In 1839 the attention of all Scotland was drawn to a religious movement at Kilsyth, which was followed by similar occurrences in a number of other places, more or less evidently connected with it. The first appearance of an unusual degree of religious feeling at Kilsyth was in the parish church, during a sermon by Mr. William C. Burns, a son of the minister of the parish, and afterward a missionary in China. The emotion of many of the congregation broke out in sobs and cries, so that for a time the preacher's voice could scarcely be heard. For months religion was the almost exclusive subject of interest to a great part of the inhabitants of the parish, and many meetings for public worship were held besides the ordinary Sabbath services, at which great emotion was often displayed. Among the other places to which this movement notably extended was Dundee, where Mr. W. C. Burns was then statedly employed in the ministry of the gospel. After 1839 there were revivals from time to time in various places in Scotland; but none of great extent or interest there or elsewhere in the British islands for nearly twenty years. There had, meanwhile, been many revivals in America generally, indeed, confined to particular congregations, seminaries, or localities, but sometimes extending over considerable districts; and throughout at least the northern and middle parts of the United States, the idea had become familiar to the popular mind, that revivals of religion ought to be expected from time to time; from which naturally followed the bclief,that means ought to be employed to produce them. From this resulted, in some cases. increased earnestness in preaching and prayer, with greater assiduity in the use of all the ordinary means for the promotion of religion; in other cases, direct endeavors to produce excitement, as by camp-meetings—assemblies of great numbers of people held in the open air, at which exciting addresses were delivered by preacher after preacher, to work upon the nervous sensibilities of the audience.
Nothing of this kind, however, attended the commencement of the great religious movement which took place in 1857 and in the two following years. Its origin is ascribed in part, to the thoughts and feelings awakened during a period of great corn inercial distress. It began in New England, particularly in Connecticut and Massa chusctts, and rapidly extended to New York and over the middle and western states. It was not generally attended with scenes of great excitement. Strong but calm 'relig ious feeling was its general characteristic. In the city of New York, almost every con gregation received a great accession of members, and prayer-meetings were held for about an hour in the middle of the day, which were attended by great numbers of persons actively engaged in businesg. More than 2,000 places in the state of New York were reported as partaking of this revival. Not long after it began in America, a simi lar movement.took place III the north of Ireland, not apparently connected in its origin with that in America, although certainly connected with it soon afterward, and promoted by the news brought across the Atlantic. It rapidly extended over the whole north of Ireland, and subsequently to many parts of Scotland, Wales, and some parts of England. As a rule, it was free from excitement, and characterized by little else than the intensity of religious feeling displayed. Another remarkable revival, which extended over the greater part of Great Britain in 1874-75, originated in the efforts of two American evangelists, Messrs. Moody and Sankey, and was characterized by the almost entire absence of sensationalism.
Revivals of religion have occurred also in other parts of the world. About fifty years ago a widespread movement of this kind took place in Switzerland, although not affect more than a small part of the population anywhere, Under the ministry of Felix Neff, it subsequently extended to the Protestant districts of Dauphine, and to the neighboring Vaudois or Waldenses, on the Italian side of the Alps. Similar religious
movements have occurred in many parts of Sweden.
Revivals have been accounted for in very different ways; but in general, too evidently iu mere accordance with the different religious views of those by whom the theories have been proposed. Some have attempted to explain the phenomena of religious excitement extending over wide districts, and rapidly spreading from one place to another, by the supposition of a kind of epidemic disease affecting the mind. Another opinion very prevalently entertained by those who do not see in revivals anything really good, is, that they are the result of endeavors to work upon the feelings. It is replied, that although this theory might be plausibly enough advanced, if only such things were considered as the camp-meetings of the American Methodists, it is far from being in accordance with the best ascertained facts as to many of the revivals which have taken place both in America and in other countries. It is certain that many of these have taken place without any apparent attempt to work upon the feelings, more than is ordinary and proper in the preaching of the gospel, and that the greatest display of emotion has often been connected with preaching of the most simple and sober kind.—By those who believe in the reality of revivals, as productive of a true increase of religion, they are generally ascribed to the operation of the Holy Spirit, to which, according to the `evangelical" scheme, the " conversion " of every individual soul is ascribed, and also all increase of faith and piety in the converted. Revivals have, however, often been regarded with doubt by many who believe in the whole doctrine of the work of the Spirit as generally held in the Protestant churches, but who look upon the excitement frequently attending them as inconsistent with the proper sobriety and solemnity of re)igion, and think the progress of religion ought rather to be expected to be gradual, and without very much to call particular attention to it at one time More than another. It is replied, that while a blessing on the regular use of ordinances may confidently be expected, if duly sought by prayer, there is yet much in scripture to favor the notion that particular seasons may he unusually marked by the evidence of it; and further, that revivals, take place, generally show the usefulness of the ordinary means employed for the promotion of religion, as they seldom occur among persons very ignor ant of religion, but rather among those who have previously enjoyed the benefit of the most faithful ministrations. With regard to the excitement attending many revivals, it is argued that thiS excitement is not wonderful, if persons are suddenly impressed with a deep sense of their sins, of the danger of divine wrath, and of the importance of religion; and that it is in some measure also to be expected in those who are brought by a quick transition from deep distress to a full sense of forgiveness and the favor of God. Are we to be surprised, it is asked, if persons in such circumstances, after much effort of self-restraint, cry aloud in the congregation, or fall down, overpowered by their emotions? It is sometimes alleged by the opponents of revivals, as an objection to them, that much of the excitement manifested in them is merely hysterical; and some of their advocates have rashly denied that this is the case; others, admitting it, deny that it affords any just cause of objection, and maintain that hysterical excitement is natural and unavoidable in such circumstances, and however undesirable in itself, is a manifesta tion of the reality and strength of the feelings awakened. They acknowledge, however, also, that like similar excitement produced by causes which have nothing to do with religion, it may extend from one to another, even where the cause in which it originated does not operate; and they therefore refuse to see in it, considered by itself, any evidence of the religious or spiritual condition of the persons affected by it.