Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-02-11
Kpyivais of Kclip Ion.

Shall the year ISNS he one Of the Revivak
Of Religion, more markei, more wide
spread, moro lervasive, than was true Of it
predecessor. What gravcr inquiry can now
press alike upon PULPIT and upon pew every
where. That veteran and most successful
pastor, Rev. Theodore l.. tuvler, D.. D.,
thus urges this matter home To Christian
hearts III the New Nork Evangelist
Tut amid all the mysteries that are con
ncctcd with ia" special o~utpourTngs of Code
SPIRIT, hero are som" things which are
tolcra5lv certain. One is that a church may
healthy, normal activity that il
shall not need any awakening There
wall be no spiritual slumhcr to awake out OF.
Richard Bakers Church, of kiddcrminSter.
never lai amy alternations of leclpnsion and
revival Mr.. Surgeons Church III Louder
does ct seem" have. The preaching i at q
good anthracite glow all the while, and So i.
the condition Of the church. We admi that
there are such thing. as waves Of spiritual
Influence that sweep over n church or a city
or "A whole land VI eek lowlelgo also that
our Sovereign God often poufa eat His Spirit
more CUplouslv at one time than another: but
sim I'll" solid truth remains that n Christian
church may keep M TO such a high mark
"i praying, giving, working. AMI watch
ing that il shall suffer no leclen
SION. Convictions of sin ana conversions 10
christ will 90 on steadily. OF course. rs
There y NO long PERIOD IF disrraccful Starna-
zion and decline, there viii exist no nereSsitv
Tor a spiritual rr>urrectinn. Ii is neither n
h'althy OF Il CrelItahle condition Of things
III which churches arc expected t. pass
through Alterations OF Slumiyr AMI wake
inln"SS, freezing UP AMI thawing out. bar
ienn">> one year and f~rulttulntSs the next
No hCathy Christian lives in that interIuit-
tent fashion, why should five hundred CHRIS
uans attempt TO Go II as n church,
Another faCf * that ,yb;lo ~, n;,;,.
SrlIlf may he continually present III n
healthy, vigorous church, Vet the manifesto
tons OF the Spirits power may vary. There
may I" many more conversions at one sea
Son than another. Counting CONVEX. Is not
me only true tldcmark 81 a Church's, growth.
Activity IN benevolent work, growth in
household plety. increase q. rcily ,iyln~
are equally clear evidences thai the divine
life Is flowing there III strong. warm car.
rents framing ltolln for Christ after they
ger mo me TOW Is about Is llnportaut as get
ting thcnfm there. \ great deal 81 the "har-
vest III many q revival j. allowed 20 Spoil
Tor want If what the farmer, call lfinr
Well cured. | know Of certain ministers VIZ
are 50 busy III trying TO driv, the sheep in at
one door. that they 10 not observe how fest
'heN are sllpnlng out at the othtr door. Con-
versions 10 CHRIST are no. ends. they are only
h glnnlnES.
II a church is in q cold. declinjn- state
there is no salvation forit hut by a true re-
.IvaI 1t must have a fresh influx of the d-
vlnely impaired life, or else pull It's ftet IN
INTO the bed and die. To secure such . ~.
wal the ~Scriptural methods must lie EN-
AloVe't, and not mere potent human ma
,tilhery. When a certain church had ahao-
1"iled us first love and grown cold. the divine
command was Ito remember whence thu,
art falien. and repent and do tie tirst
WORKS. That counsel is as applicable in
america as in Ephe>us. The pastor OF a
certain frigld church called his elders night
alter night into his study: they confessed
.heir SINS together warmed their own souls
lp by fervent PRAYER, and then the tarna
kindled through the whole church. They ala
not run after a man; they Went straight 10
sod He is always refdy to met His
,eturninS people more than half way. Go
% Sod, II you want a revival.