Charles G. Finney An Autobiography

Charles G. Finney An Autobiography

CHARLES G. FINNEY

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

By C. G. Finney

To the Students of the Words, Works and Ways of God

1908 Edition

This work was edited and updated to modern English by John Clark.

PREFACE

CHAPTER I. – BIRTH AND EARLY EDUCATION.

Purpose of the Author – Birth and early circumstances – Want of religious privileges – Entering upon the study of law – First interest in religion – Questionings on the subject of prayer.

CHAPTER II. – CONVERSION TO CHRIST.

Decision to attend to religion – Spiritual conflict, and the triumph – Baptism of the Spirit – Sense of justification.

CHAPTER III. – BEGINNING OF HIS WORK.

A retainer from the Lord Jesus Christ – Call to preach – Conversation with neighbors – Evening meeting – Revival in the village – Visit at his father's – Deacon M at the monthly concert – Conversion of Squire W. – Morning prayer meeting – Great light – Fasting and prayer – Experience of the burden of prayer.

CHAPTER IV. – HIS DOCTRINAL EDUCATION AND OTHER EXPERIENCES AT ADAMS.

Discussion on the atonement – Revival revived – Further discussion – Encouragement from Elder H. – Lectures on Universalism – Licensed by presbytery – Father Nash – Review of Mr. Gale's theology.

CHAPTER V. – PREACHING AS A MISSIONARY.

Labor at Evans' Mills – The people pledged – Experience of Miss G. – The railer's death – The false hope – The Universalist subdued – Father Nash's transformation – Mr. D's conversion.

CHAPTER VI. – REVIVAL AT EVANS' MILLS AND ITS RESULTS.

The German church – Meeting for inquirers – Taught to read – Moving scene – Habit of testifying in prayer meeting – Style of preaching – Preaching at presbytery.

CHAPTER VII. – REMARKS UPON MINISTERIAL EDUCATION.

The judge's view – Criticisms of ministers – The preacher's aim – Danger in the schools – Advantages of extemporaneous preaching – Manner of preparation – Facsimile of skeleton.

CHAPTER VIII. – REVIVAL AT ANTWERP.

Impression of the place – Prayer on Saturday – Plain preaching on Sabbath – Scene at Sodom – Preaching to the Universalists – Sermon on election – Cure of insane woman.

CHAPTER IX. – RETURN TO EVANS' MILLS.

Author's marriage – Return to his work – Winter at Brownville – Conversion of Mrs. B. – Attempt to return for his wife – Stopped at Le Rayville – Premonition of a work at Gouverneur – The vain young woman converted.

CHAPTER X. – REVIVAL AT GOUVERNEUR.

Ride in the rain – Discussion with Dr. S. – Opposition of young men – Father Nash's announcement – Conversion of Mr. S. – Opposition of Baptists – Discussion of Baptism – Aunt Lucy's relief – Conversion of Mr. M.

CHAPTER XI. – REVIVAL AT DE KALB.

Presbyterians falling – Visit of Mr. F. – The Catholic tailor – Elder S's new light – Effect upon the meeting – Going to Synod – Meeting with Mr. Gale – Spirit of prayer.

CHAPTER XII. – REVIVAL AT WESTERN.

The Western revivals – Afternoon prayer meeting – Praying of Mrs. H. – Conversion of the B children – The home of a convicted daughter – The hayloft – Adaptation of religious labor – Mr. Gale's new views and experience.

CHAPTER XIII. – REVIVAL AT ROME.

Remarkable inquiry meeting – Great interest – Little H and her father – Death of a reviler – Conversion of Mr. H. – Visit of Sheriff B. – The spirit of prayer – Conversion of the officer's wife – Conversion of Mrs. C.

CHAPTER XIV. – REVIVAL AT UTICA, NEW YORK.

Abundant prayer – Conversion of Sheriff B. – The Lowville merchant – Beginning of opposition – Mr. Weeks' doctrines – Sudden death of the minister – Conversion of Miss F T. – Scene in the factory – Conversion of T. D. Weld – False teaching.

CHAPTER XV. – REVIVAL AT AUBURN IN 1826.

Further opposition – Victory in prayer – Dr. S's new baptism – Conversion of Mr. H. – Division of the congregation – Dr. Lansing's painful experience – Public confession.

CHAPTER XVI. – REVIVAL AT TROY, AND AT NEW LEBANON.

Visit to Dr. Nettleton – Influence of the opposition – Dr. Beman before presbytery – Conversion of Judge C's father – Conversion of Miss S. – The work at New Lebanon – Conversion of Dr. W, of Mr. T, and of John T. Avery – Committee of presbytery – New Lebanon Convention – Notice of Dr. Beecher's Biography – Remarks on Revivals.

CHAPTER XVII. – REVIVAL IN STEPHENTOWN.

Anxiety of Miss S, Election evening – Family of Judge P and of Mr. M. – Death of Mr. B. – Influence of Miss S.

CHAPTER XVIII. – REVIVALS AT WILLWINGTON AND PHILADELPHIA.

Mr. Gilbert – New School preaching and its effect – Beginning in Philadelphia – Theology at Philadelphia – Hopkinsianism – Conversion of a desperate man – Of a despairing young woman – Fondness for dress – Interest among the lumbermen – Mr. Patterson.

CHAPTER XIX. – REVIVAL AT READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

Unsound teaching – Arrangement for balls – Inquiry meeting – Death of Dr. Greer – Conviction of Mr. B. – False counsel to inquirers – Conversion of Mr. O B. – His death – Preaching to the editors – Labor at Lancaster – Conversion of Elder K. – Fatal delay.

CHAPTER XX. – REVIVALS IN COLUMBIA, AND IN NEW YORK CITY.

Account of Mr. H. – Reorganization of his church – Invitation to New York – Anson O. Phelps – Diligence of a young woman in restitution – Conversion of Lewis Tappan – The first Free Presbyterian church.

CHAPTER XXI. – REVIVAL IN ROCHESTER, 1830.

Selection of a field – Adjustment of differences – Conversion of Mrs. M. – The Anxious Seat – Panic in church – Work in the High School – Conversion of the merchant and his wife – Conversion of Mr. P. – The burden of prayer – Effect upon the morals of the city – Effect abroad.

CHAPTER XXII. – REVIVALS IN AUBURN, BUFFALO, PROVIDENCE AND BOSTON.

Leaving Rochester – Rest at Auburn, and remarkable invitation – Abel Clary – Six weeks' labor – A month in Buffalo – Conversion of Mr. H. – Three weeks in Providence – Conversion of Miss A. – Invitation to Boston – Sensitiveness of the people – Giving up all to all – Orthodoxy questioned – Proposal from New York.

CHAPTER XXIII. – LABORS IN NEW YORK CITY IN 1832, AND ONWARD.

Chatham street theatre – Installation – The Cholera – The revival – Diligence of the membership – Conversion of Mr. E. – The free Presbyterian churches – Organization of a Congregational church – Broadway Tabernacle – Voyage to the Mediterranean – A day of prayer at sea – The New York Evangelist – Excitement on slavery – Revival Lectures – Invitation to Oberlin – Decision.

CHAPTER XXIV. – EARLY LABORS IN OBERLIN.

The tent – Financial failure – Hostility of the surrounding region – Embassy to England – Providential supply – Lectures to Christians in New York – Relations to Western Reserve College – Theological prejudice – Popular idea of Oberlin – Spiritual progress at home.

CHAPTER XXV. – LABORS IN BOSTON AND PROVIDENCE.

General excitement upon slavery – Marlborough chapel – A few weeks' preaching in Boston – Call to Providence – Two months' labor there – Interest of Rev. Dr. C.

CHAPTER XXVI. – THE REVIVAL IN ROCHESTER IN 1842.

Rest in Rochester, and invitation to preach – Lawyers request for a course of Lectures – Judge G's conversion – Pastor of St. Lukes – The quit-claim deed – Doctrines preached – Interest in lawyers – Chronic skepticism – Mr. W. the priest.

CHAPTER XXVII. – ANOTHER WINTER IN BOSTON.

Second-Adventism – The church in Marlborough Chapel – A false prophet – A chapter of personal experience – A new consecration – Experiences in connection with the death of Mrs. F. – Experiences not appreciated – Need in Boston.

CHAPTER XXVIII. – FIRST VISIT TO ENGLAND.

Mr. Potto Brown and his religious enterprises – Invitation to England – Labors in Houghton – Invitation to Birmingham – Interview at Mr. James Close – Communion Theology and Dr. Redford – Interesting letter – Preaching at Worcester – Invitation to London – Dr. Campbell and the Tabernacle.

CHAPTER XXIX. – LABORS IN THE TABERNACLE, MOORFIELDS, LONDON.

First inquiry meeting – Large attendance – Visit at the British school room – Definite aim in preaching – The borrowed sermon – Interest in Episcopal churches – A tea-meeting for poor women – Visit to France – Embarking for home.

CHAPTER XXX. – LABORS IN HARTFORD AND IN SYRACUSE.

Brief labor in New York – Invitation to Hartford – Difficulty of cooperation among the pastors, adjusted – Timidity in regard to measures – Prayer meetings among converts – Organized effort – The churches in Syracuse – Cooperation of Christians – Interesting communion – Mrs. S's new baptism – Ladies' meetings – Taking up the Cross – Mother Austin's faith.

CHAPTER XXXI. – LABORS IN WESTERN AND IN ROME, 1854-5.

Case of crime – Confession and restitution – Conversion of the school teacher – Preaching at Rome – Distraction in the church.

CHAPTER XXXII. – REVIVAL IN ROCHESTER IN 1855.

Pressing invitation – Preaching to the lawyers – Prevailing interest – The University – Zeal of the ladies – Ingenious spirit – Restrictions in New England.

CHAPTER XXXIII. – REVIVALS IN BOSTON IN 1856-57-58.

The pastor's renewal – Divided feeling – Establishment of prayer meetings – The South – Conversion of Mrs. M.

CHAPTER XXXIV. – SECOND VISIT TO ENGLAND.

Labors at St. Ives – Borough Road chapel – Church distraction and regeneration – Theological apprehensions – Reasoning in the pulpit – Labors at Huntington – Family of Dr. F.

CHAPTER XXXV. – LABORS IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND.

Preaching in Edinburgh – The E. U. Church – The ladies prayer meeting – Preaching in Aberdeen – Circumscribing prejudice – Going to Bolton, England – First evening at Bolton – The week of prayer – Cooperation of denominations – Canvassing the city – A more quiet manner – Work in Mr. B's mill – Cases of restitution – Conversion of the miserly mill-owner – Labors in Manchester – Want of cooperation – Return home.

CHAPTER XXXVI. – WORK AT HOME.

Arrangements for labor – General movement – Failing health – Diverting influences – The time for work – Improved arrangements – Solemn Sabbath – Conclusion.