Charles Finney’s ministry led to some of the most amazing revivals that have ever occurred in the United State or England. In Holy Spirit Revivals, Finney recalls those events, revealing the secrets that led to the mass conversions of lost souls in his meetings throughout upstate New York, as well as in Boston, Philadelphia and London.
The book consist of thirty six chapters with the introduction on how he embraced the Bible as the word of God after turning away from skepticism at his late twenties which made him to gave up the law profession for the sake of the gospel thereby becoming one of the most revered evangelist in the nineties as it was estimated that over 250,000 souls were converted as a result of his preaching.The author was born in Warren, Connecticut, on August 29, 1792. When he was about two years old, his family moved from Oneida County in New York which was mostly wilderness as at then. He noted that no religious benefit where enjoyed by the people and very few religious books could be found. He later went to Adams to study law where he for the first time, regularly heard the preaching of an educated minister. Rev. George W. Gale from Princeton, New Jersey who later became the pastor of Presbyterian Church.He discovered that the preacher was also confused of his teaching after several conversations with him about some important terms. With several questions left unanswered, especially on the matter on unanswered prayers, he went to the place of study where he was confronted with the question of accepting Christ and His gospel or pursuing a worldly life.Several attempt was made to accept Christ but his heart was full of pride anytime he tries to pray until the love of God was shed abroad in his heart (Rom 5:5) and he prayed fervently till all sense of condemnations was dropped off his mind.After receiving the baptism of the Spirit, the author was quite willing to preach the gospel as he no longer has the desire to practice law. Then he began to converse with anyone he come across , he recalled that a young man through his conversation went into the woods also to pray until evening, coming back with his conversion experience.Talking about his secrets to successful ministry he recalled that He was always eager to be thoroughly understood which makes him to study earnestly in order to express thought with greatness and simplicity of language. Though he was criticized by fellow preachers for his style but always defend himself by saying his objective is not cultivate a style of oratory that would soar above the heads of the people but to make himself understood.Therefore without being coarse or vulgar, he will use any language adapted till the end.
In the subsequent chapters, the author recalled most of the notable events and miracles that happened during his evangelical work at different locations. Talking about how the Spirit of prayer prevailed at Evans Mill, restoration of sanity to two women at Antwerp, A family’s children been converted, how backslidden Church Turns to Christ in Auburn, A lumbermen got saved in Philadelphia, conversion of pastor in Columbia, one hundred thousand were converted in Rochester in 1830, five hundred converted in New York, in England Unitarian Minister returns to the True Gospel, Worldly woman became earnest Christian in Boston and the continuation of revival at Oberlin College among many others.At the end of the journey, Charles Finney remained pastor of the First Church in Oberlin until he resigned in 1872. However, he still retained his connection with the seminary and completed his last course of lectures in July 1875, only few days before his death. His last day on earth was a quiet Sunday, which he enjoyed in the midst of his family, taking a walk with wife as sunset to listen to the music at the opening of the evening service in the church nearby.I will advise you to get the 282 pages book and be revived with revival fire as you read. Do well to share and drop comment below.
Aphorism CITY 