Introduction
REVIVAL MESSAGES,
A Compilation of Pungent and Winsome Appeals to Wanderers from God
BY
B.H. CARROLL, D.D., LL.D.
For Thirty Years Pastor of First Baptist Church, Waco, Texas, and Founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas
COMPILED BY
J. W. CROWDER, E.B.. A.B.
EDITED BY
J. B. CRANFILL, M.D.. LL.D.
To My Precious Daughter
MABEL CRANFILL
Who through all her life has given me her love and time, and through her devotion and affection has aided me in my literary and religious work, using her own good eyesight, thus making my own long time eye trouble easy to bear, this book is affectionately dedicated by The Editor
FOREWORDThis book is the twenty-second volume of B.H. Carroll's works it has been my privilege to edit, and of all his books of sermons, the present messages may be justly classed as among his best. I am glad also that in terms of publishers this book is being presented by Zondervan Publishing House; it is the first one of Dr. Carroll's they have thus far given to the world. I am delighted with this new connection and hope it will bear fruit in many avenues of Christian activity.
It will always remain true that Carroll's Interpretation of the English Bible will rank first in the wide reach of its informative discussions and lofty interpretations of our Scriptures. This is a thirteen-volume set that covers the entire Bible.
The first volume of B.H. Carroll's sermons bore the title Sermons and was published in 1895. The other volumes, Baptists and Their Doctrines. Evangelistic Sermons, The River of Life, Inspiration of the Bible, The Day of the Lord, and Jesus, the Christ, appeared in due course and have enjoyed a wide sale and the hearty approval of the constituency for which they were primarily produced.
The twenty-first book of sermons with the title Jesus the Christ enjoyed a unique distinction. Having quite strangely and, I think, providentially come into possession of some funds, it was my privilege to give outright to every ministerial and training- school student in every Baptist institution in the South this marvelously fine discussion of our Savior and Lord. In addition thereto, I gave one hundred copies to the Southern Methodist University. In all two thousand seven hundred copies were thus distributed, and I am receiving echoes from them now and will receive them for years to come.
In all the task of producing B.H. Carroll's works, I have had the invaluable help of Professor J. W. Crowder, of Southwestern Baptist Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. For long years he was associated with B.H. Carroll in the work of teaching the English Bible in that fine institution. Before he began his work as a theological teacher, Professor Crowder studied under B.H. Carroll at Baylor University, Waco. I delight to accord to him his full share in the presentation of this and many others of the volumes here listed.
To other audiences who have read B.H. Carroll's books my estimate of that great man is well known, but inasmuch as this work is to fall into the hands of readers who have not known B.H. Carroll, I express it here, as I have expressed it countless times before, that in my opinion B.H. Carroll was the greatest preacher of the gospel of Christ who has lived since the Apostle Paul. Often have I quoted the words of a Georgia Baptist preacher who, in other years, wrote me that "B.H. Carroll could dig deeper to find God's truth and climb higher to reveal it than any preacher that ever lived." The reader will form his own conclusions of the power and sweep of Carroll's great messages. Here they are, and they tell their own story. He was a man after God's own heart, who lived a lofty and conquering life. My fixed conviction is that these messages and his other works will live long after all of those who had part in their preparation and all of this generation who are now privileged to peruse them have passed into rest.
J. B. CRANFILL
Dallas, Texas
