From the 1730s to 1770s, the First Great Awakening swept America through a series of evangelists, including Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and Samuel Davies.
JONATHAN EDWARDS
In 1729, Edwards took a pastorate in Northampton, outside Boston.
After Edwards preached a sermon in Northampton, called Justification on Faith Alone, revival began, which spread through Massachusetts and Connecticut.
While continuing to speak out over the many weeks and year, Edwards most famous sermon was preached in 1741, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.
GEORGE WHITEFIELD
Born in 1741 in Gloucester, England, Whitefield completed his grammar school education to begin his studies at Oxford.
Atypical of today’s grammar schools which began in the 20th century, grammar schools of the 18th century deeply taught Greek and Latin towards fluency in the languages, through one’s own writing and reading the classics, by such greats as Caesar, Ovid, Livy, and Virginia…in the original languages.
Nevertheless, he initially sought to become an actor, since he enjoyed theater so much. As a result he developed a unique oratorical that influenced his life.
While at Oxford, Whitefield turned to Christ and later came to know the Wesley brothers.
After graduating from Oxford, he was ordained in the Anglican church and preached widely in England.
First arriving in the American colonies at the age of twenty-five, Whitefield drew crowds numbering in the tens of thousands, many of whom were converted.
Whitefield remarked of crowds: so scattered abroad, can be gathered at so short a warning.
Benjamin Franklin wrote in his autobiography:
In 1739 arriv’d among us from England the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant Preacher. He was at first permitted to preach in some of our Churches; but the Clergy taking a Dislike to him, soon refus’d him their Pulpits and he was oblig’d to preach in the Fields. The Multitudes of all Sects and Denominations that attended his Sermons were enormous…It was wonderful to see the Change soon made in the Manners [behavior] of our Inhabitants; 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…He had a loud and clear Voice, and articulated his Words and Sentences so perfectly that he might be heard and understood at a great Distance.
Overly exuberant to hear Whitefield, the noisy massive crowd silenced to hear him speak.
Whitefield observed: Even in London, I never observed so profound a silence.
I would give a hundred guineas if I could say ‘Oh’ like Mr. Whitefield. -David Garrick, famous 18th century British playwright
Using his theatrical background and unique oratorical style, Whitefield portrayed Biblical people with a realism that caught everyone’s attention.
In the middle of a sermon on eternity, Whitefield suddenly exclaimed: Hark! Methinks I hear [the saints] chanting their everlasting hallelujahs, and spending an eternal day in echoing forth triumphant songs of joy. And do you not long, my brethren, to join this heavenly choir?
Of Whitefield’s preaching Jonathan Edwards’s wife, Sarah, remarked: He makes less of the doctrines than our American preachers generally do and aims more at affecting the heart. He is a born orator. A prejudiced person, I know, might say that this is all theatrical artifice and display, but not so will anyone think who has seen and known him.
Reaching 75 to 80% of the population of the American Colonies, Whitefield influenced his listeners to a lifestyle of God first, which sparked unity between the thirteen separate colonies which prepared them to secure Independence in the 1770s.
SAMUEL DAVIES
From 1748 to 1759, Samuel Davies lived and preached in Hanover County, Virginia, also home to a young boy named Patrick Henry.
Davies’ style spread through the colonies as exemplars for other preachers, and even influenced a young Patrick Henry.
PATRICK HENRY
On the way home from many a sermon, Henry’s mother asked him to repeat what he heard, impressing rhetorical style into his mind.
In 1765, during his first term in the House of Burgesses, Patrick Henry rose to speak with great emotion, of which its described:
“Caesar had his Brutus — Charles the First, His Cromwell — And George the Third” — (“Treason!” cried the Speaker — “Treason, treason!” echoed from every part of the house). Henry faultered not for an instant, but rising to a loftier attitude, concluded thus – “may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.”
While studying law under George Wythe, Thomas Jefferson observed the scene, causing him to proclaim Patrick Henry: the greatest orator that ever lived.
VIRTUE NEEDED FOR FREEDOM
Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. -Benjamin Franklin
Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue. -Samuel Adams
Public virtuecannot exist in a Nation without privateVirtue, and publicVirtueis the only Foundation of Republics. -John Adams
Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. -George Washington
A vitiated [impure] state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. -Patrick Henry
To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical [imaginary] idea. -James Madison
The Rights of the Colonists as Christians… may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutes of the great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament. -Samuel Adams
In fact, the spiritual nature of America’s resistance was so clear even to the British that in the British Parliament:
Sir Richard Sutton read a copy of a letter relative to the government of America from a [Crown-appointed] governor in America to the Board of Trade [in Great Britain] showing that…” If you ask an American, “Who is his master?” He will tell you he has none – nor any governor but Jesus Christ.” –Wallbuilders
