The Russellville Democrat., 1885-11-12
Revival.

Let us first of all understand dis tinctly what is meant by revival What was it the disciples sought and fonnd on the day of Pentecost' There was an eager multitude, there was great excitement, many were added to the Church. But these things were only the results. The revival was the importation of the Holy Spirit, the baptism with fire; and afterward when they prayed and the place was shaken, or when Peter had preached in the house o1 Cornelius, the essential thing was the bestowal of the Spirit. s'They were filled with the Holy Ghost" "The Holy Ghost fell on them." And every genuine revival since has been of the same essential type.
 When we speak of revival, there. fore, we mean fresh importation of the Holy Ghost to souls, whereby they live anew, and receive new pow. CT. To Christians it is new in stallmcnt of life, to the unsavcd it may become the beginning oi life. To both it means growth out of a lower into higher spiritual state. A revival is, therefore, always ne cessity. We need always new sup plies of grace, new endowments of power.
 Without daily food our bodies would soon waste away and die. New materia. must be constantly re ceived and assimilated to build up the new body that God is always giving us. In like manner our souls need daily growth through the daily importation of spiritual life and power. Without this we grow cold and formal; the spiritual life be comes feeble and sickly. Every soul needs perpetual reviving. If there be one who bas today attained to perfect trust and climbed to the top most pinnacle of faithfulncss, he will need new importation of the Spirit "a fresh revival--that he may climb to the higher attainment which will be possible to morrow. And those who have fallen something short of what they might have been--the un faithful, the world fettered, the sin ning-stand in still greater need of new quickening, fresh endow- ment of the Spirit. All Christians, therefore, whether faithful or unfai:h- ful, always need to live again spirit ually, to feel anew the touch of the Pentecostal fire. And those who are spiritually dead certainly need to have tue beginnings of life lmparted. To saint and to sinner, therefore, a revival is q perpetual necessity.
 Now, Church whose members are receiving daily the imparted Spirit, and growing daily n grace and power, IS Il revived Church. To bring Church, or the majority of it's members, into this state, is "to get up revival" It means the re- kndling of grace in separate souls. It means the power and the results which follow when a number of such revived souls unite in worship or work. For not our safety only, but our success in the work of winning souls, depends the revivihg spirit. Each disciple is a soldier. The Church is an organized army to res. cue souls and lead them to loyalty to Christ. Power to do the work ap- pointed them was imparted to the disciples at Pentecost. We need power to do our work. Each new task requires new baptism. Each separate member needs q personal quickening. The revival must come first to separate hearts. When each member receives new life and power the whole Church will be revived. And before the blessing comes, souls must earnestly desire it. Failure most frequently grows out of lack of earnestness. We do not feel the need, we do not loag for the quick ening touch. If you are unrevived, It is most probably because you do not very much desire a revival. This blessing is within the reach of every soul. No Church need lack it. Who, ever burgers and thirsts will be fill ed. If we ask we shall receive. Nc earnest soul, longing for new life and new power, will fail of the need ed grace. God waits to be gracious Jesus stands at the door and knocks Only our lack of willingness, oul iukewarmness and lethargy, our un, belief and unfaithfulness, can shu, out the blessing.-Cumberland Pres bytprian