Helps to a life of holiness and usefulness

Front matter

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Preface

The large and rapid sale of the volume containing an account of Rev. James Caughey's extraordinary revival labors * having stamped it with the seal of public approbation, the testimonies of numerous and competent witnesses having satisfied us that it has been made extensively useful, and many persons having expressed a strong desire to see some of those sermons in print winch have been so remarkably blessed of God in the pulpit, we have thought fit to prepare and publish the present work, as a companion to the former. We publish it with an honest conviction that it will be a valuable addition to the spiritual literature of the church, and a means of leading many to seek a higher state of grace, and to engage in more intelligent and comprehensive efforts for the salvation of souls.

The sermons which form the first part of this book were mostly taken down by British stenographers, as delivered in public. They give as fair a view of the character of Mr. Caughey's pulpit efforts as can be imparted in print. But no one can form any adequate conception of the effect of these dis-

* Over ten thousand copies were sold in about a year. The plates were then purchased by the book agents of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, by whom it is now published. 1*

VI PREFACE.

courses on a congregation, who has not heard them, as, burning with intellectual and spiritual fervor, they fell from the lips of that devoted man of God. They are published, not as models either of form, style, or manner, for any man to imitate; — Mr. Caughey cannot be copied; perhaps he ought not to be; he is unique in almost every respect; — but we offer them simply as specimens of that pulpit oratory which God has so wondrously blessed. Not that they are without merit as compositions. They do contain many fine, not to say sublime, passages. They are rich in illustration. They breathe with the fire of a soul in earnest. They possess the rare power of kindling the heart to feeling, and of arousing the reader to action. They cannot be read without profit. Similar remarks apply to his " Thoughts " on the manifold topics treated of in the second part of this book. They are not elegant ; they are not always profound : they are abrupt ; the unity of the chapters is not always preserved, — a fault growing out of the fact of their being written originally in the form of familiar letters : but they are vigorous, practical, plain, distinguished for strong common sense, and animated, like his sermons, though not in the same degree, with life and feeling. The soul of earnest thought is in them, and they will benefit every reflective and serious reader.

Daniel Wise.

Ralph W. Allen.

PART I. — REVIVAL SERMONS. I. • — The Standing Doubt 13

II. — The Omnipotence of Faith, 22

HI. — Purification by Faith, 36

IV. — The Fear of Death Destroyed by a Sight of Christ, ... 53

V. — The Fulness Dwelling in Jesus Christ, 72

VI. — The Fear of Unconverted Men in the Hour of Death, . . 92

VII. — QuENcniNG the Spirit, - 101

VET!. — The Striving of the Spirit, 108

IX. — The Sting of Death, 120

X. — A Call to Decision, . 136

XI. — An Invitation to Straitened Souls, 153

Chapter I. Is Entire Sanctif1cation A Gradual Or An Instantaneous -work 1

Three respects in which entire sanctification is gradual — what is entire purity 1 — instantaneous sanctification — state of those Methodists who are not seeking holiness — on professing holiness — oppositions — quick vegetation in warm climates — dying to sin — Mr. Wesley — the doctrine argued from its conditions — faith described — Dr. Clark — Fletcher — scriptural proofs — why are not believers purified at once — entire sanctification sometimes given with justification — the author's experience — objections considered, 165

CHAPTER IT.

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION A DISTINCT BLESSING.

Methodist opinion — scriptural distinctions — regeneration — sanctification begun — the rising sun — sanctification may be received with justification — experience of believers generally — why not given at once — case of primitive believers considered — scriptural proofs — Richard Watson's opinion — argumentum ad hominem — various kinds of faith — Barthneus — the leper — the diseased woman — poetical extracts — paucity of those who are entirely sanctified when justified — naked faith — extract from an eminent divine — instantaneous work — an objection considered — conversion necessary to entire sanctification, f . 181

VIII CONTENTS.

Chapter III. On Revival Preaching

Desires for revival — the army of Antichrist — piercing preaching the want of the church — apostolic preaching — an Irish Christian's opinion — the lazy soldier — the eloquent philosopher — a minister who wrote and talked about revivals, » 197

Chapter IV. Of Methods To Promote A Revival

Do revivals always begin in the same manner 1 — silent prayer — the secret prayer-meeting in the dark — the local preachers and a revival — the desponding minister and an unexpected revival — facts the materials of revival preaching

— a just criticism — the medical lecturer — proving of principles insufficient — revival speculations — revival department of newspapers and their influence — the one conversion — divine glory — joy in heaven — uuited prayer — God's time to bless — the awakening — special services —importance of — Hannibal — Joash and the bundle of arrows — Gideon and his army — flowery preaching — > effect of — its wickedness — striking to make the iron hot, 218

Chapter V. Effect Of Revival Efforts On Lukewarm Churches And Church-members

Unconverted professors — their number — false teaching — a striking comparison — sad death-beds — conversion of professors — causes which often lead such to change their church relation — opposition — small preaching — revival preaching and tender consciences — hypocrites — effect of revivals on dead churches — the two pastures — the complaint well answered — deserted congregations — a confession — unconverted ministers cannot be extensively useful — a curse, 236