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Anecdote of a Presbyterian: Revivals.

In connection with this remark, his biographer mentions the following incident:-"In the last public address which Dr. Bedell ever delivered at the meeting of any benevolent society, he offered the following resolution, the occasion being the meeting of the Bishop White Prayer Book Society:"Resolved, that the lapse of ages has but tended to strengthen the conviction, that the Prayer Book is one of the distinguished excellencies of the church, to which, under God, is mainly attributable her remarkable exemption from false doctrine, heresy, and schism, in times past; and her prospect of unity, peace, and concord, for the time to come." In the course of his remarks, Dr. Bedell said:

"I have no objections to social prayer meetings, and extemporaneous prayer; but I have one curious incident to relate. A Presbyterian gentleman from Rochester, was once at a prayer meeting at my lecture room, and subsequently said to me,

'I have attended several prayer meetings of Episcopalians, and I do think that those who are pious in the Episcopal church, pray better than any people I have ever heard.'

"Shall I tell you my answer:

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"My dear sir,' said I, 'Episcopalians have been so much in the habit of praying in the language of the Prayer Book, that they cannot make bad prayers.' And this is a fact. is more difficult for a pious Episcopalian to make a bad prayer than a good one. Now, on all these grounds, this resolution expresses my feelings, and I heartily rejoice at the establishment of this society. I want to see the Prayer Book in the hands of all. It recommends our church where she is not known, and makes her more loved where she is already known."

You see, therefore, my dear friend, that while we are greatly attached to our Liturgy, we are not so exclusive as to reject, or decline using, extemporaneous prayer upon private occasions, and in meetings for social worship.

2. It is very possible you may have heard it objected to the Episcopal church, that she is opposed to revivals.

This is not true. You know that during the last ten years, there have been throughout the land, great religious excitements. In relation to many of these excitements, there has prevailed among christians of every de

Views of Dr. Sprague, Bp. McIlvaine, and Dr. Alexander. nomination, a diversity of opinion. Some have supposed them the result of mere human management, and that the Spirit of God had little or nothing to do with them. Others have conscientiously believed that they were the work of God; but, like all other matters where human agents are employed, that they had connected with them, more or less of the alloy of human imperfection. The members and ministers of the Episcopal church, like the christians of other denominations, have entertained a diversity of opinion on this subject.

To set this matter, however, in its true light, it may be well to state in this connection what we mean by a revival. This term is sometimes erroneously applied to an excitement produced, not by the power of divine truth, but by artificial stimuli applied to the imagination and the passions.-Such an excitement could not be expected to result either in temporary or permanent good. I therefore need hardly add, that by a revival, we do not mean such a state of excitement. Dr. Sprague, a Presbyterian Divine, in his lectures upon Revivals, remarks that,

"A revival of religion is a revival of scripture knowledge, of vital piety, of practical obedience." He also adds that "the term is intended to be applied, in a general sense, to denote the improved religious state of a congregation, or of some other community. Wherever you see religion rising up from a state of comparative depression to a tone of increased vigor and strength; wherever you see professing christians becoming more faithful to their obligations, and be hold the strength of the church increased by fresh accessions of piety from the world, there is a state of things which you need not hesitate to denominate a revival of religion."

Bishop McIlvaine remarks, "that one of the great constituents and blessings of a genuine revival, is the conversion of sinners. But it is not the only object; though too much treated as if it were. The other is, the quickening of the people of God to a spirit and walk, becoming the gospel."

Dr. Alexander of Princeton, describes a pure revival as being accompanied by such a state of religious feeling, that "the word of God distills upon the mind like the gentle rain, and the Holy Spirit comes down like the dew, diffusing a blessed influence on all around. Such a revival affords th

A genuine revival contrasted with a mere excitement.

most beautiful sight ever seen upon earth. Its aspect gives us a lively idea of what will be the general state of things in the Latter Day Glory, and some faint image of the heavenly state. The impression on the minds of the people in such a work, is the exact counterpart of the truth, just as the impression on the wax corresponds to the seal. The convic tions of sin are deep and humbling the justice of God in the condemnation of the sinner is felt and acknowledged; every other refuge but Christ is abandoned; the heart is first made to feel its own impenetrable hardness; but, when least expected, it dissolves under a grateful sense of God's goodness and Christ's love; light breaks in upon the soul either by a gradual dawning, or by a sudden flash; Christ is revealed through the gospel, and a firm, and, often, a joyful confi dence of salvation through him, is produced; a benevolent, forgiving, meek, humble, and contrite spirit predominates the love of God is shed abroad-and with some, joy unspeak able and full of glory, fills the soul. A spirit of devotion is enkindled. The word of God becomes exceedingly precious. Prayer is the exercise in which the soul seems to be in its proper element, because by it, God is approached, and his presence felt, and beauty seen; and the new-born soul lives by breathing after the knowledge of God, after communion with God, and after conformity to his will. Now also, springs up in the soul an inextinguishable desire to promote the glory of God, and to bring all men to the knowledge of the truth, and, by that means, to the possession of eternal life. The sincere language of the heart is, 'Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?""

In contrast with this delightful state of things, I will here call your attention to a description of one of those excitements, to which the name of revival is sometimes erroneously applied. The sketch is from the pen of one of the most evangelical men of the age, the present Bishop of Ohio.

"Great scandal has been raised by indiscretion, and what I cannot call by any lighter name than fraud, on the part of some seekers of a revival.-The agency of the Holy Spirit, as the beginning and ending, has been, almost or entirely, set aside. A revival has been represented and sought for, as an article of manufacture, for which you have only to set the machinery, and raise the steam of excitement, caring little

Definition of a revival.

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with what fuel, and converts will be made to hand. ces to catch the attention; devices to entrap the careless; representations to create impressions; an exaggerated style of preaching to produce alarm, to shake suspicious hopes, and raise a state of general excitement, no matter of what kind, so that it brings people to hear, have in some cases been put into requisition, over which truth, and reverence, and humility, and faith must weep, and which have done more to injure revivals in certain places, than all the direct opposition of coldness and unbelief. When the world and slumbering Christians see these things, it is not strange that they should speak against revivals. Blessed be God, these things are not characteristic of revivals of religion, but only of some minds associated with that name. In the great majority of what have been called by this name, they have not appeared, or have been only very partial exceptions to the general rule."

The Bishop adds, in the conclusion of his letter to Dr. Sprague, "The dangers and cautions I have suggested, arise out of the power and eminent value of the spirit of revivals. I owe too much of what I hope for, as a christian, and what I have been blessed with, as a minister of the Gospel, not to think most highly of the eminent importance of promoting this spirit, and, consequently, of guarding it against all abuses. Whatever I possess of religion, began in a revival. The most precious, steadfast, and vigorous fruits of my ministry, have been the fruits of revivals. I believe the spirit of revivals, in the true sense, was the simple spirit of the religion of Apostolic times; and will be more and more the characteristic of these times as the day of the Lord draws

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You see, from these extracts, what I mean by a revival— an increased interest in, and attention to, the subject of religion through a congregation or community, produced by the power of the Holy Spirit, operating through instrumentalities, ordained or sanctioned by the Gospel, which God sees fit to employ and bless.

After this explanation, I feel bound to affirm, that in reference to the subject of a revival of religion, whatever any particular individual within the pale of the Episcopal communion *Sprague's Lectures on Revivals.

Bible Societies--Benevolent operations of the day.

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may say to the contrary, the great design of the Episcopal church, in all her services, as may be readily seen by examining the Prayer Book and Homilies, is to promote a continued revival of religion. In illustration of this remark, just glance your eye over the exhortation, addressed by the Bishop, to those who present themselves before him as candidates for priest's orders. "Wherefore consider with yourselves the end of the ministry towards the children of God-towards the spouse and body of Christ, and see that you never cease your labor, your care and diligence, until you have done all that lieth in you, according to your bounden duty, to bring all such as are, or shall be committed to your charge, unto that agreement in the faith, and knowledge of God, and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ, that there be no place left among you, either for error in religion, or for viciousness in life."-This is the solemn charge which every minister receives previous to being invested with the priestly office. And you can well see, that if in every instance this exhortation were adhered to, there would be a systematic course of efforts unceasingly put forth to promote a continued revival of religion in all our churches. And I have great pleasure in saying, and would here record it, "to the praise of the glory of God's grace," that within the last three years, in a circle of sixteen Episcopal churches, in which my parish is situated, there have been, with two or three exceptions, revivals of religion in each one of these churches; and one of these has added, within that time, nearly three hundred members.

3. Again, you may have heard it said, by way of objection to the Episcopal church, that she does not approve of Bible Societies, nor participate in the great benevolent operations of the day.

This too is a mistake. It is true, the Episcopal church has not legislated in reference to this matter, but left her sons to follow the promptings of christian benevolence.

Some Episcopalians think it better to unite in Bible and Tract Societies, composed entirely of their own denomination. Others think that more good can be accomplished by throwing their influence and pecuniary means into the great national societies. Hence we find the names of some of our Bishops among the supporters and officers of societies auxil

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