The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-10-21
Of
The CHURCH.
RevivaIs Required
to Stimulate
People.
REV. W. II. RICE
MAKES APPEAL
Ministerial Union Hears Paper on
the Subject at Monthly
Meeting.

"tSSUNiSs
At the regular monthly meeting of
the Ministerial Union, held yesterday
morning at the Central Union parlors.
the principal topic of discussion was a
paper presented by Rev. w. H. Rice,
Superintendent of the Anti-Saloon
League, on church revivals and the
need of them in Honolulu. Theo. Rich
ards stated that as to actual REVEALS
many Christians did not feel like en-
tering into them because of the sacri-
fees they involved. Rev E. S. Muckley
of the Christian church felt that be-
cause there We're no revivals it was no
criterion that church's work was not
being well done. Rev s. E. Bishop
spoke of reviyals in the past and said
that the desire of the people for them
had most to do with bringing them
about
MR. RICE'S ADDRESS.
Mr.. Rices paper in full was as fol-
lows
THE WHY. WHEN, AND HOW OF
REVEALS.
Brethren, l wish | had some wisdom
or knowledge upon this subject. and
with some hesitation; / offer few re-
marks, for whatever they may seem to
be worth.
l have a theory and / hold the opin-
ion that the one thing that Christians
need, and that nearly all the churches
need, most of all, is-encoura cement
They need new inspiration of courage
in their Christian work. They need
more hopefulness. an upward eye that
is filled with expectancy, an exulting
joy, and the Swing of victory" When
General Grant had seen all the great
armies of the world he said the Ameri-
in one respect-the American soldier
alone had the swing of victory.
Now of all the religions of the world
the Church of Christ alone has the
right to move on the march with the
ohthS VI NAItOi anu every tAuTCul
should be so preached to that the heart
becomes strong in faith, and valiant
with courage, alive, with the pith and
vim and purpose of a great victory.
have no doubt that many and varied
answers would be given if a hundred
persons were asked-"What is it the
1T needs the searching of the Holy
frsf ,lsi
hunbling." Another would say Con
viction of SIM or Repentance, or
Confession and this is true Very
many churches need some or all of
these, but always in such a manner
that the final result will be that the
church is very greatly strengthened and
encouraged. If all this deep and faith
full work of the Spirit is hopeful and
loving then the church will afterward
be filled with a new joy and mighty |
power. Indeed the very object of all |
the searching of the Spirit is to secure |
new line and a brighter joy in the |
whole church. Searching sermons, with |
love. sympathy and tenderness, are the
best fortune and an iimmeasurablel
blessing to any church. And a multi
tude of churches suffer for want of |
them. But always the result should be |
more courage.
Especially should the church be en-
couraged to believe in a practical way
that it is possible to seek and find the
Lord and obtain genuine, a powerful
and widespread revival of religion.
believe that such revivals are indis-
pensable to sanctify the church, and to
save sinners and convert the world
They are necessary to every church and
no church can do the work assigned it
without revivals.
A good many churches, at various
times, in various places have planned
TO live and tried to grow without re-
vivals. Some of them have slowly
grown. some have barely survived, and
a great many have persisted l believe
that such churches have not been, gen.
orally speaking, anywhere a power for
Their spirituality has
been low and waning. The whole pull /
of the world upon the church is back
ward and downward Every church
needs to have it's spirituality renewed
from time to time, and that is a re-
vival of religion.
1t is a fact that the Christian church
began in revival of religion We
ought to notice that great fact. There
were about 40 disciples. They did not
know what they We're expected to do
nor how to begin. Suppose the Lord
had said to them Go out now and be-
gin the work, or Begin at once to
preach the Gospel They wouldn't
have understood it. II is conceivable
that he might have said to them-'At-
tempt nothing until you have built a
church and the Bishop has consecra ted
it, Then make a pulpit, put on a mini