LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1871
To Edward Payson Marvin
24 March 1871
[MS in Finney Papers, Box 9, Oberlin College Archives.]
Oberlin 24th Mch 1871.
Rev. E. P. Marvin.
My Dear Brother,
Yours of the 23d is recd.
Your copy of Morgan's book
is spurious, & the genuine
work has long been out
of print. The work was
bought up & gathered up
as far as possible by Freemasons
& destroyed. Two or more
editions were published
that were spurious & as
you see rendered ridic
ulous by promising on
the title page much
that is not found in the
work. Bernard copied the
whole of Morgan's book
(the three first three degrees),
verbatim. This being uni
versally known at the time
[page 2]
rendered a new & correct
edition of Morgan unnecessary.
& Bernards book containing
so much more than Morgans
was allowed by general consent
to take its place. All the
old seceeding Mormons who
saw Morgans book will
testify to the faithfulness
with which Bernard copied
his work. I believe the
spurious edition of Morgan
has the first three degrees
nearly as Morgan gave
them but it has so much more
that was introduced on
purpose to discredit the
whole that the book can
not be used as an authority.
I see the M. E. Church is fearfully
in league with this abomina
tion. It can not fail to be
[page 3]
sorely rent or wholly ruined
by free Masonry. If the minority
i.e. the Antimasons rise up &
unite they must revolt but
may save at least a part
of that communion. Satan
has seldom made so succ
essful a raid upon any
branch of the Church as in
this case. You have not seen
the end of the new philoso
phy of promoting revivals.
You need to see the kind
of revivals if any that will
result from the labors of
these modern converts &
their successors.
Do you read the "Christian
Cynosure. the Anti secret
society paper, the organ of
the National Society, publis
hed by Ezra A. Cook, 88.
La Salle street Chicago
[page 4][
published Bi-weekly at
$1. per year. If you do not
see this I wish you would
do for it is ably conducted
& contains the instruction
that the people need. It will
give you a list of the best
Anti masonic literature
& whatever is opposed to secret
societies, & also inform you
of what is being accomplished
by the present movement or
opposition to these works of
darkness. You speak of newer
measures than mine. I care
little for measures. It is a
false philosophy of revivals
that I fear. The assumption
that sinners can embrace
the gospel without first being
slain by the law. This is
a fearful mistake.
God bless you my Br.
C. G. Finney
Footnotes:
This letter is not in the Finney Papers.
This word is unclear, but looks like "revolt".
This word is unclear, but it could be "slain".