Visitation evangelism : its methods and results

Front matter

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Foreword

T is a sign of the hunger on the part of min- | isters and laymen for evangelistic knowledge and evangelistic inspiration, that books on the general subject have a ready welcome and a wide circulation. One could give the titles of many volumes that have appeared in the recent years dealing with the technique of this holy matter, while the volumes of men like Harold Begbie and others, recording the romances of evangelism in the re-making of actual souls, have found their way to laboratory libraries and to polite parlour tables. Some books on the subject, it must be confessed, were too academic to be much worth while. Indeed no book, whether it be the recital of the stories of evangelism or a discussion of its methods, can be effective if it be a cloistered production. Any persuasive and revealing treatise must always come out of actual life. Evangelists are not abstract. On the contrary, they are most vital. Edwards, Finney, Wesley, Moody,—these men were not shadowy figures, peeping out from an imagined world. They were rather rigourous “ humans.” 5

6 FOREWORD

Indeed, Drummond said that Moody was the greatest “ human” that Drummond himself ever knew!

And books on evangelism must be like these personal figures of evangelism; they, too, must be fashioned in life. The writer recalls no work on the subject that has had wide and effective currency, unless it came out of real travail with real souls by real messengers. ‘The theorist is not at home in this field. Amateurishness is most amateurish here; and the academician is most academic. Somehow, the man must go into the book, and the reader must be able to say, “ He, himself, did the work.”

Here is another book on Evangelism; presenting a method so old and apostolic as to be new. It applies the way of the financial canvass to the higher commerce of the Kingdom. Surely the book will be like Christ in one respect if it send out the modern disciples, as He sent the ancient,

“two by two,” so that these disciples may return as apostles, with glowing faces and wondrous tales of spiritual conquest.

Dr. Kernahan has not attempted any learned treatise. But he has given an evangelistic narrative, and out of the narrative the wise reader will extract the method himself. I have long been cer-

FOREWORD 7 tain that, if we are to be truly apostolic, we must return to the visitation plan. It does not contradict the method of mass evangelism. ‘That method faded because it was too long the sole dependence of some churches, and, also, because it met the competitions of growingly complex life. Yet Pentecost and Antioch are in the New Testament, and they will the more surely return to the modern Church, if this visitation plan be used with faithfulness. Therefore, I delight to put my name and word in the front of this book; and to have a wee part in sending it on to those eager searchers for the finer fashions and the higher moods of the evangelistic Life.

Epwin H. HucHes.

Episcopal Residence, Chicago, Lil.

Introduction

FTER a most useful service as Chaplain of the First Division, A. FE. F., Mr. Kernahan came to Boston, where he was Pastor of

one of the leading churches of his denomination. By his force, his learning, his attractive personality and his evident devout purpose he naturally took a position of real leadership in the whole community. We are better because he lived and worked among us. My testimony may be prejudiced because I have come to regard him as a friend, but you will gain the same opinion from all those who know of his work in Boston or Northampton, Mass., where he lived before entering the army. In my judgment he is an eloquent and convincing advocate of the fundamentals which we most need in America today.

CHANNING H. Cox, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Contents

I THE NEW METHOD > I. Tur Evo,ution oF tHE MetuHop... 15 II. Some UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS... 26 Il. THe Nero of a New Metuop oF EVANGELISM hii Lie oe ee Sh lus se 36 IV. Wuat Was Jesus’ MetuHop?...... 42 II HOW TO ORGANIZE Wirt REBARATORY (WORK vim ihe 49 VI. WHEN AND How ‘to LauncH....... 55 Vil WORKERS CIREPORTS | Cou enn) eau fis VIII. Instruction OF THE WoORKERS..... 76 IX. Continuous EVANGELISM ......... 84 Til THE DISCOVERIES OF VISITATION EVANGELISM X. CONVERSION AND VISITATION EvAN- RET OM aan erire te crete Na bee se hel et ie cto une uae 93 XI. THE REACTION ON THE WoRKERS... 96

XII. Associations FormMEp DuriInc A VISITATION EVANGELISM CAMPAIGN 101 XIII. WHat THE CHURCH Discovers.... 106

12 CONTENTS