Sensationalists | AdventAI

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Nov 16, 1876

Sensationalists.

THERE are many ministers who have the reputation of being revivalists, who are mere sensationalists; who simply reach the emotional element of humanity, or the surface stratum of human nature, and the result is extensive, but of short duration. The work is only one-third done. Human sympathy has been aroused, but the judgment is left unenlightened, and the affections are not wedded to Christ. As human sympathy, standing alone, is a short-lived element, so converts who are reached only by this principle, soon relax into inactivity. This class of so-called revivalists will go into a community and lead one hundred into such a revival excitement, while another man, who probes deeper, gets hold of the reasoning faculties, and enlists the affections of the heart, may hold a meeting in another community, and attract less attention, produce less excitement, and get only ten to move; but at the end of a year it will be seen that the latter move has produced more good than the other. When men are moved by sympathy, they die when the fire of sympathy expires; but when men are moved by enlightened judgment and heart-felt affection, they are moved by a principle that does not easily die out; hence, they are not so liable to backslide. Give us the preachers that do their work thoroughly, even if they do not appear to be great revivalists. Never aspire to be a sensationalist, to be eulogized by men; but seek to do permanent good to please God.— Sel.