Lectures on Revivals of Religion.

When editors have been changing Finney’s words in their republications ofhis works over the last one hundred and thirty years, it is essential inunderstanding the man and his success that republications without changes begiven once again to the public. This new edition does that. While the textis from the final 1868 revised edition, numerous footnotes are added thatshow the changes Finney made from the original 1834 and 1835 editions ofthese lectures. Many of the changes made in more recent republications arealso noticed. From Finney’s Preface:In revising [these lectures] for a new edition, I have done little more thancorrect the phraseology in a few instances, add a few footnotes, and replacethe last two Lectures by newly-written ones on the same texts and preparedespecially for this edition. . . These Lectures have been translated in theWelsh and French languages, and have been extensively circulated whereverthe English or either of those languages is understood. One house in Londonpublished 80,000 copies in English. They are still in type and in market inEurope, and I have the great satisfaction of knowing that they have beenmade a great blessing to thousands of souls. Consequently, I have notthought it wise to recast them for the sake of giving them a more attractiveform. God has owned and blessed the reading of them as they have been, andwith the exceptions above noticed, I have given them to the present andcoming generations. If the reader will peruse and remember the foregoingpreface, he will understand what I said of the church and some of theministers, and why I said it. I beseech my brethren not to take amiss what Ihave said, but rather to be assured that every sentence has been spoken inlove, and often with a sorrowful heart. May God continue to add His blessingto the reading of these Lectures.CHARLES G. FINNEY (1792-1875) was America’s foremost evangelist. Over half amillion people were soundly converted under his personal ministry in a daywhen there was no TV or microphones. He was also an excellent theologian,philosopher, educator, pastor and reformer while professor of theology andpresident of Oberlin College. Harvard’s Perry Miller said, 'Finney ledAmerica out of the eighteenth century.' He is remembered, according toHarvard’s W. G. McLoughlin, for his 'textbook on how to promote revivals ofreligion. This book is the perennial classic to which all succeedinggenerations of revivalists have turned for authority and inspiration.' Hewas also a father to the evangelical and holiness movements.