Humor in Revival Sermons
By Editor
A FEW days ago, we saw a report of a revival sermon that was preached by an evangelist now holding meetings in San Francisco. The report was intended to be complimentary to the evangelist, and the statement was made in the most matter-of-fact manner that the discourse the preceding evening was on the visit of Nicodemus to Jesus, recorded in the third chapter of John, and that it was enlivened and illustrated by many humorous stories. We have no doubt of the truth of the report, for we once heard the same speaker tell some humorous stories in a revival sermon. But who that has read the third chapter of John, would consider it suggestive of humorous stories? And what can be the quality of that man's reverence, who can read that chapter and tell jokes in the same breath? And what will be the quality of the converts which he makes by such sermons? Will they not be "funny" Christians? Where has reverence gone? The next thing that we may expect is that some "revivalist" is eliciting roars of laughter by a sermon on the crucifixion of Christ.