To the Members of the —— Church
The church is a family — Intercessions — Revival prevented — The sin of one man — A reproach to Christ — Social gatherings versus class meetings — A vironderful deception — The convicted — Cruel friends — “Who ruined that soul?” — God’s decree nullified — A revival in God’s order — Death busy and the church idle — “Curse ye Meroz.”
Dearly Beloved, — I have no explanation to offer for my solicitude on your behalf, other than that I believe God has himself given me a care for you. “We have one Father, even God.” Children of one household are one in interest. That interest is the honor of the parent, and the good of the united family.
In view of your low state for some time past, my heart has been moved to cry earnestly to the Lord for a revival of his work among jou. In my importunate supplications I have consciously realized the help of the Spirit, and have felt a firm conviction that what I desired was in verity according
Mischievous Agencies. Zion’s defeats dishonor her Captain.
to the will of God. Indeed, I could not be more abundantly assured of a readiness on the part of God to work. But on becoming better acquainted with your state, by my recent visit, I am constrained to say,- in faithfulness to you, and to the promise-keeping Lord whom I serve, that my prayers in your behalf have been hindered. I am convinced that God will not work in power among you, unless conditions are met on your part. I see agencies at work among you calculated to make your faith powerless, and to neutrahze your prayers for a revival.
I well know that what I would say may not be applicable to all. When Israel was driven before his enemies, it was by the sin of one man, yet was not the great body implicated in the eye of God? The Lord of hosts had promised to go out with their armies, and to subdue their enemies before them, and now his promise had seemingly failed, for Israel had been smitten. O how greatly was his holy name dishonored among his enemies by this discomfiture! If you, beloved brethren and sisters, are not empowered to proclaim victory on the Lord’s side, do you not see how the name of the Captain of your salvation may be reproached? He hath said, “IIoav should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up;” and if this promise is not fulfilled, do you
Satan busy. The Seed and the Harvest.
not see how your inactivity may be the cause of triumph on the part of Satan?
While many among you are so absorbingly interested in a diversity of ways, as to prevent a regular attendance on your class and prayer meetings, and other stated means of grace, Satan is most busy. If you deem secular business, or meetings involving mainly secular interests, or the congratulations of friends, of more importance than an engagement to meet God at his house, can we wonder that he withholds the manifestations of his favor from you? Brethren, there is no neutral ground. It looks to me as if in every church seed were being sown, which will produce a harvest. Either the high and holy One, or the enemy of God and man, will quickly put in the sickle and reap.
By some it seems to be regarded as a matter of course, that the church should have its seasons of comparative inactivity. That this deception of Satan should have obtained to the extent it has, is wonderful. As before intimated, Satan in these times of declension is most husily engaged. Noio he sows his seed plentifully, and may we not conclude, that on some of these occasions when the church has been aroused to put forth its most gigantic efforts, she has scarcely more than undone the wTong perpetrated during her previous inactivity?
Almost persuaded.” Why then don’t my Friends warn me V
That the lack of manifest zeal furnishes material for Satan to work with, I know from my ovn observation. Let me relate a case. On one occasion, while I was endeavoring to m’ge upon a sinner his awful condition, in view of his momentaryexposure to the wrath of God, the Holy Spirit appHed the truth to his conscience, and fearfulness and trembling took hold upon him. I had been pleading earnestly for his awakening, and now my heart leaped in joyous anticipation of his speedy transition from the kingdom of darkness. But the pious may conceive, though language cannot express, the anguish of my heart, when he said, “I have a brother who is a minister, and I have sisters also who are professors of religion; they have never talked with me in this way, and I am sure if I thought that they were in the perilous state in which you say I am, I could not 7’est day nor night without warning them.” It was thus that Satan succeeded by the inactivity of these professors to quiet the conscience of this young man, who was possessed of talents for usefulness, which might have told on the salvation of scores of souls, but who, from the course which his convivial propensities inchned him to take, has probably finished his earthly career ere this. And upon whose skirts may his blood be found, when the Judge maketh inquisition?
I have seldom received more marked tokens of
The People will not work. How God works.
divine approval, with a deeper consciousness of the Spirit itself making intercession, than when pleading for a revival of the work of the Lord among you; but after a better knowledge of your state, my heart with yearning emotions said, My prayer cannot now be answered. The people here are not now willing to have a revival by being workers together with God; and I well knew that in no other way could the petition be granted. Though the decree might have gone forth from the throne of God, you, brethren and sisters, may take upon yourselves the awful responsibility of making that decree null and void, by refusing to enter into the designs of God by being workers together with him. If you would have a revival, you must set yourselves apart to work and live far it. God works through human instrumentality, and if you would that he should work by you, you must put yourselves wholly in his hands — soul, body, and spirit — and then will your service be holy and acceptable. Then when you are individually instrumental in winning souls to Christ, how dear to your heart will be those who are newly brought into the fold; how deeply will you feel the importance, as nursing fathers and mothers, of leading the babes in Christ into the more excellent way; instructing them, by your example, to labor for the perishing around them! Were your prayers answered for a revival on other premises, it might result in little
Death’s doings. Inactivity cursed.
more than an ingathering of the names of such as would clog the chariot wheels of the Saviour.
But we must not forget that while the church lingers, death is doing his work! One after another is leaving you. Are you ready to meet at the bar of God those of your congregation who may have died out of Christ? Are you prepared individually to say, that your skirts are clear of their blood?
“Unity is strength.’^ If you would have a revival, the church must come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. It is not left optional with herself whether she will obey the call of God or not. It is possible to stand on worse than neutral ground. My heart shrinks from appearing to be denunciatory, yet I must say, that unless favored with the blessing of God, we have his curse, and a bitter curse has been pronounced on those who come not up to the help of the Lord. “Curse ye Meroz,” said the angel of the Lord, “curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not up to the help of the Lord, to the help of tho Lord against the mighty.”
Your servant for Christ’s sake.
Stated Means. The Saviour slighted.