------------------------------------------------------------------------ PREFACE. -------------- The author of the following pages begs that they may be read kindly—and, he will venture to say, _not_ critically. Originally published as a series of papers in the _Sunday at Home_, * * * they are only _Vignettes_—etchings. The History of the great Religious Movement of the Eighteenth Century yet remains unwritten; not often has the world known such a marvellous awakening of religious thought; and, as we are further removed in time, so, perhaps, we are better able to judge of the momentous circumstances, could we but seize the point of view. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS. -------------- CHAP. PAGE. I. THE DARKNESS BEFORE THE DAWN 7 II. FIRST STREAKS OF DAWN 24 III. OXFORD: NEW LIGHTS AND OLD LANTERNS 48 IV. CAST OUT FROM THE CHURCH—TAKING TO THE 68 FIELDS V. THE REVIVAL CONSERVATIVE 86 VI. THE SINGERS OF THE REVIVAL 109 VII. LAY PREACHING AND LAY PREACHERS 132 VIII. A GALLERY OF REVIVALIST PORTRAITS 154 IX. BLOSSOMS IN THE WILDERNESS 180 X. THE REVIVAL BECOMES EDUCATIONAL—ROBERT 193 RAIKES XI. THE ROMANTIC STORY OF SILAS TOLD 216 XII. MISSIONARY SOCIETIES 250 XIII. AFTERMATH 260 XIV. REVIVAL IN THE NEW WORLD 281 APPENDICES 303 INDEX 321 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE GREAT REVIVAL. -------------- CHAPTER I DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN.