America's Second Great Awakening

George Whitefield, from the First Great Awakening

Did God use the social scourge of the Harpes' killing spree to spark, or at least fuel, America's Second Great Awakening?

It's a question I found myself contemplating while researching for my recent release, The Blue Cloak. In the various accounts of the travels of the notorious Harpes, mention is made of them camping at the site of a recent revival meeting near Russellville, Kentucky. What an odd choice, I thought. Further investigation revealed that an entire movement took place in the region, attributed in Wikipedia as the Revival of 1800. The article explains the custom of "sacrament seasons," begun in Scotland but carried over onto the frontier of America, and how the camp meeting grew out of it. Obviously there were revival meetings happening even before 1800, but it gave me cause to wonder--how much did the terror of the Harpes drive folk to their knees and bring to light their individual need for redemption? And how much did the corporate prayers which doubtlessly were offered around the region for the ending of the Harpes' reign of terror affect the wider move of the Holy Spirit?

The Second Great Awakening, as it was called, had already been taking place in New England during the 1790's. Earlier waves of revival, all up up and down the Eastern Seaboard in the 1730's and into the 1750's, are referred to as the First Great Awakening, influenced by the preaching of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and others. Some accounts state John Wesley as an influence, but I find it interesting that after an unsuccessful ministerial venture in Savannah, Georgia, he found his own spiritual revival through conversations with the Moravians, and then went on to preach all across England and lead many souls to Christ. All such movements were marked by what some condemned as unnecessary emotionalism, but had the undeniable effect of drawing people closer to God in their personal lives and shifting their focus from things of a purely material nature to the more spiritual. (Sound a bit like our own times?)

The revivals happening in New England in the 1790's are noted as being less emotional, though, than what took place in southern Kentucky and spread throughout the region, including Tennessee and southern Illinois and Indiana. Wiki comments, "Early settlers were fiercely independent and egalitarian; skilled with the long rifle; and fond of fighting, gambling, tobacco chewing, and horse racing." (Not terribly different, then, from what we know of the Harpes, before they went public with their criminal career.) In summary, frontier folk were considered to be a people ruled more by their passions than by intellectual reason, so it's likely no small wonder that when moved by the Spirit, they committed to God with that same headlong passion.

And it would be just like God to use something as awful as a crime spree to fan the flames of revival.

~*~*~*~*~


If you're interested in reading more:

• The Great Awakening of the Early 18th Century (ThoughtCo.)
• Great-Awakening.com
• Great Awakening - HISTORY
• Great Awakening - Britannica
• The First Great Awakening, by our own Tamera Kraft (don't miss her other articles under the "Great Awakening" label!)

The Most Popular Man in Colonial America

by Tamera Lynn Kraft

There were many men of great achievement in Colonial America in the years before the Revolutionary War. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and the Adams brothers were becoming known for their criticism of taxes. The Wesley brothers preached throughout America and had a great following. Even George Washington had made a name for himself during the French and Indian War. But the most popular man in 1700s America was George Whitefield, the fiery Great Awakening revivalist that changed the colonies forever.

Well known actor of the time, David Garrick said, "I would give a hundred guineas, if I could say 'Oh' like Mr. Whitefield." Newspapers called him the "marvel of the age".  When he preached for the first time in Philadelphia, even the largest churches couldn't hold the crowds of 8,000 people every night. Every city he preached in would bring out crowds larger than the population of the city. He was also one of the first to allow slaves to attend his meetings. It is estimated in his lifetime he preached 18,000 sermons to over ten million people.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the crowd who attended the services in Philadelphia and was greatly impressed. Franklin was a deist and believed God didn't personally interfere in the lives of men. Even though he never converted, he became a lifelong friend of Whitefield's and even handled the publicity for the evangelistic crusades. After one of Whitefield's messages, Franklin wrote, "wonderful... change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seem'd as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk thro' the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street."

Even though he was popular, Whitefield did face opposition. Some complained about him allowing slaves at his meetings. Some Calvinists were angry with his close relationship with the Wesley Brothers, strong Armenians. Others felt his emotionalism and appeal for everyone to have a personal relationship with Christ was over the top. When he first started preaching in England, the leaders of the Anglican Church wouldn't even assign him a pulpit. That's when he began preaching in open fields and parks. Through it all, the great response to the Gospel every time Whitefield preached drown out any backlash. Of the opposition, he said, “the more I am opposed, the more joy I feel.”

He was in no way an ordinary Anglican preacher. His messages were powerful. He was said to portray Bible characters in a realistic way. Jonathan Edwards's wife, Sarah, remarked, "He makes less of the doctrines than our American preachers generally do and aims more at affecting the heart. He is a born orator." During the revival service. Once while preaching about eternity, he stopped and said, "Hark! Methinks I hear [the saints] chanting their everlasting hallelujahs, and spending an eternal day in echoing forth triumphant songs of joy. And do you not long, my brethren, to join this heavenly choir?"

The spiritual revival Whitefield ignited, the Great Awakening, became one of the most formative events in American history and forged the spiritual character and unity or the soon to be nation. His last sermon, in 1770 shortly before his death, was given at Boston Commons before 23,000 people, the largest gathering in American history to that point.

Colonel Samuel Harris, Preaching Amidst Oppostion

"Glory! Glory! Glory!" 

Colonel Samuel Harris, 1758.

Samuel Harris shouted these words when roused from his prayer, having just been converted to a deep conviction that true salvation came from faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for payment for his sins, and of the need of a new birth for all men.

A prominent member of society and the militia, Colonel Samuel had discovered he was a hopless sinner. On route to perform official visits at forts in Virginia, he stopped by a small house where Baptists Joseph and William Murphy were preaching. Not wanting to draw attention to himself (being in military dress), he sat behind a loom. But God found him.  Convicted of his need for Christ to be his Saviour, Colonel Harris fell before the Lord in prayer. 

Soon this man began to preach the gospel to the soldiers and officers of Fort Mayo. He continued to preach, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person who would listen. He devoted his wealth and property to preaching, giving his new residence over to use of public worship and chosing to live in his old home.

The Dunking of David Barrow and Edward Mintz

As his ministry grew, so did the persecution he experienced. In Culpeper he was driven from the pulipt by a mob with sticks, whips and clubs. In Orange County he was pulled down and dragged by hair and leg. He was arrested and ordered not to preach, but this didn't stop him. He and his companion, James Reed, started as many as two hundred churches.

This man mirrored the life of the Apostle Paul.

"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." II Corinthians 11:23-27

I wonder how many of today's evangelists would be willing to endure the persecutions these men endured. The doctrine of appealing publicity and marketing is pounded into the hearts and minds of writers and speakers alike, but is that pleasing to God? These men had one message: God's plan of salvation through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as payment for our sins. They adamantly preached that there is no other way to come to God.

Why were these men willing to endure such sufferings? For the love of Christ and of man, and for the glory of God.

In Paul's words:

"For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. 

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

"But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not....

"And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for the furtherance and joy of faith;" Philippians 1:19-25

I know that my own forthrightness in speaking the Gospel has caused others to scorn me, to tell me I shouldn't be so bold. However, what persecution I have experienced is the kiss of flowers compared to what preachers, such as Colonel Samuel Harris, endured. I must follow their example and continue in what God has called me to do. 

How about you? Are you listening to the Holy Spirit's prompting you to serve Him with the same fervor as these great men of God?