The Great Revivals Of America! — Keith Daniel

The Great Awakening Begins in 1734

1734, 1734 marked the beginning of what has become known as the Great Awakening of America. 1734 marked the beginning of what has become known as the Great Awakening of America. God, God laid hold of a young man, a young congregational church minister called Jonathan Edwards who pastored a church in Northampton which had a population of 1 ,100 people in the British colony of New England, of New England.

Edwards looked in despair at the godlessness of the people of New England and the ineffectiveness of the church, the ineffectiveness of the church which preached generally predestination, election, the sovereignty of God, known today as hyper-reformed theology.

There were very few truly saved people in the whole land. While a student at Yale he had been gloriously saved. But now five years later as a young preacher he began to groan with great concern and fear for the souls of all the godless.

Five years later as a young preacher he found himself groaning in agonizing prayer and weeping before God hour upon hour for God to visit this land, for God to do something with the dead, for God to turn them to seek him in salvation, in truth.

He groaned before God, it was at this time, 1734 as he began to groan, five years into the ministry. It was at this time that he turned against the tide, he turned against the tide and preached, he preached the message of salvation.

Beginning, beginning with a series of sermons on justification by faith alone. Justification by faith alone. He preached that through faith in Christ a man could repent, through faith in Christ a man could repent and be truly saved from judgment and hell.

He preached against sin, he preached against sin, crying out earnestly against irreverence in God's house. Irreverence in God's house. Disregard of the Sabbath, disregard of the Sabbath, neglect of family prayers, neglect of family prayers, disobedience to parents, disobedience to parents, quarreling, quarreling, greediness, sensuality, hatred of one's neighbor.

The Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit soon began to work deep conviction of sin in the hearts of many in the town. Deep conviction of sin in the hearts of many that were in the town. But then in December 1734, six people were mightily saved.

One being a young woman whose wickedness, whose wickedness had been the source of scandal in the town for a long, long time. Her transformation shook the town who now flocked to hear the preaching of the young Jonathan Edwards.

Then one day while he was seeking God to give him guidance of what to preach on the coming Sunday morning service, he suddenly found himself groaning and agonizing before God on his knees and weeping.

He sobbed and groaned for God to please use him, to give him, to guide him, to anoint him, to give him a message from this book that would turn men from sin, that would convince men the hardest of men of the terrifying state they are in the light of eternity.

He cried out for God to give him a message that would work such repentance, such deep conviction of sin that men would turn once for all forever from a life of sin to God to save them from sin and hell.

He groaned before God and as he began to seek God, he found the most astonishing thing. A tear fell on the page onto a verse that God burst into his heart of the judgments of God upon the soul that does not repent, the eternal damnation, the terrifying judgments awaiting every soul the moment they're cut off from life.

He read this verse and began to tremble as he wiped the tear away, and then his mind swung in the references, in the columns. He began to look through the scriptures at all the judgments Christ cried out, and he found the most staggering amount on the pages of this book of God crying out the consequences of the defiance toward him and a choice of sin in spite of the gospel.

Oh, as he weighed all these words, suddenly revelation came to his heart, deep revelation that he had never been conscious he was capable of receiving from God as he was preparing a message, revelation of the terrifying judgments, the horror of eternity without God, the horror, the horror of judgment, God's judgment, God's judgment from the lips of God who died for every man, the judgment of any man would not receive, would not take that love of God but choose sin.

Oh, he found himself groaning as he realized God was giving him a message he had never ever held in his hands before. He began to groan, oh God, oh God, give me new England, give me new England, and he sobbed and groaned as he cried these words for three days, for three days he did not eat, for three nights he did not sleep as he wept and groaned and wrote through the night the sermon, the revelations, the things God gave in his heart that made him tremble and weep.

And then on that Sunday morning as he stood in the pulpit, suddenly the most awful conviction fell upon that whole congregation as he held his notes close to his face and proceeded to read the entire sermon entitled Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.

Judgment Preaching and the Northampton Revival

This sermon became the most renowned sermon in the history of the Christian church apart from the sermon on the mount which Christ gave us. Oh, this sermon became the most renowned in the Christian history on this earth.

Edwards began to hold the sinner over the flames of hell. He held the sinner over the flames of hell on a slender thread called grace. He held the sinner over the flames of hell on a slender thread called grace which God could cut off at any moment and nothing you will ever do will influence God to take you from those flames for all eternity for the hour of grace is gone forever once you die.

He cries out the scriptures God had given him. Hebrews 9 verse 27, it is appointed unto men once to die but after this judgment, judgment, judgment, judgment. He cries out the words that John was given by Jesus in the revelation of mankind's destination in Revelation 20 verse 10, I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place to them.

There was found no place to them and I saw the dead small and great stand. I saw the dead small children and great grown-ups stand before God. I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged, they were judged every man, every man, every man, every man according to their works and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. He cries out, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands that for all eternity will bear witness that he tasted death for every man.

He tasted death for you but it's a fearful thing to fall into those hands that bear witness for eternity that he loved the whole world to face eternity not having prepared to meet with God before you die.

It's a fearful thing to fall into those hands of such love he died for you. There's no mercy cast, cast into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. That word cast is no further mercy ever to be shown by God for all eternity no matter how you cry or scream.

There is no grace beyond the grave. There is no second chance after life. Eternity no matter how many millions of times you plead God will never show mercy to the soul that dies. He cries out the second Thessalonians 1 verse 8.

He will return, he will return in flaming fire. He will return in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction.

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power. Suddenly as he preaches, suddenly as he preaches men became so terrified as they listened to the word of God preached as no man had ever preached it in that land.

The judgments of God with no compromise. Suddenly men began to cling to the pews and fall on their knees and begin to weep and whimper and wail. One man got up he was so fearful so terrified of the judgment that he suddenly realized he was facing.

He fell and held on to a pillar in the church and began to cry aloud sobbing, sobbing violently for God to have mercy on his wickedness, to have mercy on his soul and not let him face that judgment. He cries out to God to help him not to go to that hell.

He was so convinced there was one in one moment, one moment men seeking God. A minister, an old minister sitting behind Mr. Edwards began to pull on his gown desperately crying, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Edwards is God not a God of mercy sir?

Is God not a God of mercy? But Edwards preached on and revival broke out. That day 300 souls sought God desperately to save their souls from hell and judgment. Soon 100 towns across New England had turned to God mostly in their entirety that not one soul could be found that had not sought God with all their heart, soul and might to save them from judgment.

Soon 100 towns across New England had turned to God under his anointed and fearful preaching. But then in May 1735 the revival stopped. In May 1735 the revival stopped. Edwards and most of the newly converted feared, they feared that the revival had ended.

They sought God earnestly to continue. They feared that the revival had ended but beloved it was not the end, it was just the beginning. It had been the spark that lit the flame. It had been the spark that lit the flame which would eventually sweep across the greater part of this land for over 100 years.

It had been the spark that lit the flame which would eventually sweep across your land for over 100 years of revival fires. Hallelujah. A woman, a woman one night from his congregation had a dream. Edwards along with me and most balanced preachers are scared of dreams.

You find most people who rely on dreams or testify them can't talk about being saved even. But this woman had a dream that was from God in her earnest cry and groan before God for God to continue. In their fear God had stopped this mighty movement.

This woman had a dream of the young George Whitefield whom God was using mightily in England in the old country. So vivid was that dream that she was startled, she was fearful for no vision had ever come so vividly in her life, in her imagination, in her understanding, in her heart.

She was swept to find who this man was, George Whitefield. She heard that he was preaching a young man. God was moving mightily through the young John Wesley in Whitefield in England. She had dreamt of someone she'd never heard of.

She had seen his face. This drove this woman prostrate to seek God in such desperate earnestness to send him to New England. Send him, bring him to New England. He arrived in 1738, beginning in Philadelphia.

Beginning in Philadelphia he went on to preach against across great parts of this land. Wherever he went from the very first time he preached, thousands were drawn by God the Holy Spirit. Somehow thousands gathered, tens of thousands, 40 ,000, 80 ,000 at a time.

His voice could be heard, they say, distinctly five miles in the cool of the night over the valleys. He had such a powerful voice, such an amazing voice that simply staggered the hearers. God gave him this gift for this moment.

There were no loudspeakers, but there were thousands to save. Thousands would gather to hear him preach wherever he went. Whitefield never made any open invitation or appeals for people to respond to come to seek God for salvation after his sermons.

He never, ever made an open appeal or invitations. He merely preached. But what did he preach? The judgments of God. Take note, preachers, why your land's in such a state and won't change until you start looking at history.

Enter this book sincerely. Why should a man turn from sin if he doesn't know there's judgment? Under your ministry, preachers, answer God now. Is it love? Well, let me tell you something. If it's just love, sir, they'll think that love covers their sin without repenting.

Be careful. He preached the judgments of God, but they said of this man, his harshest word throbbed with love. He didn't use it as a whip, as some carnal man would do to try and make people think he's got something of a whip to lash and delight in people cowering or fearful.

No, the Holy Spirit doesn't use such a man that wants something. He'll grieve such a man standing in the pulpit before men if it's not out of love. If your harshest word does not throb with love, preacher, get out of the pulpit, or God will hurt you badly.

God will hurt you badly. Your harshest word does not throb with love. Whitfield preached with such love. His harshest word would make him weep. The tears would roll down this man's face, the love and the compassion throbbing behind everything.

The only reason he would cry out was because the next verse he would cry out that God loves, God will forgive, God died for you, God longs, why will you die, he cried. Turn ye, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, for the wicked turn from his evil way and live.

Oh, he cries out so much of the scriptures, so much of the scriptures that men could not argue with, it was God's word. At White Clay Creek, New Jersey, thousands, thousands had gathered and waited patiently to hear him preach, but God led him, God led him to merely quote the 23rd Psalm that most of you children can quote.

God led him as these multitudes waited until he arrived, God led him to merely quote the 23rd Psalm. You work this out, brother and sister. Before he ended quoting those few verses, there was hardly one soul that was not in their faces weeping under terrifying conviction of guilt of their sin and of the judgment coming, crying out to God and their masses that the groanings Whitfield could not preach.

Before he ended that psalm, the masses were wailing so loud there was no sermon to be preached. Work out, it's beyond comprehension how God could take those words of Psalm 23 and bring such mass repentance and seeking after God, but when God anoints a man, this word does things you've never believed it possible to your heart.

As God anointed that man, oh, while preaching on a wagon at Baskins Ridge, also in New Jersey, Whitfield held up a weeping child. He lifted him up high and he began to weep and he cried out aloud as he turned his face and held the child toward the crowds and he said, this child who has barely tasted sin weeps under conviction and fear of judgment while you who are hardened sinners show no tears of remorse for your sins or fear of judgment.

You are so hardened in your sin and he held up this child, looked at its face weeping and began to weep with the child. While he did that, it is estimated, oh no, you won't believe so I won't tell you.

I don't think there was a man left standing in those multitudes that wasn't suddenly on their faces crying out to God for mercy, mercy, mercy for the hardness of their hearts. God used that child and that was the only sermon they got, but the masses had come to Christ.

This will suck you brother. It's virtually unheard of that anyone who came to God through Whitfield's ministry ever backslid. You think it wasn't God? It's virtually unheard of. It was God. It was God.

It was God through a man who took this word and didn't apologize for it or fear what was in it. He feared not preaching it because the blood of every soul he preached to would be upon his hands if he didn't preach the full truth.

God would make him be accountable. Portsmouth, New Hampshire, fire broke out suddenly on a house roof and the flames leapt into the sky of the dark night. There were thousands listening gripped to the anointed preaching and what was he preaching on?

The return of Christ in judgment that could happen now. Amazing. Suddenly fire breaks out, leaps into the sky. The masses, the masses fall down on the ground screaming with such fear. It was just screams.

They thought Christ had returned in judgment. Well, after a good while, it took a good while before he was able to speak again, before everybody had dignity to stand and even be composed enough in front of each other to face a man preaching.

When the quietness came eventually, Whitfield cried out one sentence, and that was his sermon. If you are so unprepared to face Christ that a mere fire causes such fear, if you are so unprepared to face Christ that a mere fire causes such fear, where would you be now if it had been him?

Where would you be now? The crowds began to seek God. The crowds began to seek God, screaming out to God in their shock and fear and self-confession by their fear of Christ's return, of their lack of preparation in truth, in truth.

Preaching, Revival, and Spiritual Discernment

Oh, Whitfield preached strongly against allowing unconverted persons into the pulpits of God. He cried out with such compassion, though be careful who cries it out, but this man, God was so with him and so anointed and no one could argue God was sweeping like a tidal wave across America through him.

He cried out of the wrong, of the wrong of allowing an unconverted man to stand and minister God's word, a blind leader of the blind, because all are blind will go where he's going to go when he falls into hell.

Oh, he cried out, as a result, as a result, preachers across your land, right across the whole of America hearing of his words were crying, came under the most awful conviction of the sin of standing in this pulpit with his book as if they knew the way to God, knew what God's message was when they hadn't experienced it themselves.

And multitudes of preachers came to Christ because of Whitfield's cry of the wrong, of standing in the pulpit as if you know God when you're going to hell. But then, suddenly, great opposition. You think the devil sits back and says, fine, wait, brother, wait.

Suddenly, great opposition arose against the revival and in particular against the preaching of George Whitfield. When certain groups began to seek extreme emotionalism and outward manifestation, the gifts, and there were all these people speaking in tongues and other languages and crowds as he was preaching, these things started to happen.

It burdened him. It grieved him. It terrified him at times as he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to handle this as who was now really seeking God and here were these things breaking the whole atmosphere down.

Don't blame him for what happened. He didn't know what to do and he was grieved. His grief was there. These disorders led Harvard and Yale, colleges, the country's foremost universities to cry out to all the churches across the land to bar him, to bar Whitfield from their pulpits.

They blamed him. But then the great Jonathan Edwards rose up to defend the revival. There's never been a man in your history that influenced America's theology as much as Jonathan Edwards. He was acknowledged from Harvard to Yale.

He was acknowledged across the land as the man that God began the revival and his theology has affected all denominations and all persuasions to a great degree because of what God did through his life and ministry.

But then this man Jonathan Edwards rose up to defend the revival. He reasoned, he reasoned the revival should not be disregarded because of anything the devil did to discredit it. The revival should not be disregarded because of anything the devil did to discredit it.

Where emotion was in religion that led to true repentance and holy living, it was of God. Where emotion was in religion that led to true repentance and holy living, it was of God. But where extreme emotionalism led to chaos and disorder, and that anytime detracted men's attention from the centrality of the word of God being preached, it was not of God.

And it must be dealt with immediately and completely. It is not unloving, he cried, to deal with such people. It is unloving to let them take over and destroy the workings of God and place it with emotionalism and manifestations.

Well, Edwards' resume was accepted by most and the revival swept ahead, hallelujah, swept ahead. Eventually, this is going to shock you, no unsaved man was allowed in any Protestant pulpit across America.

Think about it. Only revival can do this. No unconverted person was tolerated in any Protestant pulpit across your land. That is beyond comprehension even to accept. Go to the history books if you disagree.

This is stated in most of the history books of the revivals of America. It happened. Oh, what God can do in revival, brother. None of us can do by protesting. None of us can do without protesting. Now, this revival ended in 1760.

This revival ended in 1760. George Whitefield made seven journeys across America in his lifetime between 1738 and 1770 when he died, when blood flowed internally as a result of his preaching and pouring himself out in compassion for God to still go on in America.

Wesley had warned him, you'll die, brother, if you go again. But nothing could stop him. Oh, please. Nothing could stop him. And he died for America. He died for America. But he had journeyed across your land seven times between 1738 and 1770.

In one 75-day period, in one 75-day period, he preached 175 times, 175 times and travelled over 800 miles in one 75-day period. No wonder he died so young. But this revival, this revival had fortified America, had braced, prepared.

This revival fortified America against the flood of godless immigrants that was about to flow, to pour across the Atlantic from Europe mainly to the land of hope and glory. This revival had fortified America.

You think God wasn't in control when he opened this continent, when he made poverty in that continent of Europe? Most of Ireland's population came. There was such little left there to live for. Why did God allow it?

To give them better living? No, brother. No, they came to the land of hope and glory, but God had prepared a nation for them. Don't doubt it. This revival fortified, braced America, prepared America for the flood of godless immigrants that now pour across the Atlantic to this land of yours in hope of a decent life, of something better than what they had.

But they didn't know millions were going to come to Christ, and that's why God—do you think it just happened? You think this sovereign God wasn't in control of why this continent opened and why Whitefield came, why there was a Jonathan Edwidges?

Oh, brother, God, God loved the world, and he knew how to reach a great amount. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Oh, at this stage, God kept on working in the most staggering ways through men who were of no repute.

Preachers rose up everywhere in the rural areas who'd been mightily converted, and for years into their old age, and then younger, we'd find in the rural areas, the farmland and the woods, there was just people streaming to God and crowds as they came through to God with all those that had come to God under the great Whitefields ministry.

Charles Finney's Conversion and Call to Evangelistic Ministry

But then in 1821, in 1821, God took hold of a young man in New York called Charles Finney. In 1821, God took hold of a young man in New York called Charles Finney. While busy studying law, he wanted to be an advocate, a lawyer, so he has the law books now to study through.

While busy studying law, he was amazed at how many references were made in the law books of America to the Mosaic law of the Old Testament of the Bible. The laws were all based on the Holy Scriptures and the law of God.

This led him to go out and buy himself a Bible, which gripped him. It gripped him, and immediately it began to show him in his heart that Christianity was God's message for all mankind. How did God get hold of this young man with nobody to tutor him, just the interest awakened by his studying?

How does God do that? Well, he takes the references in his law book, and he says, let me look up here. He goes through to the Old Testament, to the law given by Moses, and he looks, and there it is, thou shalt not kill the soul that killeth Sodom.

But he sees a reference, so he turns and he goes to where it is in Matthew, and he sees the Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, God with us. He sees the Lord takes this verse and throws up the standard, not a little bit, a hundred times higher than the law of the old.

What does God say? You have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

And whosoever shall say to his brother, that is thy vain fellow, shall be in danger of the council. But whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire. He begins to look again, and he goes through law upon law, reference upon reference.

He takes the references and goes to the New Testament. He reads, thou shalt not commit adultery. You've stolen a man in the Old Testament, at least America didn't do that, but it was there. No, he goes to the New Testament, and he says, you've heard that it was said, thou shalt not commit adultery, Jesus says.

But I say unto you that whosoever looketh, whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. He reads on, suddenly this man is trembling.

This man couldn't sleep for fear. He suddenly realized the judgments he would place upon men through the law of the land influenced by this book, he was facing the same, he was guilty as when he was going to face God.

He was guilty of so much of what God damned, damned in the Old Testament upon men. He was guilty and stood to face this God's judgment. He came under such awful conviction he couldn't sleep. He just spent the night looking, seeking the tears.

He began to fear, to tremble, to groan. I'm going to this judgment. He looks in references where Christ made, and he goes through all the judgments. Yet my God, the Holy Spirit, he is so fearful now that he knows it's eternal, eternal, eternal.

The smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever. The smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever. They have no peace day or night. There's no mercy. There's no mercy. Oh, the fear, and then God miraculously in the most amazing grace and goodness takes this man's eyes to fall, being justified freely by grace through faith in his blood.

There's no condemnation to this in Christ Jesus. He looks references. He comes to the verse upon verse of God's forgiveness. He goes from one verse back to Isaiah 53. He was wounded for our transgressions.

He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him with his stripes. We are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He looks in the references. He tasted death for every man, every man. He looks. He will in no wise turn away any man that comes to him, anyone that comes to him. He will in no wise turn away anyone who comes to him through Christ Jesus.

When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall be satisfied. God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him. Oh, the man was grasping the full revelation of God as he wept and groaned.

A few nights now he hadn't slept. He was weary. He said he was numb from fear in his mind. He could not find peace though. Knowledge of salvation doesn't give you peace, brother. He went out into the woods and he fell down on his knees, groaning before God of his weariness and the state of his mind and his fear of judgment of dying and facing this God, knowing now he was facing judgment.

His knowledge that God had died for him, his knowledge that God said through faith he can be saved, but his soul is still tormented in fear. I want thy peace. I want to know. I want to know. Suddenly as he's groaning, these words flooded his mind.

Ye shall seek me and ye shall find me. When? Ye shall search for me with all your heart. He cries out, but I am searching for thee God with all my heart. I take thee at thy word that when I do this, I will find thee.

I take thee at thy word. Suddenly he said, it was like a peace that passes all understanding. Flooded his whole being. He tried to say, God save me, but he couldn't. He just stopped and worshipped God.

There was no fear of death. He didn't know it, but the spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. He that believeth in the Son of God hath a witness in himself. We know we've passed from death unto life, brother.

If you don't know it, then God's failing on his side. And can he do that? We know there's no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah. He knew it. He got up. There's peace just flooding him, peace that passes all understanding.

He was to write later on, joy unspeakable and full of glory. Well, he walks from the forest now with his Bible. And as he walks down the street back towards his home, he says words that made heaven stand.

Don't doubt this. Heaven stood. Don't doubt this, brother. And hell howled. The powers of hell and demons and Satan howled. They howled for fear of what God would do at what this man was saying. For how few sitting in this building, how few in the next thousand-mile radius did this when God gave them peace that passes.

When God assured them they were saved, how few thought beyond themselves. Moments after experiencing the witness of the Spirit and peace with God through seeking God in desperation to be saved from hell through the shed blood of Christ by grace through faith.

Moments later, this man walking back with this peace flooding his heart says these words, if I am converted, if I am truly converted, I shall give my life. I shall give my life to bring the world to God.

Do you think God listens and says, no, thank you? Do you think God listens and says, oh, I've heard that by millions? No. Do you think God was capable in his holiness and his perfectness, his integrity to say it doesn't matter?

Do you think heaven didn't stand at what this man was saying to God from his soul? With this treasure he had found, I shall give my life to bring the whole world to God. That night he finds himself on his knees with the Bible, just revelation coming as God, the Holy Ghost has gave him scriptures and revelation and understanding just like waves going through his whole being.

And he says he cries out to God that this peace he's found through the salvation of Christ, this peace that he's found with God concerning judgment, he wants to share, please anoint me, God. Please somehow take hold of me and equip me that I may be able to share this to the multitudes.

He cries, what happens? He said it was like waves of divine love swept over him. He couldn't pray another word. The whole room just flooded with the presence of God. Oh, God must have loved him. The next day he left off the law books forever and never looked back.

He never, ever picked up a law book again to study it. He had found another book. What does he do? He takes the new book that he's learning from now, a student of now, and he runs out into the streets.

And this man rang from soul to soul in such a desperation. People were startled and he begins to weep. He begins to cry out to them of the terrifying judgments of God, of the terror he came in, the terrible fear and dread of facing this God with such verses and how he was led to seek God and how God showed him salvation is through faith in Christ, how in the woods he was seeking, how God gave him peace that passes all understanding, he says with soul upon soul what he's got, what he's found through faith, begging them, imploring them, weeping to people over the fences to come, listen to me, I must tell you of this, stopping soul upon soul.

Do you know within weeks the whole community was staggered? It was staggered in shock at his compassion that no man had ever shown him this desperate plea for men to give God a chance to give themselves to seeking God for his salvation.

Oh, men were staggered by this desperate cry for men to listen to the gospel of Christ coming to every soul he came near. This led his pastor to take him aside and teach him the great doctrines of the faith step by step, teach him all he could to give him some theological understanding and safety and zeal and fieriness.

And the way this man was there waiting at the door, the pastor eventually realized this man's ready to preach and he puts him in the pulpit one day praying for him. That sermon stunned that congregation to such a degree there was shocked silence, shock hit that community at the anointing of God upon the compassion that they had never dreamed a man could have such anointing as this man now the first time he preaches in his life has, leaving shocked silence at his understanding of the scriptures, his handling of the word of God.

Finney's Uncompromising Revival Preaching

This led other doors to open for him all around New York one after the other as God just seemed to come and have the same effect. In one pulpit in one town he stood up on the Sunday morning service and cries these words, the atmosphere of this town of yours is as poison to me.