Jeremiah Lanphier

Jeremiah Calvin Lanphier (1809-1898) was an American lay missionary in New York City. He is popularly regarded as having been instrumental in instigating the American religious revival of 1857-8.

Jeremiah was born in Coxsackie, New York. His parents had emigrated from Holland.
Aged 16 he was an apprenticed tailor in Albany. He later studied music under George Andrews. Together they became partners as cloth merchants in Lower Manhattan. Unfortunately they went bankrupt in 1842.

While working as a cloth merchant he joined the choir at Broadway Tabernacle and became an evangelical Christian. He joined two other choirs, one being Pearl Street Church and took an active interest in the work of the church.

When Pearl Street Church closed in 1853 he joined Duane Street Presbyterian Church, pastored by James Waddel Alexander.

A member of the diocese of the nearby North Dutch Church offered him the position of lay missionary. He closed his business and began to work for the church on 1st July 1857.

Although he was theologically trained he was a remarkable candidate for such a ministry. ( See characterization in ‘Entering the ministry’)

As a lay missionary he distributed tracts, visited local businesses, invited children to Sunday school and invited guests staying in hotels to attend church.

He felt time spent in prayer brought him the most peace and resolve.

He decided to start a weekly noon prayer meeting for businesses when they closed for lunch. He handed out handbills to draw attention to the meetings. On Wednesday, 23rd September 1857 he set up a signboard in front of the church.

No one came to the appointed room. He prayed for 30 minutes alone. At 12.30 another man joined him. 4 more joined before 1 o’clock.
Week 2 - 20 men Week 3 - 40 men
By October they met daily. By January 1858 they needed a second room
By February they needed a third room with 20 noon meetings elsewhere.
Mid March, Burton’s Theatre - capacity 3000 -was crowded
End of March -New York church and public hall filled 10,000 met daily for prayer

EXPEDIENTIALLY it EXPLODED. It was Pentecost all over again. The Holy Spirit was at work among the men of New York.

The media were quick to spread the Good News.

J. Edwin Orr, a student of the revival, estimated 1,000,000 were converted between 1858-9.

Jeremiah’s prayers was answered.

It was estimated that he preside over 11,000 prayer meetings at which 500,000 attended over 36 years. 56,000 prayers offered and 225,000 written prayers were submitted.

Throughout the revival and for years afterwards he continued to hold his daily prayer meeting in Lower Manhattan. * The New York Times on his retirement, due to age and declining vision, in 1893, wrote success did not elate him, nor was he discouraged by indifference.

Jeremiah died on 26th December 1898, aged 89.