Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-02-08
THE HOLY SPIRIT IN REVIVAL.
An Essential Factor I'm Leading the
Christian and ConvictinE
the Sinner.

And shall we say that the day of re-
rival is past? Does the present
psrched condition of our fields mean
shat no showers will fall? Is the La
borer not to feel the thrill of Joy that
comes with the sound of harvesting
and the song OF harvest home ?"
Some say eyes" and others "no."
Which is oorrect7 1t is a matter of
vital interest to us all A right an
Swer will determine the character Of
pur faith and work.
Emphatically say the day Of re-
rival is not past unless the church of
Christ is on the down grade to obliv-
lon, which never for a moment will
admit. That methods for to-day and
hereafter must be those used in other
days does not follow, because it be in
sisted that the means and power OF the
past must be the same for to-day and
forever.
He who is the guide to truth, the
convincer of sin and righteousness
and Judgment to come, who takes of
the things of Christ and shows them
to us-He, the Holy Spirit of God, third
person of the Trinity, living, acting,
pie, the church Of Christ and the indi-
vidual believer, He is the presiding
genius over all revival worth the
name and he is still alive and willing
to waken us individually and the
church as a body, alive, to pour into
our veins the tonic of His power to
overcome the lassitude and laziness
that sin and idleness and unwilling
ness have produced, and to make us
stronger in faith, more constant in eff
. fort, more availing in service.
The Holy Spirit must be believed.
We are not to "grieve the Holy Spirit
of God in Whom we were sealed unto
the day Of redemption" None but he
who has a claim of friendship can be
grieved by our misconduct. The Holy
Spirit is the friend Of all true believers
Not to accord Him His rightful place
is to belittle and to grieve Him. To
grieve Him is to put ourselves where
He cannot use US fully. Too many
Christians do not give the Holy Spirit
His rightful place
The Holy Spirit must be allowed to
work. He is the convicter and con-
vincer of men. He opens blind eyes
and unstops closed ears and renews
/ worn-out natures and plants new
| seed and makes new creations in
Christ Jesus. He brings to the
birth souls struggling into life.
"Quench not the Spirit" IfHe be in a
church or soul Travelling let Him la
Dor. Let no parent say Of the child
in whose soul the Spirit of God is
struggling: "He is too young" She
does rot know enough" lest by such
discouraging the Spirit be quenched.
The church must work with the
Holy Spirit in revival. No church will
have the Holy Spirit in revival that
says: Lord, here am I-send Him"
Personal loyalty to Jesus Christ
means personal obedience to and CO.
operation with the Holy Spirit. When
the Spirit calls church to repentance
let it fall on it's face and repent.
What church does not need such re-
pentance from sin, worldliness, man.
mon worship, frivolity, hah-hearted-
ness unbelief? The number of
churches free from these is compare
lively small. Why are REVEALS so
fewP Not because the Holy Spirit
is weak or absent. Water cannot flow
through plugged pipe. God cannot
how through n plugged church and in
all too many cases our churches are
plugged with uncounted people, world
~ Christians, men and women who
have quenched the Spirit and dishon-
pred Him by unbehef.
| May God sound a call by His minis
TRY that shall wake dead churches to
4 new life and lead them to an obedi-
end following Of His Holy Spirit and
we shall have revival deep, wide
spread, gracious and mighty, that
shall bear upon it's bosom church
es that are now swirling around
IN some eddy of Selfshnese or whirl-
pool of worldliness, making no prog
ress and becoming every day more
water-logged.
We need a revival of belief in the
Holy Spirits place, personality and
power, then He can revive us and
Through us arouse others and the
mercy drops shall quickly become a
Icopious shower that shall refresh the
desert and make it spring into a boun-
tiful harvest.-Charles II. Moss, in
Baptist Union.
Children of n King.
NJ