After the Revival, What? by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 15, 1910

After the Revival, What?

By Editor

Of late there has been a great heralding of the wonderful results attending some of the great revival efforts in different parts of the country. We would indeed that some of these startling claims might be truthfully verified. It is to be feared, however, that oftentimes they are greatly exaggerated. Speaking of the recent Chapman-Alexander revival in Chicago, the Northwestern Christian Advocate of November 30 says:—

As a campaign it left nothing to be desired. . . . Mr. Chapman himself thinks that no city has responded more promptly, more sympathetically, than Chicago. What of it all? Of the general result nothing can be definitely asserted for some time yet. When matters have quieted down a little, and the churches have resumed their normal operations, it will then be possible to get some data which should be illuminating and instructive. Until then one must be content to say that in view of the manifest success of the campaign just as a campaign, it ought to show the mass revival method at its best. If the resultsare meager as tested by increase of church-membership or of evangelistic zeal, there will be great reluctance in the future to make another such experiment. There are many devout and earnest ministers who seriously doubt the value of such a campaign. Their claim is that the circumstances under which the Christian appeal is made are too sensational to allow of deep conviction, and that mass movements are not in themselves favorable to individual reflection and decision.