The Blessings of Revival

I have just read, with great blessing, of a revival in a Baptist church in Auburn, New York. R. S. Stanfield writes about it: How would you like to experience revival?

Second Baptist Church I in Auburn, New York, had the joy of such an experience which be- gan on November 11, 1951. It lasted for two months. After the revival started meetings were held in the church audi- torium each evening for the next six weeks; in other words, regular services were held for forty-two consecutive evenings, and all other church activities were suspended.

Three evening meetings were held during each of the seventh and eighth weeks. These meetings were largely informal, yet orderly. They were introduced generally by a verse or two of a hymn, followed by a short Scripture passage and then a few comments on the Scripture.

Then the meeting was opened for testimonies, and closed with all on their knees praying. For the first two weeks the testimonies were mostly confined to personal, public confession of sins, largely the sin of criticism. During the re- mainder of the revival the testimonies mainly struck a note of joy and victory. Many became burdened for their loved ones and friends.

‘ Scores of cold church members were revived, many lost souls were saved, backsliders were restored to strong faith, the timid were given boldness to witness for Christ, several broken families were reunited, organizations resolved their differences and learned to live together in a spirit of love and harmony, young people yielded their lives to the Lord, wounds of long standing were healed, restitution was made where possible, many people publicly and privately confessed their sins and forgave one another and a tragic and ever-widening church schism of six years’ duration involving about one hundred adults that had left the church was gloriously healed.

This schism had divided families, separated life-long friends, broken homes and undermined evangelical work throughout a broad area. These and many other blessings came as the result of the sudden visitation of the Holy Spirit in power. A spirit of unity and forgiveness prevailed such as the church had never known before in its history.