--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Cluff, W. W. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 4 number: 5 published: 1901-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'W. W. Cluff, "A Religious Revival," *Improvement Era* 4, no. 5 (March 1901): 368–370.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0405unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0405unse start_page: 368 end_page: 370 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1901-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0405unse publication_year: 1901 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1901, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Religious Revival A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL. BY W. W. CLUFF, PRESIDENT OF THE SUMMIT STAKE OF ZION. Many eminent divines are prophesying that we are right on the eve of a great religious revival in the United States. They assert that this "great awakening is not confined to any one class of believers," and "no one class of minds will work -to bring about this great revival," and that its results will be the greatest religious social arousal that has ever before been known, also that this revival, which is certainly commencing, will be "one of those great historical, religious epochs, the most memorable and most potential periods in the history of the human race." In explaining the necessity for such revival, it is stated, "that for nineteen hundred years, physical science and revealed religion have been evolving on converging lines; that they have now reached the point of union, and must unite; that these two great systematic endeavors of man to solve the mysteries of life and the universe,must progress together, through all future time." The meaning of the evolution of the Christian religion is this: "That for nineteen hundred years, the great churches and sects which have founded themselves upon the Bible, have differed, argued, disputed: that great theological rebellions, and desertions from religious bodies, have taken place; that hundreds of thousands of controversial books have been written, producing a perpetual change in the way in which the Old Testament and the New have been viewed and interpreted by Christian believers." "That all the great churches have constantly altered their positions on minor points of dogmas; that new churches and sects, born of new intellectual impulses, or new religious desires, have A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL. 369 sprung into life; in short, that for nineteen hundred years there has been a natural, incessant and even advancing change in the interpretation of the Bible." In making the above remarkable statements, is it not really admitted that the "revealed religion," was wrong or that all systems and creeds have been man-made and hence fallible and of no effect? Certainly God, who created the universe and who devised the plan of redemption, would never make the mistake of having the one conflict with the other. The plan, then, devised by the Eternal Father, for the redemption and salvation of his children was complete and perfect from the beginning. The universe, also, with all of his creations and laws governing were "good and perfect" when they passed from the hands of the Allwise Creator. How, then, can it be claimed, now, that physical science and revealed religion have been "evolving on converging lines until they have finally reached the point of union and must now unite?" Is it not equivalent to saying that evolution during the past nineteen hundred years was necessary in order to fully develop and mature God's imperfectly devised plans and creations? If all the religious systems, sects and creeds, devised by the combined wisdom of all the earnest, zealous divines and professed servants of God, during the past nineteen hundred years, are now found to be erroneous and inadequate, what hope or assurance can we have that the eminent divines who are to take active part in this proposed "great revival, the like of which has not been known since the existence of man," will be more successful than former efforts? True, they have not yet outlined their policy, or informed us of the method they propose adopting in order to bring about such a momentous epoch. Will they endeavor to organize one great church of Christ, which will supersede all the other churches and sects now extant? Or will they simply change some of the tenets, and articles of faith, so as to make them harmonize, and then enter into a great confederation of religions? Assuming that they are honest in this great religious reformation, which they purpose inaugurating, and having before them the failures of their predecessors, who, while honest, acted upon 370 IMPROVEMENT ERA. man's wisdom, and hence failed, may we not hope that these eminent gentlemen before proceeding in such a great work, will take the advice of the beloved Apostle James, 1:5: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him"? If they will take this advice of James, they will learn another very important lesson which they should understand before they can engage in the work of Christ acceptably, viz: Hebrews 5: 4, where Paul, the apostle, says: "And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Now, however earnest and zealous those reverend gentlemen may be who propose reforming the religious systems of the day, if they wish to avoid the mistakes and failures which others before them have made, during the past nineteen centuries, they must receive their authority as Aaron did, by direct revelation from God. If they proceed in their proposed work of reform and religious revival, without first having received such authority, their successors will, in time, condemn all they do. But, if in humility they seek for that divine wisdom, and God does answer their prayers, as he did those of the humble boy, Joseph Smith, he will make known to them that the sectarian churches and creeds existing in modern times prior to 1830, were man-made systems, and henceforth not acknowledged by him that in that year he raised up a man and ; endowed him with authority from on high, to re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth, with all the gifts, blessings, powers and authority necessary for the redemption and complete salvation of the children of men; that if they will unite themselves with that work, then, indeed, will they have joy in their labors, and assist in the accomplishment of the great designs and purposes of God, and be prepared to meet Christ when he comes to rule on earth.