Keswick Convention
An
annual summer gathering of evangelical Christians, held since 1875 at Keswick
in the Lake District of northern England. It had its origin in the in the
writings of the American religious leaders Asa Mahan, and the Moody-Sankey
evangelistic campaign in Britain in 1873-74. W. E. Boardman, and especially Mr.
and Mrs. Robert P. Smith. The first Keswick Convention was preceded by a number
of similar smaller conferences held by Smith throughout England and by larger
ones held at Broadlands and at Oxford in 1874 and at Brighton in 1875. T. D.
Harford-Battersby, vicar of Keswick, held the first Keswick Convention on his
own church grounds, and the meetings, lasting one week, have been held there
every year since. This convention has become the mother of similar conventions
not only in England but in many other countries throughout the world.
From
the beginning the convention has had as its aim the deepening of the spiritual
life. It differs from the average Bible conference in that it aims not merely
to impart Bible knowledge and spiritual uplift, but to be a spiritual clinic
where defeated and ineffective Christians may be restored to spiritual health.
It stands for no particular brand of denominational theology. Its motto is
"All One in Christ Jesus."
Since
the convention has a definite aim and purpose to accomplish in its meetings,
the teaching given during the week normally follows a progressive order. On the
first day the addresses focus on sin and its disabling spiritual effects in the
life of the believer. On the second day the addresses deal with the provision
God has made through the cross to deal with the problem of sin, not only its
guilt but also its power. Romans 6-8
where Paul states that the believer is identified with Christ in his death to
sin and is therefore set free from slavery to sin, is exponded greatly. Keswick
does not teach the possibility of the eradication of the sin nature or the
attainability of sinlessness in this life, and this is very unforunate, because
the Bible openly declares this to be true, from Geneses to Revelations. When we
set the goal lower than the Lord sets it, how is it possible for us to attain
the goal? The third day is devoted to teaching on consecration, which is man's
response to God's call for complete abandonment to the rule of Christ,
involving both a crisis and a process. The fourth day is occupied with teaching
on the Spirit-filled life. All Christians, it is taught, receive the Holy
Spirit at regeneration, but all are not controlled by him. The fullness of the
Spirit is made experiential by abandonment to Christ and abiding in the state of
abandonment. On Friday the theme of the convention is Christian service, which
is the natural result of a Spirit-filled life. Keswick has always stressed the
importance of missions and has deeply influenced the missionary movement.
The
majority of Keswick speakers have naturally come from England, but many have
come from other parts of the world. Among the better known are Donald G.
Barnhouse, F. B. Meyer, H. C. G. Moule, Andrew Murray,