An Analysis of the Cane Ridge Revival during the Nineteenth Century Essay

After the War of 1812 a feeling of nationalism swept over the country. Nationalism is the spirit of nation-consciousness or national oneness. In other words, it is a feeling of unity throughout the country, usually associated with a feeling of national superiority. Nationalism lasted for a short time however people noticed their complacency growing throughout the newly formed nation. This is the story of a gathering of people to Cane Ridge, Kentucky and their revival toward a strong religious nation. In the summer of 1801, 18 Presbyterian ministers, plus several Baptists and Methodists, gathered at a Presbyterian meeting house in Bourbon County for one of the largest "camp meeting" revivals ever seen up to that time. Claims that up to twenty five thousand of people camped out but in all actuality a more reliable figure may be near one thousand gathered to hear the preachers' message of unity among denominations and a return to biblical basics. Backgrounds of those who attended weren't in concern. Many of the sermons had social and political messages, too, inspiring some revivalgoers to return home and emancipate their slaves. The Cane Ridge revival is credited as "the impetus" for the founding of the Christian Church and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denominations and with helping to attract the Shakers to Kentucky. Regardless of the number of people who attended, one thing is for certain, scores of people packed tightly together during the rainstorms to participate. So many that moving about was difficult. Some preachers stood on logs others on tree stumps to convey their stories. People who were out of hearing range testified amongst themselves. Strange was their religious worship. They hollered, danced, shouted as if celebrating gala party. The din even described like the sound of Niagara Falls. The revivals lasted throughout the night and into the day and went on for days. The Reverend William Burke lays claim that he attracted ten thousand people before him one...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Character Analysis of Basil Hallward in The Picture of Dorian Gray, a Novel by Oscar Wilde Essay

The main character in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian, is a man too easily influenced by his surroundings. He is quoted as saying, Basil Hallward is what I think I am Lord Henry is what the world thinks me Dorian is what I would like to bein other ages, perhaps (Wilde). This comparison falls in line with the moral of the story because Dorian is stuck with eternal youth and beauty even though he has a wicked soul. This causes different views of him by people who observe his daily life. Dorian is a sponge throughout the novel that absorbs everything and allows it to shape his personality, morals, and actions. Dorian Gray takes influence from Lord Henry, Basil Hallward, and the culture of society during which the novel was written. Lord Henry is the epitome of a wealthy, hedonistic gentleman seeking only pleasure, with little regard to cost or consequence. Lord Henry Wotton outwardly propounds hedonism, but it is his extreme egotism that drives him to manipulate both Basil Hallward a
Read more

Religious Symbolism in The Blessed Damozel, a Poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Essay

Dante Gabriel Rossettis poem The Blessed Damozel is full of religious symbolism. There is talk of saints, and the poem itself takes place in heaven. But underneath the religious symbolism is a deep sensuality, that makes one wonder if the white rose of Marys gift referred to in line nine is the gift of Mary the Virgin, or the somewhat less virginal Mary Magdalene. While the Damozel is in heaven, her appearance in heaven, her behaviors in life, and what happens when she and her lover are reunited suggest some less than virginal dealings, yet the damozel is blessed and resides in heaven. Rossetti was the child of liberals kicked out of Italy a heavily catholic country for their extreme political views. While Rossetti himself was not political, he may have espoused similar views regarding politics and religion as his parents. In the poem The Blessed Damozel, Rossetti was given the chance to essentially create his own heaven. Most everything he wrote seems to show that Rossetti espoused
Read more

An Analysis of the Character of Chichikov in the Poem, Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol Essay

Dead Souls takes place in the Russia of the late 1800s, where, unlike in America, one must be born into a prosperous family in order to have opportunities. The main character, Chichikov, is clever enough to develop a scheme in which he can rise from being a petty clerk to a respected landowner. In order to do this, Chichikov moves into a new town, pretending to already be a landowner, and begins a quest to buy the names of dead serfs who have not yet been officially reported dead. Each person that Chichkov presents this offer to has a different reaction, starting with the shy and introverted Manilov. Though he does not understand Chichikov's need for the names of these dead serfs, Manilov is a character that is so desperate for company that it does not take any effort to trick him into selling his dead souls cheaply. However, as Chichikov continues his journey, he starts to deal with more clever landowners who become suspicious of his scheme. Chichikov finds that the townsmen know
Read more