The GOSPEL TRUTH A HISTORY OF AMERICAN REVIVALS
by
Frank G. Beardsley PH.D, S.T.D.
1912
Chapter 18
CONCLUSION.
What lessons, if any, are to be derived for coming revivals from the revivals of the past? In all true religious awakenings are to be found elements which are permanent, while others are but the products of the occasion. What seems to meet the requirements of one age, apparently is of little value in influencing the next. For example during the Great Awakening preaching was the chief means relied upon for the conversion of men, but in the Great Revival of 1857 union prayer meetings only seemed to be necessary to reach men with the influences of the gospel, while in the later phases of revival work, the most perfect organization and the most perfectly planned campaigns have been the methods best suited to accomplish the results desired.
There are, however, certain elements of permanency which have been characteristic of all true revivals from Pentecost down to the present time. An analysis of the great revivals of history shows these elements to be Prayer, the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the Presentation of the Gospel.
I. Prayer. The first great revival of the Christian era was preceded by a ten days' meeting of prayer. Of the disciples we are told that "these all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer," in consequence of which "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." As a result we are informed: "there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." "And the Lord added to them day by day those that were being saved."
Every true revival is preceded by its Pentecost. It is possible to have revivals without preaching, without churches, and without ministers, but without prayer a genuine revival is impossible. The great revival at the Kirk of Shotts, in Scotland, when five hundred were converted under a single sermon by John Livingstone on the 1st of June, 1630, was preceded by a night of prayer. Whitefield and Edwards, the leading lights of the Great Awakening, were mighty men in prayer. Of the former it was said: "He triumphed in the pulpit, because he triumphed at a throne of grace. He was a powerful preacher, because he was a powerful supplicator." Edwards' celebrated sermon at Enfield, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," was said to have been preceded by a whole night of prayer on the part of a few faithful disciples. In some portions of the country, the Awakening of 1800 was prepared for by days of fasting and prayer. The Revival of 1857 commenced with the prayers of a humble layman, while the secret of success in the lives of Finney and Moody is attributable to prevailing prayer. Of his own experience Finney said: "Unless I had the spirit of prayer I could do nothing. If even for a day or an hour I lost the spirit of grace and supplication, I found myself unable to preach with power and efficiency, or to win souls by personal conversation."
II. The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It is this which qualifies the worker, which gives force and unction to his utterance, which strangely softens the hearts of men and prepares their minds for the reception of the truths of the gospel. The gift of the Spirit is needed for:
(a) The offering of an acceptable prayer for a revival. "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
(b) The presentation of the truths of the gospel. "And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
(c) The conviction of sin. "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."
The Spirit usually works through human instrumentalities, and it is necessary therefore that the church or some part of the church should receive the divine anointing that it may successfully accomplish its mission in reaching and saving the lost.
Before Jesus left them, he gave commandment to his disciples: "But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." This gift of power was to accompany the advent of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost and its consequences witness eloquently to the effects of that power. Through the gift of the Spirit, the disciples who had faltered at the betrayal of their Lord were made strong and became tremendously effective in their work for the evangelization of the world.
If these disciples who for three years had sat at the feet of Jesus and learned from him the secrets of success in winning men, needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it were folly for others to hope for success in the work of saving souls without seeking that same gift of power which is the accompaniment of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
III. The Presentation of Gospel Truth. The doctrines of retribution, repentance, regeneration, God's love for a sinning world, his willingness to save, faith in Jesus Christ as a Saviour, and related themes must be brought vividly before the minds of men. This may be done by preaching alone, as was the case during the Great Awakening; by personal work, the distribution of tracts, and personal testimony, as was largely the case during the Revival of 1857; or it may be a combination of these various methods with house-to-house visitation, the service of song, the free use of the public press, etc., as has been done with such eminent success in the lay movement in revivals. Whatever may be the method, there must be the presentation of the gospel of Christ, which "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."
Christ gave commandment to his disciples: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Said the Apostle Paul: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" One thing is essential -- the gospel must be preached, whether it is done from the sacred desk, or in a private conversation, or by a hymn appropriately rendered, or through the printed page. If men are ever to be converted the claims of the gospel must be enforced, "not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power."
These three elements: Prayer, the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the Presentation of Gospel Truth, constitute the invariable characteristics of all true revivals from Pentecost to the present time. It is safe to presume therefore that there never will be revivals of any great value to the Church of Christ, without relying upon these conditions which seem to be indispensable.
It has been asserted that revivals are but temporal phenomena of religious life, and must ultimately pass away. If we believe in the final triumph of the kingdom, it follows that there will come a time when revivals will no longer be necessary. But while there is a single impenitent child of God, revivals in some form or other will be a necessity for bringing such into the fold of Christ. Methods which, as we have seen, do not constitute the permanent elements in revivals, must change, in fact are changing, so that revivals as we now know them may pass away, but with the passing of the old newer and better methods will be devised, so that revivals in some form or another will survive so long as there are lost men whom it is possible to bring under the influences of the gospel.