CHURCH HISTORY II Lesson 24 “Let The Winds Blow & Thunders Roar”: The Great Awakening in America “There is nothing more important for preaching than the reading of church history and biographies” Dr M L-J

Religious Condition in the Colonies Spiritual Deadness “The body of the rising generation is a poor, perishing, unconverted (except the Lord pour down his Spirit) an undone generation”Increase Mather, 1678 “Dullness, dullness, deep seated boredom with the gospel” on the part of many people, and “in the stony ground of that dullness many new sins sprang up” Jonathan Edwards

Symbols of deadness and decline: Half-way Covenant Theological Liberalism Beginnings of revival Theodore Frelinghuysen

Gilbert Tennant Log College, Nashaminy, PA New Brunswick, NJ Jonathan Edwards

George Whitefield What was Whitefield’s message and method? Awakening vs. Conversion January st trip to Georgia BETHESDA GloucesterBell Inn OxfordServitor The Life of God in the Soul of Man Henry Scougal “But I consider it was the Divine will that placed me here, and therefore I rejoice. He is unworthy the name of a Christian, who is not as willing to hide himself when God commands, as to act in a public capacity” GW Journal, p. 104

1300 miles N/S 50 miles width 1,000, ,000 negro slaves 2 nd trip: Oct 31, 1739 EVANGELICAL: Authority of scripture Necessity of new birth True conversion worked out in the believer’s life “Thus he had come to a position in which not denominational adherence but evangelical soundness was the criterion, and his work had become non-denominational in character” AD, Vol 1, pg 438

“Mr. Whitefield used to pray for my conversion, but never had the satisfaction of believing that his prayers were heard” Papers, vol. 18, p 53 Benjamin Franklin

NEW ENGLANDFALL 1740 Gov Jonathan Belcher “Mr. Edward’s is a solid, excellent Christian, but at present weak in body. I think I have not seen his fellow in all New England”

Sarah Pierpoint Edwards to her brother, James Pierpoint He spoke across class distinctions He spoke across class distinctions He engaged his body while preaching He engaged his body while preaching He preached from his heart He preached from his heart He was a devout and godly man He was a devout and godly man

Results of the Great Awakening 1. Conversions 2. Increase in churches and church membership 3. Increase awareness of the necessity of the new birth 4. No tolerance for an unconverted minister 5.Building of new evangelical schools: Princeton Dartmouth Rutgers Brown 6. Calvinism strengthened and preserved in American churches for another hundred years POSITIVE:

1. The answer to the churches problems lay in revival alone, thus, men began to use ‘mean’ to promote it. 2. Focus on conversion experience rather than the present and abiding fruit of the Spirit in a person’s life “I had rather wear out than rust out” NEGATIVE: