Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-08-31
THE COMING REVIVAL.
BY REV. d. L. PARKER.
Pastor First Baptist Church.

rastOr flrsu baptlSt Onurch'
Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be meat
in mine house, and prove me now
herewith said the Lord Of hosts, II |
will not open you the windows of
Heaven and pour you out blessing,
that there shall not be room enough
to receive it. "-Malachi $40.
The world has been blessed with
great and good revivals Of religion,
but i believe the greatest and the
best is yet to be; and, l believe ALSO
that it will be largely the result OF
the conservation Of God Of the vast
wealth he has put in the hands Of the
people.
What was it that characterized the
revival under the WesleysP 1t was
the intense recognition OF the Holy
Spirit in His personality and work.
What was it that made the work Of
the Wesleys permanent 1t was the
philosophical theology Of j. Edwards
and other great minds Of that day.
What was lit that characterized the
revival under Finney and NettletonP
1t was their tremendous preaching;
the sending Of the law home to the
consciences Of men, and holding them
accountable for their own salvation.
What was it that characterized the
revival of 1S57-6Op 1t has been well
said: "The remarkable feature OF
that revival was that it brought the
Bible down from the pulpit and put
it into the hands of the people and
set them all to reading and studying
Gods word for themselves. A great
revival that-the revival of 1880,
but il is not to be compared to the
revival which has marked the present
generation. A revival which has set
men to searching for the truth as
never before, and out Of which has
come such expressions as Mr.. Moody's
"Saved to serve" and our B. Y. 7.
U. motto. Couture for Service" We
wait now for a revival which shall
recognize the religious and conse'
Grated use Of money. Hitherto,
says great preacher, "the church
has rather looked down upon money
as temporal necessity in the work
Of God, and not as great spiritual
force" The church has yet to learn
the meaning "of this grace Also"
bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse." In what wayP Thought
fullyp Yes. Lack Of thought means
lack Of giving. People do not give to
that which finds no place in theil
thoughts. Acceptable giving is CIV
ing conducted upon a thoughtfully
adopted plan. Such giving will not
feed man today and starve him out
tomorrow. Such giving will not be
in any degree contingent upon cir
cumstances so accidental as the state
of weather or the warmth of an
agents appeal. Bring ye all the
tithes into the storehouse." Whyp
THAT there may be meat in my
honse." Men are hungry today, be-
cause there is no meat in the store
house of our God to feed them, This
ought not to be the case. A New
York business man OF high reputa-
ton, a little time since, made a care
full comparison Of the offerings re-
ported by Christian churches during
a recent decade, as compared with
those represented during a like per-
iod a generation ago. 1t showed a
six.fold increase, Meanwhile the
wealth of American Christians had
increase not less than eighty-fold.
Dare we take the great God at His
wordp He waits for us to prove
Him. 1t is our power to secure a re-
vival whenever we want it. 1t has
been well said that Ahab would not
accept the sign God offered him be.
cause he did not want to be bound by
obligation. We will not accept the
challenge God throws down to us be-
cause we do not wish to part with
our money. We would rather keep
back the tithes than to have the win
dows Of Heaven opened above. Some
Of us are like the woman that found
it cheaper to move than to pay rent.
w. Jooit ,attia Jn.n Il, an,.n oh,,c.b