The Third Worldwide Awakening of 1830 Fast on the heels of
the Second Great Awakening, the third wave of heavenly
power crashed on the shores of the evangelical world,
this time without the usual decline.
Asahel Nettleton and Charles Finney are names which dominate
the American scene, while another American, James Caughey was
the most notable revival evangelist active in England.
Finney's well documented ministry began in 1830 and netted
100,000 souls within one year!
The Methodist Episcopal church steadily increased
in the 1830's,especially through camp-meetings.
But their numbers doubled in 1840-1842.
Other denominations flourished too.
The greatest effect of this revival was felt far beyond
the boarders of North America and for centuries to come.
Finney's philosophy of revival, expressed in his autobiography and
explained in his "Revivals of Religion", has subsequently affected
thousands of Christians and precipitated revivals around the world.
In the UK revivals were widespread throughout the 1830's.
Evangelists like Robert Aitkin and William Haslam held highly
successful missions.
Brethrenism began during this period, restoring the doctrine of
the church and the doctrine of the return of Christ. It's noticeable personalities
were J. N. Darby and George Müller who pioneered orphanage work, evangelism
and missionary enterprise. Another restoration movement was led by Edward Irving,
who strongly believed in the restoration of spiritual gifts
and apostolic ministries to the church.
John Elias, Christmas Evans and William Williams stormed Wales
with their powerful preaching. Scotland also boasted some great revivalists
like John and Horatius Bonar, the revival veteran, Thomas Chalmers,
Robert Murray McCheyne, W. H. Burns and his son, William Chalmers Burns.
On the wider international front, there were local revivals in various parts of the world,
particularly in Scandinavia, central Europe, South Africa, the Pacific Islands, India,
Malabar, and Ceylon. This awakening, which began in 1830 only lasted about 12 years
ending around 1842. It should be noted that this revival period is often seen as one
with the former period. There were a constant stream of spasmodic revivals from
1800-1820 which petered out through the next few years and then
exploded from about 1830 onwards.
Some of the evangelists, like Asahel Nettleton,
played a major role in both periods
and some scholars, particularly Orr, refer to
this revival time as a 'resurgence.'
Nevertheless,
because of the 'new measures' and anti-Calvinistic Arminianism of
Charles Finney and the astounding influence of this man's ministry
it should be seen as quite a separate event.
