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    The Dearth of Conversions
    The Dearth of Conversions
    The Dearth of Conversions
    Ebook58 pages39 minutes

    The Dearth of Conversions

    By Andrew Murray

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    THE British Weekly of 10th
    December had a leading article with the title, “Mark Rutherford on the Dearth
    of Modern Conversions.”



    After quoting from the novelist, the writer
    endorses his opinion that conversions of the old fashioned type are becoming
    rarer: “In churches that are both prosperous and enterprising, and whose praise
    is in all the land, conversions, of the old order at least, are unknown.”



    In answer to the
    question, “Can any explanation be rendered of the fact?” he reminds us of the
    influence of the Christian home, as leading men into the Christian life without
    any abrupt transition. He speaks of the shadow of Darwin resting upon the
    messenger of peace, and leading men to expect more from slow evolution than
    from a sudden change. “The spiritual expectations of the Christian Church are
    restrained by the accepted idea, or at least the expectations, of those who
    give the keynote to the temper and religious enterprise of our times.” Materialistic
    views of sin have a share in hindering both effort and expectation.



    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCrossReach Publications
    Release dateDec 2, 2017
    The Dearth of Conversions
    Author

    Andrew Murray

    ANDREW MURRAY (1828-1917) was a church leader, evangelist, and missionary statesman. As a young man, Murray wanted to be a minister, but it was a career choice rather than an act of faith. Not until he had finished his general studies and begun his theological training in the Netherlands, did he experience a conversion of heart. Sixty years of ministry in the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, more than 200 books and tracts on Christian spirituality and ministry, extensive social work, and the founding of educational institutions were some of the outward signs of the inward grace that Murray experienced by continually casting himself on Christ. A few of his books include The True Vine, Absolute Surrender, The School of Obedience, Waiting on God, and The Prayer Life.

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      Book preview

      The Dearth of Conversions - Andrew Murray

      I.—THE EVIL

      THE British Weekly of 10th December had a leading article with the title, Mark Rutherford on the Dearth of Modern Conversions.

      After quoting from the novelist, the writer endorses his opinion that conversions of the old fashioned type are becoming rarer: In churches that are both prosperous and enterprising, and whose praise is in all the land, conversions, of the old order at least, are unknown.

      In answer to the question, Can any explanation be rendered of the fact? he reminds us of the influence of the Christian home, as leading men into the Christian life without any abrupt transition. He speaks of the shadow of Darwin resting upon the messenger of peace, and leading men to expect more from slow evolution than from a sudden change. The spiritual expectations of the Christian Church are restrained by the accepted idea, or at least the expectations, of those who give the keynote to the temper and religious enterprise of our times. Materialistic views of sin have a share in hindering both effort and expectation.

      Above all, the questions of the hour, and the desire to be perfectly fair in his statement of the old doctrines, paralyse many a preacher. The result is that he is often found carrying upon his aching heart problems in criticism and theology, rather than what his forefathers called the burden of souls. There is scarcely any place left in his thoughts for the growth of that faith which realised those frequent and striking conversions which were the glory of the last generation. The very soul of the present-day teacher seems to evaporate in the attempt to present candid, painfully balanced, delicately conceived statements of the truth. And such statements, however necessary, never seem to stir profoundly the hearts of their hearers. The zeal, self-denial, straining expectation which have been the co-operant human factors in that great evangelical movement, do seem to have exhausted themselves for the time.

      The writer concludes: If the modern dearth of conversions is to be arrested, the revival movements of the past will need a fresh replenishment from the Divine spring which gave them birth.

      A week later there appeared in The Christian a letter from Mr Moody to The New York Independent on the same subject, though from a very different standpoint. It is a reference to a statement in a previous issue of that paper, that there were over three thousand churches in the Congregational and Presbyterian bodies in the United States that did not report a single member added by profession of faith during the year. Mr Moody writes: "Can this be true? The thought has taken such hold of me that I cannot get it out of my mind. It is enough almost to send a thrill of horror through the soul of every true Christian. Are we all going to sit still and let this thing continue? Should we not lift up our voice like a trumpet about this matter? What must the Son of God think of such a result of our labour as this?"

      In a leader on Mr. Moody’s communication, The Independent explains that some allowance must be made for the new churches founded within the year, from which no report could be expected, for small churches without a pastorate, and for those that have failed to send

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