Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-02-07

ers licenses to young men, unless
they could sing, as well as eXhort.
IL is true that Washington has al
ways been chilly place for revival
lists. We could get up big REVEALS
in baltimore, or Hagerstown, or even
at Harper's Ferry. in the old days,
but Washington was cold and unre-
sporSv We could get up trcmen-
dous reyivals at Bladensburg, where
statesmen would come from Wash
inpton to fight duels and kill each
other"
The religious newspapers and the
vivals are being held in other cities"
says the enthusiastic preacher, land
| shall make the effort in spite of all
| discouragements from within and
without the church
That a Sunday school can be built
up in this city has been demonstrate
| ed, and that is ample reason for be-
| lieving that church or churches
may be built up here. About six
years ago T.. II. Bristow, "A clerk in
| large store, was made superintend-
/ ent of one of our Sunday schools
which had membership Of about
| 800. Inside of two years the member
| ship of that school was upwards of
1000. Mr.. Bristow devoted his ener-
| gies to the work, just as this preach-
er intends to devote himself to his
work. There was no half-heartedness
! in it. lie enlisted every man and
woman of the church into his Sunday
school picket brigade. He demanded
that each one SHOULD send child of
| his own, or some neighbor's. He
was good singer, and he developed
all of the power there is in sacred
music to aid in the work. Therefore
he succeeded.
One of the most successful teach
ers in Sunday school work here says:
THE real reason why revivals are so
difficult to start and maintain is that
the church members themselves need
religion and true conversion. They
are all good people, but they are all
selfishly trying to live correct lives,
and save their own souls. In that
frame of mind they do not seem to
care about saving the souls of 9TH
ers. No general could win battles il
his soldiers were simply trying to
save their own lives, instead Of GO
| ing forward with him. 1t seems to
me that no preacher can produce a
revival unless he can revive his own
church before he tries to revive sim
ners. No preacher can do it all alone,
but must have his congregation
aroused to a pitch Of his own en-
thusiasm."
That seems to cover the case rather
succinctly, not only for Washington,
but for all communities. The religion
of love is religion of unselfishness.
Men and women who are trying to
save their own souls may miss the
mark, because their best lives can
be but phiosophic lives, like the per-
feet livings of intellectual and moral
Buddhists and Brahmins or Moham-
medans.
~ want no notoriety over this
work." says the preacher. 81 want
to assume that all of the other
preachers are as sincere and earnest
for the salvation of souls as myself.
| do not want to be singled out as
doing any more than sacred duty.
want to be able to ask the other
preachers to send as many people to
the revival meetings as they can; so
that there shall be no rivalries and
iealousies. hope that within a week
or ten days some of these preachers
will come with me and take part in
the exhortations from my pulpit.
Therefore do not want any notorie-
ty, lest some of them might suppose
that l was magnifying myself, when
my whole endeavor is to magnify the
Cross and hold it aloft, so that all
may see it,"
True worshipers everywhere, those
who believe in old-time revivals of
religion because of the necessity of
saving souls from perdition will be
interested in this earnest effort, and
they will be told the result in due
season. SMITH ID. FRY.