Charles Finney
November 19, 1845
Dear Brethren:
A condition which is working an immense evil is the growing sectarianism of the church. Many churches are becoming divided amongst themselves, and seem to be very much given up to the spirit of schism and sectarianism. Now this is certainly a great evil; and unless a counteracting influence can be brought to bear on the churches; unless ministers cease from the sectarian spirit; cease from these janglings and strife of words; cease from creating prejudices; cease from heresy-hunting; and give themselves up directly to promoting brotherly love, harmony in the church, the conversion of sinners and the sanctification of the saints, it is certain that revivals can not exist and go forward in purity and power.
What is peculiarly afflicting in view of this state of things is, that ministers and many Christians have become so thoroughly sectarian and are so thoroughly and deeply imbued with the spirit of sectarianism, as to be wholly unconscious that they are sectarian. They seem to suppose that it is a pure love of the truth; that they are only contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, that they are really and only jealous for the honor of God and the purity of the church. They have exalted their peculiar views in their own estimation, into fundamental doctrines, and contend for them with as much pertinacity and vehemence as if all must be reprobates who do not embrace them.
Now it is remarkable that so far as my knowledge extends, all the seasons of great revivals with which the church has been blessed, have been broken up and the revival influence set aside by sectarian jangling, to preserve what they call the purity of the church and the faith once delivered to the saints. I believe it to be a truth, that ministers, as a class, have always been responsible for the decline of revivals; that their own sectarianism, ambition and prejudice have led them to preach and contend until the churches, at first pained and even shocked with this tendency of things, have come to adopt their views, imbibe their spirit, and get entirely away from God.
My beloved brethren, who does not know that a vast many ministers are too much under the influence of prejudice to have communion and power with God? Who does not know that they are not sufficiently honest, uncommitted, upright, wholehearted lovers of truth to be thoroughly open to conviction on every subject, willing to examine patiently, and judge charitably on every question on which they are to have or give an opinion?
Now these ministers and Christians can not pray. God will not hear them; they do not prevail with God and everybody sees that they do not.
I beseech you to consider, have you not found that this is bringing leanness into your own soul, that you are less spiritually minded, have less communion with God, less heart to preach the gospel, less unction in preaching as you come under more and more of a sectarian spirit?
My beloved brethren, will you, ministers as well as laymen, candidly settle this question by laying open your heart at the throne of grace before the Lord?
Editor's Note: This open letter appeared in the "Oberlin Evangelist" in a series of letters by Charles G. Finney on the hindrances to revival in the year of 1845.