Argument against the Great Awakening

Argument against the Great Awakening

(From an "Old Light" perspective)

     As a person of the 18th century witnessing the religious chaos among people that has prompted a contrast between the proper Protestants “old light” and the Evangelicals “new light”--- I have to staunchly argue against this new form of Protestantism. This religion of shrieking and jumping about (Chauncy, 3).

George Whitefield giving a sermon.

     My Protestant brothers and sisters; the Congregationalists, the Anglicans, and the Quakers, are being led astray by one Mr. George Whitefield. Mr. Whitfield, along with other Evangelical ministers such as Reverend Gilbert Tennent, and Jonathan Edwards, are preaching a message of “personal and experiential faith” (“Rule Britannia!”, 110).  Furthermore, they are telling our brothers and sisters that they can bring about their own salvation simply by accepting Christ, themselves (“Rule Britannia!”, 110). Because of this message, people put much effort into attending church services, near every day, that they neglect any other part of their lives (Chauncy, 2). Mr. George Whitefield is encouraging this sort of behavior by “preaching every day in the week” calling people in to hear his fervent message (Chauncy, 2). I fear this new form of religion is causing more harm than good. It is making men and women idle in their chores and work, and has caused them to be spiritually conceited and uncharitable to the neighbors--making them very bitter and fierce individuals (Chauncy, 4).

     One of the most fearsome Ministers of this movement is Jonathan Edwards, who seems to take pleasure giving his message of an angry God ready to roast sinners over a “pit of seething brimstone” (Heyrman, 1). His vivid and terrifying images of the “terrors awaiting the unrepentant in hell” (Heyrman, 1) only seem to further extort those that are most vulnerable to such a fearsome message (Chauncy,3). Indeed, because this new religion allows and encourages the “illiterate, [the] weak, conceited young lads” (Chauncy, 3), women as well as slaves, to enjoy equal status during religious gatherings, the number of converts to this new faith grows steadily.

Even more problematic, concerning the spread of this new faith, is “Reverend William Tennent” (Heyrman,1). Whom along with his four sons, are feverishly spreading the word of evangelicalism-- going so far as to create a seminary in order to train additional clergyman in the art of converting sinners to this new faith (Heyrman, 1).
Nonetheless, the “foremost Evangelical of this Great Awakening is [the] Anglican minister George Whitfield”(“Rule Britannia!”). Not only does he encourage people to convert using frightful language end striking body language,  but he encourages the thought of personal conversion with Christ by simply accepting our Lord and Savior. People of all sorts flock to him and “receive him as though he had been an angel of God; yea, a God come down in the likeness of man” (Chauncy, 1).  He has “insinuated himself into the affections of multitudes,”  so much so that “it is dangerous to mention his name without saying something and condemnation of him” (Chauncy, 1).  Even though  his teachings are most problematic: encouraging visions among the common, trance's as well,  encouraging people's claims of being “transported from Earth to heaven,” conversing with Christ and the angels, even such blasphemy as saying they have opened the Book of Life itself and read the names of the persons therein--”there is no room for debate upon the matter”(Chauncy, 3).

George Whitefield 

     Any attempt at all to argue with them and present to “them the indecency of their behavior,”  is swiftly met with accusations of being “an opposer of the spirit and a child of the devil”(Chauncy, 3). They will not tolerate any opposition to them or to Mr. Whitfield.  This is even further proof that his teachings have not changed the hearts of men at all for the better,  indeed, men maybe even worse than before. Nay, not for the better, “the same lying and tricking and cheating [is present now, and worse] as [was] before this gentleman came among us” (Chauncy, 1).

Bibliography

Corbit, P Scott, et al. U.S. History. OpenStax ,OpenStax U.S. History, 2014,

     cnx.org/contents/p7ovuIkl@3.84:gMXC1GEM@3/Introduction. Accessed 25 Aug. 2017.


Heyrman, Christine Leigh. "The First Great Awakening." The First Great Awakening, Divining

     America, TeacherServe®, National Humanities Center. Accessed September 06, 2017.

     http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/eighteen/ekeyinfo/grawaken.htm.