New York City Revival, September 23, 1857

Landmark Events - History Highlights ^ | 2020 | Bill Potter

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It all began with 48-year-old businessman and “evangelist to the inner city”, Jeremiah Lanphier, who gave up his business, determined to besiege the throne of Grace for the success of the Gospel in New York City, among both the poor of the lower East Side and among the prosperous Manhattanites of Wall Street.

Mr. Lanphier invited one and all to meet at the Consistory of the North Dutch Reformed Church at noon on September 23, 1857 to join him in prayer, to implore God to convict sinners and bring repentance in the midst of the great city. By 12:30pm only one other person had showed up. After an hour, six men total poured their hearts out to God for mercy. Lanphier did not give up, however, and within a week he had sixteen; in three weeks, forty. They prayed for unsaved family members and friends. By October 18, there were consistently about one hundred people per day joining him to pray for God to bring revival…

The economy went through a crash in late October, and 30,000 New Yorkers lost their jobs. By November, the church was so crowded with men who came to pray every Wednesday at noon that they had to use every floor of the church…

A New York Times editorial of March 20, 1858 recorded that:

“In this City, we have beheld a sight which not the most enthusiastic fanatic for church-observances could ever have hoped to look upon; we have seen in a business-quarter of the City in the busiest hours, assemblies of merchants, clerks and working-men, to the number of 5,000 gathered day after day for a simple and solemn worship…”

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John Calvin Lanphier

Lanphier was described as a “tall man with a pleasant face and an affectionate manner” and “endowed with much tact and common sense.” He had sat under the preaching and guidance of Virginian J.W. Alexander, son of Archibald Alexander and pastor of 19th St. Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. His preaching had emphasized the Holy Spirit’s work in salvation and the importance of prayer.

A request for prayer at the Fulton Street prayer meeting

The Panic of 1857 (as portrayed by James H. Cafferty and Charles G. Rosenberg)

The North Dutch Church, NYC

New York City in 1840, much like Lanphier would have known it

[daniel1212]

Quite a find of an article! Thanks. Times Square church under David Wilkerson and Brooklyn Tabernacle under Jim Cymbala made be seen as modern examples of living evangelical faith in NYC.

In Boston, a series of prayer meetings were held about 25 years ago, hoping to see the fruit such as Lanphier did, but it seems relative few responded.

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You’re welcome! Yes go Boston!