Sentimentalism replaces the sound preaching of the Word. The audience is asked to bow their heads in silent prayer. And in the meantime the preacher begs and pleads, and with a voice full of emotion asks sinners to raise their hands, to come to the front, to let Jesus into their hearts, and to accept Him as their personal Savior. And the result is as natural as the means that are employed. The result is that churches that are built upon this unstable foundation of emotionalism are constantly in need of more and greater emotional stir to maintain themselves, and to keep their auditoriums filled.
Preachers try to draw a crowd by announcing the most extraordinary and silly sermon topics.
Besides, they are in need of periodical revivals, and for this purpose some extra sensational evangelists, men or women, are employed, and their coming is advertised in the daily papers and on billboards with the promise of special thrills and extraordinary excitement. And these revivalistic campaigns are said to be successful. Hundreds and thousands of souls are converted by these men. And it is to be feared, and the ultimate result usually shows that it was, indeed, by the preachers, rather than by the Spirit of Christ that they were converted. I raise my unqualified protest.