I have not read his autobiography. I have gone through most of his Systematic. It was deplorable. No doubt his bio is fascinating reading --but quite troubling to many of us. His ilfe is not one worthy of emulation. He thought he knew better than those in the Faith senior to him. I am sure his treatment of Pastor Gale is not objective. And neither would his account of Nettleton who tried to reason with him.
Rippon are you a calvinist?
Because that would explain much your views of Finney.
Charles Finney ran into many occasions where people had been taught what he called "Old School Theology" , which was basically Calvinism, he had run into many people who had been taught to pray for God to give them a new heart and wait for God to give them repentance, People were going through religious rituals and prayers basically and hoping God would convert them, Finney was big on pointing the people to repent and claim salvation by faith by depending on Christ blood. Many people would have been left with a faulty view of salvation if not for Finney. Finney dealt with the destructive effects of Calvinistic sotierology.