Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, BY CARLTON & PORTER, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New-York. PREFACE. As our title implies, the subject-matter of this volume is treated rather suggestively than exhaustively. We have aimed to set forth principles, and left their details and applications to the reader. Indeed, it is too late to teach Methodist preachers how to conduct revivals, but not too late to help one another by our suggestions to bring about this most blessed condition of the Church in which it can exist out of heaven. Much of the matter of this volume has already appeared in the columns of the paper under the author's control. But for the flattering attention which it has there excited, we might never have thought of giving it its present form. Numerous letters from highly respectable sources have reached us at different times, soliciting its publication in a less ephemeral form than that of a newspaper. Yielding to the judgment of our friends, we hope the volume will do good. We the more readily make a book upon this subject because, so far as we are aware, the catalogue literature of Methodism is unsupplied with such a work. Albeit we would not forget to mention the most excellent little work of Rev. James Porter, D. D., which has had a steady sale for several years. The work has been prepared under disadvantages altogether peculiar, and which none but the author can duly appreciate. Should the critic here seek work, he would be apt to find enough to do. We hold ourself responsible not for its verbal accuracy, but for its doctrines alone. If it have merit, as we flatter ourselves it has, it will make its way in the world. If it have not, it does not deserve to. CONTENTS. A REVIVAL FAITH DEFINED - THE GOSPEL'S THE MORAL MIGHT OF THE OLD REFORMERS CHRISTIAN - THE DIPLOMATIC CHRISTIAN THE PARTISAN CHRISTIAN................................. .................. THE CHURCH NOT GENERALLY HATED-A TACIT WANT OF FAITH IN HER CLAIMS A CAUSE OF MORAL OBDURACY -THE SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS WANTING IN PERVASIVENESS -THE MATERIALISM OF THE POPULAR MIND... ... ... ......................... 27 THE PROTEAN CHARACTER OF UNBELIEF THE VERY ELECT MAY BE DECEIVED - - INFIDELITY ASSUMING TO BE AN ANGEL OF LIGHT IT FINDS APOLOGY FROM THE CONDUCT OF CHRISTIANS - AN EXAMPLE GIVEN THE PREVALENCE OF PERVERTED SCI- ENCE AND PHILOSOPHY FALSELY SO CALLED MARVELOUS MATERIAL PROGRESS- MAN'S ABUSE OF BLESSINGS AND MISIN- TERPRETATION OF THE PURPOSES OF THEIR BESTOWMENT → THE PULPIT SHOULD ADAPT ITSELF TO THE POPULAR MIND- THE EMIGRATION OF ERROR SPIRITUAL- ISM AND ITS COGNATES DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ETHICAL AND THE DOCTRINAL -A DEFECT IN THE PULPIT AN ILLUS- TRATION ILLUSTRATED CONCLUSION OF A LEGITIMATE RATION- THE CENTRAL GLORY OF THE UNIVERSE — THE WORLD'S GREAT WANT JESUS MUST BE PREACHED, OR THE PULPIT WILL BECOME EXTINCT-BOSTON UNITARIANISM - UNION BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS MINISTERS ILLUSTRATED-THE CROSS IN- VESTED WITH STUPENDOUS EVIDENCES MERITLESSNESS OF MAN'S RIGHTEOUSNESS-HOW THE SINNER IS SAVED THE WORKING THE SOCIAL AND SYMPATHETIC PRINCIPLE-MAN MORE SOCIAL AS HE BECOMES MORE RELIGIOUS - THE FOLLY ANCHORITISM THE CLASS-MEETING THE CLASS-MEETING THE MEANS OF CONSECRATING THE SOCIAL PRINCIPLE- CLASS-MEETINGS SUPPLY A NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL WANT THEIR PHILOSOPHY ILLUSTRATED THE CONVERSATION OF THE DEFINITION OF REVIVALS ALI. HISTORY ILLUSTRATES THEIR NE- CESSITY -HOW THE QUESTION IS TO BE VIEWED RELIGION AND NATURE TOO OFTEN DIVORCED THE CONDITION OF THE |