Enthusiasm
Chapter 5
Enthusiasm
Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee (Ephesians 5:14). I want to apply these words to the children of God. If the lost are to be reached by the gospel of the Son of God, Christianity must be more aggressive than it has been in the past. Christians have been on the defensive long enough. The time has come for us to enter a war of aggression. When we as children of God wake up and go to work in the vineyard, those living in wickedness all around us will be reached, but not in any other way. You can go to crowded meetings and discuss “How to reach the masses,” but when you finish with the discussion, you have to put forth personal effort and actually do what you’ve discussed. Every man and woman who loves the Lord Jesus Christ must wake up to the fact that he or she has a mission in the world in this work of reaching the lost.
A man can talk in his sleep, and it seems to me that there is a good deal of that kind of thing going on in the Lord’s work. A man can even preach in his sleep. A friend of mine sat up in his bed one night and preached a sermon right through. He was sound asleep the whole time. Next morning, his wife told him all about it, and he preached the same sermon in his church the next Sunday morning. I have a copy of it in print, and it’s a good sermon. So, a man is able to not only talk but actually also preach in his sleep. I think many preachers today are fast asleep.
One thing we must remember is that a man can’t work in his sleep. There is no better way to wake up a church than to put it to work. One man will wake up another in waking himself up. Of course, the moment we begin to work aggressively and declare war with the world, the flesh, and the Devil, someone who talks like they have a lot of experience will shake their head, and there will be an outcry of, Zeal of God, but not according to knowledge (Romans 10:2).
I’ve heard this objection ever since I began the Christian life. Someone speaking the other day about work to be done said he hoped zeal would be tempered with moderation. Another friend wisely replied that he hoped moderation would be tempered with zeal. If that was always the case, Christianity would be like a red-hot ball rolling over the face of the earth. No power on earth can stand before the onward march of God’s people when they are deeply sincere in accomplishing God’s work.
In all ages, God has used those who were sincere and strongly motivated. Satan always calls idle men into his service. God calls those who are active and earnest − not lazy or idle. When we are thoroughly aroused and ready for His work, then He will gather us and use us.
Remember where Elijah found Elisha? He was ploughing in the field; he was at work. Gideon was at the threshing floor. Moses was away in Horeb looking after the sheep. None of these eminent servants of God were lazy or idle. What they did, they did with all their might. We need such men and women nowadays. Even if we don’t have all the knowledge we would like to have, let us do the work with all the zeal God has given us.
Jeremy Taylor says:
The zeal of the apostles was this, they preached publicly and privately, they prayed for all men, they wept to God for the hardness of men’s hearts, they “became all things to all men, that they might gain some,” they travelled through deeps and deserts, they endured the heat of the Sirian star and the violence of Euroclydon, winds and tempests, seas and prisons, mockings and scourgings, fastings and poverty, labour and watching, they endured every man and wronged no man, they would do any good thing and suffer any evil, if they had but hopes to prevail upon a soul; they persuaded men meekly, they entreated them humbly, they convinced them powerfully, they watched for their good, but meddled not with their interest; and this is the christian zeal, the zeal of meekness, the zeal of charity, the zeal of patience.
Many people are afraid of the word enthusiasm. Do you know what the original meaning of this word is? It means “in God.” The person who is “in God” will surely be fired up with enthusiasm. When a man goes in to work filled with fire and zeal, he will generally overcome all opposition before him. In the army, a general who is full of enthusiasm will fire up his men and will accomplish a great deal more than one who is not stirred with the same spirit. Some people say that if we go on in this way, many mistakes will be made, and there probably will be. You never saw any boy learning a trade who didn’t make a good many mistakes. If you don’t go to work because you are afraid of making mistakes, you will probably make one great mistake − the greatest mistake of your life − that of doing nothing. If we all do what we can, then much will be accomplished.
How often do we find Sunday school teachers doing their work without any enthusiasm? I have known a lot of wooden-like teachers. If I were a carpenter, I could manufacture any quantity of them. They have no heart, no fire, and no enthusiasm. Such a teacher comes into the classroom a few minutes after the appointed time. He sits down without speaking a word to any of the students, until the time comes for the lessons to begin. At the time the superintendent sets to begin, the teacher brings out a question book. He hasn’t troubled himself to study the subject, so he brings out what someone else has written about it. Along with the question book, he also has an answer book.
Such a teacher will pick up the question book and ask, “John, who was the first man?” He glances at the book and says to himself, Yes, that is the right question.
John replies, “Adam.”
Looking at the answer book the teacher says, “Yes, that is right.” He looks again at the question book and asks, “Charles, who was Lot?”
“Abraham’s nephew.”
“Yes, my boy, that is right.” And so he goes on. You may say that this is an exaggerated description, and of course, I don’t mean to suggest it is literally true, but the picture isn’t so exaggerated as you would suppose. Do you think a class of boys full of life and fire is going to be reached in that way with such an approach?
I like to see a teacher come into the class and shake hands with the students all around. “Johnnie, how do you do? Charlie, I am glad to see you. How’s the baby? How’s your mother? How are all the folks at home?” That is the kind of a teacher I like to see. When he begins to open up the lesson, all the students are interested in what he is going to say. He will be able to gain the attention of the whole class and to train them for God and for eternity. You can’t find a person in the world who has been greatly used of God who hasn’t been full of enthusiasm. When we go to work in this spirit, our work will begin to prosper, and God will give us success.
As I prepared to leave New York to go to England in 1867, a friend said to me, “I hope you go to Edinburgh to attend the general assembly this year. When I was there a year ago, I heard a speech I will never forget. Dr. Duff’s speech set me all on fire for the Lord. I will never forget the hour I spent in that meeting.”
Shortly after reaching England, I went to Edinburgh and spent a week there, in hopes that I might hear Dr. Duff speak. I went to work to find the narrative of the speech my friend referred to, and it stirred me wonderfully. Dr. Alexander Duff had been in India as a missionary for twenty-five years preaching the gospel and establishing schools. He came back with his vitality, health, and strength broken down. He was allowed to address the general assembly in order to make an appeal for men to go into the mission field. After he spoke for a considerable time, he became exhausted and fainted. They carried him out of the hall into another room. The doctors worked over him for some time until he finally began to recover. When he realized where he was, he roused himself and said, “I didn’t finish my speech; carry me back and let me finish it.” They told him that if he did that he would risk his life. Said he, “I will do it even if I die.” So they took him back to the hall. My friend said it was one of the most solemn scenes he ever witnessed in his life.
They brought the white-haired man into the assembly hall. As he appeared at the door, every person sprang to their feet. Tears flowed freely as they looked on the grand old veteran. With a trembling voice, he said, “Fathers and mothers of Scotland, is it true that you have no more sons to send to India to work for the Lord Jesus Christ? The call for help is growing louder and louder, but few are coming forward to answer it. You have the money put away in the bank, but where are the laborers who will go into the field? When Queen Victoria wants men to volunteer for her army in India, you freely give your sons. You don’t talk about them getting sick or about the demanding climate. But when the Lord Jesus calls for laborers, Scotland is saying, ‘We have no more sons to give.’”
Turning to the president of the assembly he said, “Mr. Moderator, if it is true that Scotland has no more sons to give to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ in India, although I have lost my health in that land, if there are none willing to go and tell those heathen of Christ, then I will be off tomorrow, to let them know that there is one old Scotchman who is ready to die for them. I will go back to the shores of the Ganges and lay down my life as a witness for the Son of God.”
Thank God for such a man. We want men today who are willing, if need be, to lay down their lives for the Son of God. Then we will be able to make an impression upon the world. When they see we are serious, their hearts will be touched, and we will be able to lead them to the Lord Jesus Christ.
I didn’t agree with Giuseppe Garibaldi’s judgment in everything, but I must confess I admired his enthusiasm. I never saw his name in the papers or in a book, but I read all I could find about him. Something about him fired me up. I remember reading about the time when he was on the way to Rome in 1867 and was thrown into prison. I read the letter he sent to his companions. “If fifty Garibaldis are thrown into prison, let Rome be free.” He didn’t care about his own comfort, so long as the cause of freedom in Italy was advanced. If we have a love like this for our Master and His cause, so that we are ready to go out and do His work whatever it may cost us personally, you can count on it that the Lord will use us to build up His kingdom.
I have read about a man in the ninth century who came up against a king. The king had a force of thirty thousand men, and when he heard that this general had only five hundred men, he sent him a message that if he would surrender, he would treat him and his followers mercifully. Turning to one of his followers, the man said, “Take that dagger and drive it into your heart.” The man at once pressed the weapon to his bosom and fell dead at the feet of his commander. Turning to another, he said, “Leap into that chasm over there.” The man jumped into the jaws of death. When they looked down, they saw him dashed to pieces at the bottom. Then, turning to the king’s messenger, the man said, “Go back to your king and tell him that I have five hundred such men. Tell him we may die but we will never surrender. Tell him that I will have him chained with my dogs within forty-eight hours.”
When the king heard this reply, he organized his men against him, but it struck terror in the king’s heart. His forces were so demoralized they scattered like chaff before the wind. Within forty-eight hours, the king was taken captive and chained with the dogs of his conqueror. When the people see that we are serious in all we undertake for God, they will begin to tremble. Men and women will be asking about the way to Zion.
A fearful storm raged when the cry “Man overboard!” was heard. A human form was seen bravely opposing the furious elements in the direction of the shore, but the raging waves carried the struggler farther out rapidly, and, before the boats could be lowered, a fearful amount of space separated the victim from help. Above the shriek of the storm and the roar of the waters rose his rending cry. It was an agonizing moment. With bated breath and paled faces, every eye strained to see the struggling man. The rowers courageously strained every nerve in that race of mercy, but all their efforts were in vain. One wild shriek of despair and the victim went down. A piercing cry rang out through the hushed crowd. “Save him! Save him!” Into their midst an agitated man darted, throwing his arms wildly in the air shouting, “A thousand pounds for the man who saves his life!” But as he stared out, his eye rested only on the spot where the waves rolled remorselessly over the perished. He whose strong cry broke the stillness of the crowd was captain of the ship from whence the drowned man fell and was his brother. This is the feeling we want to have in the various ranks of those commissioned under the great Captain of our salvation. “Save him! He is my brother!”
The fact is men don’t believe in Christianity because they think we aren’t serious about it. In this same epistle to the Corinthians the apostle Paul says, Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men (2 Corinthians 3:2). I’ve never known a time when Christian people were ready to go forth and put in the sickle, that there wasn’t a great harvest. Wherever you put in the sickle you’ll find the fields ripe for harvest. The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest (Luke 10:2). The trouble is there are so few reapers to do the work.
God needs men and women. That’s something far better than institutions. If a man or a woman is really serious, they won’t wait to be put on some committee. If I saw a man fall into the river in danger of drowning, I wouldn’t wait until I was placed on some committee before I tried to save him. Many people say they can’t work for the Lord because they haven’t been formally appointed. They say, “It isn’t my parish.”
I asked a person one day, during our last visit to London, if he would go and work in the inquiry room. He said, “I don’t belong to this part of London.” Let’s look at the whole world as our parish, as a great harvest field. If God puts anyone within our influence, let’s tell them about Christ and heaven. The world may rise up and say we are mad, but in my opinion no one is fit for God’s service until he is willing to be considered mad by the world. They said Paul was mad. I wish we had many more who were bitten with the same kind of madness. As someone has said, “If we are mad, we have a good Keeper on the way and a good asylum at the end of the road.”
One big problem is that people come to special revival meetings for two or three weeks and keep the fire stoked, but eventually it dies out. They are like a bundle of shavings with kerosene poured on them − they blaze away for a short time, but soon nothing is left. We need to keep the fiery fervor all the time – morning, noon, and night.
I heard about a well once that was said to be very good, except that it had two faults. It would freeze up in the winter, and it would dry up in the summer. A most extraordinary well, but I’m afraid there are a great number like it.
Many people are good at certain times. It might be better to say that they seem to be good “in spots.” What we need is to be red hot all the time. Don’t wait until someone seeks you out. People talk about striking while the iron is hot. I believe it was Oliver Cromwell who said, “Not only strike while the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking.” So, let’s stay vigilant at our post, and we’ll soon grow warm in the Lord’s work.
Let me say a few words especially for Sunday school teachers. I urge you. Don’t be satisfied with merely pointing the children to the Lord Jesus Christ. Many teachers go on sowing the seed and think they will eventually reap the harvest, but they don’t look for the harvest now. I began to work in that way, and it was years before I saw any conversions. I believe God’s method is that we should sow with one hand and reap with the other. The two should go on side by side.
The idea that children must grow into manhood and womanhood before they can be brought to Jesus Christ is a false one. They can be led to Christ now in their youth, and they can be retained for the future when they can become useful members of society and a blessing to their parents, to the church, and to the world. If they are allowed to grow to maturity before they are led to Christ, many of them will be dragged into dens of vice, and instead of being a blessing they will be a curse to society.
What’s the problem throughout Christendom today in connection with Sunday school? It is that so many drop through the Sunday school net when they grow up to the age of sixteen or so, and that’s the last we see of them. Many young men who were once Sunday school students are now in our prisons. The cause of that is that so few teachers believe the children can be converted when they are young. They don’t work to bring them to a knowledge of Christ, but are content only to go on sowing the seed. Let a teacher resolve that with God’s help, he won’t rest until he sees his whole class brought into the kingdom of God. If he determines to do this, he will see signs and wonders inside of thirty days.
I remember clearly how I became aware of this. I had a large Sunday school with a thousand children. I was very pleased with the numbers. If we kept up or exceeded that number, I was delighted. If attendance fell below a thousand, it troubled me very much. I was simply aiming at numbers all the time. One class held in a corner of the large hall was made up of young women, and it was more trouble than any other in the school. Only one man could manage to keep it in order. If he could keep the class quiet, it was about as much as we could hope for. The idea of any of them being converted never entered my mind.
One Sunday this teacher was absent and his substitute struggled to keep order in the class. During the week, the teacher came to see me where I worked. He looked very pale, and I asked what was the trouble. “I have bleeding in my lungs,” he said, “and the doctor tells me I won’t live. I must give up my class and go back to my widowed mother in New York state.” As he spoke, his chin quivered and the tears began to flow. He fully believed he was going home to die.
I said, “You’re not afraid of death, are you?”
“Oh no, I am not afraid to die, but I will meet God and not one of my Sunday school students is converted. What will I say?”
How different things looked when he felt he was going to give an account of his stewardship.
I was speechless. I’d never heard anyone talk like this. I said, “Suppose we go and see the students and tell them about Christ.”
“I’m very weak,” he said. “Too weak to walk.”
I took him in a carriage, and we went to the homes of every student. He staggered across the sidewalk, sometimes leaning on my arm. He called each young lady by name, prayed with her, and pleaded with her to come to Christ. It was a new experience for me, and it gave me a new perspective on things. After he had used up all his strength, I took him home. The next day he visited others in the class. Sometimes he went alone and sometimes I joined him. At the end of ten days, he came to see me where I worked with his face beaming with joy. He said, “The last one has yielded her heart to Christ. I am going home now. I have done all I can do. My work is done.”
I asked when he was going. He said, “Tomorrow night.”
“Suppose I ask these young friends to have a little gathering, to meet you once more before you go?”
He liked the idea, and so I sent out the invitations and they all came together. I had never spent such a night up to that time. I had never met such a large number of young converts, led to Christ by his influence and mine. We prayed for each member of the class, for the superintendent, and for the teacher. Every one of them prayed. What a change had come over them in a short space of time. We tried to sing, but that didn’t turn out very well.
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love.
We all said good-bye to him, but I felt as if I must go and see him once more. The next night, before the train left, I went to the station and found that, without any preplanning, one and another of the class came to say good-bye to him. They were all there on the platform. A few gathered around us − the fireman, engineer, brakeman, and conductor of the train, with the passengers. It was a beautiful summer night, and the sun was just going down behind the western prairies as we sang together:
Here we meet to part again,
But when we meet on Canaan’s shore
There’ll be no parting there.
As the train pulled out of the station, he stood on the outside platform, and, with his finger pointing heavenward, he said, “I will meet you yonder.” Then he disappeared from our view. What a work was accomplished in those ten days. Some of the members of that class were among the most active Christians we had in the school for years. Some of them are active workers today. A few years ago, I met one of them at work way out on the Pacific Coast.
We had a blessed work of grace in the school that summer. It took me away from my job and sent me into the Lord’s work. If it hadn’t been for the work of those ten days, I probably wouldn’t be an evangelist today.
Let me urge Sunday school teachers, again, to seek the salvation of your students. Make up your mind that within the next ten days you will do all you can to lead your class to Christ.
Fathers and mothers, don’t rest until you see all your family brought into the kingdom of God. Don’t say He won’t bless such a devoted effort. What we want today is the spirit of blessing and sanctification. May God pour out His Spirit upon us, and fill us with a holy enthusiasm.