Unauthorized “means”
used in revivals of religion
These are used in various degrees of
offensiveness, often with circumstances of irreverence and indecency. In the
time of Finney, the Pelagian revivalist, they were called "new
measures," and later they have gone by the appropriate name of "revival
machinery." They embrace all those measures, over and above the means
which God himself has appointed, which have been invented by "evangelists"
or "revival preachers" for the purpose of awakening careless sinners,
such as "the anxious seat," the "altar," to which
"mourners" are invited in order to be specially prayed for; the
reading of letters (which, perhaps, have been procured by solicitation) from
young converts or from inquirers; "silent prayer" of the
congregation; the calling on certain classes in the congregation to arise and
separate themselves from the rest; the roaming over the assembly of certain
persons for the purpose of making appeals to individuals and of producing
excitement by mere motion; the calling upon certain descriptions of people in
the audience to sing certain hymns, and the requiring of the rest not to sing;
the demand for unusual postures in parts of the worship, as, for example,
kneeling in singing, etc., etc.
There is one feature which is common to all
"revival machinery," and this is, to lead awakened sinners to commit
themselves in order to get them over that indecision and fear of man which have
kept them back, and to render it impossible for them to return with
consistency. The measures used for bringing about this commitment are various.
Some of them were described in the last paragraph. To these may be added the
exacting of a promise "to give themselves to religion at once." These
measures, as has been suggested, while they are intended to commit the actors,
are intended also to awaken the attention of others, and to serve as means of
general impressions.
Now some of the objections to this machinery
are the following:
(a), They lead to a reliance on other means
than truth and, prayer, and on other power than that of God. Sinners are very
apt to place dependence on this act of commitment. "I have taken one step,
and now I hope God will do something for me," "is language which,"
Dr. Griffin says, "I have heard more than once."
(b), These measures divert the attention of the
sinner from the truth of God as impressed upon his own conscience. Dr. Ichabod
Spencer remarks in his Pastor's Sketches (we quote from memory) that he never
knew anybody to be converted by a funeral sermon, and he accounts for it by the
fact that those who are really afflicted by the death are too much absorbed in
the contemplation of their loss to attend to the truth which is set forth by
the preacher. So in this case, the sinner is not allowed to meditate upon the
truth he has just heard, but his attention is called away by a proposition to
change his seat. So, also, the congregation is invited to cease meditating.
upon the truth and to watch the motions of some who are walking up and down the
aisles, or to be on the tip-toe of expectation to see who are going to rise and
go forward. What has truth to do with these tactics? They are evidently
designed to work on the senses, the imagination and the passions; they are
merely for effect.
(c), Hence, when often repeated they become
mere forms, like those of Rome. Rome ascribes a magical or a mechanical effect
to her sacramental forms; a like effect is virtually ascribed to this revival
machinery. In both cases the sinner is invited to submit himself to the
manipulations of the minister of religion with the hope of "getting
through," and it is no breach of charity to add that in both cases the
Chris tians who are made are man-made and machine-made.
There is another point of resemblance. In the
case neither of the priest nor of the "revivalist" is there any
necessity for spiritual gifts, for a spiritual frame of mind, or for piety, or
anything, indeed, but the power of physical endurance — and brass. We do not
deny that some of these measures have been used by good men, and with an
earnest desire to do good; but there is nothing in their own nature which forbids
their being used with effect by men who have not one spark of genuine piety.
Accordingly, we find that they have been successfully used by wicked men and
hypocrites. The Roman priest performs the ceremonies of the ritual, and the
business is done. The character of the priest has nothing to do with the
efficiency of the ritual. Whether he be a Hophni or a Zadok makes no difference
in the result. The recipient or patient "gets through" alike in
either case.
(d), This suggests another thought, that these
measures most naturally affiliate with a Pelagian or semi-Pelagian system of
doctrine. The mummeries of Rome have an intimate connection with the
semi-Pelagian position of that body. It is not a question of vital importance
which of the two was first in the order of time, the abuse in practice or the
error in doctrine. If both belong to the same organism it matters not whether
the head or the foot came in first. It is enough for us to know that the head
and the foot are members of the same body, and that if the one be admitted the
other will be apt to follow in due time. No such ordinance as that which the
papists call baptism could have a prominent place in a body which was not at
least semi-Pelagian in doctrine. And so it may be truly said that the machinery
in question is thoroughly semi-Pelagian in its affinities. It was introduced in
modern times by churches of that doctrinal tendency ; it was worked con amore
by the Pelagianizing party in the Presbyterian Church in the years preceding
the schism of 1837, and if not condemned again and put down it will bring on
another semi-Pelagian schism or something worse. It is altogether out of
harmony with the doctrine of our church concerning the agency of the Holy Ghost
in regeneration. One or the other must, in the long run, be given up.
The connection here asserted between
Pelagianism and the use of revival machinery is fully vindicated by the history
of the famous revivalist, Charles G. Finney. In a review of his sermons in the
Princeton Review for 1835 (republished in the Princeton Theological Essays,
second series, pp. 77 ff.), it was shown that he denied the doctrines of total
depravity, of regeneration (in the Calvinistic sense), of the direct agency of
the Holy Ghost upon the soul, etc.; that he held to the notion of the "self
-determining power of the will," and to the related doctrine of sin and
holiness as consisting in volitions only, etc., etc. He asserted the perfect,
unqualified ability of the sinner to regenerate himself. (Pp. 103 ff.) The
great aim and effort of the preacher is to persuade the sinner to convict
himself. Hence the use of extra measures. He says (page 83), "God has
found it necessary to take advantage of the excitability there is in mankind to
produce powerful excitements among them before he can lead them to obey."
"There is a state of things in which it is impossible for God or man to
promote religion but by painful excitement."
(e), The use of this machinery brings a
multitude of un converted people into the church who would not otherwise come
into it. The appeal is made to mere natural sensibilities and sympathies;
people, especially the young, honestly mistake this natural feeling and mere
impressions on the imagination for religious conviction, or for the sentiments
which result from religious convictions, and without time for testing their
sentiments and for manifesting their real nature and origin, they are hurried
into the church, and assume the irrevocable vow. A few months are sufficient to
reveal the fact of self-deception to a multitude of these "converts";
but they are in the church; they commit, the greater part of them, no
"offence" to warrant their excommunication; and they remain in the
church, while they are of the world. Hence another fruitful source of apostasy
from the faith. By the terms of the supposition, such church members have no
spiritual relish for the distinctive truths of the gospel; in particular, there
is nothing in them which says "amen" to the teachings of God's word
concerning the desperate power and malignity of sin and concerning the almighty
and sovereign power of the Holy Ghost. The real problem of sin has never been
anxiously revolved by them, and they are, consequently unable to appreciate the
Bible soteriology, whether of the Son or of the Spirit. Now, as a spiritual
experience of the power and reality of the truth is the only security for its
preservation; as it is the presence of the invisible church within the body of
the church visible which determines and perpetuates the faith, it is plain that
the church in which the greater part is unconverted is in danger of losing its
faith. The world in the church! this is the great peril. This is doing more to
help the cause of Rome and of infidelity than all the crafty books that are
circulated in their interest. This is the peril against which the church has
been warned from the very beginning; and it is a peril into which the use of
revival machinery is aiding to plunge us.
(f), There is an argument ad hominem which may
be ad dressed to Presbyterians in our own churches, and which ought to be
conclusive with them against these "measures," even if they are not
convinced that the measures are in themselves wrong, and that is, that they are
a clear addition to the covenant which has been made with one another by the
congregations constituting "the Presbyterian Church in the United
States." This covenant is contained in our standards. We have agreed as to
what "the ordinances in a particular church" shall be (Form of
Government, Chapter II., Section IV., Article V.), and in the Directory for
Worship the features of the worship to be observed in all our congregations are
described. No congregation has the right to introduce any other form of
worship, and at the same time to remain a constituent part of that church to
which these standards belong. It is not improbable that many machinery- using
churches in our communion would be scandalized by the introduction into our
non-machinery-using churches of a liturgy. But why should they? The covenant is
violated, it is true; but the machinery has also broken it. We do not hesitate
to say that, if the covenant has to be broken in one way or the other, we
should consider the breach by liturgy much the less offensive and dangerous of
the two.
(g), This part of the discussion may be
appropriately closed by a testimony or two of the General Assembly. There are
many testimonies of this sort, as may be seen by consulting Baird's Digest,
Book III, Part 4, which bears the title, "Revivals." We shall content
ourselves with a quotation or summary from the pastoral letter of the Assembly
of 1832, of which the venerable James Hoge was Moderator: "1. In a time of
the revival of religion let it be remembered, that while all proper means are
to be used to deepen and cherish serious impressions and to awaken and alarm
the sinfully secure, an undue excitement should be carefully avoided. If
instead of distinguishing between deep and genuine and salutary convictions of
sin, and the mere effusions of animal passions and nervous sensibility, the
latter are encouraged and stimulated, as leading to a desirable issue, the most
baneful effects are likely to ensue, effects multiform in appearance and
character, but in all, deplorable and pernicious. Therefore, 2. We advise, that
with tender ness, but yet with unshaken firmness, all bodily agitations and
noisy outcries, especially in worshipping assemblies, be discouraged, and as
far as possible prevented. 3. Guard against every species of indecorum in
social worship, such, particularly, as is manifestly apparent when several
individuals pray or exhort or converse at the same time… 6. Let not the settled
order of churches be disturbed. In the absence of pastors or other authorized
ministers of the gospel, let the elders or deacons or other Christians of
standing and experience, rather than young converts, take the lead in the
social exercises of religion. 7. Listen to no self-sent or irregular preachers,
whatever may be their pretensions to knowledge, piety and zeal. 8. Let no
doctrine inconsistent with the Scriptures as explained and summarily taught in
the doctrinal standards of our church be promulgated and favored in any of our
churches. 9. Let not apparent converts be hurried into the churches, and
brought to the Lord's table, without a careful examination; nor, ordinarily,
without a suitable period of probation, by which the reality of their religion
may be better judged of than it can be by any sudden indications, however
plausible. Nothing is more directly calculated to injure the cause of God and
the credit of our holy religion than urging or permitting individuals to make a
public profession of religion as soon as they have experienced some serious
impressions, and natter themselves that they have been renewed in the temper of
their mind. All experience shows that such persons often and speedily dis honor
the profession, and not unfrequently become open apostates, and sometimes
avowed infidels. 10. Finally, let no measures for the promotion of religious
revivals be adopted which are not sanctioned by some example or precept, or
fair and sober inference, drawn from the word of God. ... If such a warrant can
be fairly made out, let the measure be adopted; but otherwise, let it be
promptly abandoned; for it must be remembered that the Bible contains not only
a safe but a complete rule of duty."
The opinions of the most eminent ministers of
the past generation, as given in the appendix to Sprague's Lectures on Revivals,
are in the same line with these testimonies of the Assembly of 1832; but we
must content ourselves with a simple reference to that work. Under these
testimonies and opinions we shelter ourselves from those, if there be any, of
our readers who are disposed to charge us, on the ground of the views we have
expressed, with being hostile to revivals and to vital piety. The same charge
was brought against our fathers, men with whom we would not venture to com pare
ourselves for a single moment as to knowledge or piety. A few words may be
added upon the danger to the peace and character of the church from so-called "evangelists."
Our history is instructive upon this subject. The schism of 1741 was
occasioned, in great part, by the excesses and extravagances of itinerating
ministers who, instead of preaching in destitute neighborhoods, invaded the
pastoral charges of settled ministers, often without their consent, or with a
consent extorted by the clamors of the people. The greatest contempt was shown
for these settled ministers, no matter how long or how faithfully they had
labored, if they had not been what the evangelists were pleased to consider
"successful." They were treated as "blind leaders of the
blind," cold-hearted, unconverted; and their people were not only
encouraged, but exhorted, to forsake their ministrations for those of
warm-hearted, zealous, inspired evangelists. These evangelists were generally
good men; among them such as Whitefield and the Tennents; but this fact made
the results all the more deplorable. (See Hodge's History of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States, Part II., Chapters IV. and V.)
Another great evil which resulted from the same
causes was the lowering or attempt to lower the standard of the education of
the ministry, and the encouragement of the laity to usurp the functions of the
ministry. These two things go hand in hand, as we see, now in our own modern
times. If preaching is nothing but exhorting sinners to flee from the wrath to
come, why may not an uneducated, zealous layman do it as well as a trained and
ordained minister? Thus the order of Christ's house was broken down, and but
for the faithful testimony and labors of the noble men who were stigmatized as
"graceless and unconverted" (see the extraordinary sermon of Gilbert
Tennent, in Hodge's History of the Presbyterian Church, Part II., pp. 152 ff),
the Presbyterian Church would have been ruined. Let it be added, with
thanksgiving to God, that some of these good but erring men afterwards con
fessed their error and deplored their uncharitable judgments and speeches.
Thomas Peck, Revivals of Religion,
Miscellanies: Volume 1, Pages 215-224
