Evening journal., 1916-01-03
DIR. lyon GIVES REASONS
FOR REVIVAL IN MORNING

teresting and poWertul ulscoufse. AZ
Is appended:
Acts i0:29-33. The apostle Peter
was doing the work Of an evangelist
lie had just finished great CAM
paign in Joppa and the citizens OF
Cesarea desired similar work OF
grace for their city also. They
formed an executive committee or
which Cornelius. n soldier by profess
sion. was made chairman. They
sent "A delegation to visit Peter and
10 extend am invitation TO visit their
,itv. The invitation was accepted
and al the opening of their hrst
NerNice in Cesarea, Chairman Cor
neiius made q speech of introduction
welcoming Peter TO their midst. IN
his reply. the apostle said, "I came
unto YOU without gainsaying, as soon
as was sent for: ask therefore
FOR what intent Sc have sent for mef'
He then proceeded 10 outline the
purpose Of his coming and the plhn
OF the campaign. I believe we can
do no better this morning tha TO
follow the method OF tho great apos-
tie and devote some time at the very
outset I'M outlining the reasons for
undertaking campaign of this char
actcr.
We may as well face az tho begin
ming that there Is "a prejudice in the
minds OF many. even good people,
AGAINST evangelists and evangclstic
work Bulwer Lytton has said Men
gain doubly when they make foes
friends" If there Is something that
I can saw that viii change the mind
of some one who is opposed. or az
least Indifferent. to evangelism, ana
create In ts stead strong and earn
ost sympathy with our cause, two-
fold result Will be accomplished
This prejudice is often the result or
unfortunate experiences with ul-
worthy men. one says. I knew an
evangelist in certain city or state,
who was n humbug and cheat, he
was swindlor and a rascal, therefore
ann opposed TO the whole project.
But listen. my friend, it is no moro
reasonable to condemn an cvnngelists
for the mistakes of some than to OPP
pose an ian any other class of pro-
fossion Farmers for example. arc
among the most honest folks on
earth. and yet some of the worst
dead beats IN the country live upon
farms Just because occasionally YOU
find "a farmer thai rs dishonest you
would not FOR "a moment bring all
farmers under that condemnation.
There are some doctors that are
uuncks and yet no sensible man would
blanfe all physicians for the rascality
of "a few. / have heard of unscrup-
ulous merchants and teachers, ana
some of us have even known lawyers
that were not quite straight; yet II n
man would charge all these classes
with dishonesty people would thine
him ~ candidate for the asylum
Just SO there are evangelists ana -van-
relists. Judge every man on his own
merits or demerits. An 1 ask In COM
ing among YOU is fair play.
Opponents to Revivals.
Then there are others that oppose
rovivals because they say. / knew "A
meeting once that had so many hum
dred professed converts, and six
months afterwards you could not put
your hand upon a half dozen that re-
mained faithful But lot me say
there Is as much difference In the way
of conducting an evangelistic meeting
as in teaching a school, or running a
store. factory or "a farm. There are
many people that profess conversion
and Join the church at other times
that do not prove faithful Little Is
said about this The reason is that
the attention Of the community Is
drawn more directly toward the con-
versions in an evangelistic campaign
and IL one lapses. the world Is quick
90 notice il. Just as you have heard
that old lie that preachers sons us
ually turn out bad. when the facts
are exactly the reverse lt has been
proved again and again that no class
of boys average as high mentally and
morally as the sons Of ministers
But III one does go wrong, every one
is quick 90 notice e. and point theil
finger there and say. 81 told you So he
is preachers son No one ever
.iaimed that all who professed to be-
gin the Christian life during an
cvangels,ic meeting. remained faith
full Jesus himself said that some
seed would fan by the wayside ant
others upon stony ground OF among
weeds. but this was nothing agains
the seed that fell ON good soil an'
brought forth good harvest. An'
when converts do prove false. 1t is no
always the enangelists fault. Otter
times it is due TO the neglect of tn
pastor or the members of the churcl
they join. No matter how strong ant
healthy "a baby might be at birth,
iack of proper care and nourishmen
would soon prove fatal.
In a certain state. about yea
after AIR. Moody had closed a cam
paign. the pastors were conferrin
concerning the results one said, a
tho close Of the meeting u receive
nifty new members i'm my church. bu
now ] cannot put my hand upo
more than three or four who hay
proved steadfast, therefore I am on
posed TO evangelism" A little late
in the meeting another pastor sal,
''l received into my church. at m
close Of the meetings about the sam
number as my brother here. 1 wa
looking over my membership rol
the other day and ] found that fortl
eight out OF fifty were among on
most active workers"
Those Who Oppose.
In the third place there is an o
lection 20 evangelism which we mu
naturally expect Every saloon-ke
er. every bartender, ever gamble
every promoter or patron OF hous
of vice will be opposed TO these met
ings II they were not. would KIND
there was something wrong with o
work For as our cause goes d
their bu,aness goes down, and IN
know IT, When a mn comes TO 7
ard says. I do not believe in revivall
] kindly reply Neither does the de
believe in revivals." If there is an
thing Satan hates il is a genuine IA,
. ftrfr AfsH Frafa