Revivals

BY the word “revival” we commonly describe such a condition of a church that Christians are more than ordinarily active and spiritually-minded, and as a result, the conversions of the impenitent are more than ordinarily numerous. Whatever the other characteristics may be, two phenomena are essential to a genuine revival — the Holy Spirit quickens believers and the Holy Spirit regenerates sinners. The power of the work of grace may be estimated by the degree with which the divine Spirit produces these blessed results. Never forget, my young brother, that the foremost factor, the indispensable agent is that same Spirit which was poured out with such marvelous results on the day of Pentecost.

After a longpastoral experience and frequent labors in revivals I confess that there is much that is utterly mysterious in regard to them. Our God is a sovereign. He often seems to withhold His converting power at the very time when according to our calculations, we ought to expect it. I have had many disappointments of this kind. On the other hand several copious showers of heavenly blessings have descended when we were not expecting them. The first revival that ever visited my ministry (in my little church at Burlington, New Jersey) — began at a time of deep discouragement; it began too in a single act of one godly woman. The most remarkable work of grace that I have ever enjoyed was in the Lafayette Avenue Church, Brooklyn (in 1866); and that commenced during the “week of prayer.” There were no extraordinary efforts made, no peculiar expectations of a revival were discernible, no outside help was called for, from the beginning to the end. In both cases the showers burst upon us suddenly.

It has not been my custom to send for Evangelists to do the work which the Master has committed to me. Eighteen years ago, I invited my beloved friend Mr. Dwight L. Moody to come and conduct a series of special services in one of our Mission-chapels. He prepared there the first “Bible-Readings” which he ever delivered; and after a few days of patient effort, a fire was kindled which spread through the parent congregation, and over one hundred souls were hopefully converted. In 1887 my church united with several neighboring churches in inviting that very earnest and discreet evangelist, the Rev. B. Fay Mills, to conduct public meetings during about three weeks, and his faithful preaching produced some happy results. There is often a prodigious temptation to pastors and churches to shirk their own responsibility, and to send off after somebody to come and do their work for them. The minister thinks that “perhaps a new voice may wake up the sleepers,” or his officers may suggest that some “novelty will draw the people out” and accordingly an invitation is sent

to Mr. A, the evangelist, or Mr. B,

the Bible-reader, or the Rev. Mr. C — : — , the “revivalist,” to come and inaugurate some special services. Far be it from me to speak disparagingly of some faithful, godly-minded itinerants who go about preaching the pure gospel, or holding “Bible-readings,” or conducting various meetings for arousing sinners or edifying believers. I sometimes wish that they would carry their torches oftener into the darkness of neglected regions and not spend so much time in setting their extra lamps in pulpits, and prayer-rooms that are already well lighted. One of the dangers of importing outside laborers is that it tends to belittle and disparage the installed shepherds of the flock. An idea is becoming quite current that the pastor may plod on in his routine of expounding God’s

Word, visiting his flock, comforting the sick and sorrowing, and burying the dead; but if souls are to be converted, then somebody must be sent for whose profession it is to convert people. He is sent for as a farmer whose wheat is ripe goes after the owner of a patent “Reaper” to bring his machine that will cut and bind the grain with the utmost dispatch. Surely, if nobody else can bring a new gospel or a new Redeemer, or another Holy Spirit than the One that is promised to the prayer of faith, wrhy should a faithful and zealous pastor look anywhere else than Heaven-ward? Sometimes it may be wise to employ itinerant heralds of the gospel; but commonly a minister had better sow his own seed and reap his own harvests.

We must bear in mind that God always means to be God. He bestows spiritual blessings when He pleases, how He pleases and where He pleases. We may labor, we may pray, we may “plant,” but we must not dictate. Sometimes a godly pastor — greatly troubled by the low state of religion in his church — sets in motion some special machinery to produce a revival. It comes to nothing. The wheels whirl for awhile, but there is “no living Spirit within the wheels.” Never, in my whole life, have I arranged any peculiar measures to produce a revival, — which have been successful. The shower of blessings has descended upon us when I have been preaching God’s Word in my usual way and when the church has been in what may be called an “average condition.”- Whatever the experience of other pastors has been, this has been my experience.

(i.) In the first place, then, I would advise you, my brother, not to talk too much about a “revival.” You will wear out the very word. Lay hold of your heavenappointed work of preaching the whole gospel and soak it in prayer; keep at it, and do your utmost to keep your people at work; and then commit results to God. Do not worry; do not become disheartened; do not scold your people; do not undertake anything but the fearless, faithful and loving discharge of duty to your Master and to dying souls. Constantly present the great vital truths of the inspired Book — such as human depravity, the remedy for sin, the atonement of Jesus Christ, justification by faith, the character and claims of Jesus, the Bible rules of clean living, the final judgment, and future retributions. Waste no time in defending your Bible; preach it and let it defend itself! Preach sound doctrine fervently, and with lively, helpful illustrations. A revival that is not founded on Bible truth is a blaze of pine shavings, and will end in smoke. You should mingle your instructive discourses with frequent arguments and tender appeals to the unconverted. Say as little as you can about “revivals” — and keep your own eyes and those of your people upon “no man but JESCS ONLY!” Deal with sin fearlessly; press home upon the consciences of your hearers the tremendous claims of God, the necessity of immediate repentance and acceptance of the Saviour. Keep your people at personal work for the welfare of others and for the salvation of souls.

(2.) Watch, with open eye and ear, for the first tokens of an especial manifestation of the Spirit’s presence; be on the lookout, and the moment that you detect such a manifestation, follow it up promptly. One afternoon, when I was out making calls, I discovered that in two or three families there were anxious seekers after salvation. I immediately called together the officers of my church, stated to them my discoveries, and we instituted a series of meetings for almost every evening, and followed them with conversations with inquirers. A large ingathering of souls rewarded our efforts and prayers. Without any noise, or violent excitement, or “sensational” devices, the good work went steadily on for months, and there was no reaction after it. People did not flock together to hear a noted preacher; they came to hear preaching of the Word (which is a mightily different thing). All the time, too, there was abundant and fervent prayer by God’s people. When revivals die down, they die from the want of humble, persistent supplication, and the lack of persistent laboring and living for the Lord. The church gets satisfied with the harvest, and the harvesting stops. When we cease to co-operate with the Holy Spirit, then the grieved and neglected Spirit withholds His converting power.

(3.) While it is true that we finite creatures cannot predict the times or seasons of the Spirit’s especial presence, yet it is always right, to be praying for an outpouring of the power from on high. The late Dr. Thos. H. Skinner (a remarkably humble and holy man) told me that two or three of his elders, in Philadelphia, met in his study to prostrate themselves before God, and to ask for a baptism of the Spirit.

9D HOW TO BE A PASTOR.

They emptied themselves and prayed to be filled with Christ. He did fill them. Then they interceded most fervently for the awakening and conversion of sinners. Presently a most powerful revival shook the whole church like the mighty blast which filled the upper-room at Pentecost. Mr. Finney tells us that for fourteen successive winters there was a rich spiritual blessing brought down upon a certain church just because it was the custom of the church-officers to “pray fervently for their minister far into the night before each Sabbath.” Those wise, godly men honored Christ’s ambassador, honored His gospel, honored their own duty and felt their own responsibility. They did not run off to Egypt for help. The prayer-hearing God honored them.

(4.) When the influences of the Spirit are recognized in your congregation in any unwonted degree, you must be on the alert, and be prompt and untiring in your co-operation with the Divine Agent. The secret of success in a revival is to co-operate with the Holy Spirit. Therefore you will be praying most fervently for His guidance. Appoint as many services of prayer as can be profitably attended. During the remarkable revival in my church (in 1866), the following programme of services was carried out. It may give you some hints if I reproduce it here: —

On Monday evenings our young people held their regular weekly gathering, which was very crowded, and was followed by a service for inquirers. On Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and Friday evening, there was a general prayer-service, followed by inquiry meetings. On Wednesday evening I usually preached as clearly and pungently as I possibly could — sometimes to backsliders, sometimes to the impenitent, and sometimes to awakened sinners who were seeking salvation. This service, like all the others, was followed by a cordial invitation to all inquirers to go into a large adjoining room for personal conversation and prayer. I found a vast benefit from this plan. It revealed to me just who were awakened, and the very act of going into that room as inquirers had a certain strengthening and compacting influence upon those who were awakened. It was a step, and a step in the right direction. If pride and self-conceit were somewhat humbled by this step, all the better. In addition to these evening services there was an afternoon meeting of young lads (for an hour) and another afternoon meeting of young ladies. Both these services were in charge of experienced Christians, and were devoted to prayer, praise and free conversation.

(5.) The inquiry meetings during a season of revival are so vitally and critically important, that no rash, inexperienced or fanatical person ought to be admitted to converse with inquirers. By the fanatical I mean all such people as are (in Scotch phrase) “clean daft” with some spiritual hobby of their own. I always conducted the inquiry meetings myself, and called to my aid certain men and women who possessed both grace and good sense. (The two are not always found in combination.) In the solemn wrork of the inquiry-room no small artifices were allowed. I aimed to discover just what hindrance was in the path of each inquirer. It is a great point for a sinner to discover what it is that keeps him from surrendering to Christ. If it be some habit or some evil practice, then he must give it up. If some heart-sin, then he must yield — even if it be like plucking out a right eye, or lopping off a right hand. Commonly the chief hindrance lies in a wicked, stubborn heart. It was my aim, and ever has been, to convince the awakened person that, unless he or she was willing to give that heart to Jesus, and to “do the will” of Jesus, there was no hope for them. We must shut the soul up to Christ!

Of course the Word of God is as indispensable in an inquiry meeting as a compass on board of a ship. It is well to have certain passages so familiar to the mind that you can turn to them instantly, and read them to the one who is seeking for light. The healing of blind Bartimeus, and the conversation of Christ with Nicodemus, I have always found helpful in guiding inquirers. When you use the inspired directions of God’s Word you are sure that you are right, and you may always confidently ask for a blessing on God’s own instrument. You ought to converse with each person individually. If time forbids as full discussion as the case demands, then appoint some hour for further conversation at the person’s house or your own study. During a season of awakening, you must not allow anything to call you away from your parish — especially any “lecturing” or money-making expedition — ; and you will probably find it necessary to devote half of every day to thorough visitations and conversations from house to house. Do not begrudge the time required to guide a perplexed or halting soul into the Kingdom. Hand-picked apples keep the longest. Individual labor with each individual soul is indispensable. The book of the “Acts” of the Apostles is such a record. Those early Christians understood their personal responsibility and the power of personal effort. Peter goes right after Cornelius; Philip talks directly to Queen Candace’s royal treasurer; Paul answers the Phillippian jailor’s questions face to face, and Aquila and Priscilla have a great Bible-class in the person of the eloquent Apollos. If the Son of God would devote so much time to the Jewish ruler who came to Him by night, and to a poor soul-smirched woman at the well of Sychar, surely we ought to spare no time or toil in leading an immortal soul out of darkness into the daylight.

(6.) “Had I better ask those who are seeking Christ to rise in a public meeting?” To this question I would reply that the method of inviting anxious inquirers to rise for special prayer has been adopted by many very wise pastors; it has been blessed with many glorious results. During the first half of my ministry I requested inquirers to remain after the service for conversation, or to go into a room by themselves. During later years I have often requested those who wished to be prayed for to manifest that desire by rising. So many happy results have followed this measure that, on the whole, I approve of it. But great discretion must be used, or else a very solemn step will be perverted into a flippant and careless formality. Be very careful to set before your auditors just what is involved in “rising for prayer,” and make your invitation not only affectionate but so clear that even the weakest may understand it. Let the prayer that is offered be direct, simple and importunate. When the service is over those who have taken the public step of rising up should be conversed with in private. After an inquirer has made a firm decision for Christ, I have always encouraged them to make it known to others. A few touching words from a new-born soul will often thrill a meeting like the sight of a Lazarus lifted from the tomb. It quickens the faith of God’s people wonderfully to hear the “new song” from a soul that has been dead in trespasses and sin. Unless young converts begin to testify for Christ at once, they are apt to be tongue-tied all their lives.

(7.) The preaching during a revival should be steeped in Holy Scripture and saturated with prayer. You cannot be too simple, too earnest, too close in your applications, or too clear in your illustrations. President Finney — a king of revival-preachers — used to subsoil his auditors’ hearts by a prodigiously powerful presentation of every sinner’s personal guilt before God. He put his plough in deep — “up to the beam” — and it made ripping work in the conscience. His chief aim was to make every unconverted hearer realize that he was a sinner against infinite holiness and love; that sin was exceedingly damnable; that it should be repented of and abandoned straightway; and that the sinner should turn immediately to God who would grant abundant pardon through Jesus Christ, the all-sufficient Saviour of every man who trusts in Him. Pungent convictions followed such preaching; the conversions were usually as clean-cut as the stamp of the die on a gold eagle from the mint. We need more of such thorough work in the pulpits of these days. The key-note of John the Baptist’s preaching, of Jesus Christ’s first preaching, and of apostolic preaching was “repent, — repent!” You must bear in mind that “repentance unto life is a saving grace whereby a sinner, out c&a true sense of his sin and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God with full purpose of and endeavor after new obedience.” Can any step be more vital, or any duty be more peremptory than this? Do not be afraid of preaching with too much of the plainness of love; do not hesitate to make every soul that is in the wrong place feel uncomfortable. The more deeply a man feels his guilt, his weakness, and his desert of punishment, the sooner will he flee to the crucified Lamb of God. That revival will leave the most enduring results which sends every awakened soul to “Jesus only,” — and which draws the church into the closest daily imitation of its holy and loving LORD.