d women,
and children are being gathered into the Protestant church who have not an
ounce of Christian experience. If reformation was necessary in the times
of Luther and Wesley in Europe, and Otterbein and Asbury in America, it is
scarcely less necessary now. But some one may say this is putting it too
strong. What are the facts? Is it not a fact that the church is drifting
away from the more spiritual to the social and intellectual? If the
religion of Jesus Christ is what the Bible represents it to be, then the
church in general is far below the standard. Where is the spiritual power
that was breathed into the apostolic church? Peter's sermon on the day of
Pentecost was not what the people of to-day would call brilliant, but the
people were pricked, not in the head, but in the heart.

"What did it? Two things. First, he preached the gospel straight. Second,
the Holy Spirit quickened the Word spoken and made it powerful. What would
the people do if there should be such an uproar in some of our
congregations to-day? It would scare some of them half to death, and many
would run for dear life. But we have the same gospel Peter had, and the
same Holy Spirit to accompany the Word. What is the matter? The people do
not want it that way, neither does the devil. Thousands of church people
instead of praying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, are asking such
questions as these: Is it wrong for a Christian to dance? to go to the
theater? to visit places of amusement? to play progressive euchre? etc.
Why don't they ask such questions as these: Is it wrong to pray? to go to
church? to take the sacrament? etc. The fact is, a man or woman filled
with the Spirit of Christ knows without asking any questions whether a
thing is right or wrong.

"But some may say that the writer is getting old and feeble, and has
fallen far behind in the race, all of which is readily granted; but the
fact remains that we have the same gospel, which is as changeless as the
throne of God. If in the days of the Son of man and his inspired apostles
it was necessary that a man should be 'born again,' 'born of the Spirit,'
'made a new creature,' and be 'cleansed from all sin,' it is necessary
now. If there ever was a time when men were born into the kingdom of grace
by the power of the Holy Ghost, it remains the same to-day. What under the
heavens is the use for preachers and people to go whining around, and
winking at this and that when they know it is out o