CHAPTER 7 Defining Evangelizing - Evangelism Unlimited

Thomas P. Johnston 287
“This has appeared to be a very extraordinary dispensation, in that the Spirit of God has so much
extended not only his awakening, but regenerating influences, both to elderly persons, and also to
those who are very young.” 368
2) Harvests (the term of his grandfather, Solomon Stoddard):
“And as he [The Rev. Mr. Stoddard] was eminent and renowned for his gifts and grace; so he
was blessed, from the beginning, with extraordinary success in his ministry, in the conversion of
many souls. He had five harvests, as he called them. The first was about 57 years ago; the second
about 53; the third about 40; the fourth about 24; and the fifth and last about 18 years ago. . . .but in
each of them, I have heard my grandfather say, the greater part of the young people in the town,
seemed to be mainly concerned for their eternal salvation.” 369
3) Concerned for their eternal salvation: “the greater part of the young people in the town,
seemed to be mainly concerned for their eternal salvation.” 370
4) “Conversion of many souls”: 371
“Our young people, when they met, were to spend the time talking of the excellency and dying
love of JESUS CHRIST, the glory of the way of salvation, the wonderful, free, and sovereign grace of
God, his glorious work in the conversion of the soul, the truth and certainty of the great things of
God’s word, the sweetness of the views of his perfections, &c.” 372
5) “Converting influences” 373
6) Convince others:
“They are so greatly taken by their new discovery, and things appear so plain and so rational to
them, that they are often at first ready to think that they can convince others; and are apt to engage
in talk with every one they meet with, almost to this end; and when they are disappointed , are ready
to wonder that their reasonings seem to make no more impression.” 374
7) House to house:
“She felt a strong inclination immediately to go forth to warn sinners; and proposed it the next
day to her brother to assist her in going house to house; but her brother restrained her by telling her
the unsuitableness of such a method.” 375
8) “Ingathering of souls” 376
9) Justification by faith alone: “There were some things said publicly on that occasion,
concerning justification by alone.” 377
10) Making converts: Some accused Edwards of being “fond of making a great many converts
and of magnifying the matter.” 378
11) Results of evangelism, according to Edwards a person “truly born again,” and “the revival of
religion.” 379 Edwards described a woman who “longed to have the whole world saved.” 380
He explained this woman’s zeal, “[This same woman] expressed, on her deathbed, an
368 Ibid., 20.
369 Ibid., 8-9.
370 Ibid.
371 Ibid.
372 Ibid., 14-15.
373 Ibid., 42.
374 Ibid., 43.
375 Ibid., 57-58.
376 Ibid., 9, 17, 17.
377 Ibid., 11.
378 Ibid., 21.
379 Ibid, 20, 148.
380 Ibid., 60.