The First Great Awakening John Stevenson 2017 1635

The First Great Awakening © John Stevenson, 2017

1635 -1705 • Father of Pietism • German Theologian and Preacher • Saw a spiritual deadness in the churches and proposed… – Small group Bible studies – Evangelism of kindness – Importance of a devotional life

95 Theses 1500 1550 Luther Zwingli King Westminster James Assembly Version 1600 1650 1700 1750 Spener Zinzendorf Calvin Knox 1800

• Congregational form of church government – No religious toleration • Blasphemy and Sabbath breaking punishable • Education emphasized – Universal literacy – Harvard started in 1636 to train ministers

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• George Fox – Shoemaker – “Inner light” – Rejected outward rituals – Pacifism • “Quakers”

• George Fox – Shoemaker – “Inner light” – Rejected outward rituals – Pacifism • “Quakers” • Persecution in Massachusetts

• George Fox – Shoemaker – “Inner light” – Rejected outward rituals – Pacifism • • • “Quakers” Persecution in Massachusetts Pennsylvania (1682) William Penn

1643 - 1729 • Pastor of the Congregational Church in Northampton, Massachusetts for 55 years • Plain-spoken sermons • Half-way covenant – Lord’s Supper to believers, even if not members – Children baptized – Opposed by Increase Mather

1643 - 1729 Richard Mather Solomon Stoddard Elizabeth Eleazer Mather • Increase Mather & Salem witch trials • Smallpox inoculations Increase Mather Cotton Mather

1673 - 1746 • Scotland Presbyterian • Migrated to Pennsylvania in 1718 • Began Log College (1727) – Preparing ministers – Forerunner of Princeton – Graduates banned from Presbyterian ministry

1673 - 1746 Old School New School • Itinerant preaching forbidden • College diploma required of ministers • Log College not recognized

1703 - 1764 Old School New School • Son of William Tennent • Revivalist preacher: Preached against empty formalism • Prepared the way for George Whitefield

1703 - 1764 Old School New School “For I am verily persuaded the generality of preachers talk of an unknown and unfelt Christ; and the reason why congregations have been so dead, is because they have had dead men preaching to them. ”

95 Theses 1500 1550 Luther Zwingli King Westminster James Assembly First Great Version Awakening 1600 1650 1700 1750 Spener Zinzendorf Calvin Knox Whitefield 1800

1714 -1770 • Friends with John & Charles Wesley • Parish priest, Savannah Georgia (1738) • Open Air Preacher in England • Accepted predestination of the 39 Articles

1714 -1770 • Turned Methodist Churches over to Wesley • Revival meetings in the Americas

1714 -1770 • Turned Methodist Churches over to Wesley • Revival meetings in the Americas • Preached without notes – Contrary to popular practice – Animated

1714 -1770 “From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seem’d as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk thro’ the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street” (Benjamin Franklin).

1714 -1770 “It is a poor sermon that gives no offense; that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher. ”

1714 -1770 “We are immortal until our work on earth is done”

1714 -1770 • Preached to multi-racial congregations • Advocated the legalization of slavery – Outlawed in Georgia in 1735 – Legalized in Georgia in 1751 – Urged the humane treatment of slaves

1714 -1770 He lived. Other men seemed to be only half-alive; but Whitefield was all life, fire, wing , force. ― Spurgeon’s description of Whitefield

1720 - 1772 • Quaker tailor / preacher • Urged fellow Quakers to give up their slaves • Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes • Abolitionist activities • Impact on the Wesleys

1720 - 1772 “If we, by the operation of the Spirit of Christ, become heirs with him in the kingdom of his Father, and are redeemed from the alluring counterfeit joys of this world, and the joy of Christ remain in us; to suppose that one in this happy condition can…”

1720 - 1772 “…for the sake of earthly riches, not only deprive his fellow-creatures of the sweetness of freedom, which, rightly used, is one of the greatest temporal blessings, but therewith neglect using proper means for their acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, and the advantage of true religion, seems at least a contradiction to reason. ”

1703 -1758 • His maternal grandfather was Solomon Stoddard • Was an assistant pastor under his grandfather • Became senior pastor at his grandfather’s death • Revival began in Northampton church • Emotional manifestations

1703 -1758 … here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day's opportunity such as you now enjoy! ― Sinners in the hands of an Angry God

1703 -1758 • Halfway covenant • Removed from his church • Took a church in the town of Stockbridge and preached to the Housatonic Indians. • President of the College of New Jersey (Princeton) • Smallpox

95 Theses 1500 1550 Luther Zwingli King Westminster James Assembly First Great Version Awakening 1600 1650 1700 1750 Spener Zinzendorf Calvin Whitefield Knox Wesley 1800

1703 -1791 • Friend of George Whitefield • “Holy Club” • Impressed by Moravians and their faith and prayer • “Do you know Jesus has saved you? ”

1703 -1791 “I went to America to convert the Indians, but who shall convert me? ”

1703 -1791 • Return to England • “Preach faith until you have it; then because you have it, you will preach faith. ” • Heard sermon: My heart was strangely warmed”

1703 -1791 • Excluded from church: “The whole world is my parish” • Followed Whitefield in outdoor preaching • Embraced Arminianism

Ten thousand times would I rather have died than part with my old friends. It would have melted any heart, to have heard Mr. Charles Wesley and me weeping, after prayer, that if possible, the breach might be prevented. Whitefield

His fundamental point was, Give God all the glory of whatever is good in man: set Christ as high, and man as low as possible, in the business of salvation. All merit is in the blood of Christ, and all power in and from the Spirit of Christ. John Wesley (speaking of Whitefield).

1703 -1791 • Married Mary Vazeille, a wealthy widow (1751) – Continued traveling – Answering mail from female admirers – Jealousy – Separation

How is contemporary evangelism similar to what you see in Wesley?

In what ways is contemporary evangelism different to what you see in Wesley?

What causes people and churches to lose their spiritual vitality?

Whitefield John Wesley Calvinist Arminian Ministered in America and in England Ministry in England; only a single visit to America Primarily an Evangelist Administered the growth of the Methodist Church

1746 - 1818 • Born as a slave; learned to read & write • Purchased freedom for his wife and children; freed • Lay minister in Methodist Church • Black members not permitted on first floor of church

1746 - 1818 • Ordained by Episcopal church • Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia: Led mercy efforts • Founded African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (1794)

1746 - 1818 • Petitioned congress against Fugitive Slave Act – Illegal to free slaves without a court order – Misused to kidnap free blacks