Summary

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1843 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVI. ON ANALYZING AND COMBINING THE ELEMENTS OF A REVIVAL. EXTERNAL MANIFESTATIONS OF SUCH A WORK. CONCLUSION. Having seen the state of mind necessary to enable an individual or individuals to propagate revival influences in a community, we come now to notice its outward developments. Here we suppose there is latitude for endless variety to suit the social habits, mental culture and moral tone of a people. To adopt in all cases the same mode of procedure, is like a general, under all circumstances, disposing his forces in the same order of battle. Whether protracted meetings and evangelists, for instance, should or should not be admitted, is not a subject for controversy. God decides that question by the-different kind of men whom he brings into the ministry. If an individual who is altogether deserving of confidence for his piety and devotion to the work of the Lord, can do more as an evangelist, or in protracted meetings, what are we, that we should withstand God? We ought to be thankful, that one brother can work best in one way and another in another; because by diversifying the modes of applying truth, we reach the more minds. For brethren to set up that their modes of operating shall not be departed from, is in most cases, we fear, the fruit of bigotry and narrow views. Let me ask these brethren, how ancient is this way for which you are so earnest? Would it not have been as great a novelty, one or two generations ago, as a protracted meeting or an evangelist can be to you? But we propose to confine ourselves to those features of a revival, in which all who believe in these gracious visitations will be likely to concur. They are such as dealing in appropriate truth--using common language--taking advantage of the animal...