Evening journal., 1916-01-03

AROUND IN the church neWS Tor ~ /
years and never did lick for Jesus
Christ, sit up and take notice. II I
you have a spark of sense they will /
make you ashamed of yourself.
Evangelism is important first Of all !
because IL was the method used very
largely by Christ and His apostles. |
If Jesus belonged To any one order
In the ministry. lie was an evangelist. |
lie went from city TO city holding
union meetings lie sent His dis
ciples out into evangelistic work.
John and James, Peter, Phillip and
Paul were all evangelists. Any
method Of, religious activity that
was good enough FOR them ought TO
be good enough for you and me.
Work is Important
I1vangelisuc work IS importent also
because OF it's great results More
than 40 per cent. OF tho active work
ers I'm all Of our leading religious
denominations that lay claim to any
real spiritual piety and vitality be-
gan the christian life during series
of special meetings. At no time are
the claims OF Christ and the way OF
salvation presented so frequently, 80
evangolistic campaign. The schurch
of Christ was born Ia a revival. IL
has been very largely built up by
reNivals and method which the
Holy Spirit has so sgnally used and
blessed. certainly ought not to en-
counter our antagonism, but rather
our heartlest support
Moreover revivals are of great im-
portance because they follow the nat
ural and scientific method. There are
special seasons in every other line Of
tho worlds activity. rho farmer has
his seed time and his harvest. The
merchant has his special sales and
the teacher has his county, state and
national educational meetings. 10 is
said that the central committees OF
the great political parties never adj
journ, yet every two or four years,
there IS state or national political
revival. where important issues arc
discussed and settled. This same
principle which has proved so etec-
tive in political, commercial and in
dustrial life is just as important in
religion. This was one Of the reasons
that took me out of my own pastoate
and put me into evangelistic work.
1 would speak 20 my people ON Sunday
and large share Of them l never
would see again for a week. In the
meantime they had forgotten all l
had said to them I said to myself, If
1 might have a mans attention upon
Sunday evening, then again upon
Monday aud Tuesday and Wednesday,
and SO ON through the week, I believe
I 1 could make some impression ON
him. have found out that 1t has
worked lust exactly that way. Sup
pose you would put an egg in an in
cubator only one day "a week. How
llong would It take 20 hatch out a
chickeng SO with the process Of the
salvation OF a soul. 1t must be sue
cessive, continuous and cumulative.
National Revival.
In the next place. our generauor
needs a great revival. We need ma
tonal revival Materialism has gone
to seed. Men have gone mad In theil
rush after money ana pleasure. In
the recent disclosures of dishonesty
/ I'm an parts of our country, multitude'
have turned their backs ON prlnclpl,
and honor. trying 10 take a short cut
TO wealth and fame. II makes us sec
the need Of sounding a call TO re-
I pentance. Men have forgotten God
They have tried all sorts of plans and
schemes to mend matters, but hav,
been overlooking the one permanent
thorough method TO get men TO for
sake their sins and surrender theii
lives to Christ.
We need also a revival in IN,
church. A great many godly pastors
are preaching TO mere handful OF
people on Sunday evening and tn,
mid-week services. A large share o
their membership is off az parties oi
excursions, following their own desirei
for pleasure and indulgence. Th'
churches have had To resort TO al
sorts OF schems TO raise money e
pay it's running expenses, while thu
people have had plenty TO spend n
luxury and merriment and dissipa
tion. May God pity any pastor wh'
has to preach 10 "A parish filled will
lot Of card-playine. dancing
theatregoing, beer-guzaling churcl
members.
We need also a revival IN the hom
, and I'm the Individual life. The fam
, lis altar has been broken down Dus
, has collected on the Bible and privat
prayer has been neglected a litu
/ boy whose father had been AN activ
Christian. but had later drlfted ava
, and become back-slidden. climbed u
ON his fathers knee one Sunday after
noon and looking wistfuny up int
his fathers face said. Papa. Is Go
dead2" God dead. my boy. why d
7. you ask such a question as that2
y "Why. papa. we used 20 in the morn
= ing and evening sit around i'm a circl
and you would take down a bool
y which YOU said was Gods book. an
read from 1t and then we would a
get down on our knees and YOU sal
+ YOU were talking 20 God. Papa, No
j. have not done that lately and l jan
O. wondered If God was dead" NJ
e friend. Is God dead TO you? Ho
3 long has IL been since the mountain
is and hills have broken forth into sor
20 and all the trees OF the field Of yol
m soul have clapped their hands wit
Joy? Horace Bushnell used TO sa
no matter what we may think Of RI
D. vivals, one thing is certain. we nee
81 reviving" 7 want 20 make this pc
p- sonai today 10 YOU. Is Il not true tn
n. you individually need reviylng?
rs In the last place let us ask. VIII
& can We do 20 promote revival? Fir
W of all. We can lay aside criticism.
ar cannot carry on this work to plea
n. everyone; I am not going TO try
e, David could not hght I'm Saurs a
No NOR. ! will perhaps not preach II
- other men you have heard. ] will ha
,1 TO be myself. Imitation Is wea
=, ness. Others may be able to prea
A., the gospel better than 1 can. but
"a oht tdh pieach pelltf gospel