A REVIVAL WANTED by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 18, 1893

A REVIVAL WANTED.

By Editor

THE Christian at Work of November 30 has an editorial headed, "Wanted—A Revival of Religion." And that paper says that others are calling for it, and mentions the names of the Congregationalist, the Presbyterian, the Interior. The Congregationalist expresses the wish that "the present stringency in the money market, and consequent losses and disasters, will not run its course without bringing to the nation and to individuals a spiritual blessing such as, perhaps, could not come in any other way." It refers to the "Great Awakening" which followed the panic of 1857, and asks, Why may history not repeat itself? Upon this the Christian at Work remarks:—

"But the fact remains that since the Great Awakening of 1858, following the panic of 1857, no general revival has been seen in this country. The revival of 1858 was indeed a spiritual convulsion."

The same paper thinks that one reason why there is no revival is "the intense materialism of the age," and says:—

"We need not turn to the last census nor to Dr. Josiah Strong's much quoted 'Our Country' to learn that never were the avenues to wealth so many and so wide; never were there seen so many gigantic corporations and syndicates, never so many manufactories and machine shops reaping the profits coming from increased demand and labor-saving machinery. Everywhere the cry 'business,' 'business,' 'business,' is heard From early morn to darkling night, and fewer men are seen in the churches than ever."

And this is doubtless true; but is there not a greater reason, namely, the fact that all this materialism, or, in other words, worldliness, is in the professed church of Christ itself? There the revival must begin if at all. It is useless to talk of a real revival of religion, of vital Christianity, through a ministry which is extolling this "Christian nation," when the great majority of their church membership know but little or nothing of the Christianity of Christ, and when that ministry is endeavoring to affect social, religious, and political reforms by an appeal to civil power instead of the preaching of Christ and his gospel of power.

Only two things are necessary to a real revival of religion: (1) Man's sense of need; and (2) simple faith in God's word. But those churches which are boasting of their attainments have no sense of need, and the higher criticism, the power of creed and tradition, have made void simple faith in God's word, as evidenced by the appeal of the churches to the civil law. Brethren in the ministry, can you not see it?