f the outlying masses of the
people are to be reached we must have the regulars and the irregulars
both.

I remember hearing of a Sunday-school in our country where the teacher
had got into ruts. A young man was placed in charge as Superintendent,
and he wanted to re-arrange the seats. Some of the older members said
the seats had been in their present position for so many years, that
they could not be moved! There is a good deal of that kind of spirit
nowadays. It seems to me that if one method is not successful we ought
to give it up and try some other plan that may be more likely to
succeed. If the people will not come to the "regular means of grace,"
let us adopt some means that will reach them and win them.

Do not let us be finding fault because things are not done exactly as
they have been done in the past, and as we think they ought to be
done. I am sick and tired of those who are constantly complaining. Let
us pay no heed to them, but let us go forward with the work that God
has given us to do.

Another very serious charge is brought against revivals. They say the
work will not last. As I have said there were doubtless many at the
day of Pentecost who said that. And when Stephen was stoned to death,
James beheaded, and finally all the apostles put to death, no doubt
they said that Pentecost was a stupendous failure. But was it a
failure? Are not the fruits of that revival at Pentecost to be seen
even in our time?

In the sight of the world the mission of John the Baptist may have
been thought to be a failure when he was beheaded by the command of
Herod. But it was not a failure in the sight of heaven. The influence
of this wilderness prophet is felt in the Church of God to-day. The
world thought Christ's life was a failure as He hung on the Cross and
expired. But in the sight of God it was altogether different. God made
the wrath of men to praise Him.

I have little sympathy with those pastors who, when God is reviving
the Churches, begin to preach against revivals. There is not a
denomination in Christendom to-day that has not sprung out of a
revival. The Roman Catholics and the Episcopalians both claim to be
apostolic in their origin; if they are, they sprang out of the revival
at Pentecost. The Methodist body rose out of revivals under John
Wesley and George Whitefield. Did not the Lutheran Church come from
the great awakening that swept through Germany in the days of Luther?
Was not Scotland stirred u