Revivals of Religion

REVIVALS OF RELIGION.
BY Rev. J. E. TODD.
BOSTON: NICHOLS AND NOYES. 1866.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by NICHOLS AND NOTES, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. CAMBRIDGE: STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BT JOHN WILSON AND SONS. REVIVALS OF RELIGION.
ALONE WITH GOD. Number 6. Published by direction of the Congregational Churches of Boston.
Are revivals desirable?
IT is too late to discuss this question. As well might we discuss the desirableness of summer showers. It is evident that they are a part, and a blessed part, of the Divine administration. It may be said that religious interest ought to be continual rather than fitful; that it would be better for a Church to be perpetually alive, rather than occasionally revived. But an occasional increase of interest does not necessitate a low state of religion at ordinary times. And the question is, not what might be, but what, in the present imperfect state of sanctified human nature and under the present dispensation of the Spirit, is possible. From the day of Pentecost until now, the growth, and even the existence, of the Church has been largely owing to revivals. Whatever of life and earnestness there is in any of our Churches has originated in and been fed by revivals. Most of those who have been redeemed from off the face of the earth were converted in revivals: almost every faithful minister of the Gospel and missionary has traced his conversion to a revival. And the hope of the Church for the future is in revivals. If ever the kingdoms of this world are to become the kingdom of our Lord; if ever the Church of Christ is to be redeemed from schism, heresy, and worldliness, and made pure, earnest, and living; if ever our impenitent friends are to be brought to Christ; if ever we ourselves are to make the highest Christian attainments here, it will be through revivals.
How do revivals come?
They are given by God, not created by men. They are produced by the spontaneous movements of that sovereign Spirit, Who, like the wind, "bloweth as He listeth." They are not produced by human efforts. But God loves to work through means; and He has made the visitations of His grace dependent, for the most part, upon certain action on the part of His people. To say that a revival may at any time be secured by the use of the right means, is not to limit the sovereignty of God; for it is He Who gives the disposition to use the means. To say that a revival may not be secured at any time by the use. of the right means, is to cast discredit upon the promises. If, then, a greatly needed revival fails to come, some of us are in fault. Who is it? Is it you ?
Do you want one?
Undoubtedly your answer is, Yes. You would like to see a great revival in progress; you often pray, " Lord, revive Thy work; ' " Pour out Thy Spirit upon us." But are you in earnest? Do you mean what you say? How much do you want a revival? There is, certainly, need enough of a revival. Worldliness and sloth have half paralyzed the Churches; the love of many has grown cold, they have forgotten their first love; infidelity and idolatry and wickedness are rapidly increasing around us; vast multitudes are living near us without God, and passing in endless procession from us to His bar to be condemned and punished for ever. You have personal reasons for desiring a revival; your own soul needs to be refreshed with a new anointing from on high; you have very dear friends, and not a few of them, of whom you know that there is no reasonable hope that they will ever be converted and saved from the wrath to come, unless in a revival. Are your desires for a revival proportioned to the urgency of the need? Is there an earnestness in your prayers, springing out of a conviction that some of your best friends are on the brink of hell? Does the condition of. the community rest with an insupportable weight upon your heart? Some years ago, one said, “I feel, that, if we do not have a revival soon, I shall die! ' Is that your feeling? Are you crying mightily unto God, if so be that we perish not, or are you asleep in the sides of the ship? How much are you willing to do and sacrifice in order to secure a revival?
Will you help to secure a revival?
In reply, you ask, “What must I do?”
1. You must prepare your own heart.
If you had grieved your own father, and driven him away from your dwelling, by disregarding his wishes and contemning his person, and introducing into your home companions and occupations and scenes that he abhorred, and if you wished to have him again visit you, you would humble yourself, you would ask forgiveness, you would show contrition; and you would put away all that he abhorred, you would assure him that he might return without fear of finding in your house the things which were offensive to him. If you wish the Spirit to come, you must humble yourself before God, you must confess your sins with sincere sorrow and abhorrence for them, you must seek forgiveness anew through the blood of Jesus; and you must not only humble yourself, you must put away evil. When Jacob went up to Bethel to meet God, his command to his family was, " Put away the strange gods, and be clean, and change your garments." Before God would come down to Israel on Sinai, they had to sanctify themselves, and wash their clothes. If you wish for a visit from the Spirit, you must put away evil. If you are angry with any one, you must become reconciled to him. If you have wronged any one, you must go to him and " confess your faults ' frankly, humbly, and whether there has been wrong on his part or no, and whether there is penitence in him or no. And not only so, but you must, so far as possible, make restitution, prompt, cheerful, and complete. You cannot be forgiven the wrong, while you still possess that for which you did the wrong.
"May one be pardoned, and retain the offence?"
You cannot clear yourself till you have restored, and, like Zaccheus, “fourfold." If you have neglected any duty, you must take it up. If you are indulging in any forbidden pleasure, or in any sin, open or secret, you must drop it. If you have set your affections upon social position, property, reputation, or any worldly eminence, and have in thought and conduct bowed down to the creature, you must tear from the throne of your heart the dearest and every idol. If you do not, the Spirit will not visit you, and perhaps he will not visit your Church. By secretly taking some of the forbidden spoil, Achan took the victory from the banners of Israel, and "troubled" the people of God. Who is it, that, by his secret lust after the things of this world, is preventing the Lord from going forth with His people, and hindering the triumphs of His grace? Is it you?
2. You must apply yourself to seeking and expecting the Spirit.
Suppose, that, when Jesus was on earth, He had come one day to a village, and had found, that, although His coming had been expected, yet the villagers, instead of being all gathered " waiting for Him," were all scattered, " one to his farm and another to his merchandise," one to his shop and another to his net, some to the amphitheatre to see the sports and others to a feast to mingle in the revels. Do you. think that He could have tarried long, or done there " many mighty works "? Do you imagine that there would ever have been any Pentecost, if the disciples, instead of all " continuing with one accord in one place," had been scattered, some to their business and some to their amusements, these to the temple and those to the palace? Revivals usually commence, and exert their greatest power, in public religious assemblies. If you want a revival, you must, for the time, leave concerts and lectures, operas and plays, dinners and parties, whether they are right or wrong, innocent or injurious; you must, for the time, give up as much as you consistently can of your business and daily occupation, and resort to the assemblies of the people of God, to where the multitudes are waiting and praying for the promise of the Father. Suppose that all the members of one Church should begin with one accord to meet together in one place in prayer and supplication; have you the least doubt what the speedy result would be? And can you for slight cause absent yourself? And suppose that every one should be ready with some exhortation or prayer; do you not know that the effect of the very first meeting would be electric? And yet you can sit silent! But you “have not the talent." Possibly you are hiding it. But grant it; you can, at least, pray. There never yet was one whose heart the Lord had touched, who was unable to speak to Him. Forget that there are others around you; see " no man save Jesus only." Oh, these silent Christians! Do you know the distinguishing characteristic of the guest who had not on the wedding- garment?
“HE WAS SPEECHLESS."
3. You must sustain the right kind of preaching.
Truth, and truth presented in public address, is a mighty and chosen instrument of God for reaching the consciences and hearts of men.
But it is not every kind of preaching which tends to produce a revival. It is not by elaborate periods of eloquence, by graphic descriptions, by flights of poetry, by theological discussions, by political tirades, by moral lectures, by literary essays, or by pious remarks, that sinners are ever going to be awakened and converted. This can only be accomplished by the tender and affectionate, but simple, plain, direct, forcible presentations of the truths of the Gospel, the holiness of God, the wickedness of the natural heart, the judgment, and wrath to come, pardon and salvation through the crucified Saviour, the guilt of resisting the Holy Ghost, the unsearchable riches of Christ; and by kind and meek, but yet plain and severe rebukes of every form of sin, and earnest pleadings for practical holiness. Is this the kind of preaching that you want to hear? Will you sustain God's ministers in it? Will you even demand that the preaching of the word of life to dying men shall be of that stamp? Or are you restive and impatient under it, disposed to depreciate and speak against it, angry and defiant when your own conscience is disturbed? How much do you want a revival? Perhaps you would rather that your minister should preach poetical and ingenious and smooth and pleasant things, and that your friends should slumber on undisturbed till they awake in hell.
4. You must PRAY for a revival.
How rich the promises!" If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him! '
" Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
You do, often, pray for the out-pouring of the Spirit. Yes, but how?
It is not the occasional repetition of the hackneyed phrases of the prayer-meeting, which is to bring a revival. In every meeting for prayer, every time that you kneel at the family altar, every time that you go to your closet, as often as your heart ascends to the throne of grace, you must pray for a revival; and that, not with cold and formal words, but with the earnestness of a heart that is oppressed and wearied and aching with the burden of perishing souls, with a profound sense of the dependence of man upon the grace of God, with an unwavering faith in the promises, with the pleadings of a bleeding heart, and a " soul breaking for the longing that it hath at all times," " with strong crying and tears unto Him that is able to save," "with groanings that cannot be uttered." Do you know HOW to pray? How would you plead with the Governor for a father or a son condemned to die? And what will you say* to God for dear ones whom He may this very night, not deliver unto death, but "cast soul and body into hell "?
5. You must WORK for a revival.
It is time that God only can convert. He sends the quickening light and showers; but man must sow the seed. Is it not wonderful presumption which enables us, after having done not one thing to lead any soul to Christ, to go to God, and coolly pray, in measured tones, "Revive Thy work "? What tender and almighty pity that holds back the thunderbolts from those who burn such strange incense before Him!
You have an unconverted brother: go and tell him that you have " found the Christ," and bid him "come and see." You have young men in your employ: "run, speak to that young man." You have a class in the Sabbath School: point the children plainly, tenderly, to the great Shepherd. You have a beloved friend who is still unreconciled to God: go and talk with him, tremblingly, it may be, but faithfully, affectionately, tearfully. Or, if you have reason to fear that your words may do more harm than good, seek to bring other influences to bear upon him, or, at least, go and tell Jesus. But be not too timid. It may be that he is waiting and wishing for some one to take him by the hand, and lead him to Christ, and wondering that "no man cares for his soul." Speak to Christians as well as to the unconverted; it may be that you will encourage, quicken, reclaim, comfort, or strengthen something that is "ready to die." If you have received any thing, if you hope for any thing from the Lord, improve every suitable opportunity, watch for opportunities, make opportunities, to speak for Jesus! Tell "every morning of His loving kindness, every night of His faithfulness." Oh, the words that we speak for Jesus cannot die; though they may seem to accomplish nothing here, they will come back to us hereafter in everlasting strains of music. Let your every going forth be that of a sower of the word. "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." Cast it on the "troubled sea," as well as on the good ground, and in likeliest spots: it may be that you will find it after many days. It is not possible that God should withhold all increase from the planting of love and the watering of tears. “He that goeth forth, and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless return again with, joy, bringing his sheaves with him." But if, with all your labors and prayers, you shall fail to secure a revival, or even the salvation of a single soul, you will, at least, win the approbation, yes, the gratitude, of Christ; and when you come to stand before Him, and bathe His feet with tears of disappointment in having been able to accomplish little for Him, you will hear from His lips some such words of loving praise and everlasting welcome, and recommendation to the deepest and tenderest sympathies of His followers, as He pronounced over her who anointed His body for its burial, " She hath done what she could."
Addresses to Church Members
BY THE
CONGREGATIONAL PASTORS OF BOSTON,
RECOMMENDED BY THE
Boston Congregational Council.
The following are now published, and ready for delivery:
No. 1. THE RESULT OF COUNCIL. Complete.
No. 2. THE CHRISTIAN'S RECONSECRATION. By Rev. E. K. ALDEN, Pastor of Phillips Church.
No. 3. THE WORLDLINESS OP NOMINAL CHRISTIANS. By Rev. Dr. WEBB, Pastor of Shawmut Church.
No. 4. THE DUTY OF CHRISTIANS TO UNITE WITH SOME CHURCH, AND THE DUTY OF CHURCH-MEMBERS TO UNITE WITH THE CHURCH WHERE THEY STATEDLY WORSHIP. By Rev. S. P. FAY, Pastor of Salem Church.
THE DUTY OF DA ,Y SECRET PRAYER and DAILY STUDY OF THE BIBLE. By Rev. J. M. MANNING.
REVIVALS OF RELIGION. By Rev. J. E. TODD.
The remaining Addresses will follow at intervals of about one week viz
THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL IN THE CITY AMONG THE POOR, AND THOSE WHO HABITUALLY NEGLECT THE SERVICES OF THE SABBATH. By Rev. Dr. DEXTER.
THE CHRISTIAN'S DUTY TO WORK FOR THE SAVING OF SOULS. By Rev. Mr. BINGHAM.
THE DUTY OF A MORE STRICT OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. By Rev. Dr. BLAGDEN.
THE POWER AND OFFICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. By Rev. Dr. ADAMS.
THE POWER OF PRAYER. By Rev. Dr. KIRK.
THE DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY IN ITS RELATION TO HUMAN SALVATION. By Rev. Mr. BAKER.