Chapter III: The Inquiry Meeting

The weekly inquiry meeting should constitute a part of the system of pastoral work. It accustoms minister and people to seek and expect immediate results from preaching and Christian labor; and the value of this to both, as an ever-present inspiration, is incalculable. Under every earnest ministry there are always thoughtful, anxious souls; but it requires tact and wisdom to bring them out and come into close, personal contact with them. Few ministers are aware of the extent of this latent conviction among the unconverted under faithful preaching, or realize the importance of systematic, effective means for developing it. Here I suggest: 1. Let the meeting be held, if not on the Lord's Day, as soon after it as practicable, that the impressions made by its services may not have time to wear away. This is a point of great moment. Some pastors hold a meeting for prayer and inquiry immediately after the evening sermon, while the impressions are still vivid and fresh. This has sometimes proved very effective, especially as serving to develop the conviction and make known the persons under it, so that the pastor and church may afterward devote special labor to them. At such a meeting, however, little more could ordinarily be done, in personal conversation, than a few earnest words and the noting of the address of inquirers, with the view of following up the cases; and this, therefore, would not supersede the necessity of a meeting where more deliberate conversation could be had. 2. Christians should be instructed and urged to bring thoughtful persons to the inquiry meeting--the parent, his child; the Sunday-school teacher, his pupils; the young convert, his friends--and to regard this as a part of regular Christian work. In places where the inquiry meeting is a novelty, its full, effective establishment may require time; but, once thoroughly established, the inquiry room will seldom lack inquirers. 3. Various methods of conducting the meeting are adopted. One method is to meet all the inquirers in one room and converse with them in the presence of each other, as in a Methodist class-meeting. To make this successful, the pastor must have ready tact and large resources, or he will repeat himself and the meeting fail from staleness. But it has this advantage: inquirers in such a gathering are drawn into a disclosure of their anxieties in the presence of others, and this committal of themselves to the subject is sometimes of great value in fixing impressions and leading to a decision. Another method is to meet them singly, or, if specially related to each other, in groups, and let the conversation be private. This, when practicable, is generally more satisfactory, as it gives opportunity to probe the heart more fully, and to say much you cannot so freely say before others. It is often of great value not only to pray with an inquirer, but also to induce him to pray with you. Sometimes, if you have set before him distinctly the way of salvation, he will, in such a season of prayer immediately following, then and there cast himself on Christ and make a full surrender to Him. Perhaps, however, no one method will be adapted to all circumstances, and the judgment of the pastor must be exercised in fixing on one suited to himself and the special exigencies of his position. 4. The pastor should be discriminating and faithful in dealing with inquirers, for failure in this may result in a superficial experience and a false hope. In such conversations he should never content himself with a mere, vague exhortation to come to Christ; what the inquirer needs is definite instruction as to what it is to come to Christ. Probe thoroughly, so as to be sure that there is a genuine sense of sin, a reliance alone on the righteousness of Christ, and an actual submission of the will to God. The pastor should prepare himself, therefore, for the exercise with fervent prayer, and gather, and have at ready command a variety of Scripture passages adapted to different religious conditions, and of simple, clear illustrations of the nature of repentance and faith. 5. Let your conversation with an inquirer ordinarily be confidential, so that he may not feel, when conversing with you, that he is talking to the town; otherwise, you deter many from coming, and even with those who come you may prevent what is important to your success--a full disclosure of the heart. As a rule, also, it is not wise to encourage an inquirer to seek conversation with many different persons: the varied advice given confuses him and tends to dissipate impressions. Finally, it is obvious that success in this exercise will greatly depend on the tact, geniality, and approachableness of the pastor himself. If he is cold, stiff, and repellent in manner, it will be difficult for him to secure the attendance and confidence of inquiring souls. There may be real and deep religious anxieties, but they remain latent from lack of power in the pastor to develop them.