The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-20
REN. GEOKGE ~. kEMPER.

Questoniess, he has the ability to reach. 10
touch, to influence for righteousness and religion
the gospel message in its more dignifed and
intellectual presentation. We ought to have
learned long ago that there is room in the work
of building up the kingdom OF tho Lord Jesus
for great variety of personalities and methods,
and that IL in foolish for TO insist upon ap-
plying our canons Of taste to every messenger
who arises to subject his MESA &c to the tests
OK the traditions which prevail among us. of
our own preferences over and over again in
the history OF Christianity men and movements
have arisen no thoroughly unconventional and
even offensive to at under the
contemplation Of representative Christian peo-
PIE. Yet these men have in many instances
made their mark deep and indelible Chris
nan history and these movements have played
march OF the kingdom OF Christ.
Luther. rugged colossal figure as he was, not
cnfs shocked and greved the Christian people
of his day bat II he were to appear among us
of pious and cody folk. To think OF him in
the oft-described scene as throwing his ink pot
at the devil is to reveal him at one in
whom, despite his strong mind and admirable
character. gross superstition stin fingered.
Early Methodism characterized By Any
number of emotional extravagances sidney
Smith found IN these ample material for his
mordant satire. Reading his essay. cannot
rep-ess feeling of amusement at the absurd
and iudicrous incidents which the essayist ar
rays though amusement is necessarily mixed
with Indignation over the scurriious attack. Yet
In all the course OF Christian history there are
rev men VINO nave wrought so well and so en-
lduringly as John Wesley. We may resent the
tone of Smiths essay. but We shall be indebted
to him Mt any rate for the profound observation
Ith. the religious instinct is primal. so pow.
jorful so buoyant and Interchangeable, that you
may tie or to II almost any extravaganza with
out sinking II.
1t Is well known that in the early years OF
religious history in Virginia and Kentucky per
haps also of other States, revivals ac-
lcompaned often by strange physical NANTES
tatons. At one time what came to be popularly
known the Jerks prevailed in many Of these
assemblies. This a singular sort Of hysteri.
tca! almost epileptic CONFUSION that rar
Through entire congregations and characterized
meetings of this sort throughout large sections
of country. Very painful and very unnecessary
I'VE should say. and very regrettabe as well. YET
who would be willing to say that the Spirit OF
God not at work in these assemblies in spite
lof these extravagances?
But We do not need to go back even so far al
this. There many who read the Herald who
remember the first advent of salvation ARMY
people in cities and towns. and they will
RENE mber with what apparently wholesome and
Iundisguised contempt our Christian people
Hooked upon them. The truth is that they were
Igrotesaue in appearance that their exhortations
Iwere rude and unrefined, that the music which
they insisted upon singing in public was light
and trivial We have not right to incriminat e