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A
NEWSPAPER
VIEW
OF
THE
WELSH
REVIVAL
DEAR
BROTHEB
RUSSELL:-
Enclosed
find
a
newspaper
clipping
that
may
interest
you.
lt
is
from
the
March
"Review
of
Reviews,"
and
throws
a
little
clearer
light
than
anything
I
have
yet
Been
on
the
"Great
Welsh
Revival."
The
statement
that
it
is
more
a
movement
toward
community
reform
than
individual
regeneration,
is
in
line
with
the
wholesale
methods
of
the
"New
Christianity."
The
emo
tionalism
which
characterizes
the
movement
is,
it
seems
to
me,
indicative
of
Satanic
influence
rather
than
of
that
of
holy
Spirit,
which
is
peaceable
and
sane
and
quiet.
Satan's
effort
among
those
who
are
reaching
out
after
truth
and
godliness
at
this
time,
is
not,
apparently
to
openly
thwart
and
oppose,
but
to
mislead-to
carry
to
an
excess
of
emotion
where
reason
is
lost
sight
of.
That
this
is
being
accomplished
by
this
move
ment
is
evident-and
not
only
among
those
directly
concerned,
but
throughout
nominal
Ohristianity-whose
members
are
pointing
to
this
as
an
evidence
that
"the
holy
Spirit"
is
still
working
in
"the
churches."
Jeremiah
foretells
(2:35)
"Yet
thou
saidst,
I
am
innocent;
surely
his
anger
is
turned
away
from
mel-Behold,
I
will
enter
into
judgment
with
thee,
be
cause
thou
sayest
'I
have
not
sinnedl'"
If
I
am
uncharitable,
I
want
to
be
corrected-if
right
in
above
view,
I
thought
the
clipping
might
strengthen
the
faith
of
some
(as
it
has
mine)
regarding
something
hard
to
under
stand-the
apparent
success
of
some
nominal
church
movements
-and
so
submit
it
to
you
for
use
as
you
see
flt.
With
Christian
love
to
yourself
and
all
the
Bible
House
friends,
I
am,
Yours
in
the
King's
service,
HORACE
E.
HOLLISTER.
SOME
RESULTS
OF
THE
WELSH
REVIVAL
The
weekly
edition
of
the
Times,
of
London,
finds
the
whole
movement
finely
characteristic
of
the
Welsh
people,
with
their
emotional
temperament,
love
for
music
and
oratory,
and
warm
hearted
impulsive
lives.
Summing
up
his
impressions
of
the
results
of
the
revival,
the
writer
in
question
says:
Suppose
we
first
hear
the
critic.
"Remember,"
he
tells
you,
-and
I
well
remember,-"the
revival
of
1858-59.
It
was
as
great
in
fire
and
extent
as
this.
The
chief
figure
in
that
re
vival
himself
soon
lapsed
into
an
unbroken
callousness,
and
his
name
was
not
held
in
honor,
while
in
Oardiganshire,
the
cradle
and
center
of
the
movement,
a
few
months
revealed
a
trail
of
immorality
left
by
the
revival,
and
showed
how
clo3ely
kill
are
sympathy
and
sensuality,
emotion
and
lust.
Then,
as
now,
the
excitemE'nt
threw
many
off
their
balance,
and
condemned
them
to
end
their
days
in
rayless
mania.
The
net
result
was
bad-the
people,
strung
up
by
an
untrustworthy
fanaticism,
soon
fell
back
into
an
immovable
indifference,
and
dissent
itself
was
IE'ft
enfeebled
and
palsied."
Such
criticism
is
in
the
air.
There
is
some
truth,
but
not
all
the
truth,
in
such
an
estimate
of
the
revival,
and
those
who
know
intimately
the
mining
val
leys
of
South
Wales,
and,
alas,
the
squalid,
brutal
lives
of
many
of
the
toilers,
must
be
profoundly
thankful
for
any
influence
that
can
awaken
and
startle
them
to
the
thought
and
the
hope
of
better
things.
The
weariness
of
well-doing
is
the
strain
under
which
so
many
fail.
That
strain
is
increased
by
the
un
wisdom
that
confounds
innocent
amusement
with
wrong-doing,
and
regards
football
and
lying
as
equally
heinous.
The
revival
does
give
an
impulse
to
better
things.
If
its
influence
wanes
and
fails,
it
will
be
for
the
lack
of
that
sustained
nurture
and
spiritual
discipUne
which
are
essential
to
moral
growth.
But
in
spite
of
all
the
inevitable
failures
and
lapses,
a
revival
which
makes
men
sunk
in
ignorance
and
depravity
feel
even
for
one
short
week
the
spell
and
power
of
a
noble
ideal
cannot
and
must
not
be
condemned.
The
Saturdl11J
Review
says
of
it:-
It
is
clear
that
a
religious
conception
directs
the
pres
ent
movement
to
which
the
men
of
the
earli:er
revivals
were
strangers.
Their
minds
were
fixed
on
the
idea
of
individual
conversion.
They
rushed
to
the
chapels
and
field
preachings
to
hang
on
the
lips
of
a
great
orator
who
proclaimed
salva
tion.
In
the
movement
of
today
the
underlying
idea
seem8
to
be
the
public
confession
of
sin,
and
the
salvation
not
so
much
of
the
individual
as
of
the
community.
In
a
word
this
remarkable
revival
is
a
protest
against
an
individualistic
and
sectarian
conception
of
religion,
and
a
struggle
to
return
to
a
corporate
and
positive
Christianity.
PILGRIM
TOUR
OF
GREAT
BRITAIN
BY
BRO.
Y.
L.
y'PHAIL
Liverpool,
Eng.,
June
22,
25
Liverpool,
Eng.
Aug.
15
Birkenhead,
"
"
24
Nottingham,
"
"
16,
17
Warrington,
"
"
26,
27
Leicester,
..
"
18
Macclesfield,
..
"
28,29
Birmingham,
"
..
20,
21
Manchester,
"
Ju.
30-Jul.
2
Oxford,
..
"
22,
23
Sheffield,
"
July
3,
4
Luton,
..
"
24,
2))
Dewsbury,
"
"
5,
6
London,
"
"
27,
30
Bradford,
..
..
7,
8
Forest
Gate,
"
Sept.
I,
3
Leeds,
..
..
9,
10
Chatham,
"
"
4
Hull,
..
"
11,
12
l\1aidstone,
..
"
5
Scarborough,
..
..
13,
14
St.
Leonard-by-Sea,
..
6
Middlesboro,
"
"
15
Brighton,
Eng.
"
7
Newcastle-on-Tyne,
"
16,
17
Portsmouth,
"
..
8
Hawick,
Scot.
"
18,
19
Seven
Oaks,
"
"
9
Kircaldy,
..
..
21
London,
"
..
10
Edinburgh,
..
"
22,
24
Bath,
"
"
12
Dundee,
..
"
25,
26
Bristol,
"
..
13,
14
Glasgow,Scot.,Ju1.27
-30,Aug.
6
Gloucester,
"
"
15
Paisley,
Scot.
Aug.
1
Liverpool,
"
"
16
Kilmalcolm,
"
..
3
Nottingham,
"
..
17
Greenock,
"
"
4,
5
E.
Kirkby,
"
"
18,
19
Saltcoats,
..
"
7
N
ewcastle-on-
Tyne,
"
20
Belfast,
Ireland
"
9,
10
Edinburg-h,
Scot.
..
21
Dublin,
..
"
II,
13
GlaRgow,
"
"
23,
25
VOL.
XXVI
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
JULY
1,
1905
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
No.
13
REV.
E.
L.
EATON,
D.
D.,
ON
THE
CHURCH
OF
TODAY
We
feel
a
keen
interest
in
Dr.
Eaton,
with
whom,
it
will
be
remembered,
we
had
a
friendly
debate
about
two
years
ago.
We
keep
hoping
to
note
some
influence
from
our
Scriptural
argumE'nts
showing
that
not
the
reformation
and
conversion
of
the
world
is
the
Lord's
program
for
this
Gospel
age,
but
rather
the
selection
or
election
of
a
"little
flock,"
the
church,
the
royal
priesthood,
through
whom
under
Jesus
their
High
Priest
all
the
world
shall
be
mentally,
morally
and
physically
assisted
out
of
present
degradation
and
death
conditions
to
life-everlast
ing
privileges.
We
see
little
sign
that
Dr.
Eaton
has
fully
accepted
our
posi
tion,
but
in
a
recent
sermon
he
seemed
to
have
a
clear
view
of
the
nOm1na~
church,
as
separate
and
distinct
from
the
true
church
composed
only
of
"the
few
precious
and
godly
men
and
women
th-at
can
be
found
in
all
churches,"
so
that
we
may
not
yet
abandon
hope
for
a
further
opening
of
the
eyes
of
his
under
standing.
He
certainly
cannot
hope
that
the
nominal
mass
of
"ChristE'ndom"
can
ever
"save
the
world"
to
any
higher
stand
ard
than
its
own.
Yet
here
are
his
own
words
describing
churchianity,
exactly
reproduced:-
"What
is
the
exact
state
of
the
church?
I
do
not
mean
North
Avenue
church.
I
do
not
mean
the
few
precious
and
godly
men
and
women
that
can
be
found
in
all
churches.
I
mean
the
entire
Christian
establishments
in
these
United
StatE's.
What
is
its
condition
today?
From
what
I
have
seen
during
the
last
dozen
years,
and
from
what
I
constantly
rE'ad.
I
am
persuaded
that
the
church,
with
all
it"
wealth
and
culture
and
prestige,
is
not
leading
the
procesRion.
It
is
not
advancing
as
faRt
as
our
population
is
advancing.
It
is
in
a
Rtntc
of
moral
dearth,
a
spiritual
dryrot
prevail"
all
too
generally.
It
is
not
winning
the
unsaved
in
great
numbers.
It
has
not
Recn
a
sweE'p
ing
revival
in
thirty
years.
ItR
ministry-probably
more
than
half
of
them~are
willing
to
admit
thaj,
the
days
of
revivals
are
past,
and
that
our
only
hope
now
is
to
try
to
save
the
children;
that
there
is
not
power
enough
in
the
church,
the
preaching,
nor
in
the
Gospel
to
save
a
grown-up
sinner
any
more.
'Ve
are
not
looking
for
great
and
all-inundating
revivals
as
of
yore.
"The
church
has
g-enerally
become
a
Rocial
club.
so
nice
and
respectable
and
so
fine
that
the
poor
do
not
feel
at
home
in
it.
and
the
working
men
have
turned
their
backs
upon
it
almost
from
one
end
of
the
country
to
the
other.
And,
next
to
the
quarter
of
a
million
of
AmNica's
licensed
saloons,
the
saddest
fact
in
America
today
is
the
alienation
of
the
poor
and
the
laboring
classes
from
the'
church!
The
climax
of
the
catalogue
of
Gospel
blesRings
wllich
our
Lord
sent
to
.John
the
BaptiRt
in
prison
to
comfort
his
sore
heart
was
"To
the
poor
the
Gospel
is
preached!"
But
the
dmrch
iR
not
reaching
the
poor,
nor
the
rich
in
great
numbers,
nor
the
submerged
one-tenth,
nor
the
criminals,
nor
the
fast
young
men
and
women
that
swarm
in
saloons
and
club
rooms,
crowding
them
to
suffo
cation
these
Sunday
afternoons
and
nights.
[3583]
091-195)
A NEWSPAPER VIEW OF THE WELSH REVIVAL Dear BroTHEeR RUSSELL:— Enclosed find a newspaper clipping that may interest you. It is from the March “Review of Reviews,” and throws a, little clearer light than anything I have yet seen on the “Great Welsh Revival.” The statement that it is more a movement toward community reform than individual regeneration, is in line with the wholesale methods of the “New Christianity.” The emotionalism which characterizes the movement is, it seems to me, indicative of Satanic influence rather than of that of holy Spirit, which is peaceable and sane and quiet. Satan’s effort among those who are reaching out after truth and godliness at this time, is not, apparently to openly thwart and oppose, but to mislead—to carry to an excess of emotion where reason is lost sight of. That this is being accomplished by this movement is evident—and not only among those directly concerned, but throughout nominal Christianity—whose members are pointing to this as an evidence that “the holy Spirit” is still working in “the churches.” Jeremiah foretells (2:35) “Yet thou saidst, I am innocent; surely his anger is turned away from me!—Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, because thou sayest ‘I have not sinned!’ ” If I am uncharitable, I want to be corrected—if right in above view, I thought the clipping might strengthen the faith of some (as it has mine) regarding something hard to understand—the apparent success of some nominal church movements —and so submit it to you for use as you see fit. With Christian love to yourself and all the Bible House friends, I am, Yours in the King’s service, Horace E. HoLiister. SOME RESULTS OF THE WELSH REVIVAL The weekly edition of the Times, of London, finds the whole movement finely characteristic of the Welsh people, with their emotional temperament, love for music and oratory, and warmhearted impulsive lives. Summing up his impressions of the results of the revival, the writer in question says: Suppose we first hear the critic. “Remember,” he tells you, —and I well remember,—‘the revival of 1858-59. It was as great in fire and extent ag this. The chief figure in that revival himself soon lapsed into an unbroken callousness, and his name was not held in honor, while in Cardiganshire, the cradle and center of the movement, a few months revealed a trail of immorality left by the revival, and showed how closely kin are sympathy and sensuality, emotion and lust. Then, as now, the excitement threw many off their balance, and condemned them to end their days in rayless mania. The net result was bad—the people, strung up by an untrustworthy fanaticism, soon fell back into an immovable indifference, and dissent itself was left enfeebled and palsied.” Such criticism is in the air. There is some truth, but not all the truth, in such an estimate of the revival, and those who know intimately the mining valleys of South Wales, and, alas, the squalid, brutal lives of many of the toilers, must be profoundly thankful for any influence that can awaken and startle them to the thought and the hope of better things. The weariness of well-doing is the strain under which so many fail. That strain is increased by the unwisdom that confounds innocent amusement with wrong-doing, and regards football and lying as equally heinous, The revival does give an impulse to better things. If its influence wanes and fails, it will be for the lack of that sustained nurture and spiritual discipline which are essential to moral growth. But in spite of all the inevitable failures and lapses, a revival which makes men sunk in ignorance and depravity feel even for one short week the spell and power of a noble ideal cannot and must not be condemned, The Saturday Review says of it:— It is clear that a religious conception directs the present movement to which the men of the earlier revivals were strangers. Their minds were fixed on the idea of individual conversion. They rushed to the chapels and field preachings to hang on the lips of a great orator who proclaimed salvation. In the movement of today the underlying idea, seems to be the public confession of sin, and the salvation not so much of the individual as of the community. In a word this remarkable revival is a protest against an individualistic and sectarian conception of religion, and a struggle to return to a corporate and positive Christianity. PILGRIM TOUR OF GREAT BRITAIN BY BRO. M. L. M’PHAIL Vou. XXVI ALLEGHENY, PA., JULY 1, 1905 Liverpool, Eng., June 22, 25 Liverpool, Eng. Aug. 15 Birkenhead, “ “ 24 Nottingham, “ “16, 17 Warrington, “ “« 26, 27 ~=— Leicester, “ “ 18 Macclesfield, “ “« 98,29 Birmingham, “ « 20, 21 Manchester, “ Ju. 30-Jul. 2 Oxford, “ “« 22, 23 Sheffield, «July 3, 4 Luton, “ “ 94, 25 Dewsbury, “ “ 5, 6 London, “ «27, 30 Bradford, “ “ 7, 8 Forest Gate, “ Sept. 1, 3 Leeds, “ “ 9,10 Chatham, “6 “ 4 Hull, “ “11, 12 Maidstone, “ “ 5 Scarborough, “ “« 13, 14 St. Leonard-by-Sea, “ 6 Middlesboro, “ “ 15 Brighton, Eng. “ 7 Neweastle-on-Tyne, “ 16, 17 Portsmouth, “ “ 8 Hawick, Seot. “ 18, 19 Seven Oaks, “ “ 9 Kircaldy, “ “ 21 London, “ “ 10 Edinburgh, “ “ 92,24 Bath, “ “ 12 Dundee, “ “ 25, 26 Bristol, “ « 13, 14 Glasgow,Scot.,Jul.27-30,Aug. 6 Gloucester, “ “ 15 Paisley, Seot. Aug. 1 Liverpool, “ « 16 Kilmaleolm, “ “ 3 Nottingham, “ “ 7 Greenock, “ «4, 5 E. Kirkby, “ “ 18, 19 Saltcoats, “ “ 7 Neweastle-on-Tyne, “ 20 Belfast, Ireland “ 9,10 Edinburgh, Scot. “ 21 Dublin, “ “ 11,13 Glasgow, “ “23, 25 No. 13 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER REV, EH. L. EATON, D. D., ON THE CHURCH OF TODAY We feel a keen interest in Dr. Eaton, with whom, it will be remembered, we had a friendly debate about two years ago. We keep hoping to note some influence from our Scriptural arguments showing that not the reformation and conversion of the world is the Lord’s program for this Gospel age, but rather the selection or election of a “little flock,” the church, the royal priesthood, through whom under Jesus their High Priest all the world shall be mentally, morally and physically assisted out of present degradation and death conditions to life-everlasting privileges. We see little sign that Dr, Eaton has fully accepted our position, but in a recent sermon he seemed to have a clear view of the nominal church, as separate and distinct from the true church composed only of “the few precious and godly men and women that can be found in all churches,” so that we may not yet abandon hope for a further opening of the eyes of his understanding. He certainly cannot hope that the nominal mass of “Christendom” can ever “save the world” to any higher standard than its own. Yet here are his own words describing churchianity, exactly reproduced :— “What is the exact state of the church? I do not mean North Avenue church. I do not mean the few precious and godly men and women that can be found in all churches. I mean the entire Christian establishments in these United States. What is its condition today? From what I have seen during [3583] the last dozen years, and from what I constantly read, I am persuaded that the church, with all its wealth and culture and prestige, is not leading the procession. It is not advancing as fast as our population is advancing. It is in a state of moral dearth, a spiritual dryrot prevails all too generally. It is not winning the unsaved in great numbers. It has not seen a sweeping revival in thirty years. Its ministry—probably more than half of them—are willing to admit that the days of revivals are past, and that our only hope now is to try to save the children; that there is not power enough in the church, the preaching, nor in the Gospel to save a grown-up sinner any more. We are not looking for great and all-inundating revivals as of yore. “The church has generally become a social club, so nice and respectable and so fine that the poor do not fecl at home in it. and the working men have turned their backs upon it almost from one end of the country to the other. And, next to the quarter of a million of America’s licensed saloons, the saddest fact in America today is the alienation of the poor and the laboring classes from the church! The climax of the catalogue of Gospel blessings which our Lord sent to John the Baptist in prison to comfort his sore heart was “To the poor the Gospel is preached!” But the church is not reaching the poor, nor the rich in great numbers, nor the submerged one-tenth, nor the criminals, nor the fast young men and women that swarm in saloons and club rooms, crowding them to suffocation these Sunday afternoons and nights. (191-195)
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