an abiding sense of divine things; with great tenderness of conscience; with strong desires for the salvation of sinners; with direct and earnest efforts to save them, and with fervent, believing, persevering prayer, that God would, by his Spirit, awaken and bring them to repentance. Where this