PHYSIOLOGY OF RELIGIOUS REVIVALS, AND THE PHENOMENA WHICH ATTEND THEM.*

BY W. C. SPEECE, M. D., QUINCY, OHIO.

In approaching this subject, permit me to say, in the first place, that I am imbued with no spirit of scoffing. I am a firm believer in religious doctrines, in the existence of a Divine Being, and in the Bible as a direct revelation from God to man; and far be it from my intention to say anything in the course of this paper which would lead any one for a moment to suppose that I was making light of things which are sacred. My intention is to give, as the result of my reading and observation, my views as to what the conductors of revivals do, how they do it, and the nature of the phenomena which attend them. On first thought the physiology of revivals would seem to be nothing but a circle in human speculation ; and were I to depend wholly on myself, I fear it would be nothing else. But with the help of the ideas of others, I shall endeavor to avoid this as much as possible. In using the word Physiology, I use it as referring to organic structures performing a function, and with these we have to

*I desire to say that in the preparation of this paper I am under obligations to a paper pubished by Dr. McElroy, of Zanesville, in the Cin. Lancet and Observer.—W.... C. S.