Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
William Allen
The second and third chapters deal with the means of revival and the
place of revival in world evangelisation, respectively.
Copyright Information
This booklet is NOT in the public domain. To reproduce any of it‘s
contents, in whole or in part, permission must be secured from Mr.
William Allen, Revival Publishing Company, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland. It is
used here with his kind permission.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
FOREWORD
NOTE
The idea of the ―Revival Series‖ was an inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
which led to the founding of the Revival Publishing Co., in April, 1948.
The vision of this work is to provide keen Christians and young converts
everywhere with a course of instruction that will lead them naturally into
a life of efficient service in the cause of Revival and World
Evangelization.
God has set His seal upon this work. Ministers, evangelists, missionaries,
and Christians in many countries, have testified to definite blessing
received through the booklets.
The world is before us. Nations are calling for the Gospel. Let us each one
begin today to take part in this holy war.
W. E. Allen.
February, 1951
Foreword
The greatest need of the world and the Church today is a mighty
manifestation of the Spirit of God. Before the days of the Finney revivals
there were only 200,000 church members in the United States. When
Finney ended his ministry, over three million had joined the churches.
The greatest days of the Church have been the days of revival. Nothing
can take its place. The best that man can do does not meet the need. Only
as God comes upon the scene in revival power are the problems solved.
I sincerely pray that this new book on the history of revivals will stir and
awaken the Church throughout the world, and lead to the greatest
outpouring of the Spirit we have yet seen. There is nothing more
important for our day and generation and I heartily commend it.
OSWALD J. SMITH.
There are seven booklets in this series. All who study each booklet
thoroughly can take the Revival Series Examination. Those who pass this
examination will be given a Certificate. All details concerning this will be
sent on request.
Already some of the ―Revival Series‖ booklets have been taken up for
translation into other languages, and we will be glad to hear from other
Missions or persons who desire to translate any or all of the ―Revival
Series‖ booklets into foreign languages.
All gifts to this work, and profits from sales, will be used only in the
cause of revival.
We also invite Christians who are burdened for revival to join with us in
the circulation of these booklets. If the profits are used in the Lord‘s work,
we are willing to supply any Christian with these booklets at Trade Price.
Chapter One. History of Revivals
PART I
Page 7
TERTULLIAN writing about 200 A.D., vindicating the Christian religion,
said: ―Though we are strangers of no long standing, yet we have filled
all places of your dominions, cities, islands, corporations, councils,
armies, tribes, the senate, the palace, the courts of judicature. If the
Christians had a mind to revenge themselves, their numbers are
abundant, for they have a party, not in this or that province only, but in
all quarters of the world.‖
In 110 Ignatius spoke of bishops being settled in the ends of the world.
Before 180 Christianity had spread rapidly in Asia Minor and Egypt; we
also read of churches in North Africa, Gaul, Germany, Thrace, and
Thessaly. But the great increase in the number of Christians came in the
years 260-303. Of this period Eusebius writes, ―Who could describe those
vast collections of men that flocked to the religion of Christ, and the
illustrious concourse in the houses of worship? On whose account, not
content with the ancient buildings, they erected spacious churches in all
the cities.‘‘
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Gildas the wise, a Welsh monk, writing about 500 A.D. said, ―The Church
is spread over the nation. It had spread, moreover, into Ireland and
Scotland. It was also a learned Church; it had its own version of the Bible
and its own ritual.‖
St. Patrick (395-493) became the Apostle of Ireland. He said, ―I was re-
formed by the Lord, and He hath fitted me for being at this day what was
once far enough from me, that I should concern myself for the salvation
of others, when I used not to think even of my own.‘‘ For about thirty
years St. Patrick preached the Gospel throughout Ireland, and established
churches, monasteries, and schools from which missionaries were sent
forth for four centuries after his death. A few lines from his famous
―Breastplate‖ hymn—which he composed at Tara on the eve of his
historic interview with King Leogaire—reveal the spirit of the man and
the Gospel he preached.
The mission of Augustin and his successors in the sees of Canterbury and
York so limited the field of the Irish and Scotch missionaries at home, that
they ―swarmed like bees into the dark places of heathen Europe.‖ Ireland
was called ―the Isle of Saints,‖
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the ―University of the West.‖ Copies of the Bible marked with
commentaries in Irish to the Teutonic, Scandinavian, and Italian peoples
are still extant.
This purely British Church maintained its independence until 1172, when
the Synod of Cashel bound it to the Romanised Church in England.
This movement was led by Peter Waldo. All were missionaries, and
preached in the houses, streets, and market places. Rev. Clarke says of
them, ― The sect spread with extraordinary rapidity, and extended from
Arragon to Ponierania and Bohemia, though most numerous in the south
of Frances Alsace, and in the mountain districts of Savoy, Switzerland
and Northern Italy.‖
BOHEMIAN REVIVAL
In 1315 it was reckoned that there were 80,000 true Christians in Bohemia
alone. This remarkable
Page 10
spiritual revival was partly the result of the labours of three reformers,
Conrad of Waldhausen, Milic of Moravia, and Matthias of Janow; it
prepared the way for the movement that was led by John Huss.
In 1467 some Bohemians, Waldenses, and Moravians united in what was
known as the Unitas Fratrum Church. When the Reformation dawned
they had four hundred churches, and were circulating their own
Bohemian Bible. This persecuted remnant of the followers of Huss
continued until 1715 when Christian David led a company of them into
Saxon Silesia where they settled on the estate of Count Zinzendorf.
JOHN WICKCLIFFE
In the 14th century Wickliffe reopened the Bible, and began to expose the
errors of the Roman Church. Many were converted through his preaching
and writings. He also founded an association of preachers called Lollards,
and sent them to preach up and down the country.
Wickcliffe was a man of prayer, and the reforms he advocated were the
result of his own spiritual enlightenment through reading the Bible. He
declared, ―The sacred Scriptures are the property of the people, and one
which no one should be allowed to wrest from them. Christ and His
apostles converted the world by making known the Scriptures, and I pray
with all my heart that through doing the things contained in this book,
we may all together come to the everlasting life.‖
SAVONAROLA
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Savonarola‘s preaching on the corrupt and pagan society of Florence. His
natural, spontaneous heart stirring eloquence, with its exalted imagery
and outbursts of righteous indignation, was entirely unprecedented in
that era of pedantry and the simulation of the classic oratory.
The Prior‘s preaching confounded his foes, for it completely changed the
aspect of the city. The women cast off their jewels and dressed simply;
young profligates were transformed into sober, religious men, the
churches were filled with people at prayer, and the Bible was diligently
read.
The fame of this marvellous preacher was now extending throughout the
world by means of his printed sermons. Even the Sultan of Turkey
commanded them to be translated into Turkish for his own study. Of
course, the individual aim of Savonarola was simply to be the regenerator
of religion.‖ As one of the first Protestants, and as a herald of the
Reformation, Savonarola soon got into trouble with the Pope, and as a
result he was executed in 1498.
THE REFORMATION
Under the Roman Church millions of souls lived in continual fear of the
wrath to come. No doubt their cry came up before God and He came
down to deliver them.
Through bitter experience Martin Luther knew the spiritual agonies of the
people, and the failure of any good works to give assurance of salvation.
Then he began to read the Bible, and slowly the truth of Justification by
Faith dawned upon his soul.
Luther prayed hours every day. Once a spy followed him to a hotel. The
next day he told his employer that Luther had prayed nearly all night,
and that he could never conquer one who prayed like that.
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One day Luther was told that Melancthon was dying. He hurried to see
him, and aroused him from his stupor. Melancthon looked at him and
said, ‖O Luther, is this you? Why don‘t you let me depart in peace?‖ ―We
can't spare you yet, Philip,‖ replied Luther; and turning round, he went
upon his knees, and wrestled with God for his recovery. From that time
Melancthon recovered. Luther said, ―God gave me back my brother
Melancthon in direct answer to prayer.‖
Luther knew what it was to travail in prayer, to wrestle with the powers
of darkness that engulfed the whole world. Listen to him in an agony of
prayer in the morning of the day when he had to make his defence before
the Diet of Worms. ―O Almighty and Everlasting God! How terrible is
this world! How weak is the flesh, and how powerful is Satan! O God! O
God! O God! Do Thou help me against all the wisdom of the world! For
this is not my work, but Thine. The cause is Thine, and it is a righteous
and eternal cause. O Lord! Help me! Faithful and unchangeable God!
Thou hast chosen me for this work. I know it well! Act, then, O God,
stand at my side, for the sake of Thy well-beloved Jesus Christ. Amen.‖
God answered this prayer immediately, and filled Luther with such
strength and wisdom that he won that day the greatest victory in the
history of the Reformation.
JOHN CALVIN
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Paris. In 1536 he published ―The Institutes of the Christian Religion,‖
which was the first complete outline and vindication of Protestantism.
The citizens of Geneva asked Calvin to come and help them in 1541, and
for over twenty years he laboured to make Geneva a city of God.
Attendance at public worship became compulsory. Wearing gay clothes,
and dancing, were punishable offences; marriage was regularised;
unchastity was punished with death. The taverns and haunts of sin
vanished. A good education became available to all. The churches were
crowded, and Geneva became a fountain-head of Protestant inspiration to
all Europe.
JOHN KNOX
John Knox the Scottish Reformer was a mighty man of prayer. Here is an
example of how he prayed, ―O Lord, give me Scotland, or I die !‖ After a
time of stillness, again the cry, ―O Lord, give me Scotland, or I die !‖ Once
more deep silence. Then again the cry with more intense pathos, ―O Lord,
give me Scotland, or I die.‖ God gave him Scotland.
If ever the man and the hour struck together it was when John Knox
landed in Scotland in 1559, and commenced his history-changing tour
preaching ―root and branch reform.‖ His trumpet-like call sounded over
mountain and moor, and within a few weeks the chief centres of Scotland
were won for the Protestant faith.
STEWARTON REVIVAL
This revival began in 1625, and continued for some years. Closely
following was the revival at Kirk of Shotts in June, 1630. Here a large
number of godly persons gathered for several days of prayer, and
conference. At least one whole night was spent in prayer, and when John
Livingstone preached, about five hundred persons were converted.
ULSTER REVIVAL 1625
Page 14
of faithful ministers. They went forth in companies to evangelise the land,
and God used them mightily. There was much prayer and faithful
preaching in this revival.
GERMAN PIETISM.
In 1666 this movement began in the Lutheran Church under the ministry
of Spener. He was moved to oppose the dead orthodoxy that was
prevalent in many of the churches, and to work for a revival of true
religion. The pietists sought to promote Bible study, the development of a
lay ministry and practical Christian living. They believed that a blameless
life should be an indispensable qualification for the ministry, and that
preaching should be simple and direct. Riggenbach says, ―In less than
half a century pietism spread its influence through all the spheres of life,
and through all classes of society.‖
Spener and Franke also had an active part in the founding of the Danish-
Halle Mission, and in the training of such ‗men as Count Zinzendorf, and
the missionaries Ziegenblag and Schwartz.
MORAVIAN REVIVAL
Page 15
This revival began in 1727. Previous to this the settlers at Herrnhut could
not live together in peace. Finally Count Zinzendorf gave tall his time to
work for a settlement of their differences.
On the 12th of May, 1727, they all, with great joy, gave themselves afresh
to God, and promised to bury their disputes for ever.
The following account of the revival is taken from the ―History of the
Moravians‖ by A. Bost. ―From that time there was a wonderful effusion
of the Spirit on this happy church, until August the 13th when the
measure of Divine grace seemed absolutely overflowing.
Every day brought some new blessing. The Count applied himself to the
visiting of the brethren. This was the beginning of those little associations
which were afterwards called ―bands.‖ These consisted of two or three
persons, who met together privately, to converse on their spiritual state,
to exhort, and reprove, and pray for each other.‘‘
―On the Lord‘s day, the 10th of August, the minister Rothe was seized, in
the midst of the assembly, with an unusual impulse. He threw himself
upon his knees before God, and the whole assembly prostrated
themselves with him under the same emotions. An uninterrupted course
of singing and prayer, weeping and supplication, continued till midnight.
All hearts were united in love.‖
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sung, ‗My soul before Thee prostrate lies,‘ amidst tears and sobs, so that it
could hardly be distinguished whether they were weeping or singing.
The scene was so moving that the pastor could hardly tell what he saw or
heard.
―A few days after the 13th of August, a remarkable revival took place
among the children at Herrnhut and Bertholdsdorf. On the 18th of
August, all the children at the boarding school were seized with an
extraordinary impulse of the Spirit, and passed the whole night in prayer.
From this time, a constant work of God was going on in the minds of the
children, in both places. No words can express the powerful operation of
the Holy Spirit upon these children.‖
In January, 1728, the brethren held their first missionary meeting. ―This
meeting was celebrated by meditations on different portions of Holy
Scripture, and fervent prayers; in the midst of which the church
experienced a remarkable enjoyment of the presence of the Spirit.‖
The Moravian Missions began in 1731. Work was commenced in the West
Indies and Greenland. In the years that followed missionaries were sent
to Labrador, North America, South America, South Africa, Asia,
Australia, and many islands of the sea. The Moravians Missions have
been a mighty force in the evangelisation of the heathen, but we must
remember that it all began in the revival in 1727.
Edwards reveals the secret of this revival. He said: ―The spirit of those
that have been in distress for the souls of others, so far as I can discern,
seems
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not to be different from that of the apostle who travailed for souls.‖ On
the evening of the day preceding the outbreak of the revival, some
Christians met, and spent the whole night in prayer.
This revival in America began in 1735. Jonathan Edwards‘ revival was the
beginning of this awakening which continued for about twenty-five
years, and was powerful in many American states.
The leaders in this revival were Edwards, the Tennents, Davenport, and
Whitfield. The preaching of Whitfield stirred the whole country, but it
should be remembered that he was preaching to people whose hearts
were prepared, and who were longing for the Gospel message.
Page 18
Of this period William Conant writes, ―The preaching of the Gospel was
attended with the most wonderful power, in every part of New England,
and revivals gave new life and multiplied numbers to the churches, in a
larger number of towns than our space enables us to enumerate,
throughout New England, and in the Middle States.
―It cannot be doubted that at least 50,000 souls were added to the
churches of New England, out of a population of about 250,000. A fact
sufficient to revolutionise, as indeed it did, the religious and moral
character, and to determine the destinies, of the country.
They had deep convictions of the evil of sin, and of the peril of a
rebellious state. The love of God in Christ overpowered their souls. Their
views of the solemn realities of another world were vivid and heart-
affecting. Their earnest appeals made the stout hearted tremble, awed
many a reprobate into silence, and wrung tears from daring and
hardened offenders. Tens of thousands bowed before the majesty of truth.
Some of the most powerful preachers emigrated to other States; and
wherever they went, the floods of blessing poured over the land.‖
PART 3
BRAINERD‟S REVIVAL
Page 19
After some years of difficult and almost fruitless work among the North
American Indians, David Brainerd saw a powerful revival commence in
July, 1745. It was in answer to agonizing prayer.
Brainerd wrote, ―July 26th. In the evening, God was pleased to help me in
prayer, beyond what I have experienced for some time. My soul was
especially drawn out for the enlargement of Christ‘s kingdom; and for the
conversion of my poor people; and I relied on God for the
accomplishment of that great work.
―My soul, my very soul longed for the ingathering of the poor heathen;
and I cried to God for them most willingly and heartily, and yet because I
could not but cry. I longed that the remaining part of my life might be
filled up with more fervency and activity in things of God.
―August 2nd. In the evening I retired, and my soul was drawn out in
prayer to God, especially for my poor people, to whom I had sent word
that they might gather together, that I might preach to them the next day.
I was much enlarged in praying for their saving conversion, and scarcely
ever found my desires for anything of this nature so sensibly and clearly
disinterested, and free from selfish views.
―It seemed to me, I had no care, or hardly any desire to be the instrument
of so glorious a work, as I wished and prayed for among the Indians; if
the blessed work might be accomplished to the honour of God, and the
enlargement of the dear Redeemer‘s kingdom, this was all my desire and
care; and for this mercy I hoped, but with trembling. My rising hopes,
respecting the conversion of the Indians, have been so
Page 20
often dashed, that my spirit is as it were broken, and courage wasted, and
I hardly dare hope.
―August 3rd. Having visited the Indians in these parts in June last, and
tarried with them some considerable time preaching almost daily, I now
found them serious, and a number of them under deep concern for an
interest in Christ. I preached to them this. day, ‗ Whosoever will, let him
take the water of life freely.‘
―In the afternoon I again discoursed to them. They seemed eager to hear;
but there appeared nothing very remarkable, till near the close of my
discourse; and then divine truths were attended with a surprising
influence, and produced a great concern among them. All seemed in an
agony to obtain an interest in Christ. It was surprising to see how their
hearts seemed to be pierced with the tender and melting invitations of the
Gospel, when there was not a word of terror spoken to them.
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upon the assembly ‗like a rushing mighty wind,‘ and with an astonishing
energy bore down all before it.
―I stood amazed at the influence which seized the audience: old men and
women, and some children, as well as persons of middle age.
―I never saw a day like it in all respects: it was a day wherein I am
persuaded the Lord did much to destroy the kingdom of darkness among
this people.‖
This revival among the Indians continued for some years, and produced
lasting results.
The name Puritan designated those in the Anglican Church who ―sought
a simpler faith and form of service.‖ This movement grew out of the
widespread reading of the Bible.
These men were the salt of English society in their day. They stood for
liberty and toleration, and were the champions of the rights of the people.
Owen, Bunyan, Baxter, Milton, Leighton, Flavel, and others, gave to the
world some of the best evangelical literature. How many have been
blessed through the ―Pilgrim‘s Progress‖?
Richard Baxter was a true revivalist. It is said that his study walls were
stained with praying breath. Through him God did a great work in
Kidderminster. He tells us of converts holding a Saturday evening prayer
meeting for blessing on the following day of such congregations that they
had to build five new galleries in his church; that on Sundays there was
no disorder in the streets, but that you would hear a hundred families
singing psalms in ‗their ‗homes.
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In the middle of the seventeenth century there were thousands of men
and women who were adrift from the Church of England. They were
seeking for the truth, and were like sheep without a shepherd. In addition
to Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, we read of Sabbatarians,
Seekers, Traskites, Millenaries, Familists, Etheringtonians, Fifth
Monarchy men, Muggletonians and many others.
George Fox was born in 1624. He was brought up in a Puritan home, and
could say, ― When I came to eleven years of age, I knew pureness and
righteousness. The Lord taught me to be faithful inwardly to God, and
outwardly to man.‖ But in spite of his good life Fox was not at peace; he
went through years of spiritual darkness and conflict until one day he
seemed to hear a voice say to him, ‗‗There is one, even Christ Jesus, that
can speak to thy condition.‖ He said, ―My heart did leap for joy. My
desires after the Lord grew stronger. Though I read the Scriptures that
spoke of Christ and of God, yet I knew Him not but by revelation, as He
who hath the key did open, and as the Father of Life drew me to His Son
by His Spirit.‖ In this way God prepared Fox to be His messenger to
seeking souls all over the land.
He obeyed God‘s call and he said, ―I was glad that I was commanded to
turn people to that inward light, spirit, and grace, by which all might
know their salvation and their way to God; even that Divine Spirit which
would lead them into all truth. With and by this divine power and Spirit
of God, and the light of Jesus, I was to bring people off from all their own
ways, to Christ, the new and living Way, and to know the Spirit of Truth
in the inward parts, and to be led thereby.‖
William Penn wrote of Fox, ―He had an extraordinary gift in opening the
Scriptures. But above all he excelled in prayer. The most living, reverent
frame I ever beheld, was his in prayer.‖ His
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personality radiated the holiness, and majesty, and love of God. Sinners
were afraid and often trembled in his presence.
Fox said that the Lord told him, ―If but one man or woman were raised
up by His power to stand and live in the same spirit the apostles and
prophets were in, he or she should shake all the country for ten miles
around.‖ This is how the Quakers lived. ―When the people came to see
Friends‘ honesty and truthfulness, and their lives and conversations did
preach and reach to the witness of God in all people, all the enquiry was;
where was a draper or shop-keeper or any other tradesman that was a
Quaker; in so much that Friends had double the trade beyond any of their
neighbours, and if there was any trading they had it. Then the cry was, ‗If
we let these people alone they will take the trading of the nation out of
our hands‘.‖
‗There were between fifty, and sixty thousand Quakers in England at the
end of the, first forty years of the Quaker revival. They were more
numerous than the Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Independents, and
Baptists combined. In proportion to the population they were even more
numerous in America, where they had founded two colonies, and where
they included
Page 24
more than half the inhabitants in several other important districts.‘ These
statistics are taken from, ―A Short History of Quakerism,‖ by E. B.
Emmott.
REVIVALS IN WALES.
Wales has been blessed with many local revivals. The story that follows is
very interesting. ―In a remote corner of Montgomeryshire the religious
friends of the place had heard so much about revivals elsewhere, that
they felt a deep longing for the same in their own locality, and they
resolved to hold meetings for prayer.‖ One night they heard some
beautiful singing that seemed to come from the sky. ―The next night at
the opening of the service the Holy Ghost descended mightily upon them.
This proved to be the dawn of a great revival in the neighbourhood.‖
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The Methodist Revival was born in the power of the Holy Spirit. Wesley
records: ―Jan. 1, 1739. Mr Hall, Kinchin, Ingham, Whitefield, Hutchins,
and my brother Charles, were present at our love-feast in Fetter Lane,
with about sixty of our brethren. About Three in the morning, as we were
continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, in
so much that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the
ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and
amazement at the presence of His Majesty, we broke out with one voice,
―We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.‖
Of this period Rev. Ryle said, ―These times were the darkest age that
England has passed through in the last three hundred years. Anything
more deplorable than the condition of the country, as to religion,
morality, and high principle, it is very difficult to conceive.‖
On February 17th, 1739, Whitfield preached his first field sermon at Rose
Green. Then he preached at Kingswood near Bristol. Thousands of people
heard him, and were deeply moved by his preaching.
Page 26
This was the beginning of Wesley‘s amazing ministry which resulted in a
revival of religion all over the British Isles. In this ministry he travelled
250,000 miles, and preached 40,000 sermons, often to 20,000 persons at
once.
Whitfield once said, ―It is not for me to tell how often I use secret prayer;
if I did not use it, nay, if in one sense, I did not pray without ceasing, it
would be difficult for me to keep up that frame of soul, which, by the
Divine blessing, I daily enjoy.‖
We have not room to mention the work of the men God raised up to
extend the Methodist revival. But those who have the opportunity should
read the lives of John Nelson, Thomas Walsh, Francis Asbury, William
Bramwell, Hugh Bourne, and William Clowes. These men were not
content with steady progress in their work. ―But they looked for, and
obtained, times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.‖
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This work began under the ministry of the Rev. W. McCulloch. The news
of revivals in England and America caused him to seek to promote a
revival among his own people. Soon he had interested the church
members in this work, and the congregations so increased in number that
they had to hold the preaching services in the open air.
The interest increased until the minister was preaching every day, and
spending much time in giving instructions to anxious sinners. The
congregations on the hill side increased to nine or ten thousand, and
ministers from far and near came to help in the work. Whitfield helped in
this revival.
For many years afterwards, humble men and women who were
converted at Cambuslang, lived among their neighbours with an
unspotted Christian name, and then passed on peacefully to be with their
Lord.
Page 28
The year 1790 ushered in a new era of revivals for the United States.
Religion had sadly declined during the previous years. Unitarianism had
gained much ground, and infidel philosophy was poisoning the minds of
millions of people.
Harlan Page writes of a revival in New York, ―The Lord appears now to
be coming down on all parts of this great city, to arouse His children and
to awaken sinners. Thousands of Christians here are praying as they
never prayed before. Conversions are occurring in all parts of the city.
Churches are daily crowded to overflowing, and a most fixed and solemn
attention is given to the dispensation of the truth.‖
Christians at that time believed that, ―The Church is the Bride of Christ,
and the mother of his children.‖ And that, ―No soul is ever converted
except as some believer has painfully travailed in birth for that soul.‖
During this period of American revivals, the Christians began to feel their
obligation to send the Gospel to the heathen. All the first foreign
missionaries were the fruit of the revivals : Hall, Newell, Mills, Judson,
Nott, Rice, Bingham, King, Thurston, and others. The American Board of
Page 29
Foreign Missions, the American Bible Society, the United Foreign
Missionary Society, and other missionary movements, were formed at
this time as a direct result of the revivals.
During these years many colleges were blessed with revivals. Dr. Tyler
wrote of Yale College having thirteen special revivals in a period of
twenty-five years.
Robert and Mary Moffat spread the Gospel from Kuruman over much of
South Africa. David Livingstone died on his knees after thirty years in
Central Africa. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, and on the stone in
the nave are the words, ―His life was spent in an unwearied effort to
evangelise the native races.‖ Thus was introduced the great missionary
period in the history of the Protestant churches.
Page 30
The following article is taken from the ―New History of Methodism,‖ Vol.
II., p. 106. ―The early years of American Methodism witnessed an almost
continuous revival. Scarcely a society was formed which did not grow
out of a revival. The denomination grew because its preachers were
endowed with holy energy and an unction from on high. The revival in
Virginia was only one of many remarkable manifestations of divine grace
in the very earliest years of our history.
Page 31
fearing that this power had departed from me, and would enquire
anxiously after the reason of this apparent emptiness. After humbling
myself, and crying out for help, the power would return upon me with all
its freshness. This has been the experience of my life.‖
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Church. He emphasised that any company of Christians can have a
revival if they will fulfil the necessary conditions; agonising prayer, and a
balanced presentation of the truths of the Gospel.
The secret of Finney‘s power was the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a life
of prayer. He wrote, ―In regard to my own experience, I will say that
unless I had the spirit of prayer I could do nothing. If even for a day or an
hour I lost the spirit of grace and supplication, I found myself unable to
preach with power and efficiency, or to win souls by personal
conversation. In this respect my experience was what it has always been.‖
―I have said, more than once, that the spirit of prayer that prevailed in
those revivals was a very marked feature of them. It was common for
young converts to be greatly exercised in prayer; and in some instances so
much so, that they were constrained to pray whole nights, and until their
bodily strength was quite exhausted, for the conversion of souls around
them. There was a great pressure of the Holy Spirit upon, the minds of
Christians; and they seemed to bear about with them the burden of
immortal souls.‖
Those who have studied the statistics involved, state that only thirty per
cent of the converts of the best evangelists stand, but they further state
that eighty-five per cent of those converted in Finney‘s
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revivals proved by their subsequent lives that they were soundly
converted. The reason for this was that Finney was honest and thorough
in his treatment of sinners and young converts.
Soon after he began to preach the ministers came together, and a great
improvement in the spiritual state of the churches was manifested.
Finney said, ―The three churches, and indeed Christians of every
denomination, seemed to make common cause, and went to work with a
will, to pull sinners out of the fire.
―The spirit of prayer was poured out powerfully, so much so, that some
persons stayed away from the public services to pray, being unable to
restrain their feelings under preaching. Mr. Abel Clary continued in
Rochester as long as I did. The burden of his soul would frequently be so
great that he would writhe and groan in agony. He never appeared in
public, but gave himself wholly to prayer.‖
Soon there were some very marked conversions, one of the first being the
wife of a prominent lawyer. The meetings became thronged with lawyers,
physicians, and merchants. Many of the lawyers, became very anxious,
and freely attended the enquiry meetings. It was in this revival that
Finney began to use the ―anxious seat.‖
The revival took a tremendous hold of the High School. Nearly every
teacher and student was converted. As a result, forty of those students
became ministers, and a large number became foreign missionaries. The
majority of the leading men and women in the city were converted. Some
years later
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Dr. Beecher talking to Finney of this revival in Rochester, said; ―That was
the greatest revival of religion that the world has ever seen in so short a
time. One hundred thousand were reported as having connected
themselves with the churches as the result of that great revival.‖ The
mighty working of the Spirit of God, as in this revival, continued
throughout Finney‘s long ministry.
In the early months of the year 1839 there was a quiet moving of the Spirit
of God among the people in Kilsyth, Scotland. On July 23rd, of that year,
William C. Burns preached to a great crowd of persons, and as he retold
the story of the revival at Kirk of Shotts, the Spirit of God came mightily
upon the people. They broke forth simultaneously in weeping and
wailing, tears and groans. Some were screaming out in agony; others—
among these, strong men—fell to the ground as if they had been dead.‖
Burns continued preaching powerfully for some days, and the awakening
spread. All day long, in the vestry, the session-house, and the manse the
anxious were being prayed with and instructed.
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It swept over the land with such power, that for a time it was estimated
that not less than fifty thousand conversions occurred in a single week.
This revival was carried on to large extent through lay influence, so much
so, as almost to throw the ministers into the shade.
There had been a daily prayer meeting observed in Boston for several
years; and in the Autumn previous to the great outburst, the daily prayer
meeting had been established in Fulton Street, New York. Indeed, prayer
meetings were established throughout the length and breadth of the
Northern States. A divine influence seemed to pervade the whole land. It
was estimated, that during this revival not less than 500,000 souls were
converted in this country.
There was such a general confidence in the prevalence of prayer, that the
people very extensively seemed to prefer meetings for prayer to meetings
for preaching. The answers to prayer were constant, and so striking as to
arrest the attention of the people generally throughout the land. It was
evident that in answer to prayer the windows of heaven were opened and
the Spirit of God poured out like a flood. The ―New York Tribune‖ at that
time published several extras, filled with the accounts of the progress of
the revival in different parts of the United States.
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This movement originated in the work of the Rev. J. H. Moore in Connor,
Co. Antrim. For years he preached the Gospel faithfully, but with little
outcome. News of revival in America stirred him to seek to promote a
revival among his own people. He often preached on, this subject, and
read accounts of great revivals of the past, to his congregation. The idea
of having a revival began to grip the people and it became the subject of
much prayer.
After some months, four of the young men who were connected with this
prayer meeting began a secret prayer and fellowship meeting to pray for
revival. Rev. W. Gibson records, ―For a few months they had to walk by
faith. They wrestled on. They prevailed.‖ The first conversion in answer
to their prayers occurred in December, 1857. From that time on, ―Humble,
grateful, loving, joyous converts multiplied. The prayer meetings began
to be thronged.‖ This work of grace continued quietly for some months. It
was a time when the Holy Spirit in answer to prayer was convicting and
converting sinners. ―The process was a purely spiritual one, the Spirit of
God acting through the medium of the truth upon the spirit of man.
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The Rev. J. H. Moore of Connor, where the revival broke out, reported
that they had, ―A network of prayer meetings over the whole district.‖
From here the revival spread in mighty power all over the north of
Ireland. There was no human leader in this movement; the Holy Spirit
was the leader.
―From first to last the revival was a record of answered prayer. Never
was there such a time of secret and public prayer. In all directions prayer
meetings have sprung up, and that without number. They are conducted
in a manner of deepest solemnity, and with a burning earnestness for the
outpouring of the Holy Ghost, and for the conversion of souls. These
meetings have been signally honoured of the Lord. The Spirit has
descended in power.‖
In September of that year the Rev. H. R. Jones returned from America full
of the spirit of prayer and revival. The Rev. David Morgan came in
contact with him, and soon they were talking of seeking to promote a
revival.
―I believe,‖ said Mr. Morgan, ―that it would be no harm, and say the
least, if we did our best to arouse the country, and conduct prayer
meetings, even if after all none but man were in the whole thing.‖ ―No, it
would not,‖ replied Mr. Jones, ―but you try it,—and it will not be long ere
God will be there with you.‖
Soon they were conducting prayer meetings. They literally drew prayer
out of the people. David Morgan received a remarkable enduement of
power, and from that time he became the leader of the revival.
David ‗Morgan visited the counties, towns, and villages preaching in the
power of the Holy Spirit, and a mighty harvest of souls was the result. It
is estimated that there were a hundred thousand converts in this revival.
However, there were genuine revivals in some districts. Bolton was the
scene of a powerful awakening under the ministry of Mr. Finney. The
whole town was stirred.
Port Glasgow was the scene of a powerful revival. Rev. Paterson wrote,
―In the evening the place of meeting was crammed. There must have been
more than two thousand present. One cried out, and then another, and
another, and some of the cries were as piercing as anything I ever heard
in Ireland.‖
Mr. H. Johnson gives the following description of how one of these local
revivals commenced, ―A minister was depressed by the low spiritual
state of his
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congregation. His ‗cause‘ was like a stagnant pool. The news of the
revival going on in other parts of the country had reached him. One day
he suddenly decided to abandon the preparation of his sermon, and to,
devote himself to prayer. He pleaded earnestly and passionately for five
hours.
The next day was Sunday. On entering the pulpit the conviction seized
him that something remarkable was about to happen. The people Were
unusually attentive. Their faces betokened solemnity and awe. When the
service came to an end several persons were broken down under the
Spirit‘s influence. That service proved to be the beginning of a genuine
and permanent revival.‖
At this time England and Scotland were blessed with the ministry of a
number of remarkable evangelists. lncluded among them were, Reginald
Radcliffe, Brownlow North, Richard Weaver, Robert Aitken, William
Haslam, H. M. Grant, and Duncan Matheson.
William Booth was born in 1829. He was converted at the age of fifteen,
and as a young convert he was a most energetic worker among the poor.
Soon he became a local preacher and he longed to give his life to the
preaching of the Gospel.
Even in those early days he was studying how best to win the masses. He
said, ―What I wanted to see was an organisation with the salvation of the
world as its supreme ambition and object, worked upon the simple,
earnest principles which I had myself embraced, and which, youth as I
was, I had already seen carried into successful practice.‖
He was on fire for God and soul. While he was studying for the ministry
he was often in an agony of prayer for souls, when naturally speaking he
should have been busy with his text books.
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this young woman to be the wife of Mr. Booth, and few marriages have
resulted in so much blessing to the world.
In five months of evangelistic work at this time Mr. Booth saw about
2,000 souls won to Christ. The following note taken from a letter gives us
a glimpse of him at this time: ―I cannot write about the natural beauties of
this place. I have done nothing yet but sigh for and seek the salvation of
its inhabitants.‖
Writing to her parents in October, 1855, Mrs. Booth says of her husband,
―God is blessing him richly, both in his own soul and in his public
labours. He is becoming more and more a man of prayer. The work
progresses with mighty power. Precious souls are being saved by scores.‖
Mr. Booth‘s meetings always closed with a time given to prayer, during
which anxious sinners were dealt with. From the beginning of his
ministry Mr. Booth spent each Sunday, as far as possible, as a day of
prayer and fasting. On Whit-Monday of 1858 Mr. Booth conducted the
first public day of prayer and fasting, and this was the beginning of many
―all days,‖ ―all nights,‘‘ and ‗‗two days with God,‘‘ which have been such
a blessing to the movement.
D. L. MOODY
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By nature Moody was a man of great energy and impulse, and this
experience could only result in service to God.
The first Christian work he undertook was to rent some pews in the
church he attended, and he filled them each Sunday with young men
from the street corners and saloons. Then he turned his attention to
Sunday School work. He began to work in a Sunday School that had only
twelve children attending, and in a few years he was running a Sunday
School with an attendance of between 12,000 and 15,000 children. He
loved the children from his heart and they knew it.
This work continued to grow, and Moody knew that God was calling him
to give all his time to His service. He was enabled to obey this call
because of the blessing he received through seeing a whole class of girls
converted through their dying teacher. He said, ―God kindled a fire in my
soul that has never gone out.‖ From that time he engaged in regular
evangelistic work.
In the year 1871 a great hunger and thirst for spiritual power took
possession of Moody. He said, ―I was crying all the time that God would
fill me with His Spirit. Well, one day, in the city of New York, God
revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I
had to ask Him to stay His hand. I went to preaching again. The sermons
were not different; I did not present any new truths; and yet hundreds
were converted.‖
The year 1872 contained an illustration of the power of prayer that had a
great influence on Moody. An invalid in North London prayed for God to
send Moody to London and through him to revive her church. Without
knowing anything about this Moody visited England, and preached in
that church for ten days. There was such a revival that 400 were
converted and joined the church. Moody could not understand it. He
knew that he had not prevailed in prayer for this blessing, but when he
met the invalid lady it all became plain.
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In June, 1873, Moody, and Ira D. Sankey, began their first extended
missions in some of the cities in the North of England. God blessed these
labours, and the work grew steadily. In November of the same year they
were invited to Scotland. The campaigns in the Scottish cities called the
attention of the whole country to spiritual things, and a wave of revival
spread over the land.
This was the effect of Moody‘s campaigns all over the British Isles and in
America.
All this work and worldwide influence was the natural result of Moody‘s
spiritual life; he loved Jesus; he lived with eternal Values in view; he had
a passion and burden for souls; he believed in prayer; and when he
preached he expected the Holy Spirit to convict and convert sinners.
John George Govan founded the Faith Mission in 1886. The ministry of
the mission has been two-fold: Preaching the Gospel in the country
districts of Scotland, Ireland, and in the eastern counties of England;
witnessing to Christians that it is possible to live in an experience of ―full
salvation.‖
James Hudson Taylor was born on May 21st, 1832. Before his birth he had
been dedicated to God, and at the early age of five he was expressing a
desire to be a missionary in China. This ideal took more and more
possession of him as the years passed by. After he left school and
commenced to work, he experienced a period of spiritual darkness and
uncertainty, but at the age of seventeen he definitely accepted the Lord
Jesus as his Saviour.
A short time later he is on his knees surrendering his whole being and
future to God. He wrote, ―Never shall I forget the feeling that came over
me. Words can never describe it. I felt I was in the presence of God. And
from that time the conviction never left me that I was called to China.‖
Through the years that followed Hudson Taylor studied medicine and
carried on evangelistic work, in order to prepare himself for his work in
China. He set himself to learn to move God in prayer for his financial
needs, and he lived on a diet similar to what he would have in China.
Page 44
At the age of twenty-one Hudson Taylor sailed for China, to work in
connection with the Chinese Evangelisation Society. For about six years
he was a keen and energetic missionary, but he was invalided home in
1860.
Mr Taylor made use of every minute of his enforced stay in England. But
in the year 1865 a new burden came into his life, it was a burden for
unevangelised inland China. He wrote, ―A million a month were dying in
that land, dying without God. This was burned into my very soul. For
two or three months the conflict was intense. I scarcely slept night or day
more than an hour at a time, and feared I should lose my reason. Yet I did
not give in.‖
The need was vast and Mr. Taylor shrunk from taking such a
responsibility upon his shoulders. He felt he could not do it, but at the
same time he knew too that he could not stand the burden he had for
these souls while nothing was being done for them. Worn out and really
ill with the burden he went to Brighton, and on Sunday, June 25th, as he
was walking by the seaside, God, by His Spirit, made known to his heart
that if he obeyed His call to commence a work for inland China, He
would carry all the responsibility. ―Thou, Lord,‖ he cried with relief that
was unutterable, ―Thou shalt have all the burden !‖ There and then he
asked the Lord for twenty-four missionaries for inland China, and on
June 27th, he put £10 in the bank for the China Inland Mission. He had
prevailed with God; he was a new man physically and spiritually.
The C.I.M. has continued to grow, and has now about 1,100 missionaries,
and 4,400 Chinese workers. The history of how God has supplied the
financial needs down the years has been an inspiration to all Missions.
The success and blessing that has been enjoyed by this mission, in great
measure, is the result of the fact that Hudson Taylor, like Jacob, ‗as a
prince had power with God and men, and prevailed.‘
We have not room in this book to outline the history of other foreign
missions. The history of the
Page 45
foundation of each mission is essentially the same; in each case there was
a burden for souls; there was travail in prayer until God came and called
out missionaries, and moved Christians to give money, and to pray for
the evangelisation, of the world.
―So it was that a number of the young people were invited to come to the
parsonage on the evening of February 2nd, 1881. The minister presented
his plan for a Christian Endeavour Society, which included, ‗It is expected
that all members of the society will be present at every meeting, and that
each one will take some part, however slight, in every meeting‘.‖ That
night over fifty young people joined the Movement.
Other churches soon took up the idea, and every year there are held over
four millions of young people‘s meetings using the methods, principles,
and topics of the Christian Endeavour Society. Out of it have come
multitudes of Ministers, Missionaries, and church workers.
PART 5
C. H. SPURGEON
Page 46
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born in Kelvedon, Essex, on the 19th June,
1834. At the age of sixteen he was converted through hearing a Primitive
Methodist preaching on the text, ―Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the
ends of the earth.‖ Spurgeon said, ―I looked to Him; He looked on me;
and we were one for ever.‖
Page 47
―Then down came the blessing; the house was filled with hearers, and
many souls were saved. I always give all the glory to God, but I forget
that He gave me the privilege of ministering from the first to a praying
people. We had prayer meetings that moved our very souls. Every man
seemed like a crusader besieging the New Jerusalem. Each one appeared
determined to storm the Celestial City by the might of intercession; and
soon the blessing came upon us in such abundance that we had not room
to receive it.‘‘
The revival of religion in the British Isles in 1859 led to the formation of a
number of student societies. The Children‘s Special Service Mission, and
the Student Missionary Unions in the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge,
Edinburgh, and Glasgow were formed about this time. In 1885 the
student world was stirred by the example of the ―Cambridge seven‖—
one of them the Captain of the Cricket XI, and another the Stroke of the
Cambridge Boat—going out as missionaries to China.
Page 48
invited students from many Colleges to a Summer School at Northfield.
The Wilders saw the opportunity, and Robert went, leaving Grace to pray
that the band of volunteers would grow to a hundred. On the last night of
the School their prayers were answered.
Thus was founded ―The Student Volunteer Movement‘‘ which had as its
Membership Declaration, ‗‗It is my purpose, God permitting, to become a
foreign missionary.‖ This Movement spread to many countries and
through its influence it is estimated that over 15,000 young people went
to the Mission Field.
GEORGE MÜLLER
Mr. W. H. Bergin wrote, ―In the year 1836, George Muller started out to
give proof in an unbelieving world, and amidst divided Christians, that
‗God is still the living God, and now, as well as thousands of years ago,
He listens to the prayers of His children, and helps those who trust in
Him.‘ Looking round for some method of demonstrating this fact, he
chose the care of destitute orphan children.
―In order that it might be quite plain that God was helping His servant,
he determined to abstain from any appeals to man for financial
assistance. God honoured his faith, and so blessed and prospered his
dependent servant, that, from a small beginning in a hired house, he went
on and expanded the work until he had built five large Orphan Houses,
with accommodation for 2,050 children.
Page 49
God enabled him to continue in this service for sixty-two years, until at
the age of ninety-two years, the Lord called him Home. Up to that time,
9,725 children had entered the Homes, and £988,829 had been received
for the Orphans, as the result of prayer to God alone.‖
BILLY BRAY
From his conversion Billy Bray ―was filled with a holy rapture of soul
which nothing could restrain. His words, his tones, his looks, had a
magnetic power. He could no more help speaking of Christ and His
salvation than the sun can help shining, or the trees in the spring can help
budding and blossoming into beauty and life.‖
This little Cornish miner was on fire for God, and for the rest of his life he
preached the Gospel faithfully, inspired the Christians, visited the sick,
and with his own hands built churches. The story of his life has been a
blessing to thousands; it is a revelation of how God can take up the ―weak
things‖ and use them for His glory.
SAM JONES
After being saved from the depths of sin Sam Jones said of the Lord Jesus,
―There is music in His name, a charm in His presence, and life in His
touch.‖ In 1872 he entered the ministry and soon he was recognised as a
man who possessed ―the eloquence of
Page 50
earnestness and action, the fire of glow and passion, the surprises of
thought, the wit, humour, ridicule, irony, sarcasm, invective, pathos,
sympathy, love, humanity, and faith‖ which made him the most
sensational preacher in the American pulpit.
But he was also endued with power from on high. Wherever he went the
churches were stirred and sinners were converted by hundreds and
thousands. In one meeting he said, ―Thank God, He is a prayer-hearing
and a prayer-answering God! I believe there is truth in God, and virtue in
the blood of Christ, and power in the Holy Ghost. If these divine agencies
will work with us, there will be a work done in this city that will outlive
the stars.‖
PART 6
REVIVAL IN UGANDA
In 1899 there were over four hundred churches, more than seventeen
thousand baptised members, and nearly nine hundred native workers.
The secret of this movement was that the leaders realised their absolute
powerlessness to meet the need of the people and yielded themselves to
the Holy Spirit.
Page 51
In the year 1901 Pandita Ramabai‘s work at Mukti was enjoying much
blessing. Twelve hundred converts were baptised in two months, but
some of the workers continued to cry to God for greater blessing.
News of the Welsh Revival, 1904, stirred Ramabai, and she started daily
prayer meetings for revival in India. In June, 1905, five hundred and fifty
were meeting twice daily to pray for revival.
The answer came suddenly. One of the girls received the Holy Spirit, and
was so transformed that soon all the girls on that compound were on
their knees, weeping, and confessing their sins.
Helen Dyer writes, ―The next evening, while Ramabai was expounding
John 8 in her usual quiet way, the Holy Spirit descended with power, and
all the girls began to pray aloud so that she had to cease talking. Little
children, middle-sized girls, and young women, wept bitterly, and
confessed their sins. Some few saw visions and experienced the power of
God, and things too deep to be described. Two little girls had the spirit of
prayer poured on them in such torrents that they continued to pray for
hours. They were transformed with heavenly light shining on their faces.
―Such repentance, such heart-searching, such agony over sin, and tears,
as they cried for pardon and cleansing and the baptism of the Holy
Ghost! Then a baptism like fire within came upon them. They seemed to
have their eyes opened to see the body of sin in themselves. Then came a
strong realisation of Christ‘s work upon the Cross; then peace, followed
by intense joy. It often took a soul hours to pass through all these
experiences. The Lord used the Word greatly.
―The work went on, and a spirit of prayer and supplication for a revival
in India was poured out like a flood.‖ The spirit of prayer possessed the
people. Waves of prayer go over the meetings like the rolling thunder;
hundreds pray audibly together.‖
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Ramabai wrote, ―You will rejoice to know that the revival is bearing fruit.
Some seven hundred girls and women have given themselves to prayer
and the study of God‘s Word, that they may go to the places where God
sends them, to give the Gospel. They are already visiting the villages
around. About sixty go out daily by turns. The Lord is strengthening and
developing them.‖
This revival continued for over a year, and it was a great blessing to
Christians all over India.
During the years just previous to the 1904 revival there were some local
awakenings. The most important result of these movements was the
forming of spontaneous prayer meetings. In these meetings all were free
to take part. Each one obeyed the promptings of the Holy Spirit: one
would read a portion of the Bible, another would pray, another would
give out a hymn, another would give a testimony. These meetings
sometimes lasted for two or three hours but no one got tired of them.
At the time these local awakenings were taking place Evan Roberts was in
college preparing for the ministry. But it was not long until the burden of
souls was upon him in such a way that he was unable to continue with
his studies. He said, ―something drew me irresistibly to think of the
condition of the lost world.‖
He began to seek for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it was not long
until God gave him a mighty experience which made him a new man. He
was
Page 53
quickened physically, his spiritual life became full of power and stability,
and he was on fire with the idea of going through Wales with a Revival
Party. He began to pray for a hundred thousand converts, and he talked
freely of the great revival that was coming to Wales.
God guided him to commence revival meetings in his home church. The
meetings were full of prayer for souls to be saved. During the first week
the Holy Spirit was clearly at work. The second week of the meetings was
the visible beginning of the revival. Dozens of prayer meetings were
going on every day in the district. The revival was the topic of
conversation everywhere.
The fame of the revival caused a stir all over the country. People who
were blessed in the meetings carried the revival to their own churches,
and prepared the way for Evan Roberts and his Revival Party. In the
course of the revival they conducted thousands of meetings, and tens of
thousands of souls were converted.
The revival meetings took the form of the spontaneous prayer meetings.
The Holy Spirit was the great Leader of the meetings, and the people
became amazingly sensitive to His guidance. The revival was also
powerful in many places that Evan Roberts did not visit.
The meetings were full of the spirit of prayer. Evan Roberts was often in
an agony of prayer, and he drew floods of prayer out of the people, He
observed that the success of a meeting in saving souls, was in proportion
to the amount of fervent prayer in that meeting.
Page 54
to study how to promote revival. News of the Welsh Revival in 1904 was
a great inspiration to him.
At this time Goforth began to read the life and writings of Charles G.
Finney, who emphasised that any company of Christians can have a
revival if they will fulfil the necessary laws. Goforth said, ―If Finney is
right, then I am going to find out what these laws are and obey them, no
matter what it costs.‖
Early in 1906 he was preaching at a great idolatrous fair. ―It was at this
fair I began to see evidence of the first stirrings in the people‘s hearts of
the greater power. Conviction seemed to be written on every face. Finally,
when I called for decisions, the whole audience stood up as one man,
crying, ‗We want to follow this Jesus who died for us.‘ ―This was the
beginning of Goforth‘s revival ministry. It is necessary to point out here
that he did not receive any extraordinary personal blessing, apart from
the spiritual preparation already mentioned. The Holy Spirit began to
work quietly.
At this time there was a wonderful revival in Korea, and Goforth was
invited to visit that country. He said, ―The Korean movement was of
incalculable significance in my life, because it showed me at first hand the
boundless possibilities of the revival method. Korea made me feel, as it
did many others, that this was God‘s plan for setting the world aflame.
Page 55
After this Goforth told the story of the Korean revival to missionaries in
China. In this way a prayer movement for revival was started which
prepared the way for Goforth‘s revival ministry in China and Manchuria.
BILLY SUNDAY
From the first, Sunday was out and out for God. He soon became a
Y.M.C.A. secretary, and later. he was a helper in some of the great
Chapman-Alexander campaigns. After Dr. Chapman retired from
evangelistic work, Sunday was invited to conduct meetings in the small
town of Garner, Iowa, and from that time his services were in constant
demand. His preaching was a biting, blistering, blasting condemnation of
sin, delivered with tremendous earnestness and energy. A revival of
practical righteousness was the uniform result of his campaigns.
Sunday was also a burning enemy of the liquor traffic, and he often said it
was ―the most damnable, corrupt institution that ever wriggled out of
hell.‖ It
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was a common thing for a whole district to go ―dry‖ as one result of a
campaign. The following are two typical utterances of Billy Sunday.
―I say, young girl, don‘t go to that dance; don‘t you know that it is the
most damnable, low-down institution on the face of God‘s earth; it has
proven to ho the moral graveyard that has caused more ruination than
anything that was ever spewed out of the mouth of Hell.‖
TORREY—CHAPMAN—ALEXANDER.
Mr. George T. B. Davies says, ―It was nothing less than a great volume of
prayer that sent Dr. R. A. Torrey and Mr. C. M. Alexander sweeping
round the world like a gale from heaven. Their meetings in Melbourne,
Australia, were preceded by I,700 cottage prayer meetings. No wonder
multitudes were saved. For three years they held meetings in Great
Britain and again the cities were shaken by the power of God as in the
days of Moody and Sankey. The very atmosphere of heaven was in the
meetings.
And what was the secret of it all? Dr. Torrey told me that during their
three years of meetings 20,000 people were banded together in Prayer
Groups praying for their meetings.‖
From 1908 the Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman, D.D., and Mr. Alexander worked
together in similar worldwide campaigns. Multitudes of souls were saved
and tens of thousands of Christians were wonderfully revived. Prayer
was always given first place. Dr. Chapman said, ―Revivals are born in
prayer. Whole nights of prayer have always been succeeded by whole
days of soul-winning.‖
PRAYING HYDE
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as a missionary to India, and his wonderful ministry of prayer was
started in the early days when he was driven into the secret place with
God to seek for victory over sin in his own life.
Soon he began to share the sufferings of God‘s heart over sin. Often he
broke out into tears over the sins of the world, and of professing
Christians. He pleaded for them with sobs—dry choking sobs—―Father,
give me these souls or I die.‖
―In less than a year what a change! New life everywhere—the wilderness
being transformed into a garden. Fifteen were baptised at first, and one
hundred and twenty-five adults during the first half of the following
year.
Another year passed and she wrote: ‗The spirit of enquiry is increasing in
the villages and there is every promise of a greater movement in the
future than we have ever yet had. Our Christians now number six
hundred in contrast with one sixth of that number two years ago‘.‖
W. P. NICHOLSON
In 1921 the Rev. W. P. Nicholson said, ―The revival which ought, to come
is a revival that will make the preachers weep in their pulpits. Lord, let it
come!
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Let it strike Ireland, though it blow the French and classic music out of
our choirs and the feathers out of our bonnets. Let us cry to God night
and day for this.‖
About a year later Mr. Nicholson was conducting great revival campaigns
which stirred the whole country, and resulted in the conversion of
thousands of men and women. The Christian Workers Unions which
were established in many towns, and the number of converts who
became ministers, missionaries, and leaders in all branches of Christian
work, are evidence of the great blessing experienced in those days of
revival.
GEORGE AND STEPHEN JEFFREYS
George Jeffreys was converted in the revival of 1904 when the power of
God swept through the Welsh valleys. The Rev. W. G. Jones of the
Congregational Church, Maesteg, said, ―At the open-air revival services I
always found George Jeffreys at my side. I knew he was a chosen vessel.‖
In 1912 Mr. Jeffreys began to prepare for the ministry, and in the years
that followed he gained fame as an evangelist who was able to pack the
largest halls in the British Isles with eager listeners.
RUANDA REVIVALS
In 1922 some C.M.S. missionaries began to work in Ruanda, and for years
the work seemed most successful until in 1927 some of the leading
Christians began to fall back into sin.
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One of the missionaries, Jack Warren, being deeply concerned, asked for a
Week of Prayer to be held at home and on the field. During this week
many pleaded with God for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit From that
time great crowds began to attend the services. The Spirit of God was
Working on the hearts of the people, and this experience made the
missionaries believe in the possibility of a true revival even among the
uninstructed heathen.
Of this period Dr. Stanley Smith in ―Road to Revival‖ writes, ―Let no one
imagine that a work in which the Spirit of God is manifesting His power
is going to be easy or comfortable. Within, it is a story of many prayers
and tears and confessions of sin and misunderstandings, end of heart
searching before God. And without it means war with the enemy. The
Mission was being encouraged in spite of conflict by a great move
forward all over the country. Churches were springing up everywhere,
with a great increase of adherents, baptisms, and confirmations.‖
From this time God began to prepare some of the Africans to be leaders in
the revival that were to come. In 1936 Dr. Joe Church sent out a pamphlet
calling the friends of the Ruanda Mission to prayer. Again Dr. Smith
writes, ―God used this to call forth a great volume of prayer, unique in
the history of the Mission. The whole Revival movement seemed to surge
forward as prayer ascended up on high. From this time onward the
smouldering fires blazed out. ‗At the Mukono mission a deep work was
done. Simultaneously at Gahini, revival again broke out with great
power. News began to come through of like manifestations from all over,
the Mission—Kabale, Shyira, Kigeme, Buhiga, Matana—everywhere this
strange mysterious power was at work.‖
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from Ruanda to Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika, the Sudan, and Congo. This
revival is still going on.
RECENT REVIVALS
―Many times in Europe, when I came into the theatre, or the cathedral, or
the ice skating rink where our meetings are being held, all I can hear are
sobs from the people of God burdened for the salvation of loved ones.
During the time of revival in Latvia, which lasted six years, again and
again, the choir of 200 voices could not sing the invitation hymn. They
were so burdened for the souls of men.‖
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sending out substitutes. First of all five missionaries were sent forth, and
now that church is providing the financial support of over three hundred
and twenty-five missionaries.
Through his world-wide preaching tours, and his books, Dr. Smith seeks
to inspire others with the vision of the possibilities of revival. He says, ―Is
it not true that God does more in a few weeks during days of revival than
in years through the ordinary channels of church work? All God‘s
servants, right down through the centuries, have travailed in prayer; for
soul travail is part of the price that must be paid for revival.‖
Torrey M. Johnson gives the following account of the ―Youth for Christ‖
movement, which is doing a wonderful work in the United States and
Canada, and many other countries. ‗‗The question is frequently asked,
‗Where and how did Youth for Christ begin?‘ No one knows. . . except
that ‗the Spirit of God raised up a standard in this time when the enemy
was coming in like a flood.‘ Small rallies began in different parts of the
United States and elsewhere, all unknown to each other. Then suddenly
out of those small beginnings, fed by the Word of God and nurtured by
the Holy Spirit, larger rallies began.
―Hundreds are being won to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ
every week; thousands of young people are yielding their hearts in
surrender to the will of God for their lives. There are literally thousands
of young people all across America who are planning to go to the ends of
the earth with the Gospel of the Grace of God.
―We join hands and hearts with every agency of the Gospel of the Lord
Jesus to the end that (1) There may be a deep and abiding Revival in the
Church in our day, and that (2) The world may be completely evangelised
in the life time of our generation.‖
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The Rev. Duncan Campbell speaking of the revival that broke out in the
Isle of Lewis, Scotland, in 1949, said that long before the revival
commenced ―several groups of men and women in the parish church of
Barvas were spending hours in prayer for an outpouring of the Spirit of
God; indeed so great was their burden, and so intense their intercession
that the small hours of the morning frequently found them on their faces
before God.‖ This revival spread powerfully to many parts of the island.
BILLY GRAHAM
The Christian world has been stirred by the news of the great evangelistic
campaigns which are being conducted by Dr. Billy Graham in America.
This movement started in Los Angeles, and Dr. Graham reveals the secret
of it. He says, ―The Los Angeles campaign has humbled me and driven
me to my knees as never before. The success of the campaign is due to
three things:
(1) The prayer of God‘s people. It was the people who prayed who made
the difference. What power there is in prayer! I‘ve never realised it before
in all my life and ministry. It has given me a tremendous blessing in my
own heart. (2) The power of the Holy Spirit. I have never in all my life
seen men and women under such conviction of sin. (3) The power of the
Word of God. How God blessed the plain and simple Word of God in this
campaign.‖
Bob Finley wrote, ―When Bob Pierce, Gill Dodds and I were invited to
Korea we discovered that our Lord had brought us into the midst of a
revival that might well have been lifted out of the pages of the book of
Acts.
―I saw revival in Korea. I saw more than 25,000 persons profess to accept
Christ as Saviour within six weeks. I saw more than 4,000 persons daily at
5 a.m.
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prayer meetings. I saw hundreds continue all night in prayer for days on
end. I saw crowds up to 75,000 come together to hear the Gospel.
―In such a movement of the Holy Spirit, our part was incidental. These
meetings in which we participated were only a small part of the great
revival in Korea. All the while there were other great meetings being held
by Korean pastors and evangelists. The revival is a demonstration of the
awful reality of the Person of the Holy Spirit.‘‘
This Movement has grown out of the work of the Revival Publishing Co.,
and aims ―to promote revival in every denomination through the
―Revival Series‖ books, Revival Conferences, and Prayer Groups.‖ Any
Christians who wish to become members should write to: The Secretary,
Worldwide Revival Movement, 15, Slemish Way, Lisburn, N. Ireland.
RECENT NEWS
The tides are rising! News of revival blessing is coming from many
countries. Evangelists are conducting successful campaigns all over the
British Isles. Almost one hundred years ago the English speaking
countries experienced one of the greatest revivals in history. Let us pray
that God will visit the whole world with an even greater revival in this
century.
REMARKS
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We have seen a little of the tremendous blessing that revivals have been
to the world. They always bring new life and power into the Church;
produce a new generation of soul winning ministers, missionaries, and
Christian workers; and extend a blessed influence far and wide. The
obligation of Christians to promote revivals is equal to the tremendous
amount of good they produce.
(b) While Christians pray and feel in this way, preachers of the same
spirit should make a balanced presentation of the truths of the Gospel to
the unsaved. In modern times there are few preachers who so understand
the Gospel that they can, with the help of the Holy Spirit, enlighten the
minds of sinners to such a view of the guilt and horrid nature of sin, and
the love of God in Christ, that will induce them to turn with their whole
heart and mind to God. The stability and usefulness of converts depends
on the extent to which preachers can do this work in the power of the
Holy Spirit.
There were many secret prayer groups in the Reformation. The Pietist
Revival exercised its influence through ‗‗ Circles of devout Christians in
the churches.‘‘ The Moravians had their prayer and study "Bands". The
enemies of the Puritan Revival sought to suppress their groups in the
churches. The ― Class Meeting‘‘ composed the spiritual force which
conserved and extended the blessings of the Evangelical Awakening.
Finney always formed groups of those who had the spirit of prayer. The
1857-58 Revival in America was a ‗‗ Prayer Group Revival.‘‘ The '59
Revival in Ireland was the direct result of the prayer group which was
formed by M‘Quilken, Meneely, WalIace, and Carlisle.
1. Prayer. The chief work will be to pray effectually for the blessing of
God on the church
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services. A prayer meeting could be held on the Saturday evening, or the
Sunday morning. The meeting should be simple, opening with an
appropriate prayer and hymn, followed with Bible reading, and a short
address, or reading of some account of prayer for revival being answered.
After a stirring address Christians feel the love of souls and their faith in
God warm and strong and they feel like praying. Let them pray silently.
Let there be perfect silence and each soul will forget everyone else, and
will deal alone with God.
Keen Christians will love such prayer times, and great work will be done
in the spiritual realm. We are living in a time when life is one mad rush.
Let us give Christians a chance to be alone with God in the prayer
meeting, and they will love it and will begin to make more time for such
blessed communion with God.
Certainly the latter part of the meeting should be open for audible prayer.
But Centre members would do well to make a vow never to allow the
devil to use cranky, egotistic, or verbose people, to spoil their prayer
meetings. Such persons should be firmly and kindly dealt with. Persons
coming in late also spoil a prayer meeting. It is important to stop these
things in the beginning.
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The remainder of this chapter outlines how members can work to
promote revival, but unless all this work is backed up with effectual
prevailing prayer; unless it is all carried out in the spirit of prayer, it will
not promote revival.
The task of winning and training young people calls for deep love for
them, and a clear understanding of their surging energies, feelings, and
ambitions. The most powerful factor in winning young people is a leader
who embodies their ideals of genuine Christian character and personality.
People are not born with these winning qualities, they are acquired by the
blessing of God, and experience, and study.
3. Youth Meetings. In order to win the young people and to keep them in
the church, it will be necessary for them to have their own special
meetings and activities. Suggestions along this line will be found in the
programmes of the many different youth movements.
There was a time in the history of the Methodist Church when five out of
seven of all the services were conducted by lay preachers. The same has
been true of other denominations. The great 1857—58 Revival in the
United States of America, and the 1859 Revival in Ireland, were promoted
chiefly through Cottage Meeting of Prayer and Testimony conducted by
local lay preachers.
The Church all over the world needs a new army of soulwinning lay
preachers. To help raise this army
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Ministers, Pastors, Missionaries, and experienced Christians could
conduct ‗‗Revival Classes‘‘ giving young Christians instruction on Bible
Study, the ‗‗Revival Series‘‘ booklets, and Public Speaking. Where there is
no capable leader, any group of young people can benefit greatly through
study on their own. This training will have a practical outcome in the
activities suggested in other parts of this chapter. As text books for such
Classes I would recommend, ‗‗The Hundred Texts ‗‗ by T. C. Hammond,
and ‗‗ Public Speaking‘‘ by Dale Carnegie.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
The greatest need to-day is to reach the masses outside the Church. First
of all, the children. Tens of thousands of children in our country never
attend a Sunday School. Sunday is a wild holiday for them. This is a
terrible state of affairs, and it is leading to most serious consequences.
Keen Christians can help to meet this need in every district. In most
places it will not be difficult to obtain premises, and parents will be glad
to send their children along.
In this work each child‘s contact with a devoted teacher is the most
important part of the work. The lessons can be the same as those taught
in the church. On special occasions Flannelgraph illustrations will add to
the interest. Children love to sing and they should be encouraged to learn
and sing- good Gospel hymns as an important part of their lesson. They
will never forget these hymns, and the memories they will bring back.
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them with suitable and profitable entertainment. They will love a week-
night meeting if it is kept bright and warm.
All this calls for love and work; but there are eternal issues at stake. Those
capable of doing this type of work, sin, while they refuse to do it for any
selfish reason.
GOSPEL SERVICES.
All over the country there is a great need for Gospel Services to be held.
Here Christians have a Home Mission Field, and if they are
understanding and sympathetic, people everywhere will be glad of their
services. Premises for these meetings can be obtained, even if they must
be conducted in the homes of the people.
Young Christian, you love Jesus, you love souls, and you are the very one
to help these people who are without God and without hope in the world.
Dare you sit in ease and comfort among other Christians while these
millions are going to hell?
WOMEN‟S MEETINGS.
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As the majority of the people to-day do not attend places of worship one
of the Revival Centre‘s chief aims is to preach the Gospel to the crowds in
the open air.
It is quite in order to hold a long open air meeting in any place where
there are no residents, but in the case of an ordinary street it is different.
To be a blessing these meetings must be so conducted that the people will
want them and look forward to them. Have plenty of bright singing, and
bright testimonies, followed by a short Gospel message.
This type of open air work is more specialized, and a few men can
conduct very effective meetings. When a man comes home tired from
work anyone shouting in the street will be considered a nuisance, but if
the same tired man heard sonic sweet Gospel Hymn Records being
played over a loud speaker he would enjoy it. To follow this up there
should be a short bright Gospel message and more music.
While two men are conducting the meeting others be giving out suitable
tracts, if possible, having printed on them an invitation to local meetings,
also an address to which enquirers can write for spiritual help, or to ask a
worker to call, or asking for a gift of a New Testament..
Children are certain to gather around a Loud Speaker, and they should
have a little time given to them. Tell them a Gospel story, teach them a
chorus, and invite those to a Sunday School who do not attend one.
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With a car a few men could preach the Gospel to a whole district in one
evening in this way. But remember, a loud speaker unwisely used could
disturb a whole district just as easily in one evening.
PERSONAL WORK.
The best personal worker is the Christian who is recognized by all who
know him as steady and consistent. Here I would add that one of the
most effective forms of personal work is to give a person a gift of a New
Testament, on the condition that he will read a portion every day.
VISITATION EVANGELISTS.
This type of work is being done in many places with great success. Two
workers visit the homes of the people when the husband and the wife are
at home. They conduct a little service and invite the people to attend local
meetings.
MISSIONS.
In addition to what has been said in the previous booklets I would add
the following:
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The essential part of enquiry room work is to lead enquirers to deal alone
with God. They are to be ― born of the Spirit,‖ and He should be allowed
to be the chief enquiry room worker.
The missioner should be his own enquiry room worker, having a short
conversation with each one, and then addressing them all together to
make everything clear and plain. After this let each one pray silently and
deal only with God.
When for any reason other enquiry room workers are needed none
should be allowed to take part in this work unless their blameless
character and ability are well known. The best workers may be slow to
come forward. Cranks and proselyters push to do this work. Keep them
out; the devil will only use them to sow tares.
Each enquiry room worker should at least have passed the Revival Series
Examination on booklet No 2. Female enquirers should have female
workers. Do this work thoroughly and it will bear eternal fruit.
FOLLOW UP WORK.
This is as important as the mission in the salvation of souls. See that each
convert joins a live church, and begins at once to have regular times of
Bible reading and private devotion. Encourage them to join the Revival
Centre. Make each feel that you are a true personal friend.
PURITY WITNESS.
In 1885 the Salvation Army began rescue work among fallen women and
girls. The revelations of how even very young girls were being ruined,
body and soul, caused a stir which called the attention of all England.
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all over the world to-day. In the cause of a true revival of religion,
Christians must make a firm stand in this matter, and expose with a clear
voice, not only the sins of adultery and fornication, but also the sins that
lead to them: seeing sensual picture shows, dancing, reading low novels,
indulgence in flirting and petting. Every Christian should be a living
testimony against these sins, and should rebuke openly those who
indulge in them.
Chapter III.
Revival and World Evangelisation
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OUR Lord‘s command to the Church is still ‗‗ Go ye into all the world,
and preach the Gospel to every creature.‘‘ This chapter outlines how each
Revival Centre can contribute to the cause of world evangelisation in the
widest sense.
The Gospel is now being preached in almost every country in the world;
there are thousands of young Christians who are willing to be trained to
complete the evangelisation of the world; a tremendous amount of wealth
is in the hands of Christians. This is a day of opportunity. But we need to
remind ourselves that men have preached the possibility of evangelizing
the world before, and it has not been accomplished. There are more
heathen in the world to-day than there were fifty years ago.
This task can only be completed by men who live and work in the spirit
of St. Paul. ‗‗I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus
Christ, and Him crucified. And my speech and my preaching was not
with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit
and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but
in the power of God.‖ ― And He said unto me, My strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.‘‘
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by God. How will this be done? Jesus said, ― Pray ye the Lord of the
Harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His Harvest.‖ To ensure
that men of God will go forth in His power, they must be called by God in
answer to prayer.
To support such an army, Christians must give their money regularly and
intelligently. It is God‘s money and should be given where it will
accomplish most in saving souls.
But above all else, what is most needed by missionaries to-day, and will
be most needled in the future, is an effectual prayer backing. We need
Christians who will pray like this man spoken of by Finney, ‗‗Said a good
man to me, Oh, I am dying for the want of strength to pray. My body is
crushed, the world is on me, and how can I forbear praying?‘ I have
known that man to go to bed absolutely sick, for weakness and faintness,
under the pressure. And I have known him pray as if he would do
violence to Heaven, and then have seen the blessing come as plainly in
answer to his prayer, as if it were revealed, so that no person would
doubt it any more than if God had spoken from heaven.
‗‗Shall I tell you how he died? He prayed more and more; he used to take
the map of the world before him, and pray, and look over the different
countries and pray for them, till he absolutely expired in his room,
praying. Blessed man! He was a prevailing prince in prayer.‘‘
THE “CALL.”
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to God; to be willing to do His will whatever it is; God is perfectly free to
call any Christian who is surrendered to Him in this way.
In many cases men grow into their calling. A young man begins to take
occasional meetings, God blesses these efforts and souls are saved. He
next becomes a local preacher, God continues to use him, and he enters
the regular ministry of some denomination. In this way God raised up the
early Methodist ministers, the early Salvation Army officers were
provided in the same way, and the same thing has happened in nearly
every denomination; it is going on all the time.
There is one essential element in every real call, and that is a sincere
desire to win souls. Young people with a real call, may have mixed
thoughts and ambitions; but if they love the Lord Jesus and lost souls,
they can become wonderful channels for God. A call, however clear, is no
guarantee of success. Many have had wonderful calls and have shown
great promise, yet they have failed. Obedience to God must be continual
or failure is certain.
SUPPORT OF STUDENTS.
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this is done in a systematic and honourable way. In other cases — Go to a
railway station and you will see a company of people around someone.
Go nearer, and you will see a young woman with tears in her eyes saying
goodbye, to her parents and friends. What is she doing? She is going
into training for the mission field sacrificing the comfort and securities of
home for the sake of God and souls.
There are men in the group. Are they going, too? No fear! They are going
back to a warm home to sit in a cushioned chair. Will they support that
girl? No! They say,
In the Old Testament we see God‘s detailed care for the support of the
Levites. In the New Testament we have the plain declaration, ― They
which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.‘‘
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The benefits of this system will be that the supporters will all know the
student, and there will be a bond of fellowship and love; they will also
pray for him with more feeling and interest. This will be a most important
part of the work of the Centres to choose out suitable students. If
members are not satisfied with an applicant, let them put him on
probation, and prove him.
HOME MISSIONS.
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in our Colleges should do all that is possible to provide students with
lectures and books on this subject.
HOW CHURCHES CAN HELP
REVIVAL CONFERENCES.
(d) Missionary Outlook. After the expenses of each Conference are met,
all remaining funds should be given to known Evangelical Foreign
Missions in rotation
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Conferences like these will draw together the living members of the
Church, and under the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be
strengthened and inspired to live in revival blessing. These Conferences
can be a mighty force in local revival, and world evangelisation.
THE POSSIBILITIES.
When Jeroboam became king of Israel he made two golden calves and led
the nation to the worship of idols. Listen to God‘s judgement on him and
the nation, ‗‗The Lord shall smite Israel, and He shall root up Israel out of
this good land, and shall scatter them. And He shall give Israel up
because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to
sin.‘‘
This king had power to lead nation into sin. Jehoshaphat a king of Judah
was a reformer, and he led the people back to God. Every leader of men
has a tremendous influence. Few men are in a position to exert such an
influence for God as ministers and preachers generally. If, all over the
world, these men would use their influence aright they could turn
millions of people to God. If they do not, God will require it at their
hands.
Not only preachers, but every editor of a religious paper, every church
officer, every Sunday School teacher, every Christian worker, and every
individual
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Christian has a degree of influence that he is responsible to use for the
glory of God and the salvation of souls.
INVITATION TO ALL.
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Through the ― Revival Series ― booklet, and Prayer Groups, individual
Christians can receive instruction, fellowship, and scope for the
development of their talents; churches can receive new members,
workers, ministers, and revival; Colleges can receive new students;
Christians can be inspired to support students; Missions can be helped by
new support, new missionaries, and revival; Native Christians can be led
to shoulder the burden of evangelisation. In this way all the Potential
Energies of the Church World-wide can be utilized in the cause of Revival
and World Evangelisation.
PERSONAL MESSAGE.
In this hour let us stand firm with the Holy Spirit, and never allow
ourselves to be side-tracked into giving a moment‘s attention to any
subject that does not further this great work.