This week in Christian history: Salvation Army co-founder dies, Jonathan Edwards born

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, October 03, 2021

Jonathan Edwards born – Oct. 5, 1703

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), notable American preacher of the 'First Great Awakening.' — Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), notable American preacher of the "First Great Awakening." | Public Domain

This week marks the anniversary of when Jonathan Edwards, a prominent Puritan preacher and former president of Princeton University, was born in East Windsor, Connecticut.

Noted as one of the leaders of the revival event known as the First Great Awakening, Edwards is most known in the modern day for his famous hellfire and brimstone sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” originally preached in 1741.

"There is no Want of Power in God to cast wicked Men into Hell at any Moment. Men's Hands can't be strong when God rises up: The strongest have no Power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his Hand," Edwards declared.

"He is not only able to cast wicked Men into Hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly Prince meets with a great deal of Difficulty to subdue a Rebel, that has found Means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the Numbers of his Followers. But it is not so with God. There is no Fortress that is any Defense from the Power of God."