A History Of American Revivals PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. THE GREAT AWAKENING. Dark as were the conditions which preceded the Great Awakening, there were not wanting rays of light to give promise of brighter days. Rev. Solomon Stoddard, whose practices evidently were better than his theories, had been blessed in his pastorate at Northampton, with special ingatherings which he called harvests, during the years 1679, 1683, 1696, 1712, and 1718. Revivals were also reported at Hartford, Conn., in 1696, at Taunton, Mass., in 1705, and at Windom, Conn., in 1721. The great earthquake of 1727 profoundly affected the public mind and led many to inquire seriously concerning the way of salvation. That same year Rev. Gilbert Tennent, who was destined to play no inconspicuous part in the Great Awakening, was called to the pastorate of a Presbyterian Church at New Brunswick, New Jersey. There he came in contact with the fruitful ministry of Rev. Theodore Frelinghuysen, who for seven years had been pastor of a Dutch Reformed Church in the vicinity, and whose success together with f his fraternal counsel incited the young minister to a spirit of inquiry concerning his own lack of fruitfulness in ministerial labors. A sickness which visited him about this time deepened these impressions to such an extent that he resolved to be more faithful and earnest in his ministry should he recover. Upon his restoration to health he sought both by personal work and the faithful presentation of gospel truth to awaken the indifferent and arouse the impenitent to a sense of their spiritual needs, "which method," he said, "was sealed by the Holy Spirit in the conviction and conversion of a considerable number of persons at various times and in different places in that part of the country as appeared by their...