Stirred Up by G. B. T.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 8, 1916

Stirred Up

By G. B. T.

There is a sense in which it is entirely wrong to become stirred up. Many become so at times over trifles; and through grievances, either real or imaginary, become highly wrought up and say and do things of which they repent later. But one of the tests of real religion is in maintaining a meek and quiet spirit in the midst of circumstances which are of a most trying and distressing nature.

But there is another sense in which it is entirely proper to become stirred up. The tremendous truths of the gospel of redemption through Christ, and a full and free salvation from sin for every believing sinner, ought to stir the heart and lead to repentance. The solemn truths of this last message, the close of probation, and the awful scenes which cluster around the coming of Jesus, should deeply stir the heart. The fact that the destiny of a world is soon to be decided, that the great crisis in human history is at hand, and only a little time remains in which to finish the work of God, should awaken the deepest emotions in the bosom of every Christian. What profound and reverential emotions should stir the heart when we think of that hour when Jesus will come, and his voice will summon from the grave all the dead in Christ. As we think of those triumphant millions coming forth from the embrace of death, some of whom are those that we loved, inexpressible emotions stir the heart. Says Bishop Thomson:—

“I have sat silent and solitary in my closet, and thought over, one by one, my Saviour’s miracles; I have pictured to my mind the Almighty molding the earth of the fresh creation into a human form, and then breathing the breath of life into the nostrils of Adam; but never has my heart been so agitated as when I thought of Jehovah coming forth, at the blast of the last trumpet, to summon together the scattered dust of the corpse and mold it into a body spiritual, incorruptible, immortal, radiant as the sun, and fashioned after the glorious body of the God-man.”

The thrilling message for this hour, with signs thickening on every hand as heralds of the end of the world and the coming of Jesus, should stir the hearts of all, especially those called to be watchmen. Men have been moved of God in a marked manner in the past to defend the truth. Paul’s heart was stirred as he witnessed the idolatry at Athens.

“Years ago, when the Southern Baptist Convention was in session in Raleigh, N. C.,” says Dr. Broughton, “there was a great discussion going on all over the country about the resurrection of the dead, the skeptics vowing their disbelief. Richard Fuller was to preach the convention sermon, Sunday morning, at eleven o’clock, from the pulpit of the First Baptist church of that city. Of course, it was a great occasion from the viewpoint of the great crowd packed and thronged and jammed in the building. It was a great occasion, too, because this great crowd was a thoroughly representative one, most being ministers or representative men of the churches. It was a great opportunity because of the atmosphere of criticism against the vital doctrine of the resurrection.

“Richard Fuller, that matchless orator of his day, paced the floor of his room, as I have heard Dr. Thomas E. Skinner, the pastor of the church, say. He paced the floor of his room for three hours, sometimes rattling the door knob and asking Dr. Skinner if it were not time to preach. His heart was beating and throbbing like the heart of a race horse, until Dr. Skinner had actually to hold him back from entering the pulpit.

“When the time finally came, he walked out and forgot to announce the hymns. He was so lost in his theme that he plunged into his subject immediately. He used for his text the story of the resurrection of Lazarus. I have heard hundreds of men—old men, who were present—describe that scene; how when Richard Fuller finished, he was halfway down the center aisle of the church, feeling about with his eyes shut, picturing Lazarus as he first began to come from the grave, and then as he arose and stood upon his feet and looked again out upon the world that he had so recently left. I suppose, in all the history of the South, no greater sermon was ever preached than that. It almost forever settled the question that was uppermost at that time concerning the resurrection of the dead.”

Surely the stupendous truths of the message that we believe and preach should awaken us in a similar manner, and stir us to the very depths of the soul, and lead us to the most earnest endeavor in our efforts to uproot error, and establish in its place the stirring truths of the message.

“Stir me, O stir me, Lord! I care not how, But stir my heart in passion for the world; Stir me to give, to go, but most to pray; Stir, till the blood-red banner be unfurled O’er lands that still in heathen darkness lie, O’er desert where no cross is lifted high.

“Stir me, O stir me, Lord! till all my heart Is filled with strong compassion for these souls; Till thy compelling ‘must’ drive me to prayer; Till thy constraining love reach to the poles, Far north and south, in burning, deep desire; Till east and west are caught in love’s great fire.

“Stir me, O stir me, Lord! Thy heart was stirred By love’s intensest fire, till thou didst give Thine only Son, thy best-beloved One, E’en to the dreadful cross, that I might live; Stir me to give myself so back to thee That thou canst give thyself again through me.

“Stir me, O stir me, Lord! for I can see Thy glorious triumph day begin to break; The dawn already gilds the eastern sky! O church of Christ, awake! awake! O stir us, Lord, as heralds of that day! The night is past, our King is on his way.”

G. B. T.