Whitefield was arguably, the greater preacher that Britain ever produced. It was said that "his voice startled England like a trumpet blast." At a time when London had a population of less than 700,000, he could hold spellbound 20,000 people at a time at Moorfields and Kennington Common. C. H. Spurgeon wrote of Whitefield, "Often as I have read his life, I am conscious of distinct quickening whenever I turn to it. Other men seemed to be only half-alive; but Whitefield was all life, fire, wing, force. My own model, if I may have such a thing in due subordination to my Lord, is George Whitefield; but with unequal footsteps must I follow in his glorious track."

His ministry spanned two continents - in England and America and his ministry was second to none in both nations. His life and ministry is always an inspiration

200 pages

Scotland's 18th century revival will always be closely associated with Cambuslang, a small parish near Glasgow, where 'a spark of grace set the kingdom on a blaze.' In 1742 the heavens opened as God visited His people north of the border. Hundreds were added to the churches and by
1751 a third of the nation were communicants in the Scottish churches.

The writer focuses on two of the revivals leaders, William M'Culloch of Cambuslang and James Robe of Kilsyth, together with the ministry of George Whitefield who was a lifelong associate of the Scottish Evangelical leaders.

These volumes, written in 1870-1871, by a devout Methodist, Luke Tyerman, (1820-1889) have been referred to as 'an excessively dramatic and heavily biased version of his subject's journal.' Another notable work of Tyerman, 'The Life of the Rev. George Whitefield,' has also been criticised as 'extremely unfair to Whitefield in many respects' whilst recognising that 'it is a remarkably good biography and one that is deeply stirring.'

We have to acknowledge that Tyerman was a careful and accurate historian who treated his subjects with honesty and without bias. Clearly, as a keen follower of the Methodist way with its emphasis on Arminianism and human responsibility, his passion shines through these pages as he seeks to give a faithful account of a leader and a movement he obviously admired.

Please note that this book is not on the current Revival Library CD but will be in the new one in 2009.

Please note that this book is not on the current Revival Library CD but will be in the new one in 2009.

Please note that this book is not on the current Revival Library CD but will be in the new one in 2009.

This fascinating book presents a number of biographical sketches of the founder and principal alumni of William Tennent's theological school, contemptuously called 'The Log College,' together with an account of the revivals that followed their ministries.

During cold and unreligious times these men are described by Tennent as men who 'lived fast … they did much for their Lord in a short time…being burning and shining lights, they were consumed while they gave light to others…. Oh that a race of ministers, like-minded, burning with a consuming zeal, might be raised up among us!'

Here we read of the powerful Gilbert Tennant of whom Whitefield said, 'hypocrites must either soon be converted or enraged and his preachings.' Another is Samuel Blair described here as ' a great textuary who studied the sacred oracles above all other things.'

These men helped transform the spiritual landscape of their generation by pressing in to the power of both the Spirit and of the Word of God.

Please note that this book is not on the current Revival Library CD but will be in the new one in 2009.

This abridged volume of John Wesley (1703-1791) is about one quarter of the size of Wesley's original work which was first produced in a 26-part serial over the course of his life. And what a life it was!

Influenced by the Moravians he was converted in 1738 and devoted the remainder of his life to preaching the gospel - with astounding success. It is said he travelled about 8,000 miles on horseback each year, for fifty years, eventually leaving behind him over 71,000 Methodists in Great Britain and 43,000 in America.

He was an evangelist of the highest order, and frequently saw outpourings of the Spirit in his ministry. Furthermore, he had the leadership qualities and organisational skills to form his converts into local churches by using trained leaders and small groups.

But his success was never without effort, opposition and hardship. All this, and more, is revealed in this exciting journal.

This book, being the published transcript of a formal lecture, is more descriptive, more analytical and less dramatic than many of the other texts on this site. It is in no way less valuable because of this. Readers wishing to understand the context in which to place the lives of Wesley, Whitefield, Nelson, the Countess of Huntingdon and their contemporaries could do worse than to start here. The early chapters paint a painful picture of the darkness of the days in which these saints laboured, which throws their shining examples into brilliant relief. The latter chapters provide one man's summary overview of the work of God in England (and to some extent Wales) during this period. The detailed accounts of others' lives and works and teachings slot into it like the interior pieces in a jigsaw puzzle once the outer edges have been completed.

These sketches of George Whitefield, John Wesley and Daniel Rowlands, first appeared in 'The Family Treasury' along with nine other pen sketches of 18th century divines. They were published as 'Christian Leaders of the Last Century,' along with seven others. We have confined the chapters to those on these great heros of the faith.

This book gives a vivid account of events in and around the small Scottish town of Cambuslang in the spring and summer of 1742. Many hundreds of people came to faith after experiencing the power of God's Holy Spirit who revealed to them their condition before God and the saving work of Christ available through His death. Although many of those saved were from a nominally Christian background others had lived previously in open rebellion to God. The book's contents are drawn mainly from the diaries of the Rev. William McCulloch, the minister of the church in Cambuslang and contemporary letters written by many of those whom the revival touched, both lay persons and clergy. Whilst the language is in places rather old fashioned the modern reader cannot fail to be struck particularly by the accounts of some the very ordinary people involved. Chapters 10 and 11 tell often in their own words how the events in Cambuslang changed them completely.

Selina Hastings, the Countess of Huntingdon, (1707-91) was converted in early 1739 and became a member of the famed Fetter Lane Society. Although she had very close links with the Wesley brothers and used Methodist preachers to evangelise in her residences, she broke with the Wesley's in 1740.

She developed strong Calvinistic leanings and appointed her favourite preacher, the Calvinistic George Whitefield, as her personal chaplain, employing him, and others, to preach to her aristocratic friends. She built chapels in the south from 1761, in Bath in 1765 and in other places in England in the 1770's. These chapels, built to provide an evangelical witness where there was none, eventually became the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion.

In 1768 she got Trevecca College from Howell Harris and she had her ministers trained there.

Clearly she was a very influential lady and had contact with many of the evangelical giant's of the day. This particular book does a superb job of describing the evangelical revival in Britain and it's principal labourers - although it confines itself to the more Calvinistic elements of the day.

Jonathan Edwards experienced two seasons of revival during his pastorate in Northampton, New England - one in 1734-5 and the other a few years later in 1740-42. In this book, written in 1742, he sought to defend the latter revival, which, though very widespread throughout New England, was not without its critics. He gave insightful counsel regarding the discernment of true experiences of revival and those that were merely emotionalism or fanaticism. Written to combat misunderstanding in his day, this book, along with his others on the same theme, has furnished succeeding generations with godly wisdom on the nature and experience of authentic Holy Spirit-inspired revival.

'Born in Connecticut and educated at Yale College, Jonathan Edwards joined his venerable grandfather Solomon Stoddard as associate pastor of the Congregational church at Northampton, Massachusetts in 1727. This became the scene of his greatest victory and his deepest humiliation. The parish was visited with most remarkable seasons of revival, and Edwards himself was unjustly expelled from the pastoral office. A preacher of rare power, Edwards was the foremost American leader of the Great Awakening. A man of passion, integrity and honour, he laboured quietly among the Indians following his removal from Northampton. A giant of intellect and a theologian of great precision, Edwards was called to the Presidency of Princeton, but sudden death claimed him soon thereafter. No one before or since has written as wisely and thoroughly on the subject of revival as this saintly man.' From Richard Owen Roberts 'Bibliography of Revival Literature,' p145
These Memoirs provide us with Edwards own personal story and give us an insight into his family life as well as his amazing spiritual life and experience. He pulls no punches and hides no events, even giving an elaborate account of his unjust dismissal from the very congregation he led into revival some years before. An excellent work, essential for a true understanding of the outstanding servant of God.

A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God is Jonathan Edwards' personal account of the extraordinary awakening that began in 1734 in Northampton, Massachusetts, New England, USA. It was this revival, and Edwards' reporting of it, that provoked others on both sides of the Atlantic to seek God in prayer for a move of God in their days. They were not disappointed. Under the leadership of men like Edwards, George Whitefield and John Wesley the church grew very rapidly. In New England alone ten percent of the total population of 300,000 were added to the churches between 1740 and 1742. During this time 150 new congregations were formed by Congregational pastors alone in twenty years. One historian called the work 'the most glorious and extensive revival of religion and reformation of manners' the country had ever known (quoted in J. Edwin Orr's 'The Re-study of Revival and Revivalism' 1981.)

David Brainerd (1718-1747) was an outstanding revivalist and prayer warrior, whose journals have been a source of inspiration and challenge to the Christian Church for three centuries.

"MR. BRAINERD had a large acquaintance and correspondence, especially in the latter part of his life, and he did much at writing letters to his absent friends; but the most of his acquaintance living at a great distance from me, I have not been able to obtain copies of many that he wrote: however, the greater part of those which I have seen, are such as appear to me of profitable tendency, and worthy of the public view: I have therefore here added a few of his letters." From Jonathan Edward's advertisement of the original work.

When John Wesley was anxious to preserve the zeal of his people, he put to his leaders this question: 'What can be done to revive the work of God where it is decayed?' answering it with the emphatic counsel, 'Let every preacher read carefully over the life of David Brainerd.'

He was supremely a man mighty in prayer. It was his habit to spend long nights in the dark forests, with strong cryings to God, wrestling with the Almighty for the salvation of precious souls. And God did not disappoint him. Copious outpourings of the Holy Spirit attended his ministry, despite extreme weakness, depression and illness. This is a story all Christian ministers should read.

'In twenty-nine years David Brainerd (1718-1747) made a deeper and more lasting impression on the world in which he lived than most men make in a long lifetime. Born at Haddam, Connecticut, converted, expelled from Yale in his junior year, a student of divinity under Jedediah Mills, a missionary among the Indians of Eastern United States, sickened and died in the home of Jonathan Edwards whose daughter he loved; such appear to be the bare facts of his life. But beneath these mere details is the thrilling account of a saintly evangelist whose brief ministrations were blessed by most remarkable conversions and gracious outpourings of the Holy Spirit in revival fires.' Richard Owen Roberts, An Annotated Bibliography of Revival Literature, page 57.

When John Wesley was anxious to preserve the zeal of his people, he put to his leaders this question: 'What can be done to revive the work of God where it is decayed?' answering it with the emphatic counsel, 'Let every preacher read carefully over the life of David Brainerd.'

Martin Lloyd Jones said that this book, as a spiritual autobiography, is practically unrivalled. It is a detailed account of the first three years of Howell Harris' spiritual history. The Doctor further comments, "Would you know something of what is meant by the term "revival"? Would you know the real meaning of, "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God"? Would you know more of "life in the Spirit," and "prayer in the Spirit," and something of "the powers of the world to come"? Then read this book and remember that Howell Harris was but "a man of like passions with ourselves" and that Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today and forever." Harris was undoubtedly one of the all time greats of true revival ministry.

John Nelson was the pioneer of Yorkshire Methodism. He happened to be working as an ornamental stonemason in London when he heard John Wesley preaching in the open air at Moorfields. He was soon converted and a year later returned to Yorkshire where he assisted Benjamin Ingham before he accompanied John Wesley on a preaching tour of Cornwall. Thereafter he became an intrepid evangelist, sometimes in the face of fierce persecution, throughout the north of England and then the Midlands.

George Fox is not reckoned to be a revivalist of the same order as some of his Puritan predecessors or the next generation of revivalists like Edwards, Whitefield and Wesley. Nevertheless, he did accomplish a great work for God, and the Quaker movement, which he founded, numbered around 100,000 when he died in 1691.

He was clearly a lover of God but was quick to point out the faults of the established church. His first imprisonment in 1649 was for 'brawling in church' or contending with the preacher. He ministered for a number of years in the north Midlands and Yorkshire as an itinerant preacher and witnessed revivalistic scenes including shaking, groanings, cryings and many tears. Thousands were converted, mostly from the working classes.