2020 marks 210th anniversary of birth of ‘King of Revivalist Preachers’
James Caughey (1810–1891) was a Methodist minister and evangelist. He was the first professional evangelist to have revivals in Canada. He also had successful ones in Britain.
This year marks the 210th year of his birth.
‘Will of God’
He was born on April 9, 1810, in Ireland to Scottish parents. His family immigrated to Troy, New York, in the early 1820s.
He was converted at a revival in Troy in 1830. In two years, he became a probationary preacher with the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1834, he pastored in Burlington, Vermont. The next year he had his first campaign in Canada — a three-month evangelistic trip to Montreal.
He received a message from God in 1839 about where he should travel. He recorded it later: “The will of God is, that thou should visit Europe … Visit Canada first; when this is done, sail for Europe.”
He went to Canada in January 1841. In the five months he was there, 500 conversions took place. In July, he sailed to Britain. After preaching in Ireland several months, he traveled to northern England to share the gospel. He had much success from 1841 to 1847, with 20,000 people professing faith in Christ.
He became known as the “King of Revivalist Preachers.” William Booth, an Englishman who founded the Salvation Army, heard Caughey speak and learned much from the evangelist about preaching.
Caughey returned to Vermont. He visited Toronto in November 1851 and stayed for eight months where he preached seven sermons a week.
Around 2,000 conversions took place.
Until 1856 he spent each winter in Canada preaching.
In 1857, he returned to England for two years. He went again in 1860 and in the mid-1860s. Many conversions took place once again.
After his health declined, he returned to Highland Park, New Jersey. In 1886, his old friend William Booth visited him.
He died on Jan. 30, 1891. He was buried in Elmwood Cemetery in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Caughey was a great revivalist who is unknown to many people — perhaps because he was overshadowed by Charles Finney and D.L. Moody.
Caughey had a sharp mind and a great wit.
His preaching was simple and traditional but filled with insights and persuasive applications to his listeners. He employed the “altar call” to bring people to a decision for Christ.
‘On his knees’
One friend who witnessed Caughey’s close relationship with Christ said, “He spent many hours of each day on his knees with his Bible spread open before him, asking wisdom from on high.”
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