LITMIR.BIZ

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been left for genuine penitence at all. Yet not a ceremony was ever introduced into the system that did not seem to be recommended by some sound religious reason at the time. The same thing may be said for the Services of that Church generally.

In another sphere, look at Millerism.128 The error, as it has been zealously preached within the past year (1843), has no doubt had an awakening effect on the minds of many; and some, it may be trusted, have been actually conducted by means of it into the kingdom of God. But will any pretend to say that it deserves to be encouraged on this account? It is said, indeed, that such an idea has been occasionally thrown out. Only, however, where the judgment had been in some measure corrupted by the spirit of quackery previously at work. No morally sane man could be willing for a moment to patronize such a lie, on account of any apparently salutary effects it might be found to have in particular cases.

      Let us not be told, then, that the Anxious Bench is a godly interest, because many seem to be convicted by its means, and some are converted in fact. All this may be, and the general operation of the system remain notwithstanding intrinsically and permanently bad.

As a general thing, the movement of coming to the Anxious Bench gives no proper representation of the religious feeling that may be actually at work in the congregation at the time. It is always more or less theatrical, and often has no other character whatever. A sermon usually goes before. But frequently this has no felt relation at all to the subsequent excitement, so far as its actual contents are concerned. The writer was present, not a great while ago, as a stranger in a church, where a preacher of some little note in connection with the subject of revivals had been introduced under the expectation and hope that something of the kind might be secured at the time by his instrumentality. The congregation had but little appearance of life at the beginning, and still less as the sermon drew towards a close. The truth is, it was a very dull discourse at the best. The preacher was not well, and altogether he failed to make the least impression on the great body of his audience. A number were fairly asleep, and others were bordering on the same state. The preacher saw and felt that he had preached without effect; and took occasion, after the sermon was properly ended, to express his regret in view of the fact, and to add a few valedictory remarks in the prospect of his leaving the place the next day, without any thought evidently of calling out the anxious, where not a trace of feeling had been discerned. But the new strain adopted at the close, served to rouse attention and create interest. The congregation put on a more wakeful aspect, and something like emotion could be perceived in the countenances of a few. The preacher took courage, and after a few minutes dared to try the Anxious Bench. As usual, the hymn was started, “Come, humble sinner, &c.,”129 etc., and carried through, with pauses, in which sinners present were urged and pressed to seek their salvation by coming forward. Soon a female was seen going to the place, then another, and another—till at last a whole seat was filled. One old lady rose and moved around, trying to induce others to go forward. At the close of the meeting I retired, wondering within myself that educated men, as were both the preacher in this case and the pastor at his side, could so impose upon themselves as to attach any importance to such a demonstration in such circumstances. It was attempted to carry forward the work by an appointment for the next evening. But on coming together at the time, it was found that it would not go forward, and so it was dropped altogether.

      Commonly indeed those who deal in the anxious seat rely far less upon the presentation of truth to the understanding than they do upon other influences to bring persons forward. Pains are taken rather to raise the imagination, and confound the judgment. Exciting appeals are made to the principle of fear. Advantage is taken in every way of the senses and nerves. Especially the mysterious force of sympathy is enlisted in support of the measure, and made to tell in many cases with immense effect.

As might be expected accordingly, the most favorable subjects for the operation of the system are persons in whom feelings prevail over judgment, and who are swayed by impulse more than reflection. In an enlightened, well instructed congregation the anxious bench can never be generally popular. Where it is in full favor, a large proportion of those who are brought out by it are females and persons who are quite young.130 It often happens that the “bench” is filled altogether with such cases, the greater part of them perhaps mere girls and boys. So, where a community is characterized by a general ignorance with regard to the nature of true religion, the measure is frequently applied with great effect; and those precisely who are the most rude and uncultivated, are the most likely in such circumstances to come under its power.

It requires then no spiritual power to use the Anxious Bench with effect. To preach the truth effectually, a man must have a certain spiritual force in himself which others are made to feel. But nothing of this sort is needed to secure success here. The object sought is a mere outward demonstration on the subject of religion, which may be gained by other forms of influence just as well. It shows no inward power whatever to be able to move a congregation in this way. It can be done without eloquence, and calls for no particular earnestness or depth of thought. It is truly wonderful, indeed, with how little qualification of intellect and soul a man may be fitted to carry all before him at certain times, and to show himself off to the eyes of a bewitched multitude as “the great power of God,” by having recourse to new measures. He may be vulgar, coarse and dull, and so pointless and sapless in his ordinary pulpit services that it will be a weariness to hear him; and yet you shall find him, from time to time, throwing a whole community into excitement, gathering around him crowded houses night after night, and exercising as it might seem, for the space of three or four weeks, an irresistible sway in favor of religion. Such cases are by no means uncommon. Some of the most successful practitioners in the art of the Anxious Bench show themselves lamentably defective in the power of serious godliness, as well as in mental cultivation generally. The general habit of their lives is worldly and vain, and their religion, apart from the occasional whirlwinds of excitement in which they are allowed to figure in their favorite way, may be said to be characteristically superficial and cold. Nay, the evidence may be palpable that religion has nothing at all to do with the system in cases where it is employed with the greatest apparent effect. Nothing is more common than for those even who glory in the power of the Anxious Bench, as employed within their own communion, to look with entire distrust on its results as exhibited in the practice of other sects. What is trumpeted in the one case as a glorious revival, is allowed to pass in the other without notice as at best a questionable excitement. In this way it is practically acknowledged that the system does not necessarily involve spiritual power. It can be made to work as well in connection with error, as in connection with truth. It is as fully at the service of quackery and imposture, as it can be available in the cause of genuine religion. It is well adapted, indeed, to become the sport of quacks under every name. All wild and fanatical sects employ it with equal success. Campbellites,131 Winebrennerians and Universalists132 show the same power, when necessary, in producing revivals under this form. Millerism, and Mormonism,133 it may be added, are just as capable of doing wonders in the same way; though the last has declared itself not favorable to the Anxious Bench as interfering with regular and rational worship.

      Nothing can be more precarious, then, than the argument for this system, as drawn from its apparent effects and results. In the sphere of religion, as indeed in the world of life generally, the outward can have no value, except as it stands continually in the power of the inward. To estimate the force of appearances, we must try their moral constitution; and this always involves a reference to the source from which they spring. A miracle, in the true sense, is not simply a prodigy, nakedly and separately considered. It must include a certain moral character.

Especially there must be inward freedom and divine strength in the person from whom it proceeds. No wonder-works could authenticate the mission of a man pretending to come from God who should display in all his movements an inward habit at war with the idea of religion. And just as little are we bound to respect, in the

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