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Revival
at Evans' Mills and its Results
From An
Autobiography of Charles Finney (1792-1875)
A little way from
the village of Evans' Mills, was a settlement of Germans, where there
was a German church with several elders, and a considerable
membership, but no minister, and no regular religious meetings. Once
each year they were in the habit of having a minister come up from
the Mohawk Valley, to administer the ordinances of baptism and the
Lord's supper. He would catechise their children, and receive such of
them as had made the required attainments in knowledge. This was the
way in which they were made Christians. They were required to commit
to memory the catechism, and to be able to answer certain doctrinal
questions; whereupon they were admitted to full communion in the
church. After receiving the communion they took it for granted that
they were Christians, and that all was safe. This is the way in which
that church had been organized and continued.
But mingling, as
they did more or less, in the scenes that passed in the village, they
requested me to go out there and preach. I consented; and the first
time I preached I took this text: "Without holiness no man shall
see the Lord."
The settlement
turned out en masse; and the schoolhouse where they worshipped was
filled to its utmost capacity. They could understand English well. I
began by showing, what holiness is not. Under this head I took
everything that they considered to be religion, and showed that it
was not holiness at all. In the second place I showed what holiness
is. I then showed, thirdly, what is intended by seeing the Lord; and
then, why those that had no holiness could never see the Lord--why
they could never be admitted to His presence, and be accepted of Him.
I then concluded with such pointed remarks as were intended to make
the subject go home. And it did go home by the power of the Holy
Ghost. The sword of the Lord slew them on the right hand and on the left.
In a very few days
it was found that the whole settlement was under conviction; elders
of the church and all were in the greatest consternation, feeling
that they had no holiness. At their request I appointed a meeting for
inquiry, to give instruction to inquirers. This was in their harvest
time. I held the meeting at one o'clock in the afternoon, and found
the house literally packed. People had thrown down the implements
with which they were gathering their harvest, and had come into the
meeting. As many were assembled as could be packed in the house.
I took a position
in the center of the house, as I could not move around among them;
and asked them questions, and encouraged them to ask questions. They
became very much interested, and were very free in asking questions,
and in answering the questions which I asked them. I seldom ever
attended a more interesting or profitable meeting than that.
I recollect that
one woman came in late, and sat near the door. When I came to speak
to her, I said, "You look unwell." "Yes," she
replied, "I am very sick. I have been in bed until I came to
meeting. But I cannot read; and I wanted to hear God's word so much
that I got up and came to meeting." "How did you come?"
I inquired. She replied, "I came on foot." "How far
is it?" was the next inquiry. "We call it three miles,"
she said. On inquiry I found that she was under conviction of sin,
and had a most remarkably clear apprehension of her character and
position before God. She was soon after converted, and a remarkable
convert she was. My wife said that she was one of the most remarkable
women in prayer that she ever heard pray; and that she repeated more
Scripture in her prayers than any person she ever heard.
I addressed
another, a tall dignified looking woman, and asked her what was the
state of her mind. She replied immediately that she had given her
heart to God; and went on to say that the Lord had taught her to
read, since she had learned how to pray. I asked her what she meant.
She said she never could read, and never had known her letters. But
when she gave her heart to God, she was greatly distressed that she
could not read God's Word. "But I thought," she said,
"that Jesus could teach me to read; and I asked Him if He would
not please to teach me to read His Word." Said she, "I
thought when I had prayed that I could read. The children have a
Testament, and I went and got it; and I thought I could read what I
had heard them read. But," said she, "I went over to the
school madam, and asked her if I read right; and she said I did; and
since then," said she, "I can read the Word of God for myself."
I said no more;
but thought there must be some mistake about this, as the woman
appeared to be quite in earnest, and quite intelligent in what she
said. I took pains, afterwards to inquire of her neighbors about her.
They gave her an excellent character; and they all affirmed that it
had been notorious that she could not read a syllable until after she
was converted. I leave this to speak for itself; there is no use in
theorizing about it. Such, I think, were the undoubted facts.
But the revival
among the Germans resulted in the conversion of the whole church, I
believe, and of nearly the whole community of Germans. It was one of
the most interesting revivals that I ever witnessed.
While I was
laboring at this place, the presbytery were called together to ordain
me, which they did. Both churches were so strengthened, and their
numbers so greatly increased, that they soon went forward and built
each of them a commodious stone meeting house, and I believe have had
a healthy state of religion there since that time. I have not been
there for many years.
I have only
narrated some of the principal facts that I remember as connected
with this revival. But I would farther say respecting it, that a
wonderful spirit of prayer prevailed among Christians, and great
unity of feeling. The little Congregational church, as soon as they
saw the results of the next evening's preaching, recovered
themselves; for they had been scattered, discouraged, and confounded
the night before. They rallied and took hold of the work as best they
could; and though a feeble and inefficient band, with one or two
exceptions, still they grew in grace, and in the knowledge of the
Lord Jesus Christ, during that revival.
The German woman
of whom I have spoken as being sick when she came to the meeting of
inquiry, united with the Congregational church. I was present and
received her to the church. A very affecting incident, I recollect,
occurred at the time she gave a relation of her Christian experience.
There was a mother in Israel belonging to that church, by the name of
S, a very godly woman, of ripe age, and piety. We had been sitting
for a long time, and, hearing the narration of the experience of one
after another who came forward as candidates for admission to the
church. At length this German woman arose and related her experience.
It was one of the most touching, childlike, interesting Christian
experiences that I ever listened to. As she was going on with her
narrative, I observed that old Mrs. S rose up from her place, and as
the house was filled, crowded her way around as best she could. At
first I supposed she was going out of doors. I was so occupied myself
with the woman's narrative, that I was barely conscious of Mrs. S's
moving in that direction. As soon as she came near to where the woman
stood relating her experience, she stepped forward, and threw her
arms around her neck and burst into tears, and said, "God bless
you, my dear sister! God bless you!" The woman responded with
all her heart; and such a scene as followed, so unpremeditated, so
natural, so childlike, so overflowing with love--it melted the
congregation on every side to tears. They wept on each other's necks.
It was too moving a scene to be described in words.
The Baptist
minister and I seldom met each other, though sometimes we were
enabled to attend meeting together. He preached there but one half of
the time, and I the other half; consequently I was generally away
when he was there, and he was generally absent when I was there. He
was a good man, and worked as best he could to promote the revival.
The doctrines preached were those which I have always preached as
the Gospel of Christ. I insisted upon the voluntary total moral
depravity of the unregenerate; and the unalterable necessity of a
radical change of heart by the Holy Ghost, and by means of the truth.
I laid great stress upon prayer as an indispensable condition of
promoting the revival. The atonement of Jesus Christ, His divinity,
His divine mission, His perfect life, His vicarious death, His
resurrection, repentance, faith, justification by faith, and all the
kindred doctrines, were discussed as thoroughly as I was able, and
pressed home, and were manifestly made efficacious by the power of
the Holy Ghost.
The means used were simply preaching, prayer and conference
meetings, much private prayer, much personal conversation, and
meetings for the instruction of earnest inquirers. These, and no
other means, were used for the promotion of that work. There was no
appearance of fanaticism, no bad spirit, no divisions, no heresies,
no schisms. Neither at that time, nor certainly so long as I was
acquainted at that place, was there any result of that revival to be
lamented, nor any feature of it that was of questionable effect.
I have spoken of cases of intensified opposition to this revival.
One circumstance, I found, had prepared the people for this
opposition, and had greatly embittered it. I found that region of
country what, in the western phrase, would be called, a "burnt
district." There had been, a few years previously, a wild
excitement passing through that region, which they called a revival
of religion, but which turned out to be spurious. I can give no
account of it except what I heard from Christian people and others.
It was reported as having been a very extravagant excitement; and
resulted in a reaction so extensive and profound, as to leave the
impression on many minds that religion was a mere delusion. A great
many men seemed to be settled in that conviction. Taking what they
had seen as a specimen of a revival of religion, they felt justified
in opposing anything looking toward the promoting of a revival.
I found that it had left among Christian people some practices that
were offensive, and calculated rather to excite ridicule than any
serious conviction of the truth of religion. For example, in all
their prayer meetings I found a custom prevailing like this: Every
professor of religion felt it a duty to testify for Christ. They must
"take up the cross," and say something in meeting. One
would rise and say in substance: "I have a duty to perform which
no one can perform for me. I arise to testify that religion is good;
though I must confess that I do not enjoy it at present. I have
nothing in particular to say, only to bear my testimony; and I hope
you will all pray for me." This concluded, that person would sit
down and another would rise and say, about to the same effect:
"Religion is good; I do not enjoy it; I have nothing else to
say, but I must do my duty. I hope you will all pray for me."
Thus the time would be occupied, and the meeting would pass off with
very little that was more interesting than such remarks as these. Of
course the ungodly would make sport of this.
It was in fact ridiculous and repulsive. But the impression was so
rooted in the public mind that this was the way to hold a prayer and
conference meeting, and that it was the duty of every professor of
religion, whenever an opportunity was afforded, to give such
testimony for God, that I was obliged, for the purpose of getting rid
of it, to hold no such meetings. I appointed every meeting,
consequently, for preaching. When we were assembled, I would begin by
singing, and then would pray myself. I would then call on one or two
others to pray, naming them. Then I would name a text, and talk for
awhile. Then, when I saw that an impression was made, I would stop
and ask one or two to pray that the Lord might fasten that on their
minds. I would then proceed with my talk, and after a little, stop
again and ask some one or two to pray. Thus I would proceed, not
throwing the meeting open at all for remarks on the part of the
brethren and sisters. Then they would go away without being in
bondage, feeling that they had neglected their duty in not bearing
testimony for God. Thus most of our prayer meetings were not so in
name. As they were appointed for preaching, it was not expected that
they would be thrown open for everyone to speak; and in this way I
was enabled to overcome that silly method of holding meetings, that
created so much mirth and ridicule on the part of the ungodly.
After the revival took thorough hold in this place, and those things
occurred that I have named, opposition entirely ceased so far as I
could learn. I spent more than six months at this place and at
Antwerp, laboring between the two places; and for the latter part of
the time I heard nothing of open opposition.
I have spoken of the doctrines preached. I should add, that I was
obliged to take much pains in giving instruction to inquirers. The
practice had been, I believe, universal, to set anxious sinners to
praying for a new heart, and to using means for their own conversion.
The directions they received either assumed or implied that they were
very willing to be Christians, and were taking much pains to persuade
God to convert them. I tried to make them understand that God was
using the means with them, and not they with Him; that God was
willing, and they were unwilling; that God was ready, and they were
not ready. In short, I tried to shut them up to present faith and
repentance, as the thing which God required of them, present and
instant submission to His will, present and instant acceptance of
Christ. I tried to show them that all delay was only an evasion of
present duty; that all praying for a new heart, was only trying to
throw the responsibility of their conversion upon God; and that all
efforts to do duty, while they did not give their hearts to God, were
hypocritical and delusive.
During the whole six months that I labored in that region, I rode on
horseback from town to town, and from settlement to settlement, in
various directions, and preached the Gospel as I had opportunity.
When I left Adams my health had run down a good deal. I had coughed
blood; and at the time I was licensed, my friends thought that I
could live but a short time. Mr. Gale charged me, when I left Adams,
not to attempt to preach more than once a week, and then to be sure
not to speak more than half an hour at a time. But instead of this, I
visited from house to house, attended prayer meetings, and preached
and labored every day, and almost every night, through the whole
season. Before the six months were completed my health was entirely
restored, my lungs were sound, and I could preach two hours, and two
hours and a half, and longer, without feeling the least fatigue. I
think my sermons generally averaged nearly or quite two hours. I
preached out of doors; I preached in barns; I preached in
schoolhouses; and a glorious revival spread all over that new region
of country.
All through the earlier part of my ministry especially, I used to
meet from ministers a great many rebuffs and reproofs, particularly
in respect to my manner of preaching. I have said that Mr. Gale, when
I preached for him immediately after I was licensed, told me that, he
should be ashamed to have anyone know that I was a pupil of his. The
fact is, their education had been so entirely different from mine,
that they disapproved of my manner of preaching, very much. They
would reprove me for illustrating my ideas by reference to the common
affairs of men of different pursuits around me, as I was in the habit
of doing. Among farmers and mechanics, and other classes of men, I
borrowed my illustrations from their various occupations. I tried
also to use such language as they would understand. I addressed them
in the language of the common people. I sought to express all my
ideas in few words, and in words that were in common use.
Before I was converted I had a different tendency. In writing and
speaking, I had sometimes allowed myself to use ornate language. But
when I came to preach the Gospel, my mind was so anxious to be
thoroughly understood, that I studied in the most earnest manner, on
the one hand to avoid what was vulgar, and on the other to express my
thoughts with the greatest simplicity of language.
This was extremely contrary to the notions which at that time
prevailed among ministers, and even yet prevail to a very great
extent. In reference to my illustrations they would say, "Why
don't you illustrate from events of ancient history, and take a more
dignified way of illustrating your ideas?" To this, of course, I
replied, that if my illustrations brought forward anything that was
new and striking, the illustration itself would rather occupy the
minds of the people, than the truth which I wished to illustrate. And
in respect to the simplicity of my language, I defended myself by
saying, that my object was not to cultivate a style of oratory that
should soar above the heads of the people, but to make myself
understood; and that therefore I would use any language adapted to
this end, and that did not involve coarseness or vulgarity.
About the time that I left Evans' Mills our presbytery met, and I
attended the meeting. I left the revival work at the particular
request of some brethren, and went over to the presbytery. The
brethren had heard of my manner of preaching, those of them who had
not heard me preach. The presbytery met in the morning, and went on
with the transaction of business; and after our recess for dinner, as
we assembled in the afternoon, the mass of the people came together
and filled the house. I had not the remotest thought of what was in
the minds of the brethren of the presbytery. I therefore took my seat
in the crowd, and waited for the meeting of the presbytery to be opened.
As soon as the congregation was fairly assembled, one of the
brethren arose and said: "The people have come together
manifestly to hear preaching; and I move that Mr. Finney preach a
sermon." This was seconded, and unanimously carried. I saw in a
moment that it was the design of the brethren of the presbytery to
put me on trial, that they might see if I could do as they had heard
that I did--get up and preach on the spur of the moment, without any
previous preparation. I made no apology or objection to preaching;
for I must say that my heart was full of it, and that I wanted to
preach. I arose and stepped into the aisle; and looking up to the
pulpit, I saw that it was a high, small pulpit, up against the wall.
I therefore stood in the aisle and named my text: "Without
holiness no man shall see the Lord." The Lord helped me to
preach. I walked up and down the broad aisle; and the people were
evidently interested and much moved.
But after the meeting one of the brethren stepped up to me and said:
"Brother Finney, if you come up our way, I should like to have
you preach in some of our school districts. I should not like to have
you preach in our church. But we have got schoolhouses in some of the
districts, away from the village. I should like to have you preach in
some of those." I mention this to show what their ideas were of
my method of preaching. But how completely they were in the dark in
regard to the results of that method of addressing people! They used
to complain that I let down the dignity of the pulpit; that I was a
disgrace to the ministerial profession; that I talked like a lawyer
at the bar; that I talked to the people in a colloquial manner; that
I said "you," instead of preaching about sin and sinners,
and saying "they;" that I said "hell," and with
such an emphasis as often to shock the people; furthermore, that I
urged the people with such vehemence, as if they might not have a
moment to live; and sometimes they complained that I blamed the
people too much. One doctor of divinity told me that he felt a great
deal more like weeping over sinners, than blaming them. I replied to
him that I did not wonder, if he believed that they had a sinful
nature, and that sin was entailed upon them, and they could not help it.
After I had preached some time, and the Lord had everywhere added
His blessing, I used to say to ministers, whenever they contended
with me about my manner of preaching, and desired me to adopt their
ideas and preach as they did, that I dared not make the change they
desired. I said, "Show me a more excellent way. Show me the
fruits of your ministry; and if they so far exceed mine as to give me
evidence that you have found a more excellent way, I will adopt your
views. But do you expect me to abandon my own views and practices,
and adopt yours, when you yourselves cannot deny that, whatever
errors I may have fallen into, or whatever imperfections there may be
in my preaching, in style, and in everything else, yet the results
justify my methods?" I would say to them: "I intend to
improve all I can; but I never can adopt your manner of preaching the
Gospel, until I have higher evidence that you are right and I am wrong."
They used to complain, oftentimes, that I was guilty of repetition
in my preaching. I would take the same thought and turn it over and
over, and illustrate it in various ways. I assured them that I
thought it was necessary to do so, to make myself understood; and
that I could not be persuaded to relinquish this practice by any of
their arguments. Then they would say, you will not interest the
educated part of your congregation. But facts soon silenced them on
this point. They found that, under my preaching, judges, and lawyers,
and educated men were converted by scores; whereas, under their
methods, such a thing seldom occurred.
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