Background

Charles Finney was born on August 29, 1792, in Warren, Connecticut; his family moved to Oneida County, N. Y. , about 1794.

Education

A self-assured young man, he decided after high school not to attend college. For several years he taught school in New Jersey, but his family finally persuaded him to return to western New York to study law.

Career

He was licensed as a Presbyterian minister in 1824. Finney was a masterful pulpit orator. He addressed the audience as sinners and prayed for them by name. He prolonged his meetings until early morning and even carried his ministry into the factories. Only his success at winning converts persuaded more orthodox clergymen to condone his techniques. In 1828, after a fruitful campaign in western New York, Finney visited Philadelphia, Providence, and Boston. In 1832, at the invitation of several prominent businessmen, he moved to New York City. Three years later he accepted the chair of theology at Oberlin College. Finney devoted much of his time to teaching and writing. Lectures on Revivals of Religion (1835) was a manual on conducting revivals. His subsequent works, Sermons on Important Subjects (1836), Views of Sanctification (1840), and Lectures on Systematic Theology (1846), elaborated his belief in the perfectability of man. He supported the temperance movement and condemned the "sin of slavery. " Drawing his following from the professional and business classes, he taught the value of charitable and philanthropic enterprises. In 1851 Finney became president of Oberlin, a position he held until the end of the Civil War. Though hampered by illness, he conducted revivals until his death on Aug. 16, 1875, in Oberlin.

Achievements

• Together with several other evangelical leaders, his religious views led him to promote social reforms, such as abolition of slavery and equal education for women and African Americans.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Works of Charles G. Finney: Lectures on Revivals of Religion, Lectures on Systematic Theology, Sermons on Gospel Themes, Lectures to Professing Christians (4 Books With Active Table of Contents)

    (This Collection contains the following books: Lectures o...)

  • Lectures on Revivals of Religion

    ( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)

  • Systematic Theology - Enhanced Version

    (Charles Finney (1792-1875) was an American Presbyterian p...)

  • Memoirs of Rev. Charles G. Finney - Written By Himself

    (Preaching, revival, missionary, prayer, conversion, spiri...)

  • Charles Finney on Faith

    (Book by Finney, Charles Grandison)

  • Lectures to Professing Christians
  • Lectures on Systematic Theology Volume 1 (Complete Works of Charles G. Finney)

    (Book by Finney, Charles Grandison)

Religion

Finney's interest in religion at this time was only perfunctory, because he found orthodox Calvinism unpalatable. Thus his route to a religious "awakening" was outside the institutional church. Observing that legal decisions often quoted Scripture, he began to read the Bible. He became concerned as to how man could achieve salvation, finally concluding that, instead of waiting upon God's regenerative spirit, any man could exert himself to give up sin and accept Jesus as a redeemer. In 1821 he had a mystical experience in which he believed he stood face to face with Jesus. From this time he devoted his energies to preaching revivals.

Views

Quotations: "If the presence of God is in the church, the church will draw the world in. If the presence of God is not in the church, the world will draw the church out. "

"The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics or the Lord will curse them. . . . Christians have been exceedingly guilty in this matter. But the time has come when they must act differently. . . . Christians seem to act as if they thought God did not see what they do in politics. But I tell you He does see it - and He will bless or curse this nation according to the course they. "

"Revival is a renewed conviction of sin and repentance, followed by an intense desire to live in obedience to God. It is giving up one's will to God in deep humility. "

"You hear the word, and believe it in theory, while you deny it in practice. I say to you, that 'you deceive yourselves'. "

"Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love one another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other's hearts in prayer. "

"There can be no higher enjoyment found in this world that is found in pulling souls out of the fire and bringing them to Christ. "

"Prevailing prayer is that which secures an answer. Saying prayers is not offering prevailing prayer. The prevalence of prayer does not depend so much on quantity as on quality. "

"When you come back to God for pardon and salvation, come with all you have to lay all at his feet. Come with your body, to offer it as a living sacrifice upon His altar. Come with your soul and all its powers, and yield them in willing consecration to your God and Saviour. Come, bring them all along-everything, body, soul, intellect, imagination, acquirements-all, without reserve. "

"The Church must take right ground in regard to politics. .. Politics are a part of a religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as part of their duty to God. .. God will bless or curse this nation, according to the course Christians take in politics. "

"The reason why wicked men and devils hate God is, because they see Him in relation to themselves. Their hearts rise up in rebellion, because they see Him opposed to their selfishness. "

"Ministers often preach about the Gospel instead of preaching the Gospel. They often preach about sinners instead of preaching to them. "

"How often God visited the Jewish Church with judgments because they would not repent and be revived at the call of His prophets! How often have we seen Churches, and even whole denominations, cursed with a curse, because they would not wake up and seek the Lord. .. "

Personality

He was plagued with illness, and his sojourn was unhappy.

Connections

Finney was twice a widower and married three times. In 1824, he married Lydia Root Andrews (1804–1847) while living in Jefferson County. They had six children together. In 1848, a year after Lydia's death, he married Elizabeth Ford Atkinson (1799–1863) in Ohio. In 1865 he married Rebecca Allen Rayl (1824–1907), also in Ohio. Each of Finney's three wives accompanied him on his revival tours and joined him in his evangelistic efforts. Finney's great-grandson, also named Charles Grandison Finney, became a famous author.

Father:

Sylvester Finney

15 March 1759 - 26 June 1842

Mother:

Rebecca Finney (Rice)

August 9, 1759 - August 19, 1836

Wife:

Rebecca Allen Rayl

1824–1907

Wife:

Lydia Root Finney (Andrews)

March 8, 1804 - ____

Wife:

Elizabeth Ford Atkinson

1799–1863

Daughter:

Helen Clarissa Cox (Finney)

June 8, 1828 - June 7, 1811

Daughter:

Julia R. Monroe (Finney)

March 16, 1837

Son:

Frederick Norton Finney

March 7, 1832

Son:

Charles Grandison Finney, Jr.

March 8, 1830 - April 17, 1896

References

• The Social Ideas of the Northern Evangelists, 1826-1860
• The Burned-over District: The Social and Intellectual History of Enthusiastic Religion in Western New York, 1800-1850
• They Gathered At The River The Story Of The Great Revivalists And Their Impact Upon Religion In America