ing through": in other words, the procuring of an
individual and highly personal experience of emotion.

"Beneath the surface of life in these people so conservative, and so
indifferent to change as it is, there runs a strain of intense
emotionalism. When storms disturb the calm exterior, the mad waves lash
and beat and roar. And in religion this is most apparent. With them
emotionalism and religion are almost interchangeable quantities,--if
they are not identical.[3]

"It is in the revival service that you see the heart of the stolid
mountain man unmasked. The local mountain preachers know this fact well
and use it with great effect. A word must be said about these men who
work all through the week alongside of their fellows and preach to them
on Sunday. In some places there is a custom of holding service on
Saturday and Sunday. These men have generally 'come through'--a term
used to describe the process beginning with 'mourning' and continuing
through repenting and being saved. And generally they are men of
personality. They have a certain power with men, anyway, and they are
keen to see the effect of things on their audiences. Some of them have
learned to read the Bible after they have been converted. It is not so
much what they say that counts. If people looked for that they would go
away unfilled. But they have another thing in mind. They want to feel
right. They go to church occasionally during revival drought, but always
during revival plenty. They go to get 'revived up.' The preacher who has
the best voice is the best preacher. He sways his audience. The more
ignorant he is, the better, for then the Spirit of God is not hindered
by the wisdom of man. The spirit comes upon him when he enters the
pulpit. He speaks through him to the waiting congregation. Of course
they do not know what he is saying for the man makes too much noise. But
they begin to feel that this is indeed the place where religion can be
found and where it is being distributed among the people.

"Generally revivals occur as they have always done, about three times a
year. At these services the method requires that exhorters should be
present and perform. Several do so at the same time. The confusion is
great but the people breathe an atmosphere that begins to infect them.
Sooner or later weeping women are in the arms of some others' husbands
begging them to come to the mourning bench. Young girls single out the
boys that they like best and affe