dreams stimulated the Northern abolitionists, the Southerners saw the preservation of slavery and the limiting of the power of government as their main interest. Although revivals continued, anti-slavery eclipsed other reforms and divided the churches.46 Secondly, the glorious millennial dream cooled off through the devastating effects of the financial depression of 1837,47 hindering the effectiveness of the benevolence societies. The spirit of the movement was no longer that of confidence and it
Page 12