LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1831
To George Washington Gale
16 February 1831
[Autograph letter in William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan. The letter was published in part in Barnes and Dumond, Weld-Grimke Letters, page 13, note 8.]
Early in February 1831, Finney received a letter from George W. Gale dated, Whitesboro 29 January, now missing from the Finney Papers. The Calendar gives the contents: "Belief Finney can do more staying in Rochester than in Utica where he will be invited. How to spread the popularity of the school to the Rochester district. Great hopes for it. Weld's activities for the school. A revival in Clinton."
Finney replied as follows:
Rochester 16th Feb.1831.
Dr. Br. Gale,
I recd your letter some days since.
have been so overwhelmed with labors as to be
unable to answer hitherto. & now must reply in a
word. I have just seen the 2 Kings one from Greece
& the other from Bloomfield. Weld knows them. I brot up
the subject they said you must not want for
funds. One of them said that he had conversed
with Bushnell a wealthy man at the mouth of
the river who said the same, that if you wanted
funds to call on him.
I told them that you thought of comming
here, they said that so far as they are
concerned it is wholly unnecessary.
Those 3 men ought to give, & if a right method
is taken, I think will give 3000 dollars.
What you could do here, I dont know. Agents
swarm here. A mighty press is made upon
them for money. Many 1000 dollars have been
raised here of late. That object is vastly
popular here. I was opposed to Welds going
away. He had things in such a train here
that a few more weeks [could] have secured all
the funds you need, this I told him at
the time & I am of the same opinion still
He broke off right in the commencement of
operations. But I could not pursuade him
to stay any longer.
Since he has been gone so many things have
been before the publick that I dont know what can
be done further for that object at this time.
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I should think that were he in this region
he might do much more by going from
Town to Town, but whether any body else would
do much just now I dont know.
I should be glad to see you here, but it is not
probable that I shall remain here many days
longer if I can see it duty to get away.
Am pulled many ways. Dont know where to go.
Were it not for the state of this region I
would go to N.York. Deo Volente.
Our little Helen is very ill.
Love to your Dr family & to all the
holy brethren. Yours in great haste.
C.G. Finney
Work of God increases here of late.
Divine influence increases all over this region.
Many thousands are hoping & many thousands
more are under conviction.
Ministers & churches rising. The wicked astounded
& nulled. The work has spread in a most astonishing
degree. It is all over several counties here.