Jonathan Edwards was a man who could petrify any 18th century Puritan. He was born in East Windsor, Connecticut and raised in a family with strict religious beliefs. In 1727, he began his preaching career as an assistant to his grandfather, Solomon Stoddard, pastor of the church in Northampton, Massachusetts. When his grandfather died two years later, Edwards became pastor of the Northampton Church and began preaching throughout New England. He then established himself as one of the leaders of the Great Awakening with his determination to return to the orthodoxy of the Puritan faith. It was at this point that he adopted his “fire and brimstone” emotional sermon style. Although people often ran out of the church in hysterics, most remained in the church captivated by his speeches. He had always deliberately chosen to address his congregation with a sermon, using all the elements of an oratory. In Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards displays all the elements of a speech by appealing to the emotions, including expressive and rhythmic language, addressing the needs and concerns of his audience, and inspiring others to act. Jonathan Edwards used three key emotions to please his audience: fear, pity and guilt. He created fear by showing sinners their future if they continued to sin. The Puritans believed avidly in the afterlife, and when Edwards explains a terrible “long forever, a limitless span before you, which will swallow up your thoughts and astonish your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any relief, any rest…” this exploits the Puritans' worst fears of a dark afterlife. (Edwards 105). He also gave the "ripple effect" to the Puritans, individually... middle of paper ......fuck again by saying "how horrible it is to be left behind" while all the other Puritans feast and sing for joy with God, the sinner burns in hell. (104). He inspires his audience to want to change their habits and gain salvation. By appealing to emotions, inspiring others to action, responding to the needs and concerns of his audience, and including expressive, rhythmic language, Edwards displays all the elements of oratory. Because of these techniques, Edwards's emotional sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, remains his most famous work. This sparked curiosity about religion and contributed greatly to the Great Awakening movement. Although oratory is no longer as popular as it once was, traces of it can still be heard in courtrooms and churches. Oratory will always play an important role in America's history and future.