The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-12-08

vas cOuV6rt0O ~ IL yosHo - s8Ss |
Graham, immortal in the
christian church, was converted ut 10
vears Of age; DR.. Watts, whose hymns
will be sung all down the ages, was
converted at 0 years Of age; Jonathan
perhaps the mightiest intel
.ect that the American pulpit ever pro-
iuced, was converted 1t : years Of age,
and hat father and mother take an
awful responsibility when they tell
their child at 2 years Of age: "You
too young to DO . Christian" or
you are too young to connect your
self with the church" That to Q mis-
take az long as eternity.
am very apt to look upon r~evivals as
with certain men who fos-
tered them. People who in this day do
not like revivals, nevertheless v
not words to express their admiration
revivalists Of the past, for they
were Observation-Disclosures Edwards,
John Wesley, George WhiteHeld,
Fletcher, Griffin. Davies, Osborn,
Knapp, Nettleton and many others
whose names come TO my mind.
A man said to Mr.. Dawson: 81 like
your sermons very much, but the after
meetings l dsspise. When tho prayer
meeting begins I always 60 up into the
gallery and look down, and 1 Am dis
gusted." "Well," said Mr.. Dawson,
''the reason Is you 60 on the top Of
your neighbor's house and look down
his chimney to examine his Ere, and Of
course you only get smoke In your eyes.
Why don't yoa come in the door and sit
down and warmp"
Obi 1 am afraid to say anything
against revivals Of religion. OF against
anything that looks like them, because
I think It may be . Gin against the
Holy Ghost, and you know the Bible
ssys that . ain against the Holy Ghost
shall never be forgiven. neither In this
world nor the world TO come. Now.
you are Q painter, and ] speak against
your pictures, do I not speak against
you? II you are an architect. and I
speak against . building you put up.
do ! not speak against your II . re-
vival be the work Of the Holy Ghost,
and I speak against that revival, do I
not speak against the Holy 0host9
Many Of You know the history Of
Aaron Burr. He was one Of the most
brilliant men Of his day. I suppose
this country never produced . stronger
intellect He was capable Of doing any
thing good and great for his country,
or for the church Of God. had he been
rightly disposed, but his name d ssso'
ciated with treason against the United
States government, which he tried Il
overthrow, and with Nbestinism and
public immortality.
Do you know whsrs Aaron Burr
started ON the downward road? Il waa
whom he wss In college. and he became
anxious about his soul, and was sbou,
to put himself undsr the influence
Of . revival. and . minister Of 10
lieion said. "Don't 60 thsrs. Aaron
don't 70 there; that's . place O
wndAre and great excitement; NO re
ligion about that: don't 70 there" II,
tarried away. His serious impressiopi
departed. He started On the down
ward road Aud who = responsible
for his ruin? Was Il the minister VII,
warned him against that rsvivalf
When Tam Speaking OF exoitensn
In revivsls, Of course ] - not mes,
temporary dsrangsmsnt Of the nerves
I DO not mean the absus4 things Q
which We have rssd - sometime
transpiring In the church Of Christ
but I mean IN Intelligent intense, Ill
absorbing agitation Of body, mind an,
soul In the work Of spiritual esoap
and spiritual ssseue.
Now I come to the real, Genuin'
esuss Of objection TO revivslA That
the coldnsss Of the objsctor. It Ii tn
secret and hidden, but unmistakabl
cause in every oass- low state Of n
ligion In the heart. Wids-swake, con
secrsted, useful Christians IRE neve
afraid of revivala. Il Il the SPIRITUAL
dead who are afraid Of having thei
sspulcher molestsd. The chief agent
Of the devil during . great awakening
are always unoonverted professors o
religion. As soon ~ Christie work b
gina, they begin to gossip against II
and take . pail Of water and try TO pu
ont this spark Of religious influences
End they try TO put out another spark
Do they succeed? A. well when Chics
60 was on FIRE might some n hav
gone out with . garden waterproof try
Ing 70 extipguish II.
The difficulty Il that when . revivs
begins In . church II begins 1t
many points, that while you hay
doused one anxious soul with . pail {
cold WATER there are 500 other anxior
souls on Are. Oil how much better
would be to lay hold Of the chariot
Christ's gospel and help pull It o.
rather than 70 ding ourselves In frol
of the wheels, trying TO block the
progress. We will not stop the chario
but we ourselves will b ground
powder.
But ! think. after. the greatest o.
stscle to revivsls throughout Christie
dom to-day 70 An uncovered ministF
We must believe that the vast nAjorit
of those who ofaciate 1t sacred alta
are regensratsd, but ] suppose the
may hoat into al the Generalization
Of Christians msn whose hearts In,
never been changed by tie grace
God OF our they srs al antag'
nistic to REVEALS.
How did they get into the ministr,,
Perhaps some Of them chose Il - . .
spectacle profession. psrhaps son
chose Il - . means Of livelihood. PI
haps some Of them were sincere. b
were mistaken. Al Thomas Chalme
said, he had been many years prss0
ing the gospel before his heart b,
been changed, and - many minists
Of the gospel declare they were preas
ing and had been ordained to sacr'
orders years and years before the
hearts were r~egsnerstsd. 0rseio
God, what . solemn thought for tho
Of Ms who minister 1t the atari WI
the present ministry In the PR
: emit temperature Of pisty
: world will never b envslop
with rsvivalA. While the pews
ono side Of the altar cry for mercy q
pulpits on the other side the altar mu
cry for mercy. Ministers 9usrrslin
Ministers trying to pull sash 9th
down. Ministers struggling for eccle
astical plaza. Ministers lsthsygic, wi
whole congregations dying on tn
hands. What n apoctrolai