The Oberlin Evangelist

February 12, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters--No. 9.

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS

BELOVED BRETHREN:

In addressing you, in agreement with the plan which I suggested in the last volume of the Evangelist, I would, by all means, begin by saying, and I beg you to understand and to remember throughout these letters, that I would, by no means, take the position of a censor or dictator concerning those things that pertain to your responsible duties. Instead, I would rather get down at your feet, and humbly beg that you will allow me to suggest some things for you to consider that have been on my mind for a very long time. I have had almost nothing to do with the ecclesiastical chatter of any denomination of Christians, and never intend to have. But I have watched the movements of the Church with a lot of interest and concern, and I have seen the results of the various influences that are acting on the cause of Christ. Since you have become the leaders of the hosts of God’s elect by the Spirit and providence of God, it appears proper that I should present my suggestions directly to you, and spread out before you for your consideration, at least some of the thoughts that have been weighing on my mind for such a long time. Please permit me to begin by suggesting several things concerning the present state of the Church today.

1. Isn’t it obvious, that the Church, as a body, has sunk down in gross sensuality, and that they have largely lost sight of the fact, that “the flesh lusts against the Spirit”, and that the flesh is one of the most potent enemies of the soul? Isn’t it true, that ministers say, or perhaps even think, very little about the influence that the appetites and passions of the body have on the spirituality of the soul? Instead of eating and drinking for the glory of God, the Church, as a whole, is as much enslaved by their appetites, and is as decidedly making a god of their belly, as the people in the world are doing. Concerning these things, the Church is almost completely conformed to the world!

2. Isn’t it true, that the Church is exceedingly blind and ignorant concerning the philosophical and certain effects that sensuality has on a person’s mind. Isn’t it true that the Church largely overlooks the fact that, in this life, a person’s mind depends on the state of his or her physical body in order to develop properly? Isn’t it true that every form and degree of intemperance, whether it is eating, drinking, exercise, or dress, will impair the physical body to some degree, through which and by which the mind acts? Therefore, intemperance will certainly curtail the capabilities of one’s mind in all its healthy manifestations! Concerning the consumption of alcohol, the Church has a pretty good idea of the affect that alcohol has on the mind through the physical body. But aren’t there innumerable forms of intemperance, an immense amount of gluttony, and gross violations of the laws of life and health which are working disease and death to both to the body and soul, that the Church is completely ignorant about?

3. Aren’t most of the Christian Churches today almost completely dedicated to minding earthly things? They extend their business operations and their worldly possessions as much as they possibly can. They literally immerse their minds in subjects like money making, politics, and other things that are earthly, sensual, and devilish! Aren’t they so far away from God that they are not able to truly understand the philosophical and certain bearing that their pursuits have on their piety? These and other earthly things fill up their thoughts, time, and conversation so much that they almost completely exclude communion with God.

4. Isn’t the Church in such a state of great unbelief that it has largely lost a right understanding of what faith is? They don’t seem to understand that faith is a felt, conscious assurance of mind, that what God has said will certainly happen. And the Church now looks on even the lowest exercise of real faith as a very rare and high attainment; the kind of attainment that very few persons ever really accomplish in this life. They believe that real faith is nothing more than simply agreeing with the truth, even if that person doesn’t understand the truth. Well, almost everybody has that kind of faith. Then when someone has a realizing assurance which is really faith, they either think that that is fanaticism or they think that it is some very rare attainment which only a few people should expect in this life.

5. The Church is also in a sad state of division and sectarianism. Few Christians of any denomination today can relish the preaching, the prayer meetings, the revivals, and the biographies, of other denominations! It is so sad, that in little villages throughout this nation, where one minister might instruct the entire town, some half a dozen or more sects, and perhaps as many sectarian ministers, are occupying the ground, scarcely able to support their religious denominations, simply because they are so divided! And as a result, thousands of ministers are supported in this country, who should be abroad teaching the heathen, simply because of the sectarianism of the Church! Isn’t it a great God-dishonoring sin and a crying shame for the Church to be sticklers for their peculiar sectarian notions, and to be so divided, that there are hundreds and even thousands of Christian ministers today, all holding onto the essentials of their Christian faith? And these ministers could be spared to preach the gospel to the perishing heathen if it weren’t for the sectarianism of the Church!

6. Isn’t the sectarian spirit of the Church likely to destroy all the piety of the ministry? The sectarian interests of every congregation in every village lead them to feel that they must have a talented minister, a learned, eloquent, impressive, and popular speaker, a man who is refined and polite. Now isn’t it true, that these qualities in ministers are more highly prized by the Church today than humility, devoted piety, and a deep experiential familiarity with the truths of the gospel? What exists today is the natural and necessary result of sectarianism in the churches. The denominational interests of the different sects, of course, lead them to select a popular minister; that is they choose a minister who will be popular, not with the piously devoted few, but with the great majority of the people.

7. Isn’t the Church rapidly advancing towards the same state of things that already exists in Germany? Who doesn’t know that the cry for a learned ministry rather than a holy ministry, has, by degrees, filled the church in Germany with nothing more than a learned, infidel ministry? And for one, I must say, I tremble for what may happen to the Church in this country, when I see that, in fact, so much more emphasis is placed on learning than on piety, that they emphasize a thorough education of the head rather than the heart.

8. Isn’t the Church, to a great degree, in a state of almost complete conformity to the world? In their spirit, behavior, business, politics, habits of life, dress, equipment, tables, furniture, and almost every thing, don’t they follow closely in the footsteps of the world? I’m not talking about conformity to the world in things that are necessary, convenient, and important to the comfort and the usefulness of Christians. For I believe it is their required duty, as far as the providence of God puts it in their power, to provide things that are honest, suitable, and convenient for them in their circumstances. However, I am talking about conformity in those things that are useless, extravagant, and in many cases, have a positive evil tendency.

9. Doesn’t great selfishness prevail almost everywhere in the Church today? And doesn’t selfishness reveal itself in the Church in almost everything that the Church does that displays itself among worldly people? Doesn’t the Church, to a great extent, give the impression that selfishness is compatible with true religion; in other words, that selfishness and true religion can co-exist in the same mind?

10. Isn’t it true, that even those who are supposed to be the most pious people in the Church have a legal and an unhappy religion? They are warring against sin and their lusts in their own strength. They have very little practical knowledge of where their true strength lies, and they are almost perpetually overcome and discouraged by the prevalence of their sins. However, great multitudes in the Church today haven’t even had enough conviction to even make them unhappy, or to thoroughly feel the need of a salvation from sin.

11. Isn’t the Church amazingly inefficient, so inefficient that in many places where there are hundreds of professing Christians, all of them working together cannot even bring about the conversion of ten sinners in a year?

12. Finally, isn’t the Church in their present state, a standing, public, perpetual denial of the gospel? Don’t they stand up before the whole world, as a living, unanswerable contradiction of the gospel; and do more to harden sinners and to lead them into a spirit of faultfinding and infidelity, than all the efforts of professing infidels from the beginning of the world to the present day?

Now I have not asked these questions in a spirit of railing or accusation, but I have asked these questions very seriously. I ask these questions, not with harsh or abusive words, not to be highly critical, but to get to the truth. In fact, these questions are only a hint at the real facts, as they exist almost everywhere. In my next letter, the Lord willing, I intend to hint at some of the reasons for this sad state of affairs in the church today, as I see them. Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.FINNEY.

The Oberlin Evangelist

February 26, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters--No. 10.

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS

BELOVED BRETHREN:

In my last letter to you, I very briefly touched on the present state of the Church, and I promised, in this letter, that I would address some of the reasons for this state of affairs, as I see them.

1. I would humbly ask you, aren’t ministers today largely under sensual influences? Isn’t it true, my brethren, that we often quickly and easily yield to the influence of our appetites? Isn’t it true that many of us freely indulge in using those things that give our flesh dominion over our soul? Aren’t ministers generally so deeply immersed in sensuality that they are basically blind to the influence that the body has over the mind, both concerning themselves and concerning the Church of God?

2. Aren’t many of us as ministers extremely ignorant concerning the physiology of our own bodies? Aren’t we surprisingly ignorant of those dietetic habits that are most agreeable to the health of our bodies? Aren’t we extremely ignorant or completely unmindful of the necessary connection between physical and mental health? Isn’t it true, my brethren, that in this state of existence, our mind depends on the functions of the physical body in order to develop properly? Isn’t it also true that every transgression of physical law has a tendency to lead to a violation of moral law? This is certainly true concerning the use of alcohol. However, do ministers today consider that this fact is equally true, concerning every other abuse of our physical system? Are ministers aware of the immense number of reasons for spiritual decline and backsliding, which are at work in their congregations? Almost every one knows these days, that what used to be considered the moderate or temperate use of alcohol, renders spirituality impossible. However, do these same ministers understand and believe that the same is true, more or less, about gluttony, about the use of narcotic substances, and about non-nutritious substances in general? The same general law prevails concerning all of them, that the use of any and every one of them, is a violation of the laws of the physical system, harmful to the nervous tissues of the body, and always and necessarily curtails the ability of the mind in proportion to the extent of the abuse. These causes of backsliding are almost innumerable, producing their results with just as much certainty as alcohol, though the connection between the abuse and the result is often not nearly as perceptible with things like gluttony and non-nutritious substances as it is with alcohol.

3. Isn’t it true, that the ignorance and silence of the ministry concerning the influence of the flesh, and the means that one must use to keep his or her body under submission and bring it into subjection, is allowing the Church to quietly sleep? While these inevitable causes of backsliding run amok in the Church, the Church doesn’t even know what’s the matter. As for me, I must say that my ignorance and silence on these subjects were a great hindrance to my own spirituality and the cause of frequent temporary backslidings and it was spiritual bondage. I never made, as I can now see, any noticeable advances in real piety until my health and other circumstances turned my mind to look at these reasons for my backsliding fully in the face and put them away.

I am frequently amazed, that so many ministers today completely overlook all those passages in the Bible that speak about the influence of the flesh on the mind. The Bible represents the three great enemies of the soul as the world, the flesh, and the devil. I used to preach against the world and against the devil, and warn Christians against their influence; but I must say with shame, that I only knew very little about what the Bible meant by all those warnings against the influence of the flesh. I never really pondered or seriously considered passages like these: “The carnal (or fleshly) mind is enmity against God”. (Romans 8:7) “To be carnally (or fleshly minded) is death”. (Romans 8:6) “If you live according to the flesh you shall die”. (Romans 8:13) “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry”. (Col 3:5) “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection”. (1 Cor 9: 27) “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Gal 6:7-8) “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5) “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame who set their mind on earthly things.” (Phil 3:18-19)

I must confess with shame that I have almost completely overlooked these and many other passages of scripture. In other words, I did not ponder and understand their meaning very well. And, I can now see that I confused the influence of the world and the devil with the influence of the flesh. However, I am now fully convinced that the flesh has more to do with the backsliding of the Church than either the world or the devil. Everyone has a physical body, and, intemperance of one kind or another more or less impairs everyone’s body in this day and age. Almost every person, whether he or she is aware of it or not, is in a greater or less degree of indigestion, and suffering under some form of disease that is the result of intemperance. And I would humbly ask you; do ministers understand and proclaim that a person can no more expect healthy manifestations of mind while he is battling indigestion than while he is in a fit of intoxication? Do you understand and preach to the Church, that every violation of the physical laws of our body will certainly and necessarily prevent healthy and holy developments in proportion to the extent of the infraction of physical law, just as increasing the use of alcohol increases physical problems as well as ungodliness? In short, my brethren, do we understand, sufficiently consider, and proclaim the fact, that man is a compound being. Do we realize that a person’s soul is entirely dependent on the physical system for all its manifestations? Do we also realize that, unless we eat and drink for the glory of God, or in such a way that we promote our highest physical perfection, unless we render our “bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (see Romans 12:1), it is naturally impossible for our souls to prosper? I am convinced, that the temperance reformation has only just begun, and that the total abstinence principle, concerning a great many other subjects besides alcohol, must prevail, before the Church can prosper to any considerable extent. I regard this as a settled and unalterable truth, that until people correct their physiological and dietetic habits, spiritual falling away and backsliding will be inevitable. The laws of our physical systems are the laws of God. Ministers must search out and proclaim these laws, and anyone who expects to have their souls prosper, must obey these laws.

I would like recommend to my dear brethren, that you carefully, prayerfully, and repeatedly peruse Graham’s Lectures on “The Science of Human Life”. My life has been greatly edified by reading and studying those lectures. Before Graham published that book, my health and the providence of God led me to read whatever came within my reach that discussed these subjects. However, I still felt the need for more instruction, and his book supplies most of that badly needed instruction. When I recommend this book, I do not mean to say that I believe that everything said in it is exactly correct. Yet, overall, I consider it invaluable. I thank God for it. Every family should read it, and persons of every age should become familiar with its contents, as far as they possibly can.

I would like to mention one more thing concerning this point, my brethren. Let me recommend that you adopt and practice principles as soon as you are convinced that they are true. I ask you, that in your families, pulpits, and in all your ways, you hold up the light concerning physical and dietetic reform. Oh, my brethren, I beg you, do not turn away from this subject thinking that it is not very important. I greatly sinned in this respect. If somebody would have taught me about the importance of physical and dietetic reform when I was young, I could have had more strength and life for the service of God, and I would have been prepared to search out, embrace, and practice the truth, in every department of temperance.

It is clear that Paul regarded dietetic reform as essential to a thorough and permanent moral reform, and Paul was in the habit of preaching and insisting on this subject. I believe he preached on this quite often. In writing to the Church in Philippi, he says, “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame who set their mind on earthly things.” (Phil 3:18-19)

Now it is worthy to observe here, that Paul often warned them before on the subject of making their belly a God. Paul, still finding them obstinately persevering in their sensuality, told them again, even weeping, that they were the enemies of the cross of Christ, and that the evidence of this was that they made a God of their belly, and gloried in those habits of living, that were a shame to them. Now if Paul, nearly eighteen hundred years ago, often warned the Christian Church concerning this subject, and wept over the sensuality of Christians, certainly ministers today should think that this subject is, at least, somewhat important today.

I beg you, let no one say what I am sharing with you is legal, and has nothing to do with Christian liberty. This is a sad and deadly error. The fact is, there is a need that is based in the very constitution and laws of our compound nature, for us to know and obey the truth concerning all our bodily as well as our intellectual habits. And the gospel can no more save us from the need for correct physiological and dietetic habits, than it can save us from the need to abstain from the use of alcohol. It is only through a proper knowledge of and obedience to the laws of our being according to the way God has created us, both body and soul, that the gospel has any power, and I may add, has any tendency to save us.

4. Isn’t another reason why the Church is in the state she is in today because of a lamentable lack of spirituality in the ministry? I will not discuss the reasons for this lack of spirituality in this letter. But, brethren, isn’t it true, and don’t our prayer closets attest it, don’t our own consciences attest it, that we live largely in a state of spiritual bondage, and altogether too far from God? Don’t the most spiritual members of our churches perceive, and, in secret, grieve and weep over the obvious lack of spirituality in our prayers, our preaching, and our daily fellowship? Don’t they perceive that our fellowship is not in heaven, that we do not walk with God daily, that we don’t have that deep spiritual experience and acquaintance with Christ, that enables us to feed the lambs and sheep of the flock with that spiritual food and heavenly manna that they so desperately need? Beloved brethren, isn’t it true, that the most spiritual members of our churches today are sighing and crying over the great lack of spirituality in the ministry. Although these spiritual members treat us with respect, they look upon us with compassion, and in reality they have very little confidence in our ability to guide them? They respect our position as ministers. They love us as men. They perhaps even regard us as Christians. But, beloved, I have good reason to know that multitudes of the most spiritual members of the Church today regard their ministers as large obstacles in the way of the advancement of the cause of true religion, because of a lamentable lack of spirituality. I am ashamed to say this; I mourn when I think about it; I am almost afraid to say it, lest boastful and hypocritical professing Christians should use this as an opportunity to censure this. And yet, beloved, somebody should say it. Our most spiritual members don’t like to say this to us. They are afraid that we will not receive their words very well. They are afraid that reproving their ministers will be too big of a burden for them to handle. They are concerned that ministers will regard that they say as evidence of spiritual pride and an example of arrogance; and they are afraid, perhaps, that they will do more harm than good. Therefore, they remain silent, but their hearts are sad. Every Sunday, they walk out of the house of God, crying in their hearts. They see us during the week. Our spirit, temper, and behavior, often shocks and grieves them, and they are afraid that we have mistaken our calling. O brethren, do not let what I say offend you; I say it in love, and in grief. How long will this continue?

5. Aren’t many of the most spiritual and important passages, passages that we cannot or even dare not preach on because people would regard us as hypocrites if we preached on those passages unless we reformed our lives and our habits? Aren’t our own lusts, and lives, and habits, virtually leading us to compromise on many of the most important subjects such as of self-denial, bearing the cross, and contempt of the world. But aren’t these subjects, subjects that the Church of God desperately needs instruction for their own good!

6. Isn’t there a tremendous error among us ministers today, and in our families, concerning conforming to the world? Aren’t our wives, our sons and daughters, as well as many of us ministers ourselves, in many instances shockingly conformed to the world? Isn’t this so true that we cannot preach against conforming to the world, without those who listen to us turning away from us with the just reply, “Physician, heal yourself”!

Now I know that, even when we are really not at fault concerning this, our wicked heart wants to protect and shield itself under anything and everything, rather than abandon sin. I have often observed, that when ministers preach against conforming to the world in things that are useless and even harmful, professing and worldly Christians want to complain that ministers allow themselves to possess even the basic necessities of life and a few little conveniences. They refuse to make any distinction between things that are really useful and necessary, and things that are useless, unnecessary, and even harmful. In one instance, a professing Christian, who was reproved for squandering Christ’s money, and harming his health by drinking tea, replied that if he gave up his tea, the minister, on the same principle, should give up using his chair and stool.

But, brethren, there is a tremendous distinction between things that are useless and harmful, and things that are really necessary or important to our happiness or usefulness. This distinction commends itself to the consciences and common sense of the entire human race, and we can compel them to see this distinction. I am not, and would never suggest that ministers do not have just as much right to the necessities and comforts of life as other people have. But concerning extravagance in dress, tight lacing, harmful dietetic and physiological habits, conformity to the fashions of the world, and many other things, don’t some of us and our families deserve a lot of blame? Don’t think, dear brethren, that I am excusing myself concerning these things, for by the grace of God, I also intend to carefully examine myself on these subjects.

Now brethren, isn’t there too much silence among ministers today concerning conforming to the world, and isn’t this silence largely because of a conscious fault on our part, or on the part of our families, concerning these things? Don’t ministers wink at the extravagances of the Church, and, in many situations, they allow their church members to squander Christ’s money on their lusts, because, as I have said, if they reprove them, they will justly replay by saying, “Physician, heal yourself”? Beloved brethren, do we make enough effort to become examples to the flock, in every respect? Do we see to it, that not only in our own spirit and behavior, but also in the spirit, behavior, habits, and lives of our families, there is such conformity to the principles of the gospel that we, like Paul, commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God? (See 2 Cor 4:2) I must say that, as far as I am concerned, I grieve when I see the wife or the daughter of a minister pursuing the latest fashions. I grieve when the families of the ministers of Christ, instead of firmly resisting the tide of desolation that is inundating the world today, fall in with, if not take the lead, in the extravagances and worldly mindedness of the Church. Beloved brethren, are we aware of how much others watch our families and us. Do we realize how much the Church, and the world as well, absorbs and copies our spirit? Do our wives, do our sons and daughters, understand how much they damage our influence and tie up our hands if they set an example of worldly mindedness? How can we preach against abuses and things we practice ourselves, and freely allow them in our families? I have not said this, because I do not suppose there are many Godly ministers, who are properly awake to all these things. Nor do I mention them because I have not been, in many respects, guilty myself; but on the contrary, because I have been guilty myself, and because I have witnessed these same things many times, and because I regard them as a tremendous hindrance and a great grievance to the Church of God.

I cannot pursue this subject any further right now. I hope to be able to write you again in the next issue of the Evangelist.

Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.FINNEY.

The Oberlin Evangelist

March 11, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters--No. 11.

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS

BELOVED BRETHREN:

In pursuing this subject, will you please let me ask you,

8. Is the sectarianism that exists in the ministry the cause of the sectarianism that exists in the Church? Isn’t it a fact that the spirit and conduct of ministers of different denominations towards each other, their preaching, and much of their influence, tend to promote sectarianism in the Church? Isn’t it common in revivals of religion, for ministers to feel and display jealousy over the influence of other denominations, and don’t they often make efforts to indoctrinate the converts more with a purpose to guard them against the influence of other denominations, than to promote holy living? Isn’t it common today for ministers to make more effort to put the Church and young converts on their guard concerning denominational peculiarities, than to make them break away from “all ungodliness and every worldly lust” as Paul mentions? And isn’t it true about ministers of every denomination, that they are, to an alarming extent, more zealous in promoting denominational peculiarities and maintaining church order, concerning their own peculiar sect, than they are to promote the sanctification of the body of Christ? Isn’t it a fact that ministers insist on doctrinal knowledge, especially on sectarian points, more than they insist on holiness of heart and life, and more than they insist on Christians love? Aren’t ministers more alarmed at the encroachments of other denominations, than they are at the overflowing of sin, lukewarmness, pride, and worldly-mindedness that exists in the Church today? Wouldn’t they rather sound the alarm over the influence of other denominations, wouldn’t they rather manifest more zeal and promptness to expose the supposed errors of their denominational brethren, than they would to expose and denounce the ungodliness and the worldly lusts that are disgracing Christ and ruining the souls of the people?

9. Please, let me also ask you, my brethren, whether the highly critical attitude of the ministers may not largely account for the fact that the Church is so critical against one another? Can you deny that there is tremendous amount of transgressions among ministers of all denominations concerning this matter? Hasn’t a spirit of distrust and evil speaking covered the land and appeared very conspicuous lately among ministers of the gospel, until much of what takes place in the business of ecclesiastical bodies and appears in newspaper articles, has a strong smell of slander and censure?

10. Isn’t the legal and the spiritual bondage that the Church is in today largely due to the legal spirit of the ministers? Many ministers today represent Christ as a Savior from hell, but not sufficiently and fully as a Savior from sin. They preach Christ as our justification, but not prominently as our sanctification. Everywhere, they insist on justification by faith, and they should. But, as far as my knowledge extends, sanctification by faith, has not held a prominent place in preaching these days. As a result, when Christians are brought under conviction of sin, they determine to battle against sin in their own strength. Like the situation described in the seventh chapter of Romans, they are under God’s condemnation and they struggle against temptation, but temptation, like a flood, sweeps then away. Those who many consider as the most spiritual people in the Church seem to be in a state of almost perpetual bondage. They are always complaining, grieving, and struggling because they do not apprehend Christ as an all-sufficient and present sanctification. They hope Christ will save them from hell, but they do not understand that Christ is a present Savior from all sin.

11. Beloved brethren, isn’t there a lamentable ignorance concerning the practical truth, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” even in the ministry? I for one must say that I mourn and am deeply ashamed before God, that for so many years, I knew so little about the One who was called JESUS, because he would save His people from their sins. Oh, how little I understood and received what the gospel says about the Savior. A great many of the most precious and sin subduing truths of the Bible were completely dead to me. And many years ago, I began to discover that many spiritual Christians knew something about Christ that I did not know, but I needed to know very badly. The fact was, I could not lead inquiring Christians to a sanctifying Christ. And now, beloved brethren, let me ask you, and I ask without offence, isn’t it a matter of fact that there is among us comparatively little deep experiential familiarity with the sanctifying power of Christ? Aren’t many of us in such a state of almost continuous spiritual bondage and condemnation that we only know little about the great peace those people have who love the law of God? Isn’t it also true, that nearly all of our sermons are on texts that have a legal, rather than a gospel bearing on the heart?

12. Isn’t it a matter of fact, beloved brethren, that the decline of religion after revivals, and the backslidings that takes place in the Church that so deeply disgraces the gospel, are because so many ministers today do not sufficiently insist on the renunciation and entire annihilation of the certain reasons for that decline and backsliding? A revival of religion implies reformation. There is no real revival of religion any further than there is an actual outward reformation of life and habits. And certainly there is only one possible way in which you can secure permanency in religion; and that is by making reformation universal and complete, extending to all our living habits, all our business transactions, and everything else that pertains to us. Total abstinence from all sin is naturally as indispensable, and even more indispensable to stability in religion, as total abstinence from alcohol is to stability and permanence in the temperance reformation. Now, unless ministers seriously dedicate themselves to remove every form of sin from the Church, to hunt out and expose all the “fleshly indulgences that war against the soul”, members will backslide. Unless ministers work to remove all the erroneous principles and practices in business, and everything of every name or nature that is inconsistent with walking with God, and with the self-denial of the gospel, spiritual decline will result. Unless ministers today expose the evils and hold up the remedy, carrying reformation thoroughly to the very bottom of every heart, and into the habits and whole life of every convert, spiritual decline, backsliding, and virtual, if not open apostasy, will be the certain and inevitable result. If your congregation indulges in any form of sin, and you, as a minister, do not hunt out and reprove that sin, no matter what or how trivial it may appear in the eyes of those who indulge in it, it will grieve the Holy Spirit. It will bring certain darkness and leanness to souls in your church. It will be an open door to a thousand lusts, and like letting in a flood of waters, it will cover whole souls with darkness, and bring minds into bondage to sin.

It often appears amazing to me, that with the present experience that the Church has regarding adopting the principle of total abstinence as an indispensable need in the temperance reformation, that so little emphasis is placed on adopting and carrying out the same principle in religion.

13. Ministers say they do adopt this principle, and preach entire consecration to God and total abstinence from sin. However, brethren, can I seriously ask you, how do you preach total abstinence from sin? Do you, in fact, so insist on entire consecration that it produces the ripe conviction in their minds, that you expect them to immediately abandon every form and degree of sin?

There are three groups of ministers today. One group preaches that sinners should repent; but they preach repentance in such a way that they leave the sinner under the impression that he cannot repent, and that he must wait for God’s time. As a result, the sinner slumbers on under such preaching, until the knell of eternal death sounds and he wakes up from his slumber, and he finds himself in the depths of hell.

A second group of ministers preaches repentance in such a way that they make the impression and produce the conviction that people can, must, and are expected to repent immediately. This preaching arouses and alarms the sinner. The sinner sees that the minister is very serious, and that the minister expects him to repent, and he will soon ask the anxious question, “What must I do to be saved”? The sinner is alarmed, and he asks the question, because he sees that the minister is serious, that he really believes he can and should repent. This group of ministers really expects sinners to repent. They are not surprised when sinners become alarmed and ask the question, “What shall we do”? And when sinners say that they have repented, they are willing to believe that they have, and do not unbelievingly reject their statements as fanaticism or spiritual pride. This same group of ministers also claims to preach to the Church total abstinence from sin. They do not tell the Church that they may and must live in sin, and who does? They preach complete consecration; but after all, in fact, they fail to produce the conviction that they are really serious, and that they seriously expect them to live in a state of entire consecration to God. They no more bring Christians around them to ask about entire consecration, or sanctification, than the first group brings sinners to ask about repentance. This group of ministers will have inquiry meetings for sinners, and many sinners will ask, “What shall we do to be saved”? But, in fact, they do not preach complete consecration in such a way that they arouse their congregation to ask and seek after total sanctification. As a result, if any young converts should ask for this blessing, they would be as much at a loss to know what to say to them as the other group of ministers would be to know what to say to a sinner who should inquire after salvation. And, if any one claims that they have entered into a state of total consecration, or sanctification, these ministers would treat such claims with total disbelief, and thus demonstrate that they never expected any such results from their preaching.

The third group of ministers go far beyond simply preaching that sinners must repent. These ministers preach repentance in such a way that they stir up sinners to ask and seek after repentance and eternal life, and many sinners come and gather around the preacher, trembling in tears and in agony for their souls. But these ministers also preach the doctrine of total abstinence from sin, and entire consecration to God, and they so demonstrate that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, that these ministers also gather around them throngs of anxious Christians who are seriously and agonizingly seeking after such a great and glorious salvation. The meetings appointed for the purpose of giving special instructions on this subject are thronged with multitudes, whose chests are heaving with emotion, and whose hearts are panting after universal holiness. This minister makes the same impression and produces the same conviction on the minds of Christians that he expects them to be completely sanctified, and this is the same impression that he makes on the minds of sinners when he tells them that they are expected to repent. And the results are the same in both cases. Sinners, by the grace of God, actually do repent; and Christians, by the same grace, grab a hold of full salvation and they enter into the rest of faith.

Now, brother, which of these three groups do you belong to? Do you preach repentance to sinners? If so, I humbly ask you, how do you preach it? Do you make the impression that you are serious, that you expect your listeners to repent, that God expects it, and that in all reason and conscience, the sinner is immediately required to lay down his weapons and submit to God? Or, do you preach in such a way that you leave sinners quietly slumbering in their sins. Would you feel disappointed if several sinners said that they have repented under your ministry?

Do you preach that Christians should completely abandon all sin, enter into a state of immediate, entire, and eternal consecration to God, and never, in any instance, again take up arms and make war on Jehovah? Certainly, you do not and dare not preach the opposite of this. You do not, and you dare not tell the Church that they must rebel against God, and you expect them to rebel against God and serve the devil as long as they live. If you were to tell them this, the common sense of the entire human race would revolt at it. But, beloved brethren, do you say things that really imply this? Does your silence on this subject leave the impression that you really expect them to indulge in sin as long as they live? Do you set aside, in your own lives, “every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us”? (Heb 12:1) Do you set such an example for them that you inspire the hope that they may actually be able to rise completely above their sins in this life? Bear with me, my beloved brethren, I speak in behalf of Christ. I would address you on my knees at your feet if I could. In fact, I would implore you to ask whether you either preach or expect that Christians should immediately give up all their sins. Is this what they understand you are saying? Do they earnestly ask you, how they may grab a hold of this glorious and complete salvation? Do you know what to say to them? Do you know how to direct them? Do you so direct them that they truly find deliverance from sin? Do you really succeed in causing them to immediately renounce all ungodliness and every worldly lust? Do you press this subject on Christians as you do the doctrine of repentance on sinners, and with the same earnestness, and faith, and expectation of success?

Let me ask, I beg you, what would be the certain result of preaching repentance in such a way that your preaching would leave the impression that sinners cannot repent, or even that they don’t have to repent right now? Why, under such preaching they would not repent of course. And please let me ask you, my brethren, if you preach to Christians in such a way that you create the impression that they cannot, or will not, in fact, live without sin, won’t they certainly go on sinning? If you preach to sinners that they cannot repent, or say something that plainly implies that they cannot repent, either with or without the grace of God, won’t they virtually justify their impenitence, and show that they are not shocked and agonized by the fact that they are impenitent? In the same way, if you preach anything that implies that Christians cannot, or in fact, will never live without sin, they will not only live in sin, but they will virtually justify their sins, and show that they are not shocked and astonished at themselves for living in sin.

Now, brethren, don’t we charge the impenitence and lack of revivals in many congregations to a lack of preaching the doctrines of repentance and faith in a practical way? We do, and no doubt this is a just conclusion.

Now, let me get down at your feet and ask whether the state of religion in the church that you minister in is the way it is because of the fact that you neither preach nor practice entire consecration enough to produce among Christians the conviction that they can attain entire consecration? And let me ask you again, if you were to preach repentance to sinners the same way that you preach entire consecration to Christians, do you believe there would ever be a revival among them under your preaching until the Day of Judgment? If I would ask those professing Christians who listen to you preach every Sunday, and who witness your life and spirit, whether they think you expect them to break completely free from their rebellion and consecrate themselves completely to God, and indulge in sin no more, would they testify that they believe that you expect this from them?

Dear brethren, please do not take the fact that I speak bluntly the wrong way. I speak in love. My heart is aching, my soul is sick because the Church is allowed to live in sin, and not enough is presented to them that will enable them to possess the idea that they should expect anything else before they die.

14. Let me ask you again, my brethren, don’t you require the new members of your church to take the solemn pledge that is contained in your church covenant, that he will deny all ungodliness and every worldly lust, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world? Doesn’t your church covenant bind your members with something like a solemn oath to live in a state of entire consecration or sanctification to God? Now if this is true, and everyone knows this is true, can ministers innocently let their churches live in the constant and open violation of this covenant, and still encourage them with the hope that they are on the way to heaven? Can you require such a promise, and consent that your members should make such a covenant, and then preach as if you don’t expect them to keep it; and you even treat the very profession of keeping it, as evidence of spiritual pride and fanaticism? Do you require such a covenant and then insist on the dangerous tendency of preaching that they should fully keep this covenant? And do you, dare you, preach that if someone professes that he lives according to this covenant, then he must be under gross delusion and fanaticism? My brethren, what consistency is there in this, in fact, how can it be anything less than tremendous impiety to enact or allow such covenant engagements as these, and then not only not insist on their fulfillment, but maintain, either expressed or implied, the dangerous tendency of insisting on or even expecting to live according to such a solemn vow? The solemn duty of every minister is to either remove that clause from the church covenant, or to admit and insist on the fact that keeping that covenant is something that is not only possible, but also practical!

It is tremendously dangerous to the cause of Christ to bring Christians into a solemn covenant, entered into in the house of God, over the elements of the broken body and shed blood of the blessed Jesus on the holy Sabbath day, renewed and sworn over and over again as often as communion is held, and then treat everyone who either insists on keeping this covenant or professes that he keeps this covenant, as grossly deluded, and a fanatic who is full of spiritual pride?

15. Isn’t it obvious that a lack of thoroughly taking up and pressing this subject of entire consecration on Christians in religious revivals is the very reason why they react by declining spiritually, to the great dishonor of the Savior? The very laws of the human constitution forbid that the great excitement that prevails at the beginning of religious revivals should continue for a long time. This is neither possible nor desirable. But the more the excitement dies away, the more the unconverted are likely to become careless and return to their former habits. Now what do we need to keep a revival from declining among the real converts? It is clear that we must do something that will get them to pursue the highest attainments in piety. Unless young converts immediately turn away from their indulgences in sin, they will quench the Spirit and soon lose their passion for working for the conversion of sinners. Unless you point out every form of improper indulgence so they can abandon them, of course they will soon return to the world. Now beloved brethren, is there any other way to secure them from this result than to go right to work to bring about their entire and perpetual consecration to God? You need to place before them the need for them to completely conform to the great principles of God’s government in every respect. Please insist that they make restitution to the extent of their ability whenever they have done wrong. Encourage them to practice all those degrees of self-denial, and apply the law of love in all their daily transactions, and as thoroughly, and as perpetually, as the gospel demands. Hold up the cross as the foundation of all true reformation, and demonstrate Christ in all His relationships and offices in such a way that it makes the saints partakers of His holiness and His divine nature! This course of preaching would open to the convert a new world of immensely interesting light. Your sermons would fill him with panting and longing after complete deliverance from sin, and would open to both you as minister and the people in your congregation the most enchanting fields of truth and usefulness conceivable. And Christians, instead of deciding to sit down on the side of a slippery slope from which they would surely eventually slide to the bottom, would not think of resting or looking back until their reformation was so thorough and universal that they are able to say, “Blessed be God, we are free”. Unless you take this course as ministers, I am as convinced as I am of my own existence, that revivals will always, and certainly, and necessarily decline as they have done, to the great reproach of the cause of Christ.

Now I beg young brethren to look at this subject, and see if it is not a matter of fact, that revivals do decline in the Church, for lack of proper instruction and the right example on the part of ministers!

One word in answer to an objection, and then I will close. Some people say that the Methodist brethren preach entire consecration or sanctification, and yet their revivals soon decline. To this I would like to reply without offending them.

1. They don’t universally insist on this doctrine, if my information is correct, as they did in the days of Wesley.

2. That much of the instruction that they give to awakened sinners is not sufficiently discriminating to insure sound conversions; and as a result, many of their professed converts do not want to be holy.

3. Isn’t it true, that in many cases the sanctification they insist on is more a legal sanctification, and from the way that sanctification is demonstrated, it tends to produce a self-righteous spirit and thus the work of the Holy Spirit declines in the Church?

4. When they enjoy discriminating, thorough instruction, and have ministers that understand the subject in a practical way; when those ministers live, preach, and insist on entire consecration, their revivals do not decline, as other denominations commonly believe. However, under such instruction their prayer meetings, and the lives and influence of their members, prove the efficacy and excellence of the glorious and blessed doctrine of entire consecration to God in this life. As a body, I have long feared, and for some time believed, that religion was on the decline among them. In the days of Wesley, and for a long time after that, insisting on this doctrine was the very life and power of that church; and precisely as this doctrine has fallen into disfavor among them, vital piety has declined. If these things are not true, I am wholly misinformed on the subject.

Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.Finney

The Oberlin Evangelist

March 25, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters--No. 12.

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS

BELOVED BRETHREN:

Please let me ask you:

16. Isn’t another great problem with the Church today the fact that ministers have been trying to promote spirituality in the Church without true piety? Haven’t we overlooked the fact that spirituality and communion with God are impossible unless we practice godliness in all our lives and ways? Haven’t we often made attempts, and don’t we almost continually made attempts, to keep religion alive and active in the hearts of Christians, while we allow them, without reproof, to indulge in many forms of selfishness, to transact business and practice self-indulgences that are completely inconsistent with loving their neighbor as themselves? Have ministers today sufficiently considered the fact that a life conformed to the law of love in all respects is indispensable to spirituality and heavenly mindedness in religion?

Don’t Christians in your own church live in such a way that at meal times, with the things they own, and in the way they do business they do many things that must grieve the Spirit of God. Beloved, consider the present state of the world, the cry for acts of unselfish love, and the deep feeling that Christians must experience in view of the fact that eighteen hundred years have already passed, and only a small portion of the world has received the gospel! Do ministers call their churches to those degrees of self-denial that the law of love demands, in view of the state of the world and the state of the Church today?

17. Does the ministry also call Christians to give up every attempt and every desire to surround themselves with creature comforts? Do ministers suitably instruct Christians concerning the fact that the more happiness they seek from creature comforts, the less need they will have for their Creator. Are Christians aware that the more they will multiply their earthly goods, sensual objects, and worldly attachments, the less they will enjoy of God. Do they realize that a life of self-denial, cutting off right hand sins and plucking out right eye sins, “laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets them”, as Paul says, are naturally and forever essential to enjoy God?

18. Do ministers have enough of the testimony of example in their lives? Example is the highest moral influence that anyone can exert. And isn’t it true, my brethren, to a great extent, that while Christians hear our preaching, profess to believe what we preach, and even praise it as excellent, their conduct is very little influenced by our preaching, because they do not believe that we expect them to live according to what we say? And isn’t it true, to a great extent, that the reason why they do not believe that we expect this from them, is that they do not see that we ourselves conform to the standard that we hold up before them? Don’t they see that, in many instances, we preach one thing and we practice something else? Now, when this happens, our example becomes the highest influence, and of course, they will follow our example and not our preaching. Now, isn’t it also true, that to avoid this inconsistency, some ministers do not preach self-denial, or insist on heavenly-mindedness very much? They do not preach entire consecration strong enough to make it affect the hearts and consciences of Christians for fear that they will respond by saying, “Physician, heal thyself”. Now isn’t it true, that ministers and their families should take the lead, by both example and precept, in all those degrees of Christian retrenchment, economy, and self-denial that the state of the world, and an enlightened unselfish love would dictate? Of what use is it for ministers to preach against serving God and Mammon, while they themselves are engaged in the speculations of the day? How shall they preach self-denial, while they are living in blameworthy indifference and weakness themselves? How shall they preach against conformity to the world, when they are attending parties, filling their tables with novels and light reading, and when in almost every respect, they are as much conformed to the world, as their circumstances will possibly allow?

19. However, I have one subject that I would especially like to bring to the attention of my brethren that I must not put off any longer. It is the fact that the spirit of prayer has greatly declined in the Church within the last few years, and I have no doubt that the Holy Spirit has been greatly grieved by the course that the Church has pursued on this subject. The spirit of revival is predominantly a spirit of prayer; and as far as my information extends there was much more power and prevalence in the prayers of the Church ten years ago than there is today. I would humbly ask you whether ministers haven’t been partially to blame concerning this decline in prayer. How many ministers have been afraid of the spirit that unutterably groans and agonizes in prayer and fills the hearts of those who are wrestling for a revival? I can say my own spirit has been hurt and shocked more at the way Christians treat the spirit of prayer in the Church, than at almost anything else since I became a Christian. So much is said about order and against confusion, that in many situations, I am afraid that even ministers have gone to the opposite extreme. Because they do not properly consider what really is order and disorder, they grieve the Spirit of God, and quench the spirit of prayer, by attempting to guard against what some people might call confusion. I have had opportunities to learn, that in many instances where this was a problem, ministers feared and resisted what I have always believed and still believe to be the spirit of prayer. And, if I am not mistaken, they have frequently crushed revivals from their very beginning, by causing Christians to restrain and resist the spirit of prayer. I am afraid, that there are very few congregations in the land, and very few ministers, who would not resist the spirit of prayer, if God poured it out on them. They would object if the pain of travail seizes Christians and their physical strength drains away. They would resist if Christians break down into such strong crying and tears that they wrestle with unutterable groanings, day and night, as they did in the days of Jonathan Edwards, as they once did in Scotland, and in various parts of Europe and America. They would resist if the Holy Spirit should come down with such power that multitudes would be unable to stand up or even sit in their seats, and they fall on their faces because their souls are in such tremendous agony. They would really object if Christians groaned out with such great pain that they bring the ordinary proceedings of religious meetings to a halt, and whole assemblies become filled with people crying out, as have often been the case where ministers do not resist the Holy Spirit, and where revivals have been very deep and powerful. I say I am afraid that ministers would resist such things today with such force that they would stop a revival as soon as it began. With the views and feelings of ministers today no such great revivals can bless the Church. The resistance that has been made to the spirit of prayer since about 1825 is, in my view, one of the most dreadful sins of the Church. One very prominent minister, about that time, published a pamphlet saying that the spirit of prayer had “run mad”. There was so general an opposition to the spirit of prayer, that it either completely squelched revivals down or it made them extremely superficial in comparison with what they otherwise would have been. Indeed, from some things that have occurred I have concluded that ministers are so afraid of the real spirit of prayer that, should it prevail in the Church to any considerable extent, they would consider it objectionable. Instead of publishing what is happening through prayer to the world as an illustration of the grace of God, many ministers today would do as much as possible to conceal it from the world. If this spirit of prayer grabbed the attention of the public, they would feel like they have to step forward and apologize for it as something that rarely occurs, and as something that they made a lot of effort to counteract and control.

A few years ago, the spirit of prayer was so strong, that, in some situations, Christians retired to pray in secret, and their tremendous agony over the state of the Church and of the world moved them so strongly, that they became insensitive to the length of time they were engaged in prayer. They would continue wrestling with God for many hours at time, covered and drenched with perspiration that the depth of their agony produced. And in some cases, when their strength was completely exhausted and God still did not lift their burden, they would ask others to take the torch of prayer and continue carrying it for the objects of their burdens. Together, they would carry the burden of prayer for hours, before they would find relief. In many situations, their agony and travail of soul was so deep, that even people with strong nerves fell prostate, and writhed and groaned as if they were going to die. In those days, God answered prayer in so many wonderful ways. God often intervened, sometimes repeatedly, sometimes almost miraculously to answer prayer. Sometimes, God’s answer to prayer was so remarkable that it astounded whole communities, and made it perfectly clear, even to the ungodly, that the saints were prevailing with God. However, many ministers appeared to consider this kind of prayer as disorderly. They began to oppose them in high and in low places. They said and wrote a lot against prevailing prayer, until they grieved the Spirit of God, stirred up a lot of fear in the Churches, and restrained prayer before God. Since that time, revivals have been growing increasingly superficial in their character, and I’m sure some of those ministers who have witnessed most of the spirit of prayer can agree with me. The permanent benefits to the Churches have decreased, and indeed the whole aspect of religious affairs has deteriorated as the spirit of prayer has declined.

And now, beloved brethren, I do not say these things to criticize you. I could mention a great many facts that should cause the Church to blush; but right now, let me simply say, that unless a different course is taken concerning prayer, I don’t believe that revivals of religion can extensively prevail. I have found over few last years, such a tremendous fear on the subject of allowing the spirit of prayer to pervade the churches that it destroys the hope of the Church from ever being deeply and permanently revived, until their leaders correct their views on this subject.

Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.FINNEY

The Oberlin Evangelist

April 8, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters--No. 13

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS

BELOVED BRETHREN:

I am afraid in my letters to you that I may appear dictatorial. It may appear as if I took too much upon me. However, I have often been at the point of resolving to say no more, lest I should appear arrogant and end up doing more harm than good. In continuing to write to you, if I am acquainted with my own heart at all, I would never assume any authority or ever occupy the place of a censor or a dictator. All I ask is that you let me speak to my beloved brethren as a little child, and to earnestly request that my fathers and brethren in the ministry will listen to the few things that I have to suggest, even though I say these things in great simplicity and weakness. I think I may say that I speak on these subjects only because I feel that they are extremely important, and because nobody else seems to open his mouth or use his pen to particularly call the attention of ministers to these subjects. I don’t mean by this, that the things I am saying and plan to say are things which nothing has been said or written; but that it appears to be especially important that these things should be more prominently before the minds of ministers these days than they are.

The particular purpose of this letter is to call the attention of my brethren and fathers in the ministry to the unreasonable prejudice against what people call bodily prostrations and agitations in view of religious truth. This prejudice has existed in the Church for a long time. Many ministers feel that this is an insurmountable obstacle. Multitudes are alarmed if one’s bodily strength is taken away, if swooning and fainting occurs, or if people fall prostrate in the public assembly, in the family circle, or even in their prayer closets. If people are seized with bodily agitations, or trembling many ministers conclude that such activity is either the result of a disordered imagination or the result of some infernal agency. Now there are few more unreasonable or ridiculous prejudices among the human race than this. There are few things that set, in a more painful light, the ignorance and the thoughtlessness of the Church and the world on some of the most important branches of human knowledge. A very moderate acquaintance with human anatomy and physiology, and a consideration of the compound nature of man, and that the mind always manifests itself through the nervous system, would forever put to silence “the ignorance of foolish men” on this subject. And, it seems to me that it is high time that ministers should make some effort to inform the people concerning the very natural connection that exists between a highly excited state of mind on any subject and bodily prostrations and agitations.

It is very clear that bodily prostrations and agitations are not part of religion. However, it is just as clear that these prostrations and agitations may be the natural result of sudden discoveries of religious truth. The Bible records several examples of bodily prostrations and agitations, as the result of such discoveries. Daniel fainted and he was unable to stand, because the presence of God’s divine glory completely overcame him. Saul of Tarsus fell to the ground when he discovered the glory of Christ. The Psalmist speaks about his flesh trembling. Now this is certainly not at all surprising, when we consider the compound nature of man, that clear manifestations of the glory of God would overwhelm his frail body. I never read or heard about any bodily effects that one could not easily and naturally account for using some of the simplest principles of physiology. Instances have often occurred, when great and sudden mental excitement, produced by thoughts other than religious thoughts, caused people to instantly fall down dead. Now this is not strange at all, when we consider our nervous system, how it connects with our mind on one hand and with our physical organs of organic life on the other hand.

Now these situations sometimes occur when God makes sudden and great manifestations of His divine glory to the human mind. You should not be surprised that this should be true. Some have objected to the bodily prostrations, agitations, and fainting of Mrs. Jonathon Edwards, of the Rev. William Tennant, and of multitudes of others both in ancient and in modern times. The great Kentucky revival, as it was called, was notorious for the bodily prostrations and agitations that were common in that great work of the Lord. Now, The fact that so many minds that are enlightened in many other respects, should stumble at such things, and feel as if we should never expect such results connected with the work of the Spirit of God is certainly extremely shameful and humiliating. But, beloved brethren, it seems to me that we can always expect such things under some form, as something that will naturally happen in proportion to the clarity and the extent with which the Spirit of God makes His truth known to the minds of men. Why, is it surprising at all that the infinitely solemn, important, and awful things of eternity, when clearly brought home to the minds of men, should produce trembling, quaking, agitation, and prostration of bodies, with “groanings that cannot be uttered”? Of course not! It certainly isn’t strange at all. I am surprised that the human race is not a hundred or a thousand times more affected in this way than they really are.

I have no doubts, that Satan can produce the same results by suggesting lies. He can produce a lot of mental excitement in view of things that are completely false, because it doesn’t matter whether those things are true or false. As long as the mind regards them as truth, they will produce the appropriate emotional results in proportion to the vividness that the mind perceives them, and the amount of importance that the mind ascribes to them. Therefore, it appears to me that you should not regard bodily agitations, swooning, fainting, or anything of this kind at all, as objections to a work of grace.

As I have said these things are not part of religion, but they are the very natural results of a very high degree of religious affections and emotions. Nor is it true, as some seem to suppose, that only nervous people are affected this way. It is true that all persons are more or less subject to bodily agitations on any exciting topic, in proportion to the delicacy of their nervous system. However, it is also true that there is enough in religious truth if clearly revealed to the mind by the Holy Spirit to wilt down the bodily frame of the strongest man on earth. It is not likely that anyone regarded Daniel’s behavior, as being so nervous that excitement should easily overcome him. And Saul of Tarsus did not appear to be lacking in firm nerves. In both ancient and modern times, great multitudes of the most sedate and orderly people, having the soundest minds and bodies, have been overcome by discoveries of the divine glory, by the infinitely great and overpowering considerations of religion.

Therefore, when I hear ministers object to bodily prostrations and agitations, as they call them, as something that is naturally wrong, when they denounce and oppose this as fanaticism and the works of the devil, I find it difficult to express the mingled emotions of shame, grief, and indignation that I feel. I am ashamed that professedly enlightened minds should know so little about human anatomy and physiology. I am ashamed that they know so little of their own constitution and so little of the overpowering truth of God that they can even think of making this an objection to a revival of religion. I am grieved that they should resist the Holy Spirit in making such discoveries since the Holy Spirit is trying to reveal eternal truths to the minds of men. I feel indignation because so many people in the Church of God should turn around and take sides with the ignorant and opposing multitudes, against the very same emotional responses that you would expect, and that might exist, and often does exist, on any and every other subject that greatly and overwhelmingly interests the human mind. I know of a woman who was literally scared to death, because a building in the neighborhood was on fire, even though no lives were in danger. I have known people to go into almost instant derangement, because of events both extremely joyful and extremely traumatic. I know a woman who fell down dead when she learned about the conversion of a close relative. Indeed, who hasn’t known multitudes of examples like these? And why should anyone think that it is strange, that people should sometimes witness these bodily effects in revivals of religion? I must say that as far from feeling alarmed at such things as these, for the sake of the good, I could willingly see whole communities overcome, and lie prostrate, if they need to, for hours or for days, under the revelations of God’s divine glory.

I detest trying to stir up excitement in order to produce certain emotional results like bodily agitations and prostrations. However, I would use all the means in my power to enlighten mankind concerning the infinitely interesting things of eternity. No matter what bodily effects result from such enlightenment, I would never hold back the words that need sharing because of any physical or emotional reactions, nor take it for granted that any response like that was wrong.

I am not mentioning this subject right now because anything of this kind exists in the Church today to any considerable extent, either in this region or in anywhere else, as far as I know. However, I mention this subject for precisely the opposite reason, because it does not exist. When such things do exist, once they have already excited alarm, once they have already awakened prejudice and the spirit of controversy in the Church, it is generally too late to call public attention to examine the subject, since the public mind will now be in no condition to give it a candid and impartial investigation. Therefore, it is extremely important that the public mind should be prepared for a great and overpowering revival of religion, and for such a copious outpouring of the Holy Spirit and manifestation of the power of God and the gospel, which could never take place without resulting in a lot of resistance and division in the Church, unless the public mind is prepared to let the Spirit come with His overpowering influences without alarm. I’ve always believed, and still believe, that the great reason why revivals of religion have not been deeper, more permanent and sin subduing is that the Spirit has been unable to proceed beyond a certain limit in His work without meeting with a stern resistance on the part of multitudes of professing Christians and ministers. They seem, in their unbelief, to prescribe certain limits within which they feel they must limit a revival. They form certain ideas of order and they try to confine the Holy Spirit down to a stereotyped method of operation. They are ready to establish a common cause and unite their hands in opposing the Holy Spirit whenever He should step over into what they believe to be the regions of disorder. Personally, as soon as the Church will consent to it and the ministry is prepared to lead the way, I am expecting much deeper, more permanent, and sin-subduing revivals of religion than the world has ever seen. This must happen if the world will ever be converted to Christ. The thing we should seriously desire is that the ministry, especially, should dedicate themselves to prepare for this great work. They must remove the stumbling blocks out of the way of God’s people, and lay down a highway, and, in the shortest possible time, prepare the way of the Lord.

Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.FINNEY

The Oberlin Evangelist

April 22, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters--No. 14.

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS.

BELOVED BRETHREN:

Another topic that I want to specifically talk to you about is your fear that other people will think you have changed your opinions on religious subjects. There is something very remarkable in the state of public opinion, that I need to bring to the attention of ministers as well as everybody else for that matter, and all good men should resolve to oppose it. It appears me that, for a long time, making any advances in religious knowledge has been considered a crime, especially when he thinks that he discovers something that past generations did not know. The present state of public feeling and opinion seems to demand, either that a person should assume from the very beginning, that he is omniscient, or else he must make up his mind to remain forever in ignorance. Concerning any new thing that a person learns, other people feel that the fact that he did not always know it is a sufficient objection to that new truth. And they regard anyone who advances in religious knowledge as something disgraceful and criminal. To illustrate this, let me say that some people regard my present views of entire consecration to God as a sufficient objection, because I did not previously believe and preach consecration as I now do.

Now these people assume several false things. First, they assume that former generations possessed true wisdom, and the wisdom they had with them was sufficient or complete in that nothing new needs to be added. They assume that the Christian fathers knew all about theology, and that the scholars of Jonathan Edward’s day were so wise, that if anyone differs from them in opinion, then they must be wrong, of course. These people also appear to generally assume, that for some to hold any new opinions, that he was once ignorant about, is evidence that his character is greatly unstable and he has a strong tendency to become a fanatic. Now, certainly, all these assumptions are unreasonable. Today’s generation should be ashamed, if we don’t make any additions to the religious knowledge of past generations. And every minister should be ashamed of himself, who is not from Sabbath to Sabbath bringing forth new truths to his people. A well-instructed scribe will bring forth new things as well as old things. And, when anyone discovers a truth taught in the Bible, objecting to that truth simply because he did not know it before is very silly. It is easy to see the results that this unreasonable prejudice has in the mind of the public. Its tendency is to stereotype all our knowledge upon a subject, which, of all other subjects, should always be constantly and rapidly advancing in knowledge. This is very important. Certainly, the field of religious truth is infinitely extensive. The science of theology is as vast as the nature, attributes, providences, and government of God.

I have thought that ministers seem afraid to acknowledge anything new, simply because it is new. Because of public prejudices on this subject, many ministers today are afraid to acknowledge the fact that they have learned anything that they were ignorant about before.

Now if you applied this principle or prejudice to any other branch of knowledge, it is easy to see how disastrous its effects would be. In fact, in the dark ages of Catholicism, people applied this principle to philosophy, astronomy, and many other branches of science. They pronounced many great and good men as heretics for teaching new things in philosophy and astronomy. The result was they covered the earth with a cloud of darkness, because they excluded the light of science, and shut up the human mind in all the ignorance and the hypocritical displays of medieval papacy. Now, isn’t there still a powerful current running through ministers and religious teachers today that is designed to seriously hinder advances in religious knowledge? Let anyone, these days, discover almost any new and important truth on the subject of religion, and proclaim that truth, and with the great majority of theologians, the simple fact that that truth is different from what they were taught seems to be a conclusive argument against it. That truth cannot be true simply because the person who proclaims it did not always know that it was true, and that such men as Edwards and Augustine did not know that truth. Now this is an unreasonable and ridiculous state of mind, and you would easily see its downright absurd and dangerous tendency, if you simply applied this unreasonable state of mind to any other truth than religious truth. God has revealed Himself in many ways, principally in His works, in His providences, and in His word. The book of nature has always been open for the whole human race to observe; and yet, how little of its contents have ever been understood. Until the present century, comparatively little advance has been made in some of the most important branches of human knowledge. How little has been known, or is now known of vegetable, animal, and human physiology, and consequently of the true principles of temperance?

Now suppose, that everyone objected to the new truths that are continually coming before the public on these and other important subjects of knowledge, saying that these are new opinions and theories. Suppose they discredit the scientists and researchers that author these new ideas because they never knew these truths before. Suppose they say that since these truths of science, physiology, and nature have always been discoverable to past generations, therefore, it is unreasonable to suppose that the great men of by-gone days should not have discovered them, if they are true. You would immediately see the inconclusiveness of such reasoning. But the objection is just as good against advancements on religious subjects as it is against advancement in any department of science. You cannot argue by saying that past generations have had the Bible as well as we have had, and that it is unreasonable to suppose that it contains truths which they did not discover or which we ourselves have not discovered until now. Neither can you argue that past generations have had the whole field of science, as well as the book of nature open before them as well as we have. Who ever pretended to say, that the revelation that God makes in His works has more than begun to be understood? As for myself, I am free to say that the more I read the Bible, the more I am convinced that neither me nor others of past or present generations, as far as my knowledge extends, have more than fairly begun to understand its profound and glorious truths. And when I read the Bible under the light of the Holy Spirit, I can hardly get through one chapter or paragraph, without discovering new and thrilling truths. Indeed, wonders rise upon wonders, as often as I read and re-read, search and re-search, pray over, and attempt to fathom the glorious word of God. I confess it was completely different for me during much of my past religious life. I was, to an amazing extent, blind to my profound ignorance of the word of God, until within about the last three years. Since that time, God has enabled me to read it with a degree of astonishment concerning my former ignorance that I cannot express. I think the Lord has made me willing to acknowledge my ignorance and to profess a determination, by the grace of God, to advance in religious knowledge in the future as much as I can. And I pray that the Lord will deliver me, and will deliver the ministry from the absurd prejudices that chain ministers and the Church to a set of stereotyped opinions on all religious subjects.

Concerning doctrines, methods, modes, and forms of religion, public prejudice is and has been, for many centuries so totally unreasonable, that it seems to me, as if ministers should thoroughly and unsparingly rebuke this unreasonable attitude. Ministers have attempted to put down reforms on all subjects throughout the ages, by crying that the reform is innovative and novel. You can’t find two more unreasonable things in the whole universe than this kind of behavior. Why, this objection assumes that everything is now right, and therefore, any change will be wrong, of course. As certainly as the world stands, we must experience new and tremendous innovations, and we must almost turn the world upside down, before the world will consecrate itself to God. And, if almost everything is wrong in the world today, which is certainly true, how infinitely unreasonable it is to put down reforms, by crying that it is new and innovative! Why it is time that the world should know that innovation is the thing it desperately needs, and that God has begun a system of innovation that He intends to use to change the whole moral condition of the world.

The scribes and the Pharisees often faced Christ and His apostles with the objection that their views were new, their measures were innovative, and their preaching and behavior upset the religious calm of their day. Luther and Calvin had to confront the same impudent and unreasonable objections, for Judaism and Catholicism were both sticklers supporting the stereotyped notions of the Church. In later days, Wesley and Whitefield, in England, and Edwards and his associates, in America, were considered and treated as disorganizers and dangerous innovators. They were all, in their day, more or less ahead of the age they lived in, and of the human race in general. And in looking back on those times, we can now discover the unreasonableness of those who objected so strongly to their novelty and innovation.

Should any one object, saying that my suggestions are uncalled for, and that there really is no such thing as a public opinion that demands that we should no longer make any advances in religious knowledge, or that says that anything new is regarded as suspicious, please let me reply. That objector appears to me as if he doesn’t understand the state of public feeling and opinion very well. Not long ago someone living far away sent me a sermon. A prominent minister at the opening of a Synod preached this sermon, and published it at their request. The leading purpose of that sermon was to echo the public opinion that I have been talking about; and to strongly rebuke the idea that the Church today should expect to advance and build on the knowledge of past generations. I could mention many other facts, by pointing out some of the recent periodicals, or even some past periodicals. I could also refer to the history of Polemic Theology, in every age of the Church, to confirm the assertion that such a public prejudice does exist, and has existed for a long time, and that ministers are and always have been strongly under its influence. And let me say it again, if this prejudice is allowed to continue, if this prejudice is allowed to drain the energies of the ministry, to limit their inquiries, to rebuke their advances, and to prevent them from bringing changes to the stereotyped technicalities of a Catechetical Theology, it appears quite clear to me that the Church must continue in a state of religious baby-hood.

Now, beloved brethren, the purpose of this letter is not to encourage you to make rash decisions or go running off reckless removing ancient landmarks without caution. Nor am I encouraging you to wildly drive around in every direction searching for novelties, nor am I encouraging you to embrace every or any opinion merely because it is new or novel. But my goal is simply to call your attention to the evil of allowing yourselves to remain stationary in religious knowledge, and to look at how unreasonable it is to refuse to embrace and proclaim any opinion simply because it is new.

Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.FINNEY

The Oberlin Evangelist

May 6, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters--No. 15.

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS.

BELOVED BRETHREN:

The Lord is, in great mercy, visiting our churches again with precious revivals of religion, and will you permit me to make a few suggestions concerning the course we, as ministers, need to pursue to keep the converts from backsliding? You are aware that, in God’s providence, I have had an opportunity, to some degree, to be involved with the course of things in these blessed seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. I have watched with the deepest interest the rise, and progress, and decline of these seasons, and have sought, with the deepest concern for the well-being of others, after the best means of promoting these revivals, and into the reasons why they decline. After a lot of reflection, and observation on the subject, there are many things that I would like to say to my beloved brethren, but for now, I simply request that you will allow me to drop a few suggestions concerning the converts of these revivals. I have noticed for a long time that errors in the management and training of young converts have been a principal reason for the decline of revivals of religion in the churches today. I am very far from being of the opinion that revivals in this country have declined over these past several years, as deeply and as radically as many people seem to think. It sometimes has been predicted that the revivals that have prevailed within the last twenty years, had so declined as that a long night of death and darkness would ensue like that which followed the revivals in the days of Whitefield and Edwards. I do not believe that any such thing has occurred or will likely occur in this country, unless some revolutionary struggle, or great and absorbing political question, should draw the mind of the public away for a long time. We have great reason for gratitude that the decline of revivals, for the last twenty years or more, has only been temporary. And I think we can account for the fact, that there have been only temporary seasons of decline, using the plainest principles of philosophy and common sense. However, I must pass over this part of the subject for now, so I can say concerning the converts:

1. That the future character and influence of new converts under God must depend on the instructions they receive in the early stages of their Christian walk. The ideas that they first form, the shape and the direction given to their religious character at first, will, in a great measure, establish their future influence and destiny. They therefore need peculiar instruction suited to their mental capacities, the infancy of their religion, and the circumstances that surround them. Let me repeat what I just said. Their instructions need to be completely peculiar. You cannot feed Infants with strong meat, nor treat a child as an adult. You should make them see that they are children, that they are in a state of spiritual infancy, and that they have everything to learn. Therefore, you cannot make too much effort to show them the perfection of their ignorance on spiritual subjects. They need, therefore, to begin with the A, B, C’s, of religious truth and duty, and be, from the very beginning, well grounded in the basic principles of the doctrine of Christ.

2. Their instruction should be very thorough. It is no doubt a great error to think that you should not instruct young converts to make those discriminations that distinguish between true and false affections, between selfishness and religion. Unless you make these discriminations, and you make the young convert familiar with them, he will almost certainly imagine for a while, that he has a lot more religion than he really has, and afterwards, he will begin to doubt whether he has any religion at all. If young converts allow their selfish affections and emotions to intermingle with holy affections and emotions, without discrimination, the young convert will think that all of it is religion. However, if they indulge in this process for a long time, it will soon root out and annihilate all holy affections, and leave their mind perpetually under the influence of selfishness. This selfish religion will soon so develop itself within that young convert, that it will lead him completely away from the Bible, and force on him the conviction, that he is all wrong, and that he probably never had any religion. But if he cannot be led to make the necessary discrimination, instead of being puffed up by selfish affections, those affections will greatly humble him, put him on his guard to resist them, and the occasions of them. You should hunt the sinner away from every form and degree of selfishness. You should have a clear idea of what selfishness is, and from week to week, you should point out the many forms that selfishness takes, and expose its deceitfulness. When I’ve preached on selfishness, professing Christians often ask me this question, “Why don’t ministers preach more about selfishness? Why isn’t the fact, that all selfishness is sin, made more prominent in the instruction of religious teachers? And why isn’t it known, that selfishness and benevolence, or true unselfish love are eternal opposites, and that their existence in the same mind at the same time is totally impossible”?

I confess that it has been a matter of great wonder to me, that the instructions that come from the pulpit do not make a more prominent distinction between selfishness and religion. Selfishness, in so many forms and in such disgusting degrees, is allowed to remain un-rebuked in the Church of God today. If you allow converts to indulge in selfishness; if you allow your young converts to overlook the malignant character of selfishness; if you allow them to indulge in selfishness in any form, or to any degree; it will inevitably eat out all their piety. In fact, their piety is gone already; for indulging in any form of selfishness is a state of absolute rebellion against God. As a result,

3. Search your converts to the very quick. Thoroughly scrutinize their business principles, habits, and transactions, and weigh them in the balance of the law of supreme love to God, and equal love to man. Please, make them see and feel that if they pursue any employment or course of life for any selfish end, or in any selfish manner, they are abandoning their faith in God. Insist that they adopt, in heart and practice, the law of universal love as their rule of life.

4. Please acquaint young converts with the nature and degree of their spiritual needs and dependence! You should guard them with the utmost caution against a spirit of self-dependence on one hand, and to regard with respect their dependence upon the grace of God on the other hand. Let them see that sin is a crime and not a calamity. You should make them see and feel that their cannot is their will not; in other words, that their lack of stability in desiring to do the will of God, is the only difficulty in their way. However, that this instability of disposition is so great, that they are as dependent on the influence of divine grace, as if obedience to them were naturally impossible. I am aware, my brethren, that in churches where they have revivals, these truths are taught, or there would not be revivals; yet I have often thought, that ministers do not make enough effort to make converts clearly understand the depth and the nature of their dependence on Christ.

5. I have found in my own experience that the greatest efforts are required to give sinners a just and sufficient affecting view of their needs. At the same time, we must lead them to a just apprehension of the fullness and nature of the remedy. The law must forever serve as a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ. This is true as long as the world stands. We need the law in this world of sinners. But when sinners are brought to Christ, they should be brought to Him not only as a justifying Savior, but also as a sanctifying Savior. Ministers should spare no efforts to make sinners understand, not only that Christ has power on earth to forgive sins, but that His blood cleanses us from the commission of all sin. The law, when properly explained, not only drives the sinner to Christ for pardon, but also drives the sinner to Christ for sanctification. And we should make the convert see that the main purpose of Jesus is to save sinners from the commission, rather than only the pardon of his sins.

6. I am fully convinced that we do not make enough effort to lead the convert to seek earnestly the “baptism of the Holy Spirit, after he has believed”. (See Acts 1:3) My own instruction to converts, concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit, used to be very defective. The fact that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a thing universally promised or offered for Christians to accept under this dispensation, and that this blessing should be sought and received after conversion, was never very clearly before my mind until recently. I am satisfied that this truth is abundantly taught in the Bible, and that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the secret to the stability of Christian character. The Holy Spirit is that water of life that Christ has promised, that if they drink it, “they shall never thirst, but that it shall become in them a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life”. (See John 4:14) Converts should therefore have their attention definitely directed to what this blessing is, what is its nature, how we should obtain this blessing, to what extent and with what degree of permanency we may expect this blessing. In short, new converts need to be baptized into the very death of Christ, and by this baptism to be slain, buried, planted, crucified, and raised to a life of holiness in Christ. Anything short of this will allow the convert to inevitably backslide, and I am persuaded that suitable efforts taken on the part of his religious teachers can lead him to this attainment.

7. In order to do this it is indispensable that his religious teachers should help him abandon every kind and degree of unholy self-indulgence. The young convert must restrain and subdue his appetites and passions; he must keep his body thoroughly under, and he must honestly, fully and sacredly set his whole being apart to the service of God.

8. With great caution, please guard converts against using means self-righteously, on one hand, or completely neglecting those means on the other hand. These are two extremes, that young converts must learn to steer between, or they will certainly make shipwreck of their faith.

9. By all means, keep converts awake and alert. If you allow them to fall asleep, you might as well attempt to preach to tombstones as to them. We might as well preach to dead people as to sleeping ones.

And now, beloved brethren, many of us have been and are still blessed with revivals of religion under our ministries. Let me ask you without offending you, do we feel the way we should feel concerning immense responsibility that has passed down to us. Are we aware of the immensely important sense that Christ has committed the keeping of His honor and the training of His little ones, to us? Shall these converts backslide because of our neglect? Shall the blessed work subside, shall we react and disgrace religion because of a lack of a deep sympathy in us with the heart of Christ? Shall we watch over our new converts as the apple of our eye, and shall our souls continue “to labor in birth for them, until Christ has fully formed in them the hope of glory”? (Gal 4:20)

I want to make some remarks on the treatment of particular kinds of converts, but must postpone these remarks until my next letter.

Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.FINNEY

The Oberlin Evangelist

May 20, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters--No. 16.

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS.

BELOVED BRETHREN:

In my last letter, I hinted that I had several more suggestions to make, concerning the instructions that different groups of converts need. The conviction in my mind is fully ripe, that religious teachers today cannot place too much importance on the indispensable need for the constant indwelling presence and influence of the Holy Spirit to preserve the piety of Christians. I really want to say a lot to my ministerial brethren, on the need for ministers to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and how they will find themselves totally unable to give the required spiritual instructions without it. However, what I want to say right now is that all our instructions should tend to this one great goal, to promote the indwelling and the influence of the Holy Spirit in one’s heart. Anything that quenches the Holy Spirit will invariably destroy the convert’s piety. Anything that will secure the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and influences him will confirm and perpetuate the convert’s piety. Now the important question is, how can we keep converts from grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit? How can we lead them in the fullest, and most perfect, and constant manner, to abide in Christ, so Christ can abide in them? It is very obvious, that different groups of people are exposed to different kinds and degrees of temptation, that their burdens and besetting sins are as many as their circumstances, habits, education, ways and methods of thinking, jobs and occupations, health, constitutional temperament, just to name a few.

Now, beloved brethren, it appears to me to be tremendously important, in fact, it appears indispensably necessary, that ministers should look on themselves, others should look on ministers, as a group of people set apart to watch over souls in a much higher sense than is currently generally understood. We, as ministers should, as far as possible, in breaking the bread of life, give to each his portion in due season. We cannot do this unless we look carefully into the circumstances of different individuals, and groups of individuals, concerning their trials and temptations, so that we may be able, to the best of our ability, to enter into the details of their Christian lives and experiences, so that we may feed them with the kind of knowledge that is indispensable to their growth in grace.

Male heads of households need instruction on many points that are peculiar to their relationships and circumstances. They should feel and we should feel, as if it was our job, to ask affectionately and particularly about all their habits in the relationships that they sustain to their families, to the Church, and to the world. We need to determine the principles they use to conduct their lives. We need to know how they conduct their business and what are their intentions when they conduct their business. We need to know whether their intentions are selfish, or completely unselfish when they engage in their business transactions. We need to know the kind of influence they are exerting over businesspersons, and what influence they are exerting to bring the business transactions of the world back to the standard of the law of God. We need to know what their political principles are concerning party strife and party questions. We need to know whether or not they want to run for office, or whether they are clinging to a party without regard to principle. We also need to know how they behave towards those who they employ; how they regard and treat their clerks, apprentices, or laborers. In short, it seems to me, that we should become interested in whatever interests them, and whatever interests Zion; and we need to watch over, warn, reprove, encourage, and instruct them, concerning everything that has a bearing on their spiritual interests.

Female heads of households also need instructions, warnings, and reproof specially designed just for them. Young men, young women, and children, all need special instruction, especially suited to their particular circumstances and situations.

I know there is problem because it is hard for a minister to find time to completely enter into the details of the lives, circumstances, and needs of different individuals in his congregation; but couldn’t we, as ministers, to a lot more today than we are actually doing? And if ministers were more particularly acquainted with the needs of all the different groups of people in their congregations, wouldn’t their preaching be immensely more practical and influential than it currently is? What if meetings of inquiry were held for different groups of professing Christians; male heads of families, female heads of families, young men, young women, merchants, lawyers, and in short, whatever groups there are in a church? What if an affectionate but searching inquiry began over all that concerns their religious characters and influences, and then a course of preaching was instituted that would keep pace with the developing needs and circumstances of the Church? How immensely different would the results be from those results that we commonly witness after a season of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. How much we need to watch over and warn everyone concerning the thousands of ways that they may quench the Holy Spirit. And oh, how jealous and eagle-eyed should a watchman be, to guard every convert against everything that can quench the tender breathings of the Spirit in his soul.

Do you see that young woman? Oh, she needs to have a plain, searching, and personal conversation with her pastor so very much. She desperately needs her pastor to tell her what will be the result of her love affairs, or the way she dresses provocatively, her tight clothing, and the thousand foolish and Spirit-grieving things that young women today are likely to indulge in.

I really can’t go any deeper into details. It is clear, that the old and the young, the middle aged, the robust and the infirm, the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant, the student and the laborer, all these people have peculiar attacks, trials, and temptations, that you need to direct their attention directly to. And unless you do this through private interviews, by letters, or in some other way, unless you particularly and thoroughly do this, they will inevitably disgrace religion, and fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil. You should constantly insist that you expect them to live without sin; that you demand this from them; that Christ offers sufficient grace for them, to secure them against every kind and degree of sin. You should place as much emphasis on this as possible, and you should never make light of or belittle any sin. Instead, you should constantly teach them that it is an evil and a bitter thing to sin against the Lord. You should instruct them so thoroughly that they feel just as shocked at the idea of sinning at all just as much as they would be shocked at the idea of stealing, or getting drunk, or committing adultery. If you allow your sheep to think that, you expect them to commit a lot of sins, they will commit a lot of sins. Your instructions will prevent them from growing in grace. Until ministers will place a lot more emphasis than they do today on the principle of total abstinence from sin in the churches, they have no reason to be surprised, that sin and moral desolation extends over the spiritual heritage of God. Where ministers, by their lives, their habits, and their preaching, leave the impression that they expect the people in their congregations to sin as long as they live; where ministers treat this as a matter of fact; and where they do not commit themselves, with all their might, to make an opposite impression, they can thank themselves for the results, when Christ is crucified fresh among them, and put to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:6)

Beloved brethren, it appears to me, that the state of religion in the Church, as a whole, very closely corresponds with the teaching of the ministry. By the teachings of the ministry, I mean, the teaching that they impress on the minds of their congregations. The public and private instructions that ministers give; together with their daily walk, their conversation, and their living habits, makes up the teachings of ministers.

And now, brethren, let me ask you, without offending you, if there is as little backsliding, and generally, as much piety in the Church as we should expect under the influence of the kind of ministry that we have. Suppose that, in the cause of temperance, our instructions, both by precept and example concerning total abstinence from alcoholic drinks, were just what they are concerning total abstinence from sin in all its forms, what could we expect the standard of temperance principles and habits in our congregations to be. And who does not see, that unless we throw our whole weight and power of our preaching, private instructions, public and private example, into the cause of total abstinence from all sin, that the tide of iniquity will overflow its banks, and desolate the Church of God.

Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.FINNEY

The Oberlin Evangelist

June 3, 1840

Professor Finney's Letters - No. 17.

TO MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF ALL DENOMINATIONS.

BELOVED BRETHREN:

In my last letter, I realized that I had some things I wanted to say to ministers, on the need for their being baptized with the Holy Spirit. I begin by saying, that to me it seems very clear, that the great difference in ministers concerning their spiritual influence and usefulness, does not lie so much in their literary and scientific attainments as in the measure of the Holy Spirit that they enjoy. The Apostles appear to have been completely different men, after the baptism with the Holy Spirit, from what they were before. They had been converted and called to the ministry, they enjoyed the personal instructions of Christ before His death, and yet they remained amazingly ignorant and ill qualified for the work that God called them to do, until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. This baptism, was not really concerned with the working of miracles as some appear to believe, because the Apostles possessed the power of working miracles before the day of Pentecost. However, its main purpose and direction was to fill them with light, love, and power in preaching the gospel. In addition, as I said, after this baptism, they appeared to have been, in almost every respect, completely different men from what they were before.

Now it appears to me, that there are many ministers in the Church today, who have been converted, and perhaps called into the ministry, who have never received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, because they have never believed that any such thing was attainable, nor have they ever even looked for it or expected it. They received the gospel, but with only a slight measure of the Holy Spirit, just like the Apostles had the personal instructions of Christ, but with so little of the Spirit’s influences that they never really understood or felt its power. They are, therefore, as much in the dark, and as poorly qualified for the work God has called them to accomplish, as the Apostles were before the day of Pentecost. Now what they need, and must have, before they will have power with God or man, is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without this, they will forever remain in the dark concerning the spiritual needs of the Church. And no matter how learned, philosophical, metaphysical, logical, or if you please, theological their sermons may be, they will always shoot wide of the mark, and never meet the needs of the Church until they become baptized with the Holy Spirit. The anointing of God needs to set them apart to do His work. God may have called them, but the Holy Spirit has never anointed them, because they have never sought the anointing. They are, do some degree, prepared intellectually, but they are hardly spiritually prepared for their work. As a result, they don’t know what to say to elevate the standard of piety among Christians. Many of them can produce conviction in the Church; but in fact, very few of them can successfully promote the work of sanctification in the Church.

Beloved brethren, don’t take me wrong simply because I speak openly with you. I speak in love, and, as I trust, I speak from the heart of Jesus Christ. In fact, do you really promote the spirituality of your churches?

A great deal is said these days about being thoroughly prepared for the ministry. And certainly one cannot say too much about the importance of such preparation; but please let me ask you, what really constitutes a thorough preparation for the ministry? Is it merely college and theological education? Certainly not! These are important; but they are far from constituting the principal part of a thorough education. In fact, they are nothing when compared with the importance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles were, for the most part, unlearned as far as the way the world in that day looked at education, and yet, a more efficient group of ministers never existed. And how many ministers and laypeople, unlearned in human science, have been among the most efficient and powerful ministers and laypeople in the Church of God? On the other hand, how many of those people, who have been widely known for their human learning, have been largely inefficient and useless in the Church of God? This by no means proves, that human learning is unimportant; but it does prove, beyond all opposition, the paramount importance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I would therefore repeat, with great emphasis, what I have been saying from the beginning, that the difference in the efficiency of ministers does not consist so much in the difference of intellectual attainments as it does in the measure of the Holy Spirit that they enjoy. And how abundantly do the facts that lie right on the face of the Church’s history, demonstrate the truth of that statement. I do not hesitate to say, that no matter what the age or the learning of a minister may be, he is a mere child in spiritual knowledge, experience, and qualifications for his office, without the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He certainly will, and must forever remain a mere babe in Christ. Until he knows what it is like to be “filled with the Spirit” he is a mere child. Until he knows what it is like “to be led by the Spirit”, and “to be endued with power from on high”, until he knows what it is like to fulfill his high and responsible functions, he is definitely not qualified to be a leader in the Church of God.

The Church leaders today should place a thousand times more emphasis on this part of a thorough preparation for the ministry, as has been. Do we feel, acknowledge, and, from the housetops, proclaim the fact that this is altogether an indispensable part of the preparation for the work of the ministry? Until this fact rings through our halls of science, and sounds forth in our theological seminaries, we talk in vain and randomly when we talk of the need for a thorough preparation and a sound course of training.

I must confess, that I am alarmed, grieved, and distressed beyond expression, when we place so much emphasis on the need for mere human learning, and so little emphasis on the need of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. What are we coming to? Of what use would ten thousand ministers be if they were not baptized with the Holy Spirit? Ten thousand times ten thousand of them would neither be instrumental in sanctifying the Church nor instrumental in converting the world. Ministers say so little, preach so little and think so little on this subject, that the Church today is largely in the dark concerning what constitutes a thorough preparation for the ministry. As a result, when they hire young men from our colleges and theological seminaries, they take it for granted, that they have hired a minister who has taken a thorough course in theology, and is well prepared for his work. Oh, how sad! How these churches are so sadly, and usually, disappointed! In fact, they soon find out that he is spiritually inefficient, that he is in bondage to sin and lust, and is nothing more than a mere babe in Christian experience.

Now I am sure, that I do not say this to rail or criticize; but I way this in the grief and anguish of my heart. It is a sad fact, that the testimony of the great majority of the churches today can unequivocally agree with what I have just said.

And now, dearly beloved, unless ministers will wake up to this subject, unless ministers will seek and obtain this baptism for themselves, unless they will preach it to the churches, unless they will insist on this truth throughout the whole course of education, unless they place a thousand times greater emphasis on it, both in theory and in practice, than has been, we multiply the number of ministers in vain. Numbers will only increase the friction, strife, party zeal, darkness, and spiritual death of the Church of God. I might appeal to the experience of all the churches in the land, to confirm what I say.

Your brother in the bonds of the gospel,

C.G.FINNEY