The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-08
AMONG THE MINISTERS.
A Month of ReYivals Mapped
Out For January
At the Meeting Of the Minis
teriaI Union.
Sketches From the Sermons Of Sun
day BY Leading Pastors of Topeka

At the meeting of the Ministerial I'M
ion at the Y. NJ. c. A. rooms yesterday
the subject for discussion was Evan
gelization. It's Needs and Methods"
Rev. d. d. Boyle of the First Chris
tan church led the discussion and along
that line suggested to the union that
January be devoted to thorough evan
geIIzatOn of the city.
Let every minister in the city be an
evangelist for that month, he said; If
we cannot have one big union revival
series let every church have a revival
OF its own and let it run on until it runs
out
The idea was Immediately taken up
by the union and resolved upon. It will
be carried out and the first of the meet
lngs viii be held Immediately after the
hrst Of the year though none Of the de-
tailed arrangements have been made
yet
In his discussion of the question Mr..
Boyle said:
The first advice Of Christ to his church
was GO, disciple all nations 1t is
continuous work. Each generation
must be evangelical. Evangelical means
conversion from sin to Christ.
Dr- j. L. Hill in the Independent
makes the startling statement that there
We're 1885 Congregational churches
which received no accessiOns by confess
sion of faith during the past year, near
" one-fOurth Of the total number. Out
of the 4,5I3 Presbyterian churches ], 100
reported no conversions
mink OIL IT, s, lA3 CnurCleS IN these
great denOmina tiOns which have failed
to obey the first law of reproduction
Allowing only 100 members to each of
these churches we have 314, 500 protested
Christians who have failed to convert
a single person in all that time.
If all the churches were like these
how long would it take to convert the
world?
What is wrong?
we suggest first, the small amount
Of preaching having for its immediate
purpose the conversion of sinners; sec
Ond, the loss Of the evangelistic spirit;
third, tendencies to discuss sensa tfonaI
topics rather than preach the old gos-
pei as the power and wisdom of God
unto salvation to every believer; fourth
worldiness in the church
we should learn something from the
recent political campaign. First, speak
ers were in demand; not a few great
ones, but a multitude of all grades
Thus they reached all classes. Thus in
our campaign there is a place for every
one, greatest to smallest. SpurgeOn had
continuous revival because he knew
how TO utilize all his force.
Second, it must be a campaign of
edUcauOn- We must not devote too
much time to oratory. We must teach.
Literature was used without stint and
it should be so in our campaign. Teach
instruct in Bible truths circulate good
books, papers and tracts. Reason with
men, Thus did Jesus. Third, there is
legitimate place for money in our
campaign Have good business sys-
TEN.
There is another thing: Prayer to
our great leader for more laborers. more
consecration, spirit, zeal Pray for Thy
Kingdom come, then get out and work
as we pray. 1t is largely with the min
istry.''
The discussion amounted almost en-
tirely to commentator Of Mr.. Boyle's
work.
The discussion will be continued at
the next meeting Of the union two weeks
from today and the additional subject
Of Prayer Meeting Methods will be
taken up also
A communication was received from
the Christian Endeavorers of the city
asking the approval of the union for a
big high class concert to be given for
the benefit Of the charities of the city
sometime in January. 1t was heartily
endorsed under condition that 1t be
postponed until February, or after the
revival meetings agreed on.