“GO YE, THEREFORE, TEACH ALL NATIONS.
MONMOUTH, OREGON, MAY 31, 1S77.
THE MESSENGER
plentifully with the wisdom“ which
is like unto the serpent's, knows
that we being a power with the peo­
ple, it will not do to leave us out
However this may be, we are invi­
ted. Should we participate ? I am
constrained to believe that we can­
not consistently do so. The follow­
ing are some of my reasons, for so
thinking:
/
1. It is not the apostolic method
of converting men. To think . of
one of the ajMistles, or evangelists
in the role of the modern revivalist
is enough to make one ashamed of
the comparison. I have yet to
known of a revivalist who does not
resort th. schemes and tricks that
are shamefully out of harmony with
anything fouipl in Acts of Apostles.
In these meeting« tfiere is nothing
of the dignity and power of the an­
cient preathey. The truth is, there
is very little that can be called
, preaching at all. The eflbrt to get
men and women to do, hot what
the Gospel says, but something pre-
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ITS OPERATION, IKTLCENCK, BAPTISM AND
INDSKLLINO.
y
A Short Sermon on a Short
Text.
1
the modern revivalist^ rather than ' —
after the preaching of the apostles.
In our great anxiety to make con­
vert«, we have built in wood, hay,
stubble, which, is a shame to the -
-
church now. and will' be finally
burned; and should the builders be
saved, it will be ar by fire.
I am tqld that many who are con­
verted in these revivals have joined
the Christian Church, because- the
Christian preacher waft co-operating
in the meeting; Well, possibly, I
should not feel anything but joy at x
this; but I will say that the preach­
er whpse church has received a
large addi tiort of th is kind, may ¡-x---------
pect hard work to prevent the ne-
•
cessity for a very large exclusion
very soon.
Have sucK converts any idea of
our movement other than it is on<$
of the sects ? Have they joined
the church from principle, or somer __ .
thing less? We already have top
many who cothe in untaught; and
j t is thi s element t h at ia- rewrintf ~ ~
trouble in tlie'eongregations by an
effort to run the Reformation after
thè model of the “ other denomina­
tions.” They are ever a sensation­
al, unwise, restless, and troublesome
set. I would not be understood to
that the additions made to the
churches the past winter are this
_kindof mate rial,. but that here is-
Y tow <1.‘Trej>eat three [»iter nintern one of our dangers in such meet­
an«l three ore maria» and your ings.
People are told to join “ the
souls will lie instantly pure as they
were at your baptiSln.”’ The <tuc- ohwoL vf thetr choree ; that " one
trine of this extract of course I do is as good as another ;” that “ every
not charge upon thq revivali.lt; but one should be, a member of some
I do claim that the way of influen­ church.” Persons joining us with
cing men is the Same. When I see such notions as these, will be a
people kneeling at the- ftfet of a curse instead of a blessing. They
preacher, be he Catholic monk, or may be good matérial for sectarian­
moderh revivalist, I long for Peter ism, but they add weakness instead
to say, “ etan«l up; I myself also am of strength ,to a cause which claims
a man.” Think of that preacher of to lie an enemy to all sects. They
the cross proclaiming to those as­ may be faithful to the denomina­
sembled in Solomon’s porch, “I tions, but to us they will never be
now give you five minutes by the so long as we are faithful to our
watch to decide whether you’ll go plea.
3. I object to working in such
to heaven or hell.” My candid con­
meetings,-because in them we are
viction is that whenever we, by
forbidded to tell sinners what we
word or deed, give countenance to
know to be their duty. There mav
such proceedure as is commonly
be an instance or two where our
seen in these meetings, we thereby
preachers have been allowed to go
divest ourselves of much of our
in untramtneied ; but the rnle is that
power to preach the ancient Gospel
certain subjects are forbidden. Into
as did the apostles and their con­
no meeting will I ever go when
temporaries
Our Relation to Revivals.
my mouth is locked and my tongue
2. My second objection grows
BY 1. H. HABDIX
tied. I cannot agbee to enuntepane« •
out of the first; it is that the con­
as right any meeting where the
The past winter has been marked, verts made in such meeting are not
Master is not allowed tu speak.
in the religious communities of the genuine, and soon go back to the
It makes me indignant to think
country, by “ Union meetings,” con­ world. Being influenced to make of men whose characters rise little
ducted by a class of professional re­ “ profession of religion,” by sensa­ above the mountebank sitting in
vivalists. They being union meet­ tional methods and not by the
judgment upon the words (Ji^apoH-
ings, our people and preachers in Preaching of the'G<>spel, when the tles, prophets, an<l Jesus bunself,
some instances have been invited sensation is over, their “ reljgion ”
determining what part of their
to join them. Some have done so; is over. Having got religion by teaching may be admitted in the
others have refused.
the wort! of men, instead of being meeting, and what jiart must lie
The question now arises, which bom again, not of corruptible seed,
left out
did right ? Should we join in such but of incorruptible, by the wonl of
These arq among the prominent
meetings or not Thi$ is a jjpee- Qod, which live« and abides forever
reasons why I dee» it wrong for
tion which, in the not wry remote the-word of man dies, and their re­ us to Work in, or coun f—nw « such
past, would not have given the least ligion dies with it
revivals. We may be •¡lei .nar­
trouble, for the simple rear on that
It may sound strange to those ro wnninded, prejudiped, bigoted; it
we would not, have Keen invited ■ who have alwaye charged us with may make us, apparently, unpopu­
but the world has moved a little, not making genuine converts, to lar to refuse ; but really it wfil give
and the orthodox can now screw hear the charge returned to them < ils a jxiwer as a “ peculiar people ”
their consciences up to the point of but it is true, nevertheless. It may that we cannot otherwise exert.—
asking us to help in " union meet­ be repliid that the sameTs frequent­ Apoetolic Time». - ,
*
-,
ings.” Whether tins is because we ly true of the converts made in our
It ha« been ascertain« d that
have grown more “ evaagelical,” or meetings. I am sorry-to know that
Spiritualism
in the United States
the orthodox less so, I shall not say. it is; but to me the cause of it is
has sent 16,000 persons to insane
There is a possibility that neither plain to be discerned. We habe Asylums. It has wrecked h tneax—
is true ; but that our modern revi-. .ninny of us modeled our evangelical destroyed virtue, and ruir. I souls
valist having provided hhneelf labora after the sensational style of for time and eternity.