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The Second Great Awakening

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The Second Great Awakening
Liberty University CCOU 201
October 5, 2015
Carol Kirby

The Second Great Awakening was quiet a big experience for many. It left a huge impact on religion as we know it. The Western Frontier put together “Camp Meetings.” These were religious services that lasted several days. The Pioneers really seem to enjoy these meeting it gave them something to do and filled their social calendar’s up. From the preaching, to the dancing, to the praise and worship, these meetings left many wanting to build churches of their own. The meeting held in Cane Ridge, Kentucky, in 1801, was the second meeting and was very huge. The numbers where phenomenal they had anywhere from 10,000 to 25,000 people attended. There was Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist preachers all participating in the revival. This revival then started moving outwards spreading from state to state in the Western area. It went from Kentucky, Tennessee the Ohio. It seemed as though it was a great reward for the Baptist. The Methodist brought forth a group known as the Circuit Riders, they came from the common people.
In the 1820’s, Charles Finney, who was a Presbyterian minister, led many revivals. He preached the Gospel in Western New York. He set forth a great planning technique and used his powerful preaching skills. In turn he did many conversions. Finney appealed too many and many converted their lives to Christianity. Finney was such a strong minister, he strength spoke volumes, Western New York was renamed the “Burned-over district”, this was because of the sermons the Finney gave, they were on fire. The Second Great Awakening took a great turn in 1826 during the revival in Utica, New York. Finney showed many that the Calvinist God did not control human beings destiny, they were free to choose. Finally in 1835 Charles Finney took a position in Theology at Oberlin College, later becoming President of the School. The revival contributed to many other movements such as public education, abolition and utopian socialism to name a few. Many women loved the revival and it encouraged them to spread the word of the gospel. This was an amazing start for women In the world of Religion, to take part and have a say in people lives on the outside of their homes. Not to be considered just a house wife without a voice. Once again God has worked miracles through many of his disciples during the Second Great Awakening. He wanted people to see exactly what he was capable of and by using these people he was doing exactly what was necessary to continue bringing religion to the world. Could you imagine being part of something so big that changed so many lives, I must say this was very impressive, imagine changing lives of alcoholics, slaves, prostitutes, the handicapped and others that were considered to be social outcast of the world. This was not actually the first Camp Meeting, the first one actually took place in 1800 at Gasper River Church in Kentucky.
The Second Great Awakening was a spiritual awakening to many, and it has made the whole religious world take change. Change that was good the Baptist and Methodist numbers were on the rise. God is good and he is showing many in great numbers just what he can do. The Baptist and the Methodist changed how the world had seen slavery. The Great Awakening put so much out there and helped brought forth many reformations. It helped so many in so many ways you could help but like what it had offered to the citizens in the world.
These revivals, also known as, “camp meeting”, brought a lot to the table. Everyone was talking, they was enjoying the gospel, spending time worshiping the Lord. Finney was put in a place where he could show people just what the Lord wanted them to know. He made a big change in many people lives and helping others to see what God can do for them. He showed them they had a choice, they could pick their own destination, they could worship the Lord and have faith in God and give their life to God and they would be saved a place in a Heaven.
Anything that was possible, was possible. It changed so much for women, from temperance movement, women had led so many to quit drinking alcohol and bring order to their families. The effects alcohol had on the families in the eyes of women was tremendous and they vowed to change it. The goal was to take alcohol from the nation, making it to where family came first. The Abolitionist movement showed the wrong in slavery, hoping to put an end to slavery. Thou, slavery did not end until after the Civil War, the impact of the Second Great Awakening was very powerful for the slaves themselves. There was also the women’s right to vote change, it took place after the Great Awakening. The changes that took place spoke volumes to what religion can do in the lives of many.
The Second Great Awakening meant different things to different people and set a presidency that was beyond the next great thing. The Baptist had gained so much in this time period, they had no prior church organizations, their preachers were called by God, they then learned from the Bible and found a church where they are later ordained. The Baptist and the Methodist received such an increase in new members, this was such a great call for them. The Second Great Awakening made this happen! The revival spoke volumes to people and let them see religion in a whole new light.
The impact of the Second Great Awakening was huge. The Baptist and Methodist led in the denominations, they numbers were higher that the Anglicans, Presbyterian, Congregationalists and Quakers. It showed many that they could put God in charge of their life and that they could choose their afterlife destination. It also taught people that putting religion in their lives will not only affect their afterlife, but will help with the here and now. It will help them not only physically, socially and mentally. The Revivals brought women into the outside world, it should them they could not only be house wives, but they could be religious helpers in the world. The women led in so many different movements, helping people cast out the bad in their lives and bring nothing but the good into them. Affecting their lives in so many different ways. This Awakening was phenomenal in history, it mad so much a difference in so many lives, and I wish I could have been part of it. To see these revivals take place and so many people in that time period giving their lives to God.

Bibliography: The Second Great Awakening and The Age of Reformation: http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform
Author: Keller Publisher: [Hamden, Conn.] Archon Books, 1968 [c1942] Series: Yale historical publications. Miscellany, 40Subjects: Revivals--Connecticut. Second Great Awakening.
Connecticut--Church history. Notes: “Bibliographical note": p. [240]-258.
Wakefield, J. F. (2011, spring). The second great awakening and American educational reform: insights from the biography of John Milton Gregory. Vitae Scholastic, 28(1), 5+. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048
Author: Hankins Publisher: Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, c2004.ISBN:0313318484 (HCSubjects:Second Great Awakening. Transcendentalism (New England)
African Americans--Religion—History

The Second Great Awakening- by Stone, Geoffrey R | by Stone, Geoffrey RGeorgia State University Law Review, ISSN 8755-6847, 06/2010, Volume 26, Issue 4, p. 13051783-1865, Religious aspects, United States history, Evangelicalism, History |

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