APPEAL

     The foregoing chapters have not been written merely as a pastime, nor for the purpose of making a book; but in hope of contributing, in some degree at least, to the production of awakened interest in the class-meeting, and to the bringing on of a revival of this inestimable means of grace in all that made it the mighty instrument of good it proved to be in the day of its greatest popularity. In concluding his present work the writer would earnestly and affectionately appeal to all who peruse this little volume, and who, like Habakkuk of old, are praying, "O Lord, revive Thy work," to give themselves to zealous efforts of every legitimate kind for the revival of the class-meeting in all that was essential to its primitive simplicity and power.

     As the realization of the desired end must depend more on the attitude and efforts of the ministry than on any other class, our first appeal is to pastors, or preachers in charge. Brethren, much, very much, depends on you as to what the future of the class-meeting shall be. In so far as the class-meeting has declined in interest and power, the chief responsibility is with the preachers as a rule. In so far as relates to the desired revival of this invaluable means of grace, on you as a class devolves the chief responsibility of determining whether that end shall be realized or not. In the interest of making your own work more effective and enduring you should give all possible attention to making this "right arm" of the church vigorous and fruitful. Nothing else can so admirably supplement your pulpit labors as a wide-awake and well regulated class-meeting, and the work of a godly, zealous and skillful class-leader. These are means of incalculable value for gathering and conserving the results of your pulpit and pastoral labors. The instruction received by the membership of the church through the agency of the class-meeting; the mutual interest and inspiration awakened by their communion together in their weekly gatherings for confession, testimony, prayer and praise; the more regular and frequent private instruction, counsel, exhortation and consolation ministered by the leader than most pastors can have the time to bestow; -- these are ministries supplementary to your own efforts such as should be highly appreciated and constantly encouraged.

     "Great as this labor of private instruction is," says Mr. Wesley, "it is absolutely necessary; for after all our preaching, many of our people are almost as ignorant as though they had never heard the gospel. I speak as plainly as I can, yet I frequently meet with those who have been my hearers for many years, who do not know whether Christ be God or man. And how few are there who know the nature of repentance, faith, and holiness! Most of them have a sort of confidence that God will save them, while the world has their hearts. I have found by experience that one of these has learned more from an hour's close discourse than from ten years' public preaching." ^[1]

     We next appeal to class-leaders everywhere to give their most earnest and indefatigable efforts to the bringing about of a general and genuine class-meeting revival. Be determined that in your case it must come. Fast, pray, and wait on God; enlist the pastor's interest and co-operation; associate your members with you in persevering prayer for the realization of the desired end; visit your members at their homes, and converse personally and earnestly with them regarding this matter; get the burden of souls on both Yourself and them; inspire them with missionary zeal, both by precept and example; be wise, gentle, loving, patient and forbearing, but determined to succeed, "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by pleading the divine promises with a faith that cannot be denied, and see if God "will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

     "The revival of the work of God does perhaps depend as much on the whole body of the leaders as it does upon the whole body of the preachers ... Our leaders under God are the sinews of our society, and our revivals will ever in great measure rise or fall with them ... In short, we can truly say that through the grace of God our classes form the pillars of our work, and, as we have before observed, are in a considerable degree our universities for the ministry." ^[2]

     This estimate of the class-leader's calling, which has received the endorsement of the most thoughtful men of Methodism down to the present time, indicates the exalted and responsible character of the office, and should impress leaders everywhere with the importance of giving diligence to show themselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II Tim. 2:15).

     In dismissing the appeal to pastors and leaders the writer would commend to their most serious consideration the following extract from the "Episcopal Address to Class-Leaders" delivered before the Methodist Episcopal General Conference of 1892.

     Practical Suggestions

     "I. To our pastors, who appoint the leaders and who should themselves be model leaders:

1. "Have at least one class-meeting in every church, however small. If necessary, lead it yourself. If you can find no other convenient time, hold it after the Sunday morning service, and if need be, shorten your sermon to make room for it.

2. "Preach occasionally on class-meetings, and give notice of them every Sunday.

3. "Assign all the members to classes, being careful to consult their convenience as to time.

4. "Change the leaders when necessary, appointing some women when that seems best, especially for young people's and children's classes

     "II. To class-leaders:

1. "Your office demands a life of high consecration to God. The church has a right to expect of you a life marked by conspicuous moral purity and religious zeal. Be holy. Be zealous. Be an example of earnest and constant devotion to all good works.

2. "Be absolutely regular and prompt in attending your class-meeting. Always begin it and close it on time.

3. "Make it interesting and instructive. These are two indispensable requisites for a good class-meeting. In order to do this you must be a constant student of the word of God and of religious books and periodicals ... Your mind and heart must thus be constantly fresh and full. Keep out of the ruts. Avoid platitudes. Make the meeting largely conversational. Do not require every one to speak, nor always reply to every one. Introduce topics of experimental and practical godliness in a free conversational way, asking questions and drawing out replies. Vary the meeting, by sometimes asking each member to quote a verse of scripture, or of a hymn, indicating his personal experience. If your class-members are interested and helped, they will come again, and regularly.

4. "Be a constant student and teacher of the word of God. Saturate your mind and heart with it. Read, study, and search it daily. Commit to memory texts suited to all varieties and stages of religious experience and temptation. Quote them discriminatingly and believingly. In his duel with Satan our Lord conquered every time simply by quoting Scripture."

     Our final appeal must be to the members of our churches. In order that pastors and leaders may succeed in effecting a revival of class-meeting interest and effectiveness, they must have your co-operation. Co-operation is ever an indispensable condition of effectiveness in church work. Working apart, we can accomplish little; working together, we may accomplish marvelous things. "However small may be the force of any living thing, unite enough of them and they accomplish wonders. The weevil is an insect hardly visible to the naked eye, yet for years they laid waste the finest wheat fields of a large section of country. The coral islands of the Pacific ocean are built from the rocky bed of the sea by polypes -- small animals of the lowest order. Yet some of these islands are fifty miles long by twenty wide. These aquatic animals have built up a barrier reef along the shores of New Caledonia for a length of four hundred miles, and another which runs along the northeast coast of Australia. These mounds were built amid the waves and storms of the ocean; yet in comparison with them the greatest monuments of the physical strength of man -- the walls of Babylon, the great wall of China, and the pyramids of Egypt -- sink into insignificance. They show us what can be effected by patiently toiling together toward the accomplishment of a common object, If such mighty achievements can be effected by animals without intelligence, what might not Christians reasonably be expected to accomplish if they labored together to build up the kingdom of God among men, the untiring energy of the Holy Spirit working with them?" ^[3]

     Dear brethren and sisters of the laity, get the burden of this matter on your hearts. Know, feel, and appreciate, your opportunity and obligation. If your pastors and leaders are awake to the importance of the class-meeting, and to the need of a revival of class-meeting interest and effectiveness, thank God for it, and enter into hearty and practical sympathy with them in their efforts to bring about a realization of the desired ends. If they are not as fully awake to these matters as they should be, then by every kind and courteous means on your part endeavor to arouse their interest and secure their active engagement in the direction of making this means of grace the mighty agency for good it was designed to be in the beginning, and has ever been when at its best. It is to your own interests, to the interests of the church as a whole, to the well-being of Christ's kingdom, and to the eternal welfare of dying men and women all around you, that you should awake to a solemn sense of personal responsibility in these matters and consecrate yourself to special and untiring endeavors to make the class-meeting a mightier instrumentality than it has ever been for the salvation of men and the advancement of God's kingdom on the earth.

     "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding w hat the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5:15-20). And "let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised; and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching" (Heb. 10:23-25).

THE END

1 Works, Vol. V., p. 214.

2 Coke and Asbury, "Notes on the Discipline," 1787; quoted in 'Episcopal Address to Class-Leaders," 1892.

3 Roberts' "Fishers of Men," pp. 234-235.