A Commotion in the Land

It has been 160 years since America has witnessed a national revival. We wouldn't recognize revival if we saw it, and if we did, it would just scare the daylights out of us because we are not accustomed to the dread presence of the Almighty. When revival comes, you will find quite suddenly an overwhelming reality of the awful presence of God.

The best way I can describe it, friends, is by the word commotion. Commotion means an agitated disturbance. The very atmosphere will become agitated by an alarming sense of eternity.

You will be standing on the verge of eternity in the grip of God. And when God moves in revival, there comes a commotion in the land. And I want to give us a sense of this tonight as I read us an eyewitness account of George Whitfield in America in 1740 during the revival known as the Great Awakening.

This account was written by a farmer by the name of Nathan Cole, who witnessed Whitfield preach in the town of Middletown, Connecticut. I have stood on the rise of the town hill and looked down at the place where the great crowd stood on the banks of the river as they listened to Whitfield preach, You Must Be Born Again. And as I read you this story, friends, I want you to take note of the great commotion in the land that was stirred up under Whitfield's preaching in a remarkable season of spiritual awakening.

Here now is that account. Now it pleased God to send Mr. Whitfield into this land. In my hearing of his preaching at Philadelphia, like one of the old apostles, and many thousands flocking after him to hear the gospel in great numbers converted to Christ, I felt the Spirit of God drawing me by conviction.

Next I heard he was on Long Island, and next at Boston, and next at Northampton. And then, one morning, all of a sudden, about eight or nine o'clock, there came a messenger and said, Mr. Whitfield preached at Hartford and Wethersfield yesterday, and is to preach at Middletown this morning at 10 o'clock. I was in my field at work.

I dropped my tool. I had my hand and ran home and ran through my house and bade my wife get ready quick to go and hear Mr. Whitfield preach at Middletown and ran to my pasture for my horse with all my might, fearing I would be too late to hear him. I brought my horse home and soon mounted and took my wife up and went forward as fast as I thought the horse could bear.

And when my horse began to be out of breath, I would get down and put my wife in the saddle and bid her ride as fast as she could and not stop or slack for me, except I bade her so I would run until I was almost out of breath, and then mount my horse again. And so I did several times to favor my horse, for we had twelve miles to ride double in little more than an hour. On high ground, I saw before me a cloud or fog rising.

I first thought it was from the great river, but as I came nearer the road, I heard a noise, something like a low rumbling of horses' feet, coming down the road, and this cloud was a cloud of dust made by the running of horses' feet. It arose some rides in the air over the tops of the hills and trees, and when I came within about twenty rides of the road, I could see men and horses slipping along in the cloud like shadows, and when I came nearer, it was like a steady stream of horses and their riders, scarcely a horse, more than his length, behind another, all of a lather, and some would sweat. We went down with the stream.

I heard no man speak a word all the way, three miles, but every one pressing forward in great haste, and when we got down to the old meeting-house, there was a great multitude. It was said to be about three thousand to four thousand people assembled together. We got off from our horses and shook off the dust, and the ministers were then coming to the meeting-house.

I turned and looked towards the great river, and saw ferryboats running swift, forward and backward, bringing over loads of people. The oars rode nimble and quick. Everything—men, horses and boats—all seemed to be struggling for life.

The land and the banks over the river looked black with people and horses. All along the twelve miles I saw no man at work in his field, but all seemed to be gone. When I saw Mr. Whitfield come upon the scaffold, he looked almost angelical, a young, slim, slender youth, before some thousands of people with a bold, undaunted countenance, and my hearing how God was with him everywhere he came along, it solemnized my mind and put me into a trembling fear before he began to preach, for he looked as if he was clothed with authority from the great God, and a sweet solemnity was sat upon his brow, and my hearing him preach gave me a heart wound.

Well, I will stop there, friends. Oh, how we need a heart wound like that in our day! Oh, that great God would send us such a commotion in the land for our day! Let us pray.