er disappointments,
God seeks to wean them from their worldly idols. He brings them to
reflection. They "_come to themselves_." They are ready to recall and
hear the Father's voice. They are willing to hear the long neglected
Word. They go to the house of God. They listen eagerly. The Word finds
free course. There is no wilful resistance. _It drops as the rain and
distils as the dew. It does not return void._

If now the pastors and people _know_ this "time of visitation,"
if they realize that it is a "time of refreshing _from the Lord_," not
gotten up by human expedients, they will quickly respond to these
gracious indications. Whether such times come in connection with the
communion and Festival seasons or not, special provision ought to be
made to gather the quickly ripening harvest. It is sometimes well to
make provision for special services. There may be a series of special
sermons. The preaching must be, above all things, _instructive_, a
plain and direct setting forth of the Way of Salvation. The appeal
must be first of all to the understanding, and through it to the
heart. The exhortations and invitations must be based on and grow out
of these instructions. The great themes of sin and Grace, and the
application and reception of Grace, should be set forth with all
possible simplicity and earnestness.

This preaching of the Gospel and instruction in the way of life
should not be confined to the pulpit. The wise pastor will give
opportunity for all inquirers to meet him privately, or will seek them
out to tell them the way of God, as it relates to each individual
case, still more plainly. This will be a true revival. Only let the
churches discern and use the times, when "_Jesus of Nazareth passeth
by_."

Every faithful, earnest pastor, if he cannot always have living,
earnest and consecrated churches, can have such seasons of refreshing
from the presence of the Lord. Every such pastor in looking back over
a reasonable period of service can point to such precious seasons in
his ministry. Such seasons result in a growth of true Church life. The
means of Grace, after such revivals, are more diligently and more
prayerfully used than before. The Word of God and prayer take their
proper place in the home. The church in the house is quickened into
life and activity. There is increased liberality in the congregation.
The pocket book is converted as well as the heart. There is a revival
of strict honesty