The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-11-05
For the Central Presbyterian
REVEALS.

AS the result of careful study of re-
vivals, past and present, and a number
of years constant labor in this work, a
few thoughts have occurred to me that l
would lay before your readers if thought
desirable. l am especially stimulated to
do this, at this time, by quite an extern
sive tour of observation lately made
among the most noted evangeists of diff
ferent denominations now laboring in the
Northern and Southern States
find some good people opposed to re-
viyals; and if their experience is limited
to such as l have often witnessed, it is not
wonderful; for have greatly feared my
self lest more harm than good would be
done. A very prominent evangelist, who
counts his converts by hundreds in near
ly every town he visits, told me he
thought if one in ten of the professed con-
verts stood it was good work. Heaven
defend us from such revivals! But we
should discriminate between the true and
the false.
No earnest effort to promote the cause
of Christ has, perhaps, ever been made
but Satan has sought to hinder or per
vert it, either by mixing alloy, or sub
shutting counterfeit
Was the service of song likely to prove
blessing to the church? at once he in
PRODUCES lot of drawing. unmusical, or
operate, tunes, and dry and insipid
hymns till scarcely one Christian in a
dozen ever attempts to warm his heart in
praising God at church or at home.
Was great good to come from the dis
tribution of carefully prepared tracts
then must Mr. Dry-as-dust be set imme-
diately to writing tracts, till we can hard
ly get saint oxTinner to look at one.
Have reviys under careful manage
ment and cod Voted by devotedly pious
men resulted N great and permanent
good? then a spurious article is SNUG
gled into the Church which destroys con-
Gdence in all revivals and brings the
work of Gcd to stand for years:
But l am fully persuaded by my own
experience and reading, that if the follow
ing rules were observed by those labor
ing in revivals great good instead of harm
would result
l. DO the acork Thoroughly. Most evan
gelists are in too great hurry.
g. Haze longer meetings. never wish
to begin unless l may continue four weeks,
if feasible, and where have remained
FIVE, six, seven, or even eight weeks it has
been far more satisfactory to me; as the
converts were so much the more strength
ened at the commencement of the new
life, and made more earnest Christians.
Holding usually but one regular service,
and that at night l find people will come
many miles every night and not weary.
the interest and audience increasing to
the last. One should watch this how
ever, and stop before the interest abates,
or when there seems little probability Of
reaching any more unconverted people.
8. Tile sermons should not be too brief,
vet so constructed as that the attention
and interest will increase to the end
They should be full of instruction and
convincing argument and very plain that
children may understand Instead OF
this we often hear an empty harangue OF
twenty minutes, followed by fearfully
loud and excited call to the anxious seat,
with efforts by the hour to drag the I'M
converted there, even the children.
4. The laaO should be preached and its
penalty proclaimed, yet Nth great tender
ness The sinner should be made to see
that he is an abominable creature in Cod
sight, and richly deserving all that God
has threatened.
l have passed through long series Of
meetings with eyangelists where scarcely
anything was said Of the horrible nature
and awful consequences of sin, nothing
but Gods goodness presented. AS would
be expected saw little conviction Of sin
The gospel should be very fully and con-
stantIy proclaimed, but it will not do tc
leave out the Law.
5. Instructions to inquiyer8 and con-
vertS should be yeyy full and explicit. The
ignorance of the unconverted, even the
best educated, and those brought up il
pious families and Sabbath Schools, as tc
what the gospel and religious experience
really is, is most astonishing; and coulc
scarcely be believed by one that has no
labored much among them.
I find it necessary to give a great dea
of instruction every night, and have de
voted as much as a whole week at the
close of the meeting to this special in
struction. Hard work and insignificant
in the estimation Of man, but we mus