Nathan W. Bingham

And Edwards could look around and see what dramatic response there was taking place to the preaching there in 1740. New England. And it was dramatic. It was amazing. Whitfield was still quite a young man. And to a certain extent, it may be that this remarkable success went to his head a little bit.

And Edwards could look around and see what dramatic response there was taking place to the preaching there in 1740. New England. And it was dramatic. It was amazing. Whitfield was still quite a young man. And to a certain extent, it may be that this remarkable success went to his head a little bit.

Whitfield, I think, was only 26 at the time, and saw this remarkable response to his preaching and the praise of other ministers labeled upon him. And he did comment of his preaching tour through New England, "'Dagon falls daily before the ark.'" So he compared himself to the Ark of God. It was maybe a little much, but it was true that there was just this remarkable response wherever he went.

Whitfield, I think, was only 26 at the time, and saw this remarkable response to his preaching and the praise of other ministers labeled upon him. And he did comment of his preaching tour through New England, "'Dagon falls daily before the ark.'" So he compared himself to the Ark of God. It was maybe a little much, but it was true that there was just this remarkable response wherever he went.

And he said rather boldly that the great problem in New England was that dead men were preaching to dead men. Now that criticism of the clergy became a rather repeated element of the Great Awakening. And we'll come back and talk about that more later.

And he said rather boldly that the great problem in New England was that dead men were preaching to dead men. Now that criticism of the clergy became a rather repeated element of the Great Awakening. And we'll come back and talk about that more later.

But here it's important to say that although there was criticism of the clergy, it was always in the context that it wasn't all the clergy that were to blame. And as long as the preachers like Whitefield weren't blaming all the clergy, then you could always conclude as a clergyman they weren't talking about you, they were talking about others.

But here it's important to say that although there was criticism of the clergy, it was always in the context that it wasn't all the clergy that were to blame. And as long as the preachers like Whitefield weren't blaming all the clergy, then you could always conclude as a clergyman they weren't talking about you, they were talking about others.

But certainly a criticism of the settled ministry, a criticism of the old way of doing things. Because remember, in New England, just as in England, there was a parish system in place. If you were a churchgoer, you went to your nearest church building. You didn't pick and choose. You were part of a parish, and the parish was established by where you lived, not what preacher you wanted to hear.

But certainly a criticism of the settled ministry, a criticism of the old way of doing things. Because remember, in New England, just as in England, there was a parish system in place. If you were a churchgoer, you went to your nearest church building. You didn't pick and choose. You were part of a parish, and the parish was established by where you lived, not what preacher you wanted to hear.

You should all think, what church would you go to if you went to the nearest building to you? You might not want to be there at all. But it was a parish system. And to attack the clergy was suddenly to begin to raise questions about the validity of the parish system. But in any case, this great awakening began to shake America.

You should all think, what church would you go to if you went to the nearest building to you? You might not want to be there at all. But it was a parish system. And to attack the clergy was suddenly to begin to raise questions about the validity of the parish system. But in any case, this great awakening began to shake America.

There was great anticipation that had been waiting for God to do something, and at last it seemed God was doing something absolutely remarkable, absolutely unheard of, never really experienced before. And one of the observers said, this is the greatest working of the Spirit of God since Pentecost. Now, that's a big claim.

There was great anticipation that had been waiting for God to do something, and at last it seemed God was doing something absolutely remarkable, absolutely unheard of, never really experienced before. And one of the observers said, this is the greatest working of the Spirit of God since Pentecost. Now, that's a big claim.

But there could be no doubt that something very dramatic, very important, something that would change society as well as religion in America was taking place, and George Whitefield was at the center of it. Now, it's interesting. In the days of Whitefield and Wesley, they were preachers who would come and preach in a place and then move on.

But there could be no doubt that something very dramatic, very important, something that would change society as well as religion in America was taking place, and George Whitefield was at the center of it. Now, it's interesting. In the days of Whitefield and Wesley, they were preachers who would come and preach in a place and then move on.

was really only in the 19th century that you began to get what today we would call revival crusades, where the preacher would come and stay and preach for a week or two and build up excitement and build up interest. In these days, they would preach maybe once or twice in a place, and then they would move on. And the very responsiveness to that movement

was really only in the 19th century that you began to get what today we would call revival crusades, where the preacher would come and stay and preach for a week or two and build up excitement and build up interest. In these days, they would preach maybe once or twice in a place, and then they would move on. And the very responsiveness to that movement

way of proceeding was part of what convinced them that the Spirit of God was really at work. They just preached once, and there was all of this response. They did not have altar calls. That's also a 19th century invention. But they could see, as Whitefield saw when the tears came down people's cheeks, they could see the response.

way of proceeding was part of what convinced them that the Spirit of God was really at work. They just preached once, and there was all of this response. They did not have altar calls. That's also a 19th century invention. But they could see, as Whitefield saw when the tears came down people's cheeks, they could see the response.