Lectures on Revivals (William Sprague)

Lectures on Revivals

To which are added 20 letters from leading clergymen

“I have a large collection of books on revival. Among them is a dated copy of Lectures on Revivals by Sprague. I have often told people that this was one of the top books on the subject if they were somehow able to procure a copy. Of special importance are the letters at the end of the book where Christian leaders write of their experience in the Second Great Awakening and the insights gained. This is a valuable book. You will find the material amazingly pertinent.” – Jim Elliff, Elder at Christ Fellowship, Kansas City, Missouri

Sprague’s experience of genuine revivals, his faithfulness to Biblical theology and his balanced view, eminently fitted him to write what Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes as “The outstanding classic on this vital and urgently important matter.”  The chapters cover such themes as The Nature of a Revival, Obstacles to Revivals, Divine Agency in Revivals, General Means of Producing and Promoting Revivals, Treatment due to Awakened Sinners, Evils to be Avoided in connection with Revivals, etc. It also contains an appendix with 20 letters about revival from various important pastors of the 19th century.

Table of Contents

1. Nature of a Revival
2. Defence of Revivals
3. Obstacles to Revivals
4. Divine Agency in Revivals
5. General Means of Producing and Promoting Revivals
6. Treatment Due to Awakened Sinners
7. Treatment Due to Young Converts
8. Evils to be Avoided in Connection with Revivals
9. Results of Revivals

Followed by these 20 letters on the topic of revival, written by the following ministers of the gospel:

• Archibald Alexander
• Francis Wayland
• Daniel Dass
• Samuel Miller
• Alvan Hyde
• Joel Hawes
• John McDowell
• Noah Porter
• Edward Payson
• Alexander Proudfit
• Charles McIlvaine
• William Neill
• Philip Milledoler
• Henry Davis
• Nathan Lord
• Heman Humphrey
• Jeremiah Day
• Ashbel Green
• Moses Waddel
• Edward Griffin

About the Author

William Buell Sprague (1795-1876) was an Congregational and Presbyterian minister and compiler of Annals of the American Pulpit (nine volumes, 1857–1869), a comprehensive biographical dictionary of the leading American Protestant Christian pastors during his times.

Sprague was educated at Yale during the Presidency of Timothy Dwight and graduated in 1815. He then went on to study at Princeton Theological Seminary under the tutelage of Dr. Archibald Alexander. His first pastoral call was as the Assistant to Rev. Joseph Lathrop at the Congregational Church in West Springfield, Massachusetts in 1819, and after the Senior Minister’s death there, Sprague stepped into that role and served there nine more years. He later accepted a call to pastor the Second Presbyterian Church of Albany, New York , where he remained for 40 years.

Sprague wrote numerous books, including Letters to a Daughter on Practical Subjects and his famous Lectures on Revivals of Religion.