The GOSPEL TRUTH
LETTER OF

CHARLES G. FINNEY

1828

To Theodore Dwight Weld

27 March 1828

 

[MS in Weld-Grimke Papers, William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan. Published (with a number of errors) in Gilbert H. Barnes, and Dwight L. Dumond, editors, Letters of Theodore Dwight Weld, Angelina Grimké Weld and Sarah Grimké 1822-1844 (Gloucester, Mass.: Peter Smith, 1965), pages 10-14.]

Address with alterations (in italics) by George W. Gale:

 

Mr. Theodore Weld

Fabius Whitesboro. Oneida Co.

N. York.

 

First Postmark: PHIL ? MAR ? crossed out

 

Second Postmark: WHITESBORO' N.Y. APR 5

 

Letter (with additions in italics by George W. Gale):

 

Philadelphia 27th. March 1828.

My Dear Weld.

I seize upon the present moment

as it rushes past, to write you a single line.

The good work of God is deepening & spreading

in this AntiRevival city, much to the joy of the

friends of revivals, & I have no doubt to the no

small annoyance of many who would be

thought to be the greatest friends of the Redeemers

Kingdom. I am told that from [by] some of the

ministers the people are warned against

the false doctrine which is getting into the

city & forbidden to go after strange ministers.

I believe however that as yet the people are

not considered as very obedient in this parti-

cular. I hear nothing here recently about the

distinction contended for at the east between

old & new measures. The fact is, that here

we are all hereticks, Alias Hopkintians, who

dont sit quietly down in a corner of the

Triangle & wait God's time.

Last sab. was an awfully solemn day in Br P's cong.

[page 2]

Numbers were convicted, & several hopefully

converted during my morning's discourse.

One gay lady who came to meeting in her pride,

was so overwhelmed as to be unable to stand or even

to sit up without being held. She got relief before

she left the church. A man who is supposed to be

the richest in Mr P's congregation of about 50 years of age

was completely confounded. He obtained hope either

that evening or on monday. About Between 40 & 50

I believe are already examined for admission into

Br. P's church at the communion. Numbers of the

young converts have been received into some of the

other churches, & many are yet unexamined

for admission anywhere. We want 10 times as

much help as we have. 100dreds are willing to be

visited, & anxious to be, who we can not go & see.

Some young men from Princeton have spent some

time here. Many families are so anxious to be

visited, who have been hitherto wholly inaccessible, that

when they are called upon, they will ask you to

stay till they call in some of their anxious

[page 3]

neighbors, & when you leave them they

express gratitude & seem not at all disposed

to cavil. As nearly as I can learn, there

are many hundreds in this state.

Br P. says that he has never seen any

thing like it since he has been in the

city. I am called upon by anxious persons

almost continually some days, & often

requested to go & visit anxious persons &

am not able, on account of my health

& multiplied duties. O how much I want

your help & that of 20 others who u[nder]stand

revivals. There is hardly any one [torn]

or in this region who can help [torn]

The young men in this region dont know

how to visit, & most of the ministers would

adopt the soothing system. O what shall

be done? "The harvest truly is great, but the

laborors are few." `Pray ye the Lord to send

forth laborers". I should insist upon your

coming on & staying until the Assembly

meets, did I think that I could prevail.

Do pray for me mightily. My Wifes health is

feeble. The churches here are in a dreadful

state. This city insted [sic] of being the "radiating poi

 

[along the side of page 3]

 

the "mainspring & rallying point of ian enterprise of the presbyterian

church," is almost solid darkness, f corruption & in her putrid

embrace, she holds all the regi & south, locked up in loathsome

horrid death. The work goes on eral of the congregations.

F N.B. I am in a land where many wo entangle me in my talk. Be careful

what you do with my letters." Love to all Friends. Yours affectionately C.G. Finney

 

[Addition (in italics) is by George W. Gale]

 

[page 4: the first section is inserted below the address]:

 

March 5th This letter was received nearly a week since but as I was

then expecting you so soon I did not of course think best to send it. I was

expecting you daily until day before yesterday when Mr Stuart's letter came

to hand. I had begun to be apprehensive something was the matter. I was

quite relieved to day by receiving a letter from your own hand. Your ill

ness is unpleasant to us all as well as it must be to you at this time as it is

a disappointment to us all. But it ought to be sufficient to silence all com

plaining & more, much more than this, that the Lord has done it. He does

all things well. You must not be in a hurry to return and when you do you

must not walk You now will be in danger of attempting to get out to soon

a relapse might prove fatal you know. The young men are coming in and

occur

applicationsŸdaily from various quarters Send on those young men if you

can soon, if not let us know Your brother must go out soon as practicable

we ought to have two or three agents out immediately & constantly. I have

been expecting him here and have not sent him a Report I will send one

I was in Utica to day & saw Mr Wilson He spent last sab with

brother Finney in Philada. The good work goes on there. He was well preach

ing for brother P. and attending meetings of enquiry in his and Mr Livingstons cong.

He had been invited to preach last sab for Doct Wilson but did not think best to leave

the congregation of Mr P. all well Yours affectionately

I am to ask - G.W. Gale

 

[page 1 along the side of the page]

 

P.S. You will hardly think an apology ne ssary for breaking open this letter when

I remark that I knew the handwriting. Returns are received from all the Towns

in the county respecting bibles How many families think you are foundes destitute

of a bible in the County of Oneida? Between 13 & 14 hundred!! Many in Philadelphia

there

have strong hopes of getting Doct. Beecher in Philada. My affectionate regards to your brother

our common and particular friend Stuart and to your parents sister &c. Tho I have not seen them they

do not seem like strangers We want to see you here much but you must not be

in haste nothing here of special interest on the great subject. We are still sinking down

into stupidity I fear. Mrs G. sends love the little ones remember Weld.

 

 

 

 

 

  Photocopy has cut the edge of the letter off. ? point.

A tear in the paper has removed parts of several words in this section.

Finney had originally written ... enterprise" th but he smudged out the quotation marks and altered th to of.

March here is incorrect. Gale should have written April.

This will have been Charles Stuart.

The next section is inserted above the address.

Gale has omitted the second o from too.

His brother was Charles Weld.