The people who attended revivals of the Great Awakening heard sermons that were full of passion and enthusiasm. Preachers such as George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards reminded their congregations of humanity’s sinfulness and urged them toward an emotional surrender to the will of God. Traveling preachers would sometimes hold services outside in fields or under tents. Below are some descriptions of Great Awakening sermons. The final section is an excerpt from “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” which was given by Jonathan Edwards at Enfield, Connecticut, on July 8, 1741.
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In 1739 arrived among us from Ireland the Reverend Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant [traveling] preacher. He was at first permitted to preach in some of our churches; but the clergy, taking a dislike to him, soon refus’d him their pulpits, and he was oblig’d to preach in the fields. The multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was matter of speculation to me, who was of the number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers, and how much they admir’d and respected him, notwithstanding his common abuse of them, by assuring them they were naturally half beasts and half devils.
—Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography
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The Speaker delivers himself with the greatest Vehemence [fury] both of Voice and Gesture, and in the most frightful Language his Genius will allow of. If this has its intended Effect upon one or two weak Women, the Shrieks catch from one to another till a great Part of the Congregation is affected.. . some. . . cry out themselves, on purpose to move others and bring forward a general Scream. Visions now become Common, and Trances also, the Subjects of which were in their own Conceit [imagination] transported from Earth to Heaven, where they saw and heard most glorious Things.
—Reverend Charles Chauncy, Letter from a Gentleman in Boston, 1742
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God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth; yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation . . . than He is with many of those that are now in the flames of hell. . . .
The wrath of God burns against them; their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared; the fire is made ready; the furnace is now hot; ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet [sharpened] and held over them, and the pit hath opened her mouth under them.
Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy; but when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous [sad] cries and shrieks will be in vain.
It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite [intense], horrible misery; when you look forward, you shall see a long forever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of any deliverance, any end, any mitigation [relief], any rest at all.
And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God—who is now angry with you every day and every night? Will you be content to be children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings?
—Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
