In the early 3rd-Century, we come across the Bishop Gregory the Wonderworker ( ).

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1 2 A Surprising Work of God: The First Great Awakening, "You cannot revive something that has never had life, so revival, by definition, is first of all an enlivening and quickening and awakening of lethargic, sleeping, almost moribund Church members...they are humbled, they are convicted of sin, they are terrified at themselves. Many of them feel they had never been Christians. And then they come to see the great salvation of God in all its glory and to feel its power." Martin Lloyd-Jones Revivals up to the 18th-Century In the late 2nd-Century in a place called Lyons, there seemed to be a revival with a particular emphasis on gifts of the spirit and even the raising of the dead! At the centre of the revival was the Church Father, Irenaeus. In the early 3rd-Century, we come across the Bishop Gregory the Wonderworker ( ). In the 3rd-Century, another revival may have broken out under the direction of yet another Gregory - Gregory the Illuminator. A group called the Monantists, upon reflection, was most likely at the centre of a revival with a special emphasis on the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts in the 2nd-Century. How about the work and ministry of St. Patrick (389-c461)? When an entire nation converts to Christianity during the adult lifetime of this missionary, I think it s safe to see this change in terms of a great awakening! Francis of Assisi ( )? Waldensians under Peter Waldo in the 12th-Century Jan Hus and John Wycliffe (in the 14th-Century) Girolamo Savonarola ( ) The First Great Awakening New Ideas The Self and not God became the starting point for all understanding. Doubt is the starting point for approached the world. Materialism: What you see is what you get: all knowledge was gained through our senses.

2 Discuss: What are some of the new ideas in our world that have weakened the church's witness? Here s the thing: Ideas have consequences, and when true faith is challenged, weakened or is corrupted, there isn t just an effect upon the mind, but it also affects the world in which we live. And if we are not careful, it can also affect the state of the church and the culture in which it is called to bear witness. This was certainly the case in England at the turn of the eighteenth-century. As a result, congregations steadily dwindled and genuine faith slowly died. If you go on preaching such stuff you will drive all your parish mad! Were you to inculcate the morality of Socrates, it would do more good than canting about the new birth. The Archbishop Drummond of York, 1760 coming to investigate an evangelical preacher, Three effects on the church's teaching: 1. Death of Evangelism 2. Death of Experience and Truth 3. Rise of Deism A Rapidly Changing World Rapid Social Change English society at the turn of the eighteenthcentury was undergoing a series of major changes. Unprecedented industrial growth transformed the English from an essentially agrarian-based society into what Paul Langford termed a polite and commercial people. 1 Rapid Technological Change Housing Crisis [B]y the time Isaac Watts was in his first ministry, and John Wesley was a boy at school, the Church of England was a spiritually flightless bird; shorn of both left and right wings, it nevertheless prided itself in having both feet on the ground and attempted to make its own heaven of an increasingly muddy earth. David Jeffrey Social Ills Drunkenness had become a serious issue amongst all classes in eighteenth-century England. By 1750, the consumption of poorly distilled and essentially poisonous gin was 11 million gallons. Historian, David Jeffrey notes that at this time in St. Giles, Holburn, of 1 See Paul Langford, A Polite and Commercial People: England (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992).

3 the 2000 houses in the town, 506 were gin shops. In Westminster, he points out that every eighth house had been turned into a gin outlet. 2 Artist, satirist and social commentator, William Hogarth ( ) captures the desperate social conditions of the urban poor in his famous work, Gin Lane. William Hogarth, Gin Lane (1750) In this work, Hogarth depicts an urban scene in which the only buildings found intact are the tavern, the pawn broker and the distillery. 3 As the details of Hogarth s work shows, the harmful effects of gin were widespread and led to starvation, murder, insanity, despair and suicide. In a disturbing touch, Hogarth locates the church in the distant background seemingly oblivious to the worsening social conditions of the city. Cruelty Along with drunkenness, eighteenth-century English society demonstrated a proclivity for cruelty. In particular, animals were the objects of nauseating popular entertainment. A newspaper advertisement in 1730 read, A mad bull to be dressed up with fireworks a dog to be dressed up with fireworks over him, a bear to be let loose at the same time, and a cat to be tied to the bull s tail. 4 Another form of popular entertainment was the public execution. The Criminal Law was merciless and listed no less than 253 capital offenses one could commit. For anyone caught stealing as little as forty shillings, the punishment was death by hanging. The state of religion prior to the outbreak of the Revival Sleeping Church In the midst of these worsening conditions, the Church was slow to respond. Whereas there are notable exceptions, there is a general consensus among modern church historians that in the first half of the eighteenth-century, the response of the Established 2 David Jeffrey, English Spirituality in the Age of Wesley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994), 3 It could be that Hogarth had St. Giles in mind. At the right of the picture, there are two schoolgirls drinking gin wearing the St. Giles school uniform. 4 See Balleine, Evangelical Party, See also Robin Furneaux, William Wilberforce (Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 1974),

4 Church was torpor and largely ineffective in reaching these rapidly expanding urban areas. 5 In light of the social and moral conditions of English society, how was the church popularly perceived? Again, William Hogarth offers a visual of the church at the time. His depiction in The Sleeping Congregation shows the church as non-vibrant, asleep to the growing needs of society, ineffective and ultimately irrelevant. William Hogarth, The Sleeping Congregation (1736) It was out of these conditions that the Evangelical Revival took place. Although his conclusion is perhaps a bit harsh, G.R. Balleine is not far from the mark when he writes, If we would understand the work of the Great Revival, this dark side of the picture must be constantly kept in mind a people coarse, brutal, ignorant, and a Church that had forgotten its mission, unspiritual, discredited, useless. 6 First Stirrings God will not abandon His Church or His people. And once again, He uses ordinary people in different places to bring renewal to the Church and Revival to the land. In the 1730s, a series of disconnected events take place which begin to transform the spiritual landscape of both Great Britain and America. Jonathan Edwards ( ) In late 1734, there occurred a number of seemingly disconnected episodes which marked the start of the Evangelical Revival. In New England, under the leadership of Solomon Stoddard in Northampton, Massachusetts, the region began to experience five short revivals between 1679 and Between 1720 and 1722, another small revival broke out. Then, in 1727, the region experienced an earthquake. Pastors far and wide began to encourage their congregations to repent and to prepare themselves for a special 5 The group with the largest influence in these growing urban areas would be the Methodists. In another of Hogarth s works, The Idle Prentice: Executed at Tyburn, it is interesting to note that Hogarth inserts a Methodist preacher accompanying the prisoner to the public hanging. 6 Balleine, Evangelical Party, 21.

5 movement of the Holy Spirit. Jonathan Edwards emerged as the key leader in what historians have called, The Great Awakening. Edwards inherited the expectation for a revival from his grandfather (Solomon Stoddard) and other Puritan pastors in the New England area. At the time, Edwards noted that there was an extraordinary dullness in religion. Then one day, tragedy struck and a young man in the bloom of his youth suddenly got sick and died in about two days. Shortly after this happened, a young woman got sick and got serious about the state of her soul before God. Just before she died, she came to faith in Jesus and began to exhort others to turn to Jesus as well. Something new then began to take place. Even more shocking was the conversion of a woman who was known for her loose morals. Never had she been interested in spiritual things, but suddenly came to Edwards and told him of her need for salvation and the hope she had in Jesus. After all this happened, Edwards could only say, The noise amongst the dry bones waxed louder and louder. In a six-month period, more than 300 people came to Christ. The changes seemed also to be spreading outwards and affecting the surrounding countryside, and extending to other States. What was at the centre of all these changes? Five things: - Centrality of the Cross and Christ s atoning work on it - The personal experience of conversion - The authority of the Bible - Evangelism - The possibility that a person could be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit How did the revival end? There was scarcely a single person in the town, old or young, left unconcerned about the great things of the eternal world. Those who were wont to be the vainest, and loosest; and those who had been most disposed to think, and speak slightly of vital and experimental religion, were now generally subject to great awakenings. And the work of conversion was carried on in a most astonishing manner, and increased more and more; souls did, as it were, come by flocks to Jesus Christ. From day to day, from many months together, might be seen evident instances of sinners brought out of darkness into marvellous light, and delivered out of a horrible pit, and from the miry clay, and set upon a rock with a new song of praise to God in their mouths. Edwards on Northampton Revival By June, 1735, the revival came to an abrupt stop. Only two days after Edwards wrote his narrative describing the Surprising Work of God, Edwards uncle, Joseph Hawley, a

6 leader in Northampton, despaired over the state of his soul, and upon the suggestion of the Devil, slit his own throat and died. The Moravian Pietists and Revival The Pietists emphasized three things: New birth Small Groups World-affirming and missionary minded The Moravians pioneered orphanages, medical missions, and Bible societies. They set up a community on the estate belonging to the person with the coolest name - Count Nicolaus, Ludwig von Zinzendorf in Herrnhut in The Moravians stressed the value of a life of devotion, promoted Bible reading, stimulated a missionary concern and sent people out to many of the far corners of the world. George Whitefield ( ) These Moravians had a significant effect on a young preacher named George Whitefield ( ) who in 1736 began to apprehend the meaning of free grace in his life. By the summer of the following year, Whitefield preached his first sermon. The effects of his preaching were electric. 7 Blocked by church leaders from preaching in their pulpits, Whitefield took to open-air preaching where, to his surprise, crowds flocked to hear him preach. Whitefield stood at the centre of revivals breaking out in New England, Scotland, Wales, and in England. He actually became pretty good friends with the more reserved and quiet, Jonathan Edwards, but stood at the centre of another revival breaking out in and around Northampton in the late 30s and 40s. In February, 1739, 10,000 people came to hear him. A few months later in London, as many as 60,000 came to hear his sermons. In 1740, Whitefield made the journey back to New England where huge crowds awaited him (20,000 in the city of Boston, whose population was only 17,000). In October, 1740, Whitefield paid a visit to Edwards in Northampton. During his time in the area, another revival broke out. On October 23, 1740, a farmer named Nathan Cole described the effects that Whitefield had upon the surrounding region. 7 See Harry S. Stout, The Divine Dramatist: George Whitefield and the Rise of Modern Evangelicalism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1991),

7 GEORGE WHITEFIELD COMES TO MIDDLETOWN 8 [Nathan Cole] Now it pleased God to send Mr. Whitefield into this land; and my hearing of his preaching at Philadelphia, like one of the old apostles, and many thousands flocking to hear him preach the Gospel, and great numbers were converted to Christ, I felt the Spirit of God drawing me by conviction; I longed to see and hear him and wished he would come this way. I heard he was come to New York and the Jerseys and great multitudes flocking after him under great concern for their souls which brought on my concern more and more, hoping soon to see him; but next I heard he was at Long Island, then at Boston, and next at Northampton. Then on a sudden, in the morning about 8 or 9 of the clock there came a messenger and said Mr. Whitefield preached at Hartford and Wethersfield yesterday and is to preach at Middletown this morning at ten of the clock. I was in my field at work. I dropped my tool that I had in my hand and ran home to my wife, telling her to make ready quickly to go and hear Mr. Whitefield preach at Middletown, then ran to my pasture for my horse with all my might, fearing that I should be too late. Having my horse, I with my wife soon mounted the horse and went forward as fast as I thought the horse could bear; and when my horse got much out of breath, I would get down and put my wife on the saddle and bid her ride as fast as she could and not stop or slack for me except I bade her, and so I would run until I was much out of breath and then mount my horse again, and so I did several times to favour my horse. We improved every moment to get along as if we were fleeing for our lives, all the while fearing we should be too late to hear the sermon, for we had twelve miles to ride double in little more than an hour and we went round by the upper housen parish. And when we came within about half a mile or a mile of the road that comes down from Hartford, Wethersfield, and Stepney to Middletown, on high land I saw before me a cloud of fog arising. I first thought it came from the great river, but as I came nearer the road I heard a noise of horses feet coming down the road, and this cloud was a cloud of dust made by the horses feet. It arose some rods into the air over the tops of hills and trees; and when I came within about 20 rods of the road, I could see men and horses slipping along in the cloud like shadows, and as I drew nearer it seemed like a steady stream of horses and their riders, scarcely a horse more than his length behind another, all of a lather and foam with sweat, their breath rolling out of their nostrils every jump. Every horse seemed to go with all his might to carry his rider to hear news from heaven for the saving of souls. It made me tremble to see the sight, how the world was in a struggle. I found a vacancy between two horses to slip in mine and my wife said Law, our clothes will be all spoiled, see how they look, for they were so covered with dust that they looked almost all of a colour, coats, hats, shirts, and horse. We went down in the stream but heard no man speak a word all the way for 3 miles but every one pressing forward in great haste; and when we got to Middletown old meeting house, there was a great multitude, it was said to be 3 or 4,000 of people, assembled together. We dismounted and shook off our dust, and the ministers were then coming to the meeting house. I turned and looked towards the Great River and saw the ferry boats running swift backward and forward bringing over loads of people, and the oars rowed nimble and quick. Everything, men, horses, and boats seemed to be struggling for life. The land and banks over the river looked black with people and horses; all along the 12 miles I saw no man at work in his field, but all seemed to be gone. When I saw Mr. Whitefield come upon the scaffold, he looked almost angelical; a young, slim, slender youth, before some thousands of people 8 George Whitefield s Journals, published by The Banner of Truth Trust, pp

8 with a bold undaunted countenance. And my hearing how God was with him everywhere as he came along, it solemnized my mind and put me into a trembling fear before he began to preach; for he looked as if he was clothed with authority from the Great God, and a sweet solemn solemnity sat upon his brow, and my hearing him preach gave me a heart wound. By God s blessing, my old foundation was broken up, and I saw that my righteousness would not save me. Nathan Cole John Wesley ( ) At Oxford, John and his brother Charles formed the Holy Club at Oxford and through the influence of writers like William Law took holy living seriously, so seriously that the club was labeled as Methodists and Enthusiasts. At one point, John and Charles went to Georgia as missionaries. The entire endeavour was a disaster, with Charles returning home after only six months, and John a little later. However, as John sailed home to England, he experienced a tremendous storm at sea and was deeply impressed by a bunch of Moravian Pietists. I went to America to convert the Indians, but oh, who shall convert me? Who, what, is he that will deliver me from this evil heart of unbelief: I have a fair summer religion. I can talk well, nay and believe myself, while no danger is near. But let death look me in the face, and my spirit is troubled. Nor can I say, to die is gain. John Wesley Went to a Moravian gathering in Aldersgate Street on the evening of May 24 th, 1738, heard someone reading Luther s preface to the Epistle of the Romans. Wesley described his experience that night in his journal. He writes, About a quarter before nine while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. From this point forward, Wesley was a changed person. This revival of his own heart (and his brother's) combined with amazing gifts of organization contributed towards one of the greatest spiritual movements in church history - The Methodist movement. The Methodists with their emphasis on personal experience of Jesus and their emphasis on small groups played a key role in the Evangelical Revival in England. Wesley once declared that his purpose was, To promote, so far as I am able, vital, practical religion, and by the grace of God, beget, preserve, and increase the life of God in the soul of men. Methodism had established itself and it (and its offspring) would go on to be the most important evangelistic and missionary impulse for the next two centuries

9 John Berridge ( ) and the Cambridgeshire Revival John Berridge stood at the centre of a major revival in 1759 in Cambridgeshire. Over a period of months, the entire region experienced an extraordinary revival. John Wesley himself was initially impressed and participated in the revival. John Berridge was one of many vicars who pastored for a number of years before coming to faith. An eccentric through and through, Berridge gladly described this process on his tombstone and insisted on being buried in the part of his church's graveyard set aside for the lower orders and outcasts of English society. Now, there are so many key figures that we could look at along the way, but suffice to say that something had happened. HERE LIE The earthly remains of JOHN BERRIDGE Late Vicar of Everton, And an itinerant Servant of Jesus Christ, Who loved his Master, and his work, And, after running on his errands many years, Was called up to wait on him above. Reader, Art thou born again? No salvation without a New Birth! I was born in sin, February, Remained ignorant of my fallen state till Lived proudly on Faith and Works for Salvation Till Admitted to Everton Vicarage, Fled to Jesus alone for refuge, Fell asleep in Christ, January 22, By the end of the eighteenth-century, the spiritual landscape has radically changed in both England and America The Sleeping Church has been awakened. Why? There was a rediscovery of the doctrine of justification by faith There was a rediscovery of the importance of the Cross and that Jesus died for me There was a rediscovery that you and I can experience the Presence and the Power of God in our lives The Transformation of Society In England, one of the children of the Evangelical Revival, a fellow named William Wilberforce discerned that God had placed two great tasks before him to carry out - the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners. By the end of his life, much of England was transformed. Along the way, other things happened - one other consequence of the revival was the Sunday School movement, led by Hannah More. This marked the first step towards free education for all children. We also find formation of various societies and organizations. The "Inextinguishable Fire" By 1739, news of revival had begun to spread with sensational reports coming in from a growing number of seemingly disconnected locations. The widespread phenomenon of the revival is captured in a hymn entitled Of Intercession and Thanksgiving for the

10 Progress of the Gospel in various Parts of the World composed by Joseph Humphrey s in In it, Humphrey describes how the revival was quickly spreading throughout the known world. Thanks, with many thousand Tears, That Thy Church es Labourers Ev ry where such Blessings meet; For this Grace we kiss Thy Feet. Many in these latter Days Have experienc d JESU s Grace: Souls in Europe, not a few, Find the Gospel-tidings true. Britains Isle has catch d the Flame; Many know and love the LAMB: Both in England and in Wales, And in Scotland, Grace prevails: London, Wilts, and Glou stershire, Feel our SAVIOUR very dear: Bristol Sinners seek the LORD, And in Kingswood he s ador d. 9 Learning from the Great Awakening God uses flawed personalities to carry out His purposes God uses courageous personalities to carry out His purposes Revivals are often a mixed bag Revivals are surprising Revivals are also expected Revivals could also use Organization Revivals often took place where the decline of religion was felt the keenest 9 Hindmarsh, Conversion, Moravian missionaries, in addition to reaching places as far away as South Africa 1736 had also reached Greenland as early as 1733.