"AMERICA AWAKENS: Before Azusa Street 1858-1906" chronicles a period of intense spiritual revival and burgeoning Pentecostal experiences in the United States during the decades leading up to the famous Azusa Street Revival. The book posits that significant Holy Spirit movements were already stirring the nation, beginning with the widespread, prayer-driven Revival of 1858, which arose organically across the country in response to moral decline and economic hardship.

Through accounts of influential figures like Charles G. Finney, the narrative emphasizes the critical role of deep, persistent prayer in fueling revival fires and transforming communities. It details Finney's own powerful "Baptism of the Holy Ghost" experience and the tangible sense of God's presence that marked his meetings in places like Rome, Utica, and Rochester.

The book traces the development of distinctly Pentecostal beliefs and practices, focusing on Charles Parham's ministry and the pivotal events at his Topeka Bible School in 1901, where students concluded that speaking in tongues was the biblical evidence of the Holy Ghost Baptism – an experience subsequently sought and received by many.

Vivid personal testimonies from individuals like John Fleming (recounting his dramatic conversion, sanctification, and clashes with formal religion) and Howard A. Goss (detailing his call to ministry, experiences in the early Apostolic Faith movement in Texas, hardships faced, and his own dramatic reception of the Holy Ghost with speaking in tongues) illustrate the experiential nature of this awakening.

Ultimately, "AMERICA AWAKENS" argues that the period between 1858 and 1906 was a vital preparatory phase, characterized by fervent prayer, supernatural encounters, divine healing, and the restoration of apostolic experiences, which laid the essential groundwork for the global Pentecostal movement that would later explode from Azusa Street.