GREAT AWAKENING

In the 1730s and 1740s in England and the New England Colonies, worship services were hour long read scholarly sermons. Incredibly scholarly and gifted young ministers were then used by YAHWEH to spread the good news to all of a personal loving vibrant God desiring personal relationship.

One of the brightest was Jonathan Edwards, whose grandfather had been a minister. Edward still read his our long sermons. But the emphasis was on personal Salvation. Finally had about a handful saved, among those lives were changed was one young woman whose changed life stirred the whole town before long. He baptized 300 in the town of 1000.

Then enteres George Whitfield the great evangelist from England. Who himself cried out to YAHWEH God:
“I THIRST!”
God answered and he was flooded with God’s love and joy! Which he and the Wesley brothers shared with England’s coal miners:
At first there were 100.
The next day 2,000.
The next week 10,000!
Soon Whitfield and the Wesleys were wanted all over England.
George Whitfield felt called to the New England colonies and the Wesleys stayed in England.

None other than Benjamin Franklin announced his arrival:

“Lightning struck Philadelphia and ignited revival in the form of a 25 year-old Whitfield!“

indeed, Whitfield was like lightning: he preached 18,000 sermons such that 3/4 of the population of the colonies heard him preach in person!

Then Gilbert Tennent, trained in Ministry by his own Scottish Presbyterian father, wrote a sermon, *The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry.” This made the powers at be in the clergy, hopping mad! in those days to be a pastor, you had to be ordained by Yale Harvard or over in England or Scotland. Due to this sermon, Yale made a rule that if you said you didn’t think your professor was personally converted in faith, they would fine you on the first offense and then throw you out on the second.

David Brainerd was a highly intelligent senior: top of his class at Yale. A freshman reported him for stating:

“I don’t know why that professor doesn’t fall down dead for fining a student for being zealous for God. He’s got as much spirituality as a chair.”

David Brainard was expelled and not allowed to graduate though he apologized. Yale called on Johnathan Edwards to preach the commencement sermon in hopes to calm down the students. But what happened was Jonathan Edwards preach from first John for chapter four versus one through five: Which sided with the students on the need for professors to be converted personally. As a result, even Jonathan Edwards —after 22 years in the pulpit, was voted out by a 90% margin. Johnathan continued preaching to the masses and in prolific writing. Years later, his grandson became the president of Yale as well as his great grandson and great great grandson.

Johnathan Edwards dear friend, David Brainerd was ordained by the Scottish missionary movement and was called to work with the natives. Although, his health was not good, he worked for years without a convert. Finally, in 1745, while preaching to about 30 women and children were convinced of their wrongs toward their Maker, and were sobbing in tears. From then on everywhere he went the natives strongly responded, to the point that many of them fell flat at hearing this news! Thus the natives of New England were converted.

David Brainerd through his own writings and the writings of Jonathan Edwards inspired numerous ministers to become foreign missionaries —even centuries later.

Samuel Davies was born to an illiterate Welsh farm family in Virginia. But they believed strongly in God and committed Samuel to Him. Because of Gilbert Tennant, he went to college in New Jersey; but later was called back to Virginia to preach to his people. Davies became the pastor at Green Pole Church in Virginia. His preaching inspired one Patrick Henry. Also, Gilbert Tennant wrote a sermon which was widely published explaining the miraculous salvation from flying bullets experienced by a young officer by the name of George Washington.

TITLE: THE GREAT AWAKENING
AUTHOR: Sandy Lynn Duren
COPYRIGHT: WWJD Media (C) 20250531 2000 Central Time
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