No careful student of church history will undervalue revivals of religion. By it no means follows that a pastor7 is to seek success only, or chiefly, in these special manifestations8 of spiritual power. For a revival ordinarily supposes a previous declension, which it was the design of the ministry9 to prevent; for they are given “for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying10 of the body of Christ” (Eph. iv. 12). Fidelity11 and wisdom in the pastor may keep the spiritual forces in a church so inspired and organized that its life will not decline, but develop and strengthen, and its condition consequently be one of continual growth and progress. Such is the fact in Mr. Spurgeon’s church. As one mingles12 in its assemblies and observes its manifold and thoroughly13 organized activities, the preaching and devotion, the spirit and life, resemble what is seen in a powerful revival of religion. The Holy Spirit is continually present, and there is no cessation in the work of conversion14. Toward this ideal a true pastor will be always working; and where it is attained15 a revival will mean, not a recovery from declension, but an acceleration16 in spiritual advancement17 and a mightier18 display of the Spirit’s power in the conversion of men.
But in the ordinary manifestations of Christian life religious [p. 96] declension is often a marked and painful fact, and the pastor should seek the best methods for promoting a revival.
Here it is of primary moment to remember that a genuine revival is the result of the presence of the Holy Spirit: without Him there may be excitement, but there can be no spiritual movement. It is “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord” (Zech. iv. 6). A deep sense of this is essential, and all thought and feeling should be turned to the invocation of His presence; but the Spirit works through human agencies and according to the laws of the human mind. The use of appropriate means, therefore, is also essential.
Here I suggest: 1. Christian life in the people will seldom rise above the spiritual level of the pastor; it is, therefore, of primary moment that the minister’s own soul be “in the Spirit”—humble, fervent19, and believing. Noise and zeal20 and declamation21 and management can be no substitute for the Holy Spirit in the soul. 2. As a revival of life in the church is ordinarily the condition of an awakening23 among the unconverted, the preaching at first should be specially24 adapted to search the experience and life of Christians25, and lead to increase in personal holiness and personal activity. The church is “the light of the world” (Matt. v. 14), and the power of the Gospel on the world depends on the clearness with which this light shines. 3. Seek to promote faithful personal conversation on the part of Christians with their unconverted kindred and friends. It is sometimes useful to organize committees to visit religiously from house to house in the congregation. It is obvious, however, that great care should be taken both as to the personnel of such committees and as to the method of their work. 4. Meetings should be multiplied as the interest manifested will justify26. Continuous [p. 97] meetings concentrate attention on the subject of religion, fix impressions which otherwise might be evanescent, and lead to religious decision. The block may seem unaffected by a single blow, but a succession of blows on the same point cleaves27 it. 5. The mode of conducting special meetings must be determined28 by the existing indications of the Spirit and providence29 of God. If gifts abound30 in the church, it is often better not to have additional preaching, but to continue social meetings, taking care to give variety, in their tone and form. If preaching is necessary, the question whether an evangelist is to be sought, or help obtained from neighboring pastors31, or the pastor himself should preach, must be determined by the circumstances. All these methods have proved useful. If assistance is sought, care should be used to secure a man of right spirit and practical wisdom.
The question may arise: Ought a series of meetings to be commenced when there is no special religious interest apparent? I reply: It seems to me that certainly equal reasons exist for the appointment of continuous meetings to awaken22 interest in the subject of religion, as for the appointment of such meetings to awaken interest in temperance, politics, or science. The same mental law is invoked32 in all such cases—viz., that continuous attention to a subject causes the mind to become interested and absorbed in it and rouses the will to act respecting it. Now, as the Holy Spirit works in the soul, not contrary to the constitution God has given to the mind, but in accordance with it, the interest thus awakened33 by continuous attention to the religion of Christ would seem to furnish the natural conditions for the Spirit’s work. And as the Gospel of Christ is the most important subject to which the attention of men can be called, there would seem to be the highest reason for the application of this mental law by appointing [p. 98] continuous meetings in order to fix men’s attention upon it.
In protracted34 meetings, however, there are sometimes serious evils, which a pastor should carefully avoid. Of these I mention: 1. A mere35 man-made excitement, in which the effort is rather to inflame36 the religious feelings than to enlighten and strengthen religious conviction. Such an appeal to the emotional, apart from the rational, nature results ordinarily in a disastrous37 reaction in the direction of indifferentism and skepticism. Many a field has been burnt over by these pseudo-revivals, and they constitute the most difficult fields for Christian labor38, because religion has thereby39 been put under contempt. 2. A protracted meeting entered on for secondary ends, as to pay off a church debt or to strengthen the position of an unpopular pastor. Where a revival is sought without dominant40 regard to the glory of God and the salvation41 of souls, the effort is a failure. 3. A tendency to dependence42 upon protracted meetings to the disparagement43 of the ordinary means of grace. Great care is needed to guard against this, as it is destructive to the tone and effectiveness of church-life. The pastor, in prayer and sermon, should be careful to keep prominent before the people, not the revival as the great hope of Christian life and progress, but the right us of the usual, constant means of grace. Some ministers habitually44 speak as if the work of God in conversion and sanctification were restricted to seasons of revivals, and the effect is pernicious. To avoid this false reliance on special services, it is well not to appoint them at any stated intervals45, or to push them in any way into special prominence46. 4. In the reaction which occurs after the extreme nervous tension of a protracted meeting, guard against relapse in the converts. In the life of a plant the period of greatest peril47 is when it is transferred from the [p. 99] hot-bed to the ground, for, missing the warmth and protection of the bed, and exposed to the cold and storms of the open field, it will inevitably48 droop49 and wither50 and die, unless carefully tended. The most difficult and arduous51 work of a pastor is after a revival in the care and instruction of converts, when the unusual stimulus52 to Christian activity is withdrawn53; and it is just here that the evils exist which are commonly charged on revivals and evangelists, but which in reality result from remissness54 in the pastor and church. The converts should be introduced at once into the Sunday-school or Bible class, and should be made personally acquainted, as far as possible, with the members of the church. Where the number of converts is large, the pastor might privately55 request some judicious56 experienced members to give them special attention, quietly handing to each a list of those thus specially commended to his or her friendly notice and care. A place and a work for each of the converts should also be sought; this is very important to their comfort and development.
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1
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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revivals
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| n.复活( revival的名词复数 )；再生；复兴；（老戏多年后）重新上演 | |
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revival
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| n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振 | |
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4
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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pastor
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| n.牧师，牧人 | |
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manifestations
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| n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式） | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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edifying
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| adj.有教训意味的，教训性的，有益的v.开导，启发( edify的现在分词 ) | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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mingles
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| 混合，混入( mingle的第三人称单数 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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conversion
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| n.转化，转换，转变 | |
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15
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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acceleration
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| n.加速，加速度 | |
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advancement
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| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
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18
mightier
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| adj. 强有力的，强大的，巨大的 adv. 很，极其 | |
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fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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declamation
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| n. 雄辩，高调 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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cleaves
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| v.劈开，剁开，割开( cleave的第三人称单数 ) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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abound
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| vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于 | |
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pastors
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| n.（基督教的）牧师( pastor的名词复数 ) | |
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32
invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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33
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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34
protracted
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| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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36
inflame
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| v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎 | |
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37
disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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40
dominant
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| adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因 | |
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41
salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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42
dependence
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| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
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43
disparagement
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| n.轻视，轻蔑 | |
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44
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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45
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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46
prominence
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| n.突出；显著；杰出；重要 | |
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47
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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48
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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49
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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50
wither
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| vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡 | |
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51
arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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52
stimulus
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| n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物 | |
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53
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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54
remissness
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| n.玩忽职守；马虎；怠慢；不小心 | |
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55
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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56
judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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