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Charles Finney (1792-1875) *****

Between 1824 and 1832 Finney was used by God to be instrumental in some of the greatest revivals in this country. As a result of his experiences with revivals he established the modern forms and methods of revivalism in America; he then spent the last forty years of his life fanning the flames of revival and constructing a theology of revival and Christian life. His deepest hearts desire was that revival never be stopped!

Raised and educated in upstate New York, he settled down as a lawyer in Adams, New York, in 1820. The next year an intense experience of religious conversion induced him to prepare for the ministry of the church. He then studied under the local Presbyterian pastor in Adams, this study turned out to be an ongoing debate. For pastor Gale was schooled in Calvinism, Finney kept pointing to what the scripture taught, and so a continual debate ensued. Years later after pastor Gale was converted he said "Bro. Finney, I am so very glad you didn't listen to me, for it would have ruined your ministry! Charles received ordination in the Oneida Presbytery (1824). For the next eight years he led great revival meetings in New York state and in most major cities from Wilmington to Boston, including New York City. Next (1832-36) came the pastorate of Chatham Street Chapel in New York City, where he initiated his pattern of theological lectures. He became professor at Oberlin College in Ohio (1836), but he had two stipulations, which had to be met before he agreed to teach at the newly found college, First blacks would have to be received as students as well as whites. And, second, his desire was that women be received as well as men, at this time women, upon these stipulations being met he commenced his work of revival at the college. He developed his belief in "Christian literally being perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect." He later became a Congregational minister. Remaining at Oberlin College until his death, serving as the second president (1851-66). He conducted many revivals in the 1840s and 1850s, including two tours in Great Britain in 1859/60. The results of which is still being felt in the world.

He is best remembered for bringing about such conviction in the hearts of his hearers, that the great majority of them remained faithful to God all through their lives. Very few of his converts went back into the world. I know of no evangelist of modern times that can say this of their own ministries!

A good example of his fervor for God can be demonstrated with this antidote; He was married in October, 1824. His wife had made preparations for housekeeping; and a day or two after our marriage He left her, and returned to Evans' Mills, to obtain conveyance to transport the household goods to that place. He told her that she might expect him back in about a week.

The fall previous to this, He had preached a few times, in the evening, at a place called Perch River, still farther northwest from Evans' Mills about a dozen miles. He spent one Sabbath at Evans' Mills, and intended to return for his wife, about the middle of that week. But a messenger from Perch River came up that Sabbath, and said there had been a revival working its way slowly among the people ever since he had preached there; and the messenger begged him to go down and preach there, at least once more. He sent an appointment to be there Tuesday night. But he found the interest so deep that he stayed and preached Wednesday night, and Thursday night; and he finally gave up returning that week, for his wife, and he continued to preach in that neighborhood. The revival soon spread in the direction of Brownville, a considerable village several miles, in a southwestern direction from that place. Finally, under the pressing invitation of the minister and church at Brownville, he went there and spent the winter, having written to his wife, that such were the circumstances that he must defer coming for her, until God seemed to open the way. Early in the spring, 1825, he left Brownville, with his horse and cutter, to go after his wife. He had been absent six months since his marriage; and as the mail system between him and his wife was very poor, they had seldom been able to exchange letters. He drove on some fifteen miles, and the roads were very slippery. His horse was smooth shod, and he found that he must have his horse's shoes reset. He stopped at Le Rayville, a small village about three miles south of Evans' Mills. While his horse was being shod, the people, finding that he was there, ran to him, and wanted to know if he would preach, at one o'clock, in the schoolhouse; for they had no meeting house. At one o'clock the house was packed; and while he preached, the Spirit of God came down with great power upon the people.

So great and manifest was the outpouring of the Spirit, that in compliance with their earnest entreaty he concluded to spend the night there, and preach again in the evening. But the work increased more and more; and in the evening he appointed another meeting in the morning, and in the morning he appointed another in the evening; and soon he saw that he should not be able to go any farther after his wife. He told a brother that if he would take his horse and cutter and go after his wife for him, he would remain. He did so, and went on preaching, from day to day, and from night to night; and there was a powerful revival. How many men have put the service of God ahead of their honeymoon? Charles Finney had found Christ in such a way as to make him this kind of man.

He detailed the means God had established for humans to promote revival among both "backslidden Christians" and "unconverted sinners." Christians needed to have "a burning love for souls," to "grow in grace," and to ask sinners to "give their hearts to God." He longed to see revival-sweeping America, bringing progress and social reforms, democracy, abolition of slavery, temperance, eschewing of luxury and fashionable display. His goal for Oberlin college was to prepare "a new burning desire for revival in the ministers that graduate from Oberlin" and, as he explained in Lectures to Professing Christians (1837) and later writings, to awaken people to the attainable duty of Christians walking in the will of God, as commanded by Matthew 5:48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Finney believed when God gave a commandment, such as this one, He would also supply all that was needed to carry it out!

If you would like to see an example of how God used him click on Example Of True Revival

Another View

"No words can describe the wonderful joy that was shed abroad in my heart. I wept aloud with joy and love. The waves came over me and over me, one after another, until I cried out, 'I shall die if these waves continue to pass over me. Lord, I cannot bear any more.'"-Finney's description of his filling with the Holy Spirit on the day of his conversion"

Charles Finney was born in Connecticut to an ordinary family and life that gave little hint of the great things God had in store for him. He was a schoolteacher and then a lawyer before his conversion at age 29. Finney was filled with the Holy Spirit on the same day he was saved and immediately began witnessing to friends and family members. More than twenty people were saved in the 24 hours following Finney's conversion. Finney's personal evangelism soon became public evangelism as he began to travel and preach in extended revival meetings. He considered revival to be a natural result of following the instructions God had laid out in His Word. During Finney's fifty years of preaching, more than 500,000 were saved, and interestingly enough, almost all of these people continued with the Lord, instead of falling away. Today many people start out with the Lord and then fall away, could it be how he preached the Gospel? He wrote many books, the most enduring of which are "The Autobiography of Charles Finney" and "Lectures on Revival of Religion." He accepted the pastorate of a church in New York City. And then from 1852 until 1866 he served as president of Oberlin College in Ohio. He was a powerful, Spirit-filled soul winner who brought revival to cities and towns across United State and England; his books brought revival around the world.