a farmer lad on fire, an Elijah among lawyers, a pungent and powerful preacher of penitence, such was Charles G. Finney. born in rural Connecticut after the Revolutionary War, reared in a backwoods area of central New York State, he was successively a school teacher and a lawyer before he became a preacher of the Gospel.
Finney's conversion was sudden, startling, dramatic, and dynamic. through his youth he had received so little Christian instruction that at the age of 29 he found himself as ignorant of the gospel as a heathen. he did not understand Bible terms and although some believers labored to show him Christian doctrine he was not convinced. nevertheless he believed the Bible to be the Word of God. that confidence led him to a reading of the Scriptures, which in turn gave him concern about the salvation of his soul.
of his tremendous sense of need, his despair and of overwhelming victory, F tells his own story far better than anyone else could. 'On a Sabbath evening in the autumn of 1821, I made up my mind that i would settle the question of my soul's salvation at once, that if it were possible I would make my peace with god. but as I was very busy in the affairs of the office, i knew that without great firmness of purpose, I should never effectually attend to the subject. I therefor then and there resolved, as far as possible, to avoid all business and
*60 everything that would divert my attention and to give myself wholly to the work of securing the salvation of my soul. I carried this resolution into execution as sternly and thoroughly as i could. I was, however, obliged to be a good deal in the office. but as the providence of God would have it, I was not much occupied either on Mon or Tues and had opportunity to read my Bible and engage in prayer most of the time...
during Mon and Tues y convictions increased, but still it seemed as if my heart grew harder. I could not shed a tear; i could not pray. i had not opportunity to pray above my breath and frequently I felt that if i could be alone where i could use my voice and let myself out, I should find relief in prayer. I was shy and avoided, as much as i could , speaking to anybody on any subject. I endeavored, however, to do this in a way that would excite no suspicion, in any mind, that i was seeking the salvation of my soul.
Tues night I had became very nervous and in the night a strange feeling came over me as if I was about to die. I knew that if I did i should sink down to hell; but i quieted myself as best I could until morning.
at an early hour i started for the office. but just before i arrived at the office, something seemed to confront me with questions like these: indeed, it seemed as if the inquiry was within myself, as if an inward voice said to me, 'What are you waiting for? did you not promise to give your heart to do? and what are you trying to do? are you endeavoring to work out a righteousness of your own?
just at this point the whole question of gospel salvation opened to my mind in a manner most marvelous to me at the time. I think I then saw, as clearly as I ever have in my life, the reality and fullness of the atonement of Christ. I saw that His work was a finished work and then instead of having or needing, any righteousness of my own to recommend me to God, I
*61 had to submit myself to the righteousness of God through Christ. Gospel salvation seemed to me to be an offer of something to be accepted and that it was full and complete and that all that was necessary on my part, was to get me own consent to give up my sins and accept Christ. salvation, it seemed to me, instead of being a thing to be wrought out, by my own works consent to give up my sins and accept Christ. salvation, it seemed to me, instead of being a thing to be wrought out, by my own works, was a thing to be found entirely in the Lord Jesus Christ, who presented Himself before me as my God and my Savior.
without being distinctly aware of it, I had stopped in the street right where the inward voice seemed to arrest me. how long i remained in that position I cannot say. but after this distinct revelation had stood for some little time before my mind, the question seemed to be put, 'will you accept it now, today?' i replied, 'yes; I will accept it today or I will die in the attempt'.
North of the village and over a hill, lay a piece of woods, in which i was in the almost daily habit of walking, more or less, when it was pleasant weather, it was now oct and the time was past for my frequent walks there. nevertheless instead of going to the office, I turned and bent my course towards the woods, feeling that i must be alone and away from all human eyes and ears, so that i could pour out my prayer to God...
but when I attempted to pray I found that my heart would not pray. i had supposed that if I could only be where i could speak aloud, without being overheard, I could pray freely.but lo1 when I cam to try, I was dumb, that is, I had nothing to say to God or at least i could say but a few words, and those without hear. in attempting to pray i would hear a rustling in the leaves, as i thought and would stop and look up to see if somebody were not coming. this i did several times.
finally I found myself verging fast to despair. I said to myself, 'i cannot pray. y heart is dead to God and will not
*62 pray.' I then reproached myself for having promised to give my heart to God before I left the woods. when i came to pray, i found I could not give my heart to God. my inward soul hung back and there was no going out of my heart to God. I began to feel deeply that it was too late, that it must be that i was given up of god and was past hope.
the thought was pressing me of the rashness of my promise,that i would give my heart to God that day or die in thee attempt. it seemed to me as if that was biding upon my soul and yet i was going to break my vow. a great sinking and discouragement came over me and i felt almost too weak to stand upon my knees.
just at this moment I again thought i heard someone approach me and i opened my eyes to see whether it were so. but right there the revelation of my pride of heart, as the great difficulty that stood in the way, was distinctly shown to me. an overwhelming sense of my wickedness in being ashamed to have a human being see me on my knees before god, took such powerful possession of me,that i cried at the top of my voice, and exclaimed that i would not leave that place if all the men on earth and all the devils in hell surrounded me. 'What!' i said, such a degraded sinner as i am, on my knees confessing sins to the great and holy God and ashamed to have any human being and a sinner like myself, find me on my knees endeavoring to make my peace with my offended God!' the sin appeared awful, infinite. it broke me down before the lord.
just at that point this passage of Scripture seemed to drop into my mind with a flood of light: the Shall Ye Go And Pray Unto Me, And I Will Hearken Unto You. The Shall Ye Seek Me And Find Me, When Ye Shall Search for Me With All Your Heart.. I instantly seized hold of this with my heart. i had intellectually believed the Bible before, but never had the truth been in my mind that faith was a voluntary trust instead of an intellectual
*63 state. i was as conscious as i was of my existence, of trusting at that moment in god's veracity. somehow, I knew that that was a passage of Scripture, though i do not think I had ever read it. I knew that it was god's word and god's voice, as it were, that spoke to me, i cried to Him ,'LORD, I TAKE THEE AT THEY WORD. now Thou knowest that i do search for Thee with all my heart, and that i have come here to pray to thee and Thou hast promised to hear me.
that seemed to settle the question that i could then, that day, perform my vow. the Spirit seemed to lay stress upon that idea in the test, When You Search for Me With All Your Heart. the question of when,that is, of the present time, seemed to fall heavily into my heart. i told the lord that i should take him at his word; that he could not lie and that therefore I was sure that he heard my prayer and that He would be found of me...I walked quietly toward the village and so perfectly quiet was my mind that it seemed as if all nature listened, it was on the 10th of Oct, and a very pleasant day. i had gone into the woods immediately after a early breakfast and when i returned to the village i found it was dinner time. yet i had been wholly unconscious of the time that had passed; it appeared to me that i had been gone from the village but a short time....
i went to my diner and found i had no appetite to eat. i then went to the office and found that Squire W====had gone to dinner.I took down my bass viol and, as i was accustomed to do, began to play and sing some pieces of sacred music. but as soon as i began to sing those sacred words, i began to weep. it seemed as if my heart was all liquid and my feelings were in such a state that i could not hear my own voice in singing without causing my sensibility to overflow. i wondered at this, and tried to suppress my tears, but could not. i put up my instrument and stopped singing.
*64 after dinner we were engaged in removing our books and furniture to another office. we were busy in this and had but little conversation all the afternoon.my mind,however, remained in that profoundly tranquil state. there was a great sweetness and tenderness in my thoughts and feeling. everything appeared to be going right and nothing seemed to ruffle or disturb me in the least.
just before evening the thought took possession of my mind, that as soon as i was left alone in the new office, i would try to pray again - that i was not going to abandon thee subject of religion and give it up, at any rate and therefore, although i no longer had any concern about my soul. still i would continue to pray.
by evening we got the books and furniture adjusted and i made up, in an open fireplace, a good fire, hoping to spend thee evening alone, just as dark Squire W---, seeing that everything was adjusted, bade me good-night and went to his home. i had accompanied him to the door and as i closed the door and turned around, my heart seemed to be liquid within me. all my feelings seemed to rise and flow out and the utterance of my heart was, 'I WANT TO POUR MY WHOLE SOUL OUT TO GOD. the rising of my soul was so great that i rushed into the room back of the front office, to pray.
there was no fire and no light,in the room; nevertheless it appeared to me as if it were perfectly light. as i went in and shut the door after me, it seemed as if I met the Lord Jesus Christ face to face. it did not occur to me then, nor did it for some time afterward, that it was wholly a mental state. on the contrary,it seemed to me that i saw Him as i would see any other man. he said nothing, but looked at me in such a manner as to break me right down at his feet. i have always since regarded this as a most remarkable state of mind; for it seemed to me a reality, that He stood before me and i fell down at His
*65 feet and poured out my soul to Him. I wept aloud like a child and made such confessions as i could with a choked utterance. it seemed to me that I bathed His feet with my tears and yet i had no distinct impression that i touched Him, that i recollect.
i must have continued in this state for a good while, but my mind was too much absorbed with the interview to recollect anything that i said. but I know,as soon as my mind became calm enough to break off from the interview, I returned to the front office and found that the fire that i had made of large wood was nearly burned out. but as i turned and was about to take a seat by the fire, i received a mighty baptism of the Holy ghost. without any expectation of it, without ever having the thought in my mind that there was any such thing for me, without any recollection that i had ever heard the thing mentioned by any person in the world,the Holy Spirit descended upon my in a manner that seemed to go through me,body and soul. i could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me. indeed,it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love; for i could not express it in any other way. it seemed like the very breath of God, i can recollect distinctly that it seemed to fan me, like immense wings.
no words can express the wonderful love hat was shed abroad in my heart. i wept aloud with joy and love and i do not know but I should say, i literally bellowed out he unutterable gushings of my heart. these waves came over me and over me and over me, one after the other, until I recollect i cried out, 'i shall die if these waves continue to pass over me'. i said,'lord, I cannot bear any more' , yet I had no fear of death.
how long I continued in this state, with this baptism continuing to roll over me and go through me, I do not know. but i know it was late in the evening when a member of my choir - for i was the leader of the choir - came into the office to see
*66 me. he was a member of the church. he found me in this state of loud weeping and said to me, 'Mr. Finney, what ails you/ I could make him no answer for some time. he then said, 'are you in pain? i gathered myself up as best I could and replied, 'No, but so happy that i cannot live....
i soon fell asleep, but almost as soon awoke again on account of the great flow of the love of God that was in my heart. I was so filled with love that i could not sleep. soon I fell asleep again and awoke in the same manner. when i awoke, this temptation would return upon me and the love that seemed to e in my heart would abate; but as soon as I was asleep, it was so warm within me that i would immediately awake. thus i continued till, late at night. I obtained some sound repose.
when I awoke in the morning the sun had risen and was pouring a clear light into my room. words cannot express the impression that this sunlight made upon me. instantly the baptism that i had received the night before returned upon me in the same manner. I arose upon my knees in the bed and wept aloud with joy and remained for some time too much overwhelmed with the baptism of the Spirit to do anything but pour out my soul to God. it seemed as if this morning's baptism was accompanied with a gentle reproof and the Spirit seemed to say to me, 'Will you doubt? will you doubt? I cried, 'No! i will not doubt; i cannot doubt'. He then cleared the subject up so much to my mind that it was in fact impossible for me to doubt that the Spirit of God had taken possession of my soul.
in this state i was taught the doctrine of justification by faith, as a present experience. that doctrine had never taken any such possession of my mind that i had ever viewed it distinctly as a fundamental doctrine of the gospel. indeed, I did not know at all what it meant in the proper sense. but i could now see and understand what was meant by the passage,
*67 'Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ'. I could see that the moment I believed, while up in the woods, all sense of condemnation had entirely dropped out of my mind and that from that moment i could not feel a sense of guilt or condemnation by any effort that i could make. my sense of guilt was gone; my sins were gone; and I do not thin I felt any more sense of guilt that if i never had sinned.
by the Spirit of God Finney came under deep conviction, learned god's plan of salvation and was born again of the Spirit; then without his knowledge of any such experience was filled to overflowing with that Spirit!
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