Just because people questioned Finney does not mean that Finney was not used of God to affect the lives of many people. This was never an issue with the older ministers of the time. For example, it was written:

“There is no doubt that there was a powerful work of grace during the years 1826 and 1827, in Central and Western New York. It is no evidence of its spuriousness that it was mingled with human imperfection, and sometimes accompanied by irregularities and extravagances which filled the minds of men with solitude, and even gave the enemy occasion to blaspheme.”

It is important to remember that those who were critical of Finney had balance. They would not argue fundementally against the immediate flash that Finney’s revival would produce, but they were concerned at the permanent results. True spiritual conversion, they argued, would not be so quickly turned back to worldy ways and in such large numbers. It was on this issue that Finney refused to do anything. He would simply look at the momentary results of a revival and push hard for more of the same.

However, Finney did, over the course of time, begin to wonder if the measures that he employed in his revival meetings were producing the fruit that was consistent with the movement of the Holy Spirit.

For example, Joseph Ives Foot, a Presbyterian minister, wrote, in 1838:

“During ten years, hundreds, and perhaps thousands, were annually reported to be converted on all hands; but now it is admitted, that his [Finney’s] real converts are comparatively few. It is declared even by himself, that “the great body of them is a disgrace to religion.”

Finney’s words were spoken in a lecture in the fall of 1836 and were first published in the pro-Finney New York Evangelist.

Also, Finney’s mentality regarding the lives of those converted under his ministry can be seen when he said:

“I was often instrumental in bringing Christians under great conviction, and into a state of temporary repentance and faith but falling short of urging then up to a point where they would become so acquainted with Christ as to abide with him, they would of course soon relapse again into their former state.”

What is “a state of temporary repentance and faith?” This is exactly the type of thinking that the older ministers of the day detested. Why call them believers at all when they are admitted to have a “temporary repentance and faith?”

We also saw Finney urging the “prayer of faith” to convert children (see Feb. 19 “I Am OZ” blog), but thirty-two years later Finney said:

“Brethren, why am I trying to instruct you on the subject of training your children in the fear of God when I do not know that a single one of my children gives evidence of having been converted.”

Finney and his wife were married in 1824 and had six children.

Finney’s revival could extend to crowds and were attested to in conversion cards, but when it came to his children the “new measures” could not produce results.