Defining Moments 1726 The Year that Defined America

Defining Moments 1726, The Year that Defined America

Dates that Define America • July 4, 1776: The signing of the Declaration of Independence • August 1619: The first delivery of African slaves to plantation owners • NYT “ 1619 Project” • November 1620: The first immigration of persecuted Puritans • Year of 1726: The beginning of the Great Awakening • Year of 2020? : Election Year; Pandemic – science failed; Unemployment - Economy failed; #BLM – Justice failed; ? ?

Importance of Heritage “This attempt to redefine America by rewriting her history is a vital part of the secularist strategy to transform the America of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Lincoln. The fact is that peoples and nations derive their sense of identity from their history. To remove or revise a people’s history is to make those people vulnerable to being easily molded into something different. Karl Marx was referring to this reality when he wrote, “People without a heritage are easily persuaded. ”

The Purpose of the Pilgrims “We have entered into an explicit Covenant with God. We have drawn up indentures with the Almighty, wherefore if we succeed and do not let ourselves be diverted into making money, He will reward us. Whereas if we fail, if we embrace this present world and prosecute our carnal intentions, the Lord will surely break out in wrath and make us know the price of the breach of such a Covenant. ” James Winthrop, leader of 700 Puritan immigrants who founded the city of Boston in 1630

Stated Purpose Constitution of the United Colonies of New England May 19, 1643 “Whereas we all came into these parts of America with one and the same end aim, namely to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and enjoy the Liberties of the Gospel in purity and peace. ” Persecuted Protestants of Europe: Puritans, Quakers, Dutch Reform, Baptists, Anabaptists, Huguenots

Spiritual Drift • “Religion begat prosperity and the daughter devoured the mother. ” The well-known Puritan pastor, Cotton Mather (1663 -1728), describes the decline of faith. • The culture drifts into drunkenness, gambling & self-indulgence.

Calls for Revival • 1726… “Theodore Frelinghuysen (1691 -c. 1748), visiting his flock in their homes and boldly pointing out—both privately in person, and publicly from the pulpit—the spiritual apathy and unchristian behavior that he observed. He confronted them about the reality of sin and reminded them about the grace of the Gospel, calling upon them to take their faith seriously. ”

Training of Leaders • William Tennant, built log cabin for training sons & young people of New Jersey in Bible. This cabin grew into Princeton University. • His son, Gilbert, became one of the main preachers & fellow workers with George Whitfield in the Great Awakening. • George Whitfield described the log cabin as “the school of the prophets”. • Similarly, Harvard & Yale were founded as religious institutions for the training of Christian leaders in the Great Awakening.

A Moment becomes a Movement • Jonathon Edwards in pastoring a Puritan congregation in Northampton, Massachusetts called for personal salvation experience rather than relying on the faith of forefathers. • “God has no grandchildren, only children!” • “Sinners in the hands of an angry God”

Movement Consumes the Colonies • George Whitfield, John & Charles Wesley travel to America • Thousands gather to hear and fall under conviction • Whole cities are transformed

Confronts Cultural Barriers • “whether a person was of high or low standing in society, rich or poor, male or female, slave or free was irrelevant when it came to forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ. Moved by this theological understanding and stirred by the power of the Awakening, many reached across cultural divides to share the Good News with those who had been relegated to the margins of Colonial American society. As a result, women, African Americans, and Native Americans shared in the liberating, elevating, saving power of the Awakening. ”

Foundation for a Nation • “There is no question that the preaching of Whitefield, Edwards, Frelinghuysen, the Tennents, and others paved the way for nationhood. As Harvard professor William Perry said, “The Declaration of Independence of 1776 was a result of the evangelical preaching of the evangelists of the Great Awakening. ” These same preachers also prepared the way for the abolition of slavery in America. ”

Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770 • Cries of “No Taxation without Representation”. British Soldiers shot into the crowd killing five protestors. • “One of the fallen was Crispus Attucks (1723 -1770), a black man of African and Native American lineage. A former slave who had obtained his freedom and settled in Boston, Attucks was a leader in the protests against British oppression. Years later, in 1888, a monument was erected in memory of those who had fallen that day. On that occasion, a poem was recited honoring him. It described him as “Leader and voice that day; The first to defy, and the first to die. ”

Social Justice for Slaves • “Among the most ardent opponents of slavery were ministers, particularly the Puritan and revivalist preachers. ” Historian, Benjamin Hart • Founding Fathers: Benjamin Franklin freed his slaves; George Washington offered freedom and housing with paid wages and education to the children for building a better future. • Second Great Awakening of the 1830’s; Prayer Movement of the 1850’s; Civil War of the 1860’s; Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s • More inequities to be removed? (Equal Opportunities, not Equal Outcomes. )

“Full Gospel” • Prayer to be Renewed in our Purpose • Proclamation of Salvation by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ • Power Encounters with Holy Spirit • Practical Application of Kingdom Values both personally and socially

Congress’ Closing Prayer “O Lord, our high and mighty Father, heavenly king of kings, and Lord of Lords, who dost from Thy throne behold all the dwellers of the earth, and reignest with power supreme over all kingdoms, empires, and governments. Look down in mercy we beseech thee on these our American states who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee they have appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support which Thou alone can give. . . Shower down upon them and the millions they represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting joy in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ Thy Son and our Savior. Amen. ” Jakob Duche’, Chaplain of Colonial Congress