Required reading
The Great Awakening: A history of the revival of religion in the time of Edwards & Whitefield by Joseph Tracy (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Chapter 20 (The results) by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'Another result of the revival was, a better knowledge of the nature of religious experience.'
My summary
Today Tracy makes some attempt to ascertain the results of the revival.
Tracy affirms that the great awakening had a positive influence in terms of:
(i) converts;
(ii) churches formed;
(iii) slothful Christians;
(iv) unconverted ministers;
(v) missionaries;
(vi) the progress of heresy.
What grabbed me
I again found it interesting that there was a general acceptance of unconverted ministers at the time: 'On the whole, the beneficial influence of the revival on the ministry was immense. But this was not all that the revival did for the ministry. It fully and finally killed the doctrine, that an unconverted ministry might be tolerated. At its commencement, opinions on this subject were in a state not easily understood by men of the present day. Parents felt that they were doing a worthy deed, by consecrating their unconverted sons to the ministry, and sending them to the colleges to be prepared for it. The colleges felt that it was their business to take such youths and prepare them ; and to doubt the fitness of those whom they had trained to the profession, seemed to be an attack both upon their reputation and their income. The extensively prevailing view of regeneration, as a work attended by no ascertainable evidence, discouraged all questioning concerning a minister's spiritual state.'
A shocking state of affairs and a cultural trend that only an outpouring of the Spirit could change.
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 20 (The results) by reading up to the paragraph 'This great revival should teach the Christian world some salutary lessons, which it would be improper to close this work without mentioning.'
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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