Perhaps one of the most anointed evangelists of the 19th century’s “Second Great Awakening,” Asahel Nettleton preached very solemn, reverent, dignified messages without written notes, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit through the reverent exposition of Biblical doctrines of sovereign grace through faith.
Born in North Killingworth, Connecticut on April 21, 1783, Nettleton was the second child and eldest son in a family of six children. When he was 17 he began to be anxious for his soul. He started searching the Scriptures to see if he could find a contradiction, but he felt all the more lost and hopeless. “He prayed, and wept, and promised, but”[1] to no avail. He read Jonathan Edwards’ narrative on revival of religion in Northampton as well as Edwards’ memoir of David Brainerd, which served to deepen his conviction concerning his lost condition. “The doctrines of the Gospel, particularly the doctrines of sovereignty and election, were sources of great distress to him.... He would sometimes say to himself, if I am not elected, I shall not be saved, even if I do repent-- then the thought would arise, if I am not elected, I never shall repent. This would cut him to the heart, and dash to the ground all his self-righteous hopes. For a long time he endured these conflicts in his mind. Meanwhile, he became fully convinced, that the commands of God are perfectly just, that it was his immediate duty to repent, and that he had no excuse for continuing another moment a rebel against God. At the same time he saw that such was the wickedness of his heart, that he never should repent, unless God should subdue his heart by an act of sovereign grace.... For several hours, his horror of mind was inexpressible. Not long after this, there was a change in his feelings. He felt a calmness for which he knew not how to account.”[2]
After his graduation from Yale University in 1809, Mr. Nettleton’s ministry as an itinerant evangelist in New England witnessed an estimated 30,ooo converted souls between 1810-1821. For a man who had converted to Christ as Nettleton had, through the doctrines of sovereign grace: total depravity, unconditional election, repentance, regeneration, &etc., it would seem ludicrous to suggest that, as an evangelist, Nettleton would use tactics such as coaxing, cajoling, or charming sinners into the kingdom. Contrary to Rick Warren’s erroneous assertion that Asahel Nettleton began using the “altar call” in 1817 (The Purpose Driven Church, pg. 305), Mr. Nettleton loathed such gimmicks and innovations as Charles Grandison Finney’s “anxious bench,” the forerunner to today’s “altar call.” Sermons such as “Ashamed of Christ” (Luke 9:26), “Total Depravity” (Genesis 6:5), and “Perseverance of the Saints” (Philippians 1:6), indicate Mr. Nettleton’s method of evangelism was to preach a series of messages upon the doctrinal truths of the Bible. From this method of conveying Biblical truth with dignity, and without overzealous outbreaks, he would remain consistent until his Lord took him home. In fact, led by Asahel Nettleton, Lyman Beecher and a few other ministers sat down for a meeting in July 2007 to settle the matter concerning Mr. Finney's “new measures” in evangelism. Because of Mr. Nettleton's poor health, after having suffered from typhus fever in 1822, he was absent for most of the appointed meetings and nothing was settled from that conference.
Asahel Nettleton passed into glory on May 16, 1844.
[1] Bennet Tyler, D.D., Memoir of the Life and Character of Rev. Asahel Nettleton, D.D., Boston, MA; Fifth Edition, 1856; pg. 20
[2] Ibid, pg. 21
Born in North Killingworth, Connecticut on April 21, 1783, Nettleton was the second child and eldest son in a family of six children. When he was 17 he began to be anxious for his soul. He started searching the Scriptures to see if he could find a contradiction, but he felt all the more lost and hopeless. “He prayed, and wept, and promised, but”[1] to no avail. He read Jonathan Edwards’ narrative on revival of religion in Northampton as well as Edwards’ memoir of David Brainerd, which served to deepen his conviction concerning his lost condition. “The doctrines of the Gospel, particularly the doctrines of sovereignty and election, were sources of great distress to him.... He would sometimes say to himself, if I am not elected, I shall not be saved, even if I do repent-- then the thought would arise, if I am not elected, I never shall repent. This would cut him to the heart, and dash to the ground all his self-righteous hopes. For a long time he endured these conflicts in his mind. Meanwhile, he became fully convinced, that the commands of God are perfectly just, that it was his immediate duty to repent, and that he had no excuse for continuing another moment a rebel against God. At the same time he saw that such was the wickedness of his heart, that he never should repent, unless God should subdue his heart by an act of sovereign grace.... For several hours, his horror of mind was inexpressible. Not long after this, there was a change in his feelings. He felt a calmness for which he knew not how to account.”[2]
After his graduation from Yale University in 1809, Mr. Nettleton’s ministry as an itinerant evangelist in New England witnessed an estimated 30,ooo converted souls between 1810-1821. For a man who had converted to Christ as Nettleton had, through the doctrines of sovereign grace: total depravity, unconditional election, repentance, regeneration, &etc., it would seem ludicrous to suggest that, as an evangelist, Nettleton would use tactics such as coaxing, cajoling, or charming sinners into the kingdom. Contrary to Rick Warren’s erroneous assertion that Asahel Nettleton began using the “altar call” in 1817 (The Purpose Driven Church, pg. 305), Mr. Nettleton loathed such gimmicks and innovations as Charles Grandison Finney’s “anxious bench,” the forerunner to today’s “altar call.” Sermons such as “Ashamed of Christ” (Luke 9:26), “Total Depravity” (Genesis 6:5), and “Perseverance of the Saints” (Philippians 1:6), indicate Mr. Nettleton’s method of evangelism was to preach a series of messages upon the doctrinal truths of the Bible. From this method of conveying Biblical truth with dignity, and without overzealous outbreaks, he would remain consistent until his Lord took him home. In fact, led by Asahel Nettleton, Lyman Beecher and a few other ministers sat down for a meeting in July 2007 to settle the matter concerning Mr. Finney's “new measures” in evangelism. Because of Mr. Nettleton's poor health, after having suffered from typhus fever in 1822, he was absent for most of the appointed meetings and nothing was settled from that conference.
Asahel Nettleton passed into glory on May 16, 1844.
[1] Bennet Tyler, D.D., Memoir of the Life and Character of Rev. Asahel Nettleton, D.D., Boston, MA; Fifth Edition, 1856; pg. 20
[2] Ibid, pg. 21
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