The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-05-06
GREAT AWAKEN|NGS
PROMOTE GROWTH
If Gods Work is Revived Re-
form viii Come
MEANS Of FIGHTING SIN
If the Spirit of God Is There, the
God VIII Surely and Certainly
Show Itself in the
Life.
MEANS Of FIGHTING SIN

The Rev. DR.. J. A Duncan preached
at the First Methodist church yesterday
morning, his text being, 20, Lord, have
heard Thy speech, and was afraid. o,
Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of
the years, In the midst of the years
make known. in wrath remember mercy"
Heb. SO.
DR.. Duncan spoke in part as follows:
The prophet has been viewing the con-
= dition of Israel, and he is greatly alarmed.
feels that the sufferings of his people
on account of their sins. It Is to
i'm the voice of GOD is telling his ma
on: 1.-THE soul that sinneth shall die"
The first step in any great religious
weakening Is that men shall hear the
voice of God. He is always speaking.
He speaks in a nations calamity or In a
nations prosperity; in time of peace or
In time of war, God is every speaking. Oc-
casionally some man who is more deeply
spiritual than others hears this voice,
and learns the meaning of it. To such
man the cry of God is natural.
Condition of Israel.
At first it startles us little when we
think of the condition of Israel at this
time, that the prophet does not ask that
calamities should cease. He asks for no
temporal blessing. His cry is that the
spiritual life of his people shall be quick
ened. He realizes that what is seen is
only the result of what lies in the hearts
of the people. He does not even try to
institute a reform. If Gods work is re-
vived the reform will come. Make the
l.. TN1,f-
Is his doctrine, and it is the teaching Of
the Greatest Prophet also.
1t would be foolish for anyone to de-
cry reforms, and say that they amounted
to nothing They amount to a great deal.
On the other hand, 1t is terrible blunder
to think that the human race will ever
become what 1t should be by outward
pressure. 1t is not sending the child to
school that makes him wise; 1t is what he
gets into himself when he goes to school.
1t is not the closing of dens of inquiry
that makes men sober and industrious and
righteous; it is the spirit that is in men.
If the spirit of evil is there, the evil will
show itself in the life. If the spirit of
, God is there, the God will show itself in
the life.
means OF Flghting Sin.
Sin in the hearts of men must be fought
by endeavoring to get men to give their
hearts to God. A revival is a perfectly
natural thing. OF course it would be
: ideal could the church grow. first the
blade, then the ear, then the full corn in
the ear History shows us, however,
that all human growth has been promoted
by great awakenings. We read of a re-
vival of letters, of REVEALS of interest
in scientific investigation, of great re-
vivals of religion that have marked the
progress of the church.
The awakening of some man to whom
the voice of God has been real has al
ways been the beginning of these move
ments. Then comes the prayer that what
this man knows others may know that
God will revive His work. 1t is the felt
necessity for return to spiritual activity.
Church work may in a measure be carried
on when spiritual life is at very low
ebb; but the great work for which the
church was established, the conversion
of the world, can only be carried on sue
cessfully when the church is filed with
the power that only a genuine spiritual
life can give. 1t was when the disciples
were filled with the Holy Ghost, endued
with power from on high, that there was
added to the church such as should be
saved
God Speaking Today.
is Gods voice consciously speaking to
us today? Do we fear for ourselves and
for our households, we see evils of
every sort about it, and note the appal-
ling power that evil manifests? Nothing
is more terrible for a people than for God
to leave them to themselves, a thing He
will never do unless they first leave Him.
Do we not feel that in our churches to-
day we need to be afraid, and fearing
need to pray as did this old prophet, 30
Lord, revive Thy work. until there shall
come a great spiritual awakening that
shall fill the lives of men with the life
of the Master?