The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-16
FAMILY REVEALS.

cient to our need, as they we're to the one
hundred and twenty at the advent of Pente-
cost Or have we not grasped these as
something real2 We hear of the Spirits
presence and his power abroad, of nation
bowling under his sway. And why are we
left only to fruitless signs and unanswered
cries Whoever can give answer to these
longiugs will be serving the Church. But
only propose to make the effort in one oil
rectiOn, hoping that some light may appear
We are prepared, from some years of care
full observation, to say that our experience
confirms US in the belief that we never look
in the right place for the movement of the
reviVing Spirit. We look in the Church
only for indications. But we have never
known of revival starting there. 1t Is
made public there. But when investigation
was pushed to the sources, in every instance
it had begun in somebody's family; the life
giving, Gfeincreasing treasure, first appeared
in some solitary, but overourdened Christian
heart or hearts, within the circle of the fam
lily. Some mother, in agony about her son;
sister, in distress for her brother; an in
Fortunate wife, for a goddess husband; some
father, like a discomftted Jacob, though
thigh-smitten, in desperation laying hold on
OmDipotence, binding Gods hands by his
own promises, until he has gained the victory
A revival of religion is always family
matter, aud household movement in its be
ginniugs. 1t starts in the closet, and comes
in answer often to the prayers and tears of
a solitary petitioner. There is no place on
earth so near the heart of the Redeemer, or
half so omnipotent, as that place which He
named "clOset." When the history of the
worlds moral triumphs shall be made known,
we may all be more surprised than at any
other revelation in glory, that so many were
organized and completed in this family holy
of holies We know minister, owned of
God in his work, whose hayward footsteps
we're arrested on the broad road to death by
the sight of mother kneeling upon the kitch
en- hearth, when she thought all but herself
sleeping, pleading for the guilty son whose
eye was resting upon her, whose ear heard
the only words that had ever touched his
heart.
We have personal knowledge of revival
in an unusually wicked place, which began
in the closet of distressed wife, who saw
her husbands health failing, and his heart
growing more desperate in its hatred of God ;
overwhelmed at his dark prospect, she sought
this place of solitude, to talk with God, and
one day, while on her knees, these words
came into her mind eel have heard thy
prayer, 1 have seen thy tears; l will heal
thy husband" Upon this assurance, she
went to see three others whose husbands
were companions in guilt with her Own, and
the fOui agreed to pray together an hour
each day of the coming week, which pre-
coded the communion. Preparatory serVi-
ces began on Friday night AT the close,
the minister said that on Saturday after the
morning sermon, any who might wish to
unite with the church on profession, or con-
verse with the session on the subject, could
remain. He did not know that there was a
convicted sinner in the whole town; but to
his utter amazemeut, this wretched, dying
husband aud one of his companions presented
themselves, under the deepest convictions,
and from that moment the Spirit of God was
felt to be there with power, aud about one
hundred and twenty. five persons made pro-
fession of religion, including the four unbe
heving husbands.
We have been led into this train of thought
by hearing several times lately this inquiry
Why is it that Gods Spirit is working with
such wonderful power in Scotland, and there
is so little evidence of any great movement
in our own land? We are trying to answer
this by asking whether, las reviVals are home
movements in the first instance, we have
made home preparations for the coming of
the Holy Ghost! The revivals recorded in
the Bible, 50 far as we can fud, have no
we'll defined existence, except as they arose
in the family. They are family blessings
covenant mercies; if not, what does the
Apostle Peter mean when he says, Repent
and be baptized, every one of of you, for the
promise is to you and your children" and
then reaching from the home beyond, he
adds, "To them that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall cal"
And this is not what we would expect,
from our experiences of the manner of the
working-foroes about us ? If we should at
tempt to clear the turbid stream, we would
filter at the fountain or if we wished to en-
large its volume, or increase its activity, We
would do it at the source. And so it is, &C
cordiDg to our experiences in this respect, in
the recorded revivals in the Word. And
God said to Jacob, Arise, and go up to Bethel,
and make there an altar unto God; and ia
cob said unto his household, aud to all that
we're with him, Put away the strange gods
that are among you, and be clean, and let
US arise and go up to Bethel"
And centuries later, at this same Shecbem,
Joshua is delivering his farewell address, IN.
der the shades of death, in which he gives
resume of the covenant mercies and reca
pituatiOu of sins committed, and closes by