Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-01-15
THE NEW EVANGELISM.
Modern Methods as Compared With
Those of the Past.

Modern MetnouS as CompThFcu WIN
Those of the Past.
The coming of DIR. Mann to this city
this week for a series OF evangelistic ser
vices, as announced in last weeks AMERI-
CAN, very naturally raises the question as
to the place and use of evangelistic effort
in the work of the church.
As one looks back over the past, ii is
most interesting study to note the change
in methods OF this service that has meant so
much to the church. The whirlwind evan
gelism of the Wesleys and Whitefield has
its counterpart, it is true, in some OF the
methods that are employed to-day, and
there are multitudes that are reached by
this method who, possibly, would not be
reached by any other.
Il is true that revivals come sometimes
in one form and then another. The great
Welsh revival, beginning in its humble
wsy through the power of prayer without
any seeming organization, brought
auickening to that country which is still
realized in the life of its churches. In
western city pastor got together with
other pastors, and after arranging
program of services and perfecting an
organization of workers, launched a cam
paign that was productive of splendid
results.
Rev. j. Wilbur Chapman, with his corps
of workers, puts more of organization in
his great campaigns than perhaps any
other man has ever attempted, specially
ing every feature of it so as to make every
thing work together in order to get the
results desired. And the fine thing about
all these efforts, whether they are humble
attempts or specialized services. is that
they have been blessed, and the Kings
business has been FASTENED.
A recent conference called by DR.. James
NJ. Gray, of the Moody Bible Institute, of
Chicago, was for the purpose of bringing
together many OF the men who have been
successful in this line of work that they
might have heart-to- heart discussion of
the whole topic of Evangelism. and profit
ing by each others experience, might sug
gest ways and means by which this i'm
portant service could better be done. 1t
was a notable gathering. Many earnest
and Straightforward things were said, but
all in the spirit of that brotherliness that
is willing to offer suggestion and receive
honest criticism.
The very purpose of the conference in
Dictated that something needed to be
changed or amended, and this idea is one
that has so developed that the matter of
evangelism has been gradually placed on a
different basis, thereby investing it with a
new significance. The old methods of ap-
peal, largely directed to the emotions, is
not 80 much in evidence to-day. People are
appealed to in the matter of their eternal
interest on the ground OF its essential
rightness, and while emotions are stirred,
the main effort is to lead the people to see
the thing that is right and then, by a
whole-hesrted effort of the will, to surren-
der to that claim that Christ has upon the
life.
But while the evangelism changes, the
evangel is the same. The gospel message
is just as vital for this age as for any other,
and just as necessary. And while the Cos
pei of culture and other cults have been
put forth as the uplifting forces OF hu-
manity, and there is a tendency in this
sociological age to put the emphasis upon
society rather than the individual, each
person needs to settle the great Question
for himself, and is made responsible to
that extent by the very terms of the Cos
pei message.
And if the coming services, led by DIR.
Mann, scriptural, sane and earnest, will
lead some of the people of this city to &C.
knowledge the right that Christ has to
their reasonable services, his coming will
not be in vain.