The Altar Service: A Symposium Beverly Carradine Author

From the preface:We offer this symposium from the most prominent and successful altar workers in the field. This compilation contains the wisdom and experience of half a century of successful revival work.When Rev. J. S. Inskip, that prince of altar workers, died, many of the leaders of the holiness movement felt that there was scarcely any one to carry on the work of the altar successfully. The work had been largely conducted by him in the great National meetings. Since that time God has raised up a host of successful altar workers, amidst many who are bunglers.God has greatly blessed the altar service both in the past and present. We have noticed that as a rule those who say the altar has become antiquated and not up-to-date, fail to deliver a message that makes men feel the need of immediate decision. An urgent gospel demands an immediate decision.It has been said by those who do not wish to be disturbed in their spiritual sloth, that the truth we preach is all right and that they believe in it, but do not â like the methods.â When questioned closely, it is discovered that it is the altar and its line of separation that is objectionable. It makes men take sides and God sent his ministry in all ages to make men take sides. â Who is on the Lordâ s side?â said Moses, â let him come unto me.â â Choose you whom ye will serve,â was the startling demand made upon the people by Joshua. The Galilean carpenter has made the altar his â work bench,â where he has turned out some of the finest specimens of his work.Let those who have no message of immediateness decry the altar, but until some method is found that will clinch and rivet the truths of the sermon into more immediate results, thousands of happy, successful Christian workers will find in the altar the same glorious success which attended the labors of our fathers.Until something is found that works with better results the altar will remain.Great caution, skilled adaptation, and divinely imparted wisdom are necessary to properly conduct the altar service. On the one hand a certain class make it mean nothing. On the other hand another class make it mean too much, and still another do not get enough out of it. We have long felt a crying need for better altar work generally and for this reason this book has been compiled.Table of Contents:CHAPTER 1: By Beverly CarradineCHAPTER 2: By Samuel Logan BrengleCHAPTER 3: By Bushrod Shedden TaylorCHAPTER 4: By Christian Wismer RuthCHAPTER 5: By Charles J. FowlerCHAPTER 6: By Milton Lorenzo HaneyCHAPTER 7: By Delos Ferdinand BrooksCHAPTER 8: By Isaiah ReidCHAPTER 9: By William H. HuffCHAPTER 10: By Joseph H. SmithCHAPTER 11: By George Asbury Mclaughlin