Conscious Effects of Faitlj. By Pres, C^i^t||,C.oJiItfN^)^^- \ K^> '■■»e— WILLARD TRACT ~^E'PU^1T(T^, Beacon Hill Place, Boston. No. 239 Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., PKiLADEiPHiA. Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. J Conscious Effects of Fait^. »Oj«^ saving faith to be trust in a personal Divine Saviour. This trust carries with it the affections, so that it may perhaps more properly be said to be a loving trust. This is attested by consciousness. In that article I mentioned some of the immediate results of faith, as they appear in consciousness. But upon this point 4 Conscious Effects of Faith. it is important to enlarge, as in this article I propose to do. The con- scious effects of faith will necessarily depend very much upon the intelli- gence of the person exercising it. So far as there is a clear apprehension or understanding of what Christ is to us, faith will produce very decided results in our mental states. Faith produces rest of soul ; not apathy, not quietism, but a freedom from anxiety or carefulness, and a very decided state of mental satisfaction. The soul is led through faith to rest, in the sense just explained, from many bondages, anxieties, and fears; and in certain great essential facts and truths, and in the personal attri- butes, love, and ofQcial relations of Conscioics Effects of Faith. 5 an almighty Saviour. I will in this article specify some of these, and just refer the reader to certain pas- sages of Scripture, by turning to which he may assure himself that the Scripture relating to these points is at one with his consciousness. I. From what the truly believing mind rests. a. From doubts and fears in res- pect to its saving interest in and knowledge of Christ. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear ; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. — Rom. viii. 15. b. From remorse and a sense of condemnation for past sin. True faith brincfs the soul into a state of 6 Conscious Effects of Faith, justification, and wipes out all sense of condemnation and remorse for past sin. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. — There is therefore now no condem- nation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. — Rom. v. i, and viii. i. c. True faith brings the soul into a state of rest from present sinning. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not : whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, nei- ther known Him.— i John iii. 6. d. True faith produces an imme- diate rest of soul from all carefulness and anxiety and settles it in great peace. This state of freedom from carefulness and anxiety will be as Conscious Effects of Faith. 7 broad as the intelligence of him who exercises faith. Ignorance of the promises, and of Christ's official rela- tions, and of what we may expect of Him, may prevent or break the soul's rest under certain circum- stances or in certain emergencies. For example, suppose the soul to be ignorant of the declaration that "all things work together for good to them that love God " ; or of this, ** My grace is sufficient for thee" ; or of this, **I will never leave thee nor forsake thee " ; or this, * ' As thy day is so shall thy strength be." Then certain trials may throw the soul into a state of unrest and anxie- ty. I mention these merely as ex- amples of how ignorance or a want 8 Conscious Effects of Faith. of thoughtfulness may embarrass the spiritual life and break up the rest of a true believer, until he is informed or remembers what he has in the fullness of his blessed Saviour. Thou wilt keep Mm in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee : because he trusteth in Thee. — Isaiah xxvi. 3. e. The truly believing soul rests from its own works. It sees its sal- vation secured in Jesus Christ, and has no longer any motive to legal works. It works not from self nor for self; but its works are from Christ and for Christ. Christ works in the believing soul '*to will and to do," and, having no longer any oc- casion to work for self, the soul delights in rendering to Christ a full- Conscious Effects of Faith. 9 hearted love service. True faith works love, and love does all for Christ. Thus the believing soul ceases from its own works. " For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from I lis. — Heb. iv. 10. /. The truly believing soul rests from legal bondage. The true be- liever does not serve as a bondman. He does not obey because he must, but has great delight in obedience. Faith makes the moral law, instead of a yoke of bondage, the law of liberty. Stand fast therefore in the liberty where- with Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. — Gal. V. I. 10 Conscious Effects of Faith. For sin shall Jiot-have dominion over you : for ye are not under the law, but under grace. — R(5m. vi. 14. g. The believing soul rests from the constrained performance of heart- less duties. It is consciously con- strained by the love of Christ, and not goaded to obedience by the pres- sure of a sense of obligation and duty. For ihe love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for dll, then were all dead. — 2 Cor. v. 14. //. The believing soul rests from a restless longing for evidence of ac- ceptance by Christ. He that believeth on the Son of God hatli the' witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar ; l^ecause he be- lieveth not the record that God gave of His Son. — I John v. 10. Consciotts Effects of Faith. 1 1 i. It rests from the burden, doubt, and anxiety of a seventh of Romans experience. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. — Rom. viii. I. These are some of the things from which the soul rests that truly em- braces Christ as a personal Saviour. Of this the believer will be conscious, and by examination he will find that this conscious experience is recog- nized in Scripture as Christian expe- rience. II. What true faith rests in. a. In the love of God, or God as love, consciously shed abroad in the heart. Faith throws the heart open 12 Conscious Effects of Faith, to God. It opens the door, and Christ, as love, comes in and sups with the believing soul. Faiih, or trust in a personal Christ, instantly settles the question of Christ's love to us. We know that He loves us, just as we know that we love Hiin, by direct consciousness. His pres- ence as love in us is recognized as not merely an exercise of our own minds, but as a divine love, a divine presence, revealed to consciousness ; so that the mind rests from all anxi- ety in regard to the question of Christ's love to us. We not only believe that He loves us, but we know that He loves us, as we know anything else that is revealed in con- sciousness. Conscious Effects of Faith. 13 And hope maketh not ashamed ; because the love of God is shed abroad m our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. — Rom. V. 5. b. True faith rests in the divinity and sufficiency of the Saviour. Wlierefore He is able also to save :hem to the uttemiost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. — Heb. vii. 25. c. In the sufficiency and efficacy of the atonement of Christ. For the love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead : — And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. — 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. d. True faith rests in the fullness 14 Conscious Effects of Faith. of Christ's official relations to the soul. In this respect the soul sees nothing left to desire. In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead, and in His official relations He stands face to face over against our every possible want. Faith rests in this assurance. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. —Col. i. 19. e. In Him as our Mediator. For there is one God, and one mediator lietween God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. — i Tim. ii. 5, 6. f. As our Advocate. My little children, ■ these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man Conscious Effects of Faith. 15 sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. — I John ii. I. g. In His perfect truthfulness. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life : no man conieth unto the Father, but by Me. — John xiv. 6. h. In His professions of love and regard for us. As tlie Father hath loved Me, so have 1 loved you : continue ye in My love. — John XV. 9. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us. — Eph. ii. 4- /. In His exceeding great and pre- cious promises. WTiereby are given imto us exceeding great and precious promises ; that by these .ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. — 2 Peter i. 4. 1 6 Conscious Effects of Faith, j. In the all-sufficiency of His grace. And He said unto me, My grace is sufii cient for thee : for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. — 2 Cor. xii. 9. k. In Him as "our wisdom, right- eousness, sanctification, and redemp- tion." In His infinite fullness in all these. But of Ilim are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and right- eousness, and sanctification, and redemption. — I Cor. i. 30. /. Faith rests in hope that is an anchor to the soul. For the hope which is laid up for you in Conscious Effects of Faith. 17 heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of tlie gospeL — Coh i. 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a hvely hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. — i Peter i. 3. m. Faith rests in the assurance that "all things work together for good to them that love God." And we know that all things work to- gether for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His puqoose. — Rom. viii. 28. «. Faith rests in the true Christian liberty of love. The highest form of liberty consists in the right to do, and in the actual doing of that which we supremely love to do. Faith works by love — or, rather, 1 8 Conscious Effects of Faith. works love — and love supremely de- lights in obeying the will and seek- ing the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ ; so that the true believer does that which he supremely prefers to do in making his whole life an offer- ing to Christ. This is the true Christian liberty in which the believ- ing soul rests. Stand fast therefore in the liberty where- with Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again wilh the yoke of bondage. —Gal. V. I. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. — If the Son there- fore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. — ^John viii. 32, 36. Hence : — 0. Faith rests in rendering to Christ a delicious love service. Conscious Effects of Faith . 1 9 For the love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. — 2 Cor. v. 14. p. It rests in soul-satisfying com- munion with God the Saviour. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with liim. — John xiv. 23. Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. — Rev. iii. 20. 1. These hints will sufBce to show the ample ground for rest, which is the heritage of every believing soul. 2. We can see who really believe in Christ. If the foregoing are truly the scriptural and conscious results 20 Conscious Effects of Faith. of true faith, it follows that where these are not, true faith is not. 3. It is easy to see that the fore- going are the natural and conscious results of an implicit trust in a per- sonal Christ. 4. Observe the rest into which the believing soul enters is not apathy, but a sweet and joyful repose of soul in the love arid fullness of Christ. 5. Rest is as broad as faith. No faith, no true rest. No true rest, no faith. Partial faith, partial rest. 6. Let it not be forgotten that ignorance as well as unbelief, is a source of unrest. 7. True rest is naturally impossible ^vithout faith. Conscious Effects of Faith, 21 8. With an intelligent faith rest is inevitable. 9. INIcre opinion gives no rest. Trust is naturally essential to true rest of soul. 10. Here let me say to the be- liever : Whenever you get out of rest your faith is defective. Implicit trust is the universal and only reme- dy for unrest. 11. Unrest dishonors the Sav- iour. 12. We cannot trust Christ too confidently. 13. What a miserable state is un- belief IMany are miserable and they \ know not why. They have little or no repose of soul, and yet they over- i look the fact that they are guilty of 22 Conscious Effects of Faith. unbelief. Dear Christian, let your trust be implicit and universal, and you will be kept in perfect peace. §3^ TRACTS BY PRES. FINNEY. Power from on High. I*oiver from on High, JVJiat is it ? Tlie Endtienietit of the Spirit, Endiiement of Poiver from on High, Hoiv to Overcome Sin, Power from on High : who mag expect the Enduement, Is it a Hard Saying ? Hoiv to Win Souls, How to Preach so as to Convert Nobody, Preaclier, save TJiyself, Prevailing Prayer, TJie Psychology of Faith, Conscious Effects of Faith, aS' Either of the above, 2 cents. Tho set by mail for 30 cents. fg^mt^^ 239 Fourth Avenue. New York. THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE, 5>»;c BY PRES. CHAS,G. Fli^NEY. . ;^-^^ ^i\ nine. WILLARD TRACT REP6;§iTdnV\ '" Beacon Hill Place, Doston. 239 Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftesbury Hah, Toronto, Canada. Times of Refreshing, or, Records of Christian Life and Christian Testinnony. " Times of Refreshing shall cotne/r out the Presence of the Lcrd." Acts iii. 19. A monthly paper of 16 pages of reading matter, under the above title, is published on the first of each month, at the Willard Tract Repository, Boston and New York. Its object is to present Jesus as a fnll and perfect Saviour, — that His precious blood "cleanseth from all sin ;" to give facts and incidents relative to the work of God in various places, and to ■ urge believers to be " followers of God as dear chil- > dren." , Among its contributors are Rev. W. E. Boardman, R. P. S., The author of " How to Enter into Rest," Henry Varley, H. W. S., MisslMary G. Brainard, and many other well-known writers. TERMS OF TIMES OF REFRESHING. For a single copy for one year, . . . $1.00 " twelve copies, 10.00 " twenty-five- copies, .... 20.00 Specimen copies sent on application. All communications should be addressed to the editor, Beacon Hill Place, Boston. 239 Fourth Avenue, New Yori?.''^| 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. •■.!] THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. <^ BELIEVE it is a fact generally '^ admitted that there is much less conscience manifested by men^and wo- men in nearly all the walks of life than there was forty years ago. There is justly much complaint of this, and there seems to be but little prospect of re- formation. The rings and frauds and villanies in high and low places, among all ranks of men, are most alarming, and one is almost compelled to ask : ' ' Can nobody be safely trusted ? " Now, 4 THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. what is the cause of this degeneracy? Doubtless there are many causes that contribute more or less directly to it ; but I am persuaded that the fault is more in the ministry and public press than in any and all things else. It has been fashionable now for many years to ridicule and decry Puritanism. Minis- ters have ceased, in a great measure, to probe the consciences of men with the spiritual law of God. So far as my knowledge extends, there has been a great letting down and ignoring the searching claims of God's law, as re- vealed in His Word. This law is the only standard of true morality. ** By the law is the knowledge of sin." The law is the quickener of the human conscience. Just in proportion as the spirituality of the law of God is kept out of view will there be manifest a de- THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. 5 cay of conscience. This must be the inevitable result. Let ministers ridi- cule Puritanism, attempt to preach the Gospel without thoroughly probing the conscience with the divine law, and this must result in, at least, a partial para- lysis of the moral sense. The error that lies at the foundation of this decay of individual and public conscience originates, no doubt, in the pulpit. The proper guardians of the public conscience, have, I fear, very much neglected to expound and insist upon obedience to the moral law. It is plain that some of our most popular preach- ers are phrenologists. Phrenology has no organ of free will. Hence, it has no moral agency, no moral law and moral obligation in any proper sense of these terms. A consistent phrenologist can have no proper ideas of moral obliga- 6 THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. tion, of moral guilt, blameworthiness, and retribution. Some years since, a brother of one of our most popular preachers heard me preach on the text '* Be ye reconciled to God." I went on to show, among other things, that being reconciled to God implied being reconciled to the execution of His law. He called on me the next morning, and among other things said that neither himself nor two of his brothers, whom he named, all preachers, had naturally any conscience. " We have," said he, " no such ideas in our minds, of sin, guilt, justice and retribution as you and father have." "We cannot preach as you do on those subjects." He con- tinued: "I am striving to cultivate a conscience, and I think I begin to understand what it is. But naturally, neither I nor the two brothers I have THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. 7 named, have any conscience." Now, these three ministers have repeatedly appeared in their writings before the public. I have read much that they have written and not infrequently the sermons of one of them, and have been struck with the manifest want of con- science in his sermons and writings. He is a phrenologist, and, hence, he has in his theological views no free will, no moral agency, and nothing that is really a logical result of free will and moral agency. He can ridicule Puritan- ism and the great doctrines of the Orthodox faith ; and, indeed, his whole teaching, so far as it has fallen under my eye, most lamentably shows the want of moral discrimination. I should judge from his writings that the true ideas of moral depravity, guilt, and ill- desert, in the true acceptation of those 8 THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. terms, have no place in his mind. In- deed, as a consistent phrenologist, such ideas have no right in his mind. They are necessarily excluded by his philoso- phy. I do not know how extensively phrenology has poisoned the minds of ministers of different denominations; but I have observed with pain that many ministers who write for the public press fail to reach the consciences of men. They fail to go to the bottom of the matter and insist upon obedience to the moral law as alone acceptable to God. They seem to me to **make void the law through faith." They seem to hold up a different standard from that which is inculcated in Christ's Sermon on the Mount, wliich was Christ's exposition of the moral law. Christ expressly taught in that sermon that there was no salvation without* conformity to the rule THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. 9 of life laid down in that sermon. True faith in Christ will always and inevit- ably beget a holy life. But I fear it has become fashionable to preach what amounts to an antinomian gospel. The rule of life promulgated in the Gospel is precisely that of the moral law. These four things are expressly affirmed of true faith — of the faith of the Gospel : 1st. ''It establishes the law." 2d. " It works by love." 3d. " It purifies the heart." 4th. *' It overcomes the world." These are but different forms of af- firming that true faith does, as a matter of fact, produce a holy life. If it did not, it would "make void the lav/." The true Gospel is not preached where obedience to the moral law as the only rule of life is not insisted upon. Wher- ever there is a failure to do this in the lO THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. instructions of any pulpit, it will inevit- ably be seen that the hearers of such a mutilated Gospel will have very little conscience. We need more Boanerges or sons of thunder in the pulpit. We need men that will flash forth the law of God like livid lightning and arouse the consciences of men. We need more^ Puritanism in the pulpit. To be sure, some of the Puritans were extremists. But still under their teaching there was a very different state of the individual and public conscience from what exists in these days. Those olci, stern, grand vindicators of the government of God would have thundered and lightened till they had almost demolished their pulpits, if any such immoralities had shown themselves under their instruc- tions as are common in these days. In a great measure the periodical press THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. II takes its tone from the pulpit. The universal literature of the present day shows conclusively that the moral sense of the people needs toning up, and some of our most fascinating preachers have become the favorites of infidels, skeptics of every grade, Universalists, and the most abandoned characters. And has the oflfence of the Cross ceased, or is the Cross kept out of view? Has the holy law of God, with its stringent precept and its awful penalty, become popular with unconverted men and wo- men? Or is it ignored in the pulpit, and the preacher praised for that neg- lect of duty for which he should be de- spised? I believe the only possible way to arrest this downward tendency in private and public morals, is the hold- ing up from the pulpits in this land, with unsparing faithfulness, the whole 12 THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. Gospel of God, including as the only rule of life the perfect and holy law of God. The holding up of this law will reveal the moral depravity of the heart, and the holding forth of the cleansing blood of Christ will cleanse the heart from sin. My beloved brethren in the minis- try, is there not a great want in the public inculcations of the pulpit upon this subject? We are set for the de- fence of the blessed Gospel and for the vindication of God's holy law. I pray you let us probe the consciences of our hearers, let us thunder forth the law and gospel of God until our voices reach the capital of this nation, through our repre- sentatives in Congress. It is now very common for the secular papers even to publish extracts of sermons. Let us give the reporters of the press such THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. 1 3 work to do as will make their ears and the ears of their readers tingle. Let our railroad rings, our stock gamblers, our officials of every grade, hear from its pulpit, if they come within the sound, such wholesome Puritanic preaching as wi)l arouse them to better thoughts and a better life. Away with this milk-and- water preaching of a love of Christ that has no holiness or moral discrimination in it. Away with preaching a love of God that is not angry with sinners every day. Away with preaching a Christ not crucified for sin. Christ crucified for the sins of the world is the Christ that the people need. Let us rid ourselves of the just imputa- tion of neglecting to preach the law of God until the consciences of men are asleep. Such a collapse of conscience in this land could never existed if the 14 THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. Puritan element in our preaching had not in great measure fallen out. Some years ago I was preaching in a congregation whose pastor had died some months before. He seemed to have been almost universally popular with his church and the community. His church seemed to have nearly idol- ized him. Everybody was speaking in his praise and holding him up as an example ; and yet both the church and the community clearly demonstrated that they had had an unfaithful minis- ter, a man who loved and sought the applause of his people. I heard so much of his inculcations and saw so much of the legitimate fruits of his teachings, that I felt constrained to tell the^ people from the pulpit that they had had an unfaithful minister; that such fruits as were apparent on every side, THE DECAY OF CONSCIENCE. 1 5 both within and without the church, could never have resulted from a faith- ful presentation of the Gospel. This assertion would, doubtless, have great- ly shocked them had it been made under other circumstances ; but, as the way had been prepared, they did not seem disposed to gainsay it. Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate iruits. If immorality prevails in the land, the fdult is ours in a great degree. If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is re- sponsible for it. If our politics become l6 THE DECAY OF CONSCIE^■CE. SO corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it. Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren ; but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in respect to the morals of this nation. I ENDUEMENT OF POWER FROM ON HIGH. BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. WILLARD --fefexMi^^^^Y' Deacon Hill Place, Eoston. No. 239 Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. HOW TO ENTER INTO REST. 20 cents U a dozen. I By the same Author. I ' THE GOVERNMENT SHAI.I. BE UPON ' HIS SHOULDER. I AM AVITH YOU ALWAY IS THIS YOU? WILLING AND OBEDIENT. "A DESERT PLACE" (for those in sorrow). Price of either of the above, 20 cents a dozen. WILLING IN THE DAY OF THY POWER. By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. OUR FATHER. "We love Him because He first loved ns." By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, 3 cents ; 30 cents a dozen. JESUS MY SANCTIFICATION. By J. C. Hartshorn. Price, 2 cents; 20 cents a dozen. THE HIGHER CHRISTIAN LIF?:, Wlt:»t it Is. By Rev. W. E. Boardman. Price, 2 ceiiis ; 20 cents a dozen. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"x:k*xxxx vxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ENDUEMENT OF POWER FROM ON HIGH. BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. TN this article I propose to consider the conditions upon which this enduement of power can be obtained. Let us borrow a Httle light from the Scriptures. I will not cumber your paper with quotations from the Bible, but simply state a few facts that will readily be recognized by all readers of the Scriptures. If the readers of this article will read in the last cha|> 4 ENDUEMENT OF POWER ter of Matthew and of Luke the com- mission which Christ gave to his dis- ciples, and in connection read the first and second chapters of the " Acts of the Apostles," they will be prepared to appreciate what 1 have to say in this article. ist. The disciples had already been converted to Christ, and their faith had been confirmed by his resur- rection. But here let me say that conversion to Christ is not to be con- founded with a consecration to the great work of the world's conversion. In conversion the soul has to do direct- ly and personally with Christ. It yields up its prejudices,- its antago- nisms, its self-righteousness, its un- belief, its selfishness ; accepts Him, trusts Him, and supremely loves Him. All this the disciples had, more or less, distinctly done. But as yet they had received no definite commission, FROM ON HIGH. 5 and no particular enduement of power to fulfill a commission. 2d. But when Christ had dispelled their great bewilderment resulting from his crucifixion, and confirmed their faith by repeated interviews with them, He gave them their great com- mission to win all nations to Himself. But He admonished them to tarry at Jerusalem till they were endued with power from on high, which He said they should receive not many days hence. Now observe what they did. They assembled, the men and women, for prayer. They accepted the com- mission, and, doubtless, came to an understanding of the nature of the commission, and the necessity of the spiritual enduement which Christ had promised. As they continued day after day in prayer and conference, they, no doubt, came to appreciate more and more the difficulties that 6 ENDUEMENT OF POWER would beset them, and to feel more and more their inadequacy to the lask. A consideration of the circum- stances and results leads to the con- clusion that they, one and all, conse- crated themselves, with all ihey ^lad, lo the conversion of the world as their life-work. They must have renounced utterly the idea of living to them- selves in any form, and devoted them- selves with all their powers to the work set before them. This consecra- tion of themselves to the work, this self-renunciation, this dying to all that the world could offer them, must, in the order of nature, have preceded their intelligent seeking of the prom- "sed enduement of power from on high. They then continued, with one accord, in prayer for the promised baptism of the Spirit, which baptism •ncluded ay that was essential to their success. Observe, thev had a work FROM ON HIGH. 7 set before them. They had a promise of power to perform it. They were admonished to wait until the promise was fulfilled. How did they wait ? Not in listlessness and inactivity ; not in making preparations by study and otherwise, to get along without it ; not by going about their business, and offering an occasional prayer tliat the promise might be fulfilled ; but they continued in prayer, and persisted in their suit till the answer came. They understood that it was to be a baptism of the Holy Ghost. They understood that it was to be received from Christ. They prayed in faith. They held on, with the firmest expectation, until the enduement came. Now, let these facts instruct us as to the conditions of receiving this enduement of power. I. We, as Christians, have the same commission to fulfill. As truly as they did, we need an enduement of 8 ENDUEMENT OF POWER power from on high. Of course, the same injunction, to wait upon God till we receive it, is given to us. We have the same promise that they had. Now, let us take sub- stantially and in spirit the same course that they did. They were Christians, and had a measure of the Spirit to lead them in prayer and in con- secration. So have we. Every Chris- tian possesses a measure of the Spirit of Christ ; enough of the Holy Spirit to lead us to true consecration and inspire us with the faith that is es- sential to our prevalence in prayer. Let us, then, not grieve or resist Him : but accept the commission, fully con- secrate ourselves, with, all we have, to the saving of souls as our great and our only life-work. Let us get on to the altar with all we have and are, and lie there and persist in prayer till we receive the enduement. Now, FROM OX HIGH. 9 observe, conversion to Christ is not to be confounded with the acceptance of this commission to convert the world. The first is a personal trans- action between the soul and Christ relating to its own salvation. The second is the soul's acceptance of the service in which Christ proposes to employ it. Christ does not require us to make brick without straw. To whom He gives the commission He also gives the admonition and the promise. If the commission is heartil}' accepted, if the promise is believed, if the admonition to wait upon the Lord till our strength is renewed be complied with, we shall receive the enduement. It is of the last importance that all Christians should understand that this commission to convert the world is given to tiiem by Christ individually. F/Very one has ihe great responsi- lO EXDUE.MKXT OF POWER bility devolved upon him or her to win as many souls as possible to Christ. This is the great privilege and the great duty of all the disciples of Christ. There are a great many departments in this work. But in every department we may and ought to possess this power; that, whether we preach, or pray, or write, or print, or trade, or travel, take care of children, or administer the govern- ment of the state, or whatever we do, our whole life and influence should be permeated with this power. Christ says: "If any man believe in me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water," — that is, a Christian influence, having in it the element of power to impress the truth of Christ upon the hearts of men, shall proceed from Him. The great want of the Church at present is, first, the realiz- ino: conviction that this commission to FROiM ON HIGH. II convert the world is given to each of Christ's disciples, as his life work. I fear I must say that the great mass of professing Christians seem never to have been impressed with this truth. The work of saving souls they leave to ministers. The second great want is a realizing conviction of the necessity of this enduement of power upon every individual soul. Many profes- sors of religion suppose it belongs especially and only to such as are called to preach the Gospel as a life- work. They fail to realize that all are called to preach the Gospel, that the whole life of every Christian is to h^ a proclamation of the glad tidings. A third want is an earnest faith in the promise of this enduement. A vast many professors of religion, and even ministers, seem to doubt whether this promise is to the whole Church and to every Christian. Consequently, 12 ENDUEMENT OF POWER they have no faith to lay hold of it. If it does not belong to all, they don't know to whom it does belong. Of course, .they cannot lay hold of the promise by faith, A fourth want is that persistence in waiting upon God for it that is enjoined in the Scriptures. They faint before they have prevailed, and, hence, the enduement is not received; Multitudes seem to satisfy themselves with a hope of eternal life for themselves. They never get ready to dismiss the question of their own salvation ; leaving that, as settled, with Christ. They don't get ready to accept the great commission to work for the solvation of others, be- cause their faith is so weak that they do not steadily leave the question of their own salvation in the hands of Christ ; and even some ministers of the Gospel, I find, are in the same condition, and halting in the same FROM ON HIGH. j-^ way, unable to give themselves wholly to the work of saving others, because in a measure unsettled about their own salvation. It is amazing to witness the extent to which the Church has practically lost sight of the neces- sity of this enduement of power ! Much is said of our dependence upon the Holy Spirit by almost everybody ; but how little is this dependence realized. Christians and even minis- ters go to work without it. I mourn to be obliged to say that the ranks of the ministry seem to be filling up with those who do not possess it. May the Lord have mercy upon us ! AVill this last remark be thought un- charitable } If so, let the report of the Home Missionary Society, for example, be heard upon this subject. Surely, something is wrong. An average of five souls won to Christ by each missionary of that 14 EXDUEMENT OF POWER Society in a year's toil, certainly, indicates a most alarmins; weakness in the minist -y. Have all or even a majority of these ministers been en- rlued with the power which Christ promised? If not, why not? But, if they have, is this all that Christ intended by his promise ? In a former article I have said that the reception of this enduement of power is in- stantaneous. I do not mean to assert that in every instance the recipient was aware of the precise time at which the power commenced to work might- ily within him. It may have com- menced like the dew and increased to a shower. I have alluded to the re- port of the Home Missionary Society. Not that I supi^ose that the brethren employed by that Society are excep- tionally weak in faith and power as laborers for God. On the contrary, from my acquaintance with some of FROM ON HIGH. 1 5 them, I regard them as among our most devoted and self-denying labor- ers in the cause of God. This f:ict illustrates the alarming weakness that pervades every branch of the Church, both clergy and laity. Are we not weak ? Are we not criminally weak ? It has been sugo^ested that by writing thus I should offend the ministry and the Church. I cannot believe that the statement of so palpable a fact will be regarded as an offense. The fact is, there is something sadly defec- tive in the education of the ministry and of the Church. The ministry is weak, because the Church is weak. And then, again, the Church is kept weak by the weakness of the ministry. Oh ! (or a conviction of the necessity of this enduement of power and faith n the promise of Christ. m^m THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. BY PRES. X. G: FWNEY. ( xf^— ■% WILLARD TRAGT REPOSITORY, Beacon Hill Place, Boston. No. 239 Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. PUBLICATIONS WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY.?; GLADNESS IN JESUS. By Rev. Dr. Boardman. ; Handsomely bound in cloth, gilt, 164 pp. $1.00. Wliat a precious theme is this ! And that our excel- lent j^ladsome friend, Dr. Boardman, should have writ- ten a book so full of hallowing, soul-rejoicing inspira- tions, is only as might have been expected. Reader, be sure and get this little volume of one hundred and sixty-four pages ; it will greatly assist you in your efforts to serve the Lord with gladness, in case you have not already learned the lesson ; and, if you have, it will help you in your efforts to teach others how to obey the divine command, "Rejoice evermore." — Guuie to Holhiess. DOROTHEA TRUDEL; or. The Prayer of Faith. ^ith an introduction by Charles Cullis, M. D. Cloth, in Black and Gold, iS6 pp. $1.00. Tliis is an enlarged and the only complete American edition, bringing the history of the institution founded by Miss Trudel down to the year 1S72, and showing' some remarkable answers to prayer, in healing the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'XXXXXX XV,XXXXXXXXXVXVVVX*''^XVVV xxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. Since the publication in " The In- dtpendent " of my article on " The Power from on High," I have been confined with protracted illness. In the mean time, I have received nu- merous letters of inquiry upon that subject. They relate mostly to three particular points of inquiry : I. They request further illustra- tions of the exhibition of this power. 4 THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. 2. They inquire, "Wlio have a right to expect this enduement? 3. HoWj or upon what conditions can it be obtained ? I am unable to answer these in- quiries by letters to individuals. With your leave, I propose, if my health continues to improve, to reply to them in several short articles through your columns. In the present number I will relate another exhibition of this power from on high, as witnessed by myself. Soon after I was licensed to preach, I went into a region of country' where I was an entire stranger. I went there at the request of a Female Missionary Society, located in Oneida County, New York. Early in May, I think, I visited the town of Antwerp, in the northern part of Jefferson County. I stopped at the village hotel, and there learned that there were no religious meetings held in THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. 5 that town at the time. They had a brick meeting-house, but it was locked up. By, personal efforts I got a few people to assemble in the parlor of a Christian lady in the place, and preached to them on the evening after my arrival. As I passed round the village, I was shocked with the horrible profanity that I heard among the men wherever 1 went. I obtained leave to preach in the school-house on the next Sabbath ; but before the Sabbath arrived I was much dis- couraged, and almost terrified, in view of the state of society which I wit- nessed. On Saturday the Lord ap- plied with power to my heart the fol- lowing words, addressed by the Lord Jesus to Paul (Acts xviii. 9, 10) : " Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace ; for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee ; for I have much people in this city.'* 5 THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. This completely subdued my fears ; but my heart was loaded with agony for the people. On Sunday -morning I arose early, and retired to a grove not far from the village, to pour out my heart before God for a blessing on the labors of the day. I could not express the agony of my soul in words ; but struggled with much groaning, and, I believe, with many tears, for an hour or two, without get- ting relief. I returned to my room in the hotel ; but almost immediately came back to the grove. This I did thrice. The last time I got complete relief, just as it was time to go to meeting. I went to the school-house, and found it filled to its utmost capacity. I took out my little pocket Bible, and read for my text : " God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that v\hosoever be- lieveth in Him should not perish, but THE EXDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. 7 have everlasting life." I exhibited the love of God as contrasted with the manner in which He was treated by those for whom He gave up His Son. I charged home their profanity upon them ; and, as I recognized among my hearers several whose pro- fanity I had particularly noticed, in the fullness of my heart and the gush- ing of my tears, I pointed to them, and said, *' I heard these men call upon God to damn their fellows." The Word took powerful effect. Nobody seemed offended, but almost every- body greatly melted. At the close of the service the amiable landlord, Mr. . Copeland, rose and said that he would open the meeting-house in the after- noon. He did so. The meeting-house was full, and, as in the morning, the Word took powerful effect. Thus a powerful revival commenced in the village, which soon after spread in 8 THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. every direction. I think it was on the second Sabbath after this, when I came out of the pulpit, in the after- noon, an aged man approached, and said to me : " Can you not come and preach in our neighborhood } We have never had any reHgious meetings there." I inquired the direction and the distance, and appointed to preach there the next afternoon, Monday, at five o'clock, in their school-house. 1 had preached three times in the village, and attended two prayer- meetings on the Lord's Day ; and on Monday I went on foot to fulfill this appointment. The weather was very warm that day, and before I arrived there I felt almost too faint to walk, and greatly discouraged in my mind. I sat down in the shade by the way- side, and felt as if I was too faint to reach there ; and if I did, too much discouraged to open my mouth to the THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. 9 people. When I arrived, I found the house full, and immediately com- menced the service by reading a hymn. They attempted to sing, but the horrible discord agonized me beyond expression. I leaned forward, put my elbows upon my knees and my bands over my ears, and shook my head withal, to shutout the discord, which even then I could barely endure. As soon as they had ceased to sing I cast myself down upon my knees, almost in a state of desperation. The Lord opened the windows of heaven upon me, and gave me great enlargement and power in prayer. Up to this moment I had no idea what text I should use on the occasion. As I rose from my knees the Lord gave me this : " Up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city.' I told the people, as nearly as I could recollect, where they would find it, IC IHE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. nnd went on to tell them of the de- struction o^ Sodom. I gave them an outline of the history of Abraham and Lot, and their relations to each other ; of Abraham's praying for Sodom, and of Lot, as the only pious man that was found in the city. While I was doing this, I was struck with the fact that the people looked exceeding angry about me. Many countenances appeared very threatening, and some of the men near me looked as if they were about to strike me. This I could not understand, as I was only giving them, with great liberty of spirit, some interesting sketches of Bible history. As soon as 1 had completed the his- torical sketch, I turned upon them, and said that I had understood they had never had any religious meetings in that neighborhood ; and, applying that fact, 1 thrust at them with the sword of the spirit, with all my might. THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. II From this moment the solemnity in- creased with great rapidity. In a few moments there seemed to fall upon the congregation an instantaneous shock. I cannot describe the sensa- tion that 1 felt, nor that which was apparent in the congregation ; but the word seemed literally to cut like a sword. The power from on high came down upon them in such a torrent that they fell from their seats in every direction. In less than a minute nearly the whole congregation were either down on their knees, or on their faces, or in some position pros- trate before God. Every one was crying or groaning for mercy upon his own soul. They paid no further at- tention to me or to my preaching. I tried to ^d-/ their attention ; but I could not. I observed the aged man who had invited me there, as still retaining his seat near the centre of the house. 12 THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. He was staring around him with a look of unutterable astonishment. Pointing to him, I cried at the top of my voice, " Can't you pray ? " He knelt down and roared out a short prayer, about as loud as he could hollo ; but they paid no attention to him. After looking round for a few moments, I knelt down and put my hand on the head of a young man who was kneeling at my feet, and engaged in prayer for mercy on his soul ; I got his attention, and preached Jesus in his ear. In a few moments he seized Jesus by faith, and then broke out in prayer for those around him. I then turned to another in the same way, and with the same result ; and then another, and another, till I know not how many had laid hold of Christ and were full of prayer for others. After continuing in this way till nearly sunset, I was obliged to cmnmit the meetings to the charge of THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. 1 3 the old gentleman who had invited me, and go to fulfill an appointment in another place for the evening. In the afternoon of the next day I was sent for to go down to this place, as they had not been able to break up the meeting. They had been obliged to leave the school-house, to give place to the school ; but had removed to a private house near b}^ where I found a number of persons still too anxious and too much loaded down with conviction to go to their homes. These were soon subdued by the Word of God, and I believe all ob- tained a hope before they went home. Observe, I was a total stranger in that place, had never seen or heard of it, until as I have related. But here, at my second visit, I learned that the place was called Sodom, by reason of its wickedness ; and the old man who invited me was called Lot, because he was the only professor of religion in 14 THE ENDUEMENT OF THE SPIRIT. the place. After this manner the re- vival broke out in this neighborhood. I have not been in that neighborhood for many years ; but in 1856, I think, while laboring in Syracuse, New York, I was introduced to a minister of Christ from St. Lawrence County, by the name of Cross. He said to me, " Mr. Finney, you don't know me ; but do you remember preaching in a place called Sodom?" I said, " I shall never forget it." He replied, " 1 was then a young man, and was converted at that meeting." He is still living, a pastor in one of the churches in that county, and is the father of the principal of our prepara- tory department. Those who have lived in that region can testify of the permanent results of that blessed revival. I can only give in words a feeble description of that wonderful manifestation of power from on high attending the preaching of the Word. HOW TO ENTER INTO REST. 20 centa a dozen. By the same Author. THE GOVERNMENT SHALI^ BE UPON HIS SHOULDER. I AM WITH YOU AI>WAY. IS THIS YOU? WILLING AND OBEDIENT. «'A DESERT PLACE" (for those in sorro^v). Price of either of the above, 20 cents a dozen. WILLING IN THE DAY OP THY POWER. By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. OUR FATHER. "We love Him because He first loved us." By RussRLL Sturgls, Jr. Price 3 cents ; 30 cents a dozen. JESUS MY SANCTIFICATION. By J. C Hartshorn. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. THE HIGHER CHRISTIAN LIFE, Whal it is. By Rev. W. E. Boardman. Price, 2 cents 20 cents a dozen. HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS ^^ ^■-^.. PRES. CnA^.^Q.^M#ciVT/V/^ "-^ V ~t4<^« — WILLARDTR-'igT l^EPCj^TtCRY, . Beacon Hill PLy^CE, Costqn-. i'i"^\V' 239 Fourth Avenue»,New YoRk._,.^"^ 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftesbury Haii, I'okonto, Canada. t TRACTS BY PRES. FINNEY. JPoiver from on High, I^otcer from on High, Wliat is it ? The Enduetnent of the Spirit, Enduement of Potver front on High. How to Overcome Sin, Poiver from on High : tvho maj/ expect the Enduement, Is it a Hard Saying ? How to Win Souls, How to Preach so as to Convert Nohody, Preacher, save Ihyself, Prevailing Prayer, Tlie Psychology of Faith, Conscious Effects of Faith, Psychology of Might eousncss, *3" Either of the above, Ji cents. The Bet by mail for 33 cents. e^^ ^^. ^m m^m ^m d. m m m m m i HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS, T ADDRESS this to those who believe -*- that i-egeneration is a moral and not a physical change ; that it is a voluntary, in- telligent, and intelligible change ; that it is a change in the moral attitude of the soul toward God — a radical change of moral ac- tion, and consequently a radical change of moral character. I address those who be- lieve that regeneration is induced by the Holy Spirit in the use of appropriate truth — that tnith wliich reveals the nature and guilt 4 HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. of sin, the character, law, and Gospel of God. I address those who believe that there are appropriate means of regeneration and sanctification. Some hindrances of revivals amount to preventives, others retard the progress of re- vivals, while others still, bring them to a close. As revivals are induced by the Holy Spirit, in the use of appropriate truth, it fol- lows that whatever so grieves and offends the Holy Spirit as to necessitate His with- holding His divine illumination and co-oper- ation, will prevent a revival. Among the preventives aie such as the following : — I. A belligerent, sectarian pulpit. Preach- ing which is of this character always begets in a church a spirit of bigotry, fanaticism, and uncharitableness. These are the oppo- HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. 5 site of true religion. A church fed with such food will not be in a state to prevail with God in prayer. It will not be in a state with which the Holy Spirit can have any sympathy. It is not in accordance with the character and revealed designs of the Holy Spirit to convert souls to such a spirit and temper as that. By such pulpit teach ing, illustrated by such a spirit, and by such lives as will result from it, the outside world will not come to an understanding of what true religion is ; and, hence, no revival can be expected under such circumstances. I believe the history of the church will justify this conclusion. 2. The habitual inculcation from the pul- pit of what are called the h^per-Calvinistic doctrines, will prevent a revival. Some' men who have occasionally preached those 6 HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. doctrines, and at other times have laid them aside and poured forth the doctrines of a free salvation, have been blessed with powerful revivals under their ministry. But the re- vivals occur,, not in connection with their dwelling upon those abstract, hyper-Calvin- istic -doctrines, but as a result of their prac- tical preaching of a practical Gospel. In my younger days I often heard it admitted that it would not do to preach the '•'■ doc- trines " in revivals of religion. 3. The habitual ignoring or withholding of any truth, tlie belief of which is essential to and imphed in a sound conversion, will prevent a revival ; such, for example, as the doctrine of moral depravity, the divinity and atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, the ne- cessity of regeneration, the divine authority of the Bible, the spirituality and binding HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. 7 nature of the moral law, justification by Christ through faith ; and, in short, what- ever must be believed as a condition and means of our sanctification and prepared- ness for Heaven. 4. Diverting excitements, if strong and permanent, will prevent a revival. Hence, it has always been the policy of Satan to keep the church, and if possible the ministry, in a state of worldly excitement. It is not very material what particular form these ex- citements take on, whether a pressure of business, of politics, of worldly amusements, of balls, or parties, or theatres, or games, or clubs. Whatever strongly excites the masses to the extent of diverting their attention, will prevent a revival of religion. A revival of re- ligion necessarily occupies the attention of those who are the subjects of it, whether they 8 HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. are in the church or out of it. The Holy Spirit converts people by teaching them ; hence, lie must have their attention. He does not gain or hold their attention by force; hence, whatever exciting topic comes to ab- sorb public attention and divert it from the great truths of salvation, will prevent a revival. It is astonishing to see how careless pro- fessors of religion and sometimes ministers are, in regard to the promotion and existence of those excitements that will effectually pre- vent a revival. We often see communities that perishingly need a revival of religion, deliberately planning and caiTying into exe- cution at those seasons of the year most favor- able to revivals the very means of preventing them. They will comm't themselves to at- tend a series of lectures on purely worldly HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. 9 pubjects, or engage in a round of parties, perhaps dances, and any number of worldly amusements and entertainments, which are calculated, if not deliberately designed, to keep the people in a giddy whirl until the opening business season demands the atten- tion of business men, and leaves the pleasure- seeker in a state of mind which is anything but favorable to a revival of religion. I am sorry to say that ministers sometimes are drawn into this snare, and give their influence to a course of action which they ought to know will divert their people from the promotion of the revival of religion so much needed. Such ministers may render themselves popular for a time with worldly professors and ungodly sinners ; but the day of judgment will undoubtedly show that they were a nuisance in the community lO HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. where they exercised their influence. Such cases are, I trust, comparatively rare. It is generally true that such worldly movements originate with the worldly spirits in the church, combining their influence with worldly, pleasure-loving outsiders. They plan and lead off in the execution of those diverting and exciting pastimes to the great grief of their pastor, in spite of what he is able, or rather, dares to do to prevent it. lie has looked forward to the period when the excursionists should return to their homes, the business world get relief from its great pressure, and long evenings be favorable to occupying the attention of the whole people with the great question of salvation. Then he has promised himself that he will lead off, and persuade his church to follow, and rather a harvest of souls for Christ. This HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. II has been his hope and his comfort. But lo ! before he is aware of it, the leading mem- bers of his church are committed, with the leaders of the outside world, to go in for a course of pleasure-seeking, that will effectu- ally prevent a revival. Thus his hopes are dashed, his hands are tied, and it is charged upon him that his labors are not blessed. Sinners are left unconverted ; the mass of church-members become a stumbling-block to the world ; Christ's religion is misrepre- sented. He is grieved and dishonored, the masses are unsaved and lost, and their blood is required at the hands of those who have stood in the way of a revival. 5. A spirit of division and controversy in the church and community will effectually prevent a revival of religion. INIuch has been said, and justly said, of the evil influ- 12 HIXDRA^XES TO REVIVALS. ence of balls and dancing parties. These are bad enough, and, if persisted in, will no doubt effectually prevent revivals. But they are not half so sinful or so dangerous, or so sure to prevent a revival, as a quarrel. There are men, and women too, who would be horror-stricken if a ball were to be gotten up in their neighborhood, who will not hesitate to originate and perpetuate neighborhood and church bickerings and quarrels. They would consider it a mortal sin to dance ; and are yet the stirrers up of strife, jealousies, animosities, and bad feeling, as far as their influence extends. They will not dance; but they will do much worse. Dancing is bad enough ; but bitter words and a divisive spirit are much worse. Of all the mischief-makers in a church, of all the nuisances in a society, of all the anti- HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. I3 Christian influences that obstruct and pre- vent revivals of religion, a divisive spirit and bitter tongue are the most to be dreaded. Sometimes a single self-willed, influential man or woman may for years effectually prevent a revival of religion. Two or three such men or women may counteract all the influence of a most faithful pastor, keep a church in a state of bitterness and turmoil, prevent a revival of religion, and ruin a generation of souls. 6. Church pride and ambition will some- times efiectually prevent a revival. A proud, ambitious people will build and furnish ex- travagant churches, lay themselves out to exceed all their neighbors in this respect, get up everything on an extravagant and worldly scale, endeavor to draw in the wealthy and aristocratic classes, and make a 14 HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. congregation of the elite of the town. They must have a minister that will flatter their vanity, indulge them in their pride and am- bition, without rebuke, apologize for their extravagance, justify their grasping after wealth, and, in short, politely meet their wishes. What comes of all this but spir- itual death and the absence of revivals of religion ? 7. A penurious church will prevent a re- vival of religion. A penurious spirit i? an abomination to God. It is dishonest, self- ish, a misrepresentation of Christ's religion, the opposite of Ilis spirit. Where a church is niggardly and parsimonious in their treat- ment of a minister, inattentive to his wants, tardy in paying his salary, planning to avoid all expense, close-fisted in regard to support- ing the Sunday school, missionary societies, HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. I5 and the cause of Christ generally, they may expect that God will withhold from them Ilis sympathy ; that He will do nothing to manifest His approbation of such a course ; that, since they tenaciously withhold from Ilim, He is constrained to withhold from them. I beseech those churches that are not favored with revivals of religion, to in- quire into the reasons. They may rest as- sured that the fault is at their own door. God never withholds Ilis Spirit when He can honorably bestow it. 8. Opposition to, or neglect of needed re- forms will often prevent revivals of religion. The Holy Spirit is a reformer, and where churches will not co-operate in the promo- tion of greatly needed reforms, especially if they set their faces against them, they need not expect a revival of religion. 1 6 HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. But I must notice several things that will retard and oftentimes bring a revival of re- ligion to a close : — I. The want of consecutiveness and logi- cal consistency and connection in the pulpit- teacliing. Ministers sometimes seem to have no plan in their teaching. They will preach one thing in the morning, and in the after- noon something that will divert attention from the morning's discoui-se, and in the evening something entirely irrelevant to both. This is tempting God. It is a viola- tion of the laws of Nature. It is em- barrassing the Spirit's teaching. To carry forward a revival successfully, the preaching should be consecutive as to the order of sub- jects, logical in form, so as to leave no loop- hole through which a sinner can escape, and the sermons should follow one another in HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. 1 7 such a manner as to hedge the sinner and the backslider in on every side and shut him up to immediate repentance and faith in Christ. Instead of this, we sometimes hear a minister preach, perhaps, one sermon that seems to be a good beginning for a revival. The hopes of the church are excited, the spirit of prayer stimulated ; but lo ! perhaps the very next sermon or the very next Sab- bath will introduce something wholly irrele- vant, not in the least degree following up what was so hopefully begun. Thus the praying ones are disappointed, their hearts grieved, and they cannot help feeling that the minister lacks steadiness of aim, as well as unction and common sense. 2. Irrelevant exhortations and prayer in prayer and conference meetings, will much retard and often effectually destroy an exist- 1 8 HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. ing revival. Often has my soul been agon- ized, in prayer and conference meetings, by hearing some brother, whose heart, it was evident, was not at all. in the work, introduce some altogether irrelevant topic, and draw the attention and prayer and feeling of the meeting into a channel not at all connected with the matter in hand — the conversion of the persons present . or ii\ the immediate neighborhood. Of course, that meeting is a failure, so far as the interests of the revival are concerned. If I had room, I should like to illustrate each of these particulars by facts that have come under my own observation. By doing so, I could easily expand this article into a volume. But, of necessity, I study to be as brief as is possibly consistent with perspicuity. It often pains me to leave out the illustrative facts. , • HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. I9 3. The development of a sectarian spirit in a revival will always retard and often efTectually arrest it. If the churches of differ- ent denominations begin never so secretly to proselyte, it will be seen by those who are spiritually minded in the falling off of the spirit of prayer. The praying, wakeful people will feel that something is the matter ; that the Spirit of God is grieved. Con- versions are less frequent, the work is par- tially if not altogether suspended. If the sectarian spirit becomes general, the work must come to a close ; and yet each denom- ination is but " earnestly contenduig for the faith once delivered to the saints," as they think. Yet it is almost never a jealousy for the truth, but a desire to build up their own particular denomination, that is at the bottom of their efforts. 20 HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. • 4. The introduction of a controversial spirit will retard greatly, and, if persisted in, will ruin a revival. 5. Uncharitableness on the part of Chris- tians will destroy their spirit of prayer, re- tard, and, if persisted in, destroy a revival of religion. 6. The breaking out of a fanatical spirit in a revival will retard or destroy it. I use the term fanatical here in the sense of a bitter, denunciatory, fault-finding spirit. This needs to be closely watched. I have seldom seen a revival in which il did not make its appearance sooner or later and to a considerable extent. It is the policy of Satan to pour himself stealthily into the hearts of Christians and introduce a spirit of censoriousness and bitterness that will ruin the work. Not only is the Spirit of God HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. 21 poured out in revivals of religion ; but often Satan will pour himself out into the hearts of the people. He needs to be closely watched ; and, if his agency is detected, private reproof and expostulation should be immediately resorted to. 7. Any falling off of prevailing prayer will immediately manifest itself in the mani- fest partial relief of convicted sinners and less frequent conversions. 8. The creeping in of a spirit of unbelief with regard to the continuance of the work, will retard it and often effectually destroy it. 9. A revival of religion will be greatly re- tarded if a spii-it of gallantry, gossip, and flirtation amongst the young is suffered ^o prevail. 10. Whatever relieves the pressure upon the consciences of the ungodly and upon the 22 HINDRANCES TO REVIVALS. hearts of the praying ones, will retard a re- vival. A revival will not cease while the travail of soul continues among God's people, and the pressure of obligation upon the hearts of the unconverted. II. Mistaking presumption for faith, will often effectually destroy a reviral. Instead of lying low and walking softly before God, instead of feeling intense anxiety and travail of soul for the salvation of sinners, Christians will sometimes begin prematurely to rejoice over the converts, while they throw off the pressure and neglect the persistent use of means. In this way revivals are often brought to a sudden close. now to Enter into Best, BY THE SAME AUTHOR. TJic Government shall he upon Ills Shoulder, I am with you alivay. Is this You ? Willing and Obedient, A Desert Place, Is it in Vain ? Talte! Is it still Peace ? Heturn, Tlie Light of the King's Coun- tenance, J IIoiv to Use Faith, * Nevertheless, \ Out of the Depths, ' *nce of either of the above, 2 cts single ; 20 ots per dozen. Times of Refreshi'.^, or, Records of Christian Life and Christian Testimony. " Times of Refreshing shall come from the Presence meaiiait of the .i«^p|i Acts iii. 19. A monthly paper of 16 passes of reading matter, 'under the above title, is published on the first of each month, at the Wui.ard Tract Repository, Boston and New York. Its object is to present Jesus as a fnll and perfect Saviour.— that His precious blood "cleanseth from all sin ;" topive facta and incidents relative Jto the work of (lod in various places, and to urge believers to be "JoUowers of God as dear chiU Among its contributors are Rev. W. E. Boardman, R. P. S., The author of " How to Enter into Rest,' Pres. Finney, H. W. S.. MissJIary G. Brainard, and many other well-known writers. TERMS OF TIMES OF REFRESHING. For a single copy for one year, . . . |i.oo " twelve copies, ^ to.oc " twenty-five copies, , • - • • 2!0.oc Specimen copies sent on application. All communications should be addressed to the 1 ^^'^°''' Beacon Hill Place, Bostow. 239 Fourth Avenue, New Yo* 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. HOW TO OVERCOME SIN, BY PRES. CHARLES G. FINNEY, WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY, Beacon Hill Place, r.osrok. No. 239 Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftereury Hall, Toronto, Canada. EEOENT PUBLICATIONS WiLLARD Tract Repositoi|Y WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON the Name of the Lord shall be Saved. By Rev. E. Squire. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cts per dozen. _____ DYING- AND LIVING AO-AIN. Prices cents ; 20 cents per dozen. SECOND BLESSING-. Price, 2 cents; cents per dozen. REFLECTIONS OF JULIAN. This is an interesting tract on the Life of Faith, which was written 500 years ago. Price, 3 cents ; 30 cents per dozen. FROM GILGAL TO JORDAN. Price, a cents ; 20 cents per dozen. FAITH, WHAT IT IS, AND HOW TO Exercise it. By H. W. S. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents per dozen. THE ANGEL IN THE MARBLE. By Rev. Geokgb F. PEiNXECOST. Price, 2 cents; 20 cents per dozen. CONSECRATION. By Rev. Gkorgk F. Pen- tecost, i'rice 2 cents ; 20 cents per dozen. OPEN THE DOOR. By A. M. M. Price, 9 cents ; ao cents per dnZen. i/L How to Overcome Sin. 3>»?< IN every period of my ministerial life I have found many professed Christians in a miserable slate of bondage, either to the world, the flesh, or the Devil. But surely this is no Christian state, for the apostle has distinctly said : "Sin shall not have dominion over you, because ye are not under the law, but under grace." In all my Christian life I have been pained to find so many Christians living in the legal bond- age described in the seventh chap- ter of Romans — a life of sinning, and resolving to reform and falling again. And what is particularly 4 HOW TO OVERCOME SIX. saddening, and even agonizing, is that many ministers and leading Christians give perfectly false instruc- tion upon the subject of how to over- come sin. The directions that are generally given on this subject, I am sorry to say, amount to about this : "Take your sins in detail, resolve to abstain from them, and fight against them, if need be, with prayer and fasting, until you have overcome them. Set your will firmly against a relapse into sin, pray and struggle, and resolve that you will not fall, and persist in this, until you form the habit of obedience and break up all your sinful habits." To be sure it is generally added : **In this con- flict you must not depend upon your own strength, but pray for the help of God." In a word, much of the teaching, both of the pulpit and the press, really amounts to this : Sancti- HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. 5 fication is by works, and not by faith. I notice that Dr. Chalmers, in his lectures on Romans, expressly main- tains that justification is by faith, but sanctification is by works. Some twenty-five years ago, I think, a prominent professor of theology in New England maintained in sub- stance the same doctrine. In my early Christian life I was very nearly misled by one of President Edwards's resolutions; which was, in substance, that when he had fallen into any sin he would trace it back to its source, and then fight and pray against it with all his might until he subdued it. This, it will be perceived, is di- recting the attention to the overt act of sin, its source or occasions. Re- solving and fighting against it fastens the attention on the sin and its source, and diverts it entirely from Christ 6 KOW TO OVERCOME SIN. Now it is important to say right here that all such efforts are worse than useless, and not infrequently result in delusion. First, it is los- ing sight of what really constitutes sin, and, secondly, of the only prac- ticable way to avoid it. In this way the outward act or habit may be overcome and avoided, while that which really constitutes the sin is left untouched. Sin is not external, but internal. It is not a muscular act, it is not the volition that causes muscular action, it is not an involun- tary feeling or desire ; it must be a voluntary act or state of mind. Sin is nothing else than that voluntary, ultimate preference or state of com- mittal to self-pleasing out of which the volitions, the outward actions, purposes, intendons, and all the things that are commonly called sin proceed. Now, what is resolved HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. 7 against in this religion of resolutions and efforts to suppress sinful and form holy habits? "Love is the fulfilling of the law." But do we produce love by resolution ? Do we eradicate selfishness by resolution? No, indeed. We may suppress this or that expression or manifestation of selfishness by resolving not to do this or that, and praying and struggling against it. We may re- solve upon an outward obedience, and work ourselves up to the lettei of an obedience to God's command- ments. But to eradicate selfishness from the breast by resolution, is an absurdity. So the effort to obey the commandments of God in spirit — in other words, to attempt to love as the law of God requires by force of resolution — is an absurdity. There are many who maintain that sin con- sists in the desires. Be it so. Do » HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. we control our desires by force of resolution ? We may abstain from the gratification of a particular desire by the force of resolution. We may go further, and abstain from the gratification of desire generally in the outward life. But this is not to se- cure the love of God, which consti- tutes obedience. Should we become anchorites, immure ourselves in a cell, and crucify all our desires and appetites, so far as their indulgence is concerned, we have only avoided certain forms of sin ; but the root that really constitutes sin is not touched. Our resolution has not secured love, which is the only real obedience to God. All our battling with sin in the outward life, by the force of resolution, only ends in mak- ing us whited sepulchres. All our battling with desire by the force of resolution is of no avail ; for in all HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. 9 this, however successful the effort to suppress sin may be, in the outward life or in the inward desire, it will only end in delusion, for by force of resolution we cannot love. All such efforts to overcome sin are utterly futile, and as unscriptural as they are futile. The Bible ex- pressly teaches us that sin is overcome by faith in Christ. "He is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanc- tification, and redemption." "He is the way, the truth, and the life." Christians are said to "purify their hearts by faith. " (Actsxv. 9. ) And in Acts xxvi. 18, it is affirmed that the saints are sanctified by faith in Christ. In Romans ix. 31, 32, it is affirmed that the Jews attained not to righteousness, * * because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law." The doctrine of the Bible is that Christ saves His lO HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. people from sin through faith ; that Christ's spirit is received by faith to dwell in the heart. It is faith that works by love. Love is wrought and sustained by faith. By faith Chris- tians * ' overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil." It is by failh that they "quench the fiery darts of the wicked." It is by faith that "they put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and putoff the'old man, with his deeds." It is by faith that we fight * ' the good fight," and not by resolution. It is by faith that we "stand," by resolu- tion we fall. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. It is by faith that the flesh is kept under and carnal desires subdued. The fact is that it is simply by faith that we receive the Spirit of Christ to work in us to will and to do, ac- cording to His good pleasure. He sheds abroad His own love in our HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. II hearts, and thereby enkindles ours. Every victory over sin is by faith in Christ ; and whenever the mind is diverted from Christ, by resolving and fighting against sin, whether we are aware of it or not, we are acting in our own strength, rejecting the help of Christ, and are under a specious delusion. Nothing but the life and energy of the Spirit of Christ within us can save us from sin, and trust is the uniform and universal condition of the working of this sav- ing energy within us. How long shall this fact be at least practically overlooked by the teachers of re- ligion ? How deeply rooted in the heart of man is self-righteousness and self-dependence? So deeply that one of the hardest lessons for the human heart to learn is to renounce self-dependence and trust wholly in Christ. When we open the door by 12 now TO OVERCOME SIN. implicit trust He enters in and takes up His abode with us and in us. By shedding abroad His love He quickens our whole souls into sym- pathy with Himself, and in this way, and in this way alone, He purifies our hearts through faith. He sus- tains our will in the attitude of de- votion. He quickens and regulates our affections, desires, appetites and passions, and becomes our sanctifi- cation. Very much of the teaching that we hear in prayer and confer- ence meetings, from the pulpit and the press, is so misleading as to render the hearing or reading of such instruction almost too painful to be endured. Such instruction is calcu- lated to beget delusion, discourage- ment, and a practical rejection of Christ as He is presented in the Gospel. Alas ! for the blindness that "leads HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. 1 3 to bewilder" the soul that is longing after deliverance from the power of sin. I have sometimes listened to legal teaching upon this subject until I felt as if I should scream. It is astonishing sometimes to hear Chris- tian men object to the teaching which I have here inculcated that it leaves us in a passive state, to be saved without our own activity. What darkness is involved in this ob- jection. The Bible teaches that by trusting in Christ we receive an in- ward influence that stimulates and directs our activity ; that by faith we receive His purifying influence into the very centre of our being; that through and by His truth revealed directly to the soul He quickens our whole inward being into the attitude of a loving obedience ; and this is the way, and the only practicable way, to overcome sin. But some one 14 HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. may say : * ' Does not the Apostle ex- hort as follows : * Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling ; for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, of His good pleasure'? And is not this an exhor- tation to do what in this article you condemn?" By no means. In the 12th verse of the 2d chapter of Philippians Paul says : ** Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, notasinmy presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do, of His good pleasure, " There is no exhortation to work by force of resolution, but through and by the inworking of God. Paul had taught them, while he was present with them ; but now, in his absence, he exhorts them to uork out their own salvation, not by HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. 1 5 esolution but by the inward oper- tion of God. This is precisely (the doctrine of this tract. Paul had too often taught the Church that Christ in the heart is our sanctifica- tion, and that this influence is to be * received by faith, to be guilty in this I passage, of teaching that our sancti- fication is to be "wrought out by reso- lution and efforts to suppress sinful 'and form holy habits. This passage I of Scripture happily recognizes both the divine and human agency in the work of sanctification. God works (in us, to will and to do ; and we, accepting by faith His inworking, .will and do according to His good pleasure. Faith itself is an active I and not a passive state. A passive 'holiness is impossible and absurd. ||Let no one say that when we exhort people to trust wholly in Christ we teach that any one should be or can 1 6 HOW TO OVERCOME SIN. be passive in receiving and co-oper- ating with the Divine influence within. This influence is moral, and not physical. It is persuasion, and not force. It influences the free will, and consequently does this byi truth, and not by force. Oh 1 that! it could be understood that the whole, of spiritual life that is in any man is received direct from the Spirit of Christ by faith, as the branch receives its life from the vine. Away with this religion of resolutions 1 It is a snare of death. Away with this effort to make the life holy while the heart has not in it the love of God. Oh ! that men would learn to look directly at Christ through the Gos- pel, and so close in with Him by an act of loving trust as to involve a universal sympathy with His state of mind. This, and this alone, is sancti- fication. I HOW TO PREACH SO AS TO CONVERT NOBODY. PRES. C.G. FINNEY,,, a ■■*'^%r(Ra!S2^ WILLARD TRACT'-TTEPCrsITORY, Beacon Hill Place, Boston. No. 239 Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. PUBLICATIONS OF THE WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY. GLADNESS IN JESUS. By Rev. Dr. Boardman. Handsomely bound in cloth, gilt, 164 pp. $i.oo. What a precious theme is this ! And that our excel- lent gladsome friend, Dr. Boardman, should have writ- ten a book so full of hallowing, soul-rejoicing inspira- tions, is only as might have been expected. Reader, be sure and get this little volume of one hundred and sixty-four pages; it will greatly assist you in your efforts to serve the Lord with gladness, in case you have not already learned the lesson ; and, if you have, it will help you in your efforts to teach others how to -obey the divine command, " Rejoice evermore." — Guide to Holiness. DOROTHEA TRUDEL; or. The Prayer of Faith. Willi an introduction by Charles Cullis, M. D. Cloth, in Black and Gold, 186 pp. $1.00. Tills is an enlarged and the only complete American edition, bringing the history of the institution founded by Miss Trudel down to the year 1872, and showing some remarkable answers to prayer, in healing the sick. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx HOW TO PREACH SO AS TO CONVERT NOBODY. BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. THE design of this article is to propound several rules, b}^ a steady conformity to any one of which a man may preach so as not to con- vert anybody. It is generally con- ceded at the present day that the Holy Spirit converts souls to Christ by means of truth adaMed to that end. 4 HOW TO PREACH It follows that a selfish preacher will not skillfully adapt means to convert souls to Christ, for this is not his end. Rule ist. Let your supreme mo- tive be to secure your own popularity ; then, of course, your preaching will be adapted to that end, and not to con- vert souls to Christ. 2d. Aim at pleasing, rather than at converting your hearers. 3d. Aim at securing for yourself the reputation of a beautiful writer. 4th. Let your sermons have the following characteristics : — Let them be written with a high de- gree of literary finish. Let them be short, occupying in the TO CONVERT NOBODY. 5 reading not to exceed from twenty to twenty-five minutes. Let your style be flowery, ornate, and quite above the comprehension of the common people. Be sparing of thought, lest your , sermon contain truth enough to con vert a soul. Lest your sermons should make a saving impression, announce no dis- tinct propositions or heads, that will be remembered, to disturb the con- : sciences of your hearers. t Make no distinct points, and take ' no disturbing issues with the con- I sciences of your hearers, lest they remember these issues, and become \ alarmed about their souls. 6 HOW TO PREACH Avoid a logical division and sub- division of your subject, lest you should too thoroughly instruct your people. Give your sermons the form and substance of a flowing, beautifully- written, but never-to-be- remembered essay ; so that your hearers will say, " It was a beautiful sermon," but can give no further account of it. Avoid preaching doctrines that are offensive to the carnal mind, lest they should say of you, as they did of Christ, " This is a hard saying. Who can hear it?" and that you are injur- ing your influence. Denounce sin in the abstract, but make no allusion to the sins of your TO CONVERT NOBODY. • 7 Keep the spirituality of God's holy law, by which is the knowledge of sin, out of sight, lest the sinner should see his lost condition and flee from the wrath to come. Preach the gospel as a remedy, but conceal or ignore the fatal disease of the sinner. Preach salvation by grace ; but ig- ,nore the condemned and lost condition of the sinner, lest he should under- stand what you mean by grace, and feel his need of it. Preach Christ as an infinitely amia ble and good-natured being ; but ig- nore those scathing rebukes of sinners and hypocrites which so often made His hearers tremble. » HOW TO PREACH Avoid especially preaching to those who are prese-.^t. Preach a^ut sin- ners, and not to them. Say they^ and not you, lest any one should make a personal and saving application of your subject. Aim to make your hearers pleased N\'ith themselves and pleased with you, and be careful not to wound the feel- ings of any one. 5th. Preach no searching sermons, lest you convict and convert the worldly members of your church. 6th. Avoid awakening uncomforta- ble memories by reminding your hearers of their past sins. 7th. Do not make the impression that God commands your hearers now and he.r(^ to obev the truth. TO CONVERT NOBODY. C 8th. Do not make the impression that you expect your hearers to com- mit themselves upon the spot and give their hearts to God. 9th. Leave the impression- that they are expected to go away in their sins, and to consider the matter at their convenience. loth. Dwell much upon their in- ability to obey, and leave the impres- sion that they must wait for God to change their natures. I ith. Make no appeals to the fears of sinners ; but leave the impression that they have no reason to fear. i2th. Say so little of hell that your people will infer that you do not believe in its existence. 10 HOW TO PREACH 13th. Make the impression that, if God is as good as you are, He will send no one to hell. 14th. Preach the love of God, but ignore the holiness of His love, that will by -no means clear the im- penitent sinner. 15th. Often present God in His parental love and relations, but ignore His governmental 2,wA legal relations to His subjects, lest the sinner should find himself condemned already and the wrath of God abiding on him. 1 6th. Preach God as all niercy^ lest a fuller representation of His ::haracter should alarm the con- sciences of your hearers. . tyth. Try to convert sinners to TO CONVERT NOBODY. II Christ without producing any uncom fortable convictions of sin. 1 8th. Flatter the rich, so as to re- pel the poor, and you will convert none of either class. 19th. Make no disagreeable allu- sions to the doctrines of self-denial, 'cross-bearing, and crucifixion to the world, lest you should convict and convert some of 3^our church-members. 20th. Admit, either expressly or impliedly^ that all men have some moral goodness in them ; lest sinners should understand that they need a radical change of heart, from sin to holiness. 2ist. Avoid pressing the doctrine of total moral depravitv ; lest you 12 HOW TO PREACH should offend, or even convict and convert, the moralist. 2 2d. Do not rebuke the worldly tendencies of the church, lest you should hurt their feelings, and finally convert some of them. 23d. Should any express anxiety about their souls, do not probe them by any uncomfortable allusion to their sin and ill desert ; but encourage them to join the church at once, and exhort them to assume their perfect safety within the fold. 24th. Preach the love of Christ not as enlightened benevolence, that »s holy, just, and sin-hating ; but as a smtimetit, an involuntary and undis- criminating fondness. TO CONVERT NOBODY. I3 25th. Be sure not to represent re- ligion as a state of loving self-sacrifice for God and souls ; but rather as a free and easy state of self-indulgence. By thus doing you will prevent sound conversions to Christ, and convert your hearers to yourself. 26th. So select your themes and so present them as to attract and flatter the wealthy, aristocratic, self- indulgent, extravagant, pleasure-seek- ing classes, and you will not convert any of them to the cross-bearing re- ligion of Christ. 27th. Be time-serving, or you will endanger your salary ; and, besides, if you speak out and are faithful, you may convert somebody. 14 HOW TO PREACH 28th. Do not preach with a divine unction, lest your preaching make a saving impression. 29th, To avoid this, do not main- tain a close walk with God, but rely upon your learning and study. 30th. Lest you should pray too much, engage in light reading and worldly amusements. 31st. That your people may not think you in earnest to save their . souls, and, as a consequence, heed your preaching, encourage church- -i. fairs, lotteries, and oiho^r gambling and j worldly expedients to raise money for church purposes. . 32d. If you do not yourself approve of such things, make no public men- TO CONVERT NOBODY. 1 5 tion of your disapprobation, lest your church should give them up, and turn their attention to saving souls, and be saved themselves. 33d. Do not rebuke extravagance in dress, lest you should uncomfort- ably impress your vain and \Yorldly church-members. 34th. Lest you should be troubled with revival scenes and labors, encour- age parties^ picnics^ excursions, and 7vorldly amusements, so as to divert attention from the serious work of saving souls. 35th. Ridicule solemn earnest- ness in pulling sinners out of the fire, and recommend, by precept and ex- ample, a iovial, fun-loving religion l6 HOW TO PREACH and sinners will have little respect for your serious preaching. 36th. Cultivate a fastidious taste in your people, by avoiding all dis- agreeable allusions to the last judg- ment and final retribution. 37th. Treat such uncomfortable doctrines as obsolete and out of place in these days of Christian refinement. 38th. Do not commit yourself to much needed reforms, lest you should compromise your popularity and in- jure your influence. Or you may make some branch of outward reform a hobby, and dwell so much upon it as to divert attention from the great work of converting souls to Christ. 39th. So exhibit religion as to en- TO CONVERT NOBODY. \^ courage the selfish pursuit of it. Make the impression upon sinners that their owti safety and happiness is the supreme motive for being reHgious. 40th. Do not lay much stress upon the -efficacy and necessity of prayer, lest the Holy Spirit should be poured out upon you and the congre- gation, and sinners should be con- verted. 41st. Make little or no impres- sion upon your hearers, so that you can repeat your old sermons often without its being noticed. 42d. If your text suggest any alarming thought, pass lightly over it, and by no means dwell upon and enforce it. 1 8 HOW TO PREACH 43d. Avoid all illustrations, repeti- tions, and emphatic sentences that may compel your people to remember what you say. 44th. Avoid all heat ancj earnest- ness in your delivery, lest you make the impression that you really believe what you say. 45th. Address the imagination, and not the conscience, of your hear- ers. 46th. Make it your great aim to be personally /^////^r with all classes of your hearers. 47th. Be tame and timid in pre- senting the claims of God, as would })ecome you in presenting your otvn claims. TO CONVERT NOBODY. ig 48th. Be careful not to testify from your ow7i personal experience ol the power of the gospel, lest you should produce the conviction upon your hearers that you have some- thhig which they need. 49th. See that you say nothing that will appear to any of your hear- ers to mean hwi or her, unless it be something flattering. 50th. Encourage church sociables, and attend them 3^ourself, because they tend so strongly to levity as to compromise Christian dignity and sobriety, and thus paralyze the power of your preaching. 51st. Encourage the cultivation of the social in so many ways as to 20 HOW TO PREACH divert the attention of yourself and your church-members from the infi- nite guilt and danger of the uncon- verted among you. 52d. In those sociables talk a little about religion, but avoid any serious appeal to the heart and con- science of those who attend, lest you should discourage their attendance, always remembering that they do not go to socials to be earnestly dealt with in regard to their relations to God. In this way you will effectually so employ yourself and church-mem- bers as that your preaching will not convert anybody. The experience of ministers who have steadily adhered to the above TO CONVERT NOBODY. 21 rules will attest the soul-destroying efficacy of such a course, and churches whose ministers have steadily con- formed to any of these rules can testify that such preaching does not convert souls to Christ. If souls are converted in congregations cursed with such a ministry, it will be by other means than the preaching. HOW TO ENTER INTO REST. 20 cents a dozen. By the same Author. THE GOVERNMENT SHALI. BE UPON HIS SHOULDER. I AIVI WITH YOU ALTTAY. IS THIS YOU i WILLING AND OBEDIENT. *'A DESERT PLACE" (for those in 8orro'*v). Price of either of the above, 20 cents a dozen. WILLING IN THE DAY OF THY POAVER. By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, i cents ; 20 cents a dozen. OUR FATHER. "We love Him because He first loved us." By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price 3 cents ; 30 cents a dozen. JESUS MY SANCTIFICATION. By J. C Hartshorn. Price, 2 cents; 20 cents a dozen. THE HIGHER CHRISTIAN LIFE, Wliat it is. By Rev. W. E. Boardman. Price, 2 cents . 20 cents a dozen. HOW TO WIN SOULS, PRES. C. G. FIxNNEY. / \> ^" — T .'^^E |>05ji€)rfrY' Beacon Hill Place, Boston. No. 23g Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. now TO ENTER INTO REST. 20 cents a dozen. By the same Autlior. THE GOVERNMENT SHALI. HE I PON HIS SHOULDER. 1 AM WITH YOU ALWAY. IS THIS YOU? WILLING AND OBEDIENT. »'A DESERT PLACE" (for those in sorrow). Price of either of the above, 20 cents a dozen. WIl-LPNG IN THE DAY OF THY POWER. By RussEi-L Sturgis, Jr. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. OUR FATHER. "We love Him because He first loved us." By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, 3 cents ; 30 cents a dozen. JESUS MY SANCTIFICATION. By J. C. Hartshorn. Price, 2 cents; 20 cents a dozen. THE HIGHER CHRISTIAN LIFE, Wliat It is. By Rev. W. E. Boardman. Price, 2 cents; 2o cents a dozen. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx XX xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx XX.'i^X.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.XX HOW TO WIN SOULS. BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. " Take heed unto thyself, arid unto tlie doctrine; con- tinue in them : for in doing this tliou shalt both save thyself, and them tliat hear ihee." — i Tim- iv. 16. I BEG leave in this article to suggest to my younger brethren in the ministry some thoughts on the philosophy of so preaching the gospel as to secure the salvation of souls. They are the result of much study, much prayer for divine teaching, and a practical experience of many years. I understand the admonition at the head of this article to relate to the wa/- /er, 07'det\ and manner of preaching. 4 HOW TO WIN SOULS. Tlie problem is, How shall we win souls wiiolly to Christ ? Certainly we must win til em away from themselves. I St. They are free moral agents, of course ; rational, accountable. 2d. They are in rebellion against God^ wliolly alienated, intensely prejiidiced^ and (:y>;;/;;////^<^ against Him. 3d. They are committed to self-grat- ijicaiion as the end of their being. 4tli. This committed state is moral de- pravity, the foimtain of sin within them, from wliich flow by a natural law all their sinful ways. This committed voluntary state is their " wicked heart." This it is that needs a radical change. 5th. God is infinitely benevolent, and unconverted sinners are supremely selfish ; so that they are radically op- posed to God. Their committal to the -gratification of their appetites and pro- pensities is known in Bible language .IS the "carnal mind ; " or, as in the mar- l^dn, " the minding of the flesh," which is enmity against God. 6lh. This enmity is voluntary, and HOW TO WIN SOULS. 5 must be overcome, if at all, by the Word of God, made effectual by the teadiiu^ of the Holy Spirit. 7th. The gospel is adapted to this end, and when wisely presented we may confidently expect the effectual cooper- ation of the Holy Spirit. This is im- plied in our commission, " Go and dis- ciple all nations, and lo ! I am with you always, even to the end of the world." 8th. If we are unwise, illogical, un- philosophical, and out of all natural order, in presenting the gospel, we have no war- rant for expecting divine cooperation. 9th. In winning souls, as in every- thing else, God works through and in ac- cordance with natural laws. Hence, i we would win souls, we must wisely adapt means to this end. We must present those truths and in that order adapted to the natural laws of mind, of thought and mental agtion. A false mental philosophy will greatly mislead us, and we shall often be found igno- rantly working against the agency of the Holy Spirit. 6 HOW TO WIN SOULS. loth. Sinners must be convicted of their enmity. They do not know God, and consequently are often ignorant of the opposition of their hearts to Him. "' By the law is the knowledge of sin," because by the law the sinner gets his first true idea of God. By. the law he first learns that God is perfectly benevo- lent, and infinitely opposed to all selfish- ness. This law, then, should be arrayed in all its majesty against the selfishness and enmity of the sinner. nth. This law carries irresistible conviction of its righteousness, and no moral agent can doubt it. 1 2th. All men know that they have sinned, but all are not convicted of the ^uilt and /// desert of sin. The many are careless, and do not feel the burden of sin, the horrors and terrors of remorse, and have not a sense of condemnation and of being lost. 13th. But without this they cannot understand or appreciate the gospel meth-od of salvation. One cannot intelli- gently and heartily ask 01 accept a par- HOW TO WIN SOULS. 7 don unlil he sees and feels thefacfcind justice of bis condemnation. "^ 14th. It is absurd to suppose that a careless^ unconvicted sinner z?cci i7itelli- genily and thankfully accept the gospel offer of pardon until he accepts the right- eousness of God in his condemnation. Conversion to Christ is an intelligent change. Hence the conviction of ill desert must precede the acceptance of mercy ; for without this conviction the soul does not understand its need of mercy. Of course, the offer is rejected. The gospel is no glad tidings to the care- less, unconvicted sinner. 15th. The spirituality of the law should be unsparingly applied to the conscience until the sinner's self-righteousness is annihilated, and he stands speechless and self-condemned before a holy God. 1 6th. In some men this conviction is already ripe, and the preacher may at once present Christ, with the hope of His being accepted : but at ordinary times such cases are exceptional. The great mass of sinners are careless, unconvicted, 8 HOW TO WIN SOULS. and to assume tlieir conviction and pre- paredness to receive Ciirist, and, hence, to urge sinners immediately to accept Him, Ts to begin at the wrong end of our .vork — to render our teaching unintelli- gible. And such a course will be found to have been a mistaken one, whatever present appearances and professions may Indicate. The sinner may obtain a hope under such teaching ; but, unless the Holy Spirit supplies something which the preacher has failed to do, it will be found to be a false one. All the essential links of trulli must be supplied. 17th. When the law has done its work, annihilated self-righteousness, and shut the sinner up to the acceptance of mercy, he should be made to understand the delicacy and danger of dispensing with the execution of the penalty when the precept of law has been violated. iSth. Right here the sinner shoulc be made to understand that from the be- nevolence of God he cannot justly infer that God can consistently forgive him. For unlcFs pub"c justice can be satisfied, HOW TO WIN SOULS. Q the law of universal benevolence forbiiis the forgiveness of sin. If public justic c is not regarded in the exercise of mercy, the good of the public is sacrificed to that of the individical. God will never do this. 19th. This teaching will shut the sinner up to look for some offering to public justice. 20th, Now give him the atonement as a revealed fact, and shut him up to Christ as his own sin offering. Press the I'evealed fact that God has accepted the death of Christ as a substitute for the sinner's death, and that this is to be received upon the testimoiiy of God. 2ist. Being already crushed into con- trition by the convicting power of the law, the revelation of the love of God mani- fested in the death of Christ, will natu- rally beget great self-loathing, and that godly sorrow that needeth not to be re- pented of. Under this showing the sin- ner can never forgive himself God is holy and glorious ; and he a sinner, saved by sovereign grace. This teaching may 10 HOW TO WIN SOULS. be more or less formal as tlie souls you address are more or less thoughtful, in- telligeiii, and careful to understand. 22d. It was not by accident that the dispensation of law preceded the dispen- sation of grace ; but it is in the natural ordjer of things, in accordance witli established mental laws, and evermore the law must prejDare the way for the gospel. To overlook this in instruct- ing souls is almost certain to result in false hope, the introduction of a false standard of Christian experience, and to fill the Church with spurious converts. Time will make this plain. 23d. The truth should be preached io the persons present, and so personally applied as to compel every one to feel that you mean ////// or her. As has been often said of a certain preacher : "He does not preach, but explains what other people preach, and seems to be talking directly to ///t'." 24th. This course will rivet attention, and cause your hearers to lose sight of the length of your sermon. Tliey will HOW TO WIN SOULS. II tire if they feel no personal interest in what you say. To secure their individual interest in what you are saying is an indispensable condition of their being converted. And, while their individual interest is thus awakened, and held fast to your subject, they will seldom complain of the length of your sermon. In nearly all cases, if the people complain of the length of our sermons, it is because we fail to interest them pei'sonally in what we say. 25th. if we fail to interest them per- sonally, it is either because we do not address them personally, or because we lack unction and earnestness, or because we lack clearness and force, or certainlj^ because we lack something that we ought to possess. To make them feel that we and that God means tJietii is indispensa- ble. 26th. Do not think that earnest piety alone can make you successful in winning souls. Tiiis is only one condition of suc- cess. There must be common sense, there must be spiritual wisdom in adapt- 12 HOW rO WIN SOULS. ing means to the end. Matter and man- ner and order and tirrje and place all need to be wisely adjusted to the end we have in view. 27th. God may sometimes convert souls by men who are not .spiritually minded, when tliey possess that natural sagacity which enables them to adapt means to that end ; but the Bible warrants us in affirming that these are exceptional cases. Without this sagacity and adap- tation of means to this end a spiritual mind will fail to win souls to Christ. 2Sth. Souls need instruction in accord- ance with the measure of their intelli- gence. A few simple truths, when wisely applied and illuminated by the Holy Ghost, will convert children to Christ. 1 say wisely applied, for they too are sin- ners, and need the application of the law, as a schoolmaster, to bring them to Christ, that they may be justified by faith. It will sooner or later appear that supposed conversions to Christ are spu- rious where the preparatory law work has been omitted, and Christ has not HOW TO WIN SOULS. 1 3 been embraced as a Saviour from sin and condemnation. 29th. Sinners of education and cul- ture, who are, after all, unconvicted and skeptical in their hearts, need a vastly niore extended and thorough application of truth. Professional men need the gospel net to be thrown quite around them, with no break through which they can escape ; and, when thus dealt with, they are all the more sure to be converted in proportion to their real intelligence. I have found that a course of lectures ad- dressed to lawyers, and adapted to their habits of thought and reasoning, is most sure to convert them. 30th. To be successful in winning souls, we need to be observing — to study individual character, to press the facts ot experience, observation, and revelation upon the consciences of all classes. 31st. Be sure to explain the terms you use. Before I was converted, I failed to hear the terms repentance, faith, regen- eration, and conversion intelligibly ex- plained. Repentance was described as a 14 HOW TO WIN SOULS. feeling. Faith was represented as an in- tellectual act or state, and not as a volun- tary act oi trust. Regeneration was rep- resented as some physical change in the nature, produced by the direct power of the Holy Ghost, instead of a voluntary change of the tiltiniate preference of the soul, produced by the spiritual illumina- tion of the Holy Ghost. Even conver- sion was represented as being the work of the Holy Ghost in such a sense as to cover up the fact that it is the sinner's own act, under the persuasions of the Holy Ghost. 32d. Urge the fact that repentance in- volves the voluntary and actual renuncia- tion of all sin ; that it is a radical change of mind toward God. 33d. Also the fact that saving faith is heart trust in Christ ; tliat it works by love, it purifies the heart, and overcomes the world ; that no faith is saving that nas not these attributes. 34th. The sinner is required to put forth certain jnental acts. What these iire he needs to understand. Error in HOW TO WIN SOULS. 1 5 mcntnl ])hilosophy but embarrasses, and may fatally deceive the inquiring soul. Sinners are often put upon a wrong track. They are put upon a strain to feel instead of putting forth the required acts of ivill. Before my conversion I never received from man any intelligible idea of the mental acts that God required of me. 35th. The deceitfulness of sin renders the inquiring soul exceedingly exposed to delusion ; therefore it behooves teachers to beat about every bush, and to search out every nook and corner where a soul can find 'a false refuge. Be so thorough and discriminating as to render it as nearly impossible as the nature of the case will admit that the inquirer should entertain a false hope. 36th. Do not fear to be th.orough. Do not through false pity put on a plaster where the probe is needed. Do not fear that you shall discourage the convicted sinner, and turn him back, by searching him out to the bottom. If the Holy Spirit is dealing with him, the more you 1 6 HOW TO WIX SOULS. search and probe the more impossible it will be for the soul to turn back or rest in sin. 37th. If you would save the soul, do not spare a right hand, or right eye, or any darling idol ; but see to it that every form of sin is given up. Insist upon full confession of wrong, to all that have a right to confession. Insist upon full restitution, so far as is possible, to all injured parties. Do not fall short of the express teachings of Christ on this sub- ject. Whoever the sinner may be, let him distinctly understand that unless he forsakes all that he has he cannot be the disciple of Christ. Insist upon entire and universal consecration of all the powers of body and mind, and of all property, possessions, character, and influence to God. Insist upon the total abandonment to God of all ownership of self, or anything else, as a condition of being accepted. 38th. Understand yourself, and, if possible, make the sinner understand that nothing short of this is involved in HOW TO WIN SOULS. 1 7 true faith or true repentance, and that true consecration involves them all. 39th, Keep constantly before the sin- ner's mind that it is iht personal Christ with whom he is dealing, that God in Christ is seeking his reconciliation to Himself, and that the condition of his rec- onciliation is that he gives up his will and his whole being to God — that he " leave not a hoof behind." 40th. Assure him that " God has given to him eternal life, and this life is in His Son ; " that " Christ is made unto him wisdom, righteousness, sanctifica- tion, and redemption ; " and that from first to last he is to find his whole salva- tion in Christ. 41st. When satisfied that the soul in- telligently receives all this doctrine, and the Christ herein revealed, then remem- ber that he must persevere unto the end, as the further condition of his salvation. Here you have before you the great work of preventing the soul from backsliding, of securing its permanent sanctification and sealing for eternal glory. 15 HOW TO WIN SOULS. 42d. Does not the very common back- sliding in heart of converts indicate some grave defect in the teachings of the pulpit on this subject ? What does it mean that so many hopeful converts, within a few months of their apparent conversion, lose their first love, lose all their fervency in religion, neglect their duty, and live on in name Christians, but in spirit and life worldlings ? 43d. A truly successful preacher must not only win souls to Christ, but must keep them won. He must not only secure their conve permanent sanctification. 44th. Nothing in the Bible is more ex- pressly promised in this life than^^;7;/<3:- iieiit sauctiJicatioH. i Thess. v. 23, 24 : " The very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; and I pray God your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." This is un- questionably a prayer of the apostle for permanent sanctification in this life, with HOW TO WIN SOULS. I9 an express promise that He who has called us will do it. 45th. We learn from the Scriptures that " after we believe " we are, or may be, sealed \\\\\\ the Holy Spirit of promise, and that this sealing is the earnest of our salvation. Eph. i. 13. 14: "In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salva- tion ; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory." This sealing, this earnest of our inheritance, is that which renders our salvation sure. Hence, in Eph. iv. 30, the apostle says : " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." And in 2 Cor. i. 21st and 22d verses, the apostle says : " Now He which establish- eth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." Thus we are establishcd\x\ 20 HOW TO WIN SOULS. Christ and anointed by the Spirit, and also sealedhy the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. And this, remember, is a blessing that we receive after that we believe, as Paul has informed us in his Epistle to the Ephesians, above quoted. Now, it is of the last importance that converts should be taught not to rest short of this permanent sanctification, this sealing, this being established in Christ by the special anointing of the Holy Ghost. 46th. Now, brethren, unless we know what this means by our own experience, and lead converts to this experience, we fail most lamentably and essentially in our teaching. We leave out the very cream and fullness of the Gospel. 47th. It should be understood that while this experience is rare amongst ministers it will be discredited by the churches, and it will' be next to impossi- ble for an isolated preacher of this doc- trine to overcome the unbelief of his church. They will feel doubtful about it, because so few preach it or believe in it ; HOW TO WIN SOULS. 21 and will account for their pastor's insist- ing upon it by saying that his experience is owing to his peculiar temperament, and thus they will fail to receive this anointing because of their unbelief. Under such circumstances it is all the more necessary to insist much upon the importance and privilege of permanent sanctification. 48th. Sin consists in carnal-minded- ness, in " obeying the desires of the flesh and of the mind." Permanent sanctification consists in entire and per- manent consecration to God. It implies the refusal to obey the desire of the flesh or of the mind. The baptism or sealing of the Holy Spirit subdues the power of the desires, and strengthens and confirms Ihewill in resisting the impulse of desire, and in abiding permanently in a state of making the whole bein^; an oflTering to God. 49th. If we are silent upon this sub- ject, the natural inference will be that we do not believe in it, and of course, that we know nothing about it in experience. 22 HOW TO WIN SOULS. This will inevitably be a stumbling-block to the Church. 50th. Since this is undeniably an im- portant doctrine, and plainly taught in the gospel, and is, indeed, the marrow and fatness of the gospel, to fail in teach- ing this is to rob the Church of its richest inheritance. 51st. The testimony of the Church, and to a great extent of the ministry, on the subject has been lamentably defective. This legacy has been withheld from the Church, and is it any wonder that she so disgracefully backslides ? The testi- mony of the comparatively few, here and there, that insist upon this doctrine, is almost nullified by the counter testimony or culpable silence of the great mass of Christ's witnesses. 52d. My dear brethren, my convic- tions are so ripe and my feelings so deep upon this subject that I must not conceal from you my fears that lack of personal experience, in many cases, is the reason of this great defect in preaching the Pfospel. I do not say this to reproach HOW TO WIN SOULS. 23 you ; it is not in my heart to do so. It is not wonderful that many of you, at least, have not this experience. Your religious training has been defective. You have been led to take a different view of this subject. Various causes have operated to prejudice you against this blessed doctrine of the glorious gospel. You have not intellectually be- lieved it ; and, of course, have not re- ceived Christ in His fullness into your hearts. Perhaps this doctrine to you has been a stumbling-block and a rock of offense ; but I pray you let not prejudice prevail, but venture upon Christ by a present acceptance of Him as your wis- dom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, and see if He will not do for you exceeding abundantly, above all that you asked or thought. 53d. No man, saint or sinner, should be left by us to rest or be quiet in the in- dulgence of any sin. No one should be allowed to entertain the hope of heaven, if we can prevent it, who hves in the in- dulgence of known sin in any form. Our 24 HOW TO WIN SOULS. constant demand and persuasion should be, " Be ye holy, for God is holy." " Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Let us remember the man- ner in which Christ concludes His mem- orable Sermon on the Mount. After spreading out those awfully searching truths before His hearers, and demand- ing that they should be perfect, as their Father in heaven was perfect, He con- cludes by assuring them that no one could he saved who did not receive and obey His teachings. Instead of attempt- ing to please our people in their sins, we should continually endeavor to hunt and persuade them out of tb.eir sins. Breth- ren, let us do it, as we would not have our skirts defiled with their blood. If we pursue this course and constantly preach with unction and power, and abide in the fullness of the doctrine of Christ, we may joyfully expect to save ourselves and them that hear us. INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS, -•o5*;o« BY PRES. CHAS, G, FIMEL : -. -3:^^icalSfi^ 239 Fourth Av P^ac. posTOK. t323 Arch SV''-^'';'^' ^^'^ ^'''''^^ Shaftesbury Hal'"-' Philadelphia. L, Toronto, Canada. 1 Times of Refreshing, or, Records of Christian Life and Christian Testinnony. " Times qf Refreshing shall come/rom the Presenc* o/ the Lord." Acts iii. 19. A monthly paper of 16 pages of reading matter, under the above title, is published on the first of each month, at the Willard Tract Repository, Boston and New York. Its object is to present Jesus as a fnll and perfect Saviour, — that His precious blood "cleanseth from all sin ;" to give facts and incidents felative to the work of God in various places, and to urge believers to be " followers of God as deaf chil- I dren." _ ' Among its contributors are Rev. W. E. Coardman, R. P. S., The author of^" How to Enter into Rest," Henry Varley, H. W. S., AlisslMary G. Bralnard, and many other WelUknown writers* TERMS OF TIMES OF REFRESHING. For a single copy for one year- . .' * t! •' twelve copies, . . • '^ " twenty-five copies. Specimen copies sent on application All communications should be addressed to th« ftditor. Beacon Hil?^ Puace, Boston. J39 Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch S T., PiULADBLPHiA. _., ■■ I i.oo i 0.00 m !0.0« ~^ INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. >>«^c fE hear much said, and read much, in these days, of indulging in innocent amusements. I heard a minister, some time since, in addressing a large com- pany of young people, say that he had spent much time in devising innocent amusements for the young. Within a few years I have read several sermons and numerous articles pleading for more amusements than have been customary with religious people. With your consent, I wish to suggest a few thoughts upon this subject— first, what are not, and, secondly, what are /««<7r^«/ amuse- ments ? rst. This is a question of morals. 2d. All intelligent acts of a moral agent must be either right or wrong. Nothing 4 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. is innocent in a moral agent that is not in accordance with the law and gospel of God. 3d. The moral character of any and every act of a moral agent resides in the motive or the ultimate reason for the act. This I take to be self-evident and universally ad- mitted. 4th. Now, what is the rule of judgment in this case ? How are we to decide whether any given act of amusement is right or wrong, innocent or sinful? I answer : ist, By the moral law, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart," etc., " and thy neighbor as thyself." No intelligent act of a moral agent is inno- cent or right unless it proceeds from and is an expression of supreme love to God and equal love to man— in other words, unless it is benevolent. 2d. The Gospel. This requires the same : " Therefore, whether ye eat or drink or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God." " Do all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." 3d. Right reason affirms the same thing. Now, in the light of this nile, it is plain ihat it is not innocent to engage in amusements mere- ly to gratify the desire for amusement. We may not innocently eat or drink to gratify INNOCENT AMUSEMRl^TS. 5 the desire for food or drink. To eat or drink merely to gratify appetite is innocent enough in a mere animal, but in a moral agent it is sin. A moral agent is bound to have a higher ultimate motive — to eat and drink that he may be strong and healthy for the service of God. God has made eating and drinking pleasant to us ; but this pleasure ought not to be our ultimate reason for eating and drinking. So amusements are pleasant, but this does not justify us in seeking amusements to gratify desire. Mere animals may do this innocently, because they are incapable of any higher motive. But moral agents are under a higher law, and are bound to have another and a higher aim than merely to gratify the desire for amusements. Therefore, no amusement is innocent which is engaged in for the pleasure of the amusement, any more than it would be innocent to eat and drink for the pleasure of it. Again, no amusement is innocent that is engaged in because we need amuse- ments. We need food and drink ; but this does not justify us in eating and drinking simply because we need it. The law of God does not say, " Seek whatever ye need because ye need it ; " but, " Do all from love to God and man." A wicked man 6 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. might eat and drink selfishly, that is, to make his body strong to execute his selfish plans. But this eatuig and drinking would be siJi, notwithstanding he needed food and drink. Nothing is innocent unless it proceeds firom supreme love. to God and equal love to man, unless the supreme and ultuiiate motive be to please and honor God. In other word's, to be innocent, any amusement must be en- gaged in, because it is believed to be at the time, most pleasing to God, and is intended to be a service rendered to Him, as that which, upon the whole, will honor Him more than anything else that we can engage in for the time being. I take this to be self-evident. What then ? It follows : 1st. That none but benevolent amusements can be innocent. Fishing and shooting for amusement are not innocent. We may fish and hunt for the same reason that we are allowed to eat and drink — to supply na- ture with aliment, that we may be strong in the service of God. We may hunt to de- stroy noxious animals, for the glory of God and the interests of His kingdom. But fish- ing and hunting to gratify a passion for these sports is not innocent. Again, no amuse- ment can be innocent that involves the INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. 7 squandering of precious time, that might be better employed to the glory of God and the good of man. Life is short. Time is precious. We have but one life to live. Much is to be done. The world is in darkness. A world of sinners are to be enlightened, and, if possible, saved. We are required to work while the day lasteth. Our commis- sion and work require dispatch. No time is to be lost. If our hearts are right, our work is pleasant. If rightly performed, it affords the highest enjoyment and is itself the highest amusement. No turning aside for amusement can be innocent that involves any unnecessary loss of time. No man that realizes the greatness of the work to be done and loves to do it, can turn aside for any amusement involving an unnecessary waste of lime. Again, no amusement can be iimocent that involves an unnecessary expenditure of the Lord's money. All our time and all our money are the Lord's. We are the Lord's. We may innocently use both time and money to promote the Lord's interests and the highest interests of man, which are the Lord's interests. But we may not innocently use either for our own pleasure and gratification. Expensive journeys for our own pleasure and amusement, and not 8 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. indulged in with a single eye to the glory of God, are not innocent amusements, but 'sinful. Again, in the light of the above rule of judgment, we see that no form of amusement is lawful for an unconverted sinner. Nothing in him is innocent. While he remains impenitent and unbelievmg, does not love God and his neighbor accord- ing to God's command, there is for him no innocent employment or amusement ; all is sin. And right here I fear that many are acting under a great delusion. The loose manner in which this subject is viewed by many professors of religion, and even ministers, is surprising and alarming. Some time since, in a sertiion, I remarked that there were no lawful employments or innocent amusements for sinners. An aged clergyman, who was present, said, after service, that it was ridicu- lous to hold that nothing was lawful or innocent in an impenitent sinner. I replied: " I thought you were orthodox. Do you not believe in the universal necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit ? " He re- plied : "Yes." I added : "Do you believe that an unregenerate soul does anything acceptable to God? Before his heart is clianged, does he ever act from a motive INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. 9 that God can accept, in anything what- ever? Is he not totally depraved, in the sense that his heart is all wrong, and there fore his actions must be all wrong? " He appeared embarrassed, saw the point, and subsided. Whatever is lawful in a moral agent or according to the law of God, is right. If any one, therefore, engages lawfully in any employment or in any amusement, he must do so from supreme love to God and equal love to his neighbor ; and is, therefore, not an impenitent sinner, but a Christian. It is simply absurd and a contradiction to say that an impenitent soul does, or says, or omits anything with a right heart. If im- penitent, his ultimate motive must necessari- ly be wrong ; and, consequently, nothing in him is innocent, but all must be sinful. What, then, is an innocent amusement ? It must be that and that only which not only might be but actually is engaged in with a single eye to God's glory and the interests of His kingdom. If this be not the ultimate and supreme design, it is not an innocent, but a sinful amusement. Now, right here is the delusion of many persons, I fear. When speaking of amusements, they say : " Wliat harm is there in them?" In an- lO INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. swering to themselves and others this question, they do not penetrate to the bottom of it. If on the surface they see nothing contrary to morality, they judge that the amusement is innocent. They fail to inquire into the supreme and ultimate motive, in which the innocence or sinfulness of the act is found. But apart from the motive no course of action is either innocent or sinful, any more than the motions of a machine or the acts of a mere animal are innocent or sinful. No act or course of action should, therefore, be adjudged as either innocent or sinful without ascertain- ing the supreme motive of the person who acts. , To teach, either directly or by implication, that any amusement of an impenitent sinner or of a backslider is innocent, is to teach a gross and ruinous heresy. Parents should remember this in regard to the amusements of their unconverted children. Sabbath School teachers and superintendents who are planning amusements for their Sabbath Schools, preachers who spend their time in planning amusements for the young, who lead their flocks to pic-nics, in pleasure ex- cursions, and justify various games, should certainly remember that, unless they are in INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. II a holy state of heart, and do all this from supreme love to God and a design in the highest degree to glorify God thereby, these ways of spending time are by no means innocent, but highly criminal, and those who teach people to walk in these ways are simply directing the channels in which their depravity shall run. For be it ever re- membered that, unless these things are in- dulged in from supreme love to God and designed to glorify Mim ; unless they are, in fact, engaged in with a single eye to the glory of God, they are not innocent, but sin- ful amusements, I must say again, and, if possible, still more emphatically, that it is not enough that they might be engaged in as the best way, for the time being, to honor and please God ; but they must be actually engaged in from supreme love to God, with the ultimate design to glorify Him. If such, then, is the true doctrine of innocent amuse- ments, let no impenitent sinner and no back- slidden Christian suppose for a moment that it is possible for him to engage in any inno- cent amusement. If it were true, as the aged minister to whom I have referred to and many others seem to believe, that im- penitent sinners or backsliders can and do engage in innocent amusements, the very 12 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. eni^aging in such amusements, being law- fully right and innocent in them, would in- volve a change of heart in the unconverted, and a return to God in the backslider. For no amusement is lawful unless it be enaged in as a love-service rendered to God and with design to please and glorify Him, It must not only be a love service ; but, in the judgment of the one who renders it, it must be the best service that, for the time being, he can render to God — a service that will be more pleasing to Him and more useful to His kingdom than any other that can be engaged in at the time. Let these facts be borne in mind when the question of engag- ing in amusements comes up for decision. And remember, the question in all such cases is not, " What harm is there in this proposed amusement ? " but, "What good can it do ? " " Is it the best way in which I can spend my time ? " "Will it be more pleasing to God and more for the interest of His kingdom than anything else at present possible to me?" "If not, it is not an innocent amusement, and I cannot engage in it without sin." The question often arises : " Are we never to seek such amuse- ments ? " I answer : It is our privilege and our duty to live above a desire for such INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. 1 3 things. All that class of desires should be so subdued b)'' living so much in the light' of God, and having so deep a communion with Him as to have no relish for such amuse- ments whatever. It certainly is the privi- lege of every child of God to walk so close- ly with Him, and maintain so divine a communion with Him as not to feel the necessity of worldly excitements, sports, pastimes, and entertainments, to make his enjoyment satisfactory. If a Christian avails himself of his privilege of communion with God, he will naturally and by an instinct of his new nature repel solicitations to go after worldly amusements. To him such pas- times will appear low, unsatisfactory, and even repulsive. If he is of a heavenly mind, as he ought to be, he will feel as if he could not afford to come down and seek enjoyment in worldly amusements. Surely, a Christian must be fallen from his first love; he must have turned back into the world, before he can feel the necessity or have the desire of seeking enjoyment in worldly sports and pastimes. A spiritual mind cannot seek enjoyment in worldly society. To such a mind that society is necessarily repulsive. Worldly society is insincere, hollow, and to a great extent a sham. What relish can a 14 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. spiritual mind have for the gossip of a worldly party of pleasure? None what- ever. To a mind in communion with God their worldly spirit and ways, conversation and folly, is i^epulsive and painful, as it is so strongly suggestive of the downward tenden- cy of their souls, and of the destiny that awaits them. I have had so marked an experience of both sides of this question that I think I cannot be mistaken. Proba- bly but few persons enjoy worldly pleasure more intensely than I did before I was con- verted ; but my conversion, and the spiritual baptism , which immediately followed it, completely extinguished all desire for world- ly sports and amusements. I was lifted at once into entirely another plane of life and another kind of enjoyment. From that hour to the present the mode of life, the pastimes, sports, amusements, and worldly ways that so much deliglited me before, have not only failed to interest me, but I have had a positive aversion to them. I have never felt them necessary to, or even compatible with a truly rational enjoyment. I do not speak boastingly ; but for the honor of Christ and His religion, I must say that my Cliristian life has been a happy one. I have had as much enjoyment as ts probably INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. I5 best for men to have in this life, and never for an hour have I had the desire to turn back and seek enjoyment from anything the woi-ld can give. But some may ask : " Sup- pose we do not find sufficient enjoyment in rehgion, and really desire to go after world- ly amusements. If we have tlie disposition, is it not as well to gratify it? " "Is there any more sin in seeking amusements than in entertaining a longing for them? " I reply that a longing for them should never be entertained. It is the privilege and there- fore the duty of every one to rise, through grace, above a hungering and thirsting for the fleshpots of Egypt, worldly pastimes and time-wasting amusements. The indulgence of such longings is not innocent. One should not ask whether the longing should be gratified, but whether it should not be displaced by a longing for the glory of God and His kingdom. Professed Christians are bound to main- tain a life consistent with their profession. For the honor of religion, they ought to deny worldly lusts ; and not, by seeking to gratify them, give occasion to the world to scoff and say that Christians love the world as well as they do. Tf professors of religion are backslidden in heart, and entertain a l6 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. longing for worldly sports and amusements, they are bound by every consideration of duty and decency to abstain from all out- ward manifestation of such inward lustings. Some have maintained that we should con- form to the ways of the world somewhat — at least, enough to show that we can enjoy the world and religion too ; and that we make religion appear repulsive to uncon- verted souls by turning our backs upon what they call their innocent amusements. But we should represent religion as it really is, — as living above the world, as consisting in a heavenly mind, as that which affords an enjoyment so spiritual and heavenly as to render the low pursuits and joys of worldly men disagreeable and repulsive. It is a sad stumbling-block to the unconverted to see professed Christians seeking pleasure or happiness from this world. Such seeking is a misrepresentation of the religion of Jesus. It misleads, bewilders, and confounds the observing outsider. If he ever reads his Bible, he cannot but wonder that souls who are born of God and have communion with Him should have any relish for worldly ways and pleasures. The fact is that thoughtful unconverted men have little or no confidence in that class of professing Christians who INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. 1 7 seek enjoyment from this world. They may profess to have, and may loosely think of such as being liberal and good* Christians. They may flatter them, and commend their religion as being the opposite of fanaticism and bigotry, and as being such a religion as they like to see ; but there is no real sin- cerity in such professions on the part of the impenitent. In my early Christian life I heard a Methodist bishop from the South report a case that made a deep impression on my mind. He said there was in his neighborhood a slaveholder, a gentleman of fortune, who was a gay and agreeable man, and gave himself much to various field sports and amusements. He used to associ- ate much with his pastor, often invite him to dinner, and to accompany him m his sports and pleasure-seeking excursions of various kinds. The minister cheerfully com- plied with these requests ; and a friendship grew up between the pastor and his parish- ioner that continued till the last sickness of this gay and wealthy man. When the wife of this worldling was apprised that her hus- band could live but a short time she was much alarmed for his soul, and tenderly inquired if she should not call in their minis- 1 8 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. ter to converse and pray with him. He feelingly replied : "No, my dear ; he is not the man for me to see now. He was my companion, as you know, in worldly sports and pleasure- seeking ; he loved good din- ners and a jolly time. I then enjoyed his society and found him a pleasant com- panion. But I see now that I never had any real confidence in his piety, and have now no confidence in the efficacy of his prayers. I am now a dying man, and need the instructioa and prayers of somebody that can prevail with God. We have been much together, but our pastor has never been iii serious earnest with me about the salvation of my soul, and he is not the man to help me now." The wife was greatly affected, and said: "What shall I do, then?" He replied: " My coachman, Tom, is a pious man. I have confidence in his prayers. I have often overheard him pray, when about the barn or stables, and his prayers have al- ways struck me as being quite sincere and earnest. I never heard any foolishness from him. He has always been honest and earnest as a Christian man. Call him." Tom was called, and came within the door, dropping his hat and looking tenderly and compassionately at his dying master. The INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. 1 9 dying man put forth his hand, saying : " Come here, Tom. Take my hand. Tom, can you pray for your dying master? " Tom poured out his soul in earnest prayer. I cannot remember the name of this bishop, it was so long ago ; but the story 1 well re- member as an illustration of the mistake into which many professors and some minis- ters fall, supposing that we recommend religion to the unconverted by mingling with them in their pleasures and their run- ning after amusements. I have seen many illustrations of this mistake. Christians should live so far above the world as not to need or seek its pleasures ; and thus recom- mend religion to the world, as a source of the highest and purest happiness. The peaceful look, the joyful countenance, the spiritual serenity and cheerfulness of a liv- ing Christian recommend religion to the un- converted. Their satisfaction in God, their holy joy, their living above and shunning the ways and amusements of worldly minds, impress the unconverted with a sense of the necessity and desirableness of a Christian life. But let no man think to gain a really Christian influence over another by mani- festing a sympathy with his worldly aspira- tions. 20 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. Now, is this rule a yoke of bondage ? I do not wonder that it has created in some minds not a little disturbance. The pleasure- loving and pleasure-seeking members of the church regard the rale as impracticable, as a straight-jacket, as a bondage. But to whom is it a straight-jacket and a bondage ? To whom is it impracticable ? Surely it is not and cannot be to any who love God with all their heart and their neighbor as themselves. It certainly cannot be so re- garded by a real Christian, for all real Christians love God supremely. Their own interests and their own pleasure are regarded as nothing as compared with the interests and good pleasure of God. They, there- fore, cannot seek amusements unless they believe themselves called of God to do so. By a law of our nature we seek to please those whom we supremely love. Also, by a law of our nature, we find our highest happiness in pleasing those whom we su- premely love ; and we supremely please ourselves when we seek not at all to please ourselves, but to please the object of our supreme affection. Therefore, Christians find their highest enjoyment and their truest pleasure in pleasing God and in seeking the good of their fellow-men ; and they enjoy INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. 21 this service all the more because enjoy- ment is not what they seek, but what they inevitably experience by a law of their na- ture. This is a fact o*f Christian consciousness. The highest and purest of all amusements is found in doing the will of God. Mere worldly amusements are cold and insipid and not worthy of naming in comparison with the enjoyment we find in doing the will of God. To one who loves God supremely it is natural to seek amusements and every- thing else that we do seek, with supreme reference to the glory of God. Why, then, should this rule be regarded too strict, as placing the standard too high, and as being a straight-jacket and a bondage? How, then, are we to understand those who plead so much for worldly amusements ? From what I have heard and read upon this subject within the last few years, I have gathered that these pleaders for amusements have thought that there was more enjoyment to be gained from these amusements than from the service of God. They remind me of a sentence that I used to have as a copy when a school -boy: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." They seem to assume that the service of God is work m 22 INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS. the sense of being a taslc and a burden ; that to labor and pray and preach, to win souls to Christ, to commune with God, and perform the duties of religion is so weari- some, not to say irl.'* / ^l^icalSt^f'^' y WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY. Beacon Hill Place, Boston. No. 239 Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. HOW TO ENTER INTO REST. 20 cents a dozen. By the same Author, THE GOVERNIMKNT SUAT.I. BE UPON HIS SHOULDER. I A1\I WITH YOU AI.WAY. IS THIS YOU? WILLING AND OBEDIENT. "A DESERT PLACE" (for those In sorroAv). Price of eitlier of tlie above, 20 cents a dozen. WILLING IN THE DAY OF THY POWER. By RussKi.L Stukgis, Jr. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. OUR FATHER. "We love Him because He first loved us." By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, 3 cents ; 30 cents a dozen. JESUS MY SANCTIFICATION. By J. C HARTSHOR>f. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. THE HIGHER CHi;iSTIAN LIFE, What It Is. By Rev. W. K. Boardman. Price, 2 cents : 2o cents a dozen. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx XXXXXXXXX'XXXX'XXXXXXXXX xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX IS IT A HARD SAYING? BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. IN a former article I said that the want of an enduement of power from on hipjh should be deemed a dis- qualification for a pastor, a deacon, or elder, a Sabbath-school super- intendent, a professor in a Christian college, and especially for a professor in a theological seminary. Is this a hard saying? Is it an uncharitable 4 IS IT A HARD SAYING ? saying? Is it unjust? Is it un- reasonable ? Is it unscriptural ? Sup- pose any one of the Apostles, or those present on the day of Pentecost, had failed, through apathy, selfishness, unbelief, indolence, or ignorance, to obtain thisenduement of power, would it have been uncharitable, unjijst, un- reasonable, or unscriptural, to have ac- counted him disqualified for the, work which Christ had appointed them? Christ had expressly informed them that without this enduement they could do nothing. He had expressly enjoined it upon them not to attempt it in their own strength, but to tarry at Jerusalem until they received the necessary power from on high. He IS IT A HARD SAYING? 5 had also expressly promised that if they tarried, in the sense which He intended, they should receive it " not many days hence." They evidently understood Him to enjoin upon them to tarry in the sense of a constant waiting upon Him in prayer and suppli- cation for the blessing. Now, suppose that any one of them had stayed away and attended to his own business, and waited for the sovereignty of God to confer this power. He of course would have been disqualified for the work ; and, if his fellow-Christians, who had obtained this power, had deemed him so, would it have been uncharitable, unreasonable, unscrip- lural ? 6 IS IT A HARD SAYING ? And is it not true of all to whom the command to disciple the world is given, and to whom the promise of this power is made, if, through any shortcoming or fault of theirs, they fail to obtain this gift, that they are in fact disqualified for the work, and cbpecially for any official station ? Are they not, in fact, disqualified for leadership in the sacramental host ? Are they qualified for teachers of those who are to do the work ? If it is a fact that they do lack this power, however this defect is to be accounted for, it is also a fact that they are not qualified for teachers of God's people ; and, if they are seen to be disqualified because they lack this power^ it must IS IT A HARD SAYING? 7 be reasonable and right and Scriptural so to deem them, and so to speak of them, and so to treat them. Who has a right to complain? Surely, they have not. Shall the Church of God be burdened with teachers and lead- ers who lack this fundamental qualifi- cation, when their failing to possess it must be their own fault ? The mani- fest apathy, indolence, ignorance, and unbelief that exist upon this subject are truly amazing. They are inexcus- able. They must be highly criminal. With such a command to convert the world ringing in our ears ; with such an injunction to wait in constant, wrestling prayer till we receive the power ; with such a promise, made by 8 IS IT A HARD SAYING? such a Saviour, held out to us of all the help we need from Christ himself, what excuse can we offer for being powerless in this great work ? What an awful responsibility rests upon us, upon the whole Church, upon every Christian ! One might ask. How is apathy, how is indolence, how is the common fatal neglect possible, under such circumstances ? If any of the primitive Christians to whom this com- mandment was given had failed to re- ceive this power, should we not think them greatly to blame ? If such de- fault had been sin in them, how much more in us with all the light of history and of fact blazing upon us, which they had not received ? Some minis- IS IT A HARD SAYING? 9 ters and many Christians treat this matter as if it were to be left to the sovereignty of God, without any per- sistent effort to obtain this endue- ment. Did the primitive Christians so understand and treat it ? No irideed. They gave themselves no rest till this baptism of power came upon them. I once heard a minister preaching upon the subject of the bap- tism of the Holy Ghost. He treated it as a reality ; and when he came to the question of how it was to be obtained, he said truly that it was to be obtained as the Apostles obtained it on the day of Pentecost. I was much gratified, and listened eagerly to hear him press the obligation on his 10 IS IT A HARD SAYING? hearers to give themselves no rest till they had obtained it. But in this I was disappointed: for before he sat down he seemed to relieve the audi- ence from the feeling of obligation to obtain the baptism, and left the im- pression that the matter was to be left to the discretion of God, and said what appeared to imply a censure of those that vehemently and persistently urged upon God the fulfillment of the promise. Neither did he hold out to them the certainty of their obtaining the blessing if they fulfilled the con- ditions. The sermon was in most respects a good one : but I think the audience left without any feeling of encouraccement or sense of obligation IS IT A HARD SAYING? II to seek earnestly the baptism. This is a common fault of the sermons that I hear. There is much that is in- structive in them ; but they fail to leave either a sense of obligation or a feeling of great encouragement, as to the use of means, upon the congre- gation. They are greatly defective in their winding up. They neither leave the conscience under a pressure nor the whole mind under the stimulus of hope. The doctrine is often good, but the " what then } " is often left out. Many ministers and professors of religion seem to be theorizing, criticising, and endeavoring to justify their neglect of this attainment. So did not the Apostles and other Chris- 12 IS IT A HARD SAYING ? lians. It was not a question which I hey endeavored to grasp with their intellects before they embraced it with their hearts. It was N^'ith them, as it should be with us, a question of faith in a promise. I find many persons endeavoring to grasp with •.heir intellect and settle as a theory questions of pure experience. They are puzzling themselves with endeav- ors to apprehend with the intellect that which is to be received as a conscious experience through faith. There is need of a great reformation in the Church on this particular point. The churches should wake up to the facts in the case, and lake a new position, a firm stand in regard to the IS IT A HARD SAYING ? I J qualifications of ministers and church officers. They should refuse to settle a man as pastor, of whose qualifi- cations for the office in this respect they are not well satisfied. Whatever else he may have to recommend him, if his record does not show that he has this enduement of power to win souls to Christ, they should deem him unqualified. It used to be the custom of churches, and I believe in some places is so still, in presenting a call to the pastorate, to certify that, having witnessed the spiritual fruits of his labors, they deem him qualified and called of God to the work of the minis- try. Churches should be well satisfied in some way that they call a fruitful 14 IS IT A HARD SAYING? minister, and not a dry stalk — that is, a mere intellect, a mere head with little heart ; an elegant writer, but with no unction ; a great logician, but of little faith ; a fervid imagination, it may be, with no Holy Ghost power. The churches should hold the theological seminaries to a strict ac- count in this matter ; and until they do, I fear the theological seminaries will never wake up to their responsi- bility. Some years since, one branch of the Scotch Church was so tried with the want of unction and power in the ministers furnished them by their theological seminary, that they passed a resolution that until the seminary reformed in this respect they would IS IT A HARD SAYING? I5 not employ ministers that were edu- cated there. This was a necessary, a just, a timely rebuke, which I believe had a very salutary effect. A theo- logical seminary ought by all means to be a school not merely for the teaching of doctrine ; but • also and even more especially for the develop- ment of Christian experience. To be sure the intellect should be well furnished in those schools ; but it is immeasurably more important that the pupils should be led to a thorough personal knowledge of Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, and to be made conformable to His death. A theological seminary that aims mainly l6 IS IT A HARD SAYING ? at the culture of the intellect, and sends out learned men who lack this enduement of power from on high, is a snare and a stumbling-block to the Church. The seminaries should rec- ommend no one to the churches, however great his intellectual attain- ments, unless he has this most essen- tial of all attainments, the enduement of power from on high. The semi- naries should be held as incompe- tent to educate men for the ministry if it is seen that they send out men as ministers who have not this most essential qualification. The churches should inform themselves, and look to those seminaries which furnish not merelv the best educated, but the IS IT A HARD SAYING ? I7 most unctuous and spiritually pow- erful ministers. It is amazing that while it is generally admitted that the enduement of power from on high is a reality, and essential to minis- terial success, practically it should be treated by the churches and by the schools as of comparatively little im- portance. In theory it is admitted to be everything ; but in practice treated as if it were nothing. From the Apostles to the present day it has been seen that men of very little human culture, but endued with this power, have been highly successful in win- ning souls to Christ : whilst men of the greatest learning, with all that the schools have done for them, have been l8 IS IT A HARD SAYING ? powerless so far as the proper work of the ministry is concerned. And yet we go on laying ten times more stress on human culture than we do on the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Practically human culture is treated as infinitely more important than the enduement of power from on high. The seminaries are furnished with learned men, but often not with men of spiritual power ; hence, they do not insist upon this enduement of power as indispensable to the work of the ministry. Students are pressed almost beyond endurance with study and the culture of the intellect, while scarcely an hour in a day is given to instruc- tion in Christian experience. Indeed, IS IT A HARD SAYING? I9 I do not know that so much as one course of lectures on Christian ex- perience is given in the theological • seminaries. But religion is an experi- ence. It is a consciousness. Per- sonal intercourse with God is the secret of the whole of it. There is a world of most essential learning in this direction wholly neglected by the theological seminaries. With them doctrine, philosophy, theology, church history, sermonizing, are everything, and real heart-union with God nothins:. Spiritual power to prevail with God and to prevail with' man has but little place in their teaching. I have often been surprised at the judgment men form in regard to the prospective 20 IS IT A HARD SAYING? usefulness of young men preparing for the ministry. Even professors are very apt, I see, to deceive them- selves on this subject. If a young man is a good scholar, a fine writer, makes good progress in exegesis, and stands high in intellectual culture, they have strong hopes of him, even though they must know in many such cases that these young men cannot pray ; that they have no unction, no power in prayer, no spirit of wrestling, of agonizing, and prevailing with God. Vet they are expecting them, because of their culture, to make their mark in the ministry, to be highly useful. For my part, I expect no such thing of this class of men. I have infinitely IS IT A HARD SAYING? 21 more hope of the usefulness of a man who, at any cost, will keep up daily intercourse with God ; who is yearning for and struggling after the highest pos- sible spiritual attainment; who will not live without daily prevalence in prayer and being clothed with power from on high. Churches, presby- teries, associations, and whoever li- cense young men for the ministry, are often very faulty in this respect. They will spend hours in informing them- selves of the intellectual culture of the candidates ; but scarcely as many minutes in ascertaining their heart culture, and what they know of the power of Christ to save from sin, what they know of the power of 22 IS IT A HARD SAYING ? prayer, and whether and to what ex- tent they are endued with power from on high to win souls to Christ. The whole proceeding on such occasions cannot but leave the impression that human learning is preferred to spirit- ual unction. Oh ! that it were differ- ent, and that we were all agreed, prac- tically, now and forever, to hold fast to the promise of Christ, and never think ourselves or anybody else to be fit for the great work of the Church till we have received a rich endue- ment of power from on high. I beg of my brethren, and especially my younger brethren, not to conceive of these articles as written in the spirit of reproach. I beg the churches, I IS IT A HARD SAYING? • 23 beg the seminaries, to receive a word of exhortation from an old man, who has had some experience in these things, and one whose heart mourns and is weighed down in view of the shortcomings of the Church, the min- isters, and the seminaries on this subject. Brethren, I beseech you to more thoroughly consider this matter, to wake up and lay it to heart, and rest not till this subject of the endue- ment of power from on high is brought forward into its proper place, and takes that prominent and practical position in view of the whole Church that Christ designed it should. POWER FROM ON HIGH, PRES. .a GrjFI-Nt^EY. /N>' -—- ■■-', X WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY, Beacon Hill Place, Boston. No. 239 Fourth Avenue, New York-. 1323 Arch St., PiiiLADELPHiA. Smaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. PUBLICATIONS OK THE WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY. GLADNESS IN JESUS. By Rev. Dr. Boardman. Handsomely bound in cloth, gilt, 164 pp. $1.00. What a precious theme is this ! And that our excel- lent gladsome friend, Dr. Boardman, should have writ- ten a book so full of hallowing, soul-rejoicing inspira- tions, is only as might have been expected. Reader, be sure and get this little volume of one hundred and sixty-four pages; it will greatly assist you in your efforts to serve the Lord with gladness, in case you have not already learned the lesson ; and, if you have,' it will help you in your efforts to teach others how to obey the divine command, "Rejoice evermore." — Guide to Holiness. DOROTHEA TRUDEL; or, The Prayer of Faith. With an introduction by Charles Cullis, M. D. Cloth, in Black and Gold, 1S6 pp. $1.00. This is an enlarged and tlie only complete American edition, bringing the history of the institution founded by Miss Trudel down to tiie year 1872, and showing some remarkable answers to prayer, in healing the tick. XXXXXXXXX^'XXX.XXXXXXXXX xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx POWER FROM ON HIGH. BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. PLEASE permit me through your columns to correct a misappre- hension of some of the members of the late Council at Oberlin of the brief re- marks which I made to them ; first on Saturday morning, and afterwards on the Lord's Day. In my first remarks to them I called attention to the mission of the Church to disciple all nations, as recorded by Matthew and Luke, and 4 POWER FROM ON HIGH. stated that this commission was given by Christ to the whole Church, and that every member of the Church is under obligation to make it his life- work to convert the world. I then raised two inquiries : i. W^hat do we need to secure success in this great work ? 2. How can we get it ? Answer, i. We need the endue- ment of power from on high. Christ had previously informed the disciples that without Him they could do nothing. When He gave them the commission to convert the world, He added, " But tarry ye in Jerusalem till ye be endued with power from on high. Ye shall be baptized with the POWER FROM ON HI(}H. 5 Holy Ghost not many days hence. Lo, I send upon you the promise of my Father." This baptism of the Holy Ghost, this thing promised by the Father, this endue ment of power from on high, Christ has expressly informed us is the indispensable con- dition of performing the work which he has set before us. 2. How shall we get it? Christ expressly promised it to the whole Church, and to every individual whose duty it is to labor for the conversion of the world. He admonished the first disciples not to undertake the work until they had received this endue- ment of power from on high. Both the 6 POWER FROM ON HIGH. promise and the admonition apply equally to all Christians of every age and nation. No one has, at any time, any right to expect success, unless he first secures this enduement of power from on high. The example of the first disciples teaches us how to secure this enduement. They first consecrated themselves to this work, and continued in prayer and supplication until the Holy Ghost fell upon them, on the Day of Pentecost, and they received the promised enduement of power from on high. This, then, is the way to get It. The Council desired me to say more upon this subject ; consequently, on POWER FROM OX HIGH. 7 the Lord's Day, 1 took for my text the assertion of Christ, that the Father is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than we are to give good gifts to our children. 1. I said, This text informs us that it is infinitely easy to obtain the Holy Spirit, or this enduement of power from the Father. 2. That this is made a constant subject of prayer. Everybody prays for this, at all times, and yet, with all this intercession, how few, compara- tively, are really endued with this spirit of power from on high ! This want is not met. The want of powei is a subject of constant complaint 8 POWER FROM ON HIGH. Christ says, " Every one that asketh receiveth," but there certainly is a "great gulf" between the asking and receiving, that is a great stumbling- block to many. How, then, is this discrepancy to be explained ? I then proceeded to show why this endue- ment is not received. I said, (i.) We are not ivilling, upon the whole, to have what we desire and ask. (2.) God has expressly informed us, that if we regard iniquity in our hearts He will not hear us. But the petitioner is often self-indulgent. This is iniquity, and God will not hear him. (3.) He is uncharitable. (4.) Censorious. (5.) Self-dependent. (6.) Resists POWER FROM ON HIGH. 9 conviction of sin. (7,) Refuses to confess to all the parties concerned. (8.) Refuses to make restitution to injured parties. (9.) He is preju- diced and uncandid. (10.) He is resentful, (n.) Has a revengeful spirit. (t2.) Has a worldly ambition (13.) He has committed himself on some point, and become dishonest, and neglects and rejects further light. (14.) He is denominationally selfish. (15.) Selfish for his own congre- gation. (16.) He resists the teach- ings of the Holy Spirit. (17.) He grieves the Holy Spirit by dissension. (18.) He quenches the Spirit by persistence in justifying wrong. (19.) 10 POWER FROM 0\ HIGH. He grieves Him by a want of watch- fulness. (20.) He resists Him by in- dulging evil tempers. (21.) Also by dishonesties in business. (22.) Also by indolence and impatience In wait- ing upon the Lord. (23.) By many forms of selfishness. (24.) B3Miegli- gence in business, in study, in prayer. (25.) By undertaking too much busi- ness, too much study, and too little prayer. (26.) By a want of entire consecration. (27.) Last and greatest, by unbelief. He prays for this endue- ment without expecting to receive it. " He that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar." This, then, is the greatest sin of all. What an insult, POWER p-ROiM ON HIGH. 11 what a blasphemy, to accuse God of lying ! I was obliged to conclude that these and other forms of indulged sin explained why so little is received, while so much is asked. I said I had not time to present the other side. Some of the brethren afterward in- quired, "What is the other side?" The other side presents the certainty that we shall receive the promised enduement of power from on high, and be successful in winning souls, if we ask, and fulfill the plainly re- vealed conditions of prevailing prayer. Observe, what I said upon the Lord's' Day was upon the same subject, and 12 POWER FROM ON HIGH. in addition to wliat I had previously said. The misapprehension alluded to was this : If we first get rid of all these forms of sin, which prevent our receiving this enduement, have we not already obtained the blessing ? What more do we need ? Afiswer. There is a great difference between the peace and the power of the Holy Spirit in the soul. The dis- ciples were Christians before the Day of Pentecost, and as such, had a measure of the Holy Spirit. They must have had the peace of sins for- given, and of a justified state, but yet they had not the enduement of power necessary to the accomplishment of POWER FROM OX HIGH. 13 the work assigned them. They had the peace which Christ had given them, but not the power which He had promised. This may be true of all Christians, and right here is, I think, the great mistake of the Church, and of the ministry. They rest in conver- sion^ and do not seek until they obtain this enduement of power from on high. Hence so many professors have no power with either God or man. They prevail with neither. They cling to a hope in Christ, and even enter the ministry, overlooking the admonition to wait until they are endued with power from on high. But, let any one bring all the tithes u POAVF.U FROM OX HIGH. and offerings into God's treasuiy, let him lay all upon the altar, and prove God herewith, and he shall find that God " will open the windows of heaven, and pour him out a blessing that there sliall not be room enough to receive it." HOW TO ENTER IXTO REST. 20 cents a dozen. By the same Author. THE GOVERNMENT SHAI.li RE UPON HIS SHOULDER. I AM AYTTH YGU AEWAY. IS THIS YOU ? AVIEEING AND OBEDIENT. "A DESERT PEACE" (for those In sorrovt')* Price of either of the above, 20 cents a dozen. WILLING IN THE DAY OF THY POWER. By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. OUR FATHER. "We love Him because He first loved us." By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price 3 cents ; 30 cents a dozen. JESUS MY SANCTIFICATION. By J. C Hartshorn. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. THE HIGHER CHRISTIAN LIFE, Wliai it is. By Rev. W. E. Boardman. Price, 2 cents 20 cents a dozen. rOWER FROM ON HIGH: WHAT IS IT? BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. <6/ j WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY, Beacon Hill Place, Boston. 239 Fourth Avenle, New York. PUBLICATIONS OF THE WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY. GLADNESS IN JESUS. By Rev. Dr. Boardman. Handsomely bound in cloth, gilt, 164 pp. $1.00. What a precious theme is this ! And that our excel- lent gladsome friend, Dr. Boardman,* should have writ- ten a book so full of hallowing, soul-rejoicing inspira- tions, is only as might have been expected. Reader, be sure and get this little volume of one hundred anc sixty-four pages; it will greatly assist you in you; efforts to serve the Lord with gladness, in case yoi have not already learned the lesson ; and, if you havC; it will help you in your efforts to teach others how tc obey the divine command, "Rejoice evermore." '— Guide to Ifoliness. DOROTHEA TRUDEL; or, Tlie Prayer of Faith, With an introduction by Chart,es Cullis, M D, Cloth, in Black and Gold, 186 pp. $i.oo. Tins is hn enlarged and the only complete American edition, bringing the history of the institution founded by Miss Tnidel down to the year 1S7.-?. and showing some remarkable -Jiswers to prayer, in healing the nick. POWER FROAl ON HIGH: WHAT IS IT? BY PRES. C. G. FINNEY. The apostles and brethren, on the Day of Pentecost, received it. What did they receive ? What power did they exercise after that event ? They received a powerful baptism of the Holy Ghost, a vast increase of divine illumination. This baptism imparted a great diversity of gifts, that were used for the accomplishment of their work. It manifestly included the foil® wing things : The power of a holy life. The power of a self- 4 POWER FROM ON HIGH : sacrificing life. (The manifestation of these must have had great in- fluence with those to whoni they proclaimed the gospel.) I'he power of a cross-bearing life. The power of great meekness, which "this baptism enabled them everywhere to exhibit. The power of a loving enthusiasm in proclaiming the gospel. The power of teaciii ng. The power of a loving and living faith. The gift of tongues. An increase of power to work miracles. The gift of inspiration, or the reve- lation of many truths before unrecog- nized by them. The power of moral courage, to proclaim the gospel and do the bidding of Christy whatever it cost them. In their circumstances, all these enduements were essential to their success ; but neither separately nor all together did they constitute that power from on high which Christ 6 POWER FROM ON HIGH : principally, this power to savingly impress men. It was manifested right upon the spot. They began to ad- dress the multitude ; and, wonderful to tell, three thousand were converted the same hour. But, observe, here was no new power manifested by them upon this occasion, save the gift of tongues. They wrought no mir-. acle . at that time, and used these tongues simply as the means of mak- ing themse^lves understood. Let it be noted that they had not had time to exhibit any other gifts of the Spirit which have been above named. They had not at that time the advantage of exhibiting a holy life, or an}^ of the powerful graces and gifts of the Spirit. What was said on the occasion, as recorded in the gospel, could not have made the impression that it did, had it not been uttered by them with ^ ne.w power to make a sa"\/iag i.mp5ti« 6 POWER FROM ON HIGH : principally, this power to savingl}^ impress men. It was manifested right upon the spot. They began to ad- dress the multitude ; and, wonderful to tell, three thousand were converted the same hour. But, observe, here was no new power manifested by them upon this occasion, save the gift of tongues. They wrought no mir- acle at that time, and used these tongues simply as the means of mak- ing themseflves understood. Let it be noted that they had not had time to exhibit any other gifts of the Spirit which have been above named. They had not at that time the advantage of exhibiting a holy life, or any of the powerful graces and gifts of the Spirit. What was said on the occasion, as recorded in the gospel, could not have made the impression that it did, had it not been uttered by them with 9. ne.w power to make a savin^i i.mprt*^ WHAT IS IT ? 7 sion upon the people. This power was not the power of inspiration, for they only declared certain facts of their own knowledge. It was not the power of human learning and culture, for they had but little. It was not the power of human eloquence, for there appears to have been but little of it. It was God speaking in and through them. It was a power from on high — God in them making a saving impression upon those to whom they spoke. This power to savingly impress abode with and upon them. It was, doubtless, the great and main thing promised by Christ, and received by the apostles and primitive Chris- tians. It has existed, to a greater or less extent, in the Church ever since. It is a mysterious fact often mani- fested in a most surprising manner. Sometimes a single sentence, a word, a gesture, or even a look, will convey this power in an overcoming manner 8 POWER FROM ON HIGH : To the honor of God alone I will say a little of my own experience in this matter. I was powerfully con- verted on the morning of the loth of October. In the evening of the same day, and on the morning of the follow- ing day, I received overwhelming baptisms of the Holy Ghost, that went through me, as it seemed to me, body and soul. I immediately found my- self endued with such power from on high that a few words dropped here and there to individuals* were the means of their immediate conversion. My words seemed to fasten like barbed arrows in the souls of men. They cut like a sword. They broke the heart like a hammer. ]\Iultitudes can attest to this. Oftentimes a word dropped, without my remembering it, would fasten conviction, and often result in almost immediate conver- sion. Sometimes I would find myself, WHAT IS IT? 9 in a great measure, empty of this power. I would go out and visit, and find that I made no saving impres- sion. I would exhort and pray, with the same result. I would then set apart a day for private fasting and prayer, fearing that this power had departed from me, and would inquire anxiously after the reason of this ap- parent emptiness. After humbling myself, and crying out for help, the power would return upon me with all its freshness. This has been the ex- perience of my life. I could fill a volume with the history of my own experience and observation with respect to this power from on high. It is a fact of consciousness and of observation, but a great m3's- )ery. I have said that sometimes a lOok has in it the power of God. I have often witnessed this. Let the followins: fact illustrate it. I once 10 POWER FROM ON HIGH : preaclied, for the first time, in a manu- facturing village. The next morning I went into a manufacturing establish- ment, to view its operations. As I passed into the weaving department, I beheld a great company of young women, some of whom, 1 observed, were looking at me, and then at each other, in a manner that indicated a trifling spirit, and that they knew me. I, however, knew none of them. As I approached nearer to those who had recognized me, they seemed to in- crease in their manifestations of lip:ht- ness of mind. Their levity made a peculiar impression upon me ; I felt it to my very heart. I stopped short and looked at them ; I know not how, as my whole mind was absorbed with the sense of their guilt and danger. As I settled my countenance upon them, I observed that one of them be- came very much agitated. A thread WHAT IS IT ? II broke. She attempted to mend it ; but her hands trembled in such a manner that she could not do it. I immediately observed that the sensa- tion was spreading, and had become universal amonp; that class of triflers I looked steadily at them, until one after another gave up, and paid no more attention to their looms. They fell on their knees, and the influence spread throughout the whole room. I had not spoken a word; and the noise of the looms would have pre- vented my being heard, if I had. In a few minutes all work was abandoned, and tears and lamentations filled the room. At this moment the owner of the factory, who was himself an un- converted man, came in, accompanied, I believe, by the superintendent, who was a professed Christian. When the owner saw the state of things, he said to the superintendent, " Stop the 12 POWER FROM OX HIGH ! mill." What he saw seemed to pierce him to the heart. " It is more important," he hurriedly remarked, " that these souls should be saved than that this mill should run." As soon as the noise of the machinery had ceased, the owner inquired : "What shall we do? We must have a place to meet, where we can receive instruction." The superintendent re- plied: "The mule-room will do." The miiles were run up out of the way, and all of the hands were noti- fied and assembled in that room. We had a marvelous meeting. I prayed with them, and gave them such instructions -as at the time they could bear. The word was with power. Many expressed hope that day ; and within a few days, as I was informed, nearly every hand in that great establishment, together with the owner, had hope in Christ. WHAT IS IT? 13 This power is a great marvel. I have many times seen people unable to endure the word. The most simple and ordinary statements would cut men off from their seats like a sword, would take away their bodily strength, and render them almost as helpless as dead men. Several times it has been true in my experience that I could not raise my voice, or say any- thing in prayer or exhortation, except in the mildest manner, without wholly overcoming those that were present. This was not because I was preaching terror to the people ; but the sweet- est sounds of the gospel would over- come them. This power seems some- times to pervade the atmosphere of one who is highly charged with it. Many times great numbers of persons in a community will be clothed with this power when the very atmosphere of the whole place seems to be 14 POWER FROM ON HIGH. charo^ed with the hfe of God. Strangers coming into it, and passing through* the place, will be instantly smitten! with conviction of sin, and in many instances converted to Christ. When Christians humble themselves, and consecrate their all afresh to Christ, and ask for this power, they will often receive such a baptism that they will be instrumental in converting more souls in one day than in all their life- time before. While Christians re- main humble enough to retain this power the work of conversion will go on, till whole communities and regions of country are converted to Christ. The same is true of ministers. But you this article is long: enough. If will allow me, I have more to say Ufjon this subject. HOVr TO ENTER INTO KEST. 20 cent3 a dozen. J By the same Author. THE GOVERN :«ENT SHALIi BE UPON HIS SHOULDER. I A.^I AVITH YOU ALWAY. IS THIS YOU? TTILLING AND OBEDIENT. <'A DESERT PLACE" (for those In sorro^v). Price of either of the above, 20 cents a dozen. WILLING IN THE DAY OF THY POWER. By Russell Stukgis, Jr. Price, a cents ; 20 cents a dozen. OUR FATHER. "We love Him because He first loved us." By Russell Stukgis, Jr. Price, 3 cents ; 30 cents a dozen. JESUS MY SANCTIFICATION. By J. C Hartshorn. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. THE HIGHER CHRISTIAN LIFE, Wliat y i?:. By Rev. W. E. Boardman. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. POWER FROM ON HIGH WHO MAY EXPECT THE ENDUEMENT. PRES. C. tS'^INNtVf^^'"/-^^ WILLARD f-RACi-^^k^fj^^y'i:-^! Beacon Hill Placb, Boston; ' | No. 23g Fourth Avenue, New York. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. i Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. | HOW TO ENTER INTO REST. 20 cents a dozen. By the same Author. THE GOVERNMENT SHALT. BE UPON HIS SHOULDER. I AM WITH YOU AT.WAY. IS THIS YOU? WILLING ANP OBEDIENT. "A DESERT PLACE" (for those In sorrow). Price of either of the above, 20 cents a dozen. WILLING IN THE DAY OP THY POWER. By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. OUR FATHER. "We love Him because He first loved us." By Russell Sturgis, Jr. Price, 3 cents ; 30 cents a dozen. JESUS MY SANCTIFICATION. By J. C. Hartshorn. Price, 2 cents; 20 cents a dozen. THE HIGHER CHRISTIAN LIFE, What it is. By Rev. W. E. Boardman. Price, 2 cents ; 20 cents a dozen. (g ^jj)^^jK)^^ ^Hyn^HS #tsiH^Hi:> #e healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (/.) Perseverence or persistence in prayer is often a condition of prevailing. See tlie case of Jacob, of Daniel, of Elijah, of the Syrophenician woman, of tiie unjust judge, and the teaching of the Bible generally. {(/.) Travail of soul is often a condition of prevailing prayer. "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." 12 PREVAILING PRAYER. '* My little children," said Paul, *< for whom ■ I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed I in you." This implies that he had travailed in birth for them before they were converted. Indeed, travail of soul in -prayer is the only real revival prayer. If any one does not know what this is, he does not understand || the spirit of prayer. He is not in a revival I state. lie does not understand the passage already quoted— Rom. viii. 26, 27. Until he understands this agonizing prayer he does i' not know the real secret of revival power. [ (r.) Another condition of pre\'ailing prayer is the consistent use of means to secure the I object prayed for, if means are within our reach, and are known by us to be necessary to the securing of the end. To pray for a revival of religion, and use no other means, is to tempt God. This, I could plainly see, was the case of those who oflered prayer in the prayer-meeting of which I have spoken. They continued to offer prayer for a revival of religion, but out of meeting they were PREVAILING PRAYER. 13 silent as death on the subject, and opened not their moutiis to those around them. They continued this inconsistency until a prominent impenitent man in the community adminis- tered to them in ipy presence, a terrible re- buke, lie expressed just what I deeply felt. He rose, and with the utmost solemnity and tearfulness, said T '* Christian people, what can you mean? You continue to pray in these meetings for a re\^val of religion. You often exhort each other here to wake up and use means to promote a revival. You assure each other, and assure us who are impeni- tent, that we are in the way to hell ; and I believe it. You also insist that if you should wake up, and use the appropriate means, there would be a revival, and we should be converted. You tell us of our great danger, and that our souls are worth more than all worlds ; and yet you keep about your com- paratively trifling employments a;nd use no such means. We have no revival and our souls are not saved.'* Here he broke down 14 PREVAILING PRAYER. and fell, sobbing, back into his seat. This rebuke fell heavily upon that prayer-meet- ing, as I shall ever remember. It did them good ; for it was not long before the mem- bers of that prayer-meetir;g broke down, and we had a revival. I was present in the first meeting in which the revival spirit was manifest. Oh ! how changed was the tone of their prayers, confessions, and supplica- tions. I remarked, in returning home, to a friend: "What a change has come over these Christians. This must be the be- ginning of a revival." Yes; a wonderful change comes over all the meetings when- ever the Christian people are revived. Then their confessions mean something. They mean reformation and restitution. They mean work. They mean the use of means. They mean the opening of their pockets, their hearts and hands, and the devotion of all their powers to the promotion of the work. \ (.r.) Prevailing prayer is specific. It Js ofiereJ for a definite object. We cannot PREVAILING PRAYER. 1 5 prevail for ever}'thing at once. In all the cases recorded in the Bible in which prayer was answered, it is noteworthy that the pe- titioner prayed for a definite object. {/. ) Another condition of prevailing prayer is that we mean what we say in prayer ; that we make no false pretences ; in short, that we are entirely childlike and sincere, speak- ing out of tiie heart nothing more nor less than we mean, feel, and believe. {u.) Another condition of prevailing prayer is a state of mind that assumes the good faith of God in all His promises. {v.) Another condition is " watching un- to prayer" as well as "praying in the Holy Ghost." By this I mean guarding against everything that can quench or grieve the Spirit of God in our hearts. Also watching for the answer, in a state of mind that will dihgently use all necessary means, at any expense, and add entreaty to entreaty. ' WTien the fallow ground is thoroughly broken up in the hearts of Christians, when 1 6 PREVAILING PRAYER. they have confessed and made restitution — if the work be thorough and honest — they will naturally and inevitably fulfill the con- ditions, and will pre\':ail in prayer. But it cannot be too distinctly understood that none others will. What we commonly hear in prayer and conference meetings is not pre- vailing prayer. It is often astonishing and lamentable to witness the delusions that pre- vail upon the subject. WTio that has wit- nessed real revivals of religion has not been struck with the change that comes over tlie whole spirit and manner of the prayers of really revived Christians? I do not think I ever could have been converted if I had not discovered the solution of the question : "Wliy is it that so much that is called prayer is not answered ? ' ' WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY, Beacon Hill Place, Doston. No. 239 louRTH Avenue, New York. 1323 AnCH S-., P"ILADEI.PIIl.\. ?HAFTK,snuRV Mall, Toronto, Canada. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH, BYPRES. CHAS.G. FINNEY,,.-. WILLARD TRAC'r-'i^EFdllTOi&Y;'^' Beacon Hill Place, Boston. No. 230 Fourth Avenue, New Yokic. 1323 Arch St., Philadelphia. Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canaha. TRACTS BY PRES. FINNEY. Potver from on High, Power from on High, What is it ? The Enduement of tlie Spirit, Enduement of Eoiver from on High, How to Overcome Sin, Potver from on High : who may expect the Enduement, Is it a Hard Saying! Hoiv to Win Souls, Hotv to Preach so as to Convert Isobody, Preaclier, save TJnjself, Prevailing Prayer, TJie Psychology of Faith, 4®- Either of the above, 2 cents. The set by mail for 25 c6nts. I THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. I HAVE heretofore endeavored to show that sanctification is wrought in the soul, by the Spirit of Christ, through faith, Vith and not without the concurrence of our own activity. I now wish to call attention to the [nature or psychology of faith as a: ental act or state. My theological eacher held that faith was an intel- ctual act or state ; a conviction oi 4 TTIE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. firm persuasion that the doctrines of the Bible are true. So far as I can recollect, this Avas the vie>v of H^ith which 1 heard everywhere ad- vanced. When it was objected to this that the intellectual convictions and states are involuntary, and could not be produced by any effort of the will, and, consequently, we cannot be under obligations to exercise faith ; and, furthermore, that faith, being an intellectual act or state, could not be virtue, it was replied that we con- trol the attention of the mind by an effort of the will, and that our re- sponsibility lay in searching for that degree of evidence that would con- vince the intellect ; that unbelief was THE rSYCllOLOGV OF FAITH. 5 a sin, because it was the inevitable result of a failure to search for and accept the evidence of the truths of revelation ; that faith was virtue, be- cause it involved the consent and effort of the will to search out the truth. I have met with this erroneous notion of the nature of Christian faith almost everywhere since I was first licensed to preach. Especially in my early ministry I found that great stress was laid on believing ''the articles of faith," and it was held that faith consisted in believing with an unwavering conviction the doctrines about Christ. Hence, an acceptance of the doctrines, the doctrines, the DOCTRINES of the Gospel, was very b THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. much insisted upon as constituting fiiilh. These doctrines I had been brought to accept intellectually and firmly before I was converted. And, when told to believe, I replied that I did believe, and no argument or assertion could convince me that I did not believe the Gospel. And up to the very moment of my conversion I was not and could not be con- vinced of my error. At the moment of my conversion, or when I first exercised faith, I saw my ruinous error. I found that faith consisted not in an intellectual con- viction that the things affirmed in the Bible about Christ are true, but in //le heart's trust in the person of Christ. T learned that God's testimony con- THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. 7 cerning Christ was designed to lead mc to trust Christ, to confide in His person as my Saviour; that to stop short in merely believing about Christ was a fatal mistake and inevitably left me in my sins. It was as if I were sick almost unto death, and some one should recommend to me a physician who was surely able and willing to save my life, and I should listen to the testimony concerning him, until fully convinced that he was both able and willing to save my life, and then should be told to believe in him, and my life was secure. Now, if I under- stood this to mean nothing more than to credit the tesl.imony with the firmest conviction, I should reply : "I do believe in him with an un- 8 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. doubting faith. I believe every word you have told me regarding him. "If I stopped here, I should, of course, lose my life. In addition to this firm intellectual conviction of his willing- ness and ability, it were essential to apply to him, to come to him, to trust his person, to accept his treat- ment. When 1 had intellectually ac- cepted the testimony concerning him with an unwavering belief, the next and the indispensable thing would be a voluntary act of trust or confi- dence in his person, a committal of my life to him, and his sovereign treatment in the cure of my dis- ease. Now this illustrates the true nature or psychology of faith as it actually THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. 9 exists in consciousness. It does not consist in any degree of intellectual knowledge, or acceptance of the doc- trines of the Bible. The firmest possible persuasion that every word said in the Bible respecting God and Christ is true, is not faith. These truths and doctrines reveal God in Christ only so far as ihey point to God in Christ, and teach the soul how to find Him, by an act of trust in His person. When we firmly trust in His per- son, and commit our souls to Him by an unwavering act of confidence in Him for all that He is affirmed to be to us in the Bible, this is faith. We trust Him upon the testimony of God. We trust Him for what the 10 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. doctrines and facts of the Bible de- clare Him to be to us. This act of trust unites our spirit to Him in a union so close that we directly re- ceive from Him a current of eternal life. Faith, in consciousness, seems to complete the divine galvanic circle, and the life of God is instantly im- parted to our souls. God's life, and light, and love, and peace, and joy seem to flow to us as naturally and spontaneously as the galvanic current from the battery. We then for the first time understand what Christ meant by our being united to Him by faith, as the branch is united to the vine. Christ is then and thus revealed to us as God. We are con- scious of direct communion with THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. II Him, and know Him as we know ourselves, by His direct activity with- in us. We then know directly, in consciousness, that He is our life, and that we receive from Him, mo- ment by moment, as it were, an im- partation of eternal life. With some the mind is compara- tively dark, and the faith, therefore, comparatively weak in its first exer- cise. They may hold a great breadth of opinion, and yet intellectually be- lieve but little with a realizing con- viction. Hence, their trust in Him will be as narrow as their realizing convictions. When faith is weak, the current of the divine life will flow so mildly that we are scarcely conscious of it. But when faith is strong and 12 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. all-embracing, it lets a current of the divine life of love into our souls so strong that it seems to permeate both soul and body. We then know in consciousness ^vhat it is to have Christ's spirit within us as a power to save us from sin and stay up our feet in the path of loving obe- dience. From personal conversation with hundreds — and I may say thousands — of Christian people, I have been struck with the application of Christ's words, as recorded in the fifth chap- ter of John, to their experience. Christ said to the Jews : "Ye do search the Scriptures [for so it should be rendered] ; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. 1 3 which testify of INIe ; and ye will not come unto INIe that ye might have life." They stopped short in the Scriptures. They satisfied themselves with ascertaining what the Scriptures said about Christ ; but did not avail themselves of the light thus received to come to Him by an act of loving trust in His person. I fear it is true in these days, as it has been in the days that are past, that muldtudes stop short in the facts and doctrines of the Gospel, and do not by any act of tr.ict in His person come to Him, concerning whom all this testimony is given. Thus the Bible is mis- understood and abused. * INIany, understanding the "Con- fession of Faith " as summarizing the 14 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. doctrines of the Bible, very much neglect the Bible and rest in a belief of the articles of faith. Others, more cautious and more in earnest, search the Scriptures to see what they say about Christ, but stop short and rest in the formation of correct theologi- cal opinions ; while others, and they are the only saved class, love the Scriptures intensely because they testify of Jesus. They search and devour the Scriptures because they tell them who Jesus is and what they may trust Him for. They do not stop short and rest in this testimony ; but by an act of loving trust go di- rectly to Him, to His person, thus joining their sOuls to Him in a union that receives from Him, by a direct THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. 15 divine communication, the things for which they are led "to trust Him. This is certainly Christian experience. This is receiving from Christ the eternal life which God has given us in Him. This is saving faith. There are many degrees in the strength of faith, from that of which we are hardly conscious to that which lets such a flood of eternal life into the soul as to quite overcome the strength of the body. In the strong- est exercise of faith the nerves of the body seem to give way for the time being, under the overwhelming exer- cise of the mind. This great strength of mental exercise is perhaps not very common. We can endure but little of God's light and love in our souls 1 6 THE rSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. and yet remain in the body. I have sometimes felt that a Uttle clearer vision would draw my soul entirely away from the body ; and I have met with many Christian people to whom these strong gales of spiritual influ- ence were familiar. But my object in writing thus is to illustrate the nature or psychology and results of saving faith. The contemplation of the attitude and experience of numbers of pro- fessed Christians in regard to Christ is truly lamentable and wonderful, considering that the Bible is in their hands. Many of them appear to have stopped short in theological opinio7is more or less firmly held. This thev understand to be faith. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. 1 7 Others are more in earnest, and stop not short of a more or less realiz- ing conviction of the truths of the Bible concerning Christ, Others have Strong impressions of the obligations of the law, which move them to set about an earnest life of works which leads them into bondage. They pray from a sense of duty ; they are dutiful, but not loving, not confid- ing. They have no peace and no rest, except in cases where they per- suade themselves that they have done their duty. They are in a restless, ' Reason they hear, her counsels weigh, And all her words approve, And yet they find it hard to obey. And harder still to love." iS THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. They read and perhaps search the Scriptures to learn their duty and to learn about Christ. They intellectu- ally believe all that they understand the Scriptures to say about Him ; but when Christ is thus commended to their confidence, tliey do not by an act of personal loving trust in and committal to Him so join their souls to Him as to receive from Him the influx of His life, and light and love. They do not by a simple act of personal loving trust in His person receive the current of His divine life and power in'o their own souls. They do not thus take Hold of His strength and interlock their being with His. In other words, they do not truly believe. Hence, they are THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. 1 9 not saved. Oh ! what a mistake is this. I fear it is very common. Nay, it seems to be certain that it is ap- pallingly common, else how can the state of the church be accounted for. Is that which we see in the great mass of professors of religion ^//that Christ does for and in His people, when they truly believe ? No, no I There is a great error here. The psycholo- gy of faith is mistaken, and an intel- lectual conviction of the truth of the Gospel is supposed to be faith. And some whose opinions seem to be right in regard to the nature of faith, rest in their philosophy and fall short of exercising faith. Let no one suppose that I under- estimate the value of the facts an^^;: 20 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF FAITH. doctrines of the Gospel. I regard a knowledge and belief of them as of fundamental importance. 1 have no sympathy with those who undervalue them and treat doctrinal discussion and preaching ds of minor import- ance, nor can I assent to the teach- ing of those who would have us preach Christ and not the doctrines respecting Ilim. It is the facts and doctrines of the Bible that teach us who Christ is, why He is to be trust- ed, and for what. How can we preach Christ without preaching about Him.'* And how can we trust Him without being informed why and for what we are to trust Him.-' The error to which I call attention does not consist in laying too much THE rSYCIIOLOGY OF FAITH, 21 Stress in teaching and believing the facts and doctrines of the Gospel ; but it consists in stopping short of trusting the personal Christ for what those facts and doctrines teach us to trust Him, and satisfying ourselves with believing the testimony concern- ing Him, thus resting in the belief of what God has said about Him, in- stead of committing our souls to Him by an act of loving trust. The testimony of God respecting Him is designed to secure our confi- dence in Him. If it fails to secure the uniting of our souls to Him by an act and state of implicit trust in Him — such an act of trust as unites us to Him as the branch is united to the vine — we have heard the Gospel 22 THE rSYCHOLCXJY OF FAITH. in vain. We are not saved. We have failed to receive from Him that impartation of eternal life which can be conveyed to us through no other channel than that of implicit trust. WiLLARD Tract [[epositoiiy. Hoiv to Enter into Hest. BV THE SAME AUTHOR. TJie Government shall be upon His Shoulder, I am with yon altvay. Is this Yon ? lulling and Obedient, "^ Desert Place,' ^ Is it in Vain ? Take ! Is it still Peace ? The lAght of the King's Coiini- enance. Price of either of the above, 2 cts single ; 20 cts per dozen.