web browser.The period of the story came around the time of the Second Great Awakening, a religious revival that swept over the United States from about 1800 to 1840, especially the parts west of the Appalachians. It was caused partly as a reaction to the Deism which was beginning to predominate in New England. But also there were many frontier settlers for which no church was available. One aspect of the movement was the Scottish-style camp meeting, where a preacher, or team of preachers, would meet a large group of people for several days at some clearing in the wilderness. Often the meetings were characterized by frenzy more than solid preaching.
The movement had several results. Religious fervor and attendance at services increased, and lasted into the Civil War. Many new organizations were begun, such as the founding of American Bible Society in 1816, the founding of temperance organizations, abolitionist organizations, and organizations for prison reform and care of the mentally retarded and handicapped. There was strong growth of some denominations such as Baptists, Methodists, and Campbellites (Disciples of Christ, Christian Churches, and Churches of Christ), and the birth of some new movements, most of which could be gathered under the head of Restorationism , producing the Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Many of the denominations predominant in the colonial period (Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians) did not experience such phenominal growth. (The tremendous growth of the Roman Catholic Church was mostly from immigration.)
Note on the Mormons in Missouri--church founded 1830--moved to Kirtland, Ohio, 1831--began gathering "saints" in Far West (near Independence), Missouri--Smith moved to Missouri, 1838--forced to leave Missouri, 1839--settled in Illinois; built Nauvoo--Smith killed, 1844--most of Mormons then followed Brigham Young to the Salt Lake valley.
Religious expression as a result became more varied. In our story there is a contrast between the harsh side of religion as expressed by Miss Watson, and the gentle side, as by the Widow Douglas.
Huck Finn's attitudes toward religion probably reflect Mark Twain's own ambiguous feelings about Christianity.
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