Part 11 (pages 148–161)
Charles’s days as a traveling evangelist were fast com- ing to a close. However, at this point, he received an invi- tation to go to Rochester, New. York. An elder of the Third Presbyterian Church in Rochester had corresponded with the.evangelist and shared many of the city’s needs. Charles had received other invitations to preach, and he faced a dilemma. Where should he go next? He simply did not know what to do.
Many. aspects about. a Rochester revival troubled Charles. Leadership in the churches was undergoing change. The. Second Presbyterian Church, called the “Brick Church,” had a good pastor, but he was leaving. The Reverend Parker, pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church, had left and become a pastor to one of the new free churches in New York City.
Another problem was a controversy that existed between a Third Church elder and the First Presbyterian pastor. Despite these difficulties, certain friends at Rochester continued to try to convince Charles that he should come. Charles had been visiting his father-in- law’s home while trying to find God’s will. He felt the need for the support of prayerful friends, so Charles and his family packed up and traveled to Utica, where a large number of such friends lived.
The Finney family arrived in Utica in the afternoon, and by night a number of their faithful friends gathered for prayer and consultation. They each. expressed their opinions about what Charles should do. All of them agreed that he should not go to Rochester. It was. too uninviting to start a revival. They thought he should accept one of the invitations to Philadelphia or New York City. Those places offered much brighter prospects.
The family went to bed that evening, expecting to take the canal boat to New York City in the morning. But Charles was unable to sleep. He kept asking himself, Why am I not going to Rochester? As he mulled over the reasons for his decision, he began to realize that what others saw as detriments were actually the very reasons he should go. He felt ashamed that he had not recog- nized this sooner. He was avoiding the city because of the difficulties he saw. That night God gave him the assurance that He would go with him and give him won- derful meetings.
Never one to hesitate once he knew God’s will, Charles told his family of his decision in the morning. Thus the family began the long trip west to Rochester.
eleven
York, by canal packet boat on September 10,
1830. Josiah Bissell, the leading elder of the Third Presbyterian Church, met the family at the dock and took them to stay at his home. Elder Bissell was the elder who had a disagreement with Dr. Penny, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.
Although Charles began preaching almost at once in the Third Presbyterian Church, he had a cousin who attended First Presbyterian Church and who introduced him to the pastor, Dr. Penny. Dr. Penny made it a point to hear Charles preach, and the two men became fast friends.
The conflict between Elder Bissell and Dr. Penny had begun over the calling of a pastor to the Second Presby- terian Church. A strong-willed and, at times, stubborn man, Bissell did not agree with the person Dr. Penny thought should be called. The rift between the two men
( harles and his family arrived in Rochester, New and the anger it caused had spread through both churches .and caused much bitterness..As God’s -Spirit moved through the city bringing revival, however, the conflict between the men was resolved. Each man took responsibility for his own wrongdoing in the situation.° .
- Not only. did Rochester: begin to feel the effect: of Charles’s ministry, but-people from outlying places such as Henrietta, Pittsfield, and Canandaiqua: did ‘as, well. Charles also preached in the surrounding cities of Clark- son, Brock-port, Ogden, and Penfield.
Rochester took’ great pride in its large number of lawyers, and many of these men came to the meetings.and became Christians. They were impressed:by Charles’s log- ical, legal style—his clear explanations of the.Scriptures and:the way of salvation. Not only did numerous lawyers attend-the meetings, but people from all. walks of ‘life, including -businessmen, teachers, and ordinary. workers. Charles was amazed at:the numbers of people accepting Christ:at his meetings. There had-never been so many con- versions.. .
A short time:after Charles began preaching, it was diffi- cult to find a room: large enough to hold the crowds. This problem intensified after an accident that occurred ‘on October. 1, early in the revival. In the middle of the ser- vice. at-the First Presbyterian Church, as. Dr. Penny was praying, an explosive sound roared through the building. The stone walls started to give way, and: with a thunder- ous crash, a large timber from the ceiling crashed through the plaster and landed in front of the organ.
The. scene became pandemonium. People panicked and started running in every direction. Charles gives a humorous account of the melee: “Before I had time to think again, Dr. Penny leaped from the pulpit almost over me, for I was kneeling by the sofa behind him. The pul- pit was in the front of the church, between the two doors. The rear wall of the church stood upon the brink of the ' canal. The congregation, in a moment, fell into a perfect panic, and rushed for the doors and the windows, as if they were all distracted. One elderly woman held up a: window in the rear of the church, where several, as I was informed, leaped out into the canal. The rush was terrific. Some. jumped. over the galleries into the aisles below, they ran over each other in the aisles.”
As people ran every which way, Charles tried to bring order to the chaos: “T stood up in the pulpit, and not know- ing what had happened, put up my hands, and cried at the top of my voice, ‘Be quiet! Be. quiet!’ Directly. a couple of women rushing up into the pulpit, one on the one side, and. the other on the other side, caught hold of me, in a state of distraction. Dr. Penny ran out into the streets, and they were getting out in every direction, as fast as possi- ble. As I did not know that there was any. danger, the scene looked so ludicrous to me, that I could scarcely refrain from laughing. They rushed over each other in the aisles, so that in several-instances I observed men that had been crushed down, rising up and throwing off others that had rushed upon them. All at length got out. Several were considerably hurt, but no.one killed. But.the house was strewn with all sorts of women’s apparel. Bonnets, shawls, gloves, handkerchiefs, and. parts of dresses, were scat- tered in every direction. The men had generally gone without their hats, I believe.” .
Since the building was located near the canal, it was later determined that the damp soil surrounding the building had caused the church to settle in obviously dangerous ways. Following the disastrous incident at First- Presbyterian Church, a new location had to be found for the meetings, Charles was concerned, .as well, that the near-tragedy might mar the spirit of the revival, but fortunately that did not happen. The work went on and continued to increase.
Now the Brick Church opened its doors for the meetings, and once the arrangements had been made, the meetings continued with growing attendance. The evangelist also began alternating the meetings between the various Pres- byterian churches. Inquiry meetings and prayer meetings were held in different churches as well. In fact, all denom- inations began to. work together in the revival effort. The revival was spreading beyond the Presbyterian churches. One of the high schools in Rochester was led by.a-pas- tor’s son from nearby Brighton. Many. of the students began attending the revival services and came under con- viction. Sometime later, the school’s director. found the students unable to recite their: lessons for class that day because of their deep consciousness of sin. The director called for one of his associates who was a Christian, and told her that his young people were so concerned for their souls, they were unable to do their-schoolwork. In spite of his skepticism, he suggested she’send for Charles to come and speak to them. Of course, the evangelist was more than willing to do so. Following his talk to. the teenagers, nearly every person in the school was converted—includ- ing the skeptical director. ; The Rochester revival ushered at least forty men into the gospel ministry. Because of Charles’s preaching, they dedicated their lives to the ministry. Of the forty, a num- ber also became foreign missionaries. Rochester also be- came the first place where. Charles used what he termed the “anxious seat.” He explained what he believed the anxious seat would accomplish:
I had never, I believe,.except in rare instances, until I went to Rochester, used as a means of pro- moting revivals, what has since been called “the anxious. seat.” I had.sometimes asked persons in the congregation to stand up; but this I had not frequently done. However, in studying upon the subject, I-had often felt the necessity of some measure. that would bring sinners to'a stand. From my own experience and observation, I had found that, with the higher classes especially, the greatest obstacle to be overcome was their fear of being known as anxious inquirers. They were too proud to take any position that would reveal them to others as anxious for their souls:
I had found also that something was needed, to.make the. impression on them that they were expected at once to give up their heart; something that would call them to act, and act as publicly before the world, as they had in their sins; some- thing that would commit them publicly to the ser- vice of Christ. When I had called them simply to stand up in the public congregation, I found that this had a very good effect; and so far as it went, it answered the-purpose for which. it was intended. But after all; I had felt for some time, that some- thing more was necessary to bring them out from among the mass of the ungodly, to a public renunciation of their sinful ways, and a public committal of themselves to God.
The anxious seat was another of Charles’s new measures, and as he said, he began using it regularly long after the ear- lier controversies over his new methods of presenting the gospel had been resolved. He constantly sought new and better ways to help-people in their commitment to Christ. The Rochester revivals received a great deal of news- paper coverage, and most of it was-quite favorable. At these meetings, the upper: classes in intellect, education, and culture, along with average -citizens, approved of what they saw and heard. It was a new day for Charles
and his ministry. His new stamp of approval was reflected .
in papers such as the Rochester. Observer, which stated:
We have never known a revival more general among all classes, the youth, and those who are preparing for, and those who-have just entered upon, the great theatre of life—the student, the mechanic, the professional man, and the politi- cian —those who were seeking for, and those who are in possession of office and worldly honors, have been arrested by the Spirit of God, and a new song has been put in their mouths.
Other publications also spoke well of Charles and the revivals. One especially glowing account was written by Henry B. Stanton, a lawyer and journalist who exercised great influence over other people’s opinions: Stanton declared:
In October, 1830, Charles G. Finney, the famous evangelist, came to Rochester to supply the pulpit of the Third Presbyterian Church. I had been ab-sent a few days and on my return was asked to hear him. It was in the afternoon. A tall; grave-looking man, dressed in an uncler- ical suit of grey, ascended the pulpit. I listened. © It did not sound like preaching, but like.a lawyer arguing a case before a court and jury. The discourse was a chain of logic brightened by felicity of illustration and enforced by urgent appeals from a voice of great compass and melody. Mr. Finney was there in the fullness of his power. His style was particularly attractive to law-yers. He illustrated his points frequently and happily by reference to legal principle. It began with the judges, the lawyers, the physi- cians, the bankers, and the merchants, and worked its way down to the bottom of society, till nearly everybody had joined one or the other of the churches controlled by the different denominations, I have heard many celebrated pulpit orators in various parts of the world. Taking all in all, I have never heard the superior of Charles G. Finney. . .
Charles had learned his early lessons as a law student well. A supreme court.judge had advised him, “Charlie, you. win a legal case by telling it simply; repeated as many times as.there are men in the box. Tell it simply: And never read it! Have it so well in hand that you can look the jury in the eye and see if you are moving them. If you are not, you will have to change your tactics so that you will move them.”
As a result of this good advice, the preacher Finney’s speech was colloquial, direct, and pungent..Later, when he became.a professor of theology and an instructor of young preachers, Charles. would tell them: “What would be thought of a lawyer who should stand up before a jury and read an essay to them? He would lose his case! J talk to the people as I would have talked to a jury.”
He chose: his illustrations from life more than from classical ‘literature. Thus, his examples were down-to- earth and on a level where people lived their lives. In short, he broke all the conventions of the preaching style of the day, but he communicated: in a. way that struck home to his listeners’ hearts. His preaching was relevant to their lives.
Charles also proved to be a thinker and assumed: his hearers were thinkers as well. In the preface to the Syste- matic Theology, he wrote: “My brother, sister, friends— reason, study, think—you. were made to think. God designed that religion should. require thought;. intense thought and should thoroughly develop our powers. of thought. The Bible ‘itself is written in the style so con- densed as to require much intense study.”
“One of his contemporaries described the evangelist in the following way: “As the preacher, he stood at his full height, tall. and majestic, stood as if transfixed, gazing and pointing toward the emblazoned cloud, as it seemed to roll up before him; his clear, shrill voice rising to its highest pitch, and penetrating every nook and corner of the vast assembly. People held.their breath. Every heart stood still. It was almost enough to raise the dead—and there were no sleepers within the sound of his clarion voice.’ Someone else said of him: “Why, it didn’t seem like preaching: It seemed as if Mr. Finney had taken me alone, and was conversing with me face-to-face.”
Another change ‘in the Rochester revival was that, above all, it was a revival with dignity and decorum.'No falling in the aisles or shrieks or groanings occurred such as had happened in earlier places like Evans Mills and Gouverneur. The New York Evangelist declared-about the meetings: “From all that can be learned by private letters, and by oral testimony, . : .that almost-every town within forty or fifty miles of Rochester is favoured more or less with the special presence of the Lord.”
Charles also said of the revival, “The great majority of the leading men and women of the city were con- verted.” So the Rochester revival was reported as being an outstanding one in every way, changing many of the citizens who, in turn, changed their city.
The Rochester revival. played a part in the general Third Great: Awakening that swept America during the decade of the 1830s. Even: Lyman Beecher gave Charles credit for his role in the revival: “That was the greatest work of God, and the greatest revival of religion, that the world has-ever seen'in so short a time. One hundred thousand were. reported as shaving ‘corinected themse! with churches: as. the result of that great. revival. Thi unparalleled in the history: of the church, and the progress of religion.”. Beecher acknowledged that no year durin, the Christian era had reported such a ‘Breat revival. of : religion. Of course, a general American. aivakeriing occurred during the time of the Rochester revival, making the.one in Rochester. single aspect of the whole, But Charles Finney: played a large part in the far-reaching Rochester revival, and: to a great’ extent, he was. credited with: its amazing ‘success. Following: the end: of the Rochest meetings, however, the Finneys would turn in-a differe direction: New York City. There a new and: different c twelve
however, Charles needed rest. He was physically
exhausted, and several doctors were concerned that he would never be able to preach again. They even thought he might have a fatal disease called consumption (often the term. given to what we call tuberculosis). Charles wanted to prove them wrong and resolutely decided to continue with his ministry.
As he left for Schenectady, New York, in the spring of 1831, Charles wondered how God would lead him. He had been invited to preach at Union College in the city, and would be the guest of Dr. Mott, its president.
En route to the city, Charles decided to stop and rest at Auburn, and while he waited, a man appeared with a paper full of signatures urging him to stay and preach. AS he reviewed the names, he was surprised to see many sig- natures of prominent men, even some who had opposed
D rior to the Finneys’ going to New York City, him earlier. Profoundly moved, he took the matter to the Lord and was favorably impressed to stay.
Because of his fatigue, however, he set forth certain conditions for-his preaching: He would preach twice on Sunday and on:two weekly nights. Besides these engage- ments, he would see no visitors save under extreme cir- cumstances, so he could-rest.
The people accepted. his conditions thankfully, and Charles began to preach. The evangelist noted of the meet- ings: “The word took immediate effect.” After the mes- sage, on his first Sunday ministering, Charles issued an invitation for those. who wanted to renounce their sins and receive Christ to come forward publicly declaring their decision. At this point, giving a public invitation to accept Christ. was one of the regular new measures that Charles used: quite effectively. The first person among numerous others to come forward was the person who led the oppo- sition to Charles earlier during the previous Auburn revival.
Charles preached. in Auburn for six weeks, and in that time, roughly five hundred people professed faith in Christ. Charles realized about the revival that: “This revival seems to be only a wave of divine power, reaching Auburn from the center at Rochester, whence such a mighty influence had gone out over the length and breadth of the. land.” The Rochester revival had continued to have an impact on the surrounding areas of New York. Several years later, a historian of the First Presbyterian Church of Auburn wrote a vivid account of Charles and the work there:
_ He was then at the prime of life and at the height of his fame. As a preacher, he was without a