The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-13
First Methodist.

AT the First Methodist church yes
terday morning the preliminary service
to a series of revival meetings to be-
gin at once. took place. Rev. w. K
Beans preached on the necessity of re-
Vivals and numerous church workers
testified to their belief concerning the
benefits of earnest revivals. Colonel
Crittenden, the millionaire evangelist.
will arrive in Salt Lake during the
course of the meeting and take hand
in the work
Rev. Beans took his text yesterday
from psalms 1886. wilt thou not re-
vive US again that the people may re-
joice in thee" In part he said:
ReVivals of religion are necessity.
The celebrated DR.. Bushnell says if
any one expects to carry on the cause
of salvation by a steady rolling on
dead level and fears continually lest
the aXles Wax hot and kindle into
fame. he is too tinorous to hold the
reins in the Leyd's chariot MY
brethren" exclaimed Dr.. LYMAN Beech
er. eve must have revivals. It must
rain faster or we perish with drought
There is no such thing as a growing
progressive church without them. God
has multiplied his people; never built
up his kingdom rapidly without them
and never Will" This is the thought [
would impress upon those who hear
me-the INDISPENSABLE necessity of
revivals of religion to perpetuate the
church and convert the world
AS civiliza tien advances wealth ac-
cumulates, luxury abounds and So
ciety rises higher and higher. How
men dislike humbIine doctrines of the
cross. Religion becomes Offensive, the
gospel is odious How are you to make
Roadway against all this accommodating
hatred? By jogging along in the old
orthodox way? No, men will go to hell
by whole generations If something be
not done.
But so into the church filed with
these CAV self-sutT1cient schemers when
the spirit Of God is abroad and the
atmosphere of revivals envelopes the
mass. Then see what an arrest is put
upon the current of their worldliness.
The whole community is affected, con-
viction spreads like a fire in a dry
forest Everybody feels and you can
not tell why. The gospel then takes
hold and is invested with a kind of
almightiness. It is impossible for the
truth to make such an impression in
any other way. We must have re-
vivals if the world is to be converted.
1t is made an objection to REVEALS
that thew are mere temporary excite
ments. They are that true enough.
Pentecost lasted but one day but that
one day changed the moral face of the
globe Luther's reformation work was
accomplished in but few years, yet
Europe anS the world feeli to this
hour. The memorable revival of 1857
began with few praying hearts. 1t
eliminated in a few weeks, its out
ward phenomena ceased in a twelve
months yet its influence spread across
the seas and around the globe. That
revival has its enduring monument in
every church nearby and on this CONT
nent. Revivals are commonly short
lived and are often attended by a few
excuses and false conversions but
would anyone object to cOpious rain
because it did not continue for ever or
because it swelled a few streams and
carried away few mill dams or
bIidees?
It seems to me that the inestimable
blessings and incalculable benefits that
would come to the church just now as
the result of good revival ought to
awaken and inspire the most Indifferent
ore n our midst It would greatly en-
courage and strengthen the church,
and under the blessing of God it would
bring many more to repentance and
pardon. Let US then be revived again,
break down the walls of sin, bring US
up into the higher life and bid our
dying graces live by the restoring
power.