through Baptism ridiculed?  Who has not heard so-called revival preachers scout the idea of “getting religion”—­which must mean receiving divine Grace if it means anything—­through catechising the young in the doctrines of the divine Word?  Are not these divine means often entirely set aside by the most enthusiastic revivalists?  Who does not know that often at these revival services the reading and preaching of the Word are entirely omitted?  Thus God’s means, the means used by Christ and His apostles, are undervalued.  While they are used at the ordinary services, when there is no revival going on, not much is expected of them.

Our third objection again arises from the second.  Because the regular Church ordinances are undervalued, they are largely fruitless.  Because people have not much faith in their efficacy, they do not receive much benefit from them.  Few conversions are expected or reported during the ten or eleven months of regular or ordinary church services, while many, if not all, are expected and reported from the few weeks of special effort.  Even the work of sanctification is largely crowded into the few weeks.  It is during these few weeks that saints expect to be quickened, refreshed, strengthened and purified, more than during all the rest of the year.

It is doubtless both as a cause and a result of this undervaluing and general fruitlessness of the ordinary Church ordinances, that we find so much levity and irreverence in many so-called revival Churches.  Because the Holy Spirit is not supposed to be effectively present, is not in the Word and Sacraments, does not bring His saving and sanctifying Grace through them; therefore there is nothing solemn, awe-inspiring, or uplifting in these things.  Therefore the young, even if they are members, and sometimes older ones, go to these churches as to places of amusement, to have a good time, to laugh, to whisper, to gaze about, write notes, get company, and what not.

A careful observer cannot fail to notice that in Churches which believe in and preach Grace through the means of Grace, there is an atmosphere of deeper solemnity and more earnest devotion than in such revival Churches.  The above objection to the revival system we believe will explain the difference.

Fourth. We object to the so-called revival system because, as a natural result of the above, it begets a dependence on something extraordinary and miraculous for bringing sinners into the kingdom.  As we have seen, these Churches expect nearly all their conversions from “revivals.”  It naturally follows that the unconverted will shake off and get rid of all serious thoughts and impressions, under the plea that they will give this matter their attention when the next revival comes round.  We have more than once heard persons say, in effect, “Oh well, I know I’m not what I ought to be, but perhaps I’ll be converted at the next revival.”  Thus the gracious influences of the blessed Spirit, as they come through the Word, whether from the pulpit, the Sunday-school teacher, or Christian friend, or even when that Word is brought to a funeral or sick-bed, are all put aside with the hope that there may be a change at the next revival.  And we verily believe that such ideas, fostered by a false system, have kept countless souls out of the kingdom of God.