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Show David Utter bors do know. simply believes something that they do not believe. object is to convince, though he may think it is to speak for God and instruct. Now, the right not He His method in attempting convince is to address the to reason. facts, your evidence, to the intellectual consideration of your doubting friend, and if you are right he cannot resist the conclusion. But is it of any use to say, Calmly present your "Oh, please be convinced! Oh, for the sake of your own soul, yield, assent, believe that my reasoning is right and my facts authentic!" presented Any such reasons appeal your you have done your utmost. and breath. This is is foolish. When you have for your belief clearly as possible, persuade is to waste time To as many sensible men hold revivals and revivalists in contempt. I do not think I am putting this too why so I know the contempt is veiled with polite and sometimes hidden as a matter of policy and strongly, though ness often, advantage. But if contempt is too strong a word, scratch and say out take no simply that many well-educated and sensible interest in revivals. The reason is, I urge, that of the it men they influence the belief of a folly anybody's trying sane man by persuasion or by passionate appeals and cries of danger. And so to such, revivals in religion seem puerile, foolish, unworthy the intellectual age in which we live. This is what they seem to me and to many of my friends who are good citizens and who live good lives. But we all can, and do, turn the subject about and look at it from the standpoint of those that we see engaged in see to promoting these efforts that that their minds are possessed by universe from that which their actions theory is are seem so not so we hold. a foolish to us. We see theory of the theory is sound, different If their If their as they appear. be feared whether we can irrational sound, then God is to 173 |
