Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 12, 1913

Loss of Reverence

The editor of the Lutheran, in the issue of April 17, lays the blame for the loss of reverence upon the Protestant churches in general. Speaking of the popular acclaim with which some of the sensational revival efforts are met to-day by Protestant preachers, the editor says:—

Something has gone wrong with Protestantism. Romanism is at least reverent. Good Roman Catholics would be shocked at such a display of blasphemy in handling the holy truth of God. Protestant preachers can sit and listen to it—and even applaud. Verily, Protestantism is much out of repair. ’Tis pity ’tis true. But if saints and sinners alike want that sort of preaching, then that’s the sort of preaching they want. Poor, pitiable, playful Protestantism!

Some time ago Dr. Harper, president of the University of Chicago, truthfully remarked, “A man can not be a popular preacher and be honest.” We read in the history of the past of men of God who have moved multitudes. Peter did it on the day of Pentecost; Paul and Barnabas did it; multitudes flocked to hear Luther, John Knox, George Fox, the Wesleys, Charles G. Finney, and others. These all held a warm place in the affections of the believers, but they were not popular with the worldly wise. They were men who spoke the truth plainly and fearlessly. That truth made them enemies. There was nothing in their sermons or actions which appealed to popular applause, and their lives were endangered.

In this respect there is a very strong contrast between their work and that of some of the popular revivalists of the day. The efforts of these men are spectacular in the extreme. Their methods are theatrical in character, their language that of the hobo and of the man of the street, and their financial methods akin to those of modern high finance. Some feel that these modern revivalists have improved on the old-time methods of the past, but we question it. Some believe that the language in which they convey the gospel message and their sensational performances are more potent in reaching the hearts of sinners than the plain, simple, straightforward story of the cross as told by ministers of Christ in the past, but this we question. That there accompanies their work an inspiration and enthusiasm we must admit, but that the old-time conviction of sin is present in any marked measure and that there is produced in the lives of the converts fruit for repentance, there is wanting much in the way of evidence. Attempted improvements in the presentation of the old-time simple gospel story are bound to be marked with failure. Let us keep close to the simplicity that there is in the Lord Jesus.