Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-05-08
As TO RELIGIOUS REVEALS
4 UOIJMEii CLERGrN,N uHJr,s mr.
TNCorNrfn sCCESsiuNs 10
TET CtTRCH
TIL" Relative Merits "t the pinercni Methods
of bringing rcorlc Into christian rel
i""~hir-A iIIist Ngriust "roru
lar and Sensational Preach
iuE"-Sam jones on SIn

Prom tho New York independent
Ihere Is great deal for serious considera.
ton in what the Rev. J. II. Pannabeckcr. a
reformed German pastor in Columbia,
Ia, writes us. lie represents one of those
denominations which receive their members
by confirmation, and chiefly at the Easter
Set@"h' lie reminds us that, while the work
"i revival has been going on, and has at
Ha'ieu tho attention oC the secular and relig-
i'uS press there has heen another work iu
progress I" save men, wIn.i N.r, i..d. .,.,.
iIShed from week To wcok. ,,h,,., ,, l,v.
ever, OF too great Importance not to- he so
published lie says:
phiing the Easter tide now possal ha
tween iH"uand ln,OuO persons were receiysd
a. members Of tho Reformed cbur,h ir ,b,
'h''e" states L" those persons tho subject
"l sat'alinn did not come suddenly. The
IutSl"h - W nat shall DO to he Saved >"
was raised ia their minds long ago and tbey
placed themselves under the instructinns a.
lhe ministers OF tho church early last an
tuhn. During the winter the yarious sinh
yey,S included IN the answer To the all-impor.
lsht question were carefully explained To
them They were fully acquainted with the
greatness OF their sins aud miseres and
We're thus led to calm. deep repentance, to a
hearty determination To- a. cease tn do ayil
and learn to do we'll"
W hen this disposition was well tlbIisbed
lheN were taught how they might he deIiy-
cred from their sins and miseries and that
Jesus 'hrist Is life eternal to those who have
lAlth IN him. The source aud nature of
iaith were explained to them When this
lhth had been established in their hearts,
and the fruits of it began to show themselves
lheN We're further, both theoretically and
practically, taught how now to show their
gTaltude 10 Almighty God Tor his mercy
unto them, in holy living. After this pro-
lrayted PREPARATION during at least seven
ih"hihS imhuN al them that many wears }.
tneE were received sS iull memhers OF the
church.
This work went on quietly, but ~ any one
can see, thoroughly. \ vast amount Of re-
IIEIous KNOW ledge was imported, knowl-
td-e III our day 80 necessary To balance the
secular knowledge of the schools These
people' So gradually led, had abundant time
ln thluk, " Ia count tho cost" To trst their
sih'tt'tN' Ia realize the growing hatred at
Nlp, the increasing love tor Christ and his
righteousness They passed the first and
most CfltiS'u stage Of their probation under
IN" careful, personal watch and leading Dt
thGfouEhlE trained ministers The catechet-
zeal meeting was tn" most practical inuuIry
meeting. Here the hearts and under
standings were inquired into. They were
| gwen every opportunity to inquire tor light
| on any ltrpleNlties that might arise In their
| MINDS And now after they have IntplII-
| gently and most premcditatcdly said. " ba-
| IieNe, rs members Oi the church, they are
| iE no means lett to tread the newly tnund
pam alone They have the first attention Of
| Their pastors, and are so led from strength To
| strength until they, with their pra.tir.l
| christian knowledge, become most helplul
| 10 lead Others in the same way
/ ar be 1t from us tn SAY one word in dis
| pdfaGement OF such Christian instruction and
| conversion As il thus described. Nothing
could be more evangelical and beautiful
revival mus carried ON il as nearly "A model
one az can lie Imagined. But We must re.
member that IL il here described al its best
and that the history of the church shows how
easily such system, which eN perts to bring
III an the youth, at such an age, into The
'huf'u' degenerates into lOrmalily. Its dan
ger - That II may ept intellectual instruC-
ton Tor regeneration The 0hiact rf tho
chuTch must be To gather into a working
body those who actually love God aud have
'oh9e'rated themselves to him. That expe-
TlenCe comes 10y conversion or regeDeraiinn
Whatever name may be given r. il Those
VINO have been thus converted or rercner-
ated belong in the church, and all others do
NOT ii has too generally happened that
thousands have been received into thcchurch
because they were eN Npected to enter at such
an age, who have never been renewed in
heaft That, moro than anything else Is the
explanation Of the decay Of so many OF the
ancient churches. TIE Reformation came i'm
and had its glory, under a system which
asked not age, but evidence Of conversion
Such churches a- the Reformed German and
The tpiscopalian are attempting to harmon
iZe the two plans, and combine the nlan of |
cohhrmation and that of conversion. II is a
magnificent plan, and it il works as our
correspondent says, the Success is satizfac- |
tOrV
But Mr. Pannahecker continues: |
Tho result of bringing people to Christ in |
this way proves the excellence of he ueihoI.
not In that larger numbers are won for the |
LORD than in other ways, for most peopIs |
prefer shorter and more popular way, but |
mat those so brought generally remain faith. |
tul.
In community in which both methods
are III use, seventy-hve per cent of those
converted at reYiyals become backsliders in
I've years, while but five per cent OF those
admitted to the church by the catechetical |
method become such, with the exercise of |
discipline more strict among the latter
oi the i've per cent. one halt return to IL |
deity, while two.thrds OF the seventy-tve |
per cent, after several recOuy ersions BECOME |
lhiidels. The writer IL well acquainted with |
Two villages, the Inhabitants OF which have |
oeen converted again and again in revivals, |
until tho churches have almost died ont, |
deity.
This comparison Is far from just, we think.
II Is hnt Tor us to criticiSe the statement that |
under the confirmation revival theory, only |
hVe per cent tall away nor further that |
discipline IL strict in such churches although |
we are very far from admitting that it is
, more strict than elsewhere. We do |
however, quito deny that seventy-Gye per |
cent OF those converted in revivais become |
nachsliders in five years. and that two |
thirds OF the seventy-iive per cent after sew
eral reconYersions, become infdels" This |
IS tremendous misstatemCnt. We do not |
know how II may be in certain rude commu- |
mites but among our established churches
u "ohid not be amiss TO say that 1t is gener. | ,
ttlly expected that seventy-live per cent. of
me converts OF revivals will become perma-
lent Tembers Of the churches There have |
leeh already BIZ converts received into the |
.arlous churches in Mobile az the result of | !
hr. MOody'5 meetings there. 1t is 10 be |
'xPected that very tow of these Will tall
.way. |
We suspect that our correspondent does |
iol remember that churches which seek re- |
,'Nais also practice the plan of CaGechetic,I Z
Iasses The regular period for catechetIcal il
instruction among the MGthOdists is six J
months and OF those received into member | v
hip only small number are over removed | Il
y discipline. a
THE SENSa7TONdL ED9NEEIISpsn | a,
reformed Clergyman VINO Believes IA the | tc
Old Spiritual Methods b
ey' Ellis L. kremcr, In the Messenger. "
\ senSatiOnalist is ono who eXcites fcelI,o