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EVANGELISM and REVIVALS in AUSTRALIA 1880 to 1914 (First Volume) by Robert Evans with a Foreword by the Rev. Dr. Dean Drayton (President of the Uniting Church in Australia. 2003 - 2006) ISBN 0-9756733-1-9 Copyright 2005 CONTENTS Foreword by the Rev. Dr. Dean Drayton. Introduction Section One. Spiritual Foundations for Future Spiritual Growth 1. Growth of the Prayer Unions 2. Margaret Hampson and the Prayer Unions 3. Conventions for Groth in Holiness 4. Growing Thrust for Holiness - Miss Leonard 5. Revivals in Victoria and South Australia. 1881 - 1884 Section Two. Allied and Contributing Movements 6. Rise of the Christian Endeavour Movement in Australia 7. The Early Salvation Army in Australia 8. The Y. M. C. A. in Australia Section Three. Revivals and Evangelism, 1880 to 1914 9. Matthew Burnett in South Australia. 1880 - 1882 10. Gospel Temperance Evangelism 11. David O’Donnell 12. Evangelism in New South Wales. 1901 - 1904 13. Evangelism and Revivals in Queensland 14. Torrey and Alexander in Australia. 1902 15. R. A. Torrey and the German Higher Criticism 16. Chapman and Alexander in Australia. 1906 - 1913 17. Prophetic Signs of Decline? 1912 18. A Glance at Statistics 19. A Brief Evaluation for Volume One References Bibliography FOREWORD I was fortunate to be present at the launch of Robert Evans’ first book in this series, Early Evangelical Revivals in Australia in 2001. But as the frontispiece declared this was a study of revivals and published materials from the settlement of Australia to 1880. The question inevitably followed , would the period from 1880 on be written up also? Robert was not sure. Yet a life’s work does not rest easily when it is unfinished. I am pleased that the call to continue did not abate. Robert has one of the best personal libraries of evangelical works in Australia, and undoubtedly the best compilation of evangelical histories published in Australia. Since 2000 he has been adding further perspective from accounts found in denominational church newspapers and magazines for the period from 1880 to 1914 available on microfilm from various libraries. And here is the first volume for this key thirty-five year period of the church’s life bridging into the twentieth century. He attempts to ‘paint the general parameters of the evangelistic scene’ during this time, but in doing so hints at the possibility of a second volume to fill out the highlights presented here. This book provides vital first-hand reports of what happened in many places throughout Australia. So much writing about the past is done in terms of stereotypes that tell more about the writer than what actually happened. It is not enough to describe the past generation in general terms as the last era of ‘christendom,’ contrasted with the new emerging forms of the church that are now appearing. Each generation made new discoveries about the ‘gospel,’ that are quite particular and important to know, for the attitudes today are more cumulative of many generations than most are willing to acknowledge. Robert Evans’ books provide the raw data illustrating quite important changes and developments in the evangelistic task from the early penal colonies on, especially, but not only, from the Methodist records. Early Evangelical Revivals in Australia opened my eyes to the degree that the ‘camp meeting’ movement in America was so influential in the early days of the Methodist Church in this country. This present book shows how the emergence of the prophetic movement after the Civil War in America, the call for ‘entire sanctification’ in those looking back to Wesley and the continued development of the holiness movement, had their impact in Australia. The holiness movement, and the Pentecostal movement that grew out of it were well represented in this country. Indeed, Australian Christians had a decided impact in America and Great Britain during this time. Enough has been said to indicate that Robert has been an evangelical archaeologist uncovering much of what has been forgotten and bringing back to the fore of our minds elements that have vitally contributed to the shape of Christianity in Australia today. From the time of Jonathan Edwards, in the 1740s, many church leaders believed that outpourings of the Holy Spirit occurred in answer to prayer, but that there were mysteries about the time, place and form of these happenings, which were linked to the mysterious, sovereign ways of God, largely viewed in terms of a Calvinist theology. In the Nineteenth Century, a new view was put forward by Charles G. Finney, in his “Lectures on the Revival of Religion,” in which preparing for a revival is like a farmer growing potatoes. One first prepares the ground, plants the seed, waters the field, and the harvest will follow. Preparation for the meeting begins and is undergirded with expectant individual and group prayer. Finney’s more “man-centred” view was, and still is, very influential. In more recent times, Dr. J. Edwin Orr, and many others, have shown that the facts of history do not support Finney’s understanding of revival, and that there are more mysteries involved than Finney allowed for. For example, many revivals do not fit into the pattern that Finney described, including a few in which he was himself involved. Dr. Orr taught that the main preparations for revival, insofar as revivals can be promoted by humans, are to pray much more, and to practice a deeper life of humility and holiness, and obedience to God. The structure of this book Evangelism and Revivals in Australia 1880 to 1914 (First Volume) therefore provides an insight into the deepest convictions of Robert Evans. He takes his stand with Edwin Orr. Evans begins the book with the ‘prayer union’ movement in Australia which grew under the impact of powerful feminine evangelists in the eighties and early nineties. He sees that this movement, and a growing holiness movement, provided the spiritual foundation for the revivals that followed in the late nineties and reached a flood tide in the first decade of the twentieth century. But by the beginning of the next decade there is a sense that the fire for ‘red hot evangelism,’ the revival fire to save souls, has somehow waned. In his summary he writes that, “after 1912, this path, which had been so blessed by God in the past, was not followed any longer.” (page 314). Many ministers thought “that this style of mass evangelism had now passed its ‘use-by’ date, and should be scrapped.” (page 310). A professional educated ministry had begun to replace the lay-led class meetings. Those calling for a return to evangelism said, “...we are being over organised. Every year witnesses some addition to our machinery, and incidentally some further burden upon our circuits. But nothing is done to touch the root of the difficulty save a rather hurried talk on the work of God.” (page 311). Robert does not deal directly with the issue of Biblical criticism that became such a divisive matter in this period, but gives a summary of what he believes its consequences were to be. “Higher Criticism” has led to the “sad, long term results of ...Modernist Theology and of subsequent Theological Liberalism... They have all created ‘Gospel messages’ which differed substantially from the Gospel that Martin Luther or John Wesley would have preached.” (page 276). But it also needs to be noted that the evangelism of this period was also heavily influenced by the gospel that Charles Finney had developed in the new democratic setting of the United States with its modified Calvinism and its ‘new measures,’ and by the Arminian theology of Nineteenth Century Methodism. This is must reading for any student of evangelism in Australia. Robert provides us with the data of what happened in this transition time in Australia’s history. He believes the approach to revival outlined by Edwin Orr provides the best overview for the selection of the material and the sequence of the book. In most places he makes clear what is being reported from his own interpretation of what is happening. Students of evangelism will not all agree with Robert’s assessments, but they will value these accounts of powerful evangelical movements and occasions when people were moved by the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray that he may continue to have the time and energy to continue on with his research for there is much to tell after 1914 as well. Rev. Dr. Dean Drayton President of the Uniting Church in Australia 2003 - 2006. INTRODUCTION This book is a study of the history of evangelism and revivals within the Protestant evangelical scene in Australia between 1880 and 1914. It builds upon an earlier publication by the present author entitled Early Evangelical Revivals in Australia, which sought to give many details about these spiritual movements in Australia up to the year 1880. Definitions Evangelism is man’s effort to obey the command of Christ to spread the Gospel around the world, especially to make disciples, but also to teach the words of Christ, and to seek the transformation of society into a closer likeness to the Kingdom of God. Revival is a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, as on the Day of Pentecost. It occurs in answer to prayer, and is not predictable according to human, psychological, social or physical laws. It is not under human control. The Selection of Material for this Study The selection of materials in this historical study has been governed by certain basic theological principles which are commonly recognisable by all sympathetic students of evangelical revival movements around the world. Biblical passages such as Second Chronicles 7:14, as well as the records of history, would lead us to think that revival is most likely to occur in response to serious repentance, the pursuit of holiness, and prevailing prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

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