"This was indeed a surprising day of God's power, and seemed enough to convince an atheist of the truth, importance, and power of God's Word."

This remarkable religious awakening among the Indians continued to spread and prevail for many months. The results of it are thus stated by Brainerd :

"Their pagan notions and idolatrous practices seem to be entirely abandoned in these parts. They are regulated and appear regularly disposed in the affairs of marriage. They seem generally divorced from drunkenness-their darling vice, and the sin that easily besets them; so that I do not know of more than two or three who have been my steady hearers that have drunk to excess since I first visited them, although before it was common for some or other of them to be drunk almost every day; and some of them seem now to fear this sin in particular more than death itself. A principle of honour and justice appears in many of them; and they seem concerned to discharge their old debts, which they have neglected, and perhaps scarce thought of, for years past. Their manner of living is much more decent and comfortable than formerly, having now the benefit of that money which they used to consume upon strong drink. Love seems to reign among them, especially those who have given evidence of having passed a saving change; and I never saw any appearance of bitterness or censoriousness in these, nor any disposition to esteem themselves better than others who

had not received the like mercy. And now, on the whole, I think I may justly say, here are all the evidences of a remarkable work of grace among these Indians that can reasonably be desired or looked for. May the great Author of this work maintain and promote the same here, and propagate it everywhere, till the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen!"

On these extraordinary revivals of religion, the blessed effects of which continue to the present day, a few remarks are necessary. The history of the early Christian Church under the ministry of the Apostles records several great religious movements of a similar character. The great awakening on the day of Pentecost and shortly after, under the powerful preaching of the Apostle Peter, when thousands were converted, and among them a great company of the priests, are instances of this. Such great religious revivals marked and facilitated the early and rapid spread of Christianity. There are few to be found to deny that such religious awakenings was the special work of the Spirit of God giving effect to the labours of his faithful servants. An inspired Apostle fully recognises this when he thus addressed his converts:- "Our Gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; "* and again :-"My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power." + And why should not † 1 Cor. ii. 4.

* 1 Thess. i. 5.

the same Divine agency be acknowledged in those great religious movements which have passed under our review? The agency of man, so far as used, was only successful as rendered so by the gracious and promised influences of the Spirit of God: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord."

It has been objected to this view of the subject, that some of these great religious movements have been characterized by great enthusiasm and an unholy admixture of ignorance and of human passions, which cannot, without great irreverence, be attributed to the special influence of the Spirit of God. It is admitted, in some instances, that much of evil has been mixed with the good, and that the effects of what is clearly human has marred and obscured what is manifestly Divine. There is, however, one infallible test by which we may discriminate in such cases:- "By their fruits

ye

shall know them." When we see multitudes, who before were careless, worldly, and irreligious, awakened to religious anxiety, and exhibiting afterwards the genuine fruits of religion in their lives, it would be irrational to attribute such results to mere human enthusiasm, or to deny the special influence of the Spirit of God in such great, spiritual, and abiding moral transformations. The suddenness, or the rapid and wide spread of such religious movements, are no more an argument against this, than were the suddenness and rapid spread of such movements in the Apostolic and early days of Christianity.

C C

Such revivals of religion as those in England and America, which have been noticed, viewed in connexion with the Divine promises which warrant our expectations of an abundant outpouring of the Spirit of God, may well raise the hopes of the Church as to the future. We are thus taught, as one justly remarks, "how easy it will be for our blessed Lord to make a full accomplishment of all his predictions concerning his kingdom, and to spread his dominion from sea to sea, through all the nations of the earth. We see how easy it is for Him, with one turn of his hand, with one word of his mouth, to awaken whole countries of stupid and sleeping sinners, and kindle Divine life in their souls. The heavenly influence shall run from door to door, filling the hearts and lips of every inhabitant with importunate inquiries What shall we do to be saved?' And the name of Christ the Saviour shall diffuse itself like a rich and vital perfume to multitudes that were ready to sink and perish under the painful sense of their own guilt and danger. Salvation shall spread through all the tribes and ranks of mankind, as the lightning from heaven, in a few moments, would communicate a living flame through ten thousand lamps or torches placed in a proper situation or neighbourhood. Thus, a nation shall be born in a day' when our Redeemer please, and his faithful and obedient subjects shall become as numerous as the spires of grass in a meadow newly mown, and refreshed with the showers of heaven."

CHAPTER XX.

TIMES OF REFRESHING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, TO THE PRESENT TIME.

IN studying the history of the Church, the Christian cannot fail to observe a preparatory work, gradually advancing, for the fuller development and accomplishment of the Divine purposes towards a sinful world. This is seen in reference to that eventful period on which we now enter. During the long time of religious torpor and decay of the previous century, irreligion and infidelity fearfully prevailed. Vigorous and subtle efforts were made by the leading advocates of infidelity to sap the foundations of all religion, natural and revealed. At such a time, it pleased God to raise up several noble and powerful champions "for the faith once delivered to the saints.” At this time, it has been well remarked, "Reason came forward to protest against being dissociated from Revelation. Locke had vindicated the reasonableness of Christianity. Sounder adherents to the ancient faith descended into the arena, and overthrew the flimsy arguments which could only impose upon minds of the most superficial cast. So fully was the evidence from prophecy vindicated by