This book was of interest to me because of the link between persons and events in my home town of Westernville, NY to the abolitionist movement in central New York in the 1820's and 1830's. When researching the history of the local Presbyterian church I encountered two notable figures whose influence had a great deal to do with the rise of rabid anti-slavery sentiment extant in the area. Rev. George Washington Gale ministered in the local church. Gale was friends (actually a mentor) with Rev. Charles Grandison Finney, the noted evangelist whose revivalism sparked the Second Great Awakening throughout the region identified as the "burned-over district", the swath from the eastern Mohawk Valley to western New York. Finney began his campaign here and he mentions his work in the town of Western in his memoirs. The author posits that, while not directly connected with the abolitionists, Finney's message of "perfectionism" against sinfulness had profound influence on the fervent religious beliefs underlying the passion of abolitionists. Gale's theology did not closely align with Finney's, but he was prominent among those who opposed slavery on moral grounds. Gale was a founder of the Oneida Institute, an educational academy in nearby Whitesboro. The Oneida Institute was religion-based noted for its involvement in the "manual labor" movement where students performed labor to support the institute. The institute was a pioneer in admitting blacks along with whites and was a training ground for young me who wanted to follow in Finney's footsteps. Gale handed off leadership of the institute to Beriah Green, a radical "immediatist" who advocated for the belief and message of "moral suasion" that held that the immediate and unconditional abolition of slavery was the only moral course to be followed. Green became prominent in the evolution of abolitionism, including as a founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society and, later, the Liberty Party that put forth candidates for political office on an abolitionist platform. Green was close to the noted Gerrit Smith of Peterboro, NY, the wealthy backer of abolitionism throughout the era. Smith ran for president on the Liberty Party ticket and later was closely associated with John Brown's plans for Harper's Ferry.

Gale left the area in 1834 to relocate to Illinois where he became a founder of Knox College and the town of Galesburg. Finney, after his itinerant days concluded, was a founder of Oberlin College in Ohio. ( )