Marks Of A True Conversion George Whitefield Summary

As the population of the colonies grew larger and more diverse, so did their ideas of religion and social dynamics. A new era of Enlightenment spread through the colonies, spreading a rational and scientific view of living, opposed to traditional religion and superstition. A wave of religious revivals swept through the colonies known as the Great Awakening. These passionate and dramatic revivals performed by James Whitefield and others led to religious dissension. Many ministers disagreed with the message, approach, and influence being spread by Whitefield and his New Light clergy members. Old Light ministers believed they were providing the lower class and minority groups the ability to critique the religious elite. In George Whitefield's, Marks of a True Conversion is an example of one of his powerful and intense

sermons.

Whitefield's sermons led thousands of followers to become entranced by his charisma and powerful voice. Another New Light minister, Gilbert Tennent argued that the authority of a minister lies in his conversion testimony, not in his education and training. In The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry, Tennent attacks the intellectualism of Old Light Ministers. James Davenport was another New Light member who is very controversial. A Newspaper Report on James Davenport highlights his erratic and destructive behavior in his sermons of the corrupt and ungodly Old Light clergy. As the popularity of the New Light ministers grew, the Old Light ministers became weary and disapproving of their message and methods. Charles Chauncy's Letter to Scottish Minister George Wishart describes an Old Light ministers perception of George Whitefield. A satirical engraving, Dr. Squintum's Exhalation or the Reformation, capitalizes on the hypocrisy and corruption in Whitefield's messages and followers. The mid-eighteenth century led to the debate over emotionalism and intellectualism of the Old Lights and the New

Lights.
Marks of a True Conversion is a sermon from the popular New Light minister George Whitefield. His popularity grew from his not discriminatory, open-air preaching and his dramatic charisma. Whitefield captured his audience with evoking an emotional response in his preaching. He questioned them, " …a model of performances, that think they shall go to heaven; but if you examine them, though they have a Christ in their heads, they have no Christ in their hearts." This is an attack on the religious training of the Old Light clergy. His belief is, although the Old Light clergy are well educated and rehearsed in the teaching of the bible; they lack the emotional and spiritual conviction and testimony to be a true follower of Christ. He believes that without the spiritual recognition of Christ within the soul, no teaching, and good deeds can grant you access to the kingdom of heaven. He says "…so much indwelling sin, and corruptions, yet remaining in their hearts, that unless a greater change past upon their souls, and sanctification was still carried on, they could give but very little evidence of their belonging to his kingdom". He is directly challenging the righteousness and piety of the religious elites.
Like Whitefield, Gilbert Tennent also believed a spiritual conversion was necessary to be a true believer. Tennent and Whitefield shared the belief that a spiritual and emotional connection is required to make oneself saved in the eyes of the Lord. This ideology made Old Light ministers appear detached from their preaching's. Tenennt believes that the conversion experience is the burden of the believer and must be done despite mockery from others. In The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry, He says "…your Neighbors growl against you, and reproach you for doing your Duty, in seeking your Souls Good; bear their unjust Censures with Christian Meekness, and persevere; as knowing that Suffering is the Lot of Christ's Followers, and that spiritual Benefits do infinitely overbalance all temporal Difficulties." Tennent attests that the spiritual reward greatly surpassed earthly judgment.
While Tennent and Whitefield focused of the spiritual purity of one's soul for salvation, James Davenport sought to rid followers of worldly possessions deemed corrupt. Davenport was far more controversial than the previous two New Light ministers. A Newspaper Report on James Davenport details an incident of erratic and destructive behavior in the name of cleanliness. The crowd was filled with "Clamor and Shouting" as they were directed to participate in a book burning. Participants are described as "insolent". The writer states, "Davenport told them to look at Home first, and that they themselves were guilty of idolizing their Apparel, and should therefore divest of those Things especially which were for Ornament, and let them be burnt." Words such as "Apostle" and "Oracle" are used in describing Davenport, showing him ironically as an idol. This report shows the New Light followers as blind followers,that are unpredictable, crazed, and potentially violent. They were encouraged to burn religious text, something that should be seen as utmost disrespect and disgrace. The writer's description of Davenport and the crowd, add to the argument that the New Light ideas are folly.
Charles Chauncy's Letter to Scottish Minister George Wishart and the engraving of Dr. Squintum criticizes Whitefield. The letter portrays his followers as "all sorts of persons, and much admired by the vulgar, both great and small." Whitefield's followers included low-class whites, free blacks, women, and slaves and this was viewed as a threat to the elites. They disliked that all the outsiders of society could come together for a common cause. He describes Whitefield's followers as "…puffed up with conceit and pride…" and "…they possess a worse spirit than before they hear of his name..". Likewise, the engraving shows his followers as sinful and corrupt. The followers include a prostitute, and others are shown shoving a mother and a child and taking food from a poor woman. Whitefield is depicted with demonic figures surrounding him, whispering in his ear, and fueling his messages. The followers depicted are seen as violent and of low moral character. Both texts believe that followers have become more unruly and crazed since the arrival of Whitefield. They believe that he has corrupted them by compromises the core values of the Old Light ministry.
A persistent theme throughout the Great Awakening is the shaping of American identity. As the colonists became more isolated from Europe, a self-thinking society began to develop. People began questioning the rigid structures in society, in this case, religion. Faced with conflicts and hardships, the colonists began to look for explanations for all the bad things happening to them. It was the belief that it was the corruption of religion and spiritual decomposition was the cause of Indian attacks, harsh weather, failing crops, and disease. Colonists began questioning the holiness of the elites. This seed of doubt led to the rapid popularity of the New Light ministers. They were offering the colonist something new and exciting. The documents represent the ebb and flow of an ever-changing American society. An issue comes along and it seems radical and far-fetched, but with enough momentum, it can gain followers and become the everyday norm. This is one of the first examples of the colonists actively seeking something different than what England demands of them. The Great Awakening is an example of the colonies actively speaking out and seeking something, all of which are steps to creating a new identity.