▁rights ▁and ▁abol ition ▁of ▁sla very , ▁and ▁a ▁mult itude ▁of ▁other ▁issues ▁faced ▁by ▁society . ▁ ▁The ▁religious ▁enthus ias m ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Great ▁Aw ak ening ▁was ▁echo ed ▁by ▁the ▁new ▁political ▁enthus ias m ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Party ▁System . ▁More ▁active ▁participation ▁in ▁politics ▁by ▁more ▁segments ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁brought ▁religious ▁and ▁moral ▁issues ▁into ▁the ▁political ▁sphere . ▁The ▁spirit ▁of ▁evangel ical ▁human itar ian ▁re forms ▁was ▁carried ▁on ▁in ▁the ▁ante bell um ▁Wh ig ▁party . ▁ ▁Histor ians ▁stress ▁the ▁common ▁understanding ▁among ▁participants ▁of ▁reform ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁God ' s ▁plan . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁local ▁churches ▁saw ▁their ▁roles ▁in ▁society ▁in ▁pur ifying ▁the ▁world ▁through ▁the ▁individuals ▁to ▁whom ▁they ▁could ▁bring ▁salv ation , ▁and ▁through ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁law ▁and ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁institutions . ▁Interest ▁in ▁transform ing ▁the ▁world ▁was ▁applied ▁to ▁main stream ▁political ▁action , ▁as ▁temper ance ▁activ ists , ▁ant is la very ▁advoc ates , ▁and ▁pro ponents ▁of ▁other ▁variations ▁of ▁reform ▁sought ▁to ▁implement ▁their ▁belief s ▁into ▁national ▁politics . ▁While ▁Protest ant ▁religion ▁had ▁previously ▁played ▁an ▁important ▁role ▁on ▁the ▁American ▁political ▁scene , ▁the ▁Second ▁Great ▁Aw ak ening ▁strength ened ▁the ▁role ▁it ▁would ▁play . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁Advent ▁Christian ▁Church ▁ ▁Christian ▁rev ival ▁ ▁Christian ity ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁ ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ