,transcriber's note3 ,text enclosed by underscores is in italics 7italics74 ,small capital text has been replaced with all capitals4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 titlepage ,illustration3 ,george ,whitefield4 7handwritten signature7 ,,george ,,whitefield3 ,a ,,biography1 ,,with ,,special ,,reference ,,to ,,his ,,labors ,,in ,,america4 ,,compiled ,,by ,,joseph ,,belcher1 ,d4 ,d41 ,,author ,,of ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,rev4 ,,dr4 ,,carey1 ,,missionary ,,to ,,india1 ,,etc41 ,,etc4 ,,published ,,by ,,the ,,american ,,tract ,,society1 #aej ,,nassau-,,street1 ,,new ,,york4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,moral ,,state ,,of ,,great ,,britain ,,in ,,the ,,early ,,part ,,of ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century--,,whitefield1 ,,from ,,his ,,birth ,,to ,,his ,,first ,,sermon4 #agad-agcf4 ,low state of religion in ,great ,britain and its dependencies when ,whitefield appeared--,his birth in ,gloucester--,hooper-- ,raikes--,whitefield's early life--,his entrance at the university of ,oxford--,becomes connected with the ,wesleys and other ,methodists--,illness and mental trials--,relief-- ,preparation for the ministry--,return to ,gloucester-- ,ordination--,first sermon #ac ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,whitefield',s ,,success ,,as ,a ,,preacher ,,in ,,england--,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,america4 #agcf-agch4 ,whitefield's return to ,oxford--,usefulness there--,visits ,london--,great popularity--,georgia--,his anxiety as to duty-- ,invited to ,georgia by the ,wesleys--,preparation and departure--,preaching and excitement at ,deal--,labors and success on board--,arrival and labors at ,gibraltar-- ,interesting incidents on the voyage--,sickness and recovery-- ,his reception at ,savannah--,visit to an ,indian king--,origin of the ,orphan asylum--,visit to ,frederica--,return to ,savannah--,visit to ,charleston--,treatment by ,garden-- ,embarkation for ,europe--,stormy voyage--,arrival in ,limerick-- ,journey to ,london--,meeting with the trustees of ,georgia-- ,ordination as priest--,return to ,london--,first extempore prayer--,first idea of open-air preaching #dj ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,open-,,air ,,preaching ,,in ,,england ,,and ,,wales--,,erection ,,of ,,the ,,tabernacle ,,in ,,london4 #agch1 #agci4 ,whitefield's visit to ,bristol--,new opposition--,interviews with the chancellor of the diocese--,preaching at ,kingswood-- ,large congregations--,preaching at ,bristol--,labors in ,wales with ,howel ,harris--,gloucester--,old ,mr4 ,cole--,return to ,london--,conflict with ,bishop ,warburton and others-- ,moorfields--,kennington ,common--,blackheath--,anecdotes-- ,erection of the ,tabernacle--,new ,tabernacle--,certificate-- ,visit to ,norwich--,conversion of ,robert ,robinson--,preaching at the ,west ,end of ,london--,liberality of ,whitefield's congregations--,attendance of the nobility on ,whitefield's ministry--,architecture of ,tabernacle and ,tottenham ,court road chapel #ga ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,whitefield',s ,,second ,,visit ,,to ,,america4 #agci1 #agdj4 ,joseph ,periam's release by ,whitefield from ,bedlam-- ,whitefield's arrival at ,philadelphia--,preaches to vast crowds in the open air--,testimony of ,dr4 ,franklin and others--,account of the ,log ,college--,william ,tennent1 ,sen4-- ,whitefield's own account of his preaching at ,philadelphia-- ,subsequent discovery of the conversion of ,dr4 ,rodgers-- ,whitefield's first visit to ,new ,york--,description of him by one of his hearers--,sermons in ,new ,jersey--,old ,tennent church--,places of preaching at ,new ,york--,address to sailors-- ,letter to ,pemberton--,interview with ,gilbert ,tennent--,some of ,whitefield's sermons printed--,departure from ,philadelphia-- ,sermons on his journey to ,savannah--,arrival and reception at ,charleston--,departure for ,savannah--,dangers of the way--,state of things in ,georgia--,whitefield revisits ,charleston-- ,controversy with ,commissary ,garden--,lays the foundation-stone of the ,orphan house--,sermon by ,smith on the character of ,whitefield #ig ,,chapter ,v4 ,,continuation ,,of ,,his ,,second ,,visit ,,to ,,america4 #agdj4 ,feebleness of ,whitefield's health--,again visits ,charleston1 ,philadelphia1 etc4--,extent of his former success--,extracts from ,seward's journal--,extracts from newspapers--,whitefield's letter to ,england--,his correspondence on marriage--,birth and death of his son--,his funeral sermon for his wife--,franklin and others on ,whitefield's eloquence--,anecdote--,extract from the ,new ,england ,weekly ,journal--,return to ,savannah--,manner of his reception--,activity at ,savannah--,again visits ,charleston-- ,cited into the ,commissary's court--,various examinations-- ,whitefield's appeal to the ,court of ,chancery--,interview with the ,commissary--,usefulness at ,charleston--,sails for ,new ,england #abi ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,whitefield',s ,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,new ,,england4 ,,september ,,to ,,november1 #agdj4 ,state of religion in ,new ,england--,testimony of ,prince--,dr4 ,i4 ,mather--,dr4 ,jonathan ,edwards' success--,prevalence of prayer--,whitefield's arrival and labors at ,newport--,interview with ,clap--,honeyman--,letter from ,barber--,journey to ,boston-- ,interview with the ,commissary and the clergy--,preaches at ,brattle-street1 ,old ,south church1 ,new ,north1 ,common1 ,roxbury1 ,old ,north1 ,cambridge1 ,first church--,interview with ,governor ,belcher--,roxbury--,hollis-street--,old ,south church-- ,brattle-street--,marblehead--,salem--,i pswich--,newbury--,hampton-- ,portsmouth--,york--,return to ,boston--,frequent preaching-- ,invitation to children--,interesting conversation with a child--,anecdote of juvenile usefulness--,remarks on an unconverted ministry--,whitefield's character of ,boston-- ,preaches at ,concord1 ,sudbury1 ,marlborough1 ,worcester1 ,leicester1 ,brookfield1 ,cold ,spring1 ,hadley1 ,northampton-- ,revival there--,whitefield's opinion of ,mr4 ,edwards and family--,important interview--,preaching at ,east ,windsor1 ,westfield1 ,springfield1 ,suffield--,opinion of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,edwards1 ,sen4--,relinquishment of appointments to preach-- ,visit to ,new ,haven--,interview with ,principal ,clap--,departure from ,new ,england--,whitefield's character of it--,conversion of ,mr4 ,emerson--,prince's account of ,whitefield's visit--,dr4 ,baron ,stow on its results--,anecdote1 #adh ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,labors ,,in ,,new ,,york ,,and ,,the ,,middle ,,and ,,southern ,,states4 #agdj1 #agda4 ,whitefield's arrival and labors at ,new ,york1 ,staten ,island1 and ,newark--,mr4 ,burr--,meeting with ,gilbert ,tennent--,visit to ,baskinridge--,tennent's preaching in ,cross' barn--,whitefield preaches in the new house at ,philadelphia--,franklin's advice to ,gilbert ,tennent--,remarkable instances of conversion-- ,success in ,philadelphia--,apostrophe in a sermon--,visit to ,gloucester1 ,greenwich1 ,cohansey1 ,salem1 ,newcastle1 ,fagg's ,manor1 ,bohemia--,sails from ,reedy island to ,charleston-- ,arrival at ,bethesda--,remarkable escape from death-- ,prosecution at ,charleston--,preaching--,letters from ,boston-- ,departure for ,england--,separation from ,messrs4 ,wesley-- ,difficulties in ,london--,triumph--,howel ,harris #aif ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,first ,,and ,,second ,,visits ,,to ,,scotland--,,labors ,,in ,,england ,,and ,,wales4 #agda-agdd4 ,scheme of comprehension--,account of ,rev4 ,john ,cennick-- ,voyage to ,scotland--,letter to ,rodgers--,visit to ,erskine-- ,preaching in ,edinburgh--,labors at ,glasgow--,his sermons printed--,return to ,england--,letter from ,mc,culloch--,renewed glance at ,edinburgh--,public attention deeply riveted-- ,execution of a convict--,improvement of the event in a sermon--,conversion of a mimic--,a drunken sergeant--,miss ,hunter--,marquis of ,lothian--,conduct of ,rev4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie-- ,second visit to ,scotland--,cambuslang--,kilmarnock--,gl ance at subsequent visits--,orphan-house park1 ,edinburgh-- ,glasgow--,increasing reputation--,extracts from letters-- ,anecdotes--,visit to ,wales--,letters from ,america--,visit to ,gloucester1 ,strand1 ,tewkesbury--,encouraging news from ,america--,success in ,london--,awakening at the ,tabernacle-- ,visit to ,gloucester and its neighborhood--,south ,wales-- ,return to ,london--,bristol--,exeter--,mr4 ,saunders--,conversion of ,thomas ,olivers--,birmingham--,kidderminster--, health-- ,assizes at ,gloucester--,plymouth--,deliverance from assassination--,conversion of ,mr4 ,tanner--,visits to the poor--,anecdote--,embarkation for ,america #bbb ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,whitefield',s ,,second ,,visit ,,to ,,new ,,england4 #agdd1 #agde4 ,incidents of the voyage from ,england--,prayer heard--,general alarm--,whitefield's illness--,arrival at ,york--,threatening sickness--,rev4 ,mr4 ,moody--,preaching at ,york and ,portsmouth-- ,apparent danger of death--,departure for ,boston--,constant preaching there--,chelsea--,malden--,prince's account of his preaching and conduct--,objections made to his administration of the ,lord's supper--,changes in ,new ,england--,opposition to ,whitefield in ,connecticut1 ,new ,haven1 ,massachusetts1 ,harvard ,college--,large meeting in his favor at ,boston--,number of signatures to the testimony--,progress of revival-- ,proceedings of ,harvard ,college--,whitefield's defence-- ,subsequent act of the ,college--,expositions at ,boston1 ,ipswich1 ,portland1 ,exeter--,expedition against ,cape ,breton-- ,sherburne's request--,sermon to the soldiers--,refusal of chaplaincy--,conversion of a colored trumpeter--,of a noted scoffer--,anecdote of ,whitefield and ,dr4 ,hopkins #bed ,,chapter ,x4 ,,labors ,,in ,,the ,,middle ,,and ,,southern ,,states--,,the ,,bermudas4 #agde-agdh4 ,whitefield's preaching in ,new ,york1 ,new ,jersey1 ,philadelphia--,liberal offer declined--,usefulness of his printed sermons in ,virginia--,preaches at ,hanover--,isaac ,oliver--,visit to ,bethesda--,his account of the ,orphan-house-- ,his character as given by the ,new ,york ,post-boy--,public testimony as to ,whitefield's integrity--,preaching tour in ,maryland--,visit to ,charleston--,success of his preaching in ,maryland--,visits ,new ,york1 ,newport1 ,portsmouth1 ,boston-- ,return to ,philadelphia--,bohemia--,journey to ,north ,carolina-- ,embarkation for the ,bermudas--,his progress and labors-- ,honored by the governor and others--,usefulness among the negroes--,summary of his proceedings in the ,bermudas-- ,kindness of the people there--,voyage to ,england--,his labors on the voyage--,arrival at ,deal #bgg ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,labors ,,in ,,england ,,and ,,scotland--,,chaplain ,,to ,,lady ,,huntingdon4 #agdh1 #agdi4 ,triumphs and trials in ,london--,becomes chaplain to the ,countess of ,huntingdon--,complimented by the great-- ,bolingbroke and ,rev4 ,mr4 ,church--,rev4 ,james ,hervey--,honors conferred on ,whitefield--,falsehoods of ,horace ,walpole-- ,charged with vulgarism--,defence--,third visit to ,scotland-- ,return to ,london--,visit to the west of ,england--,conversions in ,gloucestershire--,tour in ,cornwall--,brilliant assemblies in ,london--,excursion to ,exeter and ,plymouth--,rev4 ,andrew ,kinsman--,return to ,london--,decline of health and visit to ,portsmouth and ,wales--,arrival of ,mrs4 ,whitefield from the ,bermudas--,visit to the north of ,england--,popularity there-- ,intensely interesting services--,rev4 ,w4 ,grimshawe--,solemn instances of mortality--,return to ,london for the winter-- ,usefulness #cja ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,labors ,,in ,,great ,,britain--,,fourth ,,visit ,,to ,,america--,,new ,,tabernacle ,,in ,,london1 ,,and ,,tabernacle ,,at ,,bristol4 #agej-aged4 ,efforts made by ,whitefield for ,bethesda--,his ardent love for ,america--,love to his mother--,his mourning for sin--,dr4 ,doddridge--,london ministers--,interview with ,doddridge and ,hervey--,earthquake in ,london--,bishop ,horne's sermon-- ,universal consternation--,preaching of ,whitefield at midnight in ,hyde park--,whitefield and his friends at ,court--,journey to ,bristol--,taunton--,rev4 ,r4 ,darracott--,preaching at ,rotherham1 ,bolton1 ,ulverston--,conversion of ,mr4 ,thorpe--,edinburgh and other places in ,scotland--,testimony of ,hume--,second visit to ,ireland--,opposition on ,oxmantown ,green--,usefulness in ,ireland--,rev4 ,john ,edwards--,fourth voyage to ,america-- ,interview with ,lady ,huntingdon--,moravians--,lady ,huntingdon's testimony--,letter to ,dr4 ,franklin--,itinerant labors-- ,revision of manuscripts--,erection of the new ,tabernacle-- ,again itinerates--,dedication of the ,tabernacle at ,bristol-- ,somersetshire--,condolence on ,mr4 ,wesley's sickness--,visit of ,messrs4 ,davies and ,tennent to ,england--,whitefield's fifth voyage to ,america #cbc ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,fifth ,,visit ,,to ,,america--,,renewed ,,labors ,,in ,,great ,,britain--,,tottenham ,,court-,,road ,,chapel4 #aged-agfc4 ,whitefield's arrival and proceedings in ,lisbon--,lands at ,beaufort1 ,s4 ,c4--,voyage to ,new ,york--,new ,jersey--,interview with ,william ,tennent--,accompanies ,president ,burr to ,new ,england--,popularity at ,boston--,correspondence with ,habersham--,portsmouth--,rhode ,island--,franklin's narrative of a drummer and ,whitefield--,powerful address in ,virginia-- ,pleasant interview at ,charleston--,embarks for ,england-- ,arrival at ,new ,haven--,his feelings on arriving in ,england-- ,labors at the ,tabernacle--,love for ,america--,journey to ,bristol1 ,gloucestershire1 ,norwich--,returns to ,london-- ,reproof from ,grimshawe--,serious illness--,earthquake at ,lisbon--,tottenham ,court-road ,chapel--,conversion of ,mr4 ,crane--,publication of ,a short ,address--,personal character of ,whitefield's preaching--,his servant--,shuter--,violent persecution--,interference of government--,journey to ,bristol--,lines on a chair--,journey to ,kent1 north of ,england1 ,scotland--,meeting at ,leeds--,interview with the new governor of ,georgia--,prosperity of ,tottenham ,court--,journey to ,scotland--,ireland--,returns to ,london--,ill health--,anecdote-- ,another visit to ,scotland--,death of friends--,debts of ,bethesda paid--,renewed visit to ,scotland--,visit to ,brighton--,foote's mimicry--,activity--,sails on his sixth voyage to ,america #cej ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,sixth ,,visit ,,and ,,labors ,,in ,,america--,,renewed ,,labors ,,in ,,great ,,britain4 #agfc-agfg4 ,improvement of ,whitefield's health--,friends in ,virginia-- ,proceedings in ,philadelphia--,new ,jersey--,a collegiate hearer--,new ,york--,letter from ,boston ,gazette--,opposition of ,seabury--,arrival and preaching at ,boston--,public thanks to him--,leaves ,boston--,new ,haven--,new ,york--,new ,jersey ,college--,philadelphia--,virginia--,sou th ,carolina--,bethesda-- ,proceedings of the government--,prosperity of the ,orphan- house--,thoughts of returning to ,england--,still detained in ,america--,sails for ,england--,arrival there--,dedicates a church at ,bath--,returns to ,london--,sickness--,interest in ,american affairs--,rev4 ,samson ,occum--,labors with ,mr4 ,whitaker in ,england--,success--,whitefield's journey to ,bristol--,success in ,london--,mr4 ,joss becomes his colleague-- ,rev4 ,rowland ,hill--,whitefield again visits ,bath and ,bristol--,mr4 ,fletcher's sermons in ,london--,preface to ,bunyan's works--,whitefield in ,wales and ,gloucestershire-- ,north of ,england--,disappointed in obtaining a charter for ,bethesda #cge ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,his ,,last ,,labors ,,in ,,great ,,britain--,,college ,,at ,,trevecca--,,earl ,,of ,,buchan--,,tunbridge ,,wells4 #agfg-agfi4 ,letter to ,keen--,whitefield preaches before the ,book ,society--,change in his style and manner of preaching-- ,expulsion of six students from ,oxford--,whitefield's letter to the ,vice-chancellor--,usefulness of the expelled young men--,letter to a gentleman at ,wisbeach--,to ,captain ,scott-- ,to ,hon4 and ,rev4 ,walter ,shirley--,death and funeral services of the ,earl of ,buchan--,whitefield's last visit to ,edinburgh--,death of ,mrs4 ,whitefield--,whitefield's own sickness--,dedication of the college at ,trevecca--,improvement of his health--,letter to ,mr4 ,shirley--,letter of ,dr4 ,franklin to ,whitefield--,whitefield's remarks on it--,dedication of church at ,tunbridge ,wells--,contemplated voyage to ,america-- ,his last sermon--,account of ,rev4 ,george ,burder--,messrs4 ,wilson--,embarkation of ,whitefield--,detained in the ,downs-- ,ordination and preaching at ,deal--,anecdote of ,dr4 ,gibbons-- ,clears the ,channel--,arrival at ,charleston #djj ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,seventh ,,visit ,,and ,,last ,,labors ,,in ,,america--,,death4 #agfi1 #aggj4 ,arrival at ,bethesda--,its prosperity--,honors paid him by the legislature--,letter at ,charleston--,plan of the proposed college--,visits ,philadelphia--,preaches at ,burlington1 ,new ,york1 ,albany--,attends an execution--,visit to ,sharon-- ,conversion of ,mr4 ,randall--,visit to ,boston--,letters to ,messrs4 ,wright and ,keen--,letter in ,pennsylvania ,journal-- ,arrival at ,exeter--,anecdote--,vast congregation--,delivers his last sermon--,account of it--,his solemnly interesting appearance--,rodgers' ,journal--,journey of ,whitefield to ,newburyport--,alarming illness--,death--,his remarks to ,dr4 ,finley--,arrangements for the funeral--,its solemn services-- ,cenotaph #dbc ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,testimonies ,,and ,,facts ,,illustrative ,,of ,,whitefield',s ,,character4 ,funeral sermon by ,dr4 ,cooper--,respect shown to his memory in ,georgia--,whitefield county--,sermon by ,rev4 ,mr4 ,ellington-- ,arrival of the news in ,london--,sermon by ,rev4 ,j4 ,wesley-- ,rev4 ,john ,newton--,anecdote--,reply of ,bacon the sculptor-- ,visits to his tomb--,old man in ,ipswich--,whitefield's indifference to his reputation and ease--,institution at ,georgia--,laborious life--,extraordinary voice--,use of common facts--,anecdotes--,his solemnity of manner--,testimony of an ,american preacher--,of ,winter--,anecdotes--,sermons in storms-- ,appearance in the pulpit--,character of his printed sermons-- ,his devotional spirit--,visiting the sick--,intercourse with society--,neatness #dde ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,character ,,of ,,whitefield ,,as ,a ,,preacher--,,centennial ,,commemorations4 ,prominence given by him to the truths of salvation--,his ardent glow of feeling--,his direct address--,his habitual dependence on the ,spirit of ,god--,dealt with men as immortal beings--,dr4 ,hamilton's estimate of ,whitefield--,comparison of ,whitefield and ,wesley--,centennial commemorations--,hymns by ,mr4 ,conder--,usefulness--,bristol ,tabernacle--,mr4 ,james' sermon--,character of ,whitefield's ministry1 by ,mr4 ,glanville #dgi ,,preface4 ,the excellent ,matthew ,henry has very truly said1 ,there are remains of great and good men1 which1 like ,elijah's mantle1 ought to be gathered up and preserved by the survivors--their sayings1 their writings1 their examples2 that as their works follow them in the reward of them1 they may stay behind in the benefit of them4 ,influenced by this and kindred sentiments1 the compiler of this volume has devoted no small labor to gather from every source to which he could gain access1 whatever appeared to him important to be known respecting the most distinguished uninspired preacher perhaps of any age or country4 ,whatever may be the faults of the work1 to use the language of the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,campbell1 one of the present pastors of ,whitefield's churches in ,london1 in reference to a short sketch he had himself prepared of our great evangelist1 ,it will serve to bring him and his apostolic labors before the minds of vast multitudes of the rising generation1 to whom both are all but unknown2 and this is far from unimportant4 ,whatever tends to fix the minds of men afresh upon the character of ,,whitefield is1 and it always will be1 something gained to the cause of true religion4 ,the contemplation of that character is one of the most healthful exercises that can occupy a ,christian heart1 or a ,christian understanding4 ,it is an admirable theme for ministerial meditation4 ,it tends equally to humble1 to instruct1 and to encourage2 to excite love to ,christ1 zeal for his glory1 and compassion for the souls of men4 ,what ,alexander and ,csar1 ,charles ,,xii4 of ,sweden and ,napoleon the first1 are to those of the sons of men who have not yet ceased to 'learn war1' that ,whitefield and ,wesley are to those who aspire to eminent usefulness as ministers and missionaries of the cross4 ,in the preparation of this memoir1 the compiler has sought to collect together incidents which might interest and instruct1 especially in connection with ,whitefield's labors in ,america2 to present him as much as possible in his own dress2 and to use the facts of his life to excite and cherish his own spirit1 so far as he had the spirit of ,christ4 ,facts reflecting on the reputation and feelings of others have been used only as the interests of truth seemed to demand4 ,it would have been easy to place on almost every page an array of authorities1 and to give here a long list of friends to whom the writer has been indebted for aid2 but the sole object of the volume is the honor of ,christ in the salvation of men1 and that this may be accomplished1 we pray that the blessing of ,heaven may rest upon it4 ,,philadelphia1 #aheg4 ,,george ,,whitefield4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,moral ,,state ,,of ,,great ,,britain ,,in ,,the ,,early ,,part ,,of ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century--,,whitefield ,,from ,,his ,,birth ,,to ,,his ,,first ,,sermon4 ,that we may have a clear and comprehensive view of the labors and success of ,george ,whitefield1 it is important that we consider the moral condition of ,great ,britain and its dependencies when the ,head of the church brought him on the field of action4 ,the latter part of the seventeenth and the beginning of the eighteenth centuries presented in that country a scene of moral darkness1 the more remarkable as it so soon succeeded the triumph of evangelical truth which distinguished the seventeenth century1 and which is perpetuated in a religious literature that will bless the world4 ,causes had long been at work which produced such insensibility and decline as to all that is good1 and such a bold and open activity in evil1 as it is hoped the grace of ,god may avert from his churches in all future time4 ,the doctrine of the divine right of kings to implicit obedience on the part of their subjects2 the principle of priestly control of the minds of men in religious matters2 and clerical influence1 sustained by kingly authority1 in favor of sports on the ,lord's day1 together with the evil examples of men high in rank and power1 had produced their natural results on the masses of the people1 and make it painful1 even at this distant period1 to survey the scene4 ,nor were these all the evils of that day4 ,the expulsion from their pulpits1 by the ,act of ,uniformity1 of two thousand of the most able and useful of the clergy in ,england1 had led to great ignorance and neglect of religion2 and though men like ,leighton and ,owen1 ,flavel and ,baxter1 with ,bunyan and a host of others1 had continued1 in spite of opposing laws1 to preach when they were not shut up in prison1 and to write their immortal practical works1 by the time of which we are speaking they had been called to their eternal reward1 leaving very few men of like spirit behind them4 ,thus infidelity1 profligacy1 and formalism almost universally prevailed4 ,the low state of religion in the established church at that time may be learned from the ,rev4 ,augustus ,m4 ,toplady1 himself one of its ministers1 who died in #aggh4 ,in a sermon yet extant he says1 ,i believe no denomination of professing ,christians1 the church of ,rome excepted1 were so generally void of the light and life of godliness1 so generally destitute of the doctrine and of the grace of the gospel1 as was the church of ,england1 considered as a body1 about fifty years ago4 ,at that period a converted minister in the establishment was as great a wonder as a comet2 but now1 blessed be ,god1 since that precious1 that great apostle of the ,english empire1 the late dear ,mr4 ,whitefield1 was raised up in the spirit and power of ,elias1 the word of ,god has run and been glorified2 many have believed and been added to the ,lord all over the three kingdoms2 and blessed be his name1 the great ,shepherd and ,bishop of souls continues still to issue his word1 and great is the company of preachers1 greater and greater every year4 ,if it be said that ,toplady1 as he belonged to a different school of theology from that which then generally prevailed1 could scarcely be expected to be impartial1 we ask leave to transcribe a few lines from ,bishop ,butler1 who within six months of ,whitefield's ordination wrote thus3 ,it is come1 ,i know not how1 to be taken for granted by many persons1 that ,christianity is not so much as a subject of inquiry2 but that it is now at length discovered to be fictitious4 ,and accordingly they treat it as if in the present age this were an agreed point among all people of discernment2 and nothing remained but to set it up as a principal subject of mirth and ridicule1 as it were by way of reprisals for its having so long interrupted the pleasures of the world4 ,bishop ,warburton1 who commenced his ministry a few years before ,whitefield1 and who cannot be charged with enthusiasm1 says1 ,i have lived to see that fatal crisis1 when religion hath lost its hold on the minds of the people4 ,many other witnesses might be brought to testify that error and worldly mindedness had made mournful havoc among the clergy1 and that spiritual religion had been almost buried in forms and ceremonies4 ,a recent writer has well described the state of religion in the established church at that time1 as only to be compared to a frozen or palsied carcass4 ,there1 says this ,episcopal clergyman1 were the time-honored formularies which the wisdom of the reformers had provided4 ,there were the services and lessons from ,scripture1 just in the same order as we have them now4 ,but as to preaching the gospel1 in the established church there was almost none4 ,the distinguishing doctrines of ,christianity--the atonement1 the work and office of ,christ and the ,spirit--were comparatively lost sight of4 ,the vast majority of sermons were miserable moral essays1 utterly devoid of any thing calculated to awaken1 convert1 save1 or sanctify souls4 ,southey1 a biographer of ,wesley1 who assuredly will not be accused of too strong a tendency to evangelical truth1 is compelled to say1 ,a laxity of opinions as well as morals obtained1 and infidelity1 a plague which had lately found its way into the country1 was becoming so prevalent1 that the vice-chancellor of the university at ,oxford1 in a programma1 exhorted the tutors to discharge their duties by double diligence1 and had forbidden the under-graduates to read such books as might tend to the weakening of their faith4 ,there were undoubtedly some learned and conscientious bishops at this era4 ,such men were ,secker and ,gibson1 ,lowth and ,horne1 ,butler1 and others4 ,but even the best of them seem sadly to have misunderstood the requirements of the day they lived in4 ,they spent their strength in writing apologies for ,christianity1 and contending against infidels4 ,they could not see that without the direct preaching of the essential doctrines of the gospel1 their labors must be sadly defective4 ,the man who dared to preach the doctrines of the ,bible1 and in harmony with the ,articles and ,homilies of his church1 was set down as an enthusiast or fanatic4 ,among those who had dissented from the established hierarchy1 and who were untrammelled by the impositions of secular authority1 the state of vital godliness was also unhappily very low4 ,the noble spirits of early non-conformity had passed from earth1 or crossed the ,atlantic to the frozen shores of ,new ,england1 and a race of men had sprung up1 some of whom retained the tenets of orthodoxy1 but had lost its power2 while others reposed on comfortable endowments1 and lulled themselves1 or were drawn by favorable breezes1 into the cold elements of ,arianism and ,socinianism4 ,as persons in the frozen regions are said to sleep longer and more soundly than others1 so did they2 and a more terrific blast of the trumpet of the gospel was required to rouse and awake them from their spiritual slumbers4 ,happily indeed for the world1 and for the church in it1 there were some exceptions4 ,watts and ,guyse and ,doddridge1 and their pious associates in different parts of the land1 were laborers together in ,god's husbandry1 and ceased not to cultivate it with affectionate faithfulness and care2 and wherever their labors extended1 the plants of grace grew and flourished4 ,darracott1 the star of the west1 threw his mild rays over the vales of ,somerset2 and in the north also a few faithful men were found4 ,nor have we even now said all that should be written as to the character of those times4 ,the highest personages in the land then openly lived in ways contrary to the law of ,god1 and no man rebuked them4 ,profligacy and irreligion were reputable and respectable4 ,judging from the description we have of men and manners in those days1 a gentleman might have been defined as a creature who got drunk1 gambled1 swore1 fought duels1 and violated the seventh commandment1 and for all this very few thought the worse of him4 ,those too were the days when the men whom even kings delighted to honor were such as ,bolingbroke1 ,chesterfield1 ,walpole1 and ,newcastle4 ,to be an infidel1 to obtain power by intrigue1 and to retain it by the grossest and most notorious bribery1 were considered no disqualifications even for the highest offices4 ,such men indeed were not only tolerated1 but praised4 ,in those days too1 ,hume1 an avowed infidel1 put forth his ,history1 and obtained a pension4 ,sterne and ,swift then wrote their talented1 but obscene books2 both of them were clergymen1 but the public saw little inconsistency in their conduct4 ,fielding and ,smollett were the popular authors1 and the literary taste of high and low was suited by ,roderick ,random1 ,peregrine ,pickle1 ,joseph ,andrews1 and ,tom ,jones4 ,these authors were ingenious heathen philosophers1 assuming the name of ,christians1 and forcibly paganizing ,christianity for the sake of pleasing the world4 ,turning to ,scotland1 we find that the bold proclamation of the discriminating truths of the gospel which characterize the preaching of ,knox1 ,welsh1 and others1 was being rapidly laid aside1 and cold formal addresses1 verging towards a kind of ,socinianism were becoming fashionable4 ,old ,mr4 ,hutchinson1 minister of ,kilellan1 in ,renfrewshire1 who saw but the beginning of this sad change1 used to say to ,wodrow the historian1 ,when ,i compare the times before the restoration with those since the revolution1 ,i must own that the young ministers preach accurately1 and methodically2 but there was far more of the power and efficacy of the ,spirit and of the grace of ,god went along with sermons in those days than now4 ,for my own part--all the glory be to ,god--,i seldom set my foot in a pulpit in those days1 but ,i had notice of the blessed effects of the word4 ,it is true1 that even then there were a few faithful witnesses for ,god in ,scotland1 such as the brothers ,erskine1 in the ,secession church2 but for the most part1 coldness1 barrenness1 and death prevailed4 ,the people knew not ,god1 and were strangers to the life-giving influence and power of the gospel4 ,the ,arianism of ,england had been carried to the north of ,ireland1 and finding a state of feeling suitable to its reception1 it took root and grew up1 so as to characterize a distinct section of the ,presbyterian church1 then and still distinguished by the name of the ,remonstrant ,synod4 ,the south and west of ,ireland were subjected to a blight not less withering1 though of a different kind1 and which continued much longer--continued1 to a great extent1 throughout the whole of the last century4 ,the clergy were usually sons of the gentry1 and accustomed to their sporting1 drinking1 and riotous habits4 ,they had no preparation for ministerial duties but a college degree2 and no education1 either literary or moral1 which had not been obtained among wild young men at the university4 ,according to the interest which they happened to have1 they passed at once from college to ministerial charges1 and again mixed in all the dissipations of the districts where these lay4 ,ignorant of the truth1 they and their congregations were satisfied with some short moral discourse4 ,many of the people were almost as ignorant of the ,scriptures and scripture truth as the inhabitants of ,hindostan4 ,the ,catholic priests meanwhile were at work among the people1 and they had many to help them4 ,the sick and the dying were watched2 their fears were wrought upon2 they were told of the power which the priests had1 of the influence possessed by the ,virgin1 and much about the old church2 and as soon as any seemed to give way1 on whatever point1 the priest was sent for1 who plied them anew1 and seldom failed in succeeding with the poor ignorant people4 ,they were now ready to receive absolution2 but he had farther conditions to propose4 ,the whole family must submit to be rebaptized1 or at least promise to attend mass--and this also was not unfrequently gained2 the ,protestant clergyman being all the while at a distance1 neither knowing nor much caring what was going on4 ,in this way great numbers of the lower and middle classes of the ,protestants went over to the church of ,rome4 ,throughout whole districts the ,protestant churches were almost emptied1 and many of those in rural districts were allowed to fall into ruins4 ,of ,wales it is not important at present to say much4 ,from the middle ages downwards1 great darkness and superstition had prevailed among its mountains4 ,it is true that in the days of ,james ,i41 a clergyman named ,wroth1 whose conversion to the truth had been remarkable1 had labored with eminent zeal and success1 but at the period of which we are now writing declension had succeeded4 ,within the establishment all was cold and dead2 nearly every minister was ignorant of the ,welsh language1 a fact which also applied to several successive bishops1 while the state of morals1 among even the leaders of the hierarchy1 was truly deplorable4 ,an old ,methodist simply but truly described the country at this period1 and of his correct narrative we will here give a free translation4 ,the land1 he tells us1 was dark indeed4 ,scarcely any of the lower ranks could read at all4 ,the morals of the country were very corrupt2 and in this respect there was no difference between high and low1 layman and clergyman4 ,gluttony1 drunkenness1 and licentiousness prevailed through the whole country4 ,nor were the operations of the church at all adapted to repress these evils4 ,from the pulpit the name of the ,redeemer was scarcely heard2 nor was much mention made of the natural sinfulness of man1 or of the influence of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,on ,sunday mornings1 the poor were more constant in their attendance at church than the gentry2 but the ,sunday evenings were spent by all in idle amusements4 ,every ,sabbath there was practised a kind of sport1 called in ,welsh ,achwaren-gamp1 in which all the young men of the neighborhood had a trial of strength1 and the people assembled from the surrounding country to witness their feats4 ,on a ,saturday night1 particularly in the summer1 the young men and women held what they called ,nosweithian cann1 or singing eves2 that is1 they met together and amused themselves by singing in turns to the harp1 till the dawn of the ,sabbath4 ,these things1 with the performance of rustic dramas1 would occupy sometimes the whole of the sacred day itself2 while a set of vagabonds1 called the ,bobl gerdded1 or walking people1 used to traverse the villages1 begging with impunity1 to the disgrace alike of the law and the country4 ,with all this social sprightliness1 the ,welsh were then a superstitious1 and even a gloomy people4 ,they still retained many habits apparently derived from paganism1 and not a few of the practices of popery4 ,their funerals1 like those of the ,irish1 were scenes of riot and drunkenness1 followed by prayers for the release of the deceased from the pains of purgatory4 ,such was the superstition of the people1 that when ,methodism was first introduced among them1 many of the peasantry expressed their horror of the new opinions by the truly ,popish gesture of crossing the forehead2 and when ,wesley first visited them1 he pronounced them as little versed in the principles of ,christianity as a ,creek or ,cherokee ,indian4 ,to this declaration he added the striking remark1 that1 notwithstanding their superstition and ignorance1 the people 'were ripe for the gospel1' and most enthusiastically anxious to avail themselves of every opportunity of instruction4 ,as an illustration of the truth of the remark we have just introduced from the discerning ,wesley1 we may mention an incident which occurred in #agcf4 ,at this period dissent itself was reduced so low in the country1 that there were only six dissenting houses of worship in all ,north ,wales4 ,one ,sunday1 ,mr4 ,lewis ,rees1 a dissenting minister from ,south ,wales1 and the father of ,dr4 ,rees1 the author of the celebrated ,cyclopedia which bears his name1 visited ,pwllheli1 a town on the promontory of ,slyn1 in ,caernarvonshire1 and one of the few places in which the ,independents still had a chapel4 ,after the service1 the congregation1 collecting around him1 complained very sorely that their numbers were rapidly diminishing1 that the few who yet remained were for the most part poor1 and that every thing connected with their cause looked gloomy4 ,to which the minister replied1 ,the dawn of religion is again breaking out in ,south ,wales1 referring them to the fact1 that already a distinguished man--,howel ,harris--had risen up1 going about instructing the people in the truths of the gospel4 ,such was the character of the times when ,god was raising up agents to revive and extend his cause4 ,we shall before long return to ,wales with lively interest4 ,such1 says the eloquent ,robert ,hall1 was the situation of things when ,whitefield and ,wesley made their appearance1 who1 whatever failings the severest criticism can discover in their character1 will be hailed by posterity as the second reformers of ,england4 ,nothing was farther from the views of these excellent men than to innovate on the established religion of their country2 their sole aim was to recall the people to the good old way1 and to imprint the doctrines of the ,articles and ,homilies on the spirits of men4 ,but this doctrine had been so long a dead letter1 and so completely obliterated from the mind by contrary instructions1 that the attempt to revive it met with all the opposition that innovation is sure to encounter1 in addition to what naturally results from the nature of the doctrine itself1 which has to contend with the whole force of human corruption4 ,the revival of the old1 appeared like the introduction of a new religion2 and the hostility it excited was less sanguinary1 but scarcely less virulent1 than that which signalized the first publication of ,christianity4 ,the gospel of ,christ1 or that system of truth which was laid at the foundation of the ,reformation1 has since made rapid advances1 and in every step of its progress has sustained the most furious assaults4 ,it ought here to be stated1 as illustrating the providence of ,god in preparing the ,british empire for the reception of the gospel1 that the revolution of #afhh introduced the spirit of toleration1 and in #agad1 the very year of ,whitefield's birth1 ,anne1 the last ,english sovereign of a persecuting spirit1 died1 and the throne was assumed by ,george ,i41 the first prince of the house of ,hanover4 ,the way of the ,lord was thus prepared for bright illustrations of his mercy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,rising from the beautiful valley of the ,severn1 and on the borders of that noble stream1 reposes in antique glory the affluent city of ,,gloucester1 with its regular streets1 and its majestic cathedral and other relics of bygone days4 ,in that city the traveller may examine three spots which will long be interesting to the student of ecclesiastical curiosities4 ,the first of these is the ancient church of ,mary de ,crypt1 where reposes the dust of ,robert ,raikes1 the founder of ,sunday-schools2 the second1 is the little stone which1 in a pensive-looking inclosure1 marks the site on which the truly noble-minded and ,protestant ,bishop ,hooper was burnt1 an early martyr of bloody ,mary's reign4 ,there wicked men stood around to light up the flames1 and to mock his sorrows2 but as we stand and look1 we exult in the subsequent triumphs of truth4 ,the third spot1 and the one to us at the present moment the most interesting1 is the ,bell inn or hotel1 yet standing1 though enlarged and beautified since the period of which we write4 ,there ,,whitefield--the saint1 the seraph1 the angel flying in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth--first breathed the vital air4 ,venerable city1 we will rejoice that though within thy walls one glorious luminary of salvation was extinguished1 another burning and shining light was raised up to diffuse joy and happiness over the two most influential quarters of the globe1 and a third has since been given to suggest the simple plan by which millions of the young have already acquired the knowledge of salvation4 ,,george ,,whitefield1 the sixth son of ,thomas and ,elizabeth ,whitefield1 was born ,december #af1 #agad1 old style4 ,concerning his father and mother he writes1 ,the former died when ,i was two years old2 the latter died in ,december1 #agea1 in the seventy-first year of her age1 and has often told me how she endured fourteen weeks' sickness after she brought me into the world2 but was used to say1 even when ,i was an infant1 that she expected more comfort from me than from any other of her children4 ,this1 with the circumstance of my being born in an inn1 has often been of service to me1 in exciting my endeavors to make good my mother's expectations1 and so follow the example of my dear ,saviour1 who was laid in a manger belonging to an inn4 ,in one of his journals1 which he commenced at a very early part of his ministry1 ,whitefield details with great simplicity many incidents of his childhood and youth2 from which it appears1 that though at times he had many serious thoughts and impressions1 the general course of his life1 till the age of sixteen1 was irreligious4 ,he tells us that in early youth he was so brutish as to hate instruction1 and used purposely to shun all opportunities of receiving it1 and that he spent much money1 improperly obtained from his mother1 in cards1 plays1 and romances1 which1 says he1 were my heart's delight4 ,often have ,i joined with others in playing roguish tricks2 but was generally1 if not always1 happily detected3 for this ,i have often since1 and do now bless and praise ,god4 ,his full confessions of this character are very affecting1 and should be a caution to young persons to repel all such temptations4 ,when ,george was about ten years of age1 his mother married a second time1 thus forming a connection which led to much unhappiness4 ,he was1 however1 continued at school2 and when twelve years old1 was transferred to the grammar-school of ,st4 ,mary de ,crypt1 where he remained about three years4 ,having a graceful elocution and a good memory1 he gained much credit for delivering speeches before the city corporation at the annual visitation of the school1 and received pecuniary rewards for his performances on those occasions4 ,how deeply he afterwards deplored these celebrations1 especially the performance of plays in connection with his school-fellows1 may be learned from his own words3 ,i cannot but observe here1 with much concern of mind1 how this way of training up youth has a natural tendency to debauch the mind1 to raise ill passions1 and to stuff the memory with things as contrary to the gospel of ,christ1 as darkness to light1 hell to heaven4 ,this sad tendency was but too clearly evinced in the case of ,whitefield himself4 ,i got acquainted1 he says1 with such a set of debauched1 abandoned1 atheistical youths1 that if ,god1 by his free1 unmerited1 and special grace1 had not delivered me out of their hands1 ,i should have sat in the scorner's chair1 and made a mock at sin4 ,by keeping company with them1 my thoughts of religion grew more and more like theirs4 ,i went to public service only to make sport1 and walk about4 ,i took pleasure in their lewd conversation4 ,i began to reason as they did1 and to ask why ,god had given me passions1 and not permitted me to gratify them4 ,in short1 ,i soon made great proficiency in the school of the devil4 ,i affected to look rakish1 and was in a fair way of being as infamous as the worst of them4 ,these were the things1 and not oratory1 as has sometimes been said1 which ,whitefield learned from plays and acting4 ,in the midst of all this1 his conscience often made him unhappy2 and he wished1 if possible1 to combine religion with his pleasures4 ,he purchased and carefully read ,ken's ,manual for ,winchester ,scholars1 a book which commended itself as having comforted his mother in her afflictions1 and which he afterwards considered to have been of great benefit to his soul4 ,at the age of fifteen1 he thought he had acquired learning enough for any ordinary occupation in life1 and as his mother's business was declining1 he persuaded her to allow him to leave school and assist in labor4 ,i began1 says he1 to assist her occasionally in the public-house1 till at length ,i put on my blue apron and my snuffers1 washed mops1 cleaned rooms1 and in one word1 became professed and common drawer for nearly a year and a half4 ,in the midst of the activity called for in such a situation1 it pleased ,god to renew his religious impressions1 which induced him1 at least at intervals1 to attend with much earnestness to the concerns of his soul4 ,from his childhood1 ,whitefield tells us1 he was always fond of being a clergyman1 and used frequently to imitate the ministers' reading prayers4 ,nor did this tendency towards clerical engagements cease as he became older4 ,notwithstanding1 he says1 ,i was thus employed in a large inn1 and had sometimes the care of the whole house upon my hands1 yet ,i composed two or three sermons1 and dedicated one of them to my elder brother4 ,one day1 ,i remember1 ,i was very much pressed to self-examination1 and found myself very unwilling to look into my heart4 ,frequently ,i read the ,bible when sitting up at night4 ,and a dear youth1 now with ,god1 would often entreat me1 when serving at the bar1 to go to ,oxford4 ,my general answer was1 ',i wish ,i could4' ,his mother's difficulties increasing1 it became necessary for her to leave the inn2 in which she was succeeded by one of her married sons1 with whom ,george for some time remained to continue his assistance in the business4 ,some disagreement1 however1 arising between them1 he after a time took his departure from the inn1 and went to spend a month with his eldest brother at ,bristol4 ,returning from that city to ,gloucester1 he resided for a short season with his mother4 ,while thus living unemployed1 without any definite object before him1 and waiting the openings of providence1 his mother was visited by an ,oxford student1 a servitor of ,pembroke college in that university4 ,in the course of their conversation1 he told her1 that after all his expenses at college for the quarter were discharged1 he had one penny remaining4 ,she immediately exclaimed1 ,this will do for my son6 and turning to him1 said1 ,will you go to ,oxford1 ,george8 ,he replied1 ,with all my heart4 ,application was immediately made to several friends who had influence at the college1 and they pledged themselves to serve her4 ,in this confidence1 her favorite son returned to the grammar-school1 where he not only resumed his studies with greater diligence1 but endeavored1 and not altogether in vain1 to promote religion and virtue among his associates4 ,having fully secured his literary preparation for the university1 ,whitefield removed to ,oxford in his eighteenth year1 and was immediately admitted1 as a servitor1 into ,pembroke college4 ,he soon found that the seat of learning was also a scene of danger4 ,from the period of #affb1 when the two thousand ,non-conformists had been expelled from the church1 the universities had been sinking into a moral lethargy1 preferring uniformity to vital religion4 ,our young servitor was shocked with the impiety of the students in general1 and dreading their influence on himself1 he as much as possible abstained from their society1 and shut himself up in his study4 ,before he went to ,oxford1 ,whitefield had heard of a class of young men in the university who lived by rule and method1 and were therefore called ,methodists4 ,they were much talked of1 and generally despised4 ,of this party1 ,john ,wesley1 a ,fellow of ,lincoln college1 and already in holy orders1 was the leader1 his brother ,charles being also as warmly attached to it4 ,they avowed that the great object of their lives was to save their souls1 and to live wholly to the glory of ,god2 and rarely have men subjected themselves to greater self-denials and austerities4 ,drawn towards them by kindred feelings1 ,whitefield strenuously defended them whenever he heard them reviled1 and when he saw them going1 through a crowd manifesting their ridicule1 every ,sunday to receive the sacrament at ,st4 ,mary's or ,christ church1 he was strongly inclined to follow their example4 ,for more than a year he intensely desired to be acquainted with them1 but a sense of his pecuniary inferiority to them prevented his advances4 ,at length1 learning that a pauper had attempted suicide1 ,whitefield sent a poor woman to inform ,charles ,wesley1 that so he might visit her1 and administer religious instruction4 ,he charged the woman not to tell ,mr4 ,wesley who sent her1 but1 contrary to this injunction1 she told his name2 and ,charles ,wesley1 who had frequently seen ,whitefield walking by himself1 on the next morning invited him to breakfast4 ,an introduction to the little brotherhood soon followed1 and he also1 like them1 began to live by rule1 and pick up the very fragments of his time1 that not a moment might be lost4 ,it is painful to read ,whitefield's own account of the mortifications of body to which he now submitted2 and we are not surprised that1 as the result1 his health was so reduced as to place even his life in danger4 ,all this time he had no clear view of the way of salvation1 and was seeking to work out a righteousness of his own4 ,in this state he lay on his bed1 his tongue parched with fever1 and the words of the dying ,saviour1 ,i thirst1 were impressed on his mind4 ,remembering that this thirst occurred near the end of the ,saviour's sufferings1 the thought arose in his mind1 ,why may it not be so with me8 ,why may ,i not now receive deliverance and comfort8 ,why may ,i not now dare to trust and rejoice in the pardoning mercy of ,god8 ,there was1 as ,tracy has said1 no reason why he might not--why he ought not4 ,he saw nothing to forbid him4 ,he prayed in hope1 borrowing language from the fact which suggested the train of thought--,i thirst1 ,i thirst for faith in pardoning love4 ,lord1 ,i believe2 help thou mine unbelief4 ,his prayer was heard4 ,he dared to trust in the mercy of ,god1 as revealed in the death of ,jesus ,christ for sinners4 ,conscience and his ,bible bore witness that he did right4 ,the load that had so heavily oppressed him1 the load of guilt and terror and anxiety1 that weighed down his spirit while he sinfully and ungratefully hesitated to trust in divine mercy1 was gone4 ,he saw the trustworthiness of the mercy of ,god in ,christ1 and his heart rejoiced4 ,though1 as ,tracy has well said1 the ,english universities were established mainly for the purpose of educating men for the ministry1 ,whitefield was not likely to gain a good knowledge of theology there4 ,he took another1 and a characteristic course4 ,some time after his conversion1 when he was at ,gloucester1 he says1 ',i began to read the holy ,scriptures upon my knees2 laying aside all other books1 and praying over1 if possible1 every line and word4 ,this proved meat indeed and drink indeed to my soul4 ,i daily received fresh life1 light1 and power from above4 ,i thus got more true knowledge in reading the book of ,god in one month1 than ,i could ever have acquired from all the writings of men4' ,every hour of ,whitefield's time1 especially after he had been filled with peace and joy in believing1 was sacredly devoted to preparation for the great work to which he had now solemnly devoted himself4 ,he visited the prisoners in the jail1 and the poor in their cottages1 and gave as much time as he could to communion with ,god in his closet4 ,his friends now earnestly importuned him to apply for ordination2 but from this his deep sense of unworthiness made him shrink4 ,besides1 he intended to have a hundred and fifty sermons carefully written before he began to preach4 ,he had as yet but one1 and he lent that to a neighboring clergyman1 to convince him that he was not yet fit to be ordained4 ,the clergyman kept it for two weeks1 divided it into two1 preached it to his own people1 and then returned it to ,whitefield1 with a guinea for the use of it4 ,still1 however1 the work of preparation for the ministry was rapidly going on4 ,the state of his health compelled him to retire for a season from ,oxford1 and he returned home to increase the depth of his piety1 and to be led1 little as he thought of it1 at once to the pulpit4 ,he writes1 ,o what sweet communion had ,i daily vouchsafed with ,god in prayer1 after my coming to ,gloucester4 ,how often have ,i been carried out beyond myself1 when meditating in the fields4 ,how assuredly ,i felt that ,christ dwelt in me1 and ,i in him2 and how daily did ,i walk in the comforts of the ,holy ,ghost1 and was edified and refreshed in the multitude of peace4 ,i always observed that as my inward strength increased1 so my outward sphere of action increased proportionably4 ,thus1 happy in himself1 and thankful to the gracious ,god who made him so1 the affectionate soul of ,george ,whitefield ardently desired that others might participate in his sacred joys4 ,in order to advance this object1 he mixed in the society of young people1 and endeavored to awaken them to a just sense of the nature of true religion4 ,some were convinced of the truth1 and united with him in religious exercises2 and these were some of the first-fruits of his pious labors4 ,his discovery of the necessity of regeneration1 like ,melancthon's great discovery of the truth1 led him to imagine that no one could resist the evidence which convinced his own mind4 ,he writes1 ,upon this1 like the woman of ,samaria1 when ,christ revealed himself to her at the well1 ,i had no rest in my soul till ,i wrote letters to my relations1 telling them there was such a thing as the new birth4 ,i imagined they would have gladly received it2 but1 alas1 my words seemed to them as idle tales4 ,they thought ,i was going beside myself4 ,he visited the jail every day1 and read and prayed with the prisoners2 attended public worship very frequently1 and read twice or three times a week to some poor people in the city4 ,in addition to all this1 he tells us1 ,during my stay here1 ,god enabled me to give a public testimony of my repentance as to seeing and acting plays2 for hearing the strollers had come to town1 and knowing what an egregious offender ,i had been1 ,i was stirred up to extract ,mr4 ,law's excellent treatise1 entitled1 ,the absolute ,unlawfulness of the ,stage ,entertainment4 ,the printer1 at my request1 put a little of it in the newspaper for six weeks successively2 and ,god was pleased to give it his blessing4 ,in this manner ,whitefield employed himself during nine months2 and one effect of so doing was1 that the partition wall of bigotry was soon broken down in his heart4 ,he says1 ,i loved all1 of whatever denomination1 who loved the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in sincerity4 ,this statement in his diary is connected with an account of the benefit he derived from studying the works of the ,non-conformists4 ,baxter's ,call1 and ,alleine's ,alarm1 so accorded with his own ideas of fidelity and unction1 that wherever he recognized their spirit he acknowledged a brother beloved4 ,on this portion of his history we dwell with unspeakable delight2 the only drawback is an undue importance he appears to have attached to dreams2 and even those1 considered as an index to his waking hours1 are interesting1 revealing as they do his deep solicitude on the behalf of souls4 ,here then1 before he had completed his twenty-first year1 we see ,whitefield returned to ,gloucester1 and such was already the fame of his piety and talents1 that ,dr4 ,benson1 the bishop of the diocese1 offered to dispense1 in his favor1 with the rule which forbids the ordination of deacons at so unripe an age4 ,thus graphically did he afterwards describe his acceptance of this proposal4 ,i never prayed against any corruption ,i had in my life so much as ,i did against going into holy orders so soon as my friends were for having me go4 ,bishop ,benson was pleased to honor me with peculiar friendship1 so as to offer me preferment1 or to do any thing for me4 ,my friends wanted me to mount the church betimes4 ,they wanted me to knock my head against the pulpit too young2 but how some young men stand up here and there and preach1 ,i do not know4 ,however it be to them1 ,god knows how deep a concern entering into the ministry and preaching was to me4 ,i prayed a thousand times1 till the sweat has dropped from my face like rain1 that ,god of his infinite mercy would not let me enter the church till he called me and thrust me forth in his work4 ,i remember once in ,gloucester--,i know the room2 ,i look up to the window when ,i am there and walk along the street--,i said1 ',lord1 ,i cannot go2 ,i shall be puffed up with pride1 and fall into the condemnation of the devil4 ,lord1 do not let me go yet4' ,i pleaded to be at ,oxford two or three years more4 ,i intended to make one hundred and fifty sermons1 and thought that ,i would set up with a good stock in trade4 ,i remember praying1 wrestling1 and striving with ,god4 ,i said1 ',i am undone1 ,i am unfit to preach in thy great name4 ,send me not4 ,lord1 send me not yet4' ,i wrote to all my friends in town and country to pray against the bishop's solicitation2 but they insisted ,i should go into orders before ,i was twenty-two4 ,after all their solicitations these words came into my mind3 ',nothing shall pluck you out of my hands2' they came warm to my heart4 ,then1 and not till then1 ,i said1 ',lord1 ,i will go2 send me when thou wilt4' ,sunday1 ,june #bj1 #agcf1 was the day appointed for his ordination in the cathedral at ,gloucester4 ,on the preceding evening he spent two hours in prayer for himself and the others who were to be set apart to the sacred office with him2 and on the day itself he rose early1 and passed the morning in prayer and meditation on the qualifications and duties of the office he was about to undertake4 ,on a review of the solemn services of the day1 he says1 ,i trust ,i answered every question from the bottom of my heart1 and heartily prayed that ,god might say1 ,amen4 ,and when the bishop laid his hands upon my head1 if my vile heart do not deceive me1 ,i offered my whole spirit1 soul1 and body to the service of ,god's sanctuary4 ,let come what will1 life or death1 depth or height1 ,i shall henceforward live like one who this day1 in the presence of men and angels1 took the holy sacrament1 on the profession of being inwardly moved by the ,holy ,ghost to take upon me that ministration in the church4 ,i call heaven and earth to witness1 that when the bishop laid his hands upon me1 ,i gave myself up to be a martyr for ,him who hung upon the cross for me4 ,known unto him are all future events and contingencies2 ,i have thrown myself blindfold1 and ,i trust without reserve1 into his almighty hands4 ,when ,i went up to the altar1 ,i could think of nothing but ,samuel's standing before the ,lord with a linen ephod4 ,having thus received ordination as a deacon of the church of ,england1 he delayed not to enter upon the work to which he was appointed2 and accordingly1 on the next ,sabbath he preached his first sermon in his native city of ,gloucester1 selecting for his subject1 ,the necessity and benefit of religious society4 ,at the appointed time he ascended the pulpit1 in the church of ,st4 ,mary de ,crypt4 ,we have his own record of the service3 ,last ,sunday1 in the afternoon1 ,i preached my first sermon in the church where ,i first received the ,lord's supper4 ,curiosity drew a large congregation together4 ,the sight1 at first1 a little awed me2 but ,i was comforted with a heartfelt sense of the divine presence1 and soon found the advantage of having been accustomed to public speaking when a boy at school1 and of exhorting and teaching the prisoners and the poor people at their private houses1 while at the university4 ,by these means ,i was kept from being daunted overmuch4 ,as ,i proceeded1 ,i perceived the fire kindled1 till at last1 though so young1 and amidst a crowd of those who knew me in my childish days1 ,i trust ,i was enabled to speak with some degree of gospel authority4 ,some few mocked1 but most1 for the present1 seemed struck2 and ,i have since heard that a complaint was made to the bishop1 that ,i drove fifteen people mad the first sermon4 ,the worthy prelate1 as ,i am informed1 wished that the madness might not be forgotten before the next ,sunday4 ,before then1 ,i hope that my sermon upon1 ',he that is in ,christ is a new creature1' will be completed4 ,blessed be ,god1 ,i now find freedom in writing4 ,glorious ,jesus1 ',unloose my stammering tongue to tell ,thy love immense1 unsearchable4' ,it is remarkable1 under all the circumstances of the case1 that ,bishop ,benson1 a man never distinguished for his evangelical views1 always showed his friendship for ,whitefield4 ,not only did he offer him ordination when others might have refused1 and defend him against the persecutions to which he was exposed1 but he more than once gave him pecuniary help when it was much needed1 though the young clergyman had never complained4 ,thus early apprized of the secret of his strength1 his profound aspirations for the growth of ,christianity1 the delight of exercising his rare powers1 and the popular admiration1 operating with combined and ceaseless force upon a mind impatient of repose1 urged him into exertions which1 if not attested by irrefragable proofs1 might appear incredible4 ,it was the statement of one who knew him well1 and who was incapable of wilful exaggeration1 and it is confirmed by his letters1 journals1 and a cloud of witnesses1 that in the compass of a single week1 and that for years1 he spoke in general forty hours1 and in very many sixty1 and that to thousands3 and after his labors1 instead of taking any rest1 he was engaged in offering up prayers and intercessions1 with hymns and spiritual songs1 as his manner was1 in every house to which he was invited4 ,never perhaps1 since the apostolic age1 has any man given himself so entirely to preaching the gospel of ,christ for the salvation of souls1 adopting as his motto the language of the apostle ,paul1 ,this one thing ,i do4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,whitefield',s ,,success ,,as ,a ,,preacher ,,in ,,england--,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,america4 #agcf-agch4 ,whitefield1 though thus prepared for action1 was not impatient1 but willing to wait till his duty was fully ascertained4 ,on the ,wednesday after his first sermon he went to ,oxford1 where1 he says1 ,i was received with great joy by my religious friends4 ,for about a week ,i continued in my servitor's habit1 and then took my degree of ,bachelor of ,arts1 after having been at the university three years and three quarters1 and going on towards the twenty-second year of my age4 ,my dear and honored friends1 the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,john and ,charles ,wesley1 being now embarked for ,georgia1 and one or two others having taken orders1 the interest of ,methodism1 as it was then and is now termed1 had visibly declined1 and very few of this reputedly mad way were left at the university4 ,this somewhat discouraged me at times1 but the ,lord ,jesus supported my soul1 and made me easy by giving me a strong conviction that ,i was where he would have me to be4 ,my degree1 ,i soon found1 was of service to me1 as it gave me access to those ,i could not be seen with when in an inferior station2 and as opportunity offered1 ,i was enabled to converse with them about the things which belonged to the kingdom of ,god4 ,the subscriptions for the poor prisoners1 which amounted to about forty pounds per annum1 were soon put into my hands2 two or three charity schools1 maintained by the ,methodists1 were under my more immediate inspection2 which1 with the time ,i spent in following my studies1 private retirement1 and religious converse1 sweetly filled up the whole of my day1 and kept me from that unaccountable but too common complaint of having any time hang upon my hands4 ,the stay of ,mr4 ,whitefield at ,oxford1 however1 was very short4 ,he says1 ,by a series of unforeseen1 unexpected1 and unsought-for providences1 ,i was called in a short time from my beloved retirement to take a journey to the metropolis of ,england4 ,while ,i was an under-graduate1 among the religious friends1 ,i was very intimate with one ,mr4 ,b----n1 a professed ,methodist1 who had lately taken orders1 and was curate at the ,tower of ,london4 ,with him1 when absent1 ,i frequently corresponded1 and when present took sweet counsel1 and walked to the house of ,god as friends4 ,he mentioned me to that late good and great man1 ,sir ,john ,phillips2 and being called down for a while into ,hampshire1 he wrote to me to be of good courage1 and in the strength of ,god bade me hasten to town to officiate in his absence1 and to be refreshed with the sight and conversation of many who loved me for ,christ's sake1 and had for a long time desired to see me4 ,on his arrival in ,london1 ,whitefield delivered his first sermon there in ,bishopsgate church1 on the afternoon of ,lord's day1 ,august #h4 ,on entering the pulpit1 his juvenile aspect excited a general feeling of his unfitness for the station1 but he had not proceeded far in his sermon before it gave place to universal expressions of wonder and pleasure4 ,if however he was thus exposed to the danger of vanity1 as he says1 ,god sent me something to ballast it4 ,for as ,i passed along the streets1 many came out of their shops1 admiring to see so young a person in a gown and cassock4 ,one ,i remember in particular1 cried out1 ',there's a boy parson2' which1 as it served to mortify my pride1 put me also upon turning that apostolical exhortation into prayer1 ',let no man despise thy youth4' ,from his first sermon to his departure1 at the end of two months1 his popularity in ,london continued to increase1 and the crowds were so vast that it was necessary to place constables both inside and outside of the churches to preserve the peace4 ,he tells us himself1 ,here ,i continued for the space of two months1 reading prayers twice a week1 catechizing and preaching once1 visiting the soldiers in the infirmary and barracks daily4 ,i also read prayers every evening at ,wapping chapel1 and preached at ,ludgate prison every ,tuesday4 ,god was pleased to give me favor in the eyes of the inhabitants of the ,tower2 the chapel was crowded on ,lord's days2 religious friends from divers parts of the town attended the word1 and several young men came on ,lord's-day morning1 under serious impressions1 to hear me discourse about the new birth1 and the necessity of renouncing all in affection in order to follow ,jesus ,christ4 ,the preaching of ,mr4 ,whitefield now excited an unusual degree of attention among persons of all ranks4 ,in many of the city churches he proclaimed the glad tidings of great joy to listening multitudes1 who were powerfully affected by the fire which was displayed in the animated addresses of this man of ,god4 ,lord and ,lady ,huntingdon constantly attended wherever he preached1 and ,lady ,anne ,frankland became one of the first-fruits of his ministry among the nobility of the metropolis4 ,her ladyship spent much of her time with ,lady ,huntingdon1 from whose society and conversation she derived great comfort4 ,she was a daughter of ,richard1 the first ,earl of ,scarborough2 was for many years lady of the bedchamber to the ,princess ,anne1 and to the ,princesses ,amelia and ,caroline2 and finally became the second wife of ,frederic ,frankland1 ,esq41 a member of ,parliament1 from whose cruelty she endured much4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we have already said1 that some time before this ,messrs4 ,john and ,charles ,wesley had embarked for ,georgia1 and to their names we might have added that of ,mr4 ,ingham1 also a member of the ,methodist fraternity at ,oxford4 ,georgia1 which was explored by ,sir ,walter ,raleigh in #aehd1 had been colonized by debtors from ,europe1 by multitudes who had fled from the grasp of persecution1 and by others who were interested in constructing a barrier against ,spanish aggression4 ,it originally had trustees in ,england1 concerned for its interests1 including sons of the nobility4 ,the chief agent in executing the benevolent designs in view was the truly excellent ,general ,oglethorpe1 who admirably carried out the motto he gave to his companions in the work1 ,non sibi sed aliis--,not for themselves1 but for others4 ,the children of poverty1 taken from the overgrown agricultural population1 already a tax upon parish bounty at home1 were to be transferred in large numbers to the silk and indigo plantations which were established on the savannahs and bottoms south and west of the river1 which thence derived its name from the peculiar conformation of the adjoining plains4 ,combined with these leading purposes1 it was a cherished principle with the early patrons of this colony1 that it should become the centre for the diffusion of the gospel among the natives2 while charitable foundations were also laid for the secular and religious education of all who would take advantage of such provisions4 ,the first ,christians who left ,europe to advance the spiritual interests of ,georgia were ,moravians1 and the next were the ,wesleys and ,ingham4 ,the records of the colony1 as quoted in ,white's ,historical ,collections of ,georgia1 show that1 ,sept4 #ad1 #agce1 ,charles ,wesley was appointed ,secretary for the ,indian affairs in ,georgia1 and that1 ,oct4 #aj1 #agce1 ,john ,wesley was appointed missionary at ,savannah4 ,whitefield had left ,london1 and was laboring among a poor and illiterate people in ,hampshire1 when his attention was directly drawn to ,georgia4 ,this was not1 indeed1 the first time his heart had been interested in the matter4 ,he writes1 ,when ,i had been about a month in town1 letters came from the ,messrs4 ,wesley1 and the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,ingham their fellow-laborer1 an ,israelite indeed1 from ,georgia4 ,their accounts fired my soul1 and made me long to go abroad for ,god too4 ,but having no outward call1 and being as ,i then thought too weak in body ever to undertake a voyage at sea1 ,i endeavored to lay aside all thoughts of going abroad4 ,but my endeavors were all in vain2 for ,i felt at times such a strong attraction in my soul towards ,georgia1 that ,i thought it almost irresistible4 ,i strove against it with all my power1 begged again and again1 with many cries and tears1 that the ,lord would not suffer me to be deluded1 and at length opened my mind to several dear friends4 ,all agreed that laborers were wanted at home1 that ,i had as yet no visible call abroad1 and that it was my duty not to be rash1 but wait and see what ,providence might point out to me4 ,to this ,i consented with my whole heart4 ,the path of duty1 however1 soon opened before him4 ,while fulfilling his duties at ,dummer1 in ,hampshire1 preaching for the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,kinchin1 who was now absent from home1 to which labors we have already referred1 he received an invitation to a lucrative curacy in ,london2 but ,georgia still rested like one of the prophetic burdens on his mind4 ,at this juncture he received a letter from his clerical friend at the ,tower1 saying that ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley had arrived in ,london4 ,very soon ,mr4 ,wesley himself wrote to ,whitefield1 saying1 that he was come over to procure laborers1 but1 added he1 ,i dare not prevent ,god's nomination4 ,in a few days after this1 writes ,mr4 ,whitefield1 came another letter from ,mr4 ,john ,wesley1 wherein were these words3 ',only ,mr4 ,delamotte is with me1 till ,god shall stir up the hearts of some of his servants1 who putting their lives in their hands1 shall come over and help us1 where the harvest is so great1 and the laborers so few4 ,what if thou art the man1 ,mr4 ,whitefield8' ,in another letter were these words3 ',do you ask me what you shall have8 ,food to eat and raiment to put on1 a house to lay your head in--such as our ,lord had not--and a crown of glory that fadeth not away4' ,upon reading this my heart leaped within me1 and as it were echoed to the call4 ,after having consulted his bishop1 ,dr4 ,benson1 as also the archbishop of ,canterbury1 and the trustees of ,georgia including ,general ,james ,oglethorpe who was then in ,london1 he went to ,bristol1 ,bath1 and other places1 to take leave of his personal friends4 ,as he could not refrain from preaching1 so every sermon increased his popularity4 ,we give his account of his preaching at ,bristol1 as a specimen of the reception he met with4 ,it was wonderful to see how the people hung upon the rails of the organ-loft1 climbed upon the leads of the church1 and made the church itself so hot with their breath1 that the steam would fall from the pillars like drops of rain4 ,sometimes almost as many would go away for want of room as came in1 and it was with great difficulty ,i got into the desk to read prayers or preach4 ,persons of all ranks not only publicly attended my ministry1 but gave me private invitations to their houses4 ,a private society or two were erected4 ,i preached and collected for the poor prisoners in ,newgate twice or thrice a week1 and many made me large offers if ,i would not go abroad4 ,having mentioned ,general ,james ,edward ,oglethorpe1 the first governor1 and indeed the founder of the colony of ,georgia1 and to the end of ,whitefield's life his cordial friend1 a few additional facts concerning him may here be stated4 ,he was the son of ,sir ,theophilus ,oglethorpe1 and was born in ,london1 ,december #ba1 #afhh4 ,at sixteen he was admitted a student at ,oxford1 but did not finish his studies1 as the military profession had more charms for him than literary pursuits4 ,he was first commissioned as an ensign4 ,after the death of ,queen ,anne1 he entered into the service of ,prince ,eugene4 ,when he attained the age of twenty-four years1 he entered ,parliament1 for ,haslemere1 where he continued thirty-two years4 ,in ,november1 #agcb1 ,oglethorpe1 with one hundred and sixteen settlers1 embarked for ,georgia1 and landed at ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 ,january #ac1 #agcc4 ,they shortly afterwards proceeded to ,georgia1 where ,oglethorpe laid out a town1 and called it ,savannah4 ,he very happily secured the good will of the ,indians4 ,in #agdc1 he left ,georgia for ,england1 to answer charges brought against him by ,lieutenant-colonel ,cook4 ,a court martial declared the charges groundless and malicious1 and ,cook was dismissed from the service4 ,in #agdd he was appointed one of the field-officers under field-marshal the ,earl of ,stair1 to oppose the expected invasion of ,france4 ,he died in #aghe4 ,he was truly a noble man4 ,as the period approached when ,whitefield was to leave ,england1 the people showed their esteem for him in almost every possible way4 ,they followed him so closely1 and in such numbers1 for holy counsels1 that he could scarcely command a moment for retirement4 ,they begged to receive from him religious books1 and to have their names written therein with his own hand1 as memorials of him1 and very many followed him from place to place till his final embarkation4 ,it was indeed a surprising fact1 that a young man1 scarcely more than twenty-two years of age1 and previously unknown to the world1 should be able to collect such immense congregations1 and rouse and command their attention2 multitudes hanging upon and receiving instructions from his lips4 ,but ,god had endowed him with a singular union of qualities1 which most eminently fitted him for the work of an evangelist4 ,he was faithful to his trust1 and his divine ,master abundantly blessed and honored him in the discharge of its momentous duties4 ,we have now traced the amazing effects of ,whitefield's first sermons1 and it may be interesting briefly to inquire into their general character1 and to ascertain what truths thus aroused the public mind4 ,three of these sermons can1 happily1 be identified with these times of refreshing2 and they may be depended on1 as specimens of both the letter and the spirit of his preaching1 because they were printed from his own manuscripts3 they are those on ,early ,piety1 ,regeneration1 and ,intercession4 ,whoever will read the appeals in these sermons1 realizing the circumstances under which they were made1 will scarcely wonder at the effect produced by them4 ,the topics of the second and third1 and the tone of all the three1 are very different from the matter and manner of sermonizing then known to the masses of the people4 ,they do not surprise us1 because happily neither the topics nor the tone of them are strange things to our ears4 ,both1 however1 were novelties in those days1 even in ,london4 ,when or where had an appeal been made like this8 ,i beseech you1 in love and compassion1 to come to ,jesus4 ,indeed1 all ,i say is in love to your souls4 ,and if ,i could be but an instrument of bringing you to ,jesus1 ,i should not envy1 but rejoice in your happiness1 however much you were exalted4 ,if ,i was to make up the last of the train of the companions of the blessed ,jesus1 it would rejoice me to see you above me in glory4 ,i could willingly go to prison or to death for you1 so ,i could but bring one soul from the devil's strong-holds1 into the salvation which is by ,christ ,jesus4 ,come then to ,christ1 every one that hears me this night4 ,come1 come1 my guilty brethren2 ,i beseech you1 for your immortal souls' sake1 for ,christ's sake1 come to ,christ4 ,methinks ,i could speak till midnight unto you4 ,would you have me go and tell my ,master that you will not come1 and that ,i have spent my strength in vain8 ,i cannot bear to carry such a message to him4 ,i would not1 indeed1 ,i would not be a swift witness against you at the great day of account2 but if you will refuse these gracious invitations1 ,i must do it4 ,in this spirit1 not very prevalent even now1 ,whitefield began his ministry4 ,there is a fascination as well as fervor1 or rather a fascination arising from fervor1 in some of his earliest as well as his later discourses4 ,how bold and beautiful is the peroration of that on ,intercession4 ,referring to the holy impatience of the souls under the altar1 for the coming of the kingdom of ,god1 he exclaims1 ,and shall not we who are on earth be often exercised in this divine employ with the glorious company of the spirits of just men made perfect8 ,since our happiness is so much to consist in the communion of saints in the church triumphant above1 shall we not frequently intercede for the church militant below1 and earnestly beg that we may be all one8 ,to provoke you to this work and labor of love1 remember1 that it is the never-ceasing employment of the holy and highly exalted ,jesus himself2 so that he who is constantly interceding for others1 is doing that on earth which the eternal ,son of ,god is always doing in heaven4 ,imagine1 therefore1 when you are lifting up holy hands for one another1 that you see the heavens opened1 and the ,son of ,god in all his glory1 as the great ,high-priest of your salvation1 pleading for you the all-sufficient merit of his sacrifice before the throne4 ,join your intercession with his4 ,the imagination will strengthen your faith1 and excite a holy earnestness in your prayers4 ,the nearer the time approached for his leaving the country1 the more affectionate the people grew towards him1 and the more eagerly did they attend on his ministry4 ,many thousands of ardent petitions were presented to heaven on behalf of his person and his ministry2 and multitudes would stop him in the aisles of the churches1 or follow him with their tearful looks4 ,most of all was it difficult for him to part from his friends at ,st4 ,dunstan's1 where he administered the sacrament1 after spending the night before in prayer4 ,the man who had produced these extraordinary effects1 says ,dr4 ,gillies1 had many natural advantages4 ,he was something above the middle stature1 well proportioned1 though at that time slender1 and remarkable for native gracefulness of manner4 ,his complexion was very fair1 his features regular1 his eyes small and lively1 of a dark blue color3 in recovering from the measles1 he had contracted a squint with one of them2 but this peculiarity rather rendered the expression of his countenance more rememberable1 than in any degree lessened the effect of its uncommon sweetness4 ,his voice excelled both in melody and compass1 and its fine modulations were happily accompanied by the grace of action which he possessed in an eminent degree1 and which is said to be the chief requisite of an orator4 ,an ignorant man described his eloquence oddly1 but strikingly1 when he said that ,mr4 ,whitefield preached like a lion4 ,so strange a comparison conveyed no unapt idea of the force1 and vehemence1 and passion--of the authority which awed the hearers1 and made them tremble like ,felix before the apostle4 ,believing himself to be the messenger of ,god1 commissioned to call sinners to repentance1 he spoke as one conscious of his high credentials1 with authority and power2 yet in all his discourses there was a fervor and melting charity1 an earnestness of persuasion1 an outpouring of redundant love1 partaking of the virtue of the faith from which it flowed1 insomuch that it seemed to enter the heart which it pierced1 and to heal it as with a balm4 ,at length1 having preached in a considerable number of the ,london churches1 collected about a thousand pounds for the charity schools1 and obtained upwards of three hundred pounds for the poor in ,georgia1 ,whitefield left ,london1 ,december #bh1 #agcg1 in the twenty-third of his age1 and went in the strength of ,god1 as a poor pilgrim1 on board the ,whitaker4 ,scarcely had he entered on his voyage from ,london1 when he discovered that but little comfort was to be expected in the ship on which he had embarked4 ,there was no place for retirement1 no disposition to receive him as an ambassador of ,christ1 and a decided dislike even to the forms of religion4 ,they moved but slowly to the ,downs1 where they were detained for nearly a month1 and where ,whitefield went on shore to visit ,deal1 an ancient town1 one of the ,cinque-ports1 so called1 where the common people1 as in the case of his great ,master1 heard him gladly4 ,with him1 through his whole ministry1 it was of small importance whether he preached to the rich or the poor2 for he viewed the gospel as a message of mercy to sinners1 and wherever men were found1 he was willing to persuade them to be reconciled to ,god4 ,the account given by ,mr4 ,whitefield of his visit to ,deal1 and of the different treatment he received there from different persons1 would be almost as correct a description of his labors and reception in a hundred other places4 ,he spent his first evening very comfortably in religious conversation and family prayer1 at which a poor woman was much affected4 ,who knows1 he says1 what a fire this little spark may kindle8 ,next evening1 eight or nine poor people came to him at the report of this poor woman2 and when1 after three or four days1 the ship in which he had embarked was driven back to ,deal1 many met together to bewail their own sins and those of others4 ,soon the landlady who owned the house where he lodged1 sent to her tenants1 beseeching them not to let any more persons come in1 for fear the floor should break under them2 and they actually put a prop under it4 ,the minister of ,upper ,deal1 a mile or two from the town1 now invited ,whitefield to preach in the church2 it was much crowded1 and many went away for want of room4 ,some stood on the leads of the building outside1 and looked in at the top windows1 and all around seemed eager to hear the word4 ,may the ,lord1 says the good man1 make them doers of it4 ,in the evening ,i was obliged to divide my hearers into four companies1 and was enabled to expound to them from six till ten4 ,lord1 keep me from being weary of1 or in well-doing4 ,the excitement at ,deal became very great1 in consequence of the conviction of the people that their own minister1 the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,carter1 did not preach the gospel4 ,the good man1 to disprove the charge1 published a volume of his sermons1 which1 however admired by gay formalists1 furnished but too much evidence of the justice of the charge4 ,just as he had left the church at ,upper ,deal1 where he had been preaching to a vast congregation1 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 in consequence of a sudden change of the wind1 was summoned on board1 and the ,whitaker sailed for ,georgia4 ,a very few hours afterwards1 the vessel which brought back ,john ,wesley from that colony anchored in the ,downs1 when he learned that the ships had passed each other1 but neither of these remarkable men then knew how dear a friend was on board the other4 ,when ,wesley landed1 he found it was still possible to communicate with his friend1 and ,whitefield was surprised to receive a letter from him1 saying1 ,when ,i saw ,god by the wind which was carrying you out brought me in1 ,i asked counsel of ,god4 ,his answer you have enclosed4 ,the enclosure was a slip of paper with the words1 ,let him return to ,london1 which ,wesley had obtained by lot1 to which he had had recourse4 ,whitefield prayed for direction1 and went on his voyage4 ,this first voyage of ,whitefield to ,america was invested with scenes of far more than common interest4 ,perhaps1 since the apostle ,paul's memorable voyage to ,rome1 the ocean had never exhibited a more remarkable spectacle than that furnished by this ship4 ,he was but a stripling in his twenty-third year1 and a faint and hesitating homage once on a ,sabbath-day1 from a few of the less obdurate sinners among his hearers1 would be all that such a clergyman could expect from an assemblage of gentlemen1 of soldiers with their wives and families1 and the ship's crew4 ,yet in the hands of this remarkable youth all became pliant as a willow4 ,he converted the chief cabin into a cloister1 the deck into a church1 and the steerage into a school-room4 ,he so bore down all opposition by love1 reason1 and ,scripture1 that we soon see him1 at the request of the captain and officers1 with the hearty concurrence of the gentlemen who were passengers1 reading full public prayers to them twice a day in the great cabin1 and expounding every night after the evening prayers1 besides daily reading prayers1 and preaching twice a day on deck to the soldiers and sailors1 and increasing the services on ,sundays4 ,in addition to all this1 he daily catechized a company of young soldiers1 and engaged in the same exercise with the women apart by themselves4 ,nor did even all this suffice to expend his zeal1 for he commenced a course of expositions on the creed and ten commandments2 and so convinced was he of the value of catechetical teaching1 that on ,february #c;d he writes1 ,i began to-night to turn the observations made on the lessons in the morning into catechetical questions1 and was pleased to hear some of the soldiers make very apt answers4 ,nor were the children forgotten2 the ,hon4 ,mr4 ,habersham1 a personal friend who accompanied him1 assumed their instruction as his department of holy labor4 ,mr4 ,whitefield wrote of him1 that he was pleased to see ,mr4 ,habersham so active in teaching the children4 ,he has now many scholars--may ,god bless him4 ,friendship for ,whitefield had influenced ,mr4 ,habersham to accompany the young evangelist to ,georgia4 ,mr4 ,habersham's friends1 at ,beverly1 in ,yorkshire1 where he was born in #agab1 were greatly opposed to his plans1 but surely the hand of ,god directed them4 ,he presided over the ,orphan-house till #agdd1 when he entered into a commercial partnership4 ,he occupied several important stations1 till he became president of the colony in #agfi4 ,the proceedings connected with the revolutionary war more than once placed him in great difficulties2 he did not live to see its happy results1 for in #agge the state of his health compelled him to visit the north1 in hope of its renovation4 ,the change1 however1 was of no benefit1 and he died at ,new ,brunswick1 ,new ,jersey1 ,august #bh1 #agge4 ,the ,gazette of the day said of him1 ,in the first stations of the province he conducted himself with ability1 honor1 and integrity1 which gained him the love and esteem of his fellow-citizens2 nor was he less distinguished in private life by a conscientious discharge of the social duties1 as a tender and affectionate parent1 a sincere and warm friend1 and a kind and indulgent master4 ,mr4 ,habersham was married by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield to ,mary ,bolton at ,bethesda1 on the #bfth of ,december1 #agdj1 by whom he had ten children1 three of whom1 sons1 survived him1 and were zealous in the cause of ,american liberty4 ,in harmony with the solemn duties which ,mr4 ,whitefield had assumed1 he watched over the conduct of all around him4 ,he tells us that the ship's cook was awfully addicted to drinking1 and when reproved for this and other sins1 he boasted that he would be wicked till within two years of his death1 and would then reform4 ,alas1 he died on the voyage1 after an illness of six hours1 brought on by drinking4 ,one day on this voyage1 finding on ,captain ,whiting's pillow ,the ,independent ,whig1 ,whitefield exchanged it for a book entitled ,the ,self-,deceiver4 ,the next morning1 the captain came smiling and inquired who made the exchange4 ,mr4 ,whitefield confessed the fact1 and begged his acceptance of the book1 which he said he had read1 and liked very well4 ,from thenceforward a visible alteration took place in the conduct of the captain4 ,on their arrival at ,gibraltar1 where they had to continue some time1 ,mr4 ,whitefield found that ,major ,sinclair1 without solicitation1 had provided a lodging for him1 and the governor and military invited him to their table4 ,being apprehensive that at a public military table he might be more than hospitably treated1 to prevent any thing disagreeable1 he reminded his excellency that1 at the court of ,ahasuerus1 none did compel4 ,the governor took the hint1 and pleasantly replied1 ,no compulsion of any kind shall be used at my table2 and every thing was conducted with the greatest propriety4 ,here he often preached1 and was heard by many1 including all in high offices4 ,unusual indeed were the scenes1 both with respect to the place and the people4 ,the adjacent promontories1 and the vastness of the rock of ,gibraltar1 aided in the enlargement of the ideas of the preacher as to ,him1 who in his strength setteth fast the mountains1 and is girded about with power4 ,and the place being a sort of public rendezvous of all nations1 he thought1 he says1 he saw the world in epitome4 ,the success of ,whitefield's ministry at ,gibraltar was truly remarkable4 ,he quaintly says of it1 ,samson's riddle was fulfilled there3 'out of the strong came forth sweetness4' ,who more unlikely to be wrought upon than soldiers8 ,and yet1 among any set of people1 ,i have not been where ,god has made his power more known4 ,many that were quite blind1 have received their sight2 many that had fallen back1 have repented and turned to the ,lord again2 many that were ashamed to own ,christ openly1 have waxed bold2 and many saints have had their hearts filled with joy unspeakable1 and full of glory4 ,among other religions societies to which ,whitefield was introduced at ,gibraltar1 he one day attended the ,jewish synagogue1 and was agreeably surprised when one of the rulers handed him into the chief seat4 ,the rabbi had the day before heard him preach against profane swearing1 and now thanked him for his sermon4 ,he remained in the synagogue during the whole service1 engaged1 he says1 in secret prayer that the veil might be taken from the heart of the ,jews1 and they grafted again into their own olive-tree4 ,several facts occurred on the way to ,savannah after their embarkation from ,gibraltar1 which are too interesting to pass without notice4 ,on one occasion ,captain ,mackay1 after ,whitefield had preached against drunkenness1 urged the men to attend to the things which had been spoken2 telling them that he was a notorious swearer until he did so2 and beseeching them for ,christ's sake to give up their sins4 ,on another occasion1 while marrying a couple on deck1 ,whitefield suddenly shut the prayer-book in the midst of the ceremony1 because the bridegroom had behaved with levity2 and not until the laughter was turned into weeping1 would he proceed4 ,at the close of the service he gave the bride a ,bible4 ,when a shark was caught1 with five pilot-fish clinging to its fins1 he said1 ,go to the pilot-fish1 thou that forsakest a friend in adversity2 consider his ways1 and be abashed4 ,when a dolphin was caught1 the change of its hues from lovely to livid1 reminded him to say1 ,just so is man2 he flourishes for a little while1 but when death cometh1 how quickly his beauty is gone6 ,a ,christian may learn instruction from every thing he meets with4 ,while he was preaching on the death of ,christ darkness came on1 and he said1 ,it puts me in mind of that darkness which overwhelmed the world when the ,god of nature suffered4 ,in the latter part of the voyage1 fever laid prostrate all in the ship except four persons1 and at length it seized ,whitefield1 and confined him to his bed for a week4 ,the attack1 though short1 must have been severe2 for besides other remedies1 he was bled three times4 ,during his illness1 the captain gave up his own bed to him1 and ,mr4 ,habersham watched him day and night2 but that which gratified him most was1 that the sick between decks1 whom he had endangered his life to console1 prayed for him with great fervor4 ,he recovered1 and repaid the kindness of all4 ,at length1 on ,may #e1 they came in sight of ,savannah river1 and sent off for a pilot2 and such was the joy of all1 when they came to anchor at ,tybee island1 that he could not help exclaiming1 ,how infinitely more joyful will the children of ,god be1 when1 having passed through the waves of this troublesome world1 they arrive at the haven of everlasting rest6 ,though still weak1 he preached a farewell sermon to his red-coated and blue-jacketed parishioners1 as he called his military and naval congregation4 ,it was heard with floods of tears4 ,upon this voyage1 says ,dr4 ,gillies1 he made these reflections many years after3 ,even at this distance of time1 the remembrance of the happy hours ,i enjoyed in religious exercises on deck1 is refreshing to my soul2 and although nature sometimes relented at being taken from my friends1 and ,i was little accustomed to the inconveniences of a sea-life1 yet1 a consciousness that ,i had the glory of ,god and the good of souls in view1 afforded me1 from time to time1 unspeakable satisfaction4 ,whitefield was cordially welcomed at ,savannah by ,delamotte and other friends of the ,wesleys3 the magistrates also offered to wait upon him to pay their respects2 but this he declined1 and waited upon them4 ,they agreed to build him a tabernacle and a house at ,frederica1 and to accept his services at ,savannah as long as he pleased4 ,he was soon1 however1 again laid aside by the return of his fever1 now accompanied with ague4 ,this attack in a few days brought him so low1 and made so great an alteration in his person1 that he says1 ,had my friends seen me at that hour1 they might have learned not to have any man's person in admiration1 and not to think more highly of me than they ought to think4 ,the first thing which ,whitefield did after his recovery was to visit ,tomo-,chici1 the ,indian king1 then on his death-bed4 ,this was the micoe1 or king1 whom ,oglethorpe had taken to ,england1 in #agcd1 and introduced to king ,george the ,second4 ,he was accompanied by his wife and son1 and seven other ,indians of the ,creek nation4 ,his eloquent speech to the king and queen was so well received at court1 that he was loaded with presents1 and when he had again to embark1 was sent in one of the royal carriages to ,gravesend4 ,he now lay1 says ,whitefield1 on a blanket1 thin and meagre2 little else but skin and bones4 ,senanki1 his wife1 sat by1 fanning him with ,indian feathers4 ,there was no one could talk ,english1 so ,i could only shake hands with him and leave him4 ,a few days afterwards1 ,mr4 ,whitefield again went to visit ,tomo-,chici1 and found that his nephew1 ,tooanoowee1 could speak ,english4 ,whitefield says1 ,i desired him to ask his uncle1 whether he thought he should die2 who answered1 ',i cannot tell4' ,i then asked where he thought he should go after death4 ,he replied1 ',to heaven4' ,but alas1 how can a drunkard enter there8 ,i then exhorted ,tooanoowee1 who is a tall1 proper youth1 not to get drunk2 telling him that he understood ,english1 and therefore would be punished the more if he did not live better4 ,i then asked him whether he believed in a heaven4 ,he said1 ',yes4' ,i then asked whether he believed in a hell1 and described it by pointing to the fire4 ,he replied1 ',no4' ,from whence we may easily gather1 how natural it is to all mankind to believe there is a place of happiness1 because they wish it to be so2 and on the contrary1 how averse they are to believe in a place of torment1 because they wish it may not be so4 ,but ,god is just and true2 and as surely as the righteous shall go away into everlasting happiness1 so the impenitently wicked shall go into everlasting punishment4 ,the records of ,georgia say1 under date of ,december #ba1 #agcg1 ,ordered1 that a license be made out for the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,george ,whitefield to perform ecclesiastical offices in ,georgia1 as a deacon in the church of ,england4 ,before ,whitefield had any thoughts of going abroad1 ,charles ,wesley talked to him of an orphan-house in ,georgia1 which he and ,general ,oglethorpe had contemplated4 ,when he arrived in ,savannah1 and had sufficiently recovered from his illness to examine the state of the colony1 the condition of the children deeply affected him2 and he set his heart on founding the projected institution as soon as he should be able to collect the needful funds4 ,in the mean time he opened schools in the villages of ,highgate and ,hampstead1 and one also1 for girls1 in ,savannah4 ,he afterwards visited the ,saltzburgher's orphan-school at ,ebenezer2 and if any thing had been wanted to settle his own determination1 or to inflame his zeal1 he found it there4 ,the ,saltzburghers were exiles for conscience' sake1 and were eminent for piety and industry4 ,their ministers1 the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,grenaw and ,boltzius1 were eminently evangelical1 and their asylum1 which they had been enabled to found by ,british benevolence1 for widows and orphans1 was flourishing4 ,whitefield was so delighted with the order and harmony of ,ebenezer1 that he gave a share of his own poor's store to ,boltzius1 for his orphans4 ,then came the scene which entirely completed his purpose3 ,boltzius called all the children before him2 catechized and exhorted them to give ,god thanks for his good providence towards them2 then prayed with them1 and made them pray after him2 then sung a psalm4 ,afterwards1 the little lambs came and shook me by the hand1 one by one1 and so we parted4 ,whitefield was now pledged to this cause for life4 ,most of our readers probably know that the conductors of ,the ,gentleman's ,magazine1 a work which has now been regularly published in ,london for much more than a century1 have never been favorable to evangelical truth1 or its ministers2 it is therefore the more gratifying to copy from that work for ,november1 #agcg1 the following lines3 it will be seen that they were published more than a month before ,mr4 ,whitefield's departure to the ,american colonies4 ,,to ,,the ,,rev4 ,,mr4 ,,whitefield1 ,,on ,,his ,,design ,,for ,,georgia4 ,how great1 how just thy zeal1 adventurous youth1 ,to spread in heathen climes the light of truth6 ,go1 loved of heaven1 with every grace refined1 ,inform1 enrapture each dark ,indian's mind2 ,grateful1 as when to realms long hid from day1 ,the cheerful dawn foreshows the solar ray4 ,how great thy charity1 whose large embrace ,intends the eternal weal of all thy race2 ,prompts thee the rage of waves and winds to scorn1 ,to effect the work for which thy soul was born4 ,what multitudes1 whom ,pagan dreams deceive1 ,shall1 when they hear thy heavenly voice1 believe6 ,on ,georgia's shore thy ,wesley shall attend1 ,to hail the wished arrival of his friend2 ,with joy the promised harvest he surveys1 ,and to his ,lord for faithful laborers prays2 ,though crowded temples here would plead thy stay1 ,yet haste1 blest prophet1 on thy destined way4 ,be gentle1 winds1 and breathe an easy breeze1 ,be clear1 ye skies1 and smooth1 ye flowing seas6 ,from heaven1 ye guardian angels1 swift descend1 ,delighted his blest mission to attend2 ,which shall from ,satan's power whole nations free1 ,while half the world to ,jesus bow the knee4 ,long as ,savannah1 peaceful stream1 shall glide1 ,your worth renowned shall be extended wide2 ,children as yet unborn shall bless your lore1 ,who thus to save them left your native shore2 ,the apostles thus1 with ardent zeal inspired1 ,to gain all nations for their ,lord desired4 ,they measured seas1 a life laborious knew1 ,and numerous converts to their ,master drew2 ,whose hallelujahs1 on the ethereal plains1 ,rise scarce beneath the bright seraphic strains4 ,,gloucester1 ,nov4 #a1 #agcg4 ,after spending a few weeks at ,savannah1 laboring as much as his health would permit1 ,whitefield went to ,frederica1 where he was gladly received2 the people having had a famine of the word for a long season4 ,they had no sanctuary1 and therefore he had to preach under a tree1 or in ,mr4 ,habersham's house4 ,this visit1 although short1 endeared him to all the people2 and he had the satisfaction before he left1 to see them sawing timber for a commodious place of worship1 until a church could be built4 ,his return1 however1 to ,savannah was hastened by a somewhat painful event4 ,one of his friends was lost in the woods1 and missing from ,tuesday till ,friday4 ,the great guns had been fired to direct the wanderer1 but in vain2 and some of the people had searched for him day and night1 without success4 ,this report was sent to ,whitefield1 and it hurried him away from ,frederica4 ,he had the pleasure1 however1 on his arrival at ,savannah1 to find his lost sheep4 ,during the stay of ,whitefield in ,georgia1 the weather was intensely hot1 sometimes almost burning his feet through his shoes4 ,seeing others do it1 he determined to accustom himself to hardship by lying constantly on the floor2 which by use he found to be so far from being uncomfortable1 that afterwards it became so to lie on a bed4 ,nor was he more ready to deny himself than he was assiduous to do good2 preaching often1 catechizing the young1 visiting the sick1 and exhorting from house to house4 ,entirely independent and unrestrained1 he knew no fear in the discharge of what he regarded as his duty4 ,knowing that some men of influence1 to whom his voice could not be addressed from the pulpit1 were living in open defiance of morality and shame1 he went into the court and made an address to the grand jury1 urging them to present all such offenders without partiality or fear1 since the miserable state of the colony was doubtless owing to divine displeasure against their sins4 ,reflection on the character1 labors1 and success of his predecessors1 stimulated his zeal and encouraged his hope4 ,it could not be denied that ,john ,wesley had been misrepresented and unkindly treated1 both in ,savannah and ,frederica1 and ,whitefield therefore rejoiced to bear honorable testimony of him and his colleagues4 ,he says1 ,surely ,i must labor most heartily1 since ,i come after such worthy men4 ,the good ,mr4 ,john ,wesley has done in ,america is inexpressible4 ,his name is very precious among the people1 and he has laid such a foundation1 that ,i hope neither men nor devils will be able to shake it4 ,o that ,i may follow him as he has followed ,christ4 ,mr4 ,whitefield having as yet only received deacon's orders1 and wishing to be ordained priest1 for the more complete performance of his duty as a minister of the church of ,england1 it became necessary for him to return to ,europe for that purpose2 and being also desirous of making collections for his ,orphan-house1 he left ,mr4 ,habersham at ,savannah1 and went to ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 on his way to ,england4 ,at ,charleston he became acquainted with the ,rev4 ,alexander ,garden1 the ecclesiastical commissary of the ,bishop of ,london1 who with apparent cordiality twice invited him into his pulpit1 and assured him that he would defend him with his life and property1 should the same arbitrary proceedings ever be commenced against him which ,mr4 ,wesley had met with in ,georgia4 ,dr4 ,deems1 in his recently published volume1 ,the ,annals of ,southern ,methodism1 tells us1 when speaking of his first sermon1 ,the people at first despised his youth1 but his engaging address soon gained their general esteem1 and ,mr4 ,garden thanked him most cordially4 ,in an after-period1 however1 when ,mr4 ,garden more fully understood the evangelical character of ,mr4 ,whitefield's preaching1 he frequently took occasion to point out what he called the pernicious tendency of his doctrines1 and irregular manner of life4 ,he represented him as a religious quack1 who had an excellent way of setting off and rendering palatable his poisonous tenets4 ,on one occasion ,garden1 to keep his flock from going after this strange pastor1 preached from the text1 ,these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also4 ,whitefield1 however1 was not to be silenced in this way1 and returned the compliment by preaching from the words1 ,alexander the coppersmith did me much evil2 the ,lord reward him according to his works4 ,on ,september #f1 #agch1 ,whitefield embarked for ,london4 ,the voyage was perilous in the extreme4 ,they were tossed about with bad weather1 in a ship out of repair1 and in sad want of provisions4 ,when they were over about one-third of the ,atlantic1 a vessel from ,jamaica would have gladly received him1 but he chose to share the lot of his shipmates4 ,they highly valued his services1 and one of his fellow-passengers1 ,captain ,gladman1 became1 as the result of this voyage1 a truly pious man4 ,the captain1 in a subsequent period1 at his own earnest request1 became the fellow-traveller of his teacher4 ,after a passage of about nine weeks1 they made the port of ,limerick1 in ,ireland4 ,i wish1 ,whitefield says1 ,i could never forget what ,i felt when water and provisions were brought us from the shore4 ,mr4 ,m',mahon1 a country gentleman1 came from his seat at midnight on purpose to relieve us1 and most kindly invited me1 though unknown1 to his house1 to stay as long as ,i pleased4 ,at ,limerick he was cordially received by that worthy prelate1 ,bishop ,birscough1 who engaged him to preach at the cathedral4 ,from thence he went to ,dublin1 where he preached1 and was hospitably entertained by ,archbishop ,bolton1 ,bishop ,rundel1 and ,dr4 ,delany4 ,remaining but a short time in ,ireland1 he proceeded to ,london1 where he arrived ,december #h4 ,here he had the pleasure of conversing with some of the ,moravian brethren1 whose faith and love refreshed his spirit1 though he did not entirely approve some of their views4 ,he soon discovered somewhat of a change of feeling towards him on the part of many of the ,london clergy4 ,within two days1 he found five of the churches were closed against him4 ,he called on the ,archbishop of ,canterbury and the ,bishop of ,london1 who received him with cold civility4 ,the bishop asked him if his journals were not tinctured with enthusiasm2 and he replied1 with his usual meekness and candor1 that they were written only for his own use1 and that of his private friends1 and that they were published without his knowledge4 ,so anxious was he to avoid giving offence1 that he took the earliest opportunity to expunge from his journals whatever he discovered to be erroneous1 and whatever he had said without imperative necessity1 or which was likely to injure the character and feelings of any one4 ,the trustees of ,georgia1 at a meeting in ,london1 received ,whitefield with great cordiality1 and in compliance with the wishes of the colonists1 they presented him with the living of ,savannah1 the salary of which he declined to receive2 but he thankfully accepted five hundred acres of land1 on which he proposed to erect his orphan-house4 ,on ,sunday1 ,january #ad1 #agci1 being then in his twenty-fifth year1 ,whitefield was ordained priest at ,oxford1 by his worthy friend ,bishop ,benson4 ,having preached twice to very crowded congregations1 and administered the ,lord's supper at the castle1 he returned to ,london the next day4 ,as ,dr4 ,benson once expressed regret that he had ordained ,mr4 ,whitefield1 it may be proper here to explain the circumstances4 ,shortly after the late ,countess of ,huntingdon first became acquainted with the truth as it is in ,jesus1 ,bishop ,benson1 who had been lord ,huntingdon's tutor1 was sent for to remonstrate with her ladyship1 and to induce her to relinquish what were then considered her erroneous views2 but she pressed him so hard with the ,articles and ,homilies of his own church1 and so plainly and faithfully urged upon him the awful responsibility of his station1 that for the moment his mind was hurt1 and he rose up to depart1 lamenting that he had ever laid his hands upon ,george ,whitefield1 to whom he imputed the change which had been wrought in her ladyship4 ,my lord1 said she1 mark my words2 when you come upon your dying bed1 that will be one of the few ordinations you will reflect upon with pleasure4 ,it would seem that it was so2 for1 on his death-bed1 the ,bishop sent ten guineas to ,mr4 ,whitefield as a token of his favor and approbation1 and begged to be remembered by him in his prayers4 ,the interval between his taking priests' orders1 and embarking a second time for ,georgia1 was employed by ,whitefield1 with his usual energy and success1 in preaching the gospel of the kingdom of ,god1 and in making collections for his ,orphan-house4 ,having1 before his visit to ,america1 collected large sums for the charity schools in the metropolis1 he naturally expected that the pulpits would not be denied him now1 in which to plead the interests of his own poor4 ,but he was scarcely yet aware that the tide of clerical opinion had turned so extensively and strongly against him4 ,the doctrines he had preached1 and the manner in which he had preached them1 had produced a sensation so strong1 that he found himself excluded from most of the churches in ,london4 ,a few1 however1 were yet open to him for his benevolent design4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,broughton conducted himself1 among others1 very nobly4 ,having been urged to refuse his pulpit1 as some of his neighbors had done1 he boldly replied1 that having obtained the lectureship of ,st4 ,helen's by ,whitefield's influence1 he should have the pulpit if he desired it4 ,mr4 ,whitefield preached1 but ,mr4 ,broughton thus losing the lectureship1 ,whitefield blamed himself for having done so4 ,whatever he might himself be willing to suffer1 he was not willing to inflict inconvenience on others4 ,only a few days before his being ordained as priest1 ,whitefield offered his first public extempore prayer1 in a large meeting in ,red ,cross-street1 ,london4 ,he mentions this fact in a note of his diary as the first time ,i ever prayed extempore before such a number4 ,he did not even then suppose that his preaching1 as well as his prayers in this manner1 were to develop his mighty power4 ,the crowding of the churches now suggested the idea of preaching in the open air4 ,he says1 ,when ,i was informed that nearly a thousand people stood out in the church-yard1 and that hundreds returned home1 this put me first upon thinking of preaching without doors4 ,i mentioned it to some friends1 who looked upon it as a mad motion4 ,however1 we kneeled down and prayed that nothing might be done rashly4 ,hear and answer1 ,o ,lord1 for thy name's sake4 ,we shall soon see how his extempore expositions and prayers were fitting him for this new enterprise4 ,he would have commenced in ,london now1 but he lacked a fair opportunity4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,open-,,air ,,preaching ,,in ,,england ,,and ,,wales--,,erection ,,of ,,the ,,tabernacle ,,in ,,london4 #agch-agci4 ,under the circumstances we have related in our last chapter1 ,whitefield paid another visit to ,bristol1 and soon found that he had to meet with new and very unexpected opposition4 ,when he arrived in the city1 the chancellor of the diocese1 while he did not approve of what he considered his irregular conduct1 told him that he would not prohibit any clergyman from lending him his church2 but in a few days afterwards he sent for the evangelist1 and announced his entire opposition to his movements4 ,strangely enough1 he now asked ,whitefield by what authority he preached in the diocese of ,bristol without a license4 ,the reply of the intrepid minister was1 that he supposed such a custom had become obsolete1 and asked the chancellor in his turn1 ,and pray1 sir1 why did you not ask the clergyman who preached for you last ,thursday this question8 ,the chancellor then read to him the canons which forbid any clergyman from preaching in a private house2 to which ,whitefield replied1 that he did not suppose these canons referred to professed ministers of the church of ,england2 and when the chancellor told him he was mistaken1 he reminded his superior1 ,there is also a canon1 sir1 forbidding all clergymen to frequent taverns and play at cards2 why is not that put in execution8 ,and he then added1 that notwithstanding any canons to the contrary1 he could not but speak the things which he knew1 and that he was resolved to proceed as usual4 ,his answer was written down1 and the chancellor closed the interview with the words1 ,i am resolved1 sir1 if you preach or expound anywhere in this diocese till you have a license1 ,i will first suspend1 and then excommunicate you4 ,the crisis was now come2 the ,rubicon had been passed1 and the inquiry might well be made1 ,what will ,whitefield now do8 ,already have we seen that he had earnestly desired1 in ,london1 to preach in the open air1 for want of room in the churches1 and indeed also from the opposition of the clergy1 which had begun so strongly to manifest itself2 and during this journey to ,bristol1 he found it necessary to preach in the open air or not at all4 ,as this event was of vast importance in its results1 both in his own history and that of ,mr4 ,wesley1 who also began to preach on the same spot within two months after ,whitefield had opened the way1 we must stay a while to narrate the facts4 ,illustration3 ,,tabernacle1 p #hi4 ,illustration3 ,,hanham ,,mount ,at that time1 the colliers of ,kingswood1 near the city of ,bristol1 were a most depraved and reckless class of men4 ,inconceivably barbarous and ignorant1 they trampled on all laws1 human and divine1 and hesitated not to set the magistrates at defiance4 ,it was dangerous to pass near the scene of their labors1 even in open day1 for robberies and murders were of frequent occurrence2 in a word1 it was truly a seat of ,satan4 ,when ,whitefield was at ,bristol1 making collections for his projected orphan institution in ,georgia1 not a few persons had said to him1 ,why go abroad2 have we not ,indians enough at home8 ,if you have a mind to convert ,indians1 there are colliers enough in ,kingswood4 ,i thought1 says he1 it might be doing the service of my ,creator1 who had a mountain for his pulpit1 and the heavens for his sounding-board1 and who1 when his gospel was refused by the ,jews1 sent his servants into the highways and hedges4 ,after much prayer and many inward struggles1 he went one day to a gentle elevation on the south side of ,kingswood1 called ,hanham ,mount1 and there1 under an old sycamore-tree1 he preached his first sermon in the open air to about a hundred colliers4 ,the scene must have been very impressive4 ,before him stretched the rich and beautiful valley of the ,avon1 through which the river was gently winding1 bordered in the distance by the undulating hills2 while on his right and left the cities of ,bath and ,bristol were within sight4 ,the fact of his preaching here soon and extensively spread1 and at meeting after meeting his audience increased1 till he found himself addressing nearly twenty thousand persons4 ,his own account of the effects produced is very striking4 ,he says1 ,the first discovery of their being affected1 was in the white gutters made by their tears1 which plentifully fell down their black cheeks1 as they came out of their coal pits4 ,hundreds and hundreds of them were soon brought under deep convictions1 which happily ended in sound and thorough conversion4 ,as the scene was quite new1 and ,i had just begun to be an extempore preacher1 ,i had often many inward conflicts4 ,sometimes1 when twenty thousand people were before me1 ,i had not1 as ,i thought1 a word to say2 but ,i was never deserted2 and ,i was often so assisted as to understand what that meaneth1 ',out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water4' ,the open firmament above2 the prospect of the adjacent fields2 with the sight of thousands and thousands1 some in coaches1 some on horseback1 and some in the trees1 and all so affected as to be drenched in tears together1 to which sometimes was added the solemnity of the approaching night1 were almost too much for me2 ,i was occasionally all but overcome4 ,writing to ,mr4 ,wesley a few weeks afterwards1 he says1 ,yesterday ,i began to play the madman in ,gloucestershire1 by preaching on a table in ,thornbury-street4 ,to-day ,i have exhorted twice1 and by and by ,i shall begin a third time2 nothing like doing good by the way4 ,i suppose you have heard of my proceedings in ,kingswood4 ,we scarcely need to remark here1 that ,kingswood has ever since been regarded as a sacred spot in ecclesiastical history4 ,here houses for ,wesleyan ,methodists and ,independents were soon erected1 and in them thousands have been converted to ,god4 ,here was placed the first school for the sons of ,methodist preachers1 and on ,hanham ,mount1 besides the voice of ,whitefield1 those of the ,wesleys1 ,coke and ,mather1 ,pawson and ,benson1 and ,bradburn1 accomplished some of the mightiest effects which attended their powerful preaching4 ,there are yet some living in the neighborhood who were awakened under their ministry1 and whose eyes glisten as they tell of the blessed days that are past4 ,besides the colliers1 and thousands from the neighboring villages1 persons of all ranks daily flocked out of ,bristol4 ,and he was soon invited by many of the most respectable people to preach on a large bowling-green in the city itself4 ,many of the people indeed sneered to see a stripling with a gown mount a table on unconsecrated ground2 this even excited once or twice the laugh of some of the higher ranks1 who had admired him in the churches4 ,but he was unmoved1 and his preaching was so blessed1 that many were awakened4 ,sometimes he was employed almost from morning till night answering those who1 in distress of soul1 cried out1 ,what shall ,i do to be saved8 ,he now sought the help of ,mr4 ,john ,wesley1 who1 after much reasoning with himself on the subject1 complied with the invitation1 and followed ,whitefield's example1 who immediately committed the work to him4 ,before leaving the neighborhood1 however1 ,whitefield had the satisfaction of laying the foundation of a school for ,kingswood2 for the support of which the colliers liberally and cheerfully subscribed4 ,taking an affectionate leave of his ,bristol friends1 ,whitefield made an excursion into ,wales1 where a revival of religion had commenced several years before1 under the ministry of the ,rev4 ,griffith ,jones1 and was now carried on by the ministry of ,mr4 ,howel ,harris1 a man of strong mental powers1 great ,christian zeal1 and considerable learning4 ,they met at ,cardiff4 ,whitefield's heart was then glowing with the fire he had himself kindled at ,bristol and ,kingswood4 ,on his way from ,bristol to ,cardiff1 he was delayed at the ,new ,passage by contrary winds4 ,he says1 ,at the inn there was an unhappy clergyman who would not go over in the passage-boat1 because ,i was in it4 ,alas1 thought ,i1 this very temper would make heaven itself unpleasant to that man1 if he saw me there4 ,i was told that he charged me with being a dissenter4 ,i saw him1 soon after1 shaking his elbows over a gaming-table4 ,i heartily wish those who charge me causelessly with schism and being righteous overmuch1 would consider that the canons of our church forbid the clergy to frequent taverns1 or to play at cards or dice1 or any other unlawful games4 ,their indulging themselves in these things is a stumbling-block to thousands4 ,we have said that ,whitefield first met ,howel ,harris at ,cardiff4 ,after preaching in the town-hall1 from the judges' seat1 he says1 ,i was much refreshed with the sight of ,mr4 ,howel ,harris2 whom1 though ,i knew not in person1 ,i have long loved1 and have often felt my soul drawn out in prayer in his behalf4444 ,when ,i first saw him1 my heart was knit closely to him4 ,i wanted to catch some of his fire1 and gave him the right hand of fellowship with my whole heart4 ,after ,i had saluted him1 and given an exhortation to a great number of people1 who followed me to the inn1 we spent the remainder of the evening in taking sweet counsel together1 and telling one another what ,god had done for our souls4 ,a divine and strong sympathy seemed to be between us1 and ,i was resolved to promote his interest with all my might4 ,accordingly we took an account of the several societies1 and agreed on such measures as seemed most conducive to promote the common interest of our ,lord4 ,blessed be ,god1 there seems a noble spirit gone out into ,wales2 and ,i believe that1 ere long1 there will be more visible fruits of it4 ,what inclines me strongly to think so is1 that the partition wall of bigotry and party spirit is broken down1 and ministers and teachers of different communions join1 with one heart and one mind1 to carry on the kingdom of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the ,lord make all the ,christian world thus minded2 for1 until this is done1 we must1 ,i fear1 despair of any great reformation in the church of ,god4 ,before leaving ,cardiff1 ,whitefield preached again in the town-hall1 to a large assembly4 ,he says1 ,my dear brother ,harris sat close by me4 ,i did not observe any scoffers within2 but without1 some were pleased to honor me so far as to trail a dead fox1 and hunt it about the hall4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 my voice prevailed4 ,this being done1 ,i went1 with many of my hearers1 among whom were two worthy dissenting ministers1 to public worship2 and in the second lesson were these remarkable words3 ',the high-priests1 and the scribes1 and the chief of the people sought to destroy him2 but they could not find what they might do to him2 for all the people were very attentive to hear him4' ,in the afternoon ,i preached again1 without any disturbance or scoffing4 ,in the evening1 ,i talked for above an hour and a half with the religious society1 and never did ,i see a congregation more melted down4 ,the love of ,jesus touched them to the quick4 ,most of them were dissolved in tears4 ,they came to me after1 weeping1 bidding me farewell1 and wishing ,i could continue with them longer4 ,thanks be to ,god1 for such an entrance into ,wales4 ,i wrestled with ,god for them in prayer1 and blessed be ,his holy name for sending me into ,wales4 ,i hope these are the first-fruits of a greater harvest1 if ever it should please ,god to bring me back from ,georgia4 ',father1 thy will be done4' ,whitefield returned from this short excursion1 to ,bristol1 baptized with ,welsh fire1 and renewed his labors among the ,kingswood colliers with more than his usual power and success4 ,he could not1 however1 forget the tears which had entreated him to stay longer in ,wales1 and in three or four weeks he visited ,usk and ,pontypool1 where he was again met by ,howel ,harris4 ,at ,usk1 the pulpit being denied1 ,i preached upon a table1 under a large tree1 to some hundreds1 and ,god was with us of a truth4 ,on my way to ,pontypool1 ,i was informed by a man who heard it1 that ,counsellor ,h---- did me the honor to make a public motion to ,judge ,p---- to stop me and brother ,howel ,harris from going about teaching the people4 ,poor man1 he put me in mind of ,tertullus1 in the ,acts2 but my hour is not yet come4 ,i have scarcely begun my testimony4 ,for my finishing it1 my enemies must have power over me from above4 ,lord1 prepare me for that hour4 ,the report to which we have just referred did not prevent the curate of ,pontypool from cordially inviting ,whitefield into his pulpit4 ,he also read prayers for him4 ,after the sermon1 it was found that so many had come to hear who could not find room in the church1 that another sermon was loudly called for4 ,he says1 ,i went and preached to all the people in the field4 ,i always find ,i have most power when ,i preach in the open air2 a proof to me that ,god is pleased with this way of preaching4 ,i betook myself to rest1 full of such unutterable peace as no one can conceive of but those who feel it4 ,in several other places did our evangelist1 during this excursion1 unfurl the banner of the cross2 and at its close he writes1 ,oh how swiftly this week has glided away4 ,to me it has been but as one day4 ,how do ,i pity those who complain that time hangs on their hands6 ,let them but love ,christ1 and spend their whole time in his service1 and they will find but few melancholy hours4 ,nor will any wonder that he should thus speak1 who consider the spirit which animated his soul4 ,what he some time afterwards wrote to ,howel ,harris1 from ,philadelphia1 indicated the spirit he himself cherished3 ,intersperse prayers with your exhortations1 and thereby call down fire from heaven1 even the fire of the ,holy ,ghost1 ',to soften1 sweeten1 and refine1 ,and melt them into love4' ,speak every time1 my dear brother1 as if it were your last2 weep out1 if possible1 every argument1 and compel them to cry1 ',behold how he loveth us4' ,from ,wales1 ,whitefield went to visit his native city1 ,gloucester2 and after one or two sermons1 he found himself here also excluded from the parochial pulpits4 ,but notwithstanding his persecutions1 and the infirm state of his health at that time1 his labors in ,gloucester and its vicinity were constant and eminently successful4 ,bowling-greens1 market-crosses1 highways1 and other such places1 bore witness to his faithful and tearful labors4 ,at ,gloucester lived at that time the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,cole1 an old dissenting minister1 who often heard ,whitefield preach1 and used to say1 ,these are the days of the ,son of man indeed6 ,whitefield1 when a boy1 had been taught to ridicule this ,mr4 ,cole2 and when he was once asked what profession he would engage in1 replied1 ,i will be a minister1 but ,i will take care never to tell stories in the pulpit like old ,cole4 ,twelve years afterwards1 the old minister heard the young one preach1 and tell some story to illustrate his subject1 when the venerable servant of ,christ remarked1 ,i find young ,whitefield can tell stories now as well as old ,cole4 ,the good man was much affected with the preaching of his young friend1 and was so humble1 that he used to subscribe himself his curate1 and went about in the country preaching after him4 ,one evening1 while preaching1 he was struck with death1 and asked for a chair to lean on till he had finished his sermon4 ,having done this1 he was carried up stairs and died4 ,when the fact was told to ,whitefield1 he said1 ,o blessed ,god1 if it be thy holy will1 may my exit be like his6 ,how striking is this fact when looked at in connection with the circumstances of his own removal from earth4 ,intent on the advancement of his orphan-house in ,georgia1 ,whitefield soon went to ,london1 passing on his way through ,oxford4 ,at both places he found opposition1 and in ,london was shut out of the churches4 ,he preached to thousands in ,islington churchyard1 and now resolved to give himself to the work in the open air4 ,from the conflict with the enemies who a few years before had threatened her existence1 the polemics of the church of ,england now turned to resist the unwelcome ally who menaced her repose4 ,bishop ,warburton led the van1 and behind him many a mitred front scowled on the audacious innovator4 ,divested of the logomachies which chiefly engaged the attention of the disputants1 the controversy between ,whitefield and the bishops lay in a narrow compass4 ,it being mutually conceded that the virtues of the ,christian life can result only from certain divine impulses1 and that to lay a claim to this holy inspiration when its legitimate fruits are wanting1 is a fatal delusion1 he maintained1 and they denied1 that the person who is the subject of this sacred influence has within his own bosom an independent attestation of its reality4 ,so abstruse a debate required the zest of some more pungent ingredients1 and the polemics with whom ,whitefield had to do were not such sciolists in their calling as to be ignorant of the necessity of riveting upon him some epithet at once opprobrious and vague4 ,while therefore milder spirits arraigned him as an enthusiast1 ,warburton1 with constitutional energy of invective1 denounced him as a fanatic4 ,in vain ,whitefield demanded a definition of these reproachful terms4 ,to have fixed their meaning would have been to blunt their edge4 ,they afforded a solution1 at once compendious1 obscure1 and repulsive1 of whatever was remarkable in his character1 and have been associated with his name from that time to the present4 ,the spots on which ,whitefield now began1 in his own language1 to take the field1 and publicly to erect the standard of the ,redeemer's cross1 are well known4 ,moorfields1 then a place of general rendezvous and recreation from the crowded city1 ,kennington ,common then about two1 and ,blackheath about five miles from ,london1 were the favorite sites to which he loved to resort1 and open his mouth boldly to listening thousands1 in honor of his crucified and glorified ,lord4 ,recording his first engagement of this kind in his diary of ,sabbath evening1 ,april #bi1 #agci1 he writes1 ,begun to be yet more vile this day1 for ,i preached at ,moorfields to an exceeding great multitude2 and at five in the evening went and preached at ,kennington ,common1 where upwards of twenty thousand were supposed to be present4 ,the wind being for me1 it carried my voice to the extreme part of my audience4 ,all stood attentive1 and joined in the psalm and the ,lord's prayer so regularly1 that ,i scarce ever preached with more quietness in a church4 ,many were much affected4 ',for this let men revile my name1 ,i'll shun no cross1 ,i'll fear no shame2 ,all hail1 reproach1 and welcome pain1 ,only thy terrors1 ,lord1 restrain4' ,for several successive months1 the places we have named were his chief scenes of action4 ,at a moderate computation1 the audience frequently consisted of twenty thousand4 ,it is said that the singing could be heard two miles1 and the voice of the preacher nearly one4 ,sometimes there were upwards of a hundred coaches1 besides wagons1 scaffolds1 and other contrivances by which a sight of him could be obtained4 ,the rising ground on ,blackheath1 from which ,whitefield preached1 is still known as ,whitefield's mount1 and after his death1 ,lord ,dartmouth planted it with fir-trees4 ,it will ever be a grateful recollection to the author of this volume1 that during the summer of #ahci he prevailed on some of the most eminent ministers of ,england to preach on every successive ,monday evening on this hallowed spot2 and that here many thousands then heard the way of salvation1 and not a few were brought to the cross of ,christ4 ,in that immediate neighborhood too1 now densely populated1 he organized1 and for some years preached to a ,christian church4 ,memorable times6 ,many were the manifestations of the ,redeemer's favor4 ,an anecdote which we heard many years ago from one of ,whitefield's ,blackheath hearers1 may here be related4 ,while one day preaching on the heath1 there passed along the road at some distance1 an old man and ,mary his wife1 with their ass and his loaded panniers1 returning from ,london to their home in ,kent4 ,attracted alike by the crowd and the preacher's voice1 the old man and his wife turned a little out of their way to hear what the man was talking about4 ,whitefield spoke of somewhat which occurred eighteen hundred years ago1 and the old man said1 ,mary1 come along1 it is only something which happened a long while ago2 but ,mary's attention had been arrested1 and she wished to stay a minute or two longer4 ,they were both soon in tears1 and the inquiry was excited in their hearts1 ,what shall we do to be saved8 ,on their way home1 while talking of all these things1 the old man recollected his neglected ,bible1 and asked1 ,why1 ,mary1 does not our old book at home say somewhat about these things8 ,they went home1 and examined the old book with new light4 ,why1 ,mary1 asked the old man1 is this indeed our old book8 why1 every thing in it seems quite new4 ,so true is it1 that the teaching of the ,spirit gives new discernment as to the truths of divine revelation4 ,a fact strikingly illustrating the children's love to our evangelist may be here mentioned4 ,in his open-air preachings1 especially in and about ,london1 he was usually attended by many of them1 who sat round him1 in and about the pulpit1 and handed to him the notes of those who desired his counsels and prayers4 ,these children were exposed to the missiles with which he was often assailed1 but however terrified they might be1 or even hurt1 they seldom shrunk2 but1 says he1 on the contrary1 every time ,i was struck1 they turned up their little weeping eyes1 and seemed to wish they could receive the blows for me4 ,speaking of his open-air labors1 the devoted preacher says1 ,words cannot express the displays of divine grace which we saw1 and heard of1 and felt4 ,lord1 not unto me1 but unto thy name be all the glory4 ,on a subsequent occasion he writes1 ,we have had a glorious season1 a true ,easter4 ,jesus ,christ is risen indeed4 ,i have been preaching in ,moorfields1 and our ,saviour carries all before us4 ,nothing can resist his conquering blood4 ,it would have delighted you to see poor sinners flock from the booths to see ,jesus lifted up on the pole of the gospel4 ,the climax of his success there1 is one of the most remarkable letters that ever came from a mortal's pen4 ,he records at its close1 ,we then retired to the ,tabernacle1 with my pockets full of notes from persons brought under concern1 and read them amidst the praises and spiritual acclamations of thousands1 who joined with the holy angels in rejoicing that so many sinners were snatched1 in such an unexpected1 unlikely place and manner1 out of the very jaws of the devil4 ,this was the beginning of the ,tabernacle society4 ,three hundred and fifty awakened souls were received in one day2 and ,i believe the number of notes exceeded a thousand4 ,but ,i must have done1 believing you want to retire1 to join in mutual praise with me in thanksgiving to ,god and the ,lamb4 ,having thus introduced the name of the ,tabernacle1 it is important that the reader should be acquainted with the origin of the buildings which have borne that name4 ,from the very first of what may be called his irregular labors1 ,whitefield always declared that he would never be the founder of a sect4 ,he kept his word2 yet two ,london churches remain as his memorial--the ,tabernacle1 and ,tottenham ,court-road chapel1 the one in the north1 and the other in the western part of the metropolis4 ,the ,tabernacle1 which was first erected1 was his more especial and favorite field of labor1 and he dwelt in the house adjoining it1 which is still the pastoral residence4 ,moorfields1 just without the limits of the old north city wall of ,london1 was1 a few years before ,whitefield first knew it1 a marsh1 and during the greater part of the year1 was absolutely impassable4 ,having been partially drained1 a brick kiln was erected1 and the first bricks used in ,london are said to have been manufactured there4 ,afterwards it was a field for the practice of archery1 when it was laid out in walks1 and called the ,city ,mall4 ,though improved in name and appearance1 it became the rallying ground for the rabble of ,london2 wrestlers1 boxers1 and mountebanks1 the idle1 the dissolute1 and the profane1 held here their daily and nightly revels4 ,it appeared1 in fact1 to be one of the strong-holds of ,satan1 and therefore became a most tempting and important point of attack for the daring eloquence of ,whitefield4 ,all ,london rang one day with the announcement that ,whitefield would preach the day following at ,moorfields4 ,this was in ,january1 #agci4 ,gillies says1 ,the thing being strange and new1 he found1 on coming out of the coach1 an incredible number of people assembled4 ,many told him that he would never come out of that place alive4 ,he went in1 however1 between two friends1 who by the pressure of the crowd were soon parted from him entirely1 and obliged to leave him to the mercy of the rabble4 ,but these1 instead of hurting him1 formed a lane for him1 and carried him along to the middle of the fields1 where a table had been placed4 ,this1 however1 having been broken by the crowd1 he mounted a wall1 and preached to an exceeding great multitude in tones so melting1 that his words drew tears and groans from the most abandoned of his hearers4 ,moorfields became henceforth one of the principal scenes of his triumphs4 ,thirty thousand people sometimes gathered together to hear him1 and generous contributions here poured in for his orphan-house at ,bethesda4 ,on one occasion twenty pounds--about one hundred dollars--were received in half-pennies1 more than one person was able to carry away1 and enough to put one out of conceit with a specie currency4 ,it was not till his fifth visit to ,london1 in ,march1 #agda1 that ,whitefield ventured to preach in ,moorfields on a week-day2 the day selected for this bold action being ,good-,friday4 ,his chief1 if not his only friends on this occasion1 he tells us1 were a few orthodox dissenters4 ,these people perceiving the inconvenience to which he was subjected by the weather1 during the morning and evening services in ,moorfields1 procured the loan of a piece of ground1 and employed a carpenter to build a large temporary shed1 to screen the auditory from the cold and rain4 ,this building ,whitefield called a tabernacle1 as it was only intended to be used a few months during his stay in his native country1 previous to his return to ,america4 ,providence1 however1 had otherwise determined1 and this proved the commencement of a permanent establishment of the means of grace4 ,a great spiritual awakening took place2 congregations became very large1 acquiring at the same time considerable cohesion1 and assuming a stationary character4 ,this original fabric of wood was a place of large dimensions2 and notwithstanding its rude aspect and temporary design1 it sufficed for the accommodation of ,whitefield and his flock1 during the twelve succeeding years--a period the most brilliant and useful of his extraordinary career4 ,some of ,whitefield's friends1 however1 did not approve of the original wooden structure2 and anticipating or desiring the formation of a ,christian church1 they called for the immediate erection of a substantial brick building1 a point which was debated with a warmth approaching to violence1 of which ,whitefield makes pathetic mention seven years afterwards4 ,here then several important facts are established3 that the original tabernacle sprang not from ,whitefield1 but from a voluntary movement among his adherents1 composed chiefly1 if not wholly1 of ,protestant dissenters2 that the expense was borne not by him1 but by them2 that much debate and dissension attended the measure1 proving the thoroughly free and popular character of the original movement2 and that1 as the edifice originated with the people alone1 so did the institution of regular worship4 ,it is certain that fears existed in the mind of ,whitefield as to the success of such an organization2 but the results most happily disappointed his expectations4 ,the subject of the erection of a more spacious edifice in the place of the tabernacle of wood1 was first discussed at the mansion of ,lady ,huntingdon1 in ,leicestershire1 when ,drs4 ,doddridge and ,stonehouse1 and the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,hervey and ,whitefield happened to meet together1 in the summer of #agea4 ,during the following winter1 ,whitefield began to make collections for the object1 and on almost its first presentation in ,london1 nine hundred pounds1 or four thousand five hundred dollars1 were subscribed4 ,but1 he says1 on the principle that burned children dread the fire1 ,i do not mean to begin until ,i get one thousand in hand1 and then to contract at a certain sum for the whole4 ,the fact was1 that ,whitefield had often been in great straits for the support of his orphan-house in ,georgia1 for ,i forgot1 he says1 that ,professor ,francke built in ,glaucha1 in a populous country1 and that ,i was building at the very tail of the world4 ,in ,march1 #agec1 he wrote to ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley1 ,on ,tuesday morning the first brick of our new ,tabernacle was laid with awful solemnity4 ,i preached from ,exodus #bj3bd1 ',in all places where ,i record my name1 ,i will come unto thee1 and ,i will bless thee4' ,the wall is now about a yard high4 ,the building is to be eighty feet square4 ,it is on the old spot4 ,we have bought the house1 and if we finish what we have begun1 shall be rent free for forty-six years4 ,in ,june the dedicatory services took place1 when the ,tabernacle1 though capable1 with its capacious galleries1 of holding four thousand people1 was crowded almost to suffocation4 ,often have we seen this vast building crowded with worshippers1 with delight have we occupied its pulpit1 and with devout gratitude do we record1 that never for a moment has the frown of heaven rested upon it4 ,thousands will ever bless ,god for its erection4 ,not unfrequently has the question been discussed1 to what denomination of ,christians does the ,tabernacle really belong8 ,in answer to this question1 we give a legal document which may also show what is done in reference to houses of worship in ,england1 under the laws for the maintenance of religious toleration4 ,these are to certifie whom it may ,concern1 that a ,certificate bearing date the ,eighteenth ,day of ,june1 in the year of ,our ,lord ,one ,thousand ,seven ,hundred and ,sixty-four1 under the ,hands of ,starkey ,myddleton ,minister1 ,robert ,keen1 ,thomas ,cox1 ,samuel ,grace1 ,robert ,hodgson1 ,james ,smith1 ,thomas ,robinson1 ,benjamin ,coles1 ,thomas ,brooks1 and ,samuel ,lockhart1 for appropriating and setting apart a ,certain ,building for that purpose erected1 situate near the ,barking ,dogs in the ,parish of ,saint ,luke in the ,county of ,middlesex1 and intended for the meeting place of a certain ,congregation of ,protestant ,dissenters from the ,church of ,england1 calling themselves ,independents1 was ,registered in the ,registry of the ,dean and ,chapter of the ,cathedral ,church of ,saint ,paul1 ,london1 ,this ,twenty-first ,day of ,june in the year of ,our ,lord ,one ,thousand ,seven ,hundred and ,sixty-four4 ,,thomas ,,collins1 ,deputy ,registrar4 ,while the new ,tabernacle was in the course of erection1 ,whitefield visited ,norwich1 where his ministry was largely attended1 and notwithstanding much opposition1 was followed with considerable success4 ,writing to his friend ,keen1 he says1 ,how does ,god delight to exceed even the hopes1 and to disappoint the fears of his weak1 though honest-hearted people4 ,in spite of all opposition1 he hath caused us to triumph even in ,norwich4 ,thousands attend twice every day1 and hear with the greatest eagerness4 ,i hope it will appear yet more and more that ,god hath much people here4 ,compelled by alarming illness1 the result of his too much preaching1 he suddenly returned to ,london1 from whence he thus wrote to one of the converts at ,norwich3 ,i shall little regard the weakness and indisposition of my body1 if ,i can but have the pleasure of hearing1 if not before1 yet at the great day1 that good was done to one precious soul at ,norwich4 ,blessed be ,god for the seed sown there4 ,i doubt not but it will be watered with the dew of his heavenly blessing1 and bring forth a divine increase4 ,truly the gospel did triumph1 not only in the erection of the ,tabernacle in that city1 but in preparing sinners to be pillars in the temple of ,god1 and to win others to his service4 ,among other converts won at ,norwich1 was the afterwards popular and useful minister of ,christ1 the ,rev4 ,robert ,robinson1 of ,cambridge1 ,england4 ,when a young man1 about eighteen1 he resided in that city1 and was engaged in the business of a barber4 ,when he was walking one morning with several companions who had agreed that day to take their pleasure1 the first object which attracted their attention was an old woman who pretended to tell fortunes4 ,they immediately employed her to tell theirs1 and that they might qualify her for the undertaking1 first made her thoroughly intoxicated4 ,robinson was informed1 among other things1 that he would live to a very old age1 and see his children1 grandchildren1 and great-grandchildren growing up around him4 ,though he had assisted in intoxicating the old woman1 he had credulity enough to be struck with those parts of the prediction which related to himself4 ,and so1 said he when alone1 ,i am to see children1 grandchildren1 and great-grandchildren4 ,at that age ,i must be a burden to the young people4 ,what shall ,i do8 ,there is no way for an old man to render himself more agreeable to youth1 than by sitting and telling them pleasant and profitable stories4 ,i will then1 thought he1 during my youth1 endeavor to store my mind with all kinds of knowledge4 ,i will see and hear1 and note down every thing that is rare and wonderful1 that ,i may sit1 when incapable of other employments1 and entertain my descendants4 ,thus shall my company be rendered pleasant1 and ,i shall be respected1 rather than neglected1 in old age4 ,let me see1 what can ,i acquire first8 ,oh1 here is the famous ,methodist preacher1 ,whitefield2 he is to preach here1 they say1 to-night2 ,i will go and hear him4 ,from these strange motives1 as he told the celebrated ,rev4 ,andrew ,fuller1 he went to hear ,whitefield preach4 ,that evening his text was1 ,but when he saw many of the ,pharisees and ,sadducees come to his baptism1 he said unto them1 ,o generation of vipers1 who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come8 ,matt4 #c3g4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 said ,robinson1 described the ,sadducees' character2 this did not touch me2 ,i thought myself as good a ,christian as any man in ,england4 ,from this he went to that of the ,pharisees4 ,he described their exterior decency1 but observed1 that the poison of the viper rankled in their hearts4 ,this rather shook me4 ,at length1 in the course of his sermon1 he abruptly broke off2 paused for a few moments2 then burst into a flood of tears1 lifted up his hands and eyes1 and exclaimed1 ',oh1 my hearers1 the wrath's to come6 the wrath's to come6' ,these words sunk into my heart like lead in the water2 ,i wept1 and when the sermon was ended retired alone4 ,for days and weeks ,i could think of little else4 ,those awful words would follow me wherever ,i went3 ',the wrath's to come6 ,the wrath's to come6' ,scarcely had ,whitefield completed the ,tabernacle in ,london1 before he was earnestly solicited to hold public services at the west end of the city1 and ,long-,acre chapel1 then under the charge of a dissenter1 was offered for his use4 ,an unruly rabble endeavored to drive the preacher from his post2 but a running fire of brickbats1 broken glass1 bells1 drums1 and clappers1 neither annoyed nor frightened the intrepid evangelist2 nor did an interference on the part of the hierarchy1 which followed soon after1 prohibiting his preaching in an incorporated chapel4 ,i hope you will not look on it as contumacy1 said ,whitefield to the bishop1 if ,i persist in prosecuting my design until ,i am more particularly apprized wherein ,i have erred4 ,i trust the irregularity ,i am charged with will appear justifiable to every lover of ,english liberty1 and what is all to me1 be approved at the awful and impartial tribunal of the great ,bishop and ,shepherd of souls4 ,writing to ,lady ,huntingdon1 he says1 ,my greatest distress is so to act as to avoid rashness on the one hand and timidity on the other2 and this shows1 what indeed was proved in his whole life1 an entire absence of that malignant element of fanaticism which courts opposition and revels in it4 ,determined1 as ,mrs4 ,knight says1 in her beautiful volume1 ,lady ,huntingdon and her ,friends1 not to be beaten from his ground1 yet hoping to escape some of its annoyances1 ,whitefield resolved to build a chapel of his own4 ,hence arose ,tottenham ,court-road chapel1 which went by the name of ',whitefield's soul-trap4' ,admirably does he say1 ,i pray the ,friend of sinners to make it a soul-trap indeed to many wandering creatures4 ,my constant work is preaching fifteen times a week4 ,conviction and conversion go on here1 for ,god hath met us in our new building4 ,it was completed and dedicated in ,november1 #agef4 ,though not equal in its triumphs to the ,tabernacle1 the congregation has always been large1 and its preachers--always the same as those at the ,tabernacle--have not labored in vain4 ,in #ahbi1 '#cj1 improvements were made in the building1 which still1 however1 contains ,whitefield's pulpit4 ,a vast area in the centre was originally filled with plain seats1 where the masses of the people were accommodated free of all pew rent4 ,let not infidels tell us1 that the religion of these men and of those times was mere enthusiasm1 and that the temporal interests of men were neglected in professions of high regard for those of a spiritual character4 ,let such men know that within two years of the opening of ,tottenham ,court-road chapel1 not only did the congregation build a parsonage-house for their minister1 but twelve almshouses for as many poor widows4 ,the ,tabernacle has always acted with equal generosity4 ,in proportion to their means1 few congregations in the world have exceeded these two in works of benevolence4 ,assuredly what has sometimes been charged on evangelical ministers--that they attend to the spiritual interests of mankind1 but neglect their temporal sufferings--would never apply to ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,no sooner had he completed these large edifices1 where vast congregations assembled1 than he was heard frequently to plead for those laboring under oppression or distress in foreign lands4 ,he preached in both these houses in behalf of the poor ,french ,protestants in ,prussia1 who had suffered much from the cruelty of the ,russians1 when great numbers of the nobility1 and some of the highest officers of the crown went to hear him4 ,the collections for this object amounted to upwards of fifteen hundred pounds1 or seven thousand five hundred dollars2 and for this disinterested act of benevolence ,whitefield received the thanks of his ,prussian ,majesty4 ,again1 on the day recommended by the government for a general fast1 ,mr4 ,whitefield preached both at the ,tabernacle and at ,tottenham ,court-road chapel1 after which he collected five hundred and sixty pounds for the relief of the ,german ,protestants1 and the sufferers by fire at ,boston1 for which he received the unanimous thanks of the inhabitants of that town4 ,lady ,huntingdon wrote to one of her friends1 ,it would delight you to have seen what crowds of the mighty and noble flocked to hear him4 ,the collection was for the relief of the poor ,german ,protestants4 ,i invited several to come who probably would not attend his ministry on other occasions4 ,few places at that time could boast of such a constellation of transcendent genius and senatorial talent1 such a brilliant assemblage of wisdom1 magnanimity1 and oratorical powers1 as were then found within these houses of the living ,god4 ,one word may be allowed here on the plain architecture of these buildings4 ,we are1 says the excellent ,mr4 ,james1 in many things improved1 and ,i rejoice in the improvement2 but the occasion of my joy is at the same time the occasion of my fear and my jealousy also4 ,our ecclesiastical architecture is just now a special object of our attention4 ,whitefield1 it may be confessed1 paid too little attention to this2 we1 perhaps1 are paying too much4 ,his only solicitude was to save souls1 careless altogether of the tastefulness of the building within which that work1 which has no relation to styles of architecture1 was carried on4 ,his only calculation in the construction of a building was1 how many immortal souls could be crowded within four square walls1 and under a roof1 to hear 'the joyful sound4' ,hence the somewhat uncouth buildings which he erected4 ,ah1 but when ,i consider that every stone in those unsightly walls has echoed to the sound of salvation and the hymns of redeemed spirits1 and that almost every spot on the floor has been moistened by the tears of penitence1 then1 in a feeling of sanctity ,i seem to lose the sense of deformity1 and there comes over me an awe and solemnity which no modern gothic structure with its lofty arches and painted windows can inspire4 ,but still1 as religion is not only the most holy1 but the most beautiful thing in ,god's universe1 there is no reason why taste and devotion should not be united4 ,it is the ministry of the word1 however1 upon which the church must be chiefly intent4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,whitefield',s ,,second ,,visit ,,to ,,america4 #agci1 #agdj4 ,as in the preceding chapter1 for the sake of connecting the history of ,whitefield's church edifices in ,london1 we have anticipated the order of events1 we go back to the period shortly before his second voyage to ,america4 ,about the time of which we are now writing1 a circumstance occurred of deep interest1 which ,whitefield relates at considerable length4 ,joseph ,periam1 a young man in ,london1 who had read his sermon on regeneration1 became deeply impressed by it2 he sold all that he possessed1 and prayed so loud and fasted so long1 that his family supposed him deranged1 and sent him to the ,bedlam madhouse1 where he was treated as methodistically mad1 and as one of ,whitefield's gang4 ,the keepers threw him down1 and forced a key into his mouth1 while they drenched him with medicine4 ,he was then placed in a cold room without windows1 and with a damp cellar under it4 ,periam1 however1 found some means of conveying a letter to ,whitefield1 requesting both advice and a visit4 ,these were promptly given4 ,the preacher soon discovered that ,periam was not mad2 and taking a ,mr4 ,seward and some other friends with him1 he went before the committee of the hospital to explain the case4 ,it must have been somewhat of a ludicrous scene4 ,seward so astounded the committee by quoting ,scripture1 that they pronounced him to be as mad as ,periam4 ,the doctors frankly told the deputation1 that in their opinion1 ,whitefield and his followers were really beside themselves4 ,it was however agreed1 that if ,whitefield would take ,periam out to ,georgia1 his release would be granted4 ,thus the conference ended1 and the young man went out as a schoolmaster at the ,orphan-house4 ,there he was exemplary and useful1 and when he died two of his sons were received into the institution4 ,mr4 ,whitefield so successfully pleaded the cause of his ,american orphans1 that during his journeys of twelve months he collected upwards of one thousand pounds towards the erection of his intended house for their accommodation4 ,with this sum in his possession1 he set sail for ,america the second time1 ,august #ad1 #agci1 accompanied by his friend ,mr4 ,seward1 eight men1 one boy1 and two children4 ,while all this was going on1 the inhabitants of ,georgia were making every possible preparation for his reception4 ,the records of the trustees say1 ,may #af1 #agci1 ,read a commission to the ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield to perform all religious and ecclesiastical offices at ,savannah1 in ,georgia4 ,again3 ,june #b1 #agci4 ,sealed a grant of five hundred acres of land to the ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield1 in trust for the use of the house to be erected and maintained for the receiving such children as now are1 and shall hereafter be left orphans in the colony of ,georgia1 in pursuance of the direction of the ,common ,council held the #cjth of last month4 ,not only was ,whitefield anxious to establish the orphan-house for the benefit of the whole colony of ,georgia1 but having been ordained priest1 for the purpose of instructing the inhabitants of the town of ,savannah1 he was desirous of making full proof of his ministry among them4 ,after a passage of nine weeks he landed at ,philadelphia1 and was immediately invited to preach in the churches2 to which people of all denominations thronged as in ,england4 ,he was especially pleased to find that they preferred sermons when not delivered within the church walls4 ,and it was well they did1 for his fame had arrived in the city before him1 and crowds were collected to hear him which no church could contain4 ,a letter written on this voyage to ,america has recently come to light1 which beautifully illustrates the spirit by which ,whitefield was now animated4 ,it was addressed to the ,rev4 ,john ,cumming of ,andover1 ,hampshire1 ,england4 ,wrote at ,sea1 dated at ,philadelphia1 ,nov4 #i1 #agci4 ,,reverend ,,and ,,dear ,,sir--,you see by my writing this how willing ,i am to cultivate a correspondence with you4 ,i wish ,christians in general1 and ministers of ,christ in particular1 were better acquainted4 ,the cause of ,christ thereby must be necessarily promoted4 ,but bigotry and sectarian zeal have been the bane of our holy religion4 ,though we have one ,lord1 one faith1 and one baptism1 yet if we do not all worship ,god in one particular way1 we behave to each other like ,jews and ,samaritans4 ,dear sir1 ,i hope that neither of us have so learned ,christ4 ,blessed be ,god for his free grace in ,christ4 ,the partition wall has for some time been broken down out of my heart1 and ,i can truly say1 whosoever loves the ,lord ,jesus1 'the same is my brother1 and sister1 and mother4' ,for this reason1 dear sir1 ,i love you4 ,for this reason1 though ,i decrease1 yet ,i heartily wish you may increase1 even with all the increase of ,god4 ,i am persuaded you are like-minded4 ,i believe my friends have prayed for me4 ,the ,lord hath dealt most lovingly with me his servant4 ,he has chastened and corrected1 but hath not given me over into the hands of the enemy4 ,a future journal will acquaint you with particulars4 ,what ,i have sent over to be published will afford you abundant matter for thanksgiving in behalf of1 ,dear sir1 your affectionate friend1 ,brother1 and servant1 ,g4 ,,whitefield4 ,the old court-house of ,philadelphia1 then standing on ,second and ,market streets1 had a balcony1 which several years before the visit of ,whitefield had been often used instead of a pulpit4 ,in #agcf1 we find that ,mr4 ,abel ,noble had preached from the court-house steps1 on a ,monday1 to a large congregation standing in ,market-street1 on the subject of keeping the ,sabbath4 ,in the same year1 ,michael ,welfare appeared there to give his warning voice1 and now1 in #agci1 it became one of the favorite preaching stands of the great evangelist4 ,here he stood1 surrounded by many thousands1 even down to the side of the ,delaware river1 not a few bathed in tears1 and inquiring after the way of salvation4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,court-,,house1 ,,philadelphia4 ,illustration3 ,,tennent ,,church1 ,,freehold1 ,n4 ,j4 p4 #aag4 ,dr4 ,franklin says1 ,the multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous2 and it was a matter of speculation with me to observe the influence of his oratory on his hearers1 and how much they admired and respected him1 notwithstanding his common abuse of them1 by assuring them that they were1 naturally1 half beasts and half devils4 ,it was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants4 ,from being thoughtless and indifferent about religion1 it seemed as if all the world was growing religious2 so that one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families in every street4 ,a constant attendant on his ministry at this time says1 ,his hearers were never weary2 every eye was fixed on his expressive countenance2 every ear was charmed with his melodious voice2 every heart captivated with the beauty and propriety of his address4 ,he was no contracted bigot2 all denominations partook of his religious charity4 ,anxious in ,america for our civil privileges1 he was alike solicitous for the spiritual and temporal happiness of mankind4 ,no man since the apostolic age preached oftener or with better success4 ,he was1 moreover1 a polite gentleman1 a faithful friend1 an engaging companion1 and a sincere ,christian4 ,his sermons in the open air lasted about one and a half hours4 ,watson1 in his ,annals of ,philadelphia1 speaking of ,whitefield's first visit to that city1 tells us that he preached to a crowd of fifteen thousand persons on ,society hill1 and adds1 ,about the same time he so far succeeded to repress the usual public amusements1 that the dancing-school was discontinued1 and the ball and concert rooms were shut up1 as inconsistent with the requisitions of the gospel4 ,no less than fourteen sermons were preached on ,society hill in the open air in one week1 during the session of the ,presbyterian church2 and the gazette of the day1 in noticing the fact1 says1 ',the change to religion here is altogether surprising1 through the influence of ,whitefield2 no books sell but religious1 and such is the general conversation4' ,it is said1 that though some gentlemen broke open the assembly-rooms1 no company could be induced to visit them4 ,such was the popularity of ,whitefield1 that when he left the city1 about one hundred and fifty gentlemen accompanied him as far as ,chester1 fifteen miles from ,philadelphia1 where he preached to about seven thousand people4 ,at ,white ,clay creek1 he preached to eight thousand people1 three thousand of whom1 it is said1 were on horseback4 ,many complimentary effusions to him appeared in the newspapers1 and ,james ,pemberton1 a very distinguished ,friend1 said of him1 ,in his conversation he is very agreeable1 and has not much of the priest2 he frequents no set company4 ,an old gentleman assured ,watson1 the annalist1 that on one occasion the words1 ,and he taught them1 saying1 as pronounced by ,whitefield on ,society hill1 were heard at ,gloucester point1 a distance by water of two miles4 ,abundant reasons might be assigned for our introducing in this place an account of the institution called the ,log college4 ,it has proved the parent of every collegiate and theological institution connected with the large and wealthy body of ,presbyterians in this country2 it was originated by a family which became especially endeared to ,mr4 ,whitefield2 and from his journal1 recording his visit to it1 we have1 in some respects at least1 the clearest statement of facts concerning it which history has preserved4 ,as we have already shown1 about one hundred and forty years ago1 the state of religion1 both in ,europe and ,america1 was very low4 ,nor was the condition of the ,presbyterian body an exception4 ,as the late ,dr4 ,alexander1 in his interesting volume1 called ,the ,log ,college1 says1 ,the ministers composing the ,presbyterian church in this country were sound in the faith1 and strongly attached to the ,westminster confession of faith and catechisms1 as were also their people2 and there were no diversities or contentions among them respecting the doctrines of the gospel2 but as to the vital power of godliness1 there is reason to believe that it was little known or spoken of4 ,revivals of religion were nowhere heard of1 and an orthodox creed1 and a decent external conduct were the only points on which inquiry was made1 when persons were admitted to the communion of the church4 ,indeed1 it was very much a matter of course1 for all who had been baptized in infancy1 to be received into communion at the proper age1 without exhibiting or possessing any satisfactory evidence of a change of heart by the supernatural operations of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,and the habit of their preachers was to address their people as though they were all pious1 and only needed instruction and confirmation4 ,such was the lamentable state of things when the ,rev4 ,william ,tennent1 sen41 an ,irish clergyman past the middle stage of life arrived in this country1 about the year #agaf4 ,after laboring for a season in the state of ,new ,york1 till about #agba1 he received an invitation to settle at ,bensalem1 where he ministered to the small ,presbyterian congregation till #agbf1 when he was called to ,neshaminy1 in the same county1 where he labored for the rest of his life1 living till #agdf1 when he died1 aged seventy-three4 ,in ,neshaminy the good man felt that he was called not only to discharge the duties of a preacher and pastor1 but to look over the whole country1 and to devise means for the extension of the cause of ,christ4 ,he had himself four sons1 the subjects of divine grace1 and blessed with talents for usefulness in the kingdom of the ,redeemer1 and he felt that when other young men rose up in the church1 favored with ministerial talents1 they also would need mental cultivation4 ,hence his determination to erect the humble building of which we now write1 which was the first ,presbyterian literary and theological institution in this country1 the immediate parent of the college at ,princeton1 and from which1 indeed1 all similar institutions emanated4 ,the site of the ,log college is about a mile from ,neshaminy creek1 where the ,presbyterian church has long stood4 ,the ground near and around it lies handsomely to the eye1 and the more distant prospect is very beautiful2 for while there is a considerable extent of fertile1 well-cultivated land1 nearly level1 the view is bounded to the north and west by a range of hills1 which have a very pleasing appearance4 ,mr4 ,whitefield has left in his ,journal1 the only description we have of the building4 ,the place1 says he1 wherein the young men study now1 is in contempt called 'the college4' ,it is a log-house about twenty feet long1 and nearly as many broad2 and to me it seemed to resemble the school of the old prophets1 for their habitations were mean4 ,that they sought not great things for themselves is plain from these passages of ,scripture1 wherein we are told that each of them took a beam to build them a house2 and that at the feast of the sons of the prophets1 one of them put on the pot1 while the others went to fetch some herbs out of the field4 ,all that we can say of most of our universities is1 they are glorious without4 ,from this despised place1 seven or eight worthy ministers of ,jesus have lately been sent forth2 more are almost ready to be sent1 and the foundation is now laying for the instruction of many others4 ,of the senior ,tennent1 the founder of the ,log college1 little more is known than what we have already given4 ,he was a member of the synod of ,philadelphia1 who were satisfied with his reasons for leaving the ,established church of ,ireland1 and for several years this body cordially coperated with him in his zealous labors4 ,their unity of feeling1 however1 seems to have declined4 ,this we learn from a passage in ,whitefield's ,journal1 which also gives us a beautiful view of the good old man4 ,at my return home1 was much comforted by the coming of one ,mr4 ,tennent1 an old gray-headed disciple and soldier of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he keeps an academy about twenty miles from ,philadelphia1 and has been blest with four gracious sons1 three of which have been1 and still continue to be eminently useful in the church of ,christ4 ,he brought three pious souls along with him1 and rejoiced me by letting me know how they had been evil spoken of for their ,master's sake4 ,he is a great friend of ,mr4 ,erskine1 of ,scotland2 and as far as ,i can learn1 both he and his sons are secretly despised by the generality of the synod1 as ,mr4 ,erskine and his friends are hated by the judicatories of ,edinburgh1 and as the ,methodist preachers1 as they are called1 are by their brethren in ,england4 ,not long after this1 the ,log college was visited by ,whitefield1 who wrote the account we have already given4 ,he also says1 under the date of ,nov4 #bi1 #agci1 ,set out for ,neshaminy1 twenty miles distant from ,trent ,town1 where old ,mr4 ,tennent lives1 and keeps an academy1 and where ,i was to preach to-day1 according to appointment4 ,about twelve o'clock1 we came thither1 and found about three thousand people gathered together in the meeting-house yard4 ,mr4 ,william ,tennent1 junior1 an eminent servant of ,jesus ,christ1 because we stayed beyond the time appointed1 was preaching to them4 ,when ,i came up1 he soon stopped2 sung a psalm1 and then ,i began to speak as the ,lord gave me utterance4 ,at first1 the people seemed unaffected1 but in the midst of my discourse1 the power of the ,lord ,jesus came upon me1 and ,i felt such a struggling within myself for the people as ,i scarce ever felt before4 ,the hearers began to be melted down immediately1 and to cry much2 and we had good reason to hope the ,lord intended good for many4 ,after ,i had finished1 ,mr4 ,gilbert ,tennent gave a word of exhortation1 to confirm what had been delivered4 ,at the end of his discourse1 we sung a psalm1 and dismissed the people with a blessing2 ,o that the people may say ,amen to it4 ,after our exercises were over1 we went to old ,mr4 ,tennent's1 who entertained us like one of the ancient patriarchs4 ,his wife1 to me seemed like ,elizabeth1 and he like ,zachary2 both1 as far as ,i can learn1 walk in the commandments and ordinances of the ,lord blameless4 ,though ,god was pleased to humble my soul1 so that ,i was obliged to retire for a while1 yet we had sweet communion with each other1 and spent the evening in concerting what measures had best be taken for promoting our dear ,lord's kingdom4 ,it happened very providentially that ,mr4 ,tennent and his brethren are appointed to be a presbytery by the synod1 so that they intend bringing up gracious youths1 and sending them out from time to time into the ,lord's vineyard4 ,we may be permitted to add here1 that among the ministers sent out by ,mr4 ,tennent1 from the ,log college1 to preach the gospel1 were his four sons1 ,gilbert1 ,william1 ,john1 and ,charles1 the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,samuel ,blair1 ,john ,blair1 ,charles ,beatty1 and ,rev4 ,dr4 ,samuel ,j4 ,finley1 ,president of ,princeton ,college2 of some of these excellent men the reader will hear again in the course of this volume4 ,in reference to his first visit to ,philadelphia1 ,whitefield thus writes3 ,i have scarcely preached among them1 but ,i have seen a stirring among the dry bones4 ,go where ,i will1 ,i find people with great gladness receive me into their houses4 ,sometimes ,i think ,i am speaking to stocks and stones2 but before ,i have done1 the power of the ,lord comes over them1 and ,i find ,i have been ploughing up some fallow ground1 in a place where there has been a great famine of the word of ,god4 ,but as ,god's word increases1 so will the rage and opposition of the devil4 ,scoffers seem to be at a stand what to say4 ,they mutter in coffee-houses1 give a curse1 drink a barrel of punch1 and then cry out against me for not preaching more morality4 ,poor men1 if ,god judges them1 as he certainly will do1 by their morality1 out of their own mouths will he condemn them4 ,their morality1 falsely so called1 will prove their damnation4 ,god has enlarged my heart to pray4 ,tears trickle down my face1 and ,i am in great agony2 but the ,lord is pleased to set his seal to what he enables me to deliver4 ,amid cries and groans in the congregation1 ,god gives me much freedom of speech4 ,many people and many ministers weep4 ,my own soul is much carried out4 ,i preached to a vast assembly of sinners2 nearly twelve thousand were collected2 and ,i had not spoken long1 before ,i perceived numbers melting2 as ,i proceeded1 the power increased1 and thousands cried out2 never before did ,i see so glorious a sight4 ,oh1 what strong crying and tears were poured forth after the dear ,lord ,jesus6 ,some fainted2 and when they had gotten a little strength1 they would hear and faint again4 ,never was my soul filled with greater power4 ,oh1 what thoughts and words did ,god put into my heart4 ,as great1 if not greater commotion was in the hearts of the people4 ,look where ,i would1 most were drowned in tears4 ,an aged man who was living in #ahjf1 and who well remembered the scenes he witnessed1 bore testimony that after this visit of the great evangelist1 public worship was regularly celebrated in ,philadelphia twice a day for a whole year2 and that on the ,lord's day it was celebrated three1 and frequently four times in each church4 ,he said there were not less than twenty-six societies regularly held for prayer and ,christian conference4 ,such was the influence of ,whitefield1 not only in ,philadelphia1 but throughout the colony of ,pennsylvania1 that in the city attention to commerce was suspended1 and in the country the cultivation of the land for the time being was abandoned1 that people might hear him proclaim the gospel of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,among other very striking conversions in ,philadelphia at this period1 was that of a young lady1 who had for several years made a public profession of ,christianity1 but who now became fully convinced that she was totally unacquainted with vital piety4 ,when ,mr4 ,whitefield began his labors in that city1 she was greatly affected by his preaching1 on which she constantly attended1 and often afterwards told her friends1 that after the first sermon she heard him preach1 she was ready to say with the woman of ,samaria1 ,come see a man who told me all things that ever ,i did4 ,the preacher1 she said1 so exactly described all the secret workings of her heart1 her wishes1 and her actions1 that she really believed he was either more than human1 or else that he was supernaturally assisted to know her heart4 ,she was not then aware that all depraved hearts are much alike1 and that he who in lively colors can paint one1 gives a description which will be recognized by many as their own4 ,this young lady once walked twenty miles to hear a sermon from ,whitefield2 she became a most eminent ,christian1 and was one of the constituent members of the church organized by ,mr4 ,tennent4 ,she married ,mr4 ,hugh ,hodge1 who was also one of the seals of ,mr4 ,whitefield's ministry1 and a deacon of the church1 and for more than sixty years she eminently adorned the gospel of ,god in all things4 ,during this first visit of ,mr4 ,whitefield to ,philadelphia1 another interesting circumstance occurred4 ,whitefield preached one evening standing on the steps of the court-house1 in ,market-street1 which became1 as we have said1 his favorite spot during that and subsequent visits4 ,a youth some thirteen years of age stood near him1 and held a lantern for his accommodation2 but becoming deeply absorbed in the sermon1 and strongly agitated1 the lantern fell from his hands1 and was dashed in pieces4 ,those near the boy1 observing the cause of the accident1 felt specially interested1 and for a few moments the meeting was discomposed by the occurrence4 ,some fourteen years afterwards1 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 on his fifth visit to this country1 was visiting ,st4 ,george's1 in ,delaware4 ,he was one day riding out with the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,john ,rodgers1 then settled as the minister at ,st4 ,george's1 in the closed carriage in which ,whitefield generally rode4 ,mr4 ,rodgers asked him whether he recollected the occurrence of the little boy who was so affected with his preaching as to let his lantern fall4 ,mr4 ,whitefield replied1 ,o yes1 ,i remember it well2 and have often thought ,i would give almost any thing in my power1 to know who that little boy was1 and what had become of him4 ,mr4 ,rodgers replied with a smile1 ,i am that little boy4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 with tears of joy1 started from his seat1 took him in his arms1 and with strong emotion remarked1 that he was the fourteenth person then in the ministry whom he had discovered in the course of that visit to ,america1 in whose conversion he had1 under ,god1 been instrumental4 ,from ,philadelphia1 ,whitefield was invited by ,mr4 ,noble to ,new ,york2 this gentleman being the only person with whom he then had an acquaintance in that city4 ,upon his arrival1 he waited with his friend on the commissary1 but he refused to ,whitefield the use of the church4 ,this commissary of the bishop1 he says1 was full of anger and resentment1 and denied me the use of his pulpit before ,i asked for it4 ,he said they did not want my assistance4 ,i replied1 that if they preached the gospel1 ,i wished them good luck3 ,i will preach in the fields2 for all places are alike to me4 ,the undaunted evangelist therefore preached in the fields2 and on the evening of the same day1 to a very thronged and attentive audience1 in the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,pemberton's meeting-house1 in ,wall-street2 and continued to do so twice or three times a day1 with apparent success4 ,of this visit to ,new ,york1 and of ,whitefield's labors there1 we have a graphic account1 furnished by one of his hearers1 for ,prince's ,christian ,history4 ,of the first sermon in the fields1 the writer says1 ,i fear curiosity was the motive that led me and many others into that assembly4 ,i had read two or three of ,mr4 ,whitefield's sermons and part of his ,journal1 and from them had obtained a settled opinion1 that he was a good man4 ,thus far was ,i prejudiced in his favor4 ,but then having heard of so much opposition1 and many clamors against him1 ,i thought it possible he might have carried matters too far2 that some enthusiasm might have mixed itself with his piety1 and that his zeal might have exceeded his knowledge4 ,with these prepossessions ,i went into the fields4 ,when ,i came there1 ,i saw a great number of people1 consisting of ,christians of all denominations1 some ,jews1 and a few1 ,i believe1 of no religion at all4 ,when ,mr4 ,whitefield came to the place designated1 which was a little eminence on the side of a hill1 he stood still and beckoned with his hand1 and disposed the multitude upon the descent1 before1 and on each side of him4 ,he then prayed most excellently1 in the same manner1 ,i suppose1 that the first ministers of the ,christian church prayed4 ,the assembly soon appeared to be divided into two companies1 the one of which ,i considered as ,god's church1 and the other the devil's chapel4 ,the first were collected round the minister1 and were very serious and attentive2 the last had placed themselves in the skirts of the assembly1 and spent most of their time in giggling1 scoffing1 talking1 and laughing4 ,i believe the minister saw them1 for in his sermon1 remarking on the cowardice and shamefacedness in ,christ's cause1 he pointed towards this assembly1 and reproached the former1 those who seemed to be ,christians1 with the boldness and zeal with which the devil's vassals serve him4 ,towards the last prayer the whole assembly appeared more united1 and all became hushed and still2 a solemn awe and reverence appeared in the faces of most1 a mighty energy attending the word4 ,i heard and felt something astonishing and surprising1 but ,i confess ,i was not at that time fully rid of my scruples4 ,but as ,i thought ,i saw a visible presence of ,god with ,mr4 ,whitefield1 ,i kept my doubts to myself4 ,under this frame of mind1 ,i went to hear him in the evening at the ,presbyterian church1 where he expounded to above two thousand people within and without doors4 ,i never in my life saw so attentive an audience4 ,all he said was demonstration1 life1 and power4 ,the people's eyes and ears hung on his lips4 ,they greedily devoured every word4 ,i came home astonished4 ,every scruple vanished2 ,i never saw nor heard the like2 and ,i said within myself1 ',surely ,god is with this man1 of a truth4' ,he preached and expounded in this manner twice every day for four days1 and his evening assemblies were continually increasing4 ,on ,sunday morning at eight o'clock1 his congregation consisted of about fifteen hundred people2 but at night several thousands came together to hear him2 and the place being too strait for them1 many were forced to go away1 and some1 it is said1 with tears lamented their disappointment4 ,after sermon he left ,new ,york at ten at night1 to fulfil a promise that he had made to preach at ,elizabethtown1 at eleven ,a4 ,m4 the next day4 ,we give a few paragraphs from the same vigorous pen1 relating to the personal manners and the doctrines of our evangelist4 ,he is a man of a middle stature1 of a slender body1 of a fair complexion1 and of a comely appearance4 ,he is of a sprightly1 cheerful temper1 and acts and moves with great agility and life4 ,the endowments of his mind are very uncommon2 his wit is quick and piercing2 his imagination lively and florid2 and as far as ,i can discern1 both are under the direction of an exact and solid judgment4 ,he has a most ready memory1 and ,i think speaks entirely without notes4 ,he has a clear and musical voice1 and a wonderful command of it4 ,he uses much gesture1 but with great propriety4 ,every accent of his voice1 every motion of his body speaks1 and both are natural and unaffected4 ,if his delivery is the product of art1 it is certainly the perfection of it1 for it is entirely concealed4 ,he has a great mastery of words1 but studies much plainness of speech4 ,his doctrine is right sterling4 ,i mean1 perfectly agreeable to the ,articles of the church of ,england1 to which he frequently appeals for the truth of it4 ,he loudly proclaims all men by nature to be under sin1 and obnoxious to the wrath and curse of ,god4 ,he maintains the absolute necessity of supernatural grace to bring men out of this state4 ,he asserts the righteousness of ,christ to be the only cause of the justification of the sinner2 that this is received by faith2 that this faith is the gift of ,god2 that where faith is wrought1 it brings the sinner under the deepest sense of his guilt and unworthiness to the footstool of sovereign grace1 to accept of mercy as the free gift of ,god1 only for ,christ's sake4 ,he denies that good works have any share in our justification3 that indeed they do justify our faith1 and necessarily flow from it1 as streams from the fountain2 but ,christ's external righteousness imputed to us1 and his inherent righteousness wrought in us1 is the only cause of man's salvation4 ,he asserts the absolute necessity of the new birth1 where a principle of new life is ingenerated in the heart of man1 and an entire change is produced in the temper and disposition of the soul2 and that this new production is the work only of ,god's blessed ,spirit4 ,that wherever this change is wrought1 it is permanent and abiding1 and that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it4 ,he asserts that the special influence and indwelling of the ,spirit1 was not peculiar to the first ,christians1 but that it is the common privilege of believers in all ages of the church2 that the ,holy ,spirit is the author of the sanctification and comfort of all ,god's people2 and that1 even in these days1 if any man have not the spirit of ,christ1 he is none of his4 ,he said1 that to many of his hearers1 he feared he spoke in an unknown tongue2 that he preached great mysteries2 that true ,christians knew what he meant1 and that all his hearers1 if they are saved1 must be brought to understand them4 ,these are some of the doctrines which have been attended with such mighty power in this city4 ,this is the doctrine of the martyrs4 ,this they sealed with their blood2 notwithstanding that so many in our days have departed from it4 ,mr4 ,whitefield speaks much of the language of the ,new ,testament2 and has an admirable faculty in explaining the ,scriptures4 ,he strikes out of them such lights1 and unveils those excellencies which surprise his hearers1 when he expounds them4 ,he expresses the highest love and concern for the souls of men2 and speaks of ,christ with the most affectionate appropriation--',my ,master6 ,my ,lord6' ,he is no enemy to the innocent freedoms and liberties of the gospel2 nor does he affect singularity in indifferent things4 ,he spends not his zeal in trifles1 but says1 ',the kingdom of ,god consists not in meats and drinks2 but in righteousness1 and peace1 and joy in the ,holy ,ghost4' ,he breathes a most catholic spirit1 and prays most earnestly that ,god would destroy all that bigotry and party zeal which has divided ,christians4 ,he supposes some of ,christ's flock are to be found under every denomination1 and upbraids the uncharitableness of those who confine the church to their own communion4 ,he professes a most sincere love to all those who love our ,lord ,jesus ,christ in sincerity1 and declares that he has no design to make a party in religion4 ,he professes that his whole design in preaching the gospel is to bring men to ,christ1 to deliver them from their false confidences1 to raise them from their dead formalities1 and to revive primitive ,christianity among them2 and if he can obtain this end1 he will leave them to their liberty1 and they may go to what church1 and worship ,god in what form they like best4 ,while going from ,philadelphia to ,new ,york1 or on his return1 ,whitefield appears to have preached at ,maidenhead1 ,abington1 ,neshaminy1 ,freehold1 ,burlington1 ,elizabethtown1 and ,new ,brunswick1 to many thousands1 gathered from various parts1 among whom there had been a considerable awakening under the ministry of ,mr4 ,frelinghuysen1 a ,reformed ,dutch minister1 and the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,tennent1 ,blair1 and ,rowland4 ,it was no less pleasing to him than strange to see such congregations in a foreign land2 ministers and people shedding tears1 sinners struck with awe1 and religious persons who had been much persecuted1 filled with joy4 ,the old ,tennent church at ,freehold1 where preached ,whitefield1 ,brainerd1 ,davies1 and other famous men of that day1 still echoes with the same gospel4 ,in size the building is forty feet by sixty1 with three entrances on the larger side4 ,the pulpit is on the north side of the house1 immediately opposite the central door1 so that the minister faces the width of the church instead of its length4 ,the pulpit is very narrow1 and is surmounted with a sounding-board1 according to the custom of our fathers4 ,in the middle aisle lie buried the remains of the sainted ,william ,tennent1 whose death took place about seven years after that of ,whitefield1 at the age of seventy-two years4 ,a handsome monumental tablet records the leading dates of his pilgrimage4 ,some of our readers may inquire as to the localities honored by ,whitefield's preaching in and about the city of ,new ,york4 ,we find many records of his discoursing in the open fields of the surrounding country2 the old ,city ,exchange1 which stood at the foot of ,broad-street1 near ,water-street1 and which was built on large arches1 was a favorite spot for itinerant preachers1 and for ,whitefield among the rest4 ,during his various visits to ,new ,york1 from #agde to #agfj1 he generally preached in the ,presbyterian church in ,wall-street1 which was then the only church of that denomination in the city1 and of which the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,pemberton1 from ,boston1 was the minister4 ,afterwards1 a few years before his death1 he was accustomed to preach in the ,brick church in ,beekman-street2 which was then familiarly called the ,brick meeting1 and in common parlance1 said to be in the fields2 so little was the city extended at that period4 ,so prosperous was his ministry in ,new ,york1 that it was found necessary immediately to enlarge the ,presbyterian church in ,wall-street1 by the erection of galleries2 and a year or two afterwards it was again enlarged about one-third1 in order to accommodate the stated worshippers4 ,when ,whitefield was preaching before a very large number of the seamen of ,new ,york1 he introduced the following bold apostrophe into his sermon3 ,well1 my boys1 we have a cloudless sky1 and are making fine headway over a smooth sea1 before a light breeze1 and we shall soon lose sight of land4 ,but what means this sudden lowering of the heavens1 and that dark cloud arising from beneath the western horizon8 ,hark6 don't you hear the distant thunder8 ,don't you see those flashes of lightning8 ,there is a storm gathering4 ,every man to his duty4 ,how the waves rush and dash against the ship6 ,the air is dark4 ,the tempest rages4 ,our masts are gone6 ,what next8 ,the unsuspecting tars1 reminded of former perils on the deep1 as if struck by the power of magic1 arose1 and with united voices exclaimed1 ,take to the longboat1 sir6 ,the reader may well imagine how this very natural answer would be used by the preacher4 ,while at ,new ,york1 ,whitefield wrote1 ,god willing1 in about seven months ,i hope to see ,new ,england on my return to ,europe4 ,an effectual door is there opened1 and no wonder there are many adversaries4 ,shortly ,i expect to suffer for my dear ,master4 ,and after his return to ,philadelphia1 he showed his piety and meekness by writing to the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,pemberton1 of ,new ,york1 ,i have been much concerned since ,i saw you1 lest ,i behaved not with that humility towards you which is due from a babe to a father in ,christ2 but you know1 reverend sir1 how difficult it is to meet with success1 and not be puffed up with it2 and therefore1 if any such thing was discernible in my conduct1 ,o pity me1 and pray to the ,lord to heal my pride4 ,all ,i can say is1 that ,i desire to learn of ,jesus ,christ to be meek and lowly in heart2 but my corruptions are so strong1 and my employ so dangerous1 that ,i am sometimes afraid4 ,one of the most important incidents of this journey to ,new ,york1 was the meeting of ,whitefield with ,gilbert ,tennent4 ,two powerful preachers could hardly resemble each other less2 and the great strength of each lay in characteristics in which the other was deficient4 ,in one point1 especially1 ,whitefield felt and recorded his new friend's superiority4 ,he heard ,tennent preach4 ,never before heard ,i such a searching sermon4 ,he went to the bottom indeed1 and did not 'daub with untempered mortar4' ,he convinced me1 more and more1 that we can preach the gospel of ,christ no further than we have experienced the power of it in our hearts4 ,i found what a babe and novice ,i was in the things of ,god4 ,these men1 as ,tracy says1 having once met1 could not but be friends and allies for life2 and the effects of their alliance could not fail to be felt by thousands4 ,both at ,philadelphia and ,new ,york1 printers applied to ,whitefield for copies of his sermons for publication1 and two were so issued1 in the influence of which their author had cause to rejoice4 ,in an after-period1 the celebrated ,benjamin ,franklin printed ,whitefield's ,journal in ,new ,england1 still extant2 a copy of which was sold at auction in ,philadelphia in #ahee1 for about thirty times its original price4 ,his journals1 indeed1 and his sermons became considerable articles in commerce1 and did not a little1 amid the comparatively sparse population of the country1 to extend both his fame and his usefulness4 ,but the time was now come when it became important that ,whitefield should pursue his course towards ,savannah4 ,he could not1 however1 regret his stay so long on the road4 ,it is unknown1 he says1 what deep impressions have been made on the hearts of hundreds4 ,many poor sinners have1 ,i trust1 been called home1 and great numbers are under strong convictions4 ,an opposer told me ,i had unhinged many good sort of people4 ,i believe it4 ,nor was this the only good he had done4 ,no small sympathy had been excited among ,christian people in favor of his orphan family1 and a spirit of liberality and of prayer was extensively cherished4 ,they sent me1 says the grateful evangelist1 butter1 sugar1 chocolate1 pickles1 cheese1 and flour1 for my orphans2 and indeed1 ,i could almost say1 they would pluck out their own eyes and give me4 ,o that what ,god says of the church of ,philadelphia may now be fulfilled in the city called after her name--',i know thy works4' ,the ready liberality which everywhere met ,whitefield1 determined him to pursue his journey by land4 ,he therefore procured a vessel1 in which he sent on his family and their supplies to ,savannah4 ,of this sloop1 ,captain ,gladman was master2 and a young man who had recently been converted by the preaching of the great evangelist1 willingly offered himself as mate4 ,we have already seen that he was accompanied southward as far as ,chester by a very large company of gentlemen of ,philadelphia2 and on his arrival at that place1 a court was about to open1 but the judges sent him word that they would not commence their business until the sermon1 which they expected from him1 was over4 ,nearly a thousand people had travelled from ,philadelphia to hear it1 and it was thought that those collected from places many miles around1 composed an assembly of not less than seven thousand persons4 ,a platform was erected1 and it was believed that many of his hearers obtained something infinitely better than the mere gratification of their curiosity4 ,among other places at which he preached on this journey1 was ,white ,clay creek1 endeared to him not only as the place where he first met with his beloved friend ,william ,tennent1 but as the residence of a ,welsh family who had heard him preach at ,cardiff and ,kingswood before they emigrated1 and who bore1 what was to him a fact of endearing interest1 the name of ,howell4 ,but during this tour ,whitefield had to endure considerable privations and peril in riding through the woods4 ,on one occasion1 he heard the wolves howling like a kennel of hounds near to the road2 on another1 he had a narrow escape in trying to cross the ,potomac in a storm4 ,here also he had once to swim his horse1 owing to the floods2 for it was now the depth of winter4 ,one night1 ,seward and he lost their way in the woods of ,south ,carolina1 and were much alarmed at seeing groups of negroes dancing around large fires4 ,notwithstanding all the hardships1 however1 of the journey1 no real injury was sustained from it4 ,our evangelist at length arrived at ,charleston in good health and spirits4 ,but he could not obtain admittance to ,st4 ,philip's church2 ,garden1 the commissary1 who had once promised to defend him with life and fortune1 was absent1 and the curate would not open the doors without his leave4 ,the people1 however1 had not forgotten him1 and the ,rev4 ,josiah ,smith1 the congregational minister1 and the pastor of the ,french church1 at once threw open their houses and pulpits1 and rich indeed were the blessings they enjoyed4 ,the congregations during his present visit to ,charleston were large and polite2 but he says they presented an affected finery and gayety of dress and deportment1 which ,i question if the court-end of ,london could exceed4 ,before he left1 however1 there was what he called a glorious alteration in the audience4 ,many of them wept2 and the hitherto light and airy had visibly strong feelings1 as shown in their countenances4 ,such was their extreme anxiety to hear more from him1 that after he had gone to the shore to sail for ,georgia1 they prevailed on him to preach again4 ,on the next morning1 ,whitefield and his companions left ,charleston in a canoe for ,savannah2 and on their way lay on the ground in the woods1 surrounded by large fires to keep off the wild beasts4 ,on this fact he makes the reflection1 ,an emblem1 ,i thought1 of the divine love and presence keeping off evils and corruptions from the soul4 ,on his arrival at ,savannah1 ,january #aa1 #agdj1 he was very happy to meet his family1 who had arrived there three weeks before him2 and to find1 by letters from ,england1 ,new ,york1 etc41 that the work of the ,lord prospered4 ,one thing1 however1 greatly distressed him4 ,the colony of ,georgia was reduced even to a much lower state than when he left it1 and was deserted by nearly all who could get away4 ,he thought that to employ those who were left1 would render them an important service1 and that the money thus expended might be the means of keeping them in the colony4 ,during the absence of ,mr4 ,whitefield from ,georgia1 ,mr4 ,habersham had fixed on a plot of ground of five hundred acres1 about ten miles from ,savannah1 on which the orphan-house should stand1 and had already commenced to clear and stock it4 ,the orphans1 in the mean time1 were accommodated in a hired house4 ,whitefield afterwards regretted the course pursued4 ,he found the condition of the orphans so pitiable1 and the inhabitants so poor1 that he immediately opened an infirmary1 hired a large house at a great rent1 and took in1 at different times1 twenty-four orphans4 ,in the ,march following1 ,whitefield was again at ,charleston1 where he went to meet his brother1 the captain of a ship1 from ,england4 ,here he was requested by many of the inhabitants to give some account of his poor orphans1 which he did in the house of worship occupied by his friend the ,rev4 ,josiah ,smith1 the first native of ,south ,carolina who received a literary degree4 ,such was the spirit excited1 that the collection amounted to seventy pounds sterling4 ,this was no small encouragement1 especially as he had reason to believe that most of it came from those who had received spiritual benefit from his ministry4 ,but if ,whitefield now had his joys in ,charleston1 so he had also his sorrows4 ,we have seen that in a previous visit to this city1 he had considered himself set for the defence of the gospel4 ,he had remarked1 in reference to the twelfth article of the church of ,england1 ,observe1 my dear brethren1 the words of the article1 ',good works are the fruit of faith1 and follow after justification4' ,how can they then precede1 or be in any way the cause of it8 ,no1 our persons must be justified1 before our performances can be accepted4 ,commissary ,garden1 of whom we have already spoken1 now seized the opportunity of ,whitefield's visit to ,charleston1 to write him a letter1 dated ,march #ag1 attacking his doctrine of justification1 and challenging him to defend what he had said concerning the bishop of ,london and his clergy4 ,in this letter1 he urged in reply to what the evangelist had said1 ,if good works do necessarily spring out of a true and lively faith1 and a true and lively faith necessarily precedes justification1 the consequence is plain1 that good works must not only follow after1 but precede justification also4 ,whitefield replied the next day1 ,i perceive that you are angry overmuch4 ,was ,i never so much inclined to dispute1 ,i would stay till the cool of the day4 ,your letter more and more confirms me1 that my charge against the clergy is just and reasonable4 ,it would be endless to enter into such a private debate as you1 reverend sir1 seem desirous of4 ,you have read my sermon3 be pleased to read it again2 and if there be any thing contrary to sound doctrine1 or the ,articles of the church of ,england1 be pleased to let the public know it from the press2 and then let the world judge whether you or my brethren the clergy have been rashly slandered4 ,this was but the commencement of a controversy1 in which were concerned ,garden of ,charleston1 and the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,croswell and ,gee of ,boston1 portions of which are preserved in the ,old ,south church library1 in the latter city2 and which was afterwards resumed between ,garden and ,smith1 of ,charleston1 in the ,south ,carolina ,gazette1 as may be seen in the library of the ,american ,antiquarian ,society at ,worcester1 ,massachusetts4 ,in the mean time1 ,whitefield had returned to ,savannah1 and on ,march #be1 he laid the first brick of the main building of the orphan-house1 which he called ,bethesda1 that is1 a house of mercy4 ,it was built of wood1 and measured seventy feet by forty4 ,by this time nearly forty children had been received1 to be provided for with food and raiment2 and counting the workmen with these1 he had nearly one hundred persons to feed day by day4 ,to do all this he had very little money in the bank2 still he was not discouraged1 being persuaded that his present duty was to advance the interests of the colony by carrying on his work4 ,as yet1 says he1 ,i am kept from the least doubting4 ,the more my family increases1 the more enlargement and comfort ,i feel4 ,set thy almighty fiat to it1 ,o gracious ,father1 and for thine own name's sake convince us more and more1 that thou wilt never forsake those who put their trust in thee4 ,on reviewing this passage fifteen years afterwards1 he wrote1 ,hitherto1 blessed be ,god1 ,i have not been disappointed of my hope4 ,we close our present chapter with a very short visit to ,charleston4 ,in this city ,whitefield had assuredly produced a very extraordinary excitement1 and very opposite opinions were entertained in reference to his character and doctrines4 ,on the day after he had laid the first stone of ,bethesda1 ,mr4 ,smith undertook at ,charleston to defend the conduct and character of his beloved friend1 in a sermon from ,job #cb3ag3 ,i said1 ,i will answer also my part2 ,i also will show mine opinion4 ,as this discourse was published during the following ,june1 with a commendatory preface by the ,rev4 ,drs4 ,colman and ,cooper of ,boston1 and is still highly valued as a piece of contemporary history1 we give an extract1 particularly as to the manner of the preaching of the great evangelist4 ,he is certainly a finished preacher4 ,a noble negligence ran through his style4 ,the passion and flame of his expressions will1 ,i trust1 be long felt by many4 ,my pen cannot describe his action and gestures1 in all their strength and decencies4 ,he appeared to me1 in all his discourses1 to be very deeply affected and impressed in his own heart4 ,how did that burn and boil within him1 when he spake of the things which he had 'made touching the ,king4' ,how was his tongue like the pen of a ready writer1 touched as with a coal from the altar4 ,with what a flow of words1 what a ready profusion of language1 did he speak to us upon the great concerns of our souls4 ,in what a flaming light did he set our eternity before us4 ,how earnestly he pressed ,christ upon us4 ,how did he move our passions with the constraining love of such a ,redeemer4 ,the awe1 the silence1 the attention which sat upon the face of the great audience1 was an argument how he could reign over all their powers4 ,many thought he spake as never man spake before him4 ,so charmed were the people with his manner of address1 that they shut up their shops1 forgot their secular business1 and laid aside their schemes for the world2 and the oftener he preached1 the keener edge he seemed to put upon their desires to hear him again4 ,how awfully1 with what thunder and sound1 did he discharge the artillery of heaven upon us4 ,and yet1 how could he soften and melt even a soldier of ,ulysses with the mercy of ,god4 ,how close1 strong1 and pungent were his applications to the conscience2 mingling light and heat2 pointing the arrows of the ,almighty at the hearts of sinners1 while he poured in the balm upon the wounds of the contrite1 and made broken bones rejoice4 ,eternal themes1 the tremendous solemnities of our religion1 were all alive upon his tongue4 ,so1 methinks--if you will forgive the figure--,st4 ,paul would look and speak in a pulpit4 ,in some such manner1 ,i am tempted to conceive of a seraph1 were he sent down to preach among us1 and to tell us what things he had seen and heard above4 ,how bold and courageous did he look4 ,he was no flatterer2 he would not suffer men to settle on their lees2 and did not prophesy smooth things1 nor sew pillows under their arms4 ,he taught the way of ,god in truth1 and regarded not the persons of men4 ,he struck at the politest and most modish of our vices1 and at the most fashionable entertainments1 regardless of every one's presence1 but ,his in whose name he spoke with this authority4 ,and ,i dare warrant1 if none should go to these diversions until they have answered the solemn questions he put to their consciences1 our theatre would soon sink and perish4 ,i freely own he has taken my heart4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,continuation ,,of ,,whitefield',s ,,second ,,visit ,,to ,,america4 #agdj4 ,at the period when ,whitefield laid the cornerstone of his ,bethesda1 his health was much impaired1 and his spirits depressed4 ,but it was necessary that funds should be obtained1 to meet the claims now daily made upon him4 ,he had received handsome donations from ,charleston1 ,new ,york1 and ,philadelphia1 yet the urgent demand was for more4 ,he therefore embarked from ,charleston for ,newcastle1 ,delaware1 in a sloop1 and arrived there in about ten days4 ,passing on from thence to ,philadelphia1 he found the churches closed against him4 ,the commissary told him that he would lend the church to him no more4 ,the laconic answer of ,whitefield was1 ,the fields are open2 and eight thousand people assembled to hear him the same evening1 and ten thousand on the following day4 ,on the following ,lord's day morning1 he collected one hundred and ten pounds sterling for his poor orphans1 and then went to the ,episcopal church1 where the commissary preached a sermon on justification by works4 ,as ,whitefield was recognized at church1 it was naturally expected that in the evening he would answer the sermon2 nor was the public expectation disappointed4 ,after his sermon1 he collected eighty pounds more for ,bethesda4 ,but far higher success than this attended his labors4 ,societies for worship were commenced in different parts of the town2 not a few began seriously to inquire after the way of salvation2 many negroes came to the evangelist with the inquiry1 ,have ,i a soul8 and a church was formed1 of which the distinguished ,gilbert ,tennent was the eminently useful pastor4 ,no less than one hundred and forty1 who had undergone a previous strict examination as to their personal piety1 were received as constituent members of the church1 and large additions were from time to time made to their number4 ,several events of special interest occurred during this visit to ,philadelphia4 ,tennent had to tell a series of delightful facts as to the usefulness of ,whitefield's former labors4 ,he began to deliberate on a plan for a negro school in ,pennsylvania1 as he did afterwards also in ,virginia1 but unexpected difficulties intervened1 and both in the end were abandoned4 ,mr4 ,jones1 the ,baptist minister of the city1 told ,whitefield of the change produced by his former preaching on the minds of two ministers2 one of whom stated to his congregation that he had hitherto been deceiving both himself and them1 and added1 that he could not preach to them at present1 but requested them to unite in prayer with him2 and the other resigned his charge1 to itinerate among the unenlightened villages of ,new ,jersey and elsewhere4 ,another fact was1 that an ,indian trader became so impressed with the preaching of ,whitefield1 that he had given up his business1 and was gone to teach the ,indians with whom he used to trade4 ,nor had his usefulness stopped here3 he heard of a drinking club1 which had attached to it a negro boy remarkable for his powers of mimicry4 ,this boy was directed by the gentlemen who composed the club to exercise his powers on ,mr4 ,whitefield3 he did so1 but very reluctantly2 at length he stood up and said1 ,i speak the truth in ,christ1 ,i lie not2 unless you repent1 you will all be damned4 ,this unexpected speech had such an effect as to break up the club1 which met no more4 ,we add a few paragraphs from ,seward's journal1 who soon after sailed for ,england to promote the interests of ,georgia1 and who died in the parent country4 ,they date from the #bdth to the #bfth of ,april4 ,came to ,christopher ,wigner's plantation in ,skippack1 where many ,dutch people are settled1 and where the famous ,mr4 ,spalemburg lately resided4 ,it was surprising to see such a multitude of people gathered together in such a wilderness country1 thirty miles distant from ,philadelphia4 ,mr4 ,whitefield was exceedingly carried out1 in his sermon1 to press poor sinners to come to ,christ by faith1 and claim all their privileges2 namely1 not only righteousness and peace1 but joy in the ,holy ,ghost2 and after he had done1 our dear friend ,peter ,bohler preached in ,dutch1 to those who could not understand ,mr4 ,whitefield in ,english4 ,before ,mr4 ,whitefield left ,philadelphia1 he was desired to visit one who was under a deep sense of sin1 from hearing him preach4 ,in praying with this person1 he was so carried beyond himself1 that the whole company1 about twenty1 seemed to be filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and magnified the ,god of heaven4 ,arose at three o'clock1 and though ,mr4 ,whitefield was very weak in body1 yet the ,lord enabled him to ride nearly fifty miles1 and to preach to about five thousand people at ,amwell1 with the same power as usual4 ,mr4 ,gilbert ,tennent1 ,mr4 ,rowland1 ,mr4 ,wales1 and ,mr4 ,campbell1 four godly ministers1 met us here4 ,came to ,new ,brunswick4 ,met ,mr4 ,noble from ,new ,york1 a zealous promoter of our ,lord's kingdom4 ,he said their society at ,new ,york was enlarged from seventy to one hundred and seventy1 and was daily increasing2 and that ,messrs4 ,gilbert and ,william ,tennent1 ,mr4 ,rowland1 and several others1 were hard laborers in our ,lord's vineyard4 ,it will be readily supposed that by this time ,whitefield and his movements had become so much a matter of interest as to be frequently discussed in the newspapers of the day4 ,the ,new ,england ,weekly ,journal of ,april #bi1 #agdj1 copies from a ,philadelphia paper of ,april #ag3 ,the middle of last month the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield was at ,charleston1 and preached five times1 and collected at one time upwards of #gj sterling for the benefit of the orphan-house in ,georgia2 and on ,sunday last1 after ten days' passage from ,georgia1 he landed at ,newcastle1 where he preached morning and evening4 ,on ,monday morning he preached to about three thousand at ,wilmington1 and in the evening arrived in this city4 ,on ,tuesday evening he preached to about eight thousand on ,society hill1 and preached at the same place yesterday morning and evening4 ,then follows a list of his appointments daily to ,april #bi1 during which time he was to preach at ,whitemarsh1 ,germantown1 ,philadelphia1 ,salem1 ,n4 ,j41 ,neshaminy1 ,skippack1 ,frederick township1 ,amwell1 ,new ,brunswick1 ,elizabethtown1 and ,new ,york4 ,on ,may #fth1 the ,journal copied a ,philadelphia notice of ,april #bdth1 that he had preached on the previous ,sabbath to fifteen thousand hearers1 and on ,monday at ,greenwich and ,gloucester1 and that he would return to ,georgia before visiting ,new ,england4 ,the ,journal of ,may #bjth1 contains a letter from ,whitefield to a friend in ,england1 dated ,new ,brunswick1 ,n4 ,j41 ,april #bg4 ,of his visit to ,charleston he says1 ,a glorious work was begun in the hearts of the inhabitants1 and many were brought to cry out1 ',what shall we do to be saved8' ,a fortnight ago1 after a short passage of ten days1 ,i landed in ,pennsylvania1 and have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing that my poor endeavors for promoting ,christ's kingdom1 when here last1 were not altogether in vain in the ,lord4 ,i cannot tell you how many have come to me laboring under the deepest convictions1 and seemingly truly desirous of finding rest in ,jesus ,christ4 ,several have actually received him into their hearts by faith1 and have not only righteousness and peace1 but joy in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,in short1 the word has run and been much glorified1 and many negroes also are in a fair way of being brought home to ,god4 ,young ones ,i intend to buy1 and do not despair of seeing a room full of that despised generation1 in a short time1 singing and making melody with grace in their hearts to the ,lord4 ,an effectual door is opened for preaching the everlasting gospel1 and ,i daily receive fresh and most importunate invitations to preach in all the counties round about4 ,god is pleased to give a great blessing to my printed sermons4 ,they are in the hands of thousands in these parts1 and are a means of enlightening and building up many in their most holy faith4 ,the clergy1 ,i find1 are most offended at me4 ,the commissary of ,philadelphia1 having gotten a little stronger than when ,i was here last1 has thrown off the mask1 denied me the pulpit1 and last ,sunday preached up an historical faith1 and justification by works4 ,but the people only flock the more4 ,the power of ,god is more visible than ever in our assemblies1 and more and more are convinced that ,i preach the doctrine of ,jesus ,christ4 ,some of the bigoted1 self-righteous ,quakers now also begin to spit out a little of the venom of the serpent4 ,they cannot bear the doctrine of original sin1 and of an imputed righteousness as the cause of our acceptance with ,god4 ,i have not yet met with much opposition from the dissenters2 but when ,i come to tell many of them1 ministers as well as people1 that they hold the truth in unrighteousness1 that they talk and preach of justifying faith1 but never felt it in their hearts1 as ,i am persuaded numbers of them have not1 then they no doubt will shoot out their arrows1 even bitter words4 ,while on his voyage from ,charleston to ,newcastle1 ,whitefield seems to have devoted the #dth of ,april1 #agdj1 to correspondence on the subject of marriage4 ,i find1 said he1 by experience1 that a mistress is absolutely necessary for the due management of my increasing family1 and to take off some of that care which at present lies upon me4 ,his letters were addressed to a young lady and her parents1 connected with a family much devoted to piety4 ,here1 as everywhere else1 his heart is transparent4 ,he says to the parents of ,miss ,e----1 ,i write only because ,i believe it is the will of ,god that ,i should alter my state2 but your denial will fully convince me that your daughter is not the person appointed for me4 ,he knows my heart2 ,i would not marry but for him1 and in him1 for ten thousand worlds4 ,the next year1 having returned to ,england1 ,whitefield1 like his eminent friend ,john ,wesley1 was married1 and1 like him also1 was unhappy in his domestic relation4 ,in each case1 the husband exacted a previous pledge that the wife should never prevent the delivery of a single sermon2 and this was followed by separation from the wife for weeks1 months1 or even years1 in the prosecution of their arduous labors4 ,in the case of ,whitefield1 his marriage in ,wales1 with a widow lady1 in #agda1 was followed by the birth of a son2 previous to which event he had said1 in the joy of his heart1 that his name should be ,john1 and that he should be a preacher of the everlasting gospel4 ,the first prediction was realized1 and when his child was a week old1 the good man told his people in the ,tabernacle1 ,london1 that he would live to preach1 and be great in the sight of the ,lord4 ,but alas1 at the end of four months ,john died1 and his father very wisely wrote in his journal3 ,i hope what happened before his birth1 and since at his death1 has taught me such lessons as1 if duly improved1 may render his mistaken parent more sober-minded1 more experienced in ,satan's devices1 and consequently more useful in his future labors in the church of ,god4 ,on the death of his wife somewhat suddenly1 ,august #i1 #agfh1 ,mr4 ,whitefield himself preached her funeral sermon1 from ,romans #h3bh3 ,and we know that all things work together for good to them that love ,god1 to them that are the called according to his purpose4 ,in describing her character1 he particularly mentioned her fortitude and courage1 and suddenly exclaimed1 ,do you remember my preaching in those fields by the stump of the old tree8 ,the multitude was great1 and many were disposed to be riotous4 ,at first ,i addressed them with firmness2 but when a gang of desperate banditti drew near1 with the most ferocious looks1 and horrid imprecations and menaces1 my courage began to fail4 ,my wife was then standing behind me1 as ,i stood on the table4 ,i think ,i hear her now4 ,she pulled my gown--himself suiting the action to the word1 by placing his hand behind him and touching his robe--and looking up1 said1 ',george1 play the man for your ,god4' ,my confidence returned4 ,i again spoke to the multitude with boldness and affection2 they became still2 and many were deeply affected4 ,before we leave ,philadelphia1 we may relate an instance or two as to the power of his eloquence4 ,dr4 ,franklin says1 ,he had a loud and clear voice1 and articulated his words so perfectly that he might be heard and understood to a great distance2 especially as his auditors observed the most profound silence4 ,he preached one evening from the top of the court-house steps1 which are in the middle of ,market-street1 and on the west side of ,second-street1 which crosses it at right angles4 ,both streets were filled with his hearers to a considerable distance4 ,being among the hindmost in ,market-street1 ,i had the curiosity to learn how far he might be heard by setting backwards down the street towards the river2 and ,i found his voice distinct till ,i came near ,front-street1 where some noise in that street obstructed it4 ,imagine1 then1 a semicircle of which my distance should be a radius1 and that it was filled with auditors1 to each of whom ,i allowed two square feet1 ,i computed that he might well be heard by more than thirty thousand people4 ,but not only does ,franklin bear witness of ,whitefield's eloquence as to his voice1 but still more strongly as to its persuasiveness1 of which1 it seems1 he was himself a striking illustration4 ,he says1 ,i refused to contribute to his orphan-house in ,georgia1 thinking it injudiciously located4 ,soon after1 ,i happened to attend one of his sermons1 in the course of which ,i perceived he intended to finish with a collection1 and ,i silently resolved he should get nothing from me4 ,i had in my pocket a handful of copper money1 three or four silver dollars1 and five pistoles in gold4 ,as he proceeded1 ,i began to soften1 and determined to give the copper4 ,another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that1 and determined me to give the silver2 and he finished so admirably1 that ,i emptied my pocket wholly into the collector's dish1 gold and all4 ,at this sermon there was also one of our club2 who being of my sentiments respecting the building at ,georgia1 and suspecting a collection might be intended1 had1 by precaution1 emptied his pockets before he came from home4 ,towards the conclusion of the discourse1 however1 he felt a strong inclination to give1 and applied to a neighbor1 who stood near him1 to lend him some money for the purpose4 ,the request was made to1 perhaps1 the only man in the company who had the firmness not to be affected by the preacher4 ,his answer was1 ',at any other time1 friend ,hodgkinson1 ,i would lend to thee freely2 but not now1 for thee seems to be out of thy right senses4' ,whitefield1 much as he loved ,philadelphia1 had now again to leave it4 ,thus writes the correspondent of the ,new ,england ,weekly ,journal1 at ,newcastle1 ,may #ae3 ,this evening ,mr4 ,whitefield went on board his sloop here1 to sail for ,georgia4 ,on ,sunday he preached twice ,in ,philadelphia1 and in the evening1 when he preached his farewell sermon1 it is supposed he had twenty thousand hearers4 ,on ,monday he preached at ,darby and ,chester2 on ,tuesday1 at ,wilmington and ,white ,clay creek2 on ,wednesday1 twice at ,nottingham2 on ,thursday1 at ,fog's ,manor and ,newcastle4 ,the congregations were much increased since his being here last4 ,the presence of ,god was much seen in the assemblies1 especially at ,nottingham and ,fog's ,manor1 where the people were under such deep soul distress1 that their cries almost drowned his voice4 ,he has collected in this and the neighboring provinces1 about #dej sterling for his orphans in ,georgia4 ,he arrived at ,savannah ,june #e1 and most interesting was the manner of his reception4 ,he says1 ,o what a sweet meeting ,i had with my dear friends6 ,what ,god has prepared for me1 ,i know not2 but surely ,i cannot well expect a greater happiness1 till ,i embrace the saints in glory4 ,when ,i parted1 my heart was ready to break with sorrow2 but now it almost bursts with joy4 ,o how did each in turn hang upon my neck1 kiss1 and weep over me with tears of joy6 ,and my own soul was so full of a sense of ,god's love when ,i embraced one friend in particular1 that ,i thought ,i should have expired in the place4 ,i felt my soul so full of a sense of the divine goodness1 that ,i wanted words to express myself4 ,why me1 ,lord2 why me8 ,when we came to public worship1 young and old were all dissolved in tears4 ,after service1 several of my parishioners1 all my family1 and the little children1 returned home1 crying along the streets1 and some could not avoid praying very loud4 ,being very weak in body1 ,i laid myself upon a bed2 but finding so many weeping1 ,i rose and betook myself to prayer again4 ,but had ,i not lifted up my voice very high1 the groans and cries of the children would have prevented my being heard4 ,this continued for near an hour2 till at last1 finding their concern rather increase than abate1 ,i desired all to retire4 ,then some or other might be heard praying earnestly1 in every corner of the house4 ,it happened at this time to thunder and lighten1 which added very much to the solemnity of the night4 ,next day the concern still continued1 especially among the girls4 ,i mention the orphans in particular1 that their benefactors may rejoice in what ,god is doing for their souls4 ,on the #gth of ,june1 he wrote1 ,i have brought with me a ,latin master1 and on ,monday laid the foundation1 in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 for a university in ,georgia4 ,on the #bhth of the same month1 he wrote to a ,mr4 ,w4 ,d----1 in a style admirably corresponding with the meek spirit we have already seen in his letter to the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,pemberton1 of ,new ,york4 ,i thank you for your kind letters and friendly cautions2 and ,i trust ,i shall always reckon those my choicest friends1 who1 in simplicity and meekness1 tell me the corruptions of my heart4 ,it is that faithfulness which has endeared ,j4 ,s---- to me4 ,i think ,i never was obliged to any one so much before4 ,o my dear brother1 still continue faithful to my soul2 do not hate me in your heart2 in any wise reprove me4 ,exhort all my brethren to forgive my past1 ,i fear1 too imperious carriage2 and let them pray that ,i may know myself to be1 what ,i really am1 less than the least of them all4 ,whitefield's family at ,bethesda had now increased to not less than one hundred and fifty persons1 and to advance their interests1 it was needful that he should again visit ,charleston1 where he arrived on the third of ,july1 and immediately commenced preaching1 as on former visits4 ,on the following ,sabbath1 three days after his arrival1 he attended the ,episcopal church1 where1 he says1 ,i heard the commissary preach as virulent and unorthodox1 inconsistent a discourse1 as ever ,i heard in my life4 ,his heart seemed full of choler and resentment4 ,out of the abundance thereof1 he poured forth so many bitter words against the ,methodists1 as he called them1 in general1 and me in particular1 that several who intended to receive the sacrament at his hands1 withdrew4 ,never1 ,i believe1 was such a preparation sermon preached before4 ,after sermon1 he sent his clerk to desire me not to come to the sacrament till he had spoken with me4 ,i immediately retired to my lodgings1 rejoicing that ,i was accounted worthy to suffer this further degree of contempt for my dear ,lord's sake4 ,the next day1 the commissary of the bishop of ,london issued against ,whitefield the following ecclesiastical writ3 ,alexander ,garden1 lawfully constituted ,commissary of the ,right ,reverend ,father in ,christ1 ,edmund1 by divine permission ,lord ,bishop of ,london1 supported by the royal authority underwritten3 ,alexander ,garden1 ,to all and singular clerks1 and literate persons whomsoever1 in and throughout the whole province of ,south ,carolina1 wheresoever appointed1 ,greeting3 ,to you1 conjunctly and severally1 we commit1 and strictly enjoining1 command1 that you do cite1 or cause to be cited1 peremptorily1 ,george ,whitefield1 clerk1 and presbyter of the ,church of ,england1 that he lawfully appear before us1 in the parish church of ,st4 ,philip1 ,charleston1 and in the judicial place of the same1 on ,tuesday1 the fifteenth day of this instant ,july1 'twixt the hours of nine and ten in the forenoon1 then and there in justice to answer to certain articles1 heads1 or interrogatories1 which will be objected and ministered unto him concerning the mere health of his soul1 and the reformation and correction of his manners and excesses1 and chiefly for omitting to use the form of prayers prescribed in the ,communion-,book2 and further to do and receive what shall be just in that behalf1 on pain of law and contempt4 ,and what you shall do in the premises1 you shall duly certify us1 together with these presents4 ,given under our hands and seals of our office1 at ,charleston1 this seventh day of ,july1 in the year of our ,lord one thousand seven hundred and forty4 ,justice to all parties requires it should be said1 that the phrase as to the health of ,whitefield's soul was used by ,garden not of choice1 but in conformity with the forms of ,english ecclesiastical law2 the theory of which is1 that ecclesiastical courts are only held to promote the spiritual health or welfare of those who are cited into them4 ,the principal sin of ,whitefield was omitting to use the form of prayer prescribed in the ,common ,prayer ,book4 ,the undisputed matter of fact1 as ,tracy says1 was1 that he always used that form when he could obtain an ,episcopal church to preach in2 but when he was shut out of such pulpits1 and was preaching to ,baptists1 ,presbyterians1 and ,congregationalists1 in their own houses of worship1 where none of the congregations had prayer books1 or knew how to use them1 and where the introduction of unaccustomed forms would not have promoted the devotion of the worshippers1 he prayed extempore4 ,on the day this writ was issued1 ,whitefield preached for ,mr4 ,chanler1 a gracious ,baptist minister1 about fourteen miles from ,charleston2 and twice on the next day to a large audience in ,mr4 ,osgood's meeting-house1 a young ,independent minister1 at ,dorchester2 the next day at ,dorchester again1 and at ,charleston in the evening2 the next day preached and read prayers in ,christ's church1 and twice at ,charleston the next day1 with great success4 ,and now1 on ,july #aath1 a citation was served upon him to appear on the fifteenth1 as required in the writ4 ,on the #abth1 he preached and read prayers twice on ,john's island2 and on the #acth1 which was the ,sabbath1 he again listened to a sermon from the commissary4 ,of this sermon ,whitefield says1 ,had some infernal spirit been sent to draw my picture1 ,i think it scarcely possible that he could paint me in more horrid colors4 ,i think1 if ever1 then was the time that all manner of evil was spoken against me falsely for ,christ's sake4 ,the commissary seemed to ransack church history for instances of enthusiasm and abused grace4 ,he drew a parallel between me and all the ,oliverians1 ,ranters1 ,quakers1 ,french prophets1 till he came down to a family of ,dutartes1 who lived not many years ago in ,south ,carolina1 and were guilty of the most notorious incests and murders4 ,the next day ,whitefield again preached twice2 and on ,tuesday appeared before the commissary1 according to his citation4 ,this is said to have been the first court of the kind ever attempted to be held in any of the colonies4 ,it consisted of the reverend commissary ,a4 ,garden1 and the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,guy1 ,mellichamp1 ,roe1 and ,orr1 who1 as well as ,whitefield himself1 and his able advocate1 ,mr4 ,andrew ,rutledge1 respectively showed their want of familiarity with such business1 and1 after a series of blunders on both sides1 the court adjourned to nine o'clock the next morning1 to afford ,whitefield time to ascertain the extent of the jurisdiction of the bishop and his commissary4 ,how little1 however1 he studied the subject may be inferred from the fact1 that he preached twice during the remainder of the day4 ,the next day1 a ,mr4 ,graham appeared as a prosecuting attorney1 and ,mr4 ,rutledge as counsel for the respondent4 ,whitefield made some mistakes1 but hints from his quick-sighted advocate and his own adroitness saved him from their consequences2 though he contrived to give the court a lecture on the meanness of catching at a word as soon as it was out of his lips1 without allowing him time to correct it4 ,he now filed his objection against being judged by the commissary1 who1 he alleged1 was prejudiced against him4 ,this gave rise to new questions3 the court adjourned2 and the evangelist went to ,james' island1 read prayers1 and preached4 ,the next day he again appeared in court1 and found that his exceptions were repelled1 and that the arbitrators he had asked for would not be appointed4 ,he now appealed to the high ,court of ,chancery in ,london1 declaring all further proceedings in this court to be null and void4 ,he then retired and read letters which refreshed his spirit1 by informing him how mightily grew the word of ,god and prevailed at ,philadelphia2 and that ,mr4 ,bolton1 in ,georgia1 had nearly fifty negroes learning to read4 ,on the #ahth he preached twice1 and on the #aith again appeared before the commissary1 and bound himself1 in a penalty of ten pounds1 to prosecute his appeal in ,london within twelve months4 ,the appeal was never tried1 as the ecclesiastical authorities allowed it to die of neglect4 ,the court being ended1 says ,whitefield1 in his journal1 the commissary desired to speak with me4 ,i asked him to my lodgings4 ,he chose to walk on a green near the church4 ,his spirit was somewhat calmer than usual2 but after an hour's conversation1 we were as far from agreeing as before4 ,all his discourse was so inconsistent and contrary to the gospel of our ,lord1 that ,i was obliged to tell him that ,i believed him to be an unconverted man1 an enemy to ,god1 and of a like spirit with the persecutor ,saul4 ,at this he smiled2 and1 after we had talked a long while1 we parted1 and ,god gave me great satisfaction that ,i had delivered my soul in my private conversation with the commissary4 ,the next day1 ,july #bj1 was the ,sabbath4 ,the commissary preached in his usual style1 and ,whitefield preached his farewell sermon to the people of ,charleston4 ,by his recommendation two or three of the dissenting ministers had instituted a weekly lecture2 and the evangelist advised the people1 as the gospel was not preached in church1 to go and hear it in the meeting-house4 ,on leaving the city1 he summed up1 in his journal1 the results of his labors in this manner3 ,what makes the change more remarkable in the ,charleston people is1 that they seemed to me1 at my first coming1 to be a people wholly devoted to pleasure4 ,one well acquainted with their manners and circumstances1 told me more had been spent on polite entertainments1 than the poor's-rate came to2 but now the jewellers and dancing-masters begin to cry out that their craft is in danger4 ,a vast alteration is discernible in the ladies' dresses4 ,and some1 while ,i have been speaking1 have been so convinced of the sin of wearing jewels1 that ,i have seen them with blushes put their hands to their ears1 and cover them with their fans4 ,but ,i hope the reformation has gone farther than externals4 ,many moral1 good sort of men1 who before were settled on their lees1 have been gloriously awakened to seek after ,jesus ,christ2 and many a ,lydia's heart hath been opened to receive the things that were spoken4 ,indeed1 the word came like a hammer and a fire4 ,and a door1 ,i believe1 will be opened for teaching the poor negroes4 ,several of them have done their usual work in less time1 that they might come to hear me4 ,many of their owners1 who have been awakened1 resolved to teach them ,christianity4 ,had ,i time1 and proper schoolmasters1 ,i might immediately erect a negro school in ,south ,carolina1 as well as in ,pennsylvania4 ,many would willingly contribute both money and land4 ,the ,baptist church in ,charleston at this time was nearly extinct1 being reduced to five or six communicants1 but ,whitefield's success greatly increased their number1 and it thus gained strength which it has never lost4 ,it is also gratefully mentioned even now by the church of that denomination at ,eutaw1 that ,whitefield during this visit to ,south ,carolina preached the dedication-sermon of their house of worship4 ,whitefield left ,charleston on ,july #ba1 visiting and preaching on his way homeward1 which he reached towards the close of the same week4 ,he preached on the ,sabbath in extreme weakness of body1 but with the ,holy ,ghost from above1 and several were hopefully converted to ,god4 ,on the #ahth of ,august1 he again left ,savannah for ,charleston1 where he was able1 for want of bodily strength1 to preach but once a day1 but he thought that his sermons were attended with more power and success than ever before4 ,in a few days after1 having preached a farewell sermon to four thousand hearers1 he sailed for ,new ,england1 where he had been very cordially invited by leading ministers and others in ,boston and many other places4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,whitefield',s ,,first ,,visit ,,to ,,new ,,england4 ,,september ,,to ,,november1 #agdj4 ,the religious state of ,new ,england in the early part of the eighteenth century1 was little better than the description we have already given of the state of ,great ,britain and its other dependencies at that period4 ,dr4 ,prince tells us1 that the first age of ,new ,england was one of an almost continual revival4 ,preaching was attended with so much power in some places1 that it was a common inquiry1 by such members of a family as were detained at home on a ,sabbath1 whether any had been visibly awakened in the house of ,god that day4 ,and he adds1 ,few ,sabbaths did pass without some being evidently converted1 and some convincing proof of the power of ,god accompanying his word4 ,dr4 ,increase ,mather1 writing towards the close of the seventeenth century1 while he confirms the statements we have already given1 bears farther testimony which is of a very painful character4 ,he says1 ,prayer is necessary on this account1 that conversions have become rare in this age of the world4 ,they that have their thoughts exercised in discerning things of this nature1 have sad apprehensions that the work of conversion has come to a stand4 ,during the last age scarcely a sermon was preached without some being apparently converted1 and sometimes hundreds were converted by one sermon4 ,who of us now can say that we have seen any thing such as this8 ,clear1 sound conversions are not frequent in our congregations2 the great bulk of the present generation are apparently poor1 perishing1 and if the ,lord prevent not1 undone2 many are profane1 drunkards1 lascivious1 scoffers at the power of godliness1 and disobedient2 others are civil and outwardly conformed to good order1 because so educated1 but without knowing aught of a real change of heart4 ,the same estimable writer says1 in #agba1 ,i am now in my eighty-third year1 and having had an opportunity of conversing with the first planters of this country1 and having been for sixty-five years a preacher of the gospel1 ,i feel as did the ancient men who had seen the former temple1 and who wept aloud as they saw the latter4 ,the children of ,new ,england are1 or once were1 for the most part1 the children of godly parents4 ,what did our fathers come into this wilderness for8 ,not to gain estates as men do now1 but for religion1 and that they might have their children in a hopeful way of being truly religious4 ,there was a famous man who preached before one of the greatest assemblies that ever was addressed2 it was about seventy years ago2 and he said to them1 ',i lived in a country seven years1 and all that time ,i never heard a profane oath1 or saw a man drunk4' ,and where was that country8 ,it was ,new ,england4 ,ah1 degenerate ,new ,england6 ,what art thou come to at this day8 ,how are those sins become common that were once not even heard of6 ,passing over1 for the present1 indications of a revival of religion1 which had appeared in other parts of the country1 we speak now only of ,new ,england4 ,in #agcd1 a very extraordinary work of grace appeared at ,northampton1 ,massachusetts1 under the ministry of the distinguished ,jonathan ,edwards1 the elder1 the history of which is given in his admirable ,narrative of the surprising ,work of ,god at that period1 in ,northampton and the vicinity4 ,it is important to remark here1 that the preaching which led to such delightful results was of the most faithful and pungent character4 ,we will give one instance1 as illustrative of many1 as will be distinctly seen by those who have read ,,edwards' sermon1 ,sinners in the hands of an angry ,god1 or his ,justice of ,god in the damnation of ,sinners4 ,perhaps1 however1 no sermon in ,new ,england has ever acquired greater celebrity1 or accomplished more good1 than the one preached by ,president ,edwards at ,enfield1 ,july #h1 #agda1 from the words1 ,their feet shall slide in due time4 ,deut4 #cb3ce4 ,when they went into the meeting-house1 the appearance of the assembly was thoughtless and vain2 the people scarcely conducted themselves with common decency4 ,but as the sermon proceeded1 the audience became so overwhelmed with distress and weeping1 that the preacher was obliged to speak to the people and desire silence1 that he might be heard4 ,the excitement soon became intense2 and it is said that a minister who sat in the pulpit with ,mr4 ,edwards1 in the agitation of his feelings1 caught the preacher by the skirt of his dress1 and said1 ,mr4 ,edwards1 ,mr4 ,edwards1 is not ,god a ,god of mercy8 ,many of the hearers were seen unconsciously holding themselves up against the pillars1 and the sides of the pews1 as though they already felt themselves sliding into the pit4 ,this fact has often been mentioned as a proof of the strong and scriptural character of ,president ,edwards' peculiar eloquence--the eloquence of truth as attended by influence from heaven2 for his sermons were read1 without gestures4 ,but there was another element which must be taken into account when we look at the result of this sermon1 as well as others delivered in like circumstances1 and one which we fear has been often overlooked4 ,while the people of the neighboring towns were in great distress about their souls1 the inhabitants of ,enfield were very secure1 loose1 and vain4 ,a lecture had been appointed there1 and the neighboring people were so affected at the thoughtlessness of the inhabitants1 and had so much fear that ,god would1 in his righteous judgment1 pass them by1 that many of them were prostrate before him a considerable part of the previous evening1 supplicating the mercy of heaven in their behalf4 ,and when the time appointed for the lecture came1 a number of the surrounding ministers were present1 as well as some from a distance--a proof of the prayerful interest felt on behalf of the town4 ,in all this we see much of the secret of the powerful impression produced by that sermon1 and are taught that in seasons when ,god seems about to pour out his ,spirit on a community1 ,christians should be found continuing instant in prayer4 ,in this more hopeful state of things than had long before existed in ,new ,england1 ,whitefield1 who was now the second time in ,america1 was most urgently entreated to visit the descendants of the ,pilgrim fathers4 ,he complied with the request1 and arrived at ,newport on the evening of the ,sabbath1 ,september #ad1 #agdj4 ,we furnish an account1 written chiefly by himself1 in his journal1 published in ,london1 #agda1 a copy of which may be found in the library of ,harvard ,university1 to which we have had a kind access1 and which is rich in what we may term ,whitefieldian lore4 ,he writes1 ,was sick part of the passage1 but found afterwards the sea-air1 under ,god1 much improved my health4 ,arrived at ,newport1 in ,rhode ,island1 just after the beginning of evening service4 ,we came purposely thither first with our sloop4 ,i think it the most pleasant entrance ,i ever yet saw4 ,almost all the morning the wind was contrary2 but ,i found a very strong inclination to pray that we might arrive time enough to be present at public worship4 ,once ,i called the people2 but something prevented their coming4 ,at last1 finding my impression increase upon me1 ,i desired their attendance immediately4 ,they came4 ,with a strong assurance that we should be heard1 we prayed that the ,lord would turn the wind1 that we might give him thanks in the great congregation2 and also that he would send such to us as he would have us to converse with1 and who might show us a lodging4 ,though the wind was ahead when we began1 when we had done praying1 and came up out of the cabin1 it was quite fair4 ,with a gentle gale we sailed most pleasantly into the harbor2 got into public worship before they had finished the psalms2 and sat1 as ,i thought1 undiscovered4 ,after service was over1 a gentleman asked me whether my name was not ,whitefield4 ,i told him 'yes2' he then desired me to go to his house1 and he would take care to provide lodgings and necessaries for me and my friends4 ,i went1 silently admiring ,god's goodness in answering my prayer so minutely4 ,several gentlemen of the town soon came to pay their respects to me1 among whom was one ,mr4 ,clap1 an aged dissenting minister1 but the most venerable man ,i ever saw4 ,he looked like a good old ,puritan1 and gave me an idea of what stamp those men were who first settled ,new ,england4 ,his countenance was very heavenly2 he rejoiced much in spirit at the sight of me1 and prayed most affectionately for a blessing on my coming to ,rhode ,island4 ,in the evening1 in company with ,mr4 ,clap and other friends1 ,whitefield visited ,mr4 ,honeyman1 the minister of the church of ,england1 and requested the use of his pulpit4 ,at first he seemed a little unwilling1 being desirous to know 'what extraordinary call ,i had to preach on week-days1' which he said was disorderly4 ,i answered1 ',st4 ,paul exhorted ,timothy to 'be instant in season and out of season2' that if the orders of the church were rightly complied with1 our ministers should read public prayers twice every day1 and then it would not be disorderly at such times to give them a sermon4 ,as to an extraordinary call1 ,i claimed none otherwise than upon the apostle's injunction1 ',as we have opportunity1 let us do good unto all men4' ,he still held out1 and did not give any positive answer2 but at last1 after he had withdrawn and consulted with the gentlemen1 he said1 ',if my preaching would promote the glory of ,god1 and the good of souls1 ,i was welcome to his church as often as ,i would1 during my stay in town4' ,we then agreed to make use of it at ten in the morning1 and three in the afternoon4 ,after this1 ,i went to wait on the governor1 who seemed to be a very plain man1 and had a very plain house1 which much pleased me4 ,by profession1 ,i think he is a ,seventh-day ,baptist2 he is a man of good report as to his conduct and dealing with the world4 ,as might have been expected1 the evening was spent in exposition and prayer1 with a crowded company1 in the house of his friend ,bowers1 the gentleman who first addressed him when coming out of church4 ,on ,monday morning1 he breakfasted with old ,mr4 ,clap1 and was much edified by his conversation4 ,of this venerable servant of ,christ he says1 ,i could not but think1 while at his table1 that ,i was sitting with one of the patriarchs4 ,he is full of days1 a bachelor1 and has been minister of a congregation in ,rhode ,island upwards of forty years4 ,people of all denominations1 ,i find1 respect him4 ,he abounds in good works2 gives all away1 and is wonderfully tender of little children2 many of different persuasions come to be instructed by him4 ,whenever he dies1 ,i am persuaded1 with good old ,simeon1 he will be enabled to say1 ',lord1 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace4' ,whitefield preached1 according to appointment1 morning and afternoon1 in the church4 ,it is very commodious1 and ,i believe will contain three thousand people4 ,it was more than filled in the afternoon4 ,persons of all denominations attended4 ,god assisted me much4 ,i observed numbers affected1 and had great reason to believe the word of the ,lord had been 'sharper than a twoedged sword1' in some of the hearers' souls4 ,on the evening of the same day he received the following note3 ,,reverend ,,sir ,,and ,,beloved ,,brother--,although mine eyes never saw your face before this day1 yet my heart and soul have been united to you in love1 by the bond of the ,spirit4 ,i have longed and expected to see you for many months past4 ,blessed be ,god1 mine eyes have seen the joyful day4 ,i trust1 through grace1 ,i have some things to communicate to you that will make your heart glad4 ,i shall omit writing any thing1 and only hereby present my hearty love1 and let you know that ,i am waiting now at the post of your door for admission4 ,though ,i am unworthy1 my ,lord is worthy1 in whose name1 ,i trust1 ,i come4 ,i am your unworthy brother1 ,,jonathan ,,barber4 ,on reading it1 says ,whitefield1 ,i could not but think this was one of those young ministers whom ,god had lately made use of in such a remarkable manner1 at the east end of ,long ,island4 ,i sent for him1 and found he was the man4 ,my heart rejoiced4 ,we walked out1 and took sweet counsel together2 and among other things1 he told me that he came to ,rhode ,island under a full conviction that he should see me there1 and had been waiting for me about a week4444 ,what rendered this more remarkable was1 ,i had no intention of sailing to ,rhode ,island till about three days before ,i left ,carolina2 and ,i had a great desire to put in1 if ,i could1 at the east end of ,long ,island1 to see this very person1 whom the great ,god now brought unto me4 ,lord1 accept our thanks1 sanctify our meeting1 and teach us both what we shall do for thine own name's sake4 ,in the evening ,i went to the venerable ,mr4 ,clap's1 and exhorted and prayed with a great multitude1 who not only crowded into the house1 but thronged every way about it4 ,the dear old man rejoiced to see the things which he saw2 and after my exhortation was over1 dismissed me with his blessing4 ,tuesday1 we scarcely need remark1 was spent by ,whitefield in the work of his great ,master4 ,he preached to a vast congregation1 including the members of the ,house of ,assembly1 who adjourned to attend the service2 and he had very delightful evidence that his labors had already been useful4 ,on ,wednesday he left ,newport1 and about noon preached at ,bristol1 at the request of the court1 which was then in session1 and slept that night at a hotel on the road to ,boston4 ,on ,thursday morning he set out early1 and as he passed on with his friends1 he says1 ,found that the people were apprized of my coming1 and were solicitous for my preaching2 but being resolved under ,god1 if possible1 to reach ,boston1 we travelled on for near fifty miles1 and came to ,boston about eight in the evening4 ,when we were within four miles of the city1 the governor's son1 several other gentlemen1 and one or two ministers1 waited at a gentleman's house to give me the meeting4 ,they received me with great gladness1 and told me many more would have come1 had not a large funeral been in the town1 or if there had been more certain notice of my arriving4 ,this rejoiced me2 for ,i think ,i can stand any thing better than this4 ,it savors too much of human grandeur4 ,but ,i must be tried every way2 the ,lord be my helper4 ,after stopping a while1 we went together to ,boston1 to the house of one ,mr4 ,sandiford1 brother-in-law to the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,colman1 who long since had sent me an invitation4444 ,my heart was but low1 and my body weak2 but1 at the request of one of the ministers1 ,i gave thanks to our gracious ,god for bringing me in safety1 and prayed that my coming might be in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace4 ,he slept well that night1 and the next morning1 he says1 ,i perceived fresh emanations of divine light break in upon and refresh my soul4 ,he was visited by several gentlemen1 including ,josiah ,willard1 ,esq41 the secretary of the province1 a man who feared ,god1 and with whom ,whitefield had for some time been in correspondence4 ,the governor1 ,belcher1 received him with the utmost respect1 and requested frequent visits4 ,he attended public worship at the church of ,england1 and waited on the commissary home1 who received him very courteously4 ,as it was a day on which the clergy of that body had a meeting1 he came into the company of five of them assembled together4 ,they soon attacked him for calling that ,tennent and his brethren faithful ministers of ,christ4 ,he answered1 that he believed they were so4 ,they questioned the validity of ,presbyterian ordination1 and quoted from his journal his own words against him4 ,he replied1 that perhaps his sentiments were altered4 ,they then went into a doctrinal discussion1 which continued till ,whitefield1 finding how inconsistent they were1 took his leave1 resolving that they should not have the opportunity of denying him their pulpits4 ,however1 they treated him1 on the whole1 with more courtesy than he had lately been accustomed to receive from the ministers of his own church4 ,in the afternoon of the same day1 he preached to a vast congregation in the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,colman's meeting-house1 in ,brattle-street1 and in the evening exhorted and prayed with such as came to his lodgings4 ,on ,saturday1 in the forenoon1 he discoursed to a crowded audience at the ,old ,south church1 where ,dr4 ,sewall was pastor1 the only church edifice in ,boston with which ,whitefield was connected which is still standing as it then was4 ,in the afternoon he preached on the ,common to about eight thousand persons1 and1 at night to a thronged company at his own lodgings4 ,on the morning of the next day1 which was the ,sabbath1 he heard ,dr4 ,colman preach2 in the afternoon1 he preached at ,mr4 ,foxcroft's meeting-house to a vast auditory4 ,this gentleman was the senior pastor of the ,first church1 meeting in ,chauncy-place1 and the ,rev4 ,charles ,chauncy was his colleague4 ,the church edifice was in ,cornhill-square1 not far from the old state-house1 and was usually called the ,old ,brick meeting4 ,as this house was by far too small to contain his auditory1 he almost immediately afterwards preached on the ,common1 to about fifteen thousand hearers2 and again at night at his lodgings4 ,he says1 ,some afterwards came into my room4 ,i felt much of the divine presence in my own soul1 and though hoarse was enabled to speak with much power1 and could have spoke1 ,i believe1 till midnight4 ,on ,monday morning1 ,whitefield preached at ,mr4 ,webb's meeting-house1 the ,new ,north1 on the corner of ,clark and ,hanover streets4 ,the presence of the ,lord1 he says1 was among us4 ,look where ,i would around me1 visible impressions were made upon the auditory4 ,most wept for a considerable time4 ,in the afternoon he meant to have preached at ,mr4 ,cheekley's1 in ,summer-street1 but was prevented by an accident4 ,just before the time for the commencement of the service1 a person broke a board in one of the galleries1 of which to make a seat2 the noise alarmed some who heard it1 and they imprudently cried out that the galleries were giving way4 ,the house being much crowded1 the whole congregation were thrown into the utmost alarm and disorder2 some jumped from the gallery into the seats below1 others fell from the windows1 and those below pressing to get out of the porch1 were many of them thrown over each other and trodden upon4 ,many1 as might be expected1 were seriously bruised2 others had bones broken2 and within two days five persons died from the injuries they had received4 ,mr4 ,whitefield's presence of mind did not fail him2 he immediately led the anxious throng to the ,common1 and preached to them from the text1 ,go ye out into the highways and hedges1 and compel them to come in4 ,he says1 ,the weather was wet1 but above eight thousand followed into the fields4 ,on ,tuesday morning1 ,whitefield visited ,mr4 ,walter1 at ,roxbury4 ,this gentleman had been the colleague1 and was now the successor of ,john ,eliot1 the apostle of the ,indians4 ,these two men had been pastors of that church one hundred and six years4 ,whitefield was much pleased with ,walter1 who1 in return1 was glad to hear that he1 like old ,bishop ,beveridge1 called man half a devil and half a beast4 ,he preached that forenoon at ,mr4 ,gee's meeting-house1 the ,old ,north1 of which church the celebrated ,dr4 ,cotton ,mather had formerly been pastor4 ,the house stood in the ,north square1 and was taken down by the ,british army and burned for fuel at the siege of ,boston1 in #aggf4 ,the auditory ,whitefield preached to that morning was not very crowded1 as the people were in doubt where he would preach4 ,after dining with the secretary of the province1 he says1 ,i preached in the afternoon at ,dr4 ,sewall's to a thronged congregation1 and exhorted and prayed as usual at my own lodgings2 at neither place without some manifestations of a divine power accompanying the word4 ,wednesday was not lost4 ,whitefield himself shall describe its proceedings4 ,went this morning to see and preach at ,cambridge1 the chief college for training up the sons of the prophets in all ,new ,england4 ,it has one president1 ,i think four tutors1 and about a hundred students4 ,it is scarce as big as one of our least colleges in ,oxford1 and as far as ,i could gather from some who well knew the state of it1 not far superior to our universities in piety and true godliness4 ,tutors neglect to pray with1 and examine the hearts of their pupils4 ,discipline is at too low an ebb4 ,bad books are become fashionable4 ,tillotson and ,clarke are read instead of ,sheppard1 ,stoddard1 and such like evangelical writers2 and therefore ,i chose to preach on these words3 ',we are not as many1 who corrupt the word of ,god2' and in the conclusion of my sermon ,i made a close application to tutors and students4 ,a great number of neighboring ministers attended1 as indeed they do at all other times1 and ,god gave me great boldness and freedom of speech4 ,the president of the college and minister of the parish treated me very civilly4 ,in the afternoon ,i preached again in the court1 without any particular application to the students4 ,i believe there were about seven thousand hearers4 ,the ,holy ,spirit melted many hearts4 ,the word was attended with a manifest power2 and a minister soon after wrote me word1 that 'he believed one of his daughters was savingly wrought upon at that time4' ,paid my respects to the lieutenant-governor1 who lives at ,cambridge1 and returned in the evening to ,boston1 and prayed with and exhorted many people who were waiting round the door for a spiritual morsel4 ,i believe our ,lord did not send them empty away4 ,an elm under which ,whitefield preached in ,cambridge became distinguished2 it being under its shade that ,washington1 thirty-one years after1 first drew his sword in the cause of the ,revolution1 on taking the command of the ,american army4 ,from this circumstance1 it has been called the ,washington elm4 ,the last time the late distinguished ,dr4 ,holyoke1 of ,salem1 ,mass41 was in ,cambridge1 then nearly a hundred years old1 while passing this tree with a friend1 he said that he heard ,whitefield's sermon1 being at the time a student in college4 ,on ,thursday he preached the weekly lecture at ,mr4 ,foxcroft's1 the ,first church4 ,but he says1 ,i was so oppressed with a sense of my base ingratitude to my dearest ,saviour1 that ,satan would fain have tempted me to hold my tongue1 and not invite poor sinners to ,jesus ,christ1 because ,i was so great a sinner myself4 ,but ,god enabled me to withstand the temptation1 and since ,jesus ,christ had shown such mercy to1 and had not withdrawn his ,holy ,spirit from me1 the chief of sinners1 ,i was enabled more feelingly to talk of his love2 and afterwards found that one stranger1 in particular1 was in all probability effectually convinced by that morning's sermon4 ,after public worship1 ,i went1 at his excellency's invitation1 and dined with the governor4 ,most of the ministers of the town were invited with me4 ,before dinner1 the governor sent for me up into his chamber4 ,he wept1 wished me 'good luck in the name of the ,lord1' and recommended himself1 ministers1 and people to my prayers4 ,immediately after dinner1 ,i prayed explicitly for them all1 and went in his coach to the end of the town2 but had such a sense of my vileness upon my soul1 that ,i wondered people did not stone me4 ,crossed a ferry1 and preached at ,charlestown1 a town lying on the north side of ,boston4 ,the meeting-house was very capacious1 and quite filled4 ,a gracious melting was discernible through the whole congregation1 and ,i perceived much freedom and sweetness in my own soul1 though the damp ,i felt in the morning was not quite gone off4 ,in the evening ,i exhorted and prayed as usual at my lodgings2 and blessed be ,god1 ,i found a great alteration in my hearers4 ,they now began to melt and weep under the word4 ,on ,friday1 the following day1 he preached in the morning at ,roxbury1 from a little ascent1 to many thousands of people1 with much of the divine presence4 ,several came to him afterwards1 telling him how they were struck with the word4 ,having dined with ,judge ,dudley1 he preached to a still larger congregation from a scaffold erected outside ,mr4 ,byles' meeting-house in ,hollis-street4 ,wrote to several friends in ,england2 gave a short exhortation to a large crowd of hearers2 and then spent the evening with several ministers in edifying conversation1 singing1 and prayer4 ,saturday1 he preached in the morning at ,mr4 ,welsteed's meeting-house1 and in the afternoon to about fifteen thousand people on the ,common4 ,but ,oh1 how did the word run6 ,it rejoiced me to see such numbers greatly affected1 so that some1 ,i believe1 could scarcely abstain from crying out4 ,that place was no other than a ,bethel1 and a gate of heaven4 ,after he had gone home to his lodgings he says1 ,the power and presence of the ,lord accompanied and followed me4 ,many now wept bitterly1 and cried out under the word like persons that were really hungering and thirsting after righteousness2 and after ,i left them1 ,god gave me to wrestle with him in my chamber1 in behalf of some dear friends then present1 and others that were absent from us4 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord was upon them all4 ,it made intercession with groanings that cannot be uttered4 ,on the day following1 being the ,sabbath1 in the morning he preached at the ,old ,south church1 ,dr4 ,sewall's1 to a very crowded auditory1 with almost as much power and visible appearance of ,god as yesterday4 ,collected #eee currency for my little lambs2 was taken very ill after dinner2 vomited violently1 but was enabled to preach at ,dr4 ,colman's in the afternoon to as great1 if not a greater congregation than in the morning4 ,here also #dgj were collected for the orphan-house in ,georgia4 ,in both places all things were carried on with decency and order4 ,people went slowly out1 as though they had not a mind to escape giving2 and ,dr4 ,colman said 'it was the most pleasant time he ever enjoyed in that meeting-house through the whole course of his life4' ,blessed be ,god1 after sermon ,i perceived myself somewhat refreshed4 ,supped very early4 ,had the honor of a private visit from the governor1 who came full of affection to take his leave of me for the present4 ,went1 at their request1 and preached to a great company of negroes1 on the conversion of the ,ethiopian1 ,acts the eighth2 at which the poor creatures1 as well as many white people1 were much affected2 and at my return1 gave an exhortation to a crowd of people who were waiting at my lodgings4 ,my animal spirits were almost exhausted1 and my legs1 through expense of sweating and vomiting1 almost ready to sink under me2 but the ,lord visited my soul1 and ,i went to bed greatly refreshed with divine consolations4 ,even at this early period such sufferings of his bodily system frequently followed his herculean labors4 ,early on ,monday morning1 ,sept4 #bi1 ,whitefield left ,boston on an excursion to the eastward4 ,at ,marblehead1 he preached to some thousands in a broad place in the middle of the town1 but not with much apparent effect4 ,at ,salem1 he preached to about seven thousand people4 ,here the ,lord manifested forth his glory4 ,one man was1 ,i believe1 struck down by the power of the word4 ,in every part of the congregation1 persons might be seen under great concern4 ,he went on to ,ipswich1 where he was kindly entertained at the house of ,mr4 ,rogers1 one of the ministers of the place4 ,of this family our evangelist was soon to know more than he had hitherto done4 ,at about this period1 ,john ,rogers1 aged #gg1 and ,nathanael ,rogers1 were joint pastors of the ,first church at ,ipswich2 both of them were ardent promoters of the revival1 as was also ,daniel ,rogers1 of the same family4 ,whitefield learned with deep interest that his host was a descendant of the celebrated martyr1 ,john ,rogers4 ,the next day he preached there to some thousands4 ,the ,lord1 says he1 gave me freedom1 and there was a great melting in the congregation4 ,at ,newbury1 in the afternoon1 the ,lord accompanied the word with power4 ,the meeting-house was very large1 many ministers were present1 and the people were greatly affected4 ,blessed be ,god1 his divine power attends us more and more4 ,wednesday1 he preached at ,hampton1 in the open air1 to some thousands4 ,he was here very highly gratified with the conversation of ,mr4 ,colton1 the minister1 and with the ,christian simplicity of his excellent wife4 ,the high wind prevented his being heard so well as he usually was1 and he did not enjoy his accustomed freedom2 still1 some1 though not many1 were affected4 ,at ,portsmouth1 he preached to a polite auditory1 but so very unconcerned1 that ,i began to question whether ,i had been speaking to rational or brute creatures4 ,seeing no immediate effects of the word preached1 ,i was a little dejected2 but ,god1 to comfort my heart1 sent one young man1 crying out in great anguish of spirit1 ',what shall ,i do to be saved8' ,from ,portsmouth1 our evangelist proceeded to ,york1 in ,maine1 to see one ,mr4 ,moody1 a worthy1 plain1 and powerful minister of ,jesus ,christ1 though now much impaired by old age4 ,he has lived by faith for many years1 would have no settled salary1 and has been much despised by bad men1 and as much respected by the true lovers of the blessed ,jesus4 ,the next morning he was much comforted to hear1 from ,mr4 ,moody1 that he would preach that morning to a hundred new creatures2 and indeed1 says he1 ,i believe ,i did2 for when ,i came to preach1 ,i could speak little or no terror1 but most consolation4 ,he preached morning and evening4 ,the hearers looked plain and simple1 and the tears trickled apace down most of their cheeks4 ,he returned to ,portsmouth that night1 and the next morning preached to a far greater congregation1 and with much better effect than before4 ,instead of preaching to dead stocks1 ,i now had reason to believe ,i was preaching to living men4 ,people began to melt soon after ,i began to pray2 and the power increased more and more during the whole sermon4 ,this was still more clearly evinced after ,mr4 ,whitefield's departure from the town4 ,returning to ,boston1 through ,salem1 ,marblehead1 and ,malden1 in each of which places he preached1 and being now in improved health1 he preached1 ,october #g1 both morning and evening1 with much power1 at ,brattle-street4 ,there had been for several days a report in circulation1 that he had died suddenly1 or was poisoned1 and the people greatly rejoiced again to see him alive4 ,at ,mr4 ,webb's1 the ,new ,north church1 on the following ,wednesday1 he thought there was more of the presence of ,god through the whole ministration1 than he had before1 known at one time in the course of his life4 ,he went there with the governor1 in his coach1 and preached morning and evening4 ,jesus ,christ manifested forth his glory2 many hearts melted within them2 and ,i think ,i was never drawn out to pray for and invite little children to ,jesus ,christ1 as ,i was this morning4 ,a little before1 ,i had heard of a child who was taken sick just after it had heard me preach1 and said he would go to ,mr4 ,whitefield's ,god1 and died in a short time4 ,this encouraged me to speak to the little ones4 ,but ,o1 how were the old people affected when ,i said1 ',little children1 if your parents will not come to ,christ1 do you come1 and go to heaven without them4' ,there seemed to be but few dry eyes1 look where ,i would4 ,i have not seen a greater commotion since my preaching at ,boston4 ,glory be to ,god1 who has not forgotten to be gracious4 ,he collected1 after this sermon1 #ddj for his orphan-house1 which was now more generally supported than ever before4 ,the interesting fact we have just related of the impression produced on the mind of a little child by the preaching of ,mr4 ,whitefield1 may afford the opportunity to introduce one or two other facts bearing on the same general topic1 and suggesting some practical lessons4 ,whitefield could indeed descend to talk with children4 ,here is a specimen which at once impresses us with a lively idea of his spirit1 and of the adaptation of the religion of ,jesus to the young as well as the old4 ,a little girl seven years of age1 when on her death-bed1 desired an interview with him2 he came1 and thus they conversed3 ,,whitefield4 ,for what purpose1 my dear child1 have you sent for me8 ,,girl4 ,i think ,i am dying1 and ,i wished very much to see you4 ,,whitefield4 ,what can ,i do for you8 ,,girl4 ,you can tell me about ,christ1 and pray for me4 ,,whitefield4 ,my dear girl1 what do you know about ,christ8 ,,girl4 ,i know he is the ,saviour of the world4 ,,whitefield4 ,my dear child1 he is so4 ,,girl4 ,i hope he will be my ,saviour also4 ,,whitefield4 ,i hope1 my dear1 that this is the language of faith out of the mouth of a babe2 but tell me what ground you have for saying this8 ,,girl4 ,oh1 sir1 he bids little children1 such as ,i1 to come unto him1 and says1 ,of such is the kingdom of heaven2 and besides1 ,i love ,christ1 and am always glad when ,i think of him4 ,,whitefield4 ,my dear child1 you make my very heart to rejoice2 but are you not a sinner8 ,,girl4 ,yes1 ,i am a sinner1 but my blessed ,redeemer takes away sin1 and ,i long to be with him4 ,,whitefield4 ,my dear girl1 ,i trust that the desire of your heart will be granted2 but where do you think you will find your ,redeemer8 ,,girl4 ,o1 sir1 ,i think ,i shall find him in heaven4 ,,whitefield4 ,do you think you will get to heaven8 ,,girl4 ,yes1 ,i do4 ,,whitefield4 ,but what if you do not find ,christ there8 ,,girl4 ,if ,i do not find ,christ there1 ,i am sure it is not heaven2 for where he dwells must be heaven1 for there also dwells ,god1 and holy angels1 and all that ,christ saves4 ,who can tell the results of a single sermon1 or trace the consequences of one conversion8 ,when ,mr4 ,whitefield was preaching in ,new ,england1 a lady became the subject of divine grace1 and her spirit was peculiarly drawn out in prayer for others4 ,but in her ,christian exercises she was alone2 she could persuade no one to pray with her but her little daughter1 about ten years of age4 ,she took this dear child into her closet from day to day1 as a witness of her cries and tears4 ,after a time1 it pleased ,god to touch the heart of the child1 and to give her the hope of salvation by the remission of sin4 ,in a transport of holy joy she then exclaimed1 ,o1 mother1 if all the world knew this6 ,i wish ,i could tell every body4 ,pray1 mother1 let me run to some of the neighbors and tell them1 that they may be happy and love my ,saviour too4 ,ah1 my dear child1 said the mother1 that would be useless1 for ,i suppose that were you to tell your experience1 there is not one within many miles who would not laugh at you1 and say it was all delusion4 ,oh1 mother1 replied the dear girl1 ,i think they would believe me4 ,i must go over to the shoemaker and tell him2 he will believe me4 ,she ran over1 and found him at work in his shop4 ,she began by telling him that he must die1 and that he was a sinner1 and that she was a sinner1 but that her blessed ,saviour had heard her mother's prayers1 and had forgiven all her sins2 and that now she was so happy that she did not know how to tell it4 ,the shoemaker was struck with surprise1 his tears flowed down like rain2 he threw aside his work1 and by prayer and supplication sought for mercy4 ,the neighborhood were awakened1 and within a few months more than fifty persons were brought to the knowledge of ,jesus1 and rejoiced in his power and grace4 ,but to return to our narrative of ,whitefield's labors in ,boston4 ,on ,thursday1 ,october #i1 he preached the public lecture at the ,old ,south church4 ,he had selected another text1 but it was much impressed on his heart that he should preach from our ,lord's conference with ,nicodemus4 ,a large number of ministers were present1 and when he came to the words1 ,art thou a master in ,israel1 and knowest not these things8 he says1 ,the ,lord enabled me to open my mouth boldly against unconverted ministers1 to caution tutors to take care of their pupils1 and also to advise ministers particularly to examine into the experiences of candidates for ordination4 ,for ,i am verily persuaded the generality of preachers talk of an unknown and unfelt ,christ2 and the reason why congregations have been so dead is1 because they have had dead men preaching to them4 ,o that the ,lord may quicken and revive them1 for his own name's sake4 ,for how can dead men beget living children8 ,it is true1 indeed1 ,god may convert men by the devil1 if he pleases1 and so he may by unconverted ministers2 but ,i believe he seldom makes use of either of them for this purpose4 ,no2 the ,lord will choose vessels made meet by the operations of the blessed ,spirit for his sacred use3 and as for my own part1 ,i would not lay hands on an unconverted man for ten thousand worlds4 ,unspeakable freedom ,god gave me while treating on this head4 ,after sermon1 ,i dined with the governor1 who seemed more kindly affected than ever1 and particularly told me1 of the minister who has lately begun to preach extempore1 that 'he was glad he had found out a way to save his eyes4' ,in the afternoon ,i preached on the ,common to about fifteen thousand people1 and collected upwards of two hundred pounds for the orphan-house4 ,just as ,i had finished my sermon1 a ticket was put up to me1 wherein ,i was desired to pray for a person just entered upon the ministry1 but under apprehension that he was not converted4 ,god enabled me to pray for him with my whole heart2 and ,i hope that ticket may teach many others not to run before they can give an account of their conversion4 ,if they do1 they offer to ,god strange fire4 ,the same day and evening1 ,whitefield attended the funeral of one of the provincial council1 preached at the almshouse1 exhorted a great number of persons at the workhouse1 who followed him there1 and conversed with many who waited at his lodgings for spiritual advice4 ,from the time of his return from the east1 he had been thronged1 morning and evening1 with anxious inquirers4 ,his friends cried1 ,spare thyself2 but he says1 ,i went and ate bread very comfortably at a friend's house1 where ,i was invited1 and soon after retired to my rest4 ,oh1 how comfortable is sleep after working for ,jesus4 ,on ,friday he preached at ,charlestown and at ,reading to many thousands1 and on ,saturday from the meeting-house door at ,cambridge1 on ,noah as a preacher of righteousness2 a great number of persons were present1 who stood very attentively during a shower of rain1 and were at the latter part of the sermon much affected4 ,on the same afternoon he returned to ,boston1 and again preached1 and was engaged till midnight1 chiefly in conversation and prayer with persons anxious for their salvation4 ,sunday1 ,october #ab1 he rose with body and soul greatly refreshed1 and spent its early hours in conversing with those who came for spiritual counsel4 ,he then preached with great power and affection at the ,old ,south church1 which was so exceedingly thronged1 that he was obliged to get in at one of the windows4 ,he dined with the governor1 who came to him after dinner weeping1 and desired his prayers4 ,he heard ,dr4 ,sewall in the afternoon4 ,both during the exercises and after them he was sick1 but went with the governor in his coach1 and preached his farewell sermon on the ,common1 ,gillies says1 to twenty thousand1 and ,tracy to nearly thirty thousand people1 though the whole population of ,boston did not at that time exceed twenty thousand4 ,great multitudes were melted into tears when he spoke of leaving them4 ,the governor then went with him to his lodgings4 ,he stood in the passage and spoke to a great company1 both within and without the doors2 but they were so deeply affected1 and cried out so loud1 that he was compelled to leave off praying4 ,the remaining part of the evening was chiefly spent in conversation with inquirers4 ,in closing his account of this day's work1 he exclaims1 ,blessed be ,god for what things he has done in ,boston6 ,i hope a glorious work is now begun1 and that the ,lord will stir up some faithful laborers to carry it on4 ,boston is a large1 populous place1 very wealthy4 ,has the form kept up1 but has lost much of the power of religion4 ,i have not heard of any remarkable stir for these many years4 ,ministers and people are obliged to confess1 that the love of many is waxed cold4 ,both1 for the generality1 seem to be too much conformed to the world4 ,there is much of the pride of life to be seen in their assemblies4 ,jewels1 patches1 and gay apparel are commonly worn by the female sex2 and even the common people1 ,i observed dressed up in the pride of life4 ,there are nine meeting-houses of the ,congregational persuasion1 one ,baptist1 one ,french1 and one belonging to the ,scotch-,irish4 ,one thing ,boston is very remarkable for--the external observance of the ,sabbath4 ,men in civil offices have a regard for religion4 ,the governor encourages them1 and the ministers and magistrates are more united than in any other place where ,i have been4 ,both were exceedingly civil to me during my stay4 ,i never saw so little scoffing1 never had so little opposition4 ,but one might easily see much would hereafter arise1 when ,i came to be more particular in my application to particular persons2 for ,i fear many rest in a head-knowledge1 are close pharisees1 and have only a name to live4 ,it must needs be so when the power of godliness is dwindled away1 and where the form only of religion is become fashionable among people4 ,boston people are dear to my soul4 ,they were greatly affected by the word1 followed me night and day1 and were very liberal to my dear orphans4 ,i promised1 ,god willing1 to visit them again1 and intend to fulfil my promise when it shall please ,god to bring me again from my native country4 ,in the meanwhile1 dear ,boston1 adieu4 ,the ,lord be with thy ministers and people1 and grant that the remnant which is still left according to the election of grace1 may take root downwards1 and bear fruit upwards1 and fill the land4 ,on the morning following these solemn services1 ,whitefield left ,boston on his way to ,northampton4 ,to detail his four days' progress1 would be almost to repeat what we have already written4 ,at ,concord1 where he arrived on ,monday about noon1 he preached twice to some thousands in the open air1 and a comfortable preaching it was4 ,the hearers were sweetly melted down4 ,mr4 ,bliss1 the minister of the town1 of whose subsequent labors it has been well said1 more perfect accounts ought to have been preserved1 wept abundantly4 ,on ,tuesday he preached at ,sudbury to some thousands with power1 and observed a considerable commotion in the assembly2 as was also the case the same afternoon at ,marlborough4 ,at the latter place he was met by ,governor ,belcher1 who went with him through the rain that night to ,worcester4 ,here1 on ,wednesday1 he preached in the open air to some thousands4 ,the word fell with weight indeed4 ,it carried all before it4 ,after sermon1 the governor said to me1 ',i pray ,god ,i may apply what has been said to my own heart4 ,pray1 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 that ,i may hunger and thirst after righteousness4' ,passing on1 he preached at ,leicester1 ,brookfield1 and ,cold-,spring1 on his way to ,hadley1 where he arrived on ,friday1 and preached about noon4 ,in this place he says1 ,a great work was begun1 and carried on some years ago2 but lately the people of ,god have complained of deadness and losing their first love4 ,however1 as soon as ,i mentioned what ,god had done for their souls formerly1 it was like putting fire to timber4 ,the remembrance of it quickened them1 and caused many to weep sorely4 ,on the same afternoon he crossed the ferry to ,northampton4 ,of the great revival of religion in ,new ,england1 which commenced at ,northampton about #agcd1 and is the subject of ,president ,edwards' ,narrative1 we have already briefly spoken2 its importance will justify a more extended notice4 ,it began without any extraordinary circumstances to awaken the attention of the people1 or any uncommon arrangements or efforts by the minister4 ,the young people of the place had for two or three years shown an increased measure of thoughtfulness1 and a growing disposition to receive religious instruction4 ,there had been1 from time to time1 instances of strong religious impression and of hopeful conversion4 ,but in the latter end of ,december1 #agcd1 five or six persons1 one after another1 became very suddenly the subjects of the grace of ,god which newly creates the soul4 ,among these was a young woman distinguished for her gayety in youthful society1 one of the greatest company-keepers in the whole town1 who came to the pastor with a broken heart and a contrite spirit1 and with faith and hope in the ,saviour of sinners1 before any one had heard of her being at all impressed with serious things4 ,the sudden1 though1 as time proved1 the real conversion of this young woman1 was the power of ,god striking the electric chain of religious sympathies which had imperceptibly1 but effectually encircled all the families of ,northampton4 ,mr4 ,edwards' ,narrative says1 ,the news of it seemed to be almost like a flash of lightning upon the hearts of young people all over the town1 and upon many others4444 ,presently a great and earnest concern about the great things of religion and the eternal world became universal in all parts of the town1 and among persons of all degrees and all ages4 ,all talk but about spiritual and eternal things was soon thrown by2 all the conversation in all companies was upon these things only1 except so much as was necessary for people carrying on their ordinary secular business4 ,the minds of people were wonderfully taken off from the world2 it was treated among us as a thing of very little consequence4 ,all would eagerly lay hold of opportunities for their souls1 and were wont very often to meet together in private houses for religious purposes4 ,and such meetings1 when appointed1 were generally thronged4 ,those who were wont to be the vainest and loosest1 and those who had been most disposed to think and speak lightly of vital and experimental religion1 were now generally subject to great awakening4 ,and the work of conversion was carried on in a most astonishing manner1 and increased more and more4 ,from day to day1 for many months together1 might be seen evident instances of sinners brought out of darkness into marvellous light4 ,in the spring and summer following1 the town seemed to be full of the presence of ,god2 it was never so full of love1 and yet so full of distress1 as it was then4 ,it was a time of joy in families1 on account of salvation being brought to them2 parents rejoicing over their children as new-born1 and husbands over their wives1 and wives over their husbands4 ,the goings of ,god were then seen in his sanctuary1 ,god's day was a delight1 and his tabernacles were amiable4 ,our public assemblies were then beautiful2 the congregation was alive in ,god's service1 every one eagerly intent on the public worship1 every hearer eager to drink in the words of the minister as they came from his mouth4 ,the assembly were1 from time to time1 in tears1 while the word was preached2 some weeping with sorrow and distress1 others with joy and love1 others with pity and concern for their neighbors4 ,in ,december1 #agdc1 nine years after this blessed work had begun1 ,edwards writes1 ,ever since the great work of ,god that was wrought here about nine years ago1 there has been a great1 abiding alteration in this town1 in many respects4 ,there has been vastly more religion kept up in the town1 among all sorts of persons1 in religious exercises1 and in common conversation1 than used to be before4 ,there has remained a more general seriousness and decency in attending the public worship4 ,i suppose the town has been in no measure so free from vice1 for any long time together1 for these sixty years1 as it has these nine years past4 ,there has also been an evident alteration with respect to a charitable spirit to the poor4 ,and though1 after that great work of nine years ago1 there has been a very lamentable decay of religious affections1 and the engagedness of people's spirits in religion1 yet many societies for prayer and social religion were all along kept up1 and there were some few instances of awakening and deep concern about the things of another world1 even in the most dead time4 ,in the year #agdj1 in the spring1 before ,mr4 ,whitefield came to this town1 there was a visible alteration4 ,there was more seriousness and religious conversation1 especially among young people4 ,those things that were of ill tendency among them were more forborne2 and it was a more frequent thing for persons to visit their ministers upon soul accounts4 ,in some particular persons1 there appeared a great alteration about that time4 ,and thus it continued till ,mr4 ,whitefield came to town1 which was about the middle of ,october following4 ,and what thought ,whitefield himself on his arrival at ,northampton8 ,let us hear him4 ,their pastor's name is ,edwards1 successor and grandson to the great ,stoddard1 whose memory will be always precious to my soul1 and whose books1 entitled1 ,a ,guide to ,christ1 and ,safety of appearing in ,christ's righteousness1 ,i would recommend to all4 ,mr4 ,edwards is a solid1 excellent ,christian1 but at present weak in body4 ,i think ,i may say ,i have not seen his fellow in all ,new ,england4 ,when ,i came into his pulpit1 ,i found my heart drawn out to talk of scarce any thing besides the consolations and privileges of saints1 and the plentiful effusion of the ,spirit upon the hearts of believers4 ,and when ,i came to remind them of their former experiences1 and how zealous and lively they were at that time1 both minister and people wept much2 and the ,holy ,ghost enabled me to speak with a great deal of power4 ,in the evening1 ,i gave a word of exhortation to several who came to ,mr4 ,edwards' house4 ,on the following morning1 ,at ,mr4 ,edwards' request1 ,i spoke to his little children1 who were much affected4 ,preached at ,hatfield1 five miles from ,northampton1 but found myself not much strengthened4 ,conversed profitably on the way about the things of ,god with dear ,mr4 ,edwards1 and preached about four in the afternoon to his congregation4 ,i began with fear and trembling1 feeling but little power in the morning1 but ,god assisted me4 ,few dry eyes seemed to be in the assembly for a considerable time4 ,i had an affecting prospect in my own heart of the glories of the upper world1 and was enabled to speak of them feelingly to others4 ,i believe many were filled1 as it were1 with new wine2 and it seemed as if a time of refreshing was come from the presence of the ,lord4 ,the day following this was the ,sabbath4 ,whitefield tells us in his journal1 that he felt wonderful satisfaction in being at the house of ,mr4 ,edwards4 ,he is a son himself1 and hath also a daughter of ,abraham for his wife4 ,a sweeter couple ,i have not yet seen4 ,their children were dressed1 not in silks and satins1 but plain1 as becomes the children of those who in all things ought to be examples of ,christian simplicity4 ,she is a woman adorned with a meek and quiet spirit1 talked feelingly and solidly of the things of ,god1 and seemed to be such a help-mate for her husband1 that she caused me to renew those prayers1 which1 for some months1 ,i have put up to ,god1 that he would be pleased to send me a daughter of ,abraham to be my wife4 ,i find1 upon many accounts1 it is my duty to marry4 ,lord1 ,i desire to have no choice of my own4 ,thou knowest my circumstances2 thou knowest ,i only desire to marry in and for thee4 ,whitefield preached this morning1 and perceived the melting begin sooner and rise higher than before4 ,dear ,mr4 ,edwards wept during the whole time of exercise4 ,the people were equally1 if not more affected2 and my own soul was much lifted up towards ,god4 ,in the afternoon the power increased yet more and more4 ,our ,lord seemed to keep the good wine till the last4 ,i have not seen four such gracious meetings together since my arrival4 ,my soul was much knit to these dear people of ,god2 and though ,i had not time to converse with them about their experiences1 yet one might see they were for the most part1 a gracious1 tender people2 and though their former fire might be greatly abated1 yet it immediately appeared when stirred up4 ,edwards had looked forward to ,whitefield's visit to ,northampton with interest1 for he felt greatly concerned for his success4 ,he wrote a week before his arrival to his friend ,dr4 ,wheelock1 then a young minister of twenty-nine1 ,i think that those that make mention of the ,lord1 should now be awakened and encouraged to call upon ,god1 and not keep silence1 nor give him any rest1 till he establish and till he make ,jerusalem a praise in the earth2 and particularly should be earnest with ,god1 that he would still uphold and succeed the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 the instrument that it has pleased him to improve to do such great things for the honor of his name1 and at all times so to guide and direct him under his extraordinary circumstances1 that ,satan may not get any advantage of him4 ,after his visit1 ,edwards writes1 ,mr4 ,whitefield's sermons were suitable to the circumstances of the town2 containing just reproofs of our backslidings1 and in a most moving and affecting manner1 making use of our great profession and our great mercies as arguments with us to return to ,god1 from whom we had departed4 ,immediately after this1 the minds of the people in general appeared more engaged in religion1 showing a greater forwardness to make it the subject of their conversation1 and to meet frequently for religious purposes1 and to embrace all opportunities to hear the word preached4 ,the revival at first appeared chiefly among professors1 and those who had entertained the hope that they were in a state of grace1 to whom ,mr4 ,whitefield chiefly addressed himself2 but in a very short time1 there appeared an awakening and deep concern among some young persons that looked upon themselves in a ,christless state2 and there were some hopeful appearances of conversion2 and some professors were greatly revived4 ,in about a month or six weeks1 there was a great alteration in the town1 both as to the revivals of professors1 and awakenings of others4 ,during this visit of ,whitefield to ,edwards1 some conversation was held between them1 of which1 several years afterwards1 as it appears to us1 far too much was said4 ,edwards took an opportunity1 privately1 to converse with his friend about impulses1 and furnished him with some reasons for thinking that he gave too much attention to such things4 ,whitefield did not appear offended1 neither did he seem inclined to converse much on the subject1 or to yield to the reasonings of his friend ,edwards4 ,the latter says1 ,it is true1 that ,i thought ,mr4 ,whitefield liked me not so well for my opposing these things2 and though he treated me with great kindness1 yet he never made so much of an intimate of me1 as of some others4 ,it seems also1 that they conversed on the strong language which the great evangelist was accustomed to employ as to those whom he considered to be unconverted1 and the duty of the people to forsake the preaching of ministers whom he did not consider to be renewed in the spirit of their minds4 ,whitefield told ,edwards also1 of the design he had cherished of bringing over a number of young men from ,england1 to be ordained by the ,tennents1 in ,new ,jersey2 an object1 however1 which he never accomplished4 ,it appears that after preaching at ,northampton twice on the ,sabbath1 ,whitefield1 accompanied by his friend ,edwards1 rode to the house of the father of the last-named gentleman1 the ,rev4 ,timothy ,edwards1 in ,east ,windsor1 ,connecticut4 ,at this place1 as also at ,westfield1 ,springfield1 ,suffield1 ,hartford1 ,wethersfield1 ,middletown1 and ,wallingford1 he preached to large assemblies1 generally with his accustomed animation and power1 and with the happy proofs of success which he so frequently witnessed4 ,during this week also1 he experienced a remarkable deliverance from great danger4 ,he says1 ,a little after ,i left ,springfield1 my horse1 coming over a broken bridge1 threw me over his head1 directly upon my nose4 ,the fall stunned me for a while4 ,my mouth was full of dust1 ,i bled a little1 but falling upon soft sand1 got not much damage4 ,after ,i had recovered myself1 and mounted my horse1 ,god so filled me with a sense of his sovereign1 distinguishing love1 and my own unworthiness1 that my eyes gushed out with tears2 but they were all tears of love4 ,oh1 how did ,i want to sink before the high and lofty ,one who inhabiteth eternity6 ,during this week also1 on his way to ,suffield1 he met with a minister who said1 ,it was not absolutely necessary for a gospel minister1 that he should be converted2 meaning1 no doubt1 that though conversion was necessary to his salvation1 it was not indispensable to his ministerial character and usefulness4 ,this gave ,whitefield a subject4 ,i insisted much in my discourse upon the doctrine of the new birth1 and also the necessity of a minister's being converted1 before he could preach ,christ aright4 ,the word came with great power1 and a great impression was made upon the people in all parts of the assembly4 ,many ministers were present4 ,i did not spare them4 ,most of them thanked me for my plain dealing2 but one was offended2 and so would more of his stamp be1 if ,i were to continue longer in ,new ,england4 ,for unconverted ministers are the bane of the ,christian church2 and though ,i honor the memory of that great and good man ,mr4 ,stoddard1 yet ,i think he is much to be blamed for endeavoring to prove that unconverted men might be admitted into the ministry4 ,how he has handled the controversy1 ,i know not4 ,i think no solid arguments can be brought to defend such a cause4 ,a sermon lately published by ,mr4 ,gilbert ,tennent1 entitled1 ',the ,danger of an ,unconverted ,ministry1' ,i think unanswerable4 ,tracy truly says1 that ,stoddard1 in his ',appeal to the ,learned1' assumes that an unconverted minister is bound to continue in the performance of ministerial duties1 and infers that unconverted men may therefore be admitted to the church4 ,this opinion at one period extensively prevailed1 though all held it desirable that a minister should be a converted man4 ,by his attacks on this opinion1 and especially by thus endorsing ,tennent's ,nottingham sermon1 ,whitefield gave great offence4 ,on ,wednesday afternoon1 he preached at ,east ,windsor1 and spent the night with ,mr4 ,edwards1 senior1 ,i believe1 he says1 a true disciple and minister of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,after exercise1 we supped at the house of old ,mr4 ,edwards4 ,his wife was as aged1 ,i believe1 as himself1 and ,i fancied that ,i was sitting in the house of a ,zacharias and ,elisabeth4 ,on the following day1 he preached to many thousands1 and with much freedom and power1 at ,hartford in the morning1 and at ,wethersfield in the afternoon4 ,here he met ,messrs4 ,wheelock and ,pomeroy1 two young1 faithful1 and zealous ministers of ,jesus ,christ4 ,from this place he had intended to go eastward as far as ,plymouth1 and return by another route to ,providence1 and notice had been given in the newspapers of about twenty sermons which he proposed to preach at the times and places specified4 ,he was afterwards blamed for making these appointments without first consulting the pastors of the several churches2 thus giving countenance1 it was said1 to the practice of itinerants intruding into other men's parishes without their consent4 ,the proceeding was certainly somewhat irregular1 but ,whitefield was not much to be blamed for it4 ,the details were settled1 and the publication made1 by men in whose judgment and knowledge of the customs of the country he had a right to confide2 and the appointments were believed1 in all cases1 and doubtless known in some1 to be agreeable to the parties concerned4 ,at ,wethersfield1 however1 the evangelist ascertained the necessity of his hastening on to ,new ,york1 and immediately1 therefore1 published a note recalling these appointments4 ,on ,friday1 ,october #bd1 ,whitefield arrived at ,new ,haven1 and was entertained at the house of ,mr4 ,james ,pierpont1 the brother-in-law of ,mr4 ,edwards1 and of ,mr4 ,noyes1 the minister of the ,first ,congregational church4 ,the ,legislature of the colony being in session1 he remained till after the ,lord's day2 and had the pleasure of seeing numbers daily impressed1 under his ministrations in the old polygonal meeting-house4 ,several ministers of the vicinity visited him1 with whose pious conversation he was much refreshed4 ,good old ,governor ,tallcott1 on whom with due politeness he waited to pay his respects1 said to him1 ,thanks be to ,god for such refreshings in our way to heaven4 ,among others who heard his glowing appeals to the congregations that listened to him during this visit1 was young ,samuel ,hopkins1 still well known as an eminent divine4 ,hopkins was now nineteen1 and was a student at college2 his biographer tells us1 that he was much interested in the man1 and much impressed by his solemn warnings4 ,the testimony of ,hopkins himself may here be introduced4 ,he says1 speaking of ,whitefield1 ,the attention of the people in general was greatly awakened upon hearing the fame of him1 that there was a remarkable preacher from ,england travelling through the country4 ,the people flocked to hear him when he came to ,new ,haven4 ,some travelled twenty miles out of the country to hear him4 ,the assemblies were crowded1 and remarkably attentive2 people appeared generally to approve1 and their conversation turned chiefly upon him and his preaching4 ,some disapproved of several things1 which occasioned considerable disputes4 ,i heard him when he preached in public1 and when he expounded in private in the evening1 and highly approved of him1 and was impressed by what he said in public and in private4 ,he preached against mixed dancing and the frolicking of males and females together1 which practice was then very common in ,new ,england4 ,this offended some1 especially young people4 ,but ,i remember ,i justified him in this in my own mind1 and in conversation with those who were disposed to condemn him4 ,this was in ,october1 #agdj1 when ,i had entered on my last year in college4 ,on this visit1 ,whitefield dined with the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,clap1 the rector of the college4 ,of the college he says1 ,it is about one-third part as big as ,cambridge4 ,it has one rector1 three tutors1 and about a hundred students4 ,but ,i hear of no remarkable concern among them concerning religion4 ,mr4 ,clap1 it is well known1 afterwards became the public opponent of ,whitefield2 and it would seem that his dislike to him commenced with this first interview2 for he spoke very closely to the students1 and showed the dreadful consequences of an unconverted ministry4 ,in his journal of the day he says1 ,o that ,god may quicken ministers6 ,o that the ,lord may make them a flaming fire6 ,on the two days following1 he preached at ,milford1 ,stratford1 and ,fairfield1 on his way to ,new ,york4 ,on ,wednesday1 when at ,stamford1 he thus speaks of ,new ,england and his labors in it3 ,i give ,god thanks for sending me to ,new ,england4 ,i have now had an opportunity of seeing the greatest and most populous parts of it2 and take it all together1 it certainly on many accounts exceeds all other provinces of ,america1 and for the establishment of religion1 perhaps all other parts of the world4 ,never1 surely1 was so large a spot of ground settled in such a manner1 in so short a space of one hundred years4 ,the towns all through ,connecticut and eastwards towards ,york in the province of ,massachusetts1 ,maine1 near the river-side1 are large1 well peopled1 and exceedingly pleasant to travel through4 ,every five miles1 or perhaps less1 you have a meeting-house1 and ,i believe there is no such a thing as a pluralist1 or non-resident minister in both provinces4 ,many1 nay1 most that preach1 ,i fear do not experimentally know ,christ2 yet ,i cannot see much worldly advantage to tempt them to take upon them the sacred function4 ,few country ministers1 as ,i have been informed1 have sufficient allowed them in money to maintain a family4 ,god has remarkably1 in sundry times and in divers manners1 poured out his ,spirit in several parts of both provinces2 and it often refreshes my soul to hear of the faith of the good forefathers who first settled in these parts4 ,notwithstanding they had their foibles1 surely they were a set of righteous men4 ,they certainly followed our ,lord's rule1 sought first the kingdom of ,god and his righteousness2 and behold1 all other things ,god added unto them4 ,their seed are now blessed1 in temporal things especially1 and notwithstanding the rising generation seem to be settled on their lees1 yet ,i believe the ,lord hath more than seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to ,baal4 ,the ministers and people of ,connecticut seem to be more simple than those that live near ,boston1 especially in those parts where ,i went4 ,but ,i think the ministers' preaching almost universally by notes1 is a certain mark they have in a great measure lost the old spirit of preaching4 ,for though all are not to be condemned that use notes1 yet it is a sad symptom of the decay of vital religion when reading sermons becomes fashionable1 where extempore preaching did once almost universally prevail4 ,as for the universities1 ,i believe it may be said1 their light is become darkness1 darkness that may be felt1 and is complained of by the most godly ministers4 ,i pray ,god these fountains may be purified1 and send forth pure streams to water the cities of our ,god4444 ,as for the civil government of ,new ,england1 it seems to be well regulated1 and ,i think1 at opening all their courts1 either the judge or a minister begins with a prayer4 ,family worship1 ,i believe1 is generally kept up4 ,the negroes ,i think better used1 both in soul and body1 than in any other province ,i have yet seen4 ,in short1 ,i like ,new ,england exceedingly well2 and when a spirit of reformation revives1 it certainly will prevail here more than in other places1 because they are simple in their worship1 less corrupt in their principles1 and consequently easier to be brought over to the form of sound words1 into which so many of their pious ancestors were delivered4 ,send forth1 ,o ,lord1 thy light and thy truth1 and for thine infinite mercy's sake1 show thou hast a peculiar delight in these habitable parts of the earth4 ,amen1 ,lord ,jesus1 amen1 and amen4 ,among many who became the subjects of divine grace during this visit of ,whitefield to ,new ,england1 was ,daniel ,emerson1 who was educated at ,harvard college1 where he received his first degree in #agci1 and where he continued to reside for some time as a graduate4 ,while at college1 he is said to have been very fond of the gay pleasures of this life1 until his attention was effectually called to religion by the preaching of ,whitefield1 whom he followed from place to place for several days4 ,he was ordained at ,hollis1 ,new ,hampshire1 in #agdc1 where1 in a ministry of fifty years1 he was a worthy follower of his spiritual father4 ,the chief excellences of his preaching were sound doctrine1 deep feeling1 and zeal at times almost overwhelming4 ,he was truly a son of thunder1 and a flaming light4 ,he was almost incessantly engaged in labors1 preaching1 attending funerals1 etc41 far and near4 ,his efforts were greatly blessed1 especially among his own people1 who under his ministry enjoyed extensive revivals of religion1 and where also a large number of ministers have been called to their work4 ,he died in #ahja1 aged eighty-five4 ,it may be appropriate to introduce here a sketch of ,whitefield's doctrines and labors at this time1 as given us by the eminent ,dr4 ,thomas ,prince1 in his ,christian ,history1 under date of ,january #bf1 #agdd-e1 but having reference to ,whitefield's first visit to ,new ,england1 which we have just described3 ,he spoke with a mighty sense of ,god1 eternity1 the immortality and preciousness of the souls of his hearers1 of their original corruption1 and of the extreme danger the unregenerate are in2 with the nature and absolute necessity of regeneration by the ,holy ,ghost2 and of believing in ,christ1 in order to our pardon1 justification1 yielding an acceptable obedience1 and obtaining salvation from hell and an entrance into heaven4 ,his doctrine was plainly that of the reformers2 declaring against our putting our good works or morality in the room of ,christ's righteousness1 or their having any hand in our justification1 or being indeed pleasing to ,god while we are totally unsanctified1 acting upon corrupt principles1 and unreconciled enemies to him2 which occasioned some to mistake him1 as if he opposed morality4 ,but he insisted on it1 that the tree of the heart is by original sin exceedingly corrupted1 and must be made good by regeneration1 that so the fruits proceeding from it may be good likewise2 that where the heart is renewed1 it ought and will be careful to maintain good works1 that if any be not habitually so careful who think themselves renewed1 they deceive their own souls2 and even the most improved in holiness1 as well as others1 must entirely depend on the righteousness of ,christ for the acceptance of their persons and services4 ,and though now and then he dropped some expressions that were not so accurate and guarded as we should expect from aged and long-studied ministers1 yet ,i had the satisfaction to observe his readiness with great modesty and thankfulness to receive correction as soon as offered4 ,in short1 he was a most importunate wooer of souls to come to ,christ for the enjoyment of him1 and all his benefits4 ,he distinctly applied his exhortations to the elderly people1 the middle-aged1 the young1 the ,indians1 and negroes1 and had a most winning way of addressing them4 ,he affectionately prayed for our magistrates1 ministers1 colleges1 candidates for the ministry1 and churches1 as well as people in general2 and before he left us1 in a public and moving manner1 he observed to the people how sorry he was to hear that the religious assemblies1 especially on lectures1 had been so thin1 exhorted them earnestly to a more general attendance on our public ministrations for the time to come1 and told them how glad he should be to hear of the same4 ,multitudes were greatly affected1 and many awakened with his lively ministry4 ,though he preached every day1 the houses were crowded2 but when he preached on the ,common1 a vaster number attended2 and almost every evening the house where he lodged was thronged to hear his prayers and counsels4 ,on ,mr4 ,whitefield's leaving us1 great numbers in this town ,boston were so happily concerned about their souls1 as we had never seen any thing like it before1 except at the time of the general earthquake2#a and their desires excited to hear their ministers more than ever4 ,so that our assemblies1 both on lectures and ,sabbaths1 were surprisingly increased1 and now the people wanted to hear us oftener4 ,in consequence of which a public lecture was proposed to be set up at ,dr4 ,colman's church1 near the midst of the town1 on every ,tuesday evening4 #a ,dr4 ,prince1 in a note1 here says1 ,though people were then1 in the time of the earthquake1 generally frightened1 and many awakened to such a sense of their duty as to offer themselves to our communion1 yet very few came to me then under deep convictions of their unconverted and lost condition1 in comparison of what came now4 ,nor did those who came to me then1 come so much with the inquiry1 ',what shall we do to be saved8' as to signify they had such a sense of their duty to come to the ,lord's table that they dare not stay away any longer4 ,in reference to the work of grace which was connected with ,whitefield's preaching in ,new ,england1 the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,baron ,stow1 in his ,centennial ,discourse1 says1 ,the result1 by the blessing of ,god1 was a powerful revival1 such as ,new ,england had never witnessed4 ,the work was opposed with great vehemence2 and no impartial reader of the history of those extraordinary scenes can question that much of the hostility was provoked by improprieties of both speech and action1 that would at any time be offensive to those who love good order and ,christian decorum4 ,but after making liberal allowance for all that was truly exceptionable1 it is cheerfully admitted by the candid ,christian1 that the excitement was1 in the main1 the product of the ,holy ,spirit1 and that its fruits were eminently favorable to the advancement of true religion4 ,a torpid community was aroused1 as by the trump of ,god1 from its long and heavy slumber2 ministers and people were converted2 the style of preaching1 and the tone of individual piety were improved2 a cold1 cadaverous formalism gave place to the living energy of experimental godliness2 the doctrines of the gospel were brought out from their concealment1 and made to reassert their claims to a cordial1 practical credence1 and all the interests of truth and holiness received new homage from regenerated thousands4 ,one or two other facts connected with ,whitefield's usefulness in ,new ,england are too important to be omitted4 ,during this visit he was much gratified by an interview with a colored man1 who had been his chaise-driver when he first visited ,cambridge4 ,the negro had heard him preach in the college a sermon especially addressed to those who labor and are heavy-laden4 ,it took such a hold on the poor man1 that he repeated it in the kitchen when he reached home4 ,mr4 ,cooper of ,boston was so well satisfied1 as was ,whitefield also1 with his account of his conversion1 that he was admitted to the ,lord's table4 ,another brand plucked from the burning was a son of ,mackintosh1 an ,english rebel1 who had been condemned to perpetual imprisonment1 and had been allowed by ,george the ,first to settle in ,new ,england4 ,one of his daughters1 a lady of fortune1 had heard ,whitefield preach in ,dr4 ,prince's church at ,boston1 and had been won by the word to ,christ4 ,she was soon after smitten by sickness1 and ripened rapidly for heaven4 ,on her death-bed she cried out for her soul friend ,mr4 ,whitefield2 but checking her own impatience1 she asked1 ,why should ,i do so8 ,he is gone about his ,master's work1 and in a little time we shall meet to part no more4 ,the distinguished evangelist had a very high opinion of her piety1 and his interest in her was increased by the fact that she had a very remarkable escape from some ruffians who had been bribed to convey her and her sister to ,scotland1 that their uncle might seize on an estate worth a thousand pounds a year4 ,there were at this time not less than twenty ministers in the neighborhood of ,boston who unhesitatingly spoke of ,whitefield as their spiritual father1 directly tracing their conversion to his ministry4 ,of one of these we have an account by ,collins1 the journalist of ,south ,reading4 ,speaking of #agda1 he says1 ,mr4 ,whitefield preached upon our ,common in the open air4 ,mr4 ,hobby the minister went with the multitude to hear him4 ,it is said that ,mr4 ,hobby afterwards remarked1 he came to pick a hole in ,mr4 ,whitefield's coat1 but that ,whitefield picked a hole in his heart4 ,mr4 ,hobby afterwards wrote and published a defence of ,mr4 ,whitefield in a letter to ,mr4 ,henchman1 the minister of ,lynn1 who had written against him4 ,the letters of ,whitefield1 during his journeys of eleven hundred miles in ,new ,england1 were few and brief2 but they clearly indicated that at this time he was inclined to return no more to his native country4 ,new ,england1 notwithstanding his trials there1 had evidently won his heart1 and for a time almost weaned him from ,great ,britain4 ,when he left it1 as he was now about to do1 for the south1 he wrote1 ,god only knows what a cross it was to me to leave dear ,new ,england so soon4 ,i hope death will not be so bitter to me as was parting with my friends4 ,glad shall ,i be to be prayed thither again before ,i see my native land4 ,i would just be where ,he would have me1 although in the uttermost parts of the earth4 ,i am now hunting for poor lost sinners in these ungospelized wilds4 ,is there not an awfully retributive providence connected with the rejection of the gospel and its ministers8 ,do we not see this principle at work in the history and present state of the ,jews2 and has it not often appeared also in the history of ,christianity8 ,there was a beautiful village1 now a city1 in ,massachusetts1 from which ,whitefield was driven with such rancorous abuse1 that he shook off the dust of his feet1 and proclaimed that the ,spirit of ,god would not visit that spot till the last of those persecutors was dead4 ,the good man's language had a fearful truth in it1 though he was not divinely gifted with the prophet's inspiration4 ,a consciousness of desertion paralyzed the energies of the church2 for nearly a century it was nurtured on the unwholesome food of unscriptural doctrine4 ,in the very garden of natural loveliness1 it sat like a heath in the desert1 upon which there could be no rain2 and not till that whole generation had passed from the earth1 did ,zion appear there in her beauty and strength4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,labors ,,in ,,new ,,york ,,and ,,the ,,middle ,,and ,,southern ,,states4 #agdj1 #agda4 ,whitefield was now again on his way to ,new ,york1 preaching at ,rye and ,king's ,bridge on the road4 ,at the latter place he was met by several friends from the city1 with whom he pleasantly talked1 and found1 he says1 an inexpressible satisfaction in my soul when ,i arrived at the house of my very dear friend ,mr4 ,noble4 ,after supper the ,lord filled my heart1 and gave me to wrestle with him for ,new ,york inhabitants and my own dear friends4 ,he was also cheered by meeting ,mr4 ,davenport from ,long ,island1 whose labors as an evangelist were then exciting much interest4 ,here too he met with a violent pamphlet published against him4 ,met also with two volumes of sermons published in ,london as delivered by me1 though ,i never preached on most of the texts4 ,but ,satan must try all ways to bring the work of ,god into contempt4 ,on the morning after his arrival1 ,whitefield preached in ,mr4 ,pemberton's meeting-house1 and says concerning the service1 ,never saw the word of ,god fall with such weight in ,new ,york before4 ,two or three cried out4 ,mr4 ,noble could scarce refrain himself4 ,and look where ,i would1 many seemed deeply wounded4 ,at night the word was attended with great power4 ,one cried out2 and the ,lord enabled me at the latter end of my sermon to speak with authority4 ,alas1 how vain are the thoughts of men6 ,as ,i came along yesterday1 ,i found my heart somewhat dejected1 and told ,mr4 ,noble ,i expected but little moving in ,new ,york2 but he bid me 'expect great things from ,god1' and likewise told me of several who were1 as he hoped1 savingly wrought upon by my ministry when ,i was there last4 ,on the following day he finished his answer to the pamphlet already referred to1 and says1 ,god enabled me to write it in the spirit of meekness4 ,he adds1 ,preached twice as yesterday to very crowded auditories1 and neither time without power4 ,in the evening exercise some fainted1 and the ,lord seemed to show us more and more that a time for favoring ,new ,york was near at hand4 ,oh1 wherefore did ,i doubt8 ,lord1 increase my faith4 ,the following day1 ,november #b1 was the ,sabbath4 ,preached this morning with freedom and some power1 but was much dejected before the evening sermon4 ,for near half an hour before ,i left ,mr4 ,noble's house1 ,i could only lie before the ,lord1 and say ,i was a poor sinner1 and wonder that ,christ would be gracious to such a wretch4 ,as ,i went to meeting ,i grew weaker and weaker1 and when ,i came into the pulpit ,i could have chosen to be silent rather than speak4 ,but after ,i had begun1 the ,spirit of the ,lord gave me freedom1 till at length it came down like a mighty rushing wind1 and carried all before it4 ,immediately the whole congregation was alarmed4 ,shrieking1 crying1 weeping1 and wailing were to be heard in every corner2 men's hearts failing them for fear1 and many falling into the arms of their friends4 ,my soul was carried out till ,i could scarcely speak any more4 ,a sense of ,god's goodness overwhelmed me4 ,after narrating two or three pleasing incidents as to the effect of his preaching even on the minds of children1 and describing his feelings on his return home1 he gives an account of the wedding of two young persons who were going as his assistants to ,georgia4 ,never1 he says1 did ,i see a more solemn wedding4 ,jesus ,christ was called1 and he was present in a remarkable manner4 ,after ,mr4 ,pemberton had married them1 ,i prayed4 ,but my soul1 how was it enabled to wrestle with and lay hold on ,god6 ,i was in a very great agony1 and the ,holy ,ghost was so remarkably present1 that most1 ,i believe1 could say1 ',surely ,god is in this place4' ,after this1 divine manifestations flowed in so fast1 that my frail tabernacle was scarce able to sustain them4 ,my dear friends sat round me on the bedsides4 ,i prayed for each of them alternately with strong cries1 and pierced by the eye of faith even within the veil4 ,i continued in this condition for about half an hour1 astonished at my own vileness and the excellency of ,christ1 then rose full of peace and love and joy4 ,on ,monday1 the #c;d1 he preached both morning and afternoon to increasing congregations1 and says1 ,there was a great and gracious melting both times1 but no crying out4 ,nearly #aaj currency were collected for the orphans2 and in the evening many came and took an affectionate leave4 ,about seven we took boat2 reached ,staten ,island about ten1 greatly refreshed in my inner man4 ,a dear ,christian friend received us gladly1 and we solaced ourselves by singing and praying4 ,about midnight retired to sleep1 still longing for that time when ,i shall sleep no more4 ,on ,tuesday he preached on ,staten ,island from a wagon1 to three or four hundred people4 ,the ,lord came among them1 and several inquired after the way of salvation4 ,here he met ,gilbert ,tennent and ,mr4 ,cross4 ,the former of these excellent ministers had recently lost his wife1 and though he was ardently attached to her1 he calmly preached her funeral sermon with the corpse lying before him4 ,tennent had lately been preaching in ,new ,jersey and ,maryland1 and had a delightful account to give his friend of the progress of the good work4 ,nor was the account given by ,mr4 ,cross of less interest4 ,after sermon he rode to ,newark1 where he preached till dark1 as he thought with but little good effect4 ,however1 at night the ,lord manifested forth his glory2 for1 coming down to family prayer where ,i lodged1 and perceiving many young men around me1 my soul was1 as it were1 melted down with concern for them4 ,after singing1 ,i gave a word of exhortation2 with what power none can fully express but those that saw it4 ,oh1 how did the word fall like a hammer and like a fire4 ,what a weeping was there6 ,we must stay a moment to give a fact or two in reference to the ,rev4 ,aaron ,burr1 then quite a young man1 who two or three years before had been ordained at ,newark1 and whose ministry had been attended with a delightful revival the year preceding ,whitefield's visit4 ,during the period of this revival1 the neighboring village of ,elizabethtown had been remarkable for its insensibility2 even ,whitefield had preached there1 and not a single known conversion1 says ,dr4 ,stearns1 followed his ministrations4 ,afterwards the pastor1 the well-known ,jonathan ,dickinson1 saw happy results from very plain preaching4 ,newark caught a new flame from its neighboring altar1 and ,mr4 ,burr1 who had lately been to ,new ,england in quest of health1 had heard the devoted evangelist again and again1 and invited him to visit his flock1 which he did about a month afterwards with happy results4 ,the account given by ,mr4 ,burr of ,whitefield's preaching in ,new ,england was precisely what we should expect from the man who was afterwards the first president of ,princeton college1 and who1 fourteen years after this1 accompanied his eloquent friend to ,new ,england1 and saw at ,boston1 morning after morning1 three or four thousand people hanging in breathless silence on the lips of the preacher1 and weeping silent tears4 ,the ,rev4 ,stephen ,dodd of ,east ,haven1 ,conn41 relates that an old lady told him that when ,mr4 ,whitefield came to preach in the old meeting-house at ,newark1 she was twelve years old1 and as he entered the pulpit she looked at him with distrust1 but before he got through his prayers herself and all the congregation were melted down1 and the sermon filled the house with groans and tears4 ,the next time he came1 the congregation was so large that the pulpit window was taken out1 and he preached through the opening to the people in the burying-ground4 ,on ,wednesday1 the #eth1 he went to ,baskinridge1 ,mr4 ,cross' parish1 where he found ,mr4 ,davenport1 who1 according to appointment1 had been preaching to about three thousand people4 ,he writes1 ,as ,i went along1 ,i told a friend my soul wept for them1 and ,i was persuaded within myself that the ,lord would that day make his power to be known among them4 ,in prayer1 ,i perceived my soul drawn out1 and a stirring of affections among the people4 ,i had not discoursed long before the ,holy ,ghost displayed his power4 ,in every part of the congregation somebody or other began to cry out1 and almost all melted into tears4 ,this abated for a few moments1 till a little boy about seven or eight years of age cried out exceeding piteously indeed1 and wept as though his little heart would break4 ,mr4 ,cross having compassion on him1 took him up into the wagon1 which so affected me1 that ,i broke from my discourse1 and told the people the little boy should preach to them1 and that ,god1 since old professors would not cry after ,christ1 had displayed his sovereignty1 and out of an infant's mouth was perfecting praise4 ,god so blessed this1 that a universal concern fell on the congregation again4 ,fresh persons dropped down here and there1 and the cry increased more and more4 ,in the evening1 ,gilbert ,tennent preached excellently in ,mr4 ,cross' barn1 two miles off4 ,his subject was the necessity and benefit of spiritual desertions1 a remarkable subject1 as has been said1 at such a time1 in a barn1 and at night4 ,a great commotion1 says ,whitefield1 was soon observed among the hearers4 ,i then gave a word of exhortation4 ,the ,lord's presence attended it in a surprising manner4 ,one1 in about six minutes1 cried out1 ',he is come1 ,he is come6' and could scarcely sustain the discovery that ,jesus ,christ made of himself to his soul4 ,others were so earnest for a discovery of the ,lord to their souls1 that their eager crying obliged me to stop1 and ,i prayed over them as ,i saw their agonies and distress increase4 ,at length my own soul was so full that ,i retired1 and was in a strong agony for some time1 and wept before the ,lord under a deep sense of my own vileness1 and the sovereignty and greatness of ,god's everlasting love4 ,most of the people spent the remainder of the night in prayer and praise4 ,two or three young ministers spoke alternately1 and others prayed as the ,lord gave them utterance4 ,the next morning ,whitefield exhorted1 sung1 and prayed with the people in the barn1 and had some delightful conversation with a lad of thirteen1 a poor negro woman1 and several others4 ,in company with several ,christian friends1 he then rode to the house of ,gilbert ,tennent in ,new ,brunswick4 ,here he found letters from ,savannah saying that great mortality existed in the neighborhood1 but that the family at the orphan-house continued in health1 and that a minister was about coming from ,england to take his church at ,savannah4 ,this last1 says he1 much rejoiced me1 being resolved to give up the ,savannah living as soon as ,i arrived in ,georgia4 ,a parish and the orphan-house together are too much for me2 besides1 ,god seems to show me it is my duty to evangelize1 and not to fix in any particular place4 ,here he was met by ,william ,tennent also1 and after much conversation and prayer1 it was settled that ,gilbert ,tennent should go to ,boston to carry on the work so happily begun there4 ,after preaching1 exhortation1 and prayer1 ,whitefield went with ,davenport to ,trenton1 and so on to ,philadelphia4 ,on their way1 they were twice remarkably preserved from drowning in creeks much swollen by the rains2 and late on a very dark ,saturday night arrived in the city1 which had been already honored by his usefulness4 ,on the following day1 he twice preached in the house which his friends were now building for him1 and in which ,gilbert ,tennent labored for many years with great success4 ,he says1 ,it is one hundred feet long and seventy feet broad4 ,a large gallery is to be erected all around in it4 ,many footsteps of ,providence have been visible in beginning and carrying it on4 ,both in the morning and evening ,god's glory filled the house1 for there was great power in the congregation4 ,the roof is not yet up1 but the people raised a convenient pulpit and boarded the bottom4 ,the joy of most of the hearers when they saw me was inexpressible4 ,between services1 ,i received a packet of letters from ,england1 dated in ,march last4 ,may the ,lord heal1 and bring good out of the divisions which at present seem to be among the brethren there4 ,god giving me freedom1 and many friends being in the room1 ,i kneeled down and prayed with and exhorted them all4 ,but ,oh1 how did they melt under both2 my soul was much rejoiced to look round on them4 ,a fact in connection with the building of this church edifice illustrates the practical philosophy of ,dr4 ,franklin4 ,tennent waited on him for aid in the erection of the house1 which was cheerfully afforded2 the philosopher was asked by ,tennent as to the best method of raising the necessary funds1 who instantly recommended him to call at every house in the town to solicit help4 ,he argued thus3 ,many are really desirous to give1 and will be glad to see you2 others are inclined to be friendly1 and will give if they are urged2 a third will be sure1 if they are omitted1 to say they would have given had they been asked2 and a fourth class will give you1 rather than have it said they refused4 ,tennent acted on the doctor's counsel1 and the funds were raised without difficulty4 ,two instances of the happy influence of the truth in the conversion of sinners1 in connection with this visit1 must be given from ,whitefield's own pen4 ,the first related to a ,mr4 ,brockden1 a lawyer eminent in his profession1 and the recorder of deeds for the city4 ,for many years this gentleman had been distinguished for ,deism4 ,whitefield writes1 ,in his younger days he had some religious impressions1 but going into business1 the cares of the world so choked the good seed1 that he not only forgot his ,god in some degree1 but at length began to doubt of and to dispute his very being4 ,in this state he continued many years1 and has been very zealous to propagate his deistical1 ,i could almost say atheistical principles among moral men2 but he told me he never endeavored to make proselytes of vicious1 debauched people4 ,when ,i came to ,philadelphia1 this time twelvemonth1 he told me he had not so much as a curiosity to hear me4 ,but a brother ,deist1 his choicest friend1 pressed him to come and hear me4 ,to satisfy his curiosity1 he at length complied with the request4 ,i preached at the court-house stairs1 upon the conference which the ,lord had with ,nicodemus4 ,i had not spoken much before the ,lord struck his heart4 ',for1' said he1 ',i saw your doctrine tended to make people good4' ,his family knew not that he had been to hear me4 ,after he came home1 his wife1 who had been at sermon1 came in also1 and wished heartily that he had heard me4 ,he said nothing4 ,after this1 another of his family came in1 repeating the same wish2 and1 if ,i mistake not1 after that another2 till at last1 being unable to refrain any longer1 with tears in his eyes1 he said1 ',why1 ,i have been hearing him2' and then expressed his approbation4 ,ever since he has followed on to know the ,lord2 and ,i verily believe ,jesus ,christ has made himself manifest to his soul4 ,though upwards of threescore years old1 he is now1 ,i believe1 born again of ,god4 ,he is as a little child1 and often1 as he told me1 receives such communications from ,god1 when he retires into the woods1 that he thinks he could die a martyr for the truth4 ,the other instance was that of the captain of a ship1 as great a reprobate1 says ,whitefield1 as ever ,i heard of4 ,this man used to go on board the transport ships1 and offer a guinea for a new oath1 that he might have the honor of making it4 ,to the honor of ,god's grace1 says our evangelist1 let it be said1 he is now1 ,i believe1 a ,christian2 not only reformed1 but renewed4 ,the effectual stroke1 he told me1 was given when ,i preached last spring at ,pennepack4 ,ever since he has been zealous for the truth2 stood like a lamb when he was beaten1 and in danger of being murdered by some of my opposers1 and1 in short1 shows his faith by his works4 ,the stay of ,mr4 ,whitefield in ,philadelphia at this time was about a week1 during which he preached in the new house twice every day to large and deeply interested congregations4 ,he says1 ,it would be almost endless to recount all the particular instances of ,god's grace which ,i have seen this week past4 ,many that before were only convicted1 now plainly proved that they were converted1 and had a clear evidence of it within themselves4 ,my chief business was now to build up and to exhort them to continue in the grace of ,god4 ,notwithstanding1 many were convicted almost every day1 and came to me under the greatest distress and anguish of soul4 ,several societies are now in the town1 not only of men and women1 but of little boys and little girls4 ,being so engaged1 ,i could not visit them as ,i would1 but ,i hope the ,lord will raise up some fellow-laborers1 and that elders will be ordained in every place4 ,perhaps no man was ever more free from sectarianism than ,george ,whitefield4 ,it is true1 that he was ordained a clergyman of the church of ,england1 and never manifested any degree of reluctance to officiate within its walls2 but it is equally true1 that the vast majority of his sermons were delivered in connection with other bodies of ,christians4 ,when he was once preaching from the balcony of the court-house1 ,market-street1 ,philadelphia1 he delivered an impressive apostrophe3 ,father ,abraham1 who have you in heaven8 any ,episcopalians8 ,no4 ,any ,presbyterians8 ,no4 ,any ,baptists8 ,no4 ,have you any ,methodists1 ,seceders1 or ,independents there8 ,no1 no6 ,why1 who have you there8 ,we don't know those names here4 ,all who are here are ,christians1 believers in ,christ--men who have overcome by the blood of the ,lamb1 and the word of his testimony4 ,oh1 is that the case8 then ,god help me1 ,god help us all1 to forget party names1 and to become ,christians1 in deed and in truth4 ,it might be well for the different bodies of ,christians to think of the propriety of following this example of the holy man4 ,the peculiarities of each ,christian denomination may have their importance1 but they ought not to keep good men in a state of separation1 much less of alienation from each other4 ,on ,monday1 ,november #ag1 ,whitefield left ,philadelphia4 ,he says1 ,was much melted at parting from my dear friends4 ,had it much impressed upon my mind1 that ,i should go to ,england1 and undergo trials for the truth's sake4 ,these words1 ',the ,jews sought to stone thee1 and goest thou thither again8' with our ,lord's answer1 have been for some time lying upon me2 and while my friends were weeping round me1 ,st4 ,paul's words darted into my soul1 ',what mean you to weep and break my heart8 ,i am willing not only to be bound1 but to die for the ,lord ,jesus4' ,after fervent prayer1 ,i took my leave of some1 but being to preach at ,gloucester in the ,west ,jerseys1 others accompanied me in boats over the river4 ,we sung as we sailed1 but my heart was low4 ,i preached at ,gloucester1 but found myself weighed down1 and was not able to deliver my sermon with my usual vigor4 ,however1 there was an affecting melting1 and several1 as ,i heard afterwards1 who had been in bondage before1 at that time received joy in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i rode on in company with several to ,greenwich1 and preached to a few1 with scarce any power4 ,in the evening we travelled on a few miles1 but my body was more and more out of order1 and ,i thought ,god was preparing me for future blessings4 ,it is good to be humbled4 ,i am never better than when ,i am brought to lie at the foot of the cross4 ,it is a certain sign ,god intends that soul a greater crown4 ,lord1 let me always feel myself a poor sinner4 ,on ,tuesday he preached at ,pilesgrove to about two thousand people1 but saw only a few affected4 ,at night1 he says1 ,god was pleased so abundantly to refresh my soul as to make me forget the weakness of my body2 ,i prayed and exhorted with great power in the family where ,i lodged4 ,on ,wednesday1 at ,cohansey1 where ,gilbert ,tennent had prepared the way for him1 he says1 ,preached to some thousands both morning and afternoon4 ,the word gradually struck the hearers1 till the whole congregation was greatly moved1 and two cried out in the bitterness of their souls after a crucified ,saviour1 and were scarcely able to stand4 ,my soul was replenished as with new wine1 and life and power flew all around me4 ,at ,salem1 on the #bjth1 he preached in the morning at the court-house1 and in the afternoon in the open air before the prison1 to about two thousand persons4 ,both times ,god was with us4 ,on ,friday1 ,november #ba1 he got with some difficulty to ,newcastle1 where he preached in the court-house1 and observed some few affected1 and some few scoffing4 ,here he was joined by ,mr4 ,charles ,tennent1 who had lately married a young lady awakened under ,whitefield's ministry4 ,they went on to ,white ,clay creek1 and ,god1 says he1 was pleased to appear for me in an extraordinary manner4 ,there were many thousands waiting to hear the word4 ,i have not seen a more lovely sight4 ,i sang the twenty-third psalm1 and these words gave my soul unspeakable comfort3 ',in presence of my spiteful foes1 ,he does my table spread4' ,the ,lord ,jesus assisted me in preaching4 ,the melting soon began1 and the power increased more and more1 till the greatest part of the congregation was exceedingly moved4 ,several cried out in different parts1 and others were to be seen wringing their hands and weeping bitterly4 ,the stir was ten times greater than when ,i was here last4 ,at ,fagg's ,manor1 on ,saturday afternoon1 he preached to many thousands1 and ,god was pleased mightily to own his word4 ,there was a wondrous powerful moving1 but it did not rise to such a degree as when ,i preached here last spring4 ,i was taken ill after preaching4 ,after still farther labors1 he retired to rest1 and he says1 ,the ,lord gave me sweet sleep1 and in the morning ,i arose with my natural strength much renewed4 ,this was the ,sabbath1 and he preached at ,nottingham to a large congregation1 who seemed in no wise to regard the rain1 so they might be watered with the dew of ,god's blessing4 ,on the following afternoon1 at ,bohemia1 in ,maryland1 he says1 ,preached to about two thousand1 and have not seen a more solid melting1 ,i think1 since my arrival4 ,some scoffers stood on the outside1 but the ,holy ,spirit enabled me to lay the terrors of the ,lord before them1 and they grew more serious4 ,my soul much rejoiced in the ,lord to see salvation brought to ,maryland4 ,on ,tuesday1 ,november #be1 came to ,reedy ,island1 and had the wonderful presence of ,god in the assembly in the afternoon4 ,several of my dear ,philadelphia friends came to take their last farewell4 ,on ,wednesday1 ,saturday1 and ,sunday1 he preached again4 ,the ,lord was with us every time4 ,i was greatly delighted to see the captains of the ships1 and their respective crews1 come constantly to hear the word of ,god on shore1 and join with us in religious exercises on board4 ,on ,december #a1 when they sailed from ,reedy ,island to ,charleston1 he wrote in his journal1 ,but before ,i go on1 stop1 ,o my soul1 and look back a little on the great things the ,lord hath done for thee during this excursion4 ,i think it is now the seventy-fifth day since ,i arrived at ,rhode ,island4 ,my body was then weak1 but the ,lord has much renewed its strength4 ,i have been enabled to preach1 ,i think1 one hundred and seventy-five times in public1 besides exhorting very frequently in private4 ,i have travelled upwards of eight hundred miles1 and gotten upwards of #gjj sterling in goods1 provisions1 and money for my poor orphans4 ,never did ,god vouchsafe me such great assistances4 ,never did ,i perform my journeys with so little fatigue1 or see such a continuance of the divine presence in the congregations to whom ,i have preached4 ,all things concur to convince me that ,america is to be my chief scene for action4 ,in about eight days1 he arrived at ,charleston1 where he found there had recently been a large fire1 and to improve the sad event he preached a sermon1 and passed on to his own home1 where he found all well1 and where he made arrangements for his voyage to ,england1 leaving on the #bith of ,december4 ,on that day he narrowly escaped death4 ,a laborer was walking behind him with a gun under his arm1 which went off unawares2 happily its muzzle was towards the ground1 otherwise1 says ,whitefield1 ,i and one of my friends1 in all probability1 should have been killed2 for we were directly before1 and not above a yard or two distant from it4 ,how ought we to live in such a state as we would not fear to die in2 for in the midst of life we are in death6 ,in the evening he preached his farewell sermon as pastor of ,savannah4 ,on ,mr4 ,whitefield's arrival at ,charleston1 in company with two gentlemen named ,bryan1 who had been called to suffer persecution for ,christ's sake1 he had the happiness of meeting his brother1 the captain of a vessel from ,england1 who gave him much interesting intelligence of the ,christians in that country4 ,commencing with the ,sabbath1 he preached twice every day1 in addition to expounding the ,scriptures almost every evening1 and expresses his gratitude for divine assistance4 ,but though he had much to rejoice in1 he had also more than one source of sorrow4 ,some professors of religion1 of whom he had hoped well1 had fallen away1 and not a few of his enemies were even more enraged than formerly4 ,hugh ,bryan had written a letter1 in which1 among other matters1 it was hinted that the clergy break their canons4 ,at the request of ,jonathan ,bryan1 ,whitefield had corrected it for the press1 and it was published while he was now in the city4 ,hugh ,bryan was apprehended1 and on his examination1 being asked1 frankly confessed that ,whitefield had corrected and made some alterations in it4 ,writing on ,january #aj1 he says1 ,this evening a constable came to me with the following warrant3 ',south ,carolina ,,ss4 ,by ,b---- ,w----1 etc4 ,whereas ,i have received information upon oath that ,george ,whitefield1 ,clerk1 hath made and composed a false1 malicious1 scandalous1 and infamous ,libel against the ,clergy of this ,province1 in contempt of ,his ,majesty and ,his ,laws1 and against the ,king's ,peace3 ,these are therefore1 in ,his ,majesty's ,name1 to charge and command you and each of you forthwith to apprehend the said ,george ,whitefield1 and to bring him before ,me to answer the premises4 ,hereof fail not1 at your peril4 ,and for your so doing this shall be your and each of your sufficient ,warrant4 ,given under my hand and seal this tenth day of ,january1 in the fourteenth year of ,his ,majesty's ,reign1 ,anno ,domini one thousand seven hundred and forty one4 ',b---- ,w----4' ,whitefield gave security to appear by his attorney at the next quarter sessions1 under penalty of one hundred pounds proclamation money4 ,blessed be ,god1 he says in his journal1 for this further honor4 ,my soul rejoices in it4 ,i think this may be called persecution4 ,i think it is for righteousness' sake4 ,the next morning he preached on ,herod sending the wise men to find out ,christ1 professing a desire to worship him1 but intending to kill him2 persecution under pretence of religion1 being his theme4 ,the afternoon sermon was on the murder of ,naboth1 from which he discoursed on the abuse of power by men in authority4 ,he says1 ,my hearers1 as well as myself1 made the application4 ,it was pretty close4 ,no doubt it was4 ,in the evening he expounded the narrative of ,orpah and ,ruth1 and exhorted his hearers to follow the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 though his cause be never so much persecuted and spoken against4 ,on the following ,thursday1 he received several highly gratifying letters from his friends at ,boston4 ,mr4 ,secretary ,willard said to him1 ,divers young men in this town1 who are candidates for the ministry1 have been brought under deep convictions by your preaching1 and are carried off from the foundation of their false hopes to rest only upon ,christ for salvation4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,cooper wrote1 ,i can inform you that there are many abiding proofs that you did not run in vain1 and labor in vain among us in this place4 ,i can only say now in general1 some have been awakened who were before quite secure1 and ,i hope a good work begun in them4 ,others1 who had been under religious impressions1 are now more earnestly pressing into the kingdom of heaven1 and many of the children of ,god are stirred up to give diligence for the full assurance of faith4 ,there is a greater flocking to all the lectures in the town1 and the people show such a disposition to the new ,tuesday evening lecture1 that our large capacious house cannot receive all that come4 ,i am sure your visit to us has made a large addition to the prayers that are going up for you in one place and another1 and ,i hope also unto the jewels that are to make up your crown in the day of the ,lord4 ,in addition to these statements1 ,mr4 ,welch1 a pious merchant1 wrote1 ,i fear ,i am tedious1 but ,i cannot break off till ,i just mention1 to the glory of the grace of ,god1 and for your comfort and encouragement1 the success your ministry of late has had among us4 ,impressions made seem to be abiding on the minds of many4 ,the doctrines of grace seem to be more the topic of conversation than ever ,i knew them4 ,nay1 religious conversation seems to be almost fashionable1 and almost every one seems disposed to hear or speak of the things of ,god4 ,multitudes flock to the evening lecture1 though it has sometimes been the worst of weather4 ,ministers seem to preach with more life1 and the great auditories seem to hear with solemn attention1 and ,i hope our ,lord ,jesus is getting to himself the victory over the hearts of many sinners4 ,these1 and other letters of a similar character1 filled the heart of ,whitefield with grateful pleasure2 and he went on preaching and enjoying the society of his friends till ,friday1 ,january #af4 ,he says1 ,i never received such generous tokens of love1 ,i think1 from any people before1 as from some in ,charleston4 ,they so loaded me with sea-stores1 that ,i sent many of them to ,savannah4 ,he now went on board1 and was fully engaged in preparations for the voyage1 which however was not entered on till the #bdth4 ,on that day the ,minerva sailed over ,charleston bar1 and after a generally pleasant voyage1 they landed at ,falmouth1 ,march #aa4 ,this1 says he1 was a profitable voyage to my soul1 because of my having had many sweet opportunities for reading1 meditation1 and prayer4 ,the impartiality of history requires us1 however reluctantly1 here to notice the separation which to some extent now took place between ,whitefield1 and his old friends ,messrs4 ,john and ,charles ,wesley4 ,their mutual attachment in early life we have already seen1 as also ,whitefield's anxiety in ,georgia to defend ,mr4 ,john ,wesley's conduct against those who opposed him4 ,impartial observers1 however1 after a while began to remark1 that on some doctrinal points1 especially on that of predestination1 a difference was springing up4 ,on his passage to ,england1 ,february #a1 #agda1 ,whitefield thus wrote to ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley3 ,my dear1 dear brethren1 why did you throw out the bone of contention8 ,why did you print that sermon against predestination8 ,why did you in particular1 my dear brother ,charles1 affix your hymn1 and join in putting out your late hymn-book8 ,how can you say you will not dispute with me about election1 and yet print such hymns8 and your brother sent his sermon against election1 to ,mr4 ,garden and others in ,america4 ,do not you think1 my dear brethren1 ,i must be as much concerned for truth1 or what ,i think truth1 as you8 ,god is my judge1 ,i always was1 and hope ,i always shall be desirous that you may be preferred before me4 ,but ,i must preach the gospel of ,christ1 and that ,i cannot now do1 without speaking of election4 ,he then tells ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley1 that in ,christmas-week he had written an answer to his brother's sermon1 which1 says he1 is now printing at ,charleston2 another copy ,i have sent to ,boston1 and another ,i now bring with me1 to print in ,london4 ,if it occasion a strangeness between us1 it shall not be my fault4 ,there is nothing in my answer exciting to it1 that ,i know of4 ,o1 my dear brethren1 my heart almost bleeds within me4 ,methinks ,i could be willing to tarry here on the waters for ever1 rather than come to ,england to oppose you4 ,dr4 ,whitehead1 in his ,life of ,john ,wesley1 has very wisely said1 ,controversy almost always injures the ,christian temper1 much more than it promotes the interests of speculative truth4 ,on this question a separation took place between ,mr4 ,wesley and ,mr4 ,whitefield1 so far as to have different places of worship2 and some warm and tart expressions dropped from each4 ,but their good opinion of each other's integrity and usefulness1 founded on long and intimate acquaintance1 could not be injured by such a difference of sentiment2 and their mutual affection was only obscured by a cloud for a season4 ,the friendship between ,mr4 ,whitefield and the ,messrs4 ,wesley was very much increased and perpetuated by the wife of ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley4 ,this very extraordinary lady1 whose original name was ,gwinne1 was equally distinguished for her beauty1 talents1 and piety4 ,she had a very cordial regard for ,mr4 ,whitefield1 who as cordially reciprocated it4 ,she was married when the controversy among these eminent men was at its height1 and stipulated that she should always be allowed to hear the preaching of ,whitefield and his friends4 ,in her latter years especially1 and she lived till ninety-six1 she expressed her pleasure in the belief that she promoted the continuance of that endearing intercourse which subsisted between ,whitefield and her husband4 ,she softened all parties1 and was on all occasions a blessed peacemaker4 ,one fact relating to this eminently excellent woman may be mentioned4 ,she was nearly twenty years younger than her husband1 and four years after her marriage1 and at the age of twenty-six1 she was seized with small-pox1 of which at that time her eldest child died4 ,she lay twenty-two days in imminent danger of death1 and when she recovered she was so much altered in features that no one could recognize her2 but never did woman before lose her beauty with so little regret4 ,she used sportively to say1 that the change in her appearance afforded great satisfaction to her dear husband1 who was glad to see her look so much older1 and better suited to be his companion4 ,on ,whitefield's arrival at ,falmouth1 he immediately set off in a post-chaise to ,london1 in order to preach on the following ,sabbath4 ,but he now found occasion for all the patience he had acquired4 ,he had1 he says1 written two well-meant1 though ill-judged letters against ,england's two great favorites1 ',the ,whole ,duty of ,man1' and ,archbishop ,tillotson1 who1 ,i said1 knew no more about religion than ,mohammed4 ,the ,moravians had made inroads on our societies2 besides which1 the controversy with the ,messrs4 ,wesley injured him4 ,his congregations on the ,sabbath were still large1 but on week-days he had not more than two or three hundred hearers4 ,he says1 ,instead of having thousands to attend me1 scarcely one of my spiritual children come to see me from morning to night4 ,once1 on ,kennington ,common1 ,i had not above a hundred to hear me4 ,even this was not all4 ,he says1 ,one that got some hundreds of pounds by my sermons1 refused to print for me any more4 ,and others wrote to me1 that ,god would destroy me in a fortnight1 and that my fall was as great as ,peter's4 ,still other sorrows attended him4 ,he writes1 ,i was much embarrassed in my outward circumstances4 ,a thousand pounds ,i owed for the orphan-house4 ,two hundred and fifty pounds drawn on ,mr4 ,seward1 who was now dead1 were returned upon me4 ,i was also threatened to be arrested for two hundred pounds more4 ,besides all this1 he had a family of one hundred persons to be maintained1 four thousand miles off1 in the dearest part of his majesty's dominions4 ,he now began to preach in ,moorfields on week-days1 under one of the trees2 where he saw numbers of his spiritual children running by him without looking at him1 and some of them putting their fingers in their ears1 that they might not hear one word he said4 ,a like scene1 he says1 opened at ,bristol1 where ,i was denied preaching in the house ,i had founded4 ,it was the ,kingswood school-house1 built for the children of the colliers4 ,but ,whitefield could not long be kept down4 ,his friends built a new house and opened a new school at ,kingswood4 ,some free-grace dissenters1 as ,gillies calls them1 procured the loan of a building lot in ,london1 on which1 as we have already seen1 they built the ,tabernacle4 ,here his congregations immediately increased1 and he addressed them with his usual power and success4 ,invitations soon poured in from the country1 and even from places where he had never been4 ,at a common near ,braintree1 in ,essex1 he had more than ten thousand hearers1 and at many other places congregations were large and much affected4 ,sweet1 says he1 was the conversation which ,i had with several ministers of ,christ4 ,soon again did he triumph1 even in ,england4 ,among the men who were now invited to aid1 and who rendered important assistance to ,whitefield in his houses of worship in ,london and ,bristol1 as well as in his itinerant labors1 was ,howel ,harris1 a native of ,wales1 a gentleman1 and a magistrate1 to whom we have already referred4 ,his name in ,wales is yet a household word1 and his labors form a part of the history of ,welsh ,calvinistic ,methodism4 ,as soon as he had embraced the gospel for himself1 he became intensely solicitous respecting the condition of his neighbors4 ,the scenes of profligacy and vice which everywhere presented themselves burdened his heart1 and he became anxious to be actively employed in removing evil and doing good4 ,he determined on taking orders in the church of ,england1 and accordingly entered ,st4 ,mary's ,hall1 in ,oxford university2 but shocked at the dissolute habits of the collegians1 and finding what were called his methodistical views were in the way of his ordination1 he returned to ,wales1 and began to evangelize its towns and villages4 ,wherever there was an opening1 there he went1 and preached ,christ to the people2 and although defamed and persecuted1 he manfully prosecuted his work1 and thousands were by his agency brought to repentance4 ,he and ,mr4 ,whitefield were kindred spirits1 moved by the same impulses1 and pursuing the same course4 ,mr4 ,whitefield spoke of him as 'a burning and shining light1' a barrier against profaneness and immorality1 and an indefatigable promoter of the true gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,for these years he has preached almost twice a day1 for three or four hours together4 ,he has been in seven counties1 and has made it his business to go to wakes and fairs to turn people from their lying vanities4 ,he has been made the subject of numbers of sermons1 has been threatened with public prosecutions1 and had constables sent to apprehend him4 ,but ,god has blessed him with inflexible courage2 strength has been communicated to him from above1 and he still goes on from conquering to conquer4 ,god has greatly blessed his pious endeavors2 many call1 and own him as their spiritual father1 and would1 ,i believe1 lay down their lives for his sake4 ,in the year #agei1 when ,england was threatened with a ,french invasion1 ,mr4 ,harris became a captain in the ,brecknockshire militia1 and into whatever place in ,england the regiment was ordered1 he uniformly began to preach1 and was the means of introducing the gospel into many ignorant and depraved districts4 ,thus an unusual act and an undesirable office were overruled to doing much good4 ,when the regiment was disbanded1 he again regularly entered on his ministerial duties with all his former zeal and activity4 ,in a word1 he may justly be regarded the evangelist of ,wales4 ,as an illustration of the spirit of the energetic ministers of ,christ in those days1 we quote a fact or two from the life of ,rowland ,hill2 the more readily as ,howel ,harris is the principal subject4 ,in #aggd1 four years after the death of ,whitefield1 ,mr4 ,hill travelled through ,wales1 preaching three or four times every day2 many conversions took place1 which greatly sustained him under an attack of illness2 and led to the remark in his ,journal1 ,my body quite weak1 but my soul was refreshed4 ,a like example1 says ,sidney1 one of the biographers of ,hill1 had been previously before his eyes in the case of ,howel ,harris1 one of ,mr4 ,whitefield's energetic followers1 who was a man of extraordinary powers of body and mind4 ,harris used to relate of himself1 that being once on a journey through ,wales1 he was subjected to great temptation to desert his ,master's cause1 when he said1 ',satan1 ,i'll match thee for this2' and 'so ,i did1' he used to add2 'for ,i had not ridden many miles before ,i came to a revel1 where there was a show of mountebanks1 which ,i entered1 and just as they were commencing1 ,i jumped into the midst of them and cried out1 ',let us pray1' which so thunderstruck them that they listened to me quietly1 while ,i preached to them a most tremendous sermon1 that frightened many of them home4' ,mr4 ,hill greatly delighted in this anecdote1 and often said that amidst somewhat similar scenes1 he had been enabled successfully to attack the kingdom of ,satan4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,first ,,and ,,second ,,visits ,,to ,,scotland--,,labors ,,in ,,england ,,and ,,wales4 #agdj-agdd4 ,we have seen the spirit in which ,mr4 ,whitefield returned to ,london1 and the cool manner in which he was too generally received4 ,it is painful to say that this coldness was not confined to enemies of the truth2 it appeared in some degree in eminent dissenting ministers1 as ,watts and ,bradbury1 ,barker1 and even1 to some extent1 ,doddridge4 ,a plan had a few years before been agitated to restore the dissenters to the church1 usually called the ,comprehension scheme1 and assuredly1 under the circumstances1 friendship with ,whitefield was by no means favorable to such a plan being accomplished1 though it was at this period greatly desired by many of both parties4 ,still1 however1 good was done2 ,whitefield preached1 and ,god was glorified4 ,more union between ,christians in advancing the cause of ,christ would have been exceedingly desirable1 but even the want of this was not permitted to stay the progress of this man of ,god4 ,one of the most popular and useful ministers employed by ,whitefield and his friends at this time was ,john ,cennick1 the author of two well-known hymns1 beginning1 ,jesus1 thy blood and righteousness2 ,jesus1 my all1 to heaven is gone4 ,he was the preacher who1 in ,ireland1 discoursed from the text1 ,ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes1 which gave occasion for the ,methodists in that country to be called ,swaddlers4 ,the parents of this excellent man were ,quakers1 who had been imprisoned in ,reading jail for the maintenance of their religious principles4 ,this persecution reduced them from respectability to want1 so that1 like ,john ,bunyan1 they were forced to make shoe-laces in prison for their support4 ,the conversion of the son was very remarkable4 ,his first deep and lasting religious convictions flashed upon his mind like lightning from heaven1 while walking in the crowds of ,cheapside1 in ,london4 ,the effects were soon manifested2 he became a new man1 pursuing a new course1 and entering on a new work4 ,his ministry was very efficient1 his views of truth were evangelical1 his public speaking popular1 his zeal so great as sometimes to lead him to preach six times in one day--all which labors were followed with abundant success4 ,mr4 ,cennick was rather below the middle stature1 of a fair countenance1 and though by no means robust in health1 he knew little of timidity4 ,the spirit in which he discharged his ministry may be seen in a letter he wrote to a friend3 ,we sang a hymn1 and then the devil led on his servants2 they began beating a drum1 and then made fires of gunpowder3 at first the poor flock was startled2 but while ,god gave me power to speak encouragingly to them1 they waxed bolder1 and very few moved4 ,the mob then fired guns over the people's heads1 and began to play a water engine upon brother ,harris and myself1 till we were wet through4 ,they also played an engine upon us with hog's-wash and grounds of beer-barrels1 and covered us with muddy water from a ditch2 they pelted us with eggs and stones1 threw baskets of dust over us1 and fired their guns so close to us that our faces were black with the powder2 but1 in nothing terrified1 we remained praying4 ,i think ,i never saw or felt so great a power of ,god as was there4 ,in the midst of the confused multitude1 ,i saw a man laboring above measure1 earnest to fill the buckets with water to throw upon us4 ,i asked him1 ',what harm do we do8 ,why are you so furious against us8 ,we only come to tell you that ,christ loved you1 and died for you4' ,he stepped back a little for room1 and threw a bucket of water in my face4 ,when ,i had recovered myself1 ,i said1 ',my dear man1 if ,god should so pour his wrath upon you1 what would become of you8 ,yet ,i tell you that ,christ loves you4' ,he threw away the bucket1 let fall his trembling hands1 and looked as pale as death2 he then shook hands with me1 and parted from me1 ,i believe under strong convictions4 ,mr4 ,cennick had heretofore labored with ,whitefield and ,wesley1 but now adhered to the former1 and labored very successfully in the ,tabernacle4 ,after some years he united with the ,moravian brethren1 and died in triumph at thirty-five4 ,in the summer of #agda1 some three or four months after his arrival from ,america1 ,whitefield paid his first visit to ,scotland4 ,the state of religion in that country at the commencement of the ministry of this distinguished evangelist1 has been already glanced at4 ,it is here important to remark1 that in #agdj an indication of better things began to appear in several places1 especially in ,cambuslang1 under the ministry of the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,m',culloch4 ,this excellent man1 for nearly a year before the revival began1 had been preaching to his people on those subjects which tend most directly to explain the nature and prove the necessity of regeneration1 according to the different aspects in which it is represented in the holy ,scriptures4 ,the church edifice had become too small for the congregation1 and the minister1 in favorable weather1 frequently conducted the public worship on a green brae on the east side of a deep ravine near the church1 scooped out in the form of an amphitheatre4 ,in this retired and romantic spot1 the worthy pastor preached in the most impressive manner to the listening multitudes1 and not unfrequently1 after his sermons1 detailed to them the astonishing effects of ,whitefield's preaching in ,america1 which did not a little to increase the interest of the people1 as well as lead them to wish to see such an extraordinary preacher4 ,while on his voyage to ,scotland1 ,whitefield gave evidence that he had not forgotten ,america4 ,in his second visit to ,america1 he had become intimately acquainted with the ,rev4 ,daniel ,rodgers of ,exeter1 ,new ,hampshire1 a direct descendant of the seventh generation of ,john ,rogers1 who was burnt at the stake for the testimony of ,christ in the days of the bloody ,mary4 ,it is not surprising that ,whitefield's original letter to him1 now in the possession of the family of the grandson of ,daniel ,rodgers1 is highly valued4 ,it is dated on board the ,mary and ,ann1 bound from ,london to ,scotland1 ,july #be1 #agda4 ,,my ,,dear ,,brother ,,rodgers--,how glad was ,i to receive a letter from your hands1 having heard nothing from you or of you particularly since we parted4 ,oh1 what great things has the ,lord shown us since that time6 methinks ,i hear you say2 and yet ,i can tell of greater things4 ,and ,i believe we shall see far greater yet before we die4 ,the work is beginning afresh here4 ,i sometimes think brother ,gilbert ,tennent must take a voyage to old ,england4 ,most of our ,london ministers too much shun the cross1 and do not appear boldly for ,god4 ,now the ,lord has worked so powerfully in your college1 ,i have less to object against your joining ,mr4 ,web4 ,i am glad to hear that you speak plain and close4 ,what comfort will this afford you in a dying hour4 ,go on1 my dear brother1 go on2 venture daily upon ,christ4 ,go out in his strength1 and he will enable us to do wonders4 ,he is with me more and more4 ,i have sweetly been carried through the heat and burning of every day's labor4 ,jesus bears all my burdens4 ,jesus enables me to cast all my care upon him4 ,oh then1 let us magnify his name together4 ,i am now going to ,scotland1 knowing not what will befall me4 ,what ,god does1 you may expect to hear of shortly4 ,in the meanwhile1 let us pray for and write to each other4 ,as iron sharpeneth iron1 so do the letters of a man his friend4 ,your last ,i have printed4 ,god's glory called me to it4 ,my dear brother1 adieu4 ,dear brother ,sims sits by and salutes you4 ,my kind love awaits ,mr4 ,web1 and all who love the ,lord in sincerity4 ,in hopes of receiving another letter from you shortly1 ,i subscribe myself1 dear ,mr4 ,rodgers1 your most affectionate1 though very unworthy brother and servant in the sweetest ,jesus1 ,g4 ,w4 ,among those who were most anxious that ,mr4 ,whitefield should visit ,scotland1 were the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,ebenezer and ,ralph ,erskine4 ,these two excellent brothers had separated themselves from the established church1 chiefly on the ground of its cold formalism1 and with some other zealous ministers had formed what has since been known as the ,associate ,presbytery4 ,their wish was1 that in coming to ,scotland1 ,whitefield should preach only in connection with their body1 and so help forward the work in which they were engaged4 ,to this he objected1 regarding himself as an evangelist at large4 ,as he proceeded1 they rather opposed him1 as not sufficiently particular and discriminative in his zeal4 ,they wished him not to labor in the church from which they had seceded1 saying1 ,god had left it4 ,then1 said he1 it is the more necessary for me to preach in it1 to endeavor to bring him back4 ,i'll preach ,christ wherever they'll let me4 ,on the #cjth of ,july he arrived in ,edinburgh1 where he was urged to preach1 but declined till he had seen the ,messrs4 ,erskine2 and accordingly proceeded to ,dunfermline4 ,writing on the #ast of ,august1 he says1 ,i went yesterday to ,dunfermline1 where dear ,mr4 ,ralph ,erskine hath got a large and separate1 or as it is commonly termed1 seceding meeting-house4 ,he received me very lovingly4 ,i preached to his and the town's people--a very thronged assembly4 ,after ,i had done prayers and named my text1 the rustling made by opening the ,bibles all at once quite surprised me--a scene ,i never was witness to before4 ,on the day following1 ,whitefield returned to ,edinburgh1 accompanied by ,mr4 ,ralph ,erskine1 and preached in the ,orphan-house park to a large and attentive audience4 ,his text was1 ,the kingdom of ,god is not meat and drink1 but righteousness1 and peace1 and joy in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,rom4 #ad3ag4 ,after the sermon1 a large company1 including some of the nobility1 came to bid him ,god-speed2 and among others a portly ,quaker1 a nephew of the ,messrs4 ,erskine1 who1 taking him by the hand1 said1 ,friend ,george1 ,i am as thou art2 ,i am for bringing all to the life and power of the ever-living ,god2 and therefore1 if thou wilt not quarrel with me about my hat1 ,i will not quarrel with thee about thy gown4 ,on ,sabbath evening1 he preached in the same place1 to upwards of fifteen thousand persons2 and on the evenings of ,monday1 ,wednesday1 and ,friday1 to nearly as many2 on ,tuesday in the ,canongate church2 on ,wednesday and ,thursday at ,dunfermline2 and on ,friday morning at ,queensferry4 ,everywhere1 says he1 the auditories were large and very attentive4 ,great power accompanied the word4 ,many have been brought under convictions1 and ,i have already received invitations to different places1 which1 ,god willing1 ,i intend to comply with4 ,writing a week later1 he says1 ,it would make your heart leap for joy to be now in ,edinburgh4 ,i question if there be not upwards of three hundred in this city seeking after ,jesus4 ,every morning ,i have a constant levee of wounded souls1 many of whom are quite slain by the law4 ,god's power attends the word continually1 just as when ,i left ,london4 ,at seven in the morning we have a lecture in the fields1 attended not only by the common people1 but also by persons of rank4 ,i have reason to think that several of the latter sort are coming to ,jesus4 ,little children also are much wrought upon4 ,god much blesses my letters from the little orphans1 girls in the hospital4 ,he loves to work by contemptible means4 ,oh1 my dear brother1 ,i am quite amazed when ,i think what ,god has done here in a fortnight4 ,my printed sermons and journals have been blessed in an uncommon manner4 ,i am only afraid lest people should idolize the instrument1 and not look enough to the glorious ,jesus1 in whom alone ,i desire to glory4 ,congregations consist of many thousands4 ,never did ,i see so many ,bibles1 nor people looking into them1 while ,i am expounding1 with so much attention4 ,plenty of tears flow from the hearers' eyes4 ,their emotions appear in various ways4 ,i preach twice daily1 and expound at private houses at night1 and am employed in speaking to souls under distress great part of the day4 ,i have just snatched a few moments to write to my dear brother4 ,oh1 that ,god may enlarge your heart to pray for me4 ,this afternoon ,i preach out of town1 and also to-morrow4 ,next post1 ,god willing1 you shall have another letter4 ,i walk continually in the comforts of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the love of ,christ quite strikes me dumb4 ,o grace1 grace6 let that be my song4 ,adieu4 ,in this manner ,whitefield continued to preach very extensively over ,scotland2 and early in ,september he arrived at ,glasgow4 ,on the eleventh of that month he began his labors in the ,high ,church-yard1 and for five days in succession preached there twice a day--at an early hour in the morning1 and again in the evening4 ,the expectations of the people were high1 not only in ,glasgow1 but all around1 and crowds flocked to hear him preach4 ,morning after morning1 and evening after evening1 that vast church-yard1 almost paved as it is with tombstones1 was crowded with living worshippers1 trembling under the word4 ,but not satisfied with hearing1 the pen of the ready writer was from day to day at work1 and each sermon was printed by itself1 and put immediately into circulation4 ,his sermons were characterized by great simplicity1 as if the language of the preacher merely expressed what he felt1 and yet there was so much earnestness1 and so much closeness of application1 as to account for the effects they produced4 ,he was in the pulpit very much what ,baxter was in the press4 ,he spoke as a man realizing all that he said1 and laying open the feelings of his own heart in addressing the hearts of others4 ,very few men better knew the human heart than ,whitefield4 ,he seemed to know all the thoughts and feelings of his hearers1 and the best way in which to meet them4 ,he once preached in ,scotland from the text1 ,the door was shut4 ,matt4 #be3aj4 ,a respectable lady who heard him sat near the door1 a considerable distance from the pulpit1 and observed two showy and trifling young men who appeared to turn the solemn appeals of the preacher into ridicule2 she heard one of them say in a low tone to the other1 ,well1 what if the door be shut8 another will open4 ,in a very few minutes1 to the great surprise of the lady1 ,mr4 ,whitefield said1 ,it is possible there may be some careless1 trifling person here to-day1 who may ward off the force of this impressive subject by lightly thinking1 ',what matter if the door be shut8 another will open4' ,the two young men looked at each other as though they were paralyzed1 as the preacher proceeded3 ,yes1 another door will open2 and ,i will tell you what door it will be3 it will be the door of the bottomless pit1 the door of hell6--the door which conceals from the eyes of angels the horrors of damnation4 ,after ,mr4 ,whitefield's return to ,england1 at the close of ,october1 among many letters which followed him1 detailing the results of his labors1 was one from ,mr4 ,m',culloch1 the excellent minister already referred to3 ,as it is matter of joy and thankfulness to ,god1 who sent you hither1 and gave you so much countenance1 and so remarkably crowned your labors with success here at ,glasgow1 so ,i doubt not but the following account of the many seals to your ministry in and about that city1 will be very rejoicing to your heart1 especially as the kingdom of our glorious ,redeemer is so much advanced thereby1 and as the everlasting happiness of souls is promoted4 ,i am well informed by some ministers1 and other judicious and experienced ,christians1 that there are to the amount of fifty persons already known1 in and about ,glasgow1 who appear to be savingly converted1 through the blessing and power of ,god on your ten sermons4 ,and there are1 besides these1 several others apparently under conviction1 but not reckoned1 as being still doubtful4 ,several ,christians also1 of considerable standing1 were much strengthened1 revived1 and comforted by what they heard4 ,they were made to rejoice in hope of the glory of ,god1 having attained to the full assurance of faith4 ,among those lately converted1 there are several young people who were before openly wicked and flagitious1 or at best but very negligent as to spiritual things2 and yet they are now in the way of salvation4 ,some young converts are yet under doubts and fears1 but a considerable number of them have attained to peace and joy in believing4 ,several of those who were lately wrought on in a gracious way1 seem to outstrip ,christians of considerable standing1 in spiritual-mindedness1 and in many other good qualifications2 particularly in their zeal for the conversion of others1 in their love to ordinances1 and in their freedom from bigotry and party zeal4 ,those converted by your ministry have not been discovered at once1 but only from time to time4 ,a good many of them have been discovered only of late4 ,their convictions were at first less pungent1 and through the discouragements they met with in the families where they resided1 as well as from their own feelings1 they endeavored for a time to conceal their state4 ,these circumstances afford ground for hoping1 that there are yet others who may afterwards become known4 ,besides such as have been awakened through the power of ,god accompanying your sermons1 there have been others who have been since awakened1 and who have been discovered in consequence of the change observable in their conduct4 ,these1 dear brother1 are a few hints concerning some of the most remarkable things1 as to the blessing which accompanied your labors at ,glasgow4 ,at ,edinburgh1 when first visited by ,whitefield1 many persons of the highest rank constantly attended his ministry4 ,among them were the ,marquis of ,lothian1 the ,earl of ,leven1 ,lord ,ray1 ,lady ,mary ,hamilton1 ,lady ,frances ,gardiner1 ,lady ,jane ,nimms1 and ,lady ,dirleton2 and at some one of their houses he expounded almost every evening4 ,numbers of ministers and students crowded to hear him2 and aged ,christians told him they could set their seal to what he preached4 ,in connection with this first visit to ,edinburgh1 several incidents have been related which show the power that accompanied his preaching1 and the skill with which he could seize upon passing circumstances1 and apply them to the great purpose which he always had in view4 ,a gentleman1 on returning from one of his sermons1 was met on his way home by an eminent minister whom he usually heard1 and who expressed great surprise that he should go to hear such a man4 ,the gentleman replied1 ,sir1 when ,i hear you1 ,i am planting trees all the time2 but during the whole of ,mr4 ,whitefield's sermon1 ,i could not find time to plant one4 ,a similar instance is related of a ship-builder1 who usually could build a ship from stem to stern during the sermon2 but under ,mr4 ,whitefield1 could not lay a single plank4 ,another narrative has been thus given4 ,an unhappy man who had forfeited his life to the offended laws of his country1 was executed in that neighborhood4 ,mr4 ,whitefield mingled with the crowd collected on the occasion1 and was much impressed with the decorum and solemnity which were observable in the awful scene4 ,his appearance1 however1 drew the eyes of all upon him1 and produced a variety of opinions as to the motives which led him to join the multitude4 ,the next day1 being ,sunday1 he preached to a very large congregation in a field near the city2 and in the course of his sermon1 he adverted to the scenes of the preceding day4 ,i know1 said he1 that many of you may find it difficult to reconcile my appearance yesterday with my clerical character4 ,many of you1 ,i know1 will say that my moments would have been better employed in praying for the unhappy man1 than in attending him to the fatal tree2 and that perhaps curiosity was the only cause that converted me into a spectator on that occasion2 but those who ascribe that uncharitable motive to me1 are under a mistake4 ,i went as an observer of human nature1 and to see the effect that such an occurrence would have on those who witnessed it4 ,i watched the conduct of those who were present on that awful occasion1 and ,i was highly pleased with their demeanor1 which has given me a very favorable opinion of the ,scottish nation4 ,your sympathy was visible on your countenances2 particularly when the moment arrived that your unhappy fellow-creature was to close his eyes on this world for ever4 ,then you all1 as if moved by one impulse1 turned your heads aside1 and wept4 ,those tears were precious1 and will be held in remembrance4 ,how different it was when the ,saviour of mankind was extended on the cross6 ,the ,jews1 instead of sympathizing in his sorrows1 triumphed in them4 ,they reviled him with bitter expressions1 with words even more bitter than the gall and vinegar which they handed him to drink4 ,not one of all who witnessed his pains1 turned his head aside1 even in the last pang4 ,yes1 my friends1 there was one--that glorious luminary1 pointing to the sun1 veiled his brightness1 and travelled on his course in tenfold night4 ,on another occasion1 near the same city1 and probably in the field to which we have already referred1 under the shade of a venerable tree1 in a lovely meadow1 a poor unhappy man1 thinking to turn him into ridicule1 placed himself on one of the overhanging boughs1 immediately above the preacher's head1 and with monkey-like dexterity mimicking his gestures1 endeavored to raise a laugh in the audience4 ,guided by the looks of some of his hearers1 ,whitefield caught a glance of him1 but without seeming to have noticed him1 continued his discourse4 ,with the skill of a wise orator1 he reserved the incident for the proper place and time4 ,while forcibly speaking on the power and sovereignty of divine grace1 with increasing earnestness he spoke of the unlikely objects it had often chosen1 and the unlooked for triumphs it had achieved4 ,as he rose to the climax of his inspiring theme1 and when in the full sweep of his eloquence1 he suddenly paused1 and turning round1 and pointing slowly to the poor creature above him1 he exclaimed1 in a tone of deep and thrilling pathos1 ,even he may yet be the subject of that free and resistless grace4 ,it was a shaft from the ,almighty4 ,winged by the divine ,spirit1 it struck the scoffer to the heart1 and realized in his conversion the glorious truth it contained4 ,yet another fact may be told connected with ,whitefield and ,edinburgh4 ,when he was once there1 a regiment of soldiers were stationed in the city1 in which was a sergeant whose name was ,forbes1 a very abandoned man1 who1 everywhere he could do so1 run in debt for liquor1 with which he was almost at all times drunk4 ,his wife washed for the regiment1 and thus obtained a little money4 ,she was a pious woman1 but all her attempts to reclaim her husband were unsuccessful4 ,during one of ,mr4 ,whitefield's visits to the city1 she offered her husband a sum of money1 if he would for once go and hear the eloquent preacher4 ,this was a strong inducement1 and he engaged to go4 ,the sermon was in a field1 as no building could have contained the audience4 ,the sergeant was rather early1 and placed himself in the middle of the field1 that he might file off when ,mr4 ,whitefield ascended the pulpit2 as he only wished to be able to say that he had seen him4 ,the crowd1 however1 increased2 and when the preacher appeared1 they pressed forward1 and the sergeant found it impossible to get away4 ,the prayer produced some impression on his mind1 but the sermon convinced him of his sinfulness and danger4 ,he became a changed man1 and showed the reality of his conversion by living for many years in a very penurious manner1 till he had satisfied the claims of every one of his creditors4 ,one fact more should be stated in connection with this visit4 ,mr4 ,james ,ogilvie was one of the ministers of ,aberdeen4 ,this city was not in that day1 nor indeed in any part of the eighteenth century1 warmly attached to a fully-exhibited gospel4 ,at this time1 however1 both ,mr4 ,ogilvie and his colleague1 ,mr4 ,bisset1 who1 as ,sir ,henry ,moncrieff says1 was the highest of the ,high church1 were evangelical1 though otherwise very opposite men4 ,though colleagues of the same congregation1 says ,whitefield1 they are very different in their natural temper4 ,the one is1 what they call in ,scotland1 a sweet-blooded man1 the other of a choleric disposition4 ,mr4 ,bisset is neither a seceder nor quite a true kirkman1 having great fault to find with both4 ,soon after my arrival1 dear ,mr4 ,ogilvie took me to pay my respects to him4 ,he was prepared for it1 and pulled out a paper containing a great number of insignificant queries1 which ,i had neither time nor inclination to answer4 ,for several years ,mr4 ,ogilvie had been corresponding with ,mr4 ,whitefield to induce him to visit ,aberdeen1 hoping that some good might be done2 and as he was himself to preach on ,sabbath forenoon in presence of the magistrates1 he gave ,mr4 ,whitefield his place4 ,the congregation was large1 and apparently much interested4 ,mr4 ,bisset1 in the afternoon1 preached against ,mr4 ,whitefield by name4 ,mr4 ,ogilvie1 without either consulting his friend1 or noticing the conduct of his colleague1 stood up1 after the sermon1 and intimated to the congregation that ,mr4 ,whitefield would again preach in about half an hour4 ,the magistrates remained in the session-house1 and the people hastened back1 expecting to bear a reply4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 waiving as much as possible all controversial matter1 preached ,christ4 ,the audience was silent1 solemn1 and deeply impressed4 ,next day1 the magistrates apologized for their minister2 and as a mark of their own respect1 presented to ,mr4 ,whitefield the freedom of their city4 ,the effect of this visit to ,aberdeen was great and beneficial4 ,in #agdb1 ,mr4 ,whitefield again visited ,scotland4 ,in the mean time he had heard that his dear friends the ,erskines had become greatly offended1 on account of what they considered his lax views of church government4 ,but notwithstanding this difference with the seceders1 he was received by great numbers1 among whom were some persons of distinction1 with cordiality and joy1 and had the satisfaction of hearing more and more of the happy fruits of his ministry4 ,at ,edinburgh he again preached twice a day1 as before1 in the ,hospital-park1 where a number of seats and shades1 in the form of an amphitheatre1 were erected for the accommodation of his hearers4 ,on the day of his arrival at ,cambuslang1 he preached three times to an immense body of people1 although he had preached that same morning at ,glasgow4 ,the last service continued till eleven o'clock2 and so much were the people interested1 that ,mr4 ,m',culloch1 after preaching till past one in the morning1 could scarcely persuade them to depart4 ,mr4 ,whitefield himself thus describes the scene3 ,persons from all parts flocked to see1 and many1 from many parts1 went home convinced and converted to ,god4 ,a brae1 or hill1 near the manse at ,cambuslang1 seemed to be formed by ,providence for containing a large congregation4 ,people sat unwearied till two in the morning1 to hear sermons1 disregarding the weather4 ,you could scarcely walk a yard1 but you must tread upon some either rejoicing in ,god for mercies received1 or crying out for more4 ,thousands and thousands have ,i seen1 before it was possible to catch it by sympathy1 melted down under the word and power of ,god4 ,at the celebration of the holy communion1 their joy was so great1 that1 at the desire of many1 both ministers and people1 in imitation of ,hezekiah's passover1 they had1 a month or two afterwards1 a second1 which was a general rendezvous of the people of ,god4 ,the communion was in the field2 three tents1 at proper distances1 all surrounded with a multitude of hearers2 above twenty ministers1 among whom was good old ,mr4 ,bonner1 attending to preach and assist1 all enlivening and enlivened by one another4 ,in addition to his labors at ,glasgow and ,cambuslang1 it is surprising to observe the number of places in the west of ,scotland which ,whitefield visited in the course of a few weeks2 preaching wherever he went1 with his usual frequency1 energy1 and success4 ,a gentleman of piety and intelligence thus refers to one of them several years afterwards3 ,when ,mr4 ,whitefield was preaching at ,kilmarnock1 on the twenty-third of ,august1 from the words1 ',and of his fulness have all we received1 and grace for grace1' ,i thought ,i never heard such a sermon2 and from the era above mentioned1 ,i have always looked upon him as my spiritual father1 and frequently heard him afterwards in ,edinburgh and ,glasgow with much satisfaction4 ,when ,cape ,breton was taken1 ,i happened to be at ,edinburgh1 and being invited to breakfast with ,mr4 ,whitefield1 ,i never1 in all my life1 enjoyed such another breakfast4 ,he gave the company a fine and lively descant upon that part of the world1 made us all join in a hymn of praise and thanksgiving1 and concluded with a most devout and fervent prayer4 ,about the end of ,october1 ,whitefield returned to ,london4 ,probably few are aware that ,mr4 ,whitefield visited ,scotland no less than fourteen times4 ,these visits extended over a period of twenty-seven years1 beginning in #agda1 and ending in #agfh4 ,in none of his visits after #agdb were there the same extensive awakenings as in his first two visits1 yet his coming was always refreshing to serious persons1 infusing new life1 and increasing their numbers4 ,young people1 too1 were much benefited by his ministry1 and especially young students1 who afterwards became zealous and evangelical preachers4 ,his morning discourses1 which were generally intended for sincere but disconsolate souls1 were peculiarly fitted to direct and encourage such in the ,christian life2 and his addresses in the evening to the promiscuous multitudes who then attended him1 were powerful and alarming4 ,there was great solemnity in his evening congregations in the ,orphan-house park at ,edinburgh and the ,high ,church-yard at ,glasgow1 especially towards the conclusion of his sermons--which were usually long1 though they seemed short to his hearers--when the whole multitude stood fixed1 and like one man1 hung upon his lips with silent attention1 and many were under deep religious impressions4 ,his conversation was no less useful and delightful than his sermons4 ,many in ,glasgow1 ,edinburgh1 and other parts of the land1 bore witness of this fact4 ,in ,glasgow especially1 when in company with his excellent friends ,m',laurin1 ,scott1 and others1 one might challenge the professed sons of pleasure1 with all their wit1 humor1 and gayety1 to furnish entertainments so gratifying2 nor was any part of it more agreeable than it was useful and edifying4 ,mr4 ,whitefield's friends in ,scotland1 among whom were many of all ranks1 from the highest to the lowest1 were constant and steady in their great regard for him1 and his opposers from year to year became less violent4 ,indeed1 his whole behavior was so transparent to the eyes of the world1 and his character1 after it had stood many attacks from all quarters1 became so thoroughly established1 that some of his opposers in ,scotland seemed to acquire esteem for him2 at least1 they ceased to speak evil of him4 ,in closing our sketch of ,whitefield in ,scotland1 we select a few paragraphs from his letters1 which are the more interesting as being among the very last words he wrote in that country4 ,june #ae1 #agfh1 he says1 ,you would be delighted to see our ,orphan-house park assemblies1 as large1 attentive1 and affectionate as ever4 ,twenty-seven-year-old friends and spiritual children remember the days of old2 they are seeking after their first love1 and there seems to be a stirring among the dry bones4 ,writing on the second of ,july1 he says1 ,could ,i preach ten times a day1 thousands and thousands would attend4 ,i have been confined for a few days2 but on ,monday or ,tuesday next1 hope to mount my throne again4 ,o1 to die there6 too great1 too great an honor to be expected4 ,again1 on the ninth of ,july1 ,every thing goes on better and better here2 but ,i am so worn down by preaching abroad and talking at home almost all the day long1 that ,i have determined1 ,god willing1 to set off for ,london next ,tuesday4 ,the respect with which ,whitefield was treated in ,scotland1 not only by professing ,christians1 but in general society1 was shown by the fact that he was presented with the freedom of some of the principal cities and towns which he visited4 ,this privilege was given him in ,stirling1 ,glasgow1 ,paisley1 and ,aberdeen1 in #agda1 and at ,irvine and ,edinburgh some years afterwards4 ,it is difficult1 in such a world as this1 so to live as that our good shall not be evil spoken of4 ,mr4 ,whitefield has sometimes been charged with motives of a mercenary character1 but his whole life showed the fallacy of such a charge4 ,dr4 ,gillies1 his original biographer1 received from unquestionable testimony the knowledge of a fact which ought not to be forgotten4 ,during his stay in ,scotland1 in the year #agei1 a young lady1 ,miss ,hunter1 who possessed a considerable fortune1 made a full offer to him of her estate in money and lands1 worth several thousand pounds4 ,he promptly refused the offer2 and upon his declining it for himself1 she offered it to him for the benefit of his orphan-house4 ,this also he absolutely refused4 ,never could ,whitefield be accused of moral cowardice4 ,when the old ,scotch ,marquis of ,lothian professed that his heart was impressed with the importance of religion1 but wished to be a ,christian in the dark1 ,whitefield said to him1 ,as for praying in your family1 ,i entreat you not to neglect it2 you are bound to do it4 ,apply to ,christ to overcome your present fears2 they are the effects of pride or infidelity1 or both4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on his return from ,scotland to ,london in #agda1 ,whitefield passed through ,wales1 where at ,abergavenny he was married to a ,mrs4 ,james1 a widow1 some ten years older than himself4 ,of this marriage1 as also of the death of his only child1 we have already spoken4 ,after preaching at ,bristol twice a day for several days in succession1 he returned to ,london in the beginning of ,december1 where he found letters from ,georgia1 which1 on account of the temporal circumstances of his orphan family1 somewhat discouraged him4 ,but to trace his progress1 and to report all his labors1 would be to extend our volume beyond its due limits4 ,he was soon again in the west of ,england1 and writing from ,gloucester1 his native place1 ,december #bc1 #agda1 he says1 ,last ,thursday evening the ,lord brought me hither4 ,i preached immediately to our friends in a large barn1 and had my ,master's presence4 ,both the power and the congregation increased4 ,on ,sunday1 ,providence opened a door for my preaching in ,st4 ,john's1 one of the parish churches4 ,great numbers came4 ,on ,sunday afternoon1 after ,i had preached twice at ,gloucester1 ,i preached at the hill1 six miles off1 and again at night at ,stroud4 ,the people seemed to be more hungry than ever1 and the ,lord to be more among them4 ,yesterday morning ,i preached at ,painswick1 in the parish church1 here in the afternoon1 and again at night in the barn4 ,god gives me unspeakable comfort and uninterrupted joy4 ,here seems to be a new awakening1 and a revival of the work of ,god4 ,i find several country people were awakened when ,i preached at ,tewkesbury1 and have heard of three or four that have died in the ,lord4 ,we shall never know what good field-preaching has done till we come to judgment4 ,many who were prejudiced against me begin to be of another mind2 and ,god shows me more and more that 'when a man's ways please the ,lord1 he will make even his enemies to be at peace with him4' ,in the following ,february he was still further encouraged by receiving letters from ,america1 informing him of the remarkable success of the gospel there1 and that ,god had stirred up some wealthy friends to assist his orphans in their extremity4 ,he writes1 ,the everlasting ,god reward all their benefactors4 ,i find there has been a fresh awakening among them4 ,i am informed that twelve negroes belonging to a planter lately converted at the orphan-house1 are savingly brought home to ,jesus ,christ4 ,nor were these things all which afforded him joy4 ,writing to a friend1 ,april #f1 he says1 ,our ,saviour is doing great things in ,london daily4 ,i rejoice to hear that you are helped in your work4 ,let this encourage you2 go on1 go on2 the more we do1 the more we may do for ,jesus4 ,i sleep and eat but little1 and am constantly employed from morning till midnight1 and yet my strength is daily renewed4 ,oh1 free grace6 it fires my soul1 and makes me long to do something for ,jesus4 ,it is true1 indeed1 ,i want to go home2 but here are so many souls ready to perish for lack of knowledge1 that ,i am willing to tarry below as long as my ,master has work for me4 ,it was at this period that he first ventured to preach in the fair in ,moorfields1 to which we have already referred4 ,in this year he made also his second journey to ,scotland1 the particulars of which have been already given4 ,on his arrival from ,scotland in ,london1 ,october1 #agdb1 ,whitefield found a new awakening at the ,tabernacle1 which in the mean time had been enlarged4 ,he says1 ,i am employed1 and1 glory to rich grace1 ,i am carried through the duties of each day with cheerfulness and almost uninterrupted tranquillity4 ,our society is large1 but in good order4 ,my ,master gives us much of his gracious presence1 both in our public and private ministrations4 ,in ,march1 #agdc1 he went again into ,gloucestershire1 where the people appeared to be more eager to attend on his ministry than ever before4 ,preaching1 says he1 in ,gloucestershire1 is now like preaching at the ,tabernacle in ,london4 ,and in a letter1 ,april #g1 he says1 ,i preached1 and took leave of the ,gloucester people with mutual and great concern1 on ,sunday evening last4 ,it was past one in the morning before ,i could lay my weary body down1 ,at five ,i rose again1 sick for want of rest2 but ,i was enabled to get on horseback and ride to ,mr4 ,t----'s1 where ,i preached to a large congregation1 who came there at seven in the morning4 ,at ten1 ,i read prayers and preached1 and afterwards administered the sacrament in ,stonehouse church4 ,then ,i rode to ,stroud1 and preached to about twelve thousand in ,mr4 ,g----'s field2 and about six in the evening1 to a like number on ,hampton common4 ,next morning he preached near ,dursley to some thousands2 at about seven o'clock he reached ,bristol1 and preached to a full congregation at ,smith's hall2 and on the following morning1 after preaching1 set out for ,waterford1 in ,south ,wales1 where he opened the association which he and his brethren had agreed upon1 and was several days with them1 settling the affairs of the societies4 ,the work in ,wales1 during his absence1 had very greatly extended itself1 not a few of the clergy having become converted1 as well as their people4 ,he tells us1 ,the power of ,god at the sacrament1 under the ministry of ,mr4 ,rowland1 was enough to make a person's heart burn within him4 ,at seven in the morning have ,i seen perhaps ten thousand from different parts1 in the midst of a sermon1 crying1 ,gugunniaut--bendyth--glory--blessed--re ady to leap for joy4 ,he continued in ,wales some weeks1 preaching with great apparent success1 and in the latter part of ,april returned to ,gloucester1 after having1 in about three weeks1 travelled about four hundred miles1 spent three days in attending associations1 and preached about forty times4 ,among the interesting events of this journey may be reckoned the fact1 that when he was at ,caermarthen the quarterly sessions were held4 ,when he was about to preach1 the magistrates sent him word1 that if he would stay till the court rose1 they would attend on the service4 ,he acceded to their proposal1 and they were present1 with many thousands more1 including several persons of high rank4 ,after a few weeks spent in ,london1 preaching to vast congregations in ,moorfields1 and exulting in his accustomed success1 collecting too for his beloved orphans1 so as to be able to pay all his debts1 and to make a remittance to ,georgia1 we again find him at ,bristol1 and in a few days afterwards at ,exeter4 ,among the clergymen who met him there was ,mr4 ,cennick4 ,as this gentleman was preaching during this visit in the ,high-street of the city1 he was eloquently discoursing on the doctrine of the atonement by the blood of ,christ1 when a profane butcher in the crowd exclaimed1 ,if you love blood1 you shall presently have enough of it1 and ran to obtain some to throw on him4 ,a ,mr4 ,saunders1 who was employed in conveying persons from one place to another1 though an entire stranger to religion1 from a sense of justice1 determined to defend the preacher2 and when the butcher came with a pail nearly filled with blood1 he quietly took it from him1 and poured it over the man's own head4 ,this ,mr4 ,saunders afterwards became an eminent ,christian4 ,he was1 till extreme old age1 the body-coachman of ,george ,,iii41 with whom he frequently held ,christian conversation1 and died happily in #agii1 at the age of eighty-nine4 ,during this visit to ,bristol1 ,whitefield's ministry was owned of ,god in the conversion of ,thomas ,olivers1 a young profligate ,welshman4 ,it is said1 he had so studied profanity and cursing1 that he would exemplify the richness of the ,welsh language by compounding twenty or thirty words into one long and horrid blasphemy4 ,he had often sang profane songs about ,whitefield1 and was now induced by curiosity to go to hear him4 ,being too late on the first occasion1 he went on the following evening nearly three hours before the time4 ,the text was1 ,is not this a brand plucked out of the fire8 ,zech4 #c3b4 ,his heart became broken with a sense of his sins1 and he was soon enabled to trust in the mercy of ,christ4 ,he became a zealous and successful minister of ,christ among the followers of ,mr4 ,wesley1 and was the author of the well-known hymn1 ,the ,god of ,abram praise1 etc4 ,in ,august1 ,whitefield returned to ,london1 but not to make a long stay there4 ,i thank you1 he writes to a correspondent1 for your kind caution to spare myself2 but evangelizing is certainly my province4 ,everywhere effectual doors are opened4 ,so far from thinking of settling in ,london1 ,i am more and more convinced that ,i should go from place to place4 ,accordingly1 during the three last months of #agdc1 we find him in a large number of places in the central and western parts of ,england4 ,at ,birmingham1 he writes1 ,i have preached five times this day1 and weak as ,i am1 through ,christ strengthening me1 ,i could preach five times more4 ,at ,kidderminster he met with a distinguished ,christian merchant1 a ,mr4 ,williams1 whose published ,memoirs have been eminently useful4 ,whitefield writes1 ,i was kindly received by ,mr4 ,williams4 ,many friends were at his house4 ,i was greatly refreshed to find what a sweet savor of good ,baxter's doctrine1 works1 and discipline remains to this day4 ,nor did he1 amidst all his labors1 feel his health much impaired4 ,he observes1 indeed1 that he had taken a cold1 but adds1 ,the ,lord warms my heart4 ,in the beginning of ,march1 #agdd1 he was compelled to attend the assizes at ,gloucester4 ,during the preceding summer1 the enemies of the ,methodists had been very violent1 especially at ,hampton1 in that county4 ,forbearance in the case had ceased to be a virtue1 and ,mr4 ,whitefield was strongly urged to appeal to law1 which in ,england in such cases is severe4 ,at the preceding sessions the rioters had been convicted1 but appealed to the assizes1 a higher court4 ,after a full hearing1 a verdict was given in favor of ,whitefield and his friends1 and all the prisoners were found guilty4 ,this exposed each to a fine of forty pounds1 or six months' imprisonment2 the rioters were greatly alarmed1 public feeling on the subject was corrected1 and the ,methodists readily extended forgiveness to the unhappy offenders4 ,whitefield was now invited by ,mr4 ,smith1 an ,american merchant then in ,england1 in the name of thousands1 to revisit this country1 and took passage with that gentleman in a vessel sailing from ,portsmouth4 ,but the captain refused to take him1 for fear1 as he said1 he would spoil the sailors4 ,on this account ,mr4 ,whitefield was compelled to go to ,plymouth1 another seaport1 to accomplish his purpose4 ,on his way1 he preached at ,exeter and other places1 with delightful results4 ,but1 he says1 the chief scene was at ,plymouth and the ,dock1 now called ,devonport1 where ,i expected least success4 ,while he was at ,plymouth1 four well-dressed men came to the house of one of his particular friends1 in a kind manner inquiring after him1 and desiring to know where he lodged4 ,soon after1 ,mr4 ,whitefield received a letter informing him that the writer was a nephew of ,mr4 ,s----1 an attorney in ,new ,york2 that he had the pleasure of supping with ,mr4 ,whitefield at his uncle's house1 and requested his company to sup with him and a few friends at a tavern4 ,mr4 ,whitefield replied to him that he was not accustomed to sup abroad at such houses1 but he should be glad of the gentleman's company to eat a morsel with him at his own lodging4 ,the gentleman accordingly came and supped1 but was observed frequently to look around him1 and to be very absent4 ,at length he took his leave1 and returned to his companions in the tavern1 and on being asked by them what he had done1 he answered1 that he had been treated with so much civility and kindness that he had not the heart to touch him4 ,one of the company1 a lieutenant of a man-of-war1 laid a wager of ten guineas that he would do his business for him4 ,his companions1 however1 had the precaution to take away his sword4 ,it was now about midnight1 and ,mr4 ,whitefield having that day preached to a large congregation1 and visited the ,french prisoners1 had retired to rest1 when he was awoke and told that a well-dressed gentleman earnestly wished to speak with him4 ,supposing that it was some person under conviction of sin1 many such having previously called upon him1 he desired him to be brought to his room4 ,the gentleman came1 sat down by his bedside1 congratulated him upon the success of his ministry1 and expressed considerable regret that he had been prevented from hearing him4 ,soon after1 however1 he began to utter the most abusive language1 and in a cruel and cowardly manner beat him in his bed4 ,the landlady and her daughter1 hearing the noise1 rushed into the room and laid hold of the assailant2 but disengaging himself from them1 he renewed his attack on the unoffending preacher1 who1 supposing that he was about to be shot or stabbed1 underwent all the feelings of a sudden and violent death4 ,soon after1 a second person came into the house1 and called from the bottom of the stairs1 ,take courage1 ,i am ready to help you4 ,but by the repeated cries of murder the neighborhood had become so alarmed1 that the villains were glad to make their escape4 ,the next morning1 says ,mr4 ,whitefield1 ,i was to expound at a private house1 and then to set out for ,biddeford4 ,some urged me to stay and prosecute1 but being better employed1 ,i went on my intended journey1 was greatly blessed in preaching the everlasting gospel2 and1 upon my return1 was well paid for what ,i had suffered1 curiosity having led perhaps two thousand more than ordinary to see and hear a man that had like to have been murdered in his bed4 ,and ,i trust1 in the five weeks that ,i waited for the convoy1 hundreds were awakened and turned unto the ,lord4 ,as ,whitefield was one day preaching in ,plymouth1 a ,mr4 ,henry ,tanner1 who was at work as a ship-builder at a distance1 heard his voice1 and resolved1 with five or six of his companions1 to go and drive him from the place where he stood2 and for this purpose they filled their pockets with stones4 ,when1 however1 ,mr4 ,tanner drew near1 and heard ,mr4 ,whitefield earnestly inviting sinners to ,christ1 he was filled with astonishment1 his resolution failed him1 and he went home with his mind deeply impressed4 ,on the following evening1 he again attended1 and heard ,mr4 ,whitefield on the sin of those who crucified the ,redeemer4 ,after he had forcibly illustrated their guilt1 he appeared to look intently on ,mr4 ,tanner1 as he exclaimed1 with great energy1 ,thou art the man6 ,these words powerfully impressed ,mr4 ,tanner2 he felt his transgressions of the divine law to be awfully great1 and in the agony of his soul he cried1 ,god be merciful to me a sinner6 ,the preacher then proceeded to proclaim the free and abundant grace of the ,lord ,jesus1 which he commanded to be preached among the very people who had murdered him2 a gleam of hope entered the heart of the penitent1 and he surrendered himself to ,christ4 ,mr4 ,tanner afterwards entered the ministry1 and labored with great success1 for many years1 at ,exeter4 ,we are not quite certain whether it was on this or a subsequent visit to ,plymouth1 that ,whitefield had preached on the ,sabbath for the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,kinsman1 and after breakfast on ,monday morning1 said to him1 ,come1 let us visit some of your poor people4 ,it is not enough that we labor in the pulpit2 we must endeavor to be useful out of it4 ,on entering the dwellings of the afflicted poor1 he administered to their temporal as well as their spiritual wants4 ,mr4 ,kinsman1 knowing the low state of his finances1 was surprised at his liberality1 and suggested that he thought he had been too bountiful4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 with some degree of smartness1 replied1 ,it is not enough1 young man1 to pray1 and put on a serious face2 true religion1 and undefiled1 is this1 to visit the widow and the fatherless in their affliction1 and to supply their wants4 ,my stock1 it is true1 is nearly exhausted2 but ,god1 whom ,i serve1 and whose saints we have assisted1 will1 ,i doubt not1 soon give me a supply4 ,his expectation was not disappointed4 ,a stranger called on him the same evening1 who said1 ,with great pleasure ,i have heard you preach2 you are on a journey1 as well as myself1 and travelling is expensive4 ,do me the honor to accept of this2 handing him five guineas1 or twenty-five dollars4 ,returning to the family1 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 very pleasantly smiling1 showed them the money1 saying1 ,there1 young man1 ,god has very speedily repaid what ,i lent him this morning4 ,let this in future teach you not to withhold what it is in the power of your hand to give4 ,the gentleman to whom ,i was called is a perfect stranger to me2 his only business was to give me the sum you see4 ,it was a singular fact1 that this gentleman1 though rich1 was notorious for a penurious disposition4 ,during his stay in ,plymouth1 ,whitefield's usefulness daily increased4 ,the ferry-men1 who obtained their living by carrying persons between ,plymouth and ,dock1 refused to take money from his hearers1 saying1 ,god forbid that we should sell his word6 ,the evangelist exclaimed1 ,oh1 the thousands that flock to the preaching of ,christ's gospel6 ,in the midst of these scenes1 the convoy arrived1 and in delicate health he embarked for ,america4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,whitefield',s ,,second ,,visit ,,to ,,new ,,england4 #agdd1 #agde4 ,mr4 ,whitefield commenced his third voyage to ,america in ,august1 #agdd4 ,his health while crossing the ,atlantic became worse1 rather than better1 the voyage lasting eleven weeks4 ,he had set out in company with about one hundred and fifty ships1 attended by several men-of-war as convoys1 which1 however1 they lost by storms separating them on the way4 ,it was more than six weeks1 owing generally to want of wind1 before they reached any of the western islands4 ,when the wind again sprung up1 one of the vessels1 which missed stays1 drove upon the ship in which ,whitefield was1 striking her mainsail into the bowsprit4 ,the alarm was very great1 but no lives were lost4 ,he had been singing a hymn on deck when the concussion took place2 this fact1 together with that of the concussion itself1 was communicated to the convoy1 and led to the use of much violent and wicked language4 ,but the good man was not intimidated4 ,he says1 ,i called my friends together1 and broke out into these words in prayer3 ',god of the sea1 and ,god of the dry land1 this is a night of rebuke and blasphemy4 ,show thyself1 ,o ,god1 and take us under thine own immediate protection4 ,be thou our convoy1 and make a difference between those who fear thee1 and those that fear thee not4' ,a difference was soon made4 ,next day a heavy storm arose1 which battered and sent away our convoy1 so that we saw him no more all the voyage4 ,whitefield at first did not at all regret the loss1 but when two strange sails appeared in the distance1 and preparation was made for action by mounting guns1 slinging hammocks on the sides of the ships1 and encircling the masts with chains1 he being1 as he says1 naturally a coward1 found it formidable to have no convoy4 ,the vessels1 however1 proved to be only a part of their own fleet4 ,this was a pleasant discovery to them1 especially to ,whitefield4 ,the captain1 on clearing the cabin1 said1 ',after all1 this is the best fighting4' ,you may be sure ,i concurred1 praying that all our conflicts with spiritual enemies might at last terminate in a thorough cleansing and an eternal purification of the defiled cabin of our hearts4 ,the tediousness of this voyage1 in the feeble state of his health1 seems to have tried ,whitefield's patience2 so that when he arrived in sight of the port of ,york1 in the then territory of ,maine1 in order to land a few hours sooner he went on board a fishing smack then in the bay2 but darkness coming on1 she missed her course1 and was tossed about all night4 ,unfortunately1 too1 she had no provisions1 and he was so hungry that he says he could have gnawed the very boards4 ,besides he was suffering from nervous colic4 ,he was greatly discouraged1 until a man who was lying at his elbow in the cabin began to talk of one ,mr4 ,whitefield1 for whose arrival the ',new ,lights' in ,new ,england were watching and praying4 ,this1 he says1 made me take courage4 ,i continued undiscovered2 and in a few hours1 in answer1 ,i trust1 to new-light prayers1 we arrived safe4 ,this was on ,october #ai1 #agdd4 ,he was quite ill when he landed2 but was received by ,dr4 ,sherburne1 an eminent physician at ,york1 who was once a ,deist1 but had been converted under ,whitefield's ministry4 ,this gentleman took him to his own house1 and after a few days he began to recover4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,moody1 of ,york1 the aged and excellent1 but eccentric minister of whom we have already spoken1 took the earliest suitable opportunity of calling on the great evangelist1 and said very characteristically1 ,sir1 you are1 first1 welcome to ,america2 secondly1 to ,new ,england2 thirdly1 to all faithful ministers in ,new ,england2 fourthly1 to all the good people of ,new ,england2 fifthly1 to all the good people of ,york2 and sixthly and lastly1 to me1 dear sir1 less than the least of all4 ,prince's ,christian ,history had announced his arrival1 and that his intention was to pass on to ,georgia2 and as he goes on1 to meddle with no controversies1 but only to preach up the parts of vital piety and the pure truths of the gospel1 to all who are willing to hear them4 ,after giving ,whitefield this hearty welcome1 ,moody urged him for a sermon4 ,the preacher hesitated1 on account of his illness1 but good old ,mr4 ,moody did not give him the benefit of his own favorite maxim1 ,when you know not what to do1 you must not do you know not what4 ,whitefield preached1 and immediately went to ,portsmouth1 where he preached the same evening1 ,november #f1 for ,mr4 ,fitch1 and was to have preached again the next morning1 but was too ill1 and deferred it till the afternoon4 ,in the mean time1 as he wrote1 ,my pains returned2 but what gave me most concern was1 that notice had been given of my being engaged to preach4 ,i felt a divine life1 distinct from my animal life1 which made me1 as it were1 laugh at my pains1 though every one thought ,i was taken with death4 ,my dear ,york physician was then about to administer a medicine4 ,i on a sudden cried out1 ',doctor1 my pains are suspended2 by the help of ,god1 ,i will go and preach1 and then come home and die4' ,with some difficulty ,i reached the pulpit4 ,all looked quite surprised1 as though they saw one risen from the dead4 ,i indeed was as pale as death1 and told them they must look upon me as a dying man1 come to bear my dying testimony to the truths ,i had formerly preached to them4 ,all seemed melted1 and were drowned in tears4 ,the cry after me1 when ,i left the pulpit1 was like the cry of sincere mourners when attending the funeral of a dear departed friend4 ,upon my coming home1 ,i was laid upon a bed on the ground1 near the fire1 and ,i heard them say1 ',he is gone4' ,but ,god was pleased to order it otherwise4 ,i gradually recovered4 ,in another account he himself says1 ,in my own apprehension1 and in all appearance to others1 ,i was a dying man4 ,i preached--the people heard me--as such4 ,the invisible realities of another world lay open to my view4 ,expecting to launch into eternity1 and to be with my ,master before the morning1 ,i spoke with peculiar energy4 ,such effects followed the word1 ,i thought it was worth dying for a thousand times4 ,though wonderfully comforted within at my return home1 ,i thought ,i was dying indeed4444 ,soon after1 a poor negro woman would see me4 ,she came1 sat down upon the ground1 and looked earnestly in my face1 and then said1 ',massa1 you just go to heaven's gate1 but ,jesus ,christ said1 ,get you down1 get you down2 you must not come here yet2 but go first1 and call some more poor negroes4' ,i prayed to the ,lord1 that if ,i was to live1 this might be the event4 ,it was nearly three weeks before he was sufficiently recovered to proceed to ,boston4 ,the day before he left ,portsmouth ,mr4 ,shurtleff wrote1 ,the prejudices of most that set themselves against him before his coming1 seem to be in a great measure abated1 and in some1 to be wholly removed2 and there is no open opposition made to him4 ,i have frequent opportunities of being with him1 and there always appears in him such a concern for the advancement of the ,redeemer's kingdom and the good of souls1 such a care to employ his whole time to these purposes1 such sweetness of disposition1 and so much of the temper of his great ,lord and ,master1 that every time ,i see him1 ,i find my heart further drawn out towards him4 ,prince's ,christian ,history1 of ,december #ae1 says1 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield was so far revived as to be able to take coach with his consort1 and set out from ,portsmouth to ,boston1 ,nov4 #bd2 whither he came in a very feeble state1 the ,monday evening after2 since which he has been able to preach in several of our largest houses of public worship1 particularly the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,colman's1 ,dr4 ,sewall's1 ,mr4 ,webb's1 and ,mr4 ,gee's1 to crowded assemblies of people1 and to great and growing acceptance4 ,at ,dr4 ,colman's desire1 and with the consent of the church1 on the ,lord's day after his arrival1 he administered to them the holy communion4 ,and last ,lord's day he preached for the venerable ,mr4 ,cheever1 of ,chelsea1 and administered the holy supper there4 ,the next day he preached for the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,emerson1 of ,malden4 ,yesterday he set out to preach for some towns to the northward2 proposes to return hither the next ,wednesday evening1 and after a few days to comply with the earnest invitations of several ministers to go and preach to their congregations1 in the southern parts of the province4 ,he comes with the same extraordinary spirit of meekness1 sweetness1 and universal benevolence as before4 ,in opposition to the spirit of separation and bigotry1 he is still for holding communion with all ,protestant churches4 ,in opposition to enthusiasm1 he preaches a close adherence to the ,scriptures1 the necessity of trying all impressions by them1 and of rejecting whatever is not agreeable to them1 as delusions4 ,in opposition to ,antinomianism1 he preaches up all kinds of relative and religious duties1 though to be performed in the strength of ,christ2 and1 in short1 the doctrines of the church of ,england1 and the first fathers of this country4 ,as before1 he first applies himself to the understandings of his hearers1 and then to the affections2 and the more he preaches1 the more he convinces people of their mistakes about him1 and increases their satisfaction4 ,the administration of the ,lord's supper by a priest of the church of ,england in the ,congregational church in ,brattle-street1 ,boston1 gave great offence4 ,some said1 the consent of the church was neither given nor asked1 and ,dr4 ,colman was blamed for introducing ,whitefield by his own authority2 to which ,dr4 ,colman replied1 that1 as it was customary for pastors to invite the assistance of other ministers on such occasions1 he thought it unnecessary to call for a vote of the church2 that he plainly intimated his intention in his prayer after sermon1 and then1 on coming to the table1 said1 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield being providentially with us1 ,i have asked him to administer the ordinance2 and that by the countenances of the people it seemed to be universally agreeable to them1 which he supposed to be all the consent which the case required4 ,since ,mr4 ,whitefield's former visit to ,new ,england1 a considerable change had taken place in not a few of the ministers and churches4 ,in #agdj1 he had inveighed strongly against many of the ministers1 some of them even by name1 as1 in his opinion1 unconverted2 and after his departure1 some preachers1 who professed themselves to be his followers1 had created great confusion by carrying these charges much farther than he would have approved4 ,his second visit was therefore anticipated by many with anxiety1 lest it might cause a new outbreak of enthusiasm and disorder4 ,the ,general ,association of ,connecticut1 in ,june1 #agde1 advised that he be not invited to preach in any of the churches4 ,when he visited ,new ,haven1 he found himself shut out of the pulpit of the ,first church by its minister ,mr4 ,noyes4 ,a great crowd1 however1 assembled to hear him1 from the neighboring towns1 as well as from ,new ,haven1 and he preached from a platform erected in the street1 before ,mr4 ,pierpont's house on the ,green1 to a congregation which neither of the meeting-houses could have contained4 ,from ,professor ,kingsley's ,sketch of the ,history of ,yale ,college1 we learn that ,president ,clap issued a declaration1 signed by himself and three tutors1 that is1 ,samuel ,whittlesey1 afterwards minister of the ,first church in ,new ,haven1 ,thomas ,darling1 for many years chief justice of the ,court of ,common ,pleas for the county of ,new ,haven1 and ,john ,whiting1 in which some of the proceedings of ,mr4 ,whitefield were condemned4 ,in consequence of the religious fervor which had been excited1 a much greater diversity of theological opinions prevailed in ,connecticut than at any previous period4 ,violent controversies arose1 churches were divided1 and the government1 by interfering to prevent these evils1 increased rather than checked them4 ,the college became an object of jealousy2 and the declaration of the rector and tutors1 respecting the preaching of ,whitefield1 offended some1 without effectually conciliating others4 ,the opposition to ,mr4 ,whitefield of which we have spoken1 was by no means all that he met with4 ,even before the ,association in ,connecticut had taken action1 several similar bodies in ,massachusetts had acted in a similar manner4 ,the corporation of ,harvard college published a testimony against him1 while that of ,yale represented that he intended to root out all the standing ministers in our land1 and to introduce foreigners in their stead4 ,the good man1 notwithstanding all this opposition1 and much more1 went on laboring for the salvation of souls1 and ,god still honored him with success4 ,while the impartiality to which we hold ourselves bound demanded the statement just made1 and while we are compelled to admit the existence of evils attendant on these revivals1 we also record some of the facts connected with a convention of ministers1 who assembled in ,boston in pursuance of a previous notice in the ,boston ,gazette of ,may #cj1 #agdc4 ,we copy the original invitation4 ,it is desired and proposed by a number of ministers1 both in town and country1 that such of their brethren as are persuaded that there has been of late a happy revival of religion through an extraordinary divine influence1 in many parts of this land1 and are concerned for the honor and progress of this remarkable work of ,god1 may have an interview at ,boston1 the day after the approaching commencement1 to consider whether they are not called to give an open1 conjunct testimony to an event so surprising and gracious2 as well as against those errors in doctrine1 and disorders in practice1 which through the permitted agency of ,satan have attended it1 and in any measure blemished its glory and hindered its advancement2 and also to consult as to the most likely method to be taken to guard people against such delusions and mistakes as in such a season they are in danger of falling into1 and that this blessed work may continue and flourish among us4 ,those who could not be present were invited to send written attestations4 ,in accordance with this proposal1 the convention met in ,boston on ,thursday1 ,july #g4 ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,sewall of ,boston officiated as ,moderator1 and the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,prince of ,boston1 and ,hobby of ,reading1 as ,scribes4 ,ninety persons thus assembled1 and letters were read from twenty-eight who were absent4 ,a committee was appointed1 consisting of the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,sewall1 the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,wigglesworth1 ,prince1 ,adams1 ,cooper1 ,nathanael ,rogers1 ,leonard1 and ,hobby1 to prepare a report4 ,on the next morning this committee presented a document1 which1 after full discussion1 was signed by all present2 and the meeting was dissolved4 ,our limits will not allow us to give the whole of the report to which we have referred1 but a few sentences will show its general character3 ,we1 whose names are undersigned1 think it our indispensable duty--without judging or censuring such of our brethren as cannot at present see things in the same light with us--in this open and conjunct manner to declare1 to the glory of sovereign grace1 our full persuasion1 either from what we have seen ourselves1 or received upon credible testimony1 that there has been a happy and remarkable revival of religion in many parts of this land1 through an uncommon divine influence1 after a long time of decay and deadness1 and a sensible and very awful withdrawal of the ,holy ,spirit from his sanctuary among us4444 ,the present work seems to be remarkable and extraordinary1 on account of the numbers wrought upon4 ,we never before saw so many brought under soul concern1 and with great distress making the inquiry1 ',what must we do to be saved8' ,and these persons were of all ages and character4 ,with regard to the suddenness and quick progress of it1 many persons and places were surprised with the gracious visit together1 or near about the same time1 and the heavenly influence diffused itself far and wide1 like the light of the morning4 ,also the work seems to be remarkable in respect to the degree of operations1 both in a way of terror1 and in a way of consolation1 attended in many with unusual bodily effects4 ,not that all who are accounted the subjects of the present work have had these extraordinary degrees of previous distress and subsequent joy4 ,but many1 and we suppose the greater number1 have been wrought on in a more gentle and silent way1 and without any other appearances than are common and usual at other times1 when persons have been awakened to a solemn concern about salvation1 and have been thought to have passed out of a state of nature into a state of grace4 ,as to those whose inward concern has occasioned extraordinary outward distresses1 the most of them1 when we came to converse with them1 were able to give what appeared to us a rational account of what so affected their minds4444 ,the instances were very few in which we had reason to think these affections were produced by visionary or sensible representations1 or by any other images than such as the ,scripture itself presents to us4 ,of those who were judged hopefully converted1 and made a public profession of religion1 there have been fewer instances of scandal and apostasy than might be expected4444 ,there appears to be more experimental godliness and lively ,christianity than most of us can remember we have ever seen before4444 ,and now we desire to bow the knee in thanksgiving to the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that our eyes have seen and our ears heard such things4 ,and while these are our sentiments1 we must necessarily be grieved at any accounts sent abroad representing this work as all enthusiasm1 delusion1 and disorder4 ,indeed1 it is not to be denied1 that in some places many irregularities and extravagances have been permitted to accompany it1 which we would deeply bewail and lament before ,god1 and look upon ourselves obliged1 for the honor of the ,holy ,spirit1 and of his operations on the souls of men1 to bear a public and faithful testimony against2 though at the same time it is to be acknowledged1 with much thankfulness1 that in other places where the work has greatly flourished1 there have been few if any of those disorders and excesses4 ,but who can wonder if1 at such a time as this1 ,satan should intermingle himself to hinder and blemish a work so directly contrary to the interests of his own kingdom8444 ,finally1 we exhort the children of ,god to continue instant in prayer1 that ,he1 with whom is the residue of the ,spirit1 would grant us fresh1 more plentiful1 and extensive effusions1 that so this wilderness1 in all the parts of it1 may become a fruitful field2 that the present appearances may be an earnest of the glorious things promised in the latter days1 when she shall shine with the glory of the ,lord arisen upon her1 so as to dazzle the eyes of beholders1 confound and put to shame all her enemies1 rejoice the hearts of her solicitous and now saddened friends1 and have a strong influence and resplendency throughout the earth4 ,amen4 ,even so1 come1 ,lord ,jesus2 come quickly4 ,this paper was signed by eighteen ministers in the county of ,suffolk1 among whom were ,colman1 ,sewall1 ,prince1 ,webb1 ,cooper1 ,foxcroft1 ,checkly1 ,gee1 ,eliot1 and ,moorhead of ,boston2 twelve in the county of ,essex1 nine in ,middlesex1 six in ,worcester1 ten in ,plymouth1 one in ,barnstable1 three in ,bristol1 three in ,york1 five in ,new ,hampshire1 and one in ,rhode ,island4 ,there were one hundred and fourteen in all who gave attestations1 either by signing their names to the above document1 or by sending written attestations4 ,ninety-six of the one hundred and fourteen took their first degree of ,bachelor of ,arts more than ten years previously2 consequently before the revival commenced4 ,twenty-six took their first degrees above thirty years before4 ,attestations were received but from twelve ministers in ,connecticut1 as the proposal did not reach them in time4 ,we may add to this statement1 as showing in some degree the extent of this revival1 that while in #agbi the number of members in the ,congregational and ,presbyterian churches of this country may be estimated at thirty-three thousand1 the number of communicants in #agde could not be less than seventy-five thousand4 ,the special revivals of religion1 says an able writer in the ,american ,quarterly ,register1 vol4 #d1 #ahcb1 were probably the means of adding from twenty thousand to thirty thousand members to the churches4 ,the same writer adds1 ,the genuine fruits of holiness appeared1 according to the acknowledgment of all parties1 in multitudes of those who professed religion4 ,they were ,christians1 who endured unto the end4 ,this is the unanimous testimony of those men who were the best able to judge4 ,great numbers who were convinced of sin by ,mr4 ,whitefield's preaching1 gave ample evidence1 living and dying1 of sincere and fervent love to the commands of ,god4 ,there is reason to believe that a preparation had been made for the descent of the ,holy ,spirit1 many years before the revival commenced4 ,the fasts and public reformations1 the prayers and tears of good men1 from #agjj to #agcj1 were not in vain4 ,one fact connected with the testimony against ,whitefield1 published by the faculty of ,harvard college1 we quote1 as showing that then1 as well as now1 a difference of opinion existed as to written and extempore sermons4 ,they thought his extempore manner of preaching by no means proper1 because extempore preachers are of necessity less instructive1 the greater part of the sermon being commonly the same kind of harangue which they have often used before1 so that this is a most lazy manner of preaching2 and because it exposes the preacher to utter rash expressions1 and even dangerous errors1 as ,whitefield1 they thought1 had done in several instances1 probably from that cause4 ,assuredly he preferred extempore preaching to any other2 yet he never pretended to preach without previous study4 ,his sermons usually cost him as much previous labor as if they had been written2 so that1 in his case at least1 it was not a lazy way of preaching4 ,the errors which they said he had uttered1 were a few hasty expressions1 which he had retracted as soon as he had been reminded of them4 ,itinerancy1 which had also been objected against ,whitefield as one of his crimes1 he strenuously defended as scriptural and right2 understanding an evangelist to be1 what they said an itinerant was1 ,one that hath no particular charge of his own1 but goes about from country to country1 or from town to town in any country1 and stands ready to preach to any congregation that shall call him to it4 ,for the divine command1 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel to every creature1 he argued1 authorizes the ministers of ,christ1 even to the end of the world1 to preach the gospel in every town and country1 though not 'of their own head1' yet whenever and wherever ,providence should open a door1 even though it should be in a place 'where officers are already settled1 and the gospel is fully and faithfully preached4' ,this1 ,i humbly apprehend1 is every gospel minister's indisputable privilege4 ,he further asked1 ,was not the ,reformation begun and carried on by itinerant preaching8 ,he then quoted from ,baxter's ,reformed ,pastor1 a plan which had been adopted in some parts of ,england1 for circular lectures by settled ministers selected for the purpose1 and with the consent of the pastors4 ,in reference to ,harvard college1 ,whitefield lived long enough to take a ,christian's revenge4 ,in #agfd1 he solicited from his friends donations of books for their library1 which had recently been destroyed by fire1 and four years afterwards1 while his old opponent ,president ,holyoke was yet in office1 the following minute was entered on their records3 ,at a meeting of the ,president and ,fellows of ,harvard college1 ,august #bb1 #agfh1 the ,rev4 ,g4 ,whitefield having1 in addition to his former kindness to ,harvard college1 lately presented to the library a new edition of his ,journals1 and having procured large benefactions from several benevolent and respectable gentlemen2 voted1 that the thanks of the corporation be given to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 for these instances of candor and generosity4 ,it will be readily supposed1 that notwithstanding all the opposition which ,whitefield met1 there were yet many thousands always ready to attend on his ministry4 ,it was now the close of #agdd1 but the cold of winter did not prevent vast crowds assembling at early services long before daylight4 ,speaking of the opposition he met1 so that1 says he1 for a while my situation was rendered uncomfortable1 he adds1 ,but amidst all this smoke a blessed fire broke out4 ,the awakened souls were as eager as ever to hear the word4 ,having heard that ,i expounded early in ,scotland1 they begged that ,i would do the same in ,boston4 ,i complied1 and opened a lecture at six in the morning4 ,i seldom preached to less than two thousand4 ,it was delightful to see so many of both sexes neatly dressed flocking to hear the word1 and returning home to family prayer and breakfast before the opposers were out of their beds4 ,the late ,rev4 ,dr4 ,archibald ,alexander tells us1 that when he was at ,boston1 in #ahjj1 he found in the ,old ,south church a lingering relic of ,whitefield's times1 in a convert of his day1 a lady between eighty and ninety years of age1 who belonged to a prayer-meeting founded then1 which had been kept up weekly until within a few years4 ,of this1 she was the only surviving member4 ,the ,evening ,post1 which seems to have been on the side of those who opposed ,whitefield1 in its issue of ,march #aa1 #agde1 says1 ,prince1 ,webb1 ,foxcroft1 and ,gee1 are the directors of ,mr4 ,whitefield's public conduct1 as he himself has lately declared at ,newbury4 ,he had other powerful friends among the clergy1 and still more among the laity1 who invited him by vote into some pulpits where the pastors were shy of him4 ,on the #gth of ,february1 we find him at ,ipswich1 where he spent several days4 ,mr4 ,pickering1 of the ,second church1 declined admitting him into his pulpit1 and assigned his reasons in a letter1 which was published4 ,it contains the usual objections set forth in the various testimonies1 and is remarkable only for one convenient metaphor4 ,the ,bishop of ,london had published on ,lukewarmness and ,enthusiasm4 ,whitefield had said in reply1 ,all ought to be thankful to that pilot who will teach them to steer a safe and middle course2 and ,pickering wittily asks1 ,but what if the pilot should take the vane for the compass8 ,early in ,march we find him making an excursion into the east1 as we hear of him both at ,berwick and ,portland1 in the then territory of ,maine4 ,in the latter place1 he not only made a powerful impression on the people1 but on their minister4 ,in the outset a strong feeling existed against his preaching in the pulpit of the ,first church4 ,mr4 ,smith1 the pastor1 says in his ,journal1 ,the parish are like to be in a flame on account of ,mr4 ,whitefield's coming2 the leading men violently opposing4 ,under the date of ,may #ai1 after ,whitefield's departure1 we find in the ,journal a remarkable passage3 ,for several ,sabbaths1 and the lecture1 ,i have been all in a blaze2 never in such a flame1 and what ,i would attend to is1 that it was not only involuntary1 but actually determined against4 ,i went to meeting resolving to be calm and moderate1 lest people should think it was wildness and affectation to ape ,mr4 ,whitefield2 but ,god1 ,i see1 makes use of me as he pleases1 and ,i am only a machine in his hand4 ,about the middle of ,march1 we find our evangelist at ,exeter1 where he afterwards preached his last sermon4 ,here some of the more zealous members of the church had withdrawn1 and formed a new church4 ,their conduct had been sanctioned by one council1 and censured by another1 two years before this time4 ,whitefield preached to them twice1 though ,mr4 ,odlin1 the pastor of the church from which they had withdrawn1 solemnly warned and charged him against preaching in his parish4 ,so says the ,evening ,post1 of ,march #be1 which further calls the people to whom he preached1 ,separatists4 ,in this spring of #agde1 the first expedition for the capture from the ,french of the island of ,cape ,breton1 near ,nova ,scotia1 was set on foot4 ,colonel ,pepperell1 a warm personal friend of ,whitefield1 and the only native of ,new ,england who was created a ,baronet of ,great ,britain1 was then at ,boston1 constantly attending ,whitefield's lectures4 ,on the day before he accepted a commission to be general in that expedition1 he asked his opinion of the matter1 and was told1 with the preacher's usual frankness1 that he did not indeed think that the scheme proposed for taking ,louisburgh would be very promising2 and that the eyes of all would be upon him4 ,if he did not succeed1 the widows and orphans of the slain soldiers would be like lions robbed of their whelps2 but if it pleased ,god to give him success1 envy would endeavor to eclipse his glory3 he had need1 therefore1 if he went1 to go with a single eye2 and then there was no doubt1 if ,providence really called him1 he would find his strength equal to the difficulties with which he would have to contend4 ,about the same time1 ,mr4 ,sherburne1 another of ,whitefield's friends1 being appointed one of the commissioners1 told him he must favor the expedition1 otherwise the pious people would be discouraged from enlisting2 not only did he say this1 but he insisted that the evangelist should give him a motto for his flag1 for the encouragement of his soldiers4 ,whitefield refused to do this1 as it would not be consistent with his character as a minister of the gospel of peace4 ,but as ,sherburne would take no denial1 he gave him1 ,nil desperandum1 ,christo ,duce--,nothing to be despaired of1 ,christ being leader4 ,in these circumstances a large number of men enlisted4 ,the soldiers and their officers now went farther1 and before their embarkation requested him to give them a sermon4 ,he preached to them from the text1 ,and every one that was in distress1 and every one that was in debt1 and every one that was discontented1 gathered themselves unto him2 and he became a captain over them4 #a ,samuel #bb3b4 ,from this somewhat singular text1 he discoursed on the manner in which distressed sinners came to ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of ,david2 and in his application1 exhorted the soldiers to behave like the soldiers of ,david1 and the officers to act like ,david's worthies2 saying1 that if they did so1 there would be good news from ,cape ,breton4 ,after this he preached to the general himself1 who invited him to become one of his chaplains4 ,whitefield declined this1 saying1 that though he should esteem this an honor1 yet1 as he generally preached three times a day1 to large congregations1 he could do more service by stirring up the people to pray1 thus strengthening the hearts and hands of the army4 ,in this practice he persevered during the whole siege of ,louisburgh4 ,i believe1 said he1 if ever people went with a disinterested view1 the ,new ,englanders did then4 ,though many of them were raw and undisciplined1 yet numbers were substantial persons1 who left their farms and willingly ventured all for their country's good4 ,an amazing series of providences appeared1 and though some discouraging accounts were sent during the latter end of the siege1 yet in about six weeks news came of the surrender of ,louisburgh4 ,numbers flocked from all quarters to hear a thanksgiving sermon upon the occasion4 ,and ,i trust the blessing bestowed upon the country through the thanksgivings of many1 redounded to the glory of ,god4 ,some time before this1 the people of ,boston had proposed to build for ,whitefield the largest place of worship ever seen in ,america1 in which he should regularly preach2 but1 as usual1 he feared this plan would abridge his liberty of itinerating3 he thanked them for their offer1 but decidedly declined to accept it4 ,as his bodily strength increased1 he began to move southward1 and went through ,rhode ,island and ,connecticut1 preaching to thousands generally twice a day4 ,he says1 ,though there was much smoke1 yet every day ,i had more and more convincing proof that a blessed gospel fire had been kindled in the hearts both of ministers and people4 ,about this time occurred a fact which delightfully shows how the enemies of this admirable man were often converted into friends4 ,a colored trumpeter belonging to the ,english army resolved to interrupt him while delivering a sermon in the open air4 ,for this purpose he went to the field1 carrying his trumpet with him1 intending to blow it with all his might about the middle of the sermon4 ,he took his station in front of the minister1 and at no great distance from him4 ,the crowd became very great1 and those who were towards the extremity pressed forward1 that they might hear more distinctly1 and caused such a pressure where the poor trumpeter stood1 that he found it impossible at the time when he intended to blow his trumpet1 to raise the arm which held it1 by which means he was kept within the sound of the gospel as effectually as if he had been chained to the spot4 ,in a short time his attention was powerfully arrested1 and he became so deeply affected by the statements of the preacher1 that he was seized with all the agonies of despair1 and was carried to a house in the neighborhood4 ,after the service1 he was visited by ,mr4 ,whitefield1 who gave him suitable counsels1 and from that time the trumpeter became a greatly altered man4 ,so true is it in reference to the omnipotent and gracious ,being1 ,hearts base as hell he can control1 ,and spread new powers throughout the whole4 ,while preaching at ,boston1 he was delighted to observe that the sheriff1 who had heretofore been the leader of the persecution against him1 now began to hear him preach2 and his pleasure was vastly increased1 when he saw the crowds come around him to inquire as to their highest interests4 ,among these crowds was a somewhat remarkable gentleman of that city4 ,he was a man of ready wit and racy humor1 who delighted in preaching over a bottle to his ungodly companions4 ,he went to hear ,whitefield1 that he might be furnished with matter for a tavern harangue4 ,when he had heard enough of the sermon for his purpose1 he endeavored to quit the church for the inn1 but found his endeavors to get out fruitless1 he was so pent up4 ,while thus fixed1 and waiting for fresh matter of ridicule1 the truth took possession of his heart4 ,that night he went to ,mr4 ,prince full of terror1 and sought an introduction to ask pardon of the preacher4 ,whitefield says of him1 ,by the paleness1 pensiveness1 and horror of his countenance1 ,i guessed he was the man of whom ,i had been apprized4 ',sir1 can you forgive me8' he cried in a low1 but plaintive voice4 ,i smiled1 and said1 ',yes1 sir1 very readily4' ',indeed1' he said1 'you cannot when ,i tell you all4' ,i then asked him to sit down2 and judging that he had sufficiently felt the lash of the law1 ,i preached the gospel to him4 ,this1 with other remarkable conversions1 gave increasing energy and influence to his preaching in ,boston4 ,my bodily strength1 he says1 is recovered1 and my soul more than ever in love with a crucified ,jesus4 ,another illustration may also be here given of the meekness and gentleness which usually characterized our evangelist in his intercourse with his brethren4 ,in his later visits to ,new ,england1 it was ,whitefield's usual practice to spend a few days with ,dr4 ,hopkins4 ,on one of these occasions1 after preaching for the doctor on the ,sabbath1 the next day he proposed a ride into the country for exercise4 ,during the ride1 ,whitefield spoke with regret of the views of their good brother ,edwards on the subject of the witness of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,ah1 asked ,dr4 ,hopkins1 and what is the error8 ,here ,whitefield made a long pause2 and ,hopkins continued the conversation3 ,do you believe1 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 that the witness of the ,spirit is a direct communication from ,god8 ,i cannot say that ,i do1 was the reply4 ,well1 do you believe that ,christians have any other witness of the ,spirit than that afforded by the testimony of their own holy affections8 ,i cannot say that ,i do1 ,mr4 ,whitefield again replied4 ,do you believe it to be any thing more or less1 continued ,hopkins1 than the ,spirit producing in the heart the gracious exercises of repentance1 faith1 etc48 ,no1 that is precisely my view of it1 said ,whitefield4 ,and that is precisely the view of good father ,edwards1 pleasantly returned ,dr4 ,hopkins4 ,whitefield frankly acknowledged his error1 and rejoiced that there was no disagreement on the subject4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,from ,,his ,,leaving ,,new ,,england ,,till ,,his ,,arrival ,,in ,,england--,,labors ,,in ,,the ,,middle ,,and ,,southern ,,states--,,the ,,bermudas4 #agde-agdh4 ,leaving ,new ,england1 ,whitefield proceeded first to ,new ,york1 where he preached as he had formerly done1 and found that the seed sown in past days had produced much fruit4 ,proceeding still southward1 on his way towards ,philadelphia1 arriving in ,new ,jersey1 he says1 ,i had the pleasure of preaching by an interpreter to some converted ,indians1 and of seeing nearly fifty young ones in one school1 near ,freehold1 learning the ,assembly's ,catechism4 ,a blessed awakening had before this time been begun and carried on among the ,delaware ,indians1 by the ministry of ,david ,brainerd2 no such work had been heard of since the days of the apostolic ,eliot in ,new ,england4 ,arriving in ,philadelphia1 ,whitefield was rejoiced to find that his friend ,gilbert ,tennent was still blessed with success in his labors4 ,many1 he says1 were under soul-sickness1 and ,tennent's health suffered much with walking from place to place to see them4 ,the gentlemen connected with the new house in which ,tennent preached1 were1 as well as ,tennent himself1 desirous of securing at least a portion of ,whitefield's labors1 and offered him eight hundred pounds a year1 if he would become their pastor1 and labor with them six months in the year1 travelling the other six months wherever he thought proper4 ,he thanked them1 but declined4 ,not unfrequently have we been told by frigid critics of the inferior character of ,whitefield's printed sermons4 ,but have they not looked too much for the beauties of style1 and overlooked the simple energy of their scriptural truths8 ,even these printed sermons have1 under ,god1 accomplished wonders4 ,in the year #agdc1 a young gentleman from ,scotland1 then residing at ,hanover1 in ,virginia1 had obtained a volume of ,whitefield's sermons preached in ,glasgow1 and taken in shorthand1 which1 after a gentleman of ,hanover1 named ,hunt1 the father of a distinguished ,presbyterian minister of that name1 had studied with great personal benefit1 he invited his neighbors to visit his house to hear read4 ,by their plainness and fervor1 attended with the power of ,god1 not a few became convinced of their lost condition as sinners1 and anxiously inquired the way of salvation4 ,the feelings of many were powerfully excited1 and they could not forbear bitter and violent weeping4 ,the intelligence spread1 curiosity prompted the desire of many others to attend such remarkable services2 and one and another begged for admission1 till the houses were crowded4 ,numbers were pricked to the heart2 the word of ,god became quick and powerful2 and1 ,what shall we do8 was the general cry4 ,what to do or say the principal leaders knew not4 ,they themselves had been led by a still small voice1 they hardly knew how1 to an acquaintance with the truth2 but now the ,lord was speaking as on mount ,sinai1 with a voice of thunder2 and sinners1 like that mountain itself1 trembled4 ,it was not long before ,christians had the happiness to see a goodly number healed by the same word that had wounded them1 and brought to rejoice in ,christ1 and his great salvation4 ,my dwelling-place1 said ,mr4 ,morris1 one of their number1 was at length too small to contain the people1 whereupon we determined to build a meeting-house merely for reading4 ,and having never been used to social prayer1 none of us durst attempt it4 ,this reading-house1 as it was called1 was followed by others of like character1 and the number of attendants and the power of divine influence were much increased4 ,mr4 ,morris1 as the report spread1 was invited to several places at a distance to read these sermons4 ,the phrase1 ,morris' reading-house1 has come down by tradition to the present age1 as well as important details of the opposition of the magistracy and other classes1 who sought1 but in vain1 to stop the progress of the work4 ,such was the origin of the ,presbyterian church at ,hanover1 where1 in after-days1 ,william ,robinson and ,president ,davies accomplished such mighty triumphs1 and where the sacred cause still flourishes4 ,whitefield does not seem to have been made acquainted with these facts till he now arrived in the colony1 and saw the happy effects which had been produced by the labors of the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,robinson1 ,tennent1 ,blair1 and others4 ,of the visit of ,whitefield among them1 one of them writes1 ,mr4 ,whitefield came and preached four or five days in these parts1 which was the happy means of giving us further encouragement1 and engaging others to the ,lord1 especially among the church people1 who received his doctrine more readily than they would from ministers of the ,presbyterian denomination4 ,we may add here1 that in #agdg there were four houses of worship in and around ,hanover1 which had sprung from the mustard-seed of the sermons taken in shorthand from ,whitefield's lips at ,glasgow4 ,among the converts in the south who met ,whitefield1 was ,isaac ,oliver1 who was both deaf and dumb1 and had been so from his birth4 ,notwithstanding these great disadvantages1 he could both feel and evince his strong feelings by the most significant and expressive signs4 ,he could1 for instance1 so represent the crucifixion of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 as to be understood by every one2 and among his own friends he could converse about the love of ,christ in the language of signs1 till he was transported in rapture and dissolved in tears4 ,he was much beloved for his eminent piety4 ,whitefield had not1 during any portion of this time1 forgotten ,bethesda4 ,the public had warmly sustained it1 and he now went forward to see to its affairs1 and to add to the orphan-house a ,latin school1 intending1 indeed1 before a long time to found a college4 ,the following account of the orphan-house in #agdf1 was written by ,mr4 ,whitefield in the form of a letter to a friend1 and published as a small pamphlet4 ,we transcribe it from ,white's ,historical ,collections of ,georgia1 published in #ahed3 ,provide things honest in the sight of all men4--,rom4 #ab3ag4 ,,bethesda1 in ,georgia1 ,march #ba1 #agde-f4 ,some have thought that the erecting such a building was only the produce of my own brain2 but they are much mistaken2 for it was first proposed to me by my dear friend the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley1 who1 with his excellency ,general ,oglethorpe1 had concerted a scheme for carrying on such a design before ,i had any thoughts of going abroad myself4 ,it was natural to think that1 as the government intended this province for the refuge and support of many of our poor countrymen1 numbers of such adventurers must necessarily be taken off1 by being exposed to the hardships which unavoidably attend a new settlement4 ,i thought it1 therefore1 a noble design in the general to erect a house for fatherless children2 and believing that such a provision for orphans would be some inducement with many to come over1 ,i fell in with the design1 when mentioned to me by my friend1 and was resolved1 in the strength of ,god1 to prosecute it with all my might4 ,this was mentioned to the honorable trustees4 ,they took it kindly at my hands1 and wrote to the bishop of ,bath and ,wells for leave for me to preach a charity sermon on this occasion in the ,abbey church4 ,this was granted1 and ,i accordingly began immediately to compose a suitable discourse4 ,but knowing that my first stay in ,georgia would necessarily be short1 on account of my returning again to take priest's orders1 ,i thought it most prudent first to go and see for myself1 and defer prosecuting the scheme till ,i came home4444 ,when ,i came to ,georgia1 ,i found many poor orphans1 who1 though taken notice of by the honorable trustees1 yet1 through the neglect of persons under them1 were in miserable circumstances4 ,for want of a house to bring them up in1 the poor little ones were tabled out here and there2 others were at hard services1 and likely to have no education at all4 ,upon seeing this1 and finding that his ,majesty and ,parliament had the interest of the colony much at heart1 ,i thought ,i could not better show my regard to ,god and my country than by getting a house and land for these children1 where they might learn to labor1 read1 and write1 and at the same time be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord4 ,accordingly1 at my return to ,england1 in the year #agch1 to take priest's orders1 ,i applied to the honorable society for a grant of five hundred acres of land1 and laid myself under an obligation to build a house upon it1 and to receive from time to time as many orphans as the land and stock would maintain4 ,as ,i had always acted like a clergyman of the church of ,england1 having preached in a good part of the ,london churches1 and but a few months before collected near a thousand pounds sterling for the children belonging to the charity schools in ,london and ,westminster1 it was natural to think that ,i might now have the use at least of some of these churches to preach in for the orphans hereafter more immediately to be committed to my care4 ,but by the time ,i had taken priest's orders1 the spirit of the clergy began to be much imbittered4 ,churches were gradually denied me1 and ,i must let this good design drop1 and thousands1 and ,i might add ten thousands1 go without hearing the word of ,god1 or preach in the fields4 ,indeed1 two churches1 one in ,london1 namely1 ,spitalfields1 and one in ,bristol1 namely1 ,st4 ,philip's and ,jacob1 were lent me on this occasion1 but those were all4 ,i collected for the orphan-house in ,moorfields two hundred and fifty pounds one ,sabbath-day morning1 twenty-two pounds of which were in copper4 ,in the afternoon ,i collected again at ,kennington ,common1 and continued to do so at most of the places where ,i preached4 ,besides this1 two or three of the bishops1 and several persons of distinction contributed1 until at length1 having gotten about a thousand and ten pounds1 ,i gave over collecting1 and went with what ,i had to ,georgia4 ,at that time multitudes offered to accompany me2 but ,i chose to take over only a surgeon and a few more of both sexes1 that ,i thought would be useful in carrying on my design4 ,my dear fellow-traveller ,william ,seward1 ,esq41 also joined with them4 ,our first voyage was to ,philadelphia1 where ,i was willing to go for the sake of laying in provision4 ,i laid out in ,london a good part of the thousand pounds for goods1 and got as much by them in ,philadelphia as nearly defrayed the families' expenses of coming over4 ,here ,god blessed my ministry daily4444 ,january following1 #agci1 ,i met my family at ,georgia1 and being unwilling to lose any time1 ,i hired a large house1 and took in all the orphans ,i could find in the colony4 ,a great many also of the town's children came to school gratis1 and many poor people that could not maintain their children1 upon application1 had leave given them to send their little ones for a month or two1 or more as they could spare them1 till at length my family consisted of between sixty and seventy4 ,most of the orphans were in poor case1 and three or four almost eaten up with lice4 ,i likewise erected an infirmary1 in which many sick people were cured and taken care of gratis4 ,i have now by me a list of upwards of a hundred and thirty patients1 which were under the surgeon's hands1 exclusive of my own private family4 ,about ,march ,i began the great house1 having only about one hundred and fifty pounds in cash4 ,i called it ,bethesda1 because ,i hoped it would be a house of mercy to many souls4 ,many boys have been put out to trades1 and many girls put out to service4 ,i had the pleasure1 the other day1 to see three boys work at the house in which they were bred1 one of them out of his time1 a journeyman1 and the others serving under their masters4 ,one that ,i brought from ,new ,england is handsomely settled in ,carolina2 and another from ,philadelphia is married1 and lives very comfortably in ,savannah4 ,we have lately begun to use the plough1 and next year ,i hope to have many acres of good oats and barley4 ,we have nearly twenty sheep and lambs1 fifty head of cattle1 and seven horses4 ,we hope to kill a thousand weight of pork this season4 ,our garden is very beautiful1 furnishes us with all sorts of greens1 etc41 etc4 ,we have plenty of milk1 eggs1 poultry1 and make a good deal of butter weekly4 ,a good quantity of wool and cotton have been given me1 and we hope to have sufficient spun and wove for the next winter's clothing4 ,the family now consists of twenty-six persons4 ,two of the orphan boys are blind1 one is little better than an idiot4 ,i have two women to take care of the household work1 and two men and three boys employed about the plantation and cattle4 ,a set of ,dutch servants has been lately sent over4 ,the magistrates were pleased to give me two2 and ,i took in a poor widow1 aged near seventy1 whom nobody else cared to have4 ,a valuable young man from ,new ,england is my schoolmaster1 and in my absence performs duty in the family4 ,on ,sabbaths1 the grown people attend on public worship at ,savannah1 or at ,white ,bluff1 a village near ,bethesda1 where a ,dutch minister officiates4 ,the house is a noble1 commodious building1 and every thing sweetly adapted for bringing up youth4 ,georgia is very healthy2 not above one1 and that a little child1 has died out of our family since it removed to ,bethesda4 ,a tabular statement follows this account1 giving full particulars of the eighty-six children who to that period had been admitted into the establishment4 ,old newspapers1 as daguerreotyping the facts1 and even the feelings of any particular period1 are sometimes invaluable4 ,in ,new ,york1 as everywhere else1 ,whitefield had his enemies1 and many charges were brought against him4 ,but that there were those who took a strongly favorable view of his character and conduct1 is very clear from an extract we give from ,the ,new ,york ,post-,boy1 of ,april1 #agdf3 ,mr4 ,whitefield's excellent parts1 fine elocution1 and masterly address2 his admirable talent of opening the ,scriptures1 and enforcing the most weighty subjects upon the conscience2 his polite and serious behavior1 his unaffected and superior piety1 his prudence1 humility1 and catholic spirit1 are things which must silence and disarm prejudice itself4 ,by these qualifications of the orator1 the divine1 and the ,christian1 he has not only fixed himself deeper in the affections of his former friends1 but greatly increased the number wherever he has preached2 and made his way into the hearts of several who1 till this visit1 had said all the severe things against him that enmity itself seemed capable of4 ,from this period1 this paper especially noticed the various movements of this apostolic man2 his arrivals in the city1 his engagements in it1 his departures from it1 and the places of his destination1 were all given with the minuti with which even the movements of monarchs are recorded4 ,it was not without its use that the organs of the public thus expressed their high sense of his character4 ,in #agde1 suspicions were whispered abroad as to the entire integrity of this excellent man in the appropriation of the funds collected for ,bethesda4 ,but happily for all parties1 the magistrates of ,savannah published in the ,philadelphia ,gazette an affidavit1 that they had carefully examined ,mr4 ,whitefield's receipts and disbursements1 and found that what he had collected in behalf of the orphans1 had been honestly applied1 and that besides1 he had given considerably to them of his own property4 ,having done what he could at ,bethesda1 feeling his health failing him1 needing resources for his orphans1 and urged on by his love of preaching1 ,whitefield was soon again in the field1 far away from his home4 ,in the autumn of #agdf1 we find many passages in his journals and letters like these1 while in ,maryland3 ,i trust the time for favoring this and the neighboring southern provinces is come4 ,everywhere1 almost1 the door is opened for preaching1 great numbers flock to hear1 and the power of an ascended ,saviour attends the word4 ,for it is surprising how the ,lord causes prejudices to subside1 and makes my former most bitter enemies to be at peace with me4444 ,lately ,i have been in seven counties in ,maryland1 and preached with abundant success4 ,at ,charleston1 ,south ,carolina1 he writes1 ,january #agdg1 ,the ,lord ,jesus is pleased to give me great access to multitudes of souls4 ,a few weeks later1 he writes from the same place1 that ,bethesda was never in a better condition2 that he had opened a ,latin school there during the winter1 and that he hoped yet to see ministers furnished from ,georgia4 ,in ,april1 we again find him in ,maryland1 as he writes on the twenty-fifth of that month from ,bohemia1 in that province1 and speaks of the success of ,mr4 ,samuel1 afterwards ,president ,davies1 in ,virginia1 but adds that a proclamation had been issued in that state against itinerants1 so that he himself was shut out of it4 ,in the middle of ,may he exults1 ,maryland is yielding converts to the blessed ,jesus4 ,the gospel seems to be moving southward4 ,the harvest is promising4 ,the time of the singing birds is come2 and five days afterwards he says1 ,i have been now a three hundred miles' circuit in ,maryland1 and through one or two counties in ,pennsylvania4 ,everywhere the people have a hearing ear1 and ,i trust some have an obedient heart4 ,on the first of ,june we find him in ,philadelphia1 from whence he writes1 ,at present ,i have full work here4 ,the congregations yesterday were large1 and for this month past ,i have been preaching to thousands in different places4 ,during the whole of this month his health was in a very critical state4 ,here we have a few sentences from his pen1 as given on different days3 ,i am sick and well1 as ,i used to be in ,england2 but the ,redeemer fills me with comfort4 ,i am determined1 in his strength1 to die fighting4444 ,i have almost a continual burning fever4 ,with great regret ,i have omitted preaching one night to oblige my friends1 and purpose to do so once more1 that they may not charge me with murdering myself4 ,but ,i hope yet to die in the pulpit1 or soon after ,i come out of it4444 ,since my last1 ,i have been several times on the verge of eternity4 ,at present ,i am so weak that ,i cannot preach4 ,it is hard work to be silent1 but ,i must be tried every way4 ,sickness did not interrupt ,whitefield's labors1 if he could move or preach at all4 ,i am determined1 he says to ,gilbert ,tennent1 to die fighting1 though it be on my stumps4 ,he was soon after at ,new ,york1 ,newport1 ,portsmouth1 and ,boston4 ,at ,new ,york he writes1 ,i am as willing to hunt for souls as ever4 ,i am not weary of my work4 ,on the next day he writes1 ,i have preached to a very large auditory1 and do not find myself much worse for it4 ,he did so again with success4 ,he then says1 ,i shall go to ,boston like an arrow out of a bow1 if ,jesus strengthen me4 ,i am resolved to preach and work for ,him until ,i can preach and work no more4 ,i have been upon the water three or four days1 and now eat like a sailor4 ,he went on to ,boston1 where he heard of the sudden but joyful death of his venerable and excellent friend ,dr4 ,colman4 ,he adds1 ,my reception at ,boston and elsewhere was like unto the first4 ,arrows of conviction fled and stuck fast4 ,congregations were larger than ever1 and opposers' mouths were stopped4 ,after again making short visits to ,philadelphia and ,bohemia1 ,whitefield1 according to previous arrangements1 went to spend the winter in ,north ,carolina4 ,before he left ,bohemia1 however1 he wrote to his friends at ,new ,york1 who were intensely anxious about his health1 but he could only say it was yet fluctuating4 ,even so was it when he arrived in ,north ,carolina1 yet he writes1 ,i am here1 hunting in the woods1 these ungospelized wilds1 for sinners4 ,it is pleasant work1 though my body is weak and crazy4 ,but after a short fermentation in the grave1 it will be fashioned like unto ,christ's glorious body4 ,the thought of this rejoices my soul1 and makes me long to leap my seventy years4 ,i sometimes think all will go to heaven before me4 ,pray for me as a dying man2 but ,oh1 pray that ,i may not go off as a snuff4 ,i would fain die blazing--not with human glory1 but with the love of ,jesus4 ,such was his weakness1 that his journey to ,bathtown1 in ,north ,carolina1 was long and slow4 ,even a short ride was fatiguing and painful4 ,still1 he preached with considerable power2 cheered on from stage to stage by the hope that the conversion of ,north ,carolina sinners would be glad news in heaven4 ,his letters indicated lively hopes of an extensive revival1 but his expectations were not fully realized4 ,his health was still exceedingly feeble1 and his physicians ordered him to try a change of climate4 ,he accordingly embarked for the ,bermudas1 where he landed1 ,march #ae1 #agdh4 ,the ,bermudas are a group of four small islands lying about nine hundred miles east of ,georgia4 ,the largest of the islands is called ,st4 ,george's1 with a capital of the same name2 the climate is remarkably fine1 and well adapted for the temporary residence and recovery of invalids4 ,here ,whitefield met with an exceedingly kind reception1 and remained on the island with great benefit to his health1 more than a month4 ,we scarcely need to say that he was not idle during his residence here1 but traversed the island from one end to the other1 generally preaching twice a day4 ,a few passages from his journal will best show the facts4 ,the simplicity and plainness of the people1 together with the pleasant situation of the island1 much delighted me4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,holiday1 minister of ,spanish ,point1 received me in a most affectionate1 ,christian manner2 and begged ,i would make his house my home4 ,in the evening1 ,i expounded at the house of ,mr4 ,savage1 at ,port ,royal1 which was very commodious2 and which also he would have me make my home4 ,i went with ,mr4 ,savage in a boat to the town of ,st4 ,george1 in order to pay our respects to the governor4 ,all along we had a most pleasant prospect of the other part of the island2 a more pleasant one ,i never saw4 ,mrs4 ,smith1 of ,st4 ,george1 for whom ,i had a letter of recommendation from my dear old friend ,mr4 ,smith1 of ,charlestown1 received me into her house4 ,about noon1 with one of the council and ,mr4 ,savage1 ,i waited upon the governor4 ,he received us courteously1 and invited us to dine with him and the council4 ,we accepted the invitation1 and all behaved with great civility and respect4 ,after the governor rose from the table1 he desired1 if ,i stayed in town on the ,sunday1 that ,i would dine with him at his own house4 ,sunday1 ,march #bj4 ,read prayers and preached twice this day1 to what were esteemed here large auditories--in the morning at ,spanish ,point church1 and in the evening at ,brackish ,pond church1 about two miles distant from each other4 ,in the afternoon ,i spoke with greater freedom than in the morning1 and ,i trust not altogether in vain4 ,all were attentive1 some wept4 ,i dined with ,colonel ,butterfield1 one of the council2 and received several invitations to other gentlemen's houses4 ,may ,god bless and reward them1 and incline them to open their hearts to receive the ,lord ,jesus4 ,wednesday1 ,march #bc4 ,dined with ,captain ,gibbs1 and went from thence and expounded at the house of ,captain ,f----le1 at ,hunbay1 about two miles distant4 ,the company here also was large1 attentive1 and affected4 ,our ,lord gave me utterance4 ,i expounded the first part of the eighth chapter of ,jeremiah4 ,after lecture1 ,mr4 ,riddle1 a counsellor1 invited me to his house2 as did ,mr4 ,paul1 an aged ,presbyterian minister1 to his pulpit2 which ,i complied with upon condition that the rumor was true1 that the governor had served the ministers with an injunction that ,i should not preach in the churches4 ,sunday1 ,march #bg4 ,glory be to ,god6 ,i hope this has been a profitable ,sabbath to many souls2 it has been a pleasant one to mine4 ,both morning and afternoon ,i preached to a large auditory1 for the ,bermudas1 in ,mr4 ,paul's meeting-house1 which ,i suppose contains about four hundred4 ,abundance of negroes1 and many others1 were in the porch1 and about the house4 ,the word seemed to be clothed with a convincing power1 and to make its way into the hearts of the hearers4 ,between sermons1 ,i was entertained very civilly in a neighboring house4 ,judge ,bascom1 and three more of the council1 came thither1 and each gave me an invitation to his house4 ,how does the ,lord make way for a poor stranger in a strange land4 ,after the second sermon ,i dined with ,mr4 ,paul2 and in the evening expounded to a very large company at ,councillor ,riddle's4 ,my body was somewhat weak2 but the ,lord carried me through1 and caused me to go to rest rejoicing4 ,may ,i thus go to my grave1 when my ceaseless and uninterrupted rest shall begin4 ,thursday1 ,march #ca4 ,dined on ,tuesday at ,colonel ,corbusier's1 and on ,wednesday at ,colonel ,gilbert's1 both of the council2 and found1 by what ,i could hear1 that some good had been done1 and many prejudices removed4 ,who shall hinder1 if ,god will work8 ,went to an island this afternoon called ,ireland1 upon which live a few families2 and to my surprise1 found a great many gentlemen1 and other people1 with my friend ,mr4 ,holiday1 who came from different quarters to hear me4 ,before ,i began preaching1 ,i went round to see a most remarkable cave1 which very much displayed the exquisite workmanship of ,him1 who in 'his strength setteth fast the mountains1 and is girded about with power4' ,while ,i was in the cave1 quite unexpectedly ,i turned and saw ,councillor ,riddle1 who1 with his son1 came to hear me2 and while we were in the boat1 told me that he had been with the governor1 who declared he had no personal prejudice against me1 and wondered ,i did not come to town and preach there1 for it was the desire of the people2 and that any house in the town1 the court-house not excepted1 should be at my service4 ,thanks be to ,god for so much favor4 ,if his cause requires it1 ,i shall have more4 ,he knows my heart2 ,i value the favor of man no farther than as it makes room for the gospel1 and gives me a larger scope to promote the glory of ,god4 ,there being no capacious house upon the island1 ,i preached for the first time here in the open air4 ,all heard very attentively2 and it was very pleasant1 after sermon1 to see so many boats full of people returning from the worship of ,god4 ,i talked seriously to some in our own boat1 and sung a psalm1 in which they readily joined4 ,sunday1 ,april #c4 ,preached twice this day at ,mr4 ,paul's meeting-house1 as on the last ,sabbath1 but with greater freedom and power1 especially in the morning2 and ,i think to as great1 if not greater auditories4 ,dined with ,colonel ,harvy1 another of the council2 visited a sick woman1 where many came to hear2 and expounded afterwards to a great company1 at ,captain ,john ,dorrel's1 ,mrs4 ,dorrel's son1 who with his wife courteously entertained me1 and desired me to make his house my home4 ,so true is that promise of our ,lord1 that 'whosoever leaves father or mother1 houses or lands1 shall have in this life a hundred-fold with persecution1 and in the world to come1 life everlasting4' ,lord1 ,i have experienced the one2 in thy good time grant that ,i may experience the other also4 ,wednesday1 ,april #f4 ,preached yesterday at the house of ,mr4 ,anthony ,smith1 of ,baylis ,bay1 with a considerable degree of warmth2 and rode afterwards to ,st4 ,george1 the only town on the island4 ,the gentlemen of the town had sent me an invitation by ,judge ,bascom2 and he1 with several others1 came to visit me at my lodgings2 and informed me that the governor desired to see me4 ,about ten ,i waited upon his excellency1 who received me with great civility1 and told me he had no objection against my person or my principles1 having never yet heard me2 and he knew nothing with respect to my conduct in moral life1 that might prejudice him against me2 but his intentions were to let none preach in the island1 unless he had a written license to preach somewhere in ,america1 or the ,west ,indies2 at the same time he acknowledged that it was but a matter of mere form4 ,i informed his excellency that ,i had been regularly inducted into the parish of ,savannah2 that ,i was ordained priest by letters dismissory from my lord of ,london1 and was under no church censure from his lordship2 and would always read the church prayers1 if the clergy would give me the use of their churches4 ,i added farther1 that a minister's pulpit was always looked upon as his freehold2 and that ,i knew one clergyman who had denied his own diocesan the use of his pulpit4 ,but ,i told his excellency ,i was satisfied with the liberty he allowed me1 and would not act contrary to his injunction4 ,i then begged leave to be dismissed1 as ,i was obliged to preach at eleven o'clock4 ,his excellency said he intended to do himself the pleasure to hear me4 ,at eleven1 the church bell rung4 ,the church ,bible1 prayer-book1 and cushion1 were sent to the town-house4 ,the governor1 several of the council1 the minister of the parish1 and assembly-men1 with a great number of the town's people1 assembled in great order4 ,i was very sick1 through a cold ,i caught last night2 but read the church prayers4 ,the first lesson was the fifteenth chapter of the first book of ,samuel4 ,i preached on those words1 ',righteousness exalteth a nation4' ,being weak and faint1 and afflicted much with the headache1 ,i did not do that justice to my subject which ,i sometimes am enabled to do2 but the ,lord so helped me that1 as ,i found afterwards1 the governor and the other gentlemen expressed their approbation1 and acknowledged they did not expect to be so well entertained4 ,not unto me1 ,lord1 not unto me1 but to thy free grace be all the glory6 ,after sermon1 ,dr4 ,f----bs1 and ,mr4 ,p----t1 the collector1 came to me1 and desired me to favor them and the gentlemen of the town with my company at dinner4 ,i accepted the invitation4 ,the governor1 and the president1 and ,judge ,bascom were there4 ,all wondered at my speaking so freely and fluently without notes4 ,the governor asked whether ,i used minutes4 ,i answered1 ',no4' ,he said it was a great gift4 ,at table1 his excellency introduced something of religion by asking me the meaning of the word ,,hades4 ,several other things were started about freewill1 ,adam's fall1 predestination1 etc41 to all which ,god enabled me to answer so pertinently1 and taught me to mix the utile and dulce useful and pleasant so together1 that all at table seemed highly pleased1 shook me by the hand1 and invited me to their respective houses4 ,the governor1 in particular1 asked me to dine with him on the morrow2 and ,dr4 ,f----1 one of his particular intimates1 invited me to drink tea in the afternoon4 ,i thanked all1 returned proper respects1 and went to my lodgings with some degree of thankfulness for the assistance vouchsafed me1 and abased before ,god at the consideration of my unspeakable unworthiness4 ,in the afternoon1 about five o'clock1 ,i expounded the parable of the prodigal son to many people at a private house2 and in the evening had liberty to speak freely and closely to those who supped with me4 ,o that this may be the beginning of good gospel times to the inhabitants of this town4 ,we might fill other pages from ,whitefield's journal1 but will only give two more passages4 ,the first will show him in connection with the ,african race1 in whose highest welfare he always took a special interest4 ,saturday1 ,may #g4 ,in my conversation these two days with some of my friends1 ,i was diverted much in hearing several things that passed among the poor negroes1 since ,i preached to them last ,sunday4 ,one of the women1 it seems1 said that 'if the book ,i preached out of was the best book that was ever bought at ,london1 she was sure it had never all that in it which ,i spoke to the negroes1' ,the old man who spoke out loud last ,sunday1 and said 'yes' when ,i asked them whether all the negroes would not go to heaven1 being questioned by somebody why he spoke out so1 answered1 that 'the gentleman put the question once or twice to them1 and the other fools had not the manners to make any answer2 till at last ,i seemed to point at him1 and he was ashamed that nobody should answer me1 and therefore he did4' ,another1 wondering why ,i said negroes had black hearts1 was answered by his black brother1 ',ah1 thou fool1 dost not thou understand it8 ,he means black with sin4' ,two girls were overheard by their mistress talking about religion1 and they said 'they knew1 if they did not repent1 they must be damned4' ,from all which ,i infer that these negroes on the ,bermudas are more awake than ,i supposed2 that their consciences are awake1 and consequently prepared in a good measure for hearing the gospel preached to them4 ,whitefield sums up the events which had occurred in connection with himself on the ,bermudas1 the praise of which islands has also been celebrated by the distinguished ,bishop ,berkeley1 who resided there for some time1 and by ,waller the poet4 ,sunday1 ,may #bb4 ,blessed be ,god1 the little leaven thrown into the three measures of meal begins to ferment and work almost every day for the week past4 ,i have conversed with souls loaded with a sense of their sins1 and as far as ,i can judge1 really pricked to the heart4 ,i preached only three times1 but to almost three times larger auditories than usual4 ,indeed1 the fields are white1 ready to harvest4 ,god has been pleased to bless private visits4 ,go where ,i will1 upon the least notice1 houses are crowded1 and the poor souls that follow are soon drenched in tears4 ,this day ,i took1 as it were1 another farewell4 ,as the ship did not sail1 ,i preached at ,somerset in the morning to a large congregation in the fields2 and expounded in the evening at ,mr4 ,harvy's house1 around which stood many hundreds of people4 ,but in the morning and evening how did the poor souls weep4 ,abundance of prayers and blessings were put up for my safe passage to ,england1 and speedy return to the ,bermudas again4 ,may they enter into the ears of the ,lord of sabaoth4 ,with all humility and thankfulness of heart will ,i here1 ,o ,lord1 set up my ,ebenezer1 for hitherto surely hast thou helped me4 ,thanks be to the ,lord for sending me hither4 ,i have been received in a manner ,i dared not to expect1 and have met with little1 very little opposition indeed4 ,the inhabitants seem to be plain and open-hearted4 ,they have loaded me with provisions for my sea-store2 and in the several parishes1 by a private voluntary contribution1 have raised me upwards of one hundred pounds sterling4 ,this will pay a little of ,bethesda's debt1 and enable me to make such a remittance to my dear yoke-fellow1 as may keep her from being embarrassed1 or too much beholden in my absence4 ,blessed be ,god for bringing me out of my embarrassments by degrees4 ,may the ,lord reward all my benefactors a thousand-fold4 ,i hear that what was given1 was given heartily1 and people only lamented that they could do no more4 ,whitefield now transmitted to ,georgia what had been collected for the orphan-house2 but fearing a relapse1 if he returned to the south during the hot season1 which was near commencing1 and pressed also again to visit ,england1 he took his passage in a brig1 and in twenty-eight days arrived at ,deal4 ,on his voyage1 he completed an abridgment1 which he had previously begun1 of ,law's serious ,call to a devout and holy ,life1 which he endeavored to make more useful by excluding whatever is not truly evangelical1 and illustrating the subject more fully1 especially from the holy ,scriptures4 ,he also wrote letters to his friends1 one of which strikingly illustrates his ,christian humility4 ,it bears date ,june #bd1 #agdh4 ,yesterday ,i made an end of revising all my journals4 ,alas1 alas1 in how many things ,i have judged and acted wrong4 ,i have been too rash and hasty in giving characters both of places and persons4 ,being fond of ,scripture language1 ,i have used a style too apostolical1 and at the same time ,i have been too bitter in my zeal4 ,wildfire has been mixed with it1 and ,i find that ,i frequently wrote and spoke in my own spirit1 when ,i thought ,i was writing and speaking by the assistance of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,i have1 likewise1 too much made inward impressions my rule of acting1 and too soon and too explicitly published what had been better kept in longer1 or told after my death4 ,by these things ,i have hurt the blessed cause ,i would defend1 and also stirred up a needless opposition4 ,this has humbled me much1 and made me think of a saying of ,mr4 ,henry1 ',joseph had more honesty than he had policy1 or he never would have told his dreams4' ,at the same time1 ,i cannot but praise ,god1 who fills me with so much of his holy fire1 and carried me1 a poor weak youth1 through such a torrent1 both of popularity and contempt1 and set so many seals to my unworthy ministrations4 ,i bless him for ripening my judgment a little more1 for giving me to see and confess1 and ,i hope in some degree to correct and amend some of my former mistakes4 ,in the early part of this year1 #agdh1 the ,gentleman's ,magazine had announced ,whitefield's death as having taken place in ,america4 ,one of his first letters on his arrival at ,deal in that year1 says1 ,words cannot express how joyful my friends were to see me once more in the land of the living1 for ,i find the newspapers had buried me ever since ,april last4 ,but it seems ,i am not to die1 but live4 ,o that it may be to declare the works of the ,lord4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,labors ,,in ,,england ,,and ,,scotland--,,chaplain ,,to ,,lady ,,huntingdon4 #agdh1 #agdi4 ,on the evening of ,july #f1 #agdh1 ,whitefield again found himself in ,london1 after an absence of nearly four years4 ,here he was welcomed with joy by many thousands4 ,the large church of ,st4 ,bartholomew was at once thrown open to him1 where multitudes flocked to hear1 and where on the first ,sabbath he had a thousand communicants4 ,but in his own more immediate circle many things were in an unhappy condition4 ,his congregation at the ,tabernacle had been much scattered during his absence2 ,antinomianism had made sad havoc among the people2 and one of this party threatened to rival him in ,moorfields4 ,whitefield sent him word1 ,the fields are no doubt as free to you as to another4 ,god send you a clear head and a clean heart4 ,i intend preaching there on ,sunday evening4 ,he did so2 and found ,moorfields as white to harvest as ever4 ,our evangelist was again called to mourn the evils of poverty4 ,he found himself compelled to sell his household furniture1 to pay1 in part1 the debts of his orphan-house1 which were yet far from being cancelled2 his aged mother1 for whom he always retained the highest regard1 also needed his aid4 ,these and other trials pressed him sorely2 but on the other hand1 he felt happy in his work1 and his congregation were soon reunited1 and happy in his labors4 ,we have seen that as early as #agch1 ,lady ,huntingdon1 with his lordship her husband1 as frequently as they could1 heard ,whitefield preach2 since that period his lordship had died1 leaving her ladyship a widow1 in the thirty-ninth year of her age4 ,at what period she became more openly and intimately ,whitefield's friend does not appear2 but when he landed at ,deal from his third visit to ,america1 she sent ,howel ,harris to bring him to her house at ,chelsea1 where he preached to large circles of the gay world1 who thronged this then fashionable watering-place4 ,for the benefit of this class of hearers1 she soon after removed to ,london1 at that time some three miles distant from ,chelsea1 appointed ,whitefield her chaplain1 and during the winter of #agdh and '#di1 opened her splendid mansion in ,park-street for the preaching of the gospel4 ,good ,lady ,huntingdon1 he writes1 has come to town1 and ,i am to preach twice a week at her house to the great and noble4 ,o that some of them might be effectually called to taste the riches of redeeming love4 ,on the first day appointed1 ,chesterfield and ,bolingbroke1 both of them well-known for their gayety and infidelity1 and a circle of the nobility1 attended2 and having heard him once1 they desired to come again4 ,lord ,chesterfield thanked me1 he says4 ,lord ,bolingbroke was moved1 and asked me to come and see him the next morning4 ,my hands have been full of work1 and ,i have been among great company4 ,all accepted my sermons4 ,thus the world turns round4 ',in all time of my wealth1 good ,lord1 deliver me4' ,the death-bed of ,lord ,st4 ,john ,bolingbroke1 whom we have already mentioned as one of his parlor-hearers1 exhibited scenes unusual in the circle where he moved4 ,the ,bible was read to him1 and his cry was1 ,god be merciful to me a sinner4 ,my ,lord ,bolingbroke1 wrote ,lady ,huntingdon to ,whitefield1 was much struck with his brother's language in his last moments4 ,o that his eyes might be opened by the illuminating influence of divine truth4 ,he is a singularly awful character2 and ,i am fearfully alarmed1 lest the gospel which he so heartily despises1 yet affects to reverence1 should prove the savor of death unto death to him4 ,some1 ,i trust1 are savingly awakened1 while many are inquiring2 thus the great ,lord of the harvest hath put honor on your ministry1 and hath given my heart an encouraging token of the utility of our feeble efforts4 ,it is related that the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,church1 a clergyman who died curate of ,battersea1 near ,london1 one day called on ,bolingbroke1 who said to him1 ,you have caught me reading ,john ,calvin2 he was indeed a man of great parts1 profound sense1 and vast learning2 he handles the doctrines of grace in a very masterly manner4 ,doctrines of grace1 replied the clergyman2 the doctrines of grace have set all mankind by the ears4 ,i am surprised to hear you say so1 answered ,lord ,bolingbroke1 you who profess to believe and to preach ,christianity4 ,those doctrines are certainly the doctrines of the ,bible1 and if ,i believe the ,bible ,i must believe them4 ,and let me seriously tell you1 that the greatest miracle in the world is the subsistence of ,christianity1 and its continued preservation1 as a religion1 when the preaching of it is committed to the care of such unchristian men as you4 ,at this period ,whitefield renewed his acquaintance with the ,rev4 ,james ,hervey1 who has not improperly been called the ,melancthon of the second reformation in ,england4 ,among all the converts of our evangelist1 no one was more distinguished for piety1 or for his fascination as a writer1 than this admirable clergyman4 ,his writings1 though too flowery in their style1 were eminently suitable1 as ,whitefield himself says1 for the taste of the polite world4 ,hervey wrote to ,whitefield1 ,your journals and sermons1 and especially that sweet sermon on ',what think ye of ,christ8' were a means of bringing me to the knowledge of the truth4 ,whitefield felt the warmest attachment to ,hervey in return1 and when he introduced some of his works into ,america1 wrote1 ,the author is my old friend2 a most heavenly-minded creature2 one of the first ,methodists1 who is contented with a small cure1 and gives all he has to the poor4 ,we correspond with1 though we cannot see each other4 ,whitefield intimated in one of his journals his intention of sketching ,hervey's character1 but this was one of the many intended things which were never accomplished4 ,dr4 ,doddridge wrote a preface to one of his works1 which ,warburton1 as might be expected1 called a weak rhapsody4 ,under the auspices of ,lady ,huntingdon1 a prayer-meeting was established for the women who1 from the circles of rank and fashion1 became the followers of the ,lord4 ,among these were ,lady ,frances ,gardiner1 ,lady ,mary ,hamilton1 daughter of the ,marquis of ,lothian1 who had attended the ministry of ,whitefield in ,scotland1 ,lady ,gertrude ,hotham and ,countess ,delitz1 sisters of ,lady ,chesterfield1 ,lady ,chesterfield herself1 and ,lady ,fanny ,shirley4 ,religion1 says ,lady ,huntingdon1 when writing to ,doddridge1 was never so much the subject of conversation as now4 ,some of the great ones hear with me the gospel patiently1 and thus much seed is sown by ,mr4 ,whitefield's preaching4 ,o that it may fall on good ground1 and bring forth abundantly4 ,some one1 we believe a bishop1 complained to ,george ,,ii4 of the popularity and success of ,whitefield1 and entreated his majesty in some way or other to silence him4 ,the monarch1 thinking1 no doubt1 of the class described by the martyr ,latimer1 as unpreaching prelates1 replied with jocose severity1 ,i believe the best way will be to make a bishop of him4 ,but if ,whitefield was honored by some of the great1 he received from others unmingled hostility4 ,horace ,walpole1 the gay man1 and the corrupt courtier1 thought it worth while to introduce the ,methodist preacher into his ,private ,correspondence4 ,the statement he makes of professed facts is altogether incredible1 but shows unmistakably the spirit of the writer4 ,the apostle ,whitefield is come to some shame4 ,he went to ,lady ,huntingdon lately1 and asked for forty pounds for some distressed saint or other4 ,she said she had not so much money in the house1 but would give it him the first time she had4 ,he was very pressing1 but in vain4 ,at last he said1 ',there's your watch and trinkets1 you don't want such vanities2 ,i will have that4' ,she would have put him off2 but he persisting1 she said1 ',well1 if you must have it1 you must4' ,about a fortnight afterwards1 going to his house1 and being carried into his wife's chamber1 among the paraphernalia of the latter the countess found her own offering4 ,this has made a terrible schism2 she tells the story herself4 ,i had not it from ,saint ,frances1 ,lady ,fanny ,shirley1 but ,i hope it is true4 ,every thing goes to prove the sincerity of his hope1 though founded on falsehood4 ,it has generally happened that the most effective public speakers1 whether secular or sacred1 have been accused by a fastidious class with vulgarisms4 ,so with ,cicero1 ,burke1 and ,chatham2 so with ,patrick ,henry and ,daniel ,webster2 and to turn to eminent preachers1 so with ,luther1 ,latimer1 and ,whitefield4 ,the reason was1 that intent on the greatest good to the greatest number1 they used what ,dr4 ,johnson1 after ,daniel ,burgess1 called market language4 ,dr4 ,william ,bates1 an accomplished and courtly non-conformist minister1 in the seventeenth century1 once complained in the presence of his faithful but unpolished friend ,daniel ,burgess1 that he found very little success in his work as a minister2 when his aged brother smartly replied1 ,thank your velvet mouth for that--too fine to speak market language4 ,whitefield1 very happily for thousands1 had no squeamishness of this sort4 ,some ladies called one ,saturday morning to pay a visit to ,lady ,huntingdon1 and during the interview1 her ladyship inquired of them if they had ever heard ,mr4 ,whitefield preach4 ,on being answered in the negative1 she said1 ,i wish you would hear him2 he is to preach to-morrow evening4 ,they promised her ladyship they would certainly attend4 ,they fulfilled their promise2 and when they called on her ladyship the next ,monday morning1 she anxiously inquired if they had heard ,mr4 ,whitefield on the previous evening1 and how they liked him4 ,the reply was1 ,oh1 my lady1 of all the preachers we ever heard1 he is the most strange and unaccountable6 ,among other preposterous things1 would your ladyship believe it1 he declared that ,jesus ,christ was so willing to receive sinners1 that he did not object to receive even the devil's castaways6 ,now1 my lady1 did you ever hear of such a thing since you were born8 ,her ladyship1 in reply1 said1 ,there is something1 ,i acknowledge1 a little singular in the invitation1 and ,i do not recollect to have met with it before2 but as ,mr4 ,whitefield is below in the parlor1 we will have him up1 and let him answer for himself4 ,on ,mr4 ,whitefield's entering the drawing-room1 ,lady ,huntingdon said1 ,sir1 these ladies have been preferring a very heavy charge against you1 and ,i thought it best that you should come up and defend yourself4 ,they say1 that in your sermon last evening1 in speaking of the willingness of ,jesus ,christ to receive sinners1 you said1 that 'so ready was ,christ to receive sinners who came to him1 that he was willing to receive even the devil's castaways4' ,mr4 ,whitefield immediately replied1 ,i certainly1 my lady1 must plead guilty to the charge2 whether ,i did what was right1 or otherwise1 your ladyship shall judge when you have heard a fact4 ,did your ladyship notice1 about half an hour ago1 a very modest single rap at the door8 ,it was given by a poor1 miserable looking aged female1 who requested to speak with me4 ,i desired that she might be shown into the parlor1 when she thus addressed me3 ',i believe1 sir1 you preached last evening at such a chapel4' ',yes1 ,i did4' ',ah1 sir1 ,i was accidentally passing the door of that chapel1 and hearing the voice of some one preaching1 ,i did what ,i have never been in the habit of doing--,i went in2 and one of the first things ,i heard you say1 was1 that ,jesus ,christ was so willing to receive sinners1 that he did not object to receive the devil's castaways4 ,do you think1 sir1 that ,jesus ,christ would receive me8' ,i answered her that there was not a doubt of it1 if she was but willing to go to him4 ,it is pleasant to add1 that the impression conveyed in the singular language of ,mr4 ,whitefield ended in the conversion of the poor woman to ,god4 ,she gave satisfactory evidence that her great and numerous sins had been forgiven through the atonement of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,was ,mr4 ,whitefield to be censured for the use of this language8 ,in ,september1 #agdh1 ,mr4 ,whitefield made his third visit to ,scotland1 where he met with a cordial welcome1 and where his labors became increasingly valued4 ,some of the clergy at ,glasgow1 ,perth1 and ,edinburgh used their influence to exclude him from the pulpits1 but the majority voted in his favor2 and a full examination vindicated his character1 and made his excellences more generally known4 ,all the ministers who were disposed to invite him to preach1 were at liberty to do so1 except in the presbytery of ,edinburgh2 here1 however1 he was accommodated by the magistrates with a church to preach in whenever he visited the city4 ,in ,scotland he now warmly advocated the cause of the college in ,new ,jersey3 of the results of his labors we shall hear more hereafter4 ,on his return to ,london1 ,whitefield resumed his preaching at ,lady ,huntingdon's to the great ones1 as he calls them4 ,thirty1 and sometimes even sixty persons of rank attended1 although the newspapers gave false and degrading accounts of the reception he met with in ,scotland4 ,he now availed himself of the influence he possessed1 to forward his intended college1 in addition to his orphan-house1 for which his plea was1 ,if some such thing be not done1 ,i cannot see how the southern parts will be provided with ministers2 for all are afraid to go over4 ,on this ground he appealed to the trustees of ,georgia2 reminding them that he had expended five thousand pounds upon the orphan-house2 begging them to relieve it1 as a charitable institution1 from all quit-rent and taxes2 and especially to allow him the labor of blacks in cultivating the farm4 ,white hands1 he said1 had left his tract of land uncultivated4 ,it will not be expected that ,whitefield could stay long1 even in the courtly circles of ,london1 where he met with so much acceptance4 ,we very soon find him among his old friends at ,gloucester and ,bristol4 ,the bishop of the latter see1 he says1 behaved very respectfully to him2 he visited also his old tutor1 now become one of the prebendaries1 and met with the old kindness received at ,oxford4 ,i told him1 that my judgment1 as ,i trust1 was a little more ripened than it was some years ago2 and that as fast as ,i found out my faults1 ,i should be glad to acknowledge them4 ,he said the offence of the governors of the church would wear off as ,i grew moderate4 ,the evangelist did not tell the doctor how little he cared for such moderation as the governors of the church in that day required2 but he wrote to ,lady ,huntingdon1 on the subject of their favor1 ,i am pretty easy about that4 ,if ,i can but act an honest part1 and be kept from trimming1 ,i leave all consequences to ,him who orders all things well4 ,during this journey1 many new converts were won4 ,one of these was a counsellor1 who was so much affected1 that his zeal in inviting others to hear ,whitefield led his wife to suspect him of madness4 ,an interesting fact connected with ,gloucestershire1 his native county1 may be introduced in this place1 though we are not sure that it occurred during this journey4 ,john ,skinner of ,houndscroft was a strolling fiddler1 going from fair to fair1 supplying music to any party that would hire him4 ,having determined to interrupt ,mr4 ,whitefield while preaching1 he obtained a standing on a ladder raised to a window near the pulpit4 ,here he remained a quiet1 if not an attentive hearer1 till the text was read1 when he intended to begin his annoying exercise on the violin4 ,it pleased ,god1 however1 while he was putting his instrument in tune1 to convey the word preached with irresistible power to his soul2 his attention was diverted from his original purpose1 he heard the whole sermon1 and became a new man4 ,happily ,whitefield was blessed in bringing to ,christ many who were made eminently useful4 ,among others we might mention the late ,rev4 ,cornelius ,winter1 an eminent minister1 who afterwards accompanied our evangelist in his last voyage to ,america1 and who after his death conveyed his will to ,england1 and sought ordination to return and labor in ,georgia4 ,disappointed in this1 he became an able and successful minister in ,england2 and also trained several young men for the ,christian ministry1 including the late celebrated ,william ,jay of ,bath4 ,whitefield had often been heard by ,winter with great pleasure1 for he admired his eloquence2 but for some time no good effects were apparent4 ,one night1 while playing at cards1 an amusement in which he much delighted1 and though surrounded by a number of gay companions1 the thought presented itself to ,winter's mind that he might that evening hear his favorite preacher4 ,he broke off from play in the midst of the game1 which made his companions very angry1 as they suspected where he was going4 ,he tells us that it was a night much to be remembered4 ,he had reason to hope the scales of ignorance were then removed from his eyes1 he had a sense of his misery as a sinner1 and was led to earnest inquiry after the way of salvation4 ,it is scarcely necessary to say1 that he never again played at cards4 ,from the exhilarating scenes of ,gloucestershire and ,bristol1 we must accompany ,whitefield into ,cornwall1 among the glens and dales of which1 or on the seaside to a somewhat similar population and with almost equal success1 he spoke all the words of this life4 ,the robust and determined miners of the west of ,england1 whose very employment gives hardihood alike to their character and frame1 at first received him in somewhat rough and unpolished style1 but were soon after melted and transformed by the grace which had displayed its triumphs among their brethren at ,kingswood4 ,i am just returned1 he writes on one occasion1 from near the ,land's ,end1 where thousands and thousands heard the gospel gladly4 ,everywhere the word of ,god has run and been glorified4 ,every day ,i have been travelling and preaching2 and could ,i stay a month1 it might be spent to great advantage4 ,at a place called ,port ,isaac1 the ,redeemer's stately steps were indeed seen4 ,at ,camelford ,i preached with great quietness in the streets4 ,at ,st4 ,ann's we had a very powerful season2 and yesterday at ,redruth several thousands attended1 and the word was quick and powerful4 ,again he writes1 ,immediately after writing my last1 ,i preached to many thousands at a place called ,gwennap4 ,the rain descended1 but the grace of ,god seemed to fall like a gentle dew1 sprinkling rain upon our souls4 ,it was indeed a fine spring shower4 ,in the evening ,i rode to ,st4 ,ives1 and preached to many who gladly attended to hear the word2 a great power seemed to accompany it4 ,on the ,lord's day ,i preached twice to great auditories4 ,on ,monday ,i preached again at ,redruth1 at ten in the morning1 to nearly1 as they were computed1 ten thousand souls4 ,arrows of conviction seemed to fly fast4 ,again1 in a communication to the ,countess of ,huntingdon1 he says1 ,i have been very near the ,land's ,end1 and everywhere souls have fled to hear the word preached1 'like doves to their windows4' ,the harvest is great1 yea1 very great1 but laborers are few4 ,o that the ,lord of the harvest would thrust out more laborers4 ,and yet again he says1 ,invitations are sent to me from ,falmouth and several other places1 but ,i cannot attend to them all at present4 ,i want more tongues1 more bodies1 more souls1 for the ,lord ,jesus4 ,had ,i ten thousand1 he should have them all4 ,such was the noble spirit he displayed1 and such were the manner and fruits of his entering in among the1 at that time1 benighted children of ,cornwall4 ,a great light shone upon them4 ,they came from the caverns of the earth to welcome its rising1 and to look upon its brightness4 ,thousands of them were indeed brought out of darkness into marvellous light1 and turned by it from sin to holiness1 and from ,satan to ,god2 and thousands are still rejoicing in its beams4 ,on his return to ,london1 ,whitefield found his assemblies at the countess's brilliant indeed1 and ,lord ,bolingbroke still one among them4 ,of this talented nobleman our evangelist at this time indulged a happy hope1 which1 alas1 seems never to have been realized4 ,in ,february1 #agdi1 ,whitefield made an excursion to ,exeter and ,plymouth1 where he was agreeably surprised to find a great alteration had taken place since his preceding visit1 five years before4 ,he loved to range1 as he called it1 after precious souls1 and happily for him and for others he found them4 ,during this and subsequent visits to ,plymouth1 he resided with the ,rev4 ,andrew ,kinsman1 an excellent ,congregational minister1 of whom we have already spoken4 ,he was born in ,devonshire in #agbd1 and was therefore ten years younger than ,whitefield4 ,while peculiarly amiable in his manners1 and remarkable for his regard to his parents1 he was unacquainted with the religion of the heart till his seventeenth year1 when he met with a volume of ,mr4 ,whitefield's sermons1 and one of those on the new birth alarmed him4 ,his pious friends were few1 but his religious feelings were deeply moved1 and ,god at length gave him the oil of joy for mourning1 and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness4 ,concerned for the highest interests of his relatives1 he one night1 as the family were retiring to rest1 broke out1 with intense emotion1 ,what1 shall we go to bed without prayer8 ,how do we know but some of us may awake in hell before morning8 ,this unexpected address struck the family with solemn awe2 and while they looked at each other with conscious shame1 for the neglect of so clear a duty1 he fell upon his knees and prayed with so much readiness and fervor that it excited their astonishment4 ,as might be expected1 his concern for others did not stop here2 he was anxious that his neighbors might also find the unsearchable riches of ,christ4 ,he began1 therefore1 to read ,whitefield's sermons to as many as would attend1 supposing1 with ,melancthon1 that what had proved so great a blessing to himself1 would not fail of similar effects on others1 as soon as they were heard4 ,after a short time1 he began himself to expound and preach1 and was encouraged by many conversions under his ministry1 including those of his father1 mother1 and three sisters4 ,not long after these events1 ,whitefield1 in entering on one of his voyages to ,america1 had been compelled to stay at ,plymouth1 where ,kinsman first saw and heard him4 ,by a series of remarkable events1 ,mr4 ,kinsman was brought to settle as a minister at ,plymouth1 where the ,tabernacle was erected on ground given by himself1 and the congregation were served by him and other ministers with abundant success4 ,in the whole neighborhood an extraordinary blessing attended his labors1 and his usefulness and deliverances from danger were only second to those of ,whitefield himself4 ,nor was he less respected1 nor his ministry attended with less success1 at ,bristol and ,london--cities to which he was invited by ,whitefield2 who used to call ,bristol ,kinsman's ,america1 alluding to his own reception and success in the western world4 ,on one occasion1 when ,whitefield was about to sail for ,america1 he sent for ,kinsman to ,london1 and on his arrival dined with his distinguished friend at the ,tabernacle house4 ,after dinner there was a violent storm of thunder and lightning4 ,as they stood at the window looking out on the raging elements1 ,mr4 ,kinsman1 supposing a young clergyman who had dined with them1 and who now stood by his side1 to be a pious man1 familiarly put his hand on his shoulder1 and with great cheerfulness and energy repeated the lines of ,dr4 ,watts3 ,the ,god who rules on high1 ,and thunders when he please2 ,who rides upon the stormy sky1 ,and manages the seas-- ,this awful ,god is ours1 ,our ,father1 and our love6 ,the words so appropriately introduced1 and so emphatically spoken1 made a deep impression on the mind of the young clergyman1 and gave rise to a conversation which1 by the blessing of ,god1 led to his conversion4 ,at the ,tabernacle in ,london1 the ministry of ,mr4 ,kinsman was greatly distinguished for its excellence and success1 and he thought himself highly honored in preaching the first sermon delivered from the pulpit of the present ,tabernacle4 ,his musical voice1 his lively and pathetic address1 and the richness of the evangelical truths he proclaimed1 brought numbers of all classes of society to hear him4 ,among them was ,shuter1 the comedian1 to whom we shall again refer as a hearer of ,whitefield1 and who years afterwards1 in an interview with ,kinsman1 drew a striking contrast between their professions1 and bitterly lamented that he had not cordially embraced religion1 when his conscience was impressed under the preaching of the great evangelist4 ,but we must not stay longer to speak of ,kinsman2 suffice it to say that he founded1 in addition to ,plymouth1 a new church three miles from thence1 at a place now called ,devonport1 and labored with energy and holy success till the sixty-ninth year of his age1 when he died in triumph1 ,february #bh1 #agic4 ,of such a man it was truly said1 that for ,whitefield he retained the most filial affection to his dying day2 and frequently travelled with1 and consulted him as a father upon all his religious concerns4 ,in ,march ,whitefield returned to ,london1 where the feeble state of his health made him feel weary even in his success4 ,he says1 ,i have seen enough of popularity to be sick of it1 and did not the interest of my blessed ,master require my appearing in public1 the world should hear but little of me henceforward4 ,yet his zeal abated not4 ,i dread the thoughts of flagging in the latter stages of my road1 is an expression often used in his letters to his friends4 ,he thought that preaching and travelling contributed to his health4 ,in a letter to ,hervey1 he says1 ,fear not your weak body1 we are immortal till our work is done4 ,christ's laborers must live by miracle2 if not1 ,i must not live at all1 for ,god only knows what ,i daily endure4 ,my continual vomitings almost kill me1 and yet the pulpit is my cure2 so that my friends begin to pity me less1 and to leave off that ungrateful caution1 ',spare thyself4' ,i speak this to encourage you4 ,all this ,whitefield meant4 ,hence in ,may we find him preaching at ,portsmouth daily1 for more than a week1 to very large and attentive auditories2 where was shown another remarkable instance of the power which attended his preaching1 for many who a few days before were speaking all manner of evil against him1 were very desirous of his longer stay to preach the gospel among them4 ,from ,bristol1 ,june #bd1 he writes1 ,yesterday ,god brought me here1 after a circuit of about eight hundred miles1 and enabled me to preach to1 ,i suppose1 upwards of a hundred thousand souls4 ,i have been in eight ,welsh counties1 and ,i think we have not had one dry meeting4 ,the work in ,wales is much upon the advance1 and likely to increase daily4 ,whitefield returned to ,london to welcome his wife home from the ,bermuda ,islands4 ,from her he learned that there his character had been aspersed by one of the clergy2 but while he grieved over the fact1 he said1 ,i am content to wait till the day of judgment for the clearing up of my character2 and after ,i am dead1 ,i desire no other epitaph than this1 ',here lies ,george ,whitefield4 ,what sort of a man he was1 the great day will discover4' ,in the midst of his sorrows1 ,whitefield was comforted by a visit from two ,german ministers1 who had been laboring among the ,jews with apparently happy results4 ,he found also several of the peeresses1 and others of the great1 cordially disposed to receive him2 and shortly afterwards was visited by ,mr4 ,grimshaw1 a clergyman from ,yorkshire1 for whom in ,september he went to preach4 ,thousands in the village of ,haworth attended his preaching1 even ten thousand at a time1 and a thousand communicants approached the table of the ,lord4 ,at ,leeds also he preached1 at the invitation of ,mr4 ,wesley's people1 to ten thousand persons1 and ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley himself introduced him to the pulpit at ,newcastle-upon-,tyne4 ,in the north of ,england the visits of ,mr4 ,whitefield were always looked for with intense interest4 ,in one of his letters1 he thus describes the state of things there in ,august1 #agef3 ,it is now a fortnight since ,i came to ,leeds1 in and about which ,i preached eight days successively1 three times almost every day1 to thronged and affected auditories4 ,on ,sunday last at ,bradford1 in the morning1 the audience consisted of above ten thousand2 at noon1 and in the evening1 at ,birstal1 of nearly double that number4 ,though hoarse1 ,i was able to speak so that they all heard4 ,these hallowed services were often spoken of by the late ,rev4 ,dr4 ,john ,fawcett1 for more than half a century an eminent ,baptist minister of that neighborhood1 to whose soul they proved a rich blessing4 ,after having heard ,whitefield at ,bradford in the morning1 he followed him to ,birstal1 where a platform was erected at the foot of a hill adjoining the town1 whence ,mr4 ,whitefield addressed an immense concourse of people1 not fewer1 it was believed1 than twenty thousand1 who were ranged before him on the declivity in the form of an amphitheatre4 ,i lay1 says ,fawcett1 under the scaffold1 and it appeared as if all his words were addressed to me1 and as if he had known my most secret thoughts from ten years of age4 ,as long as life remains1 ,i shall remember both the text and the sermon4 ,accustomed as he was to preach to large and promiscuous multitudes1 when he looked on this vast assemblage1 and was about to mount the temporary stage1 he expressed to his surrounding friends a considerable feeling of timidity2 but when he began to speak1 an unusual solemnity pervaded the assembly1 and thousands1 in the course of the sermon1 as was often the fact1 gave vent to their emotions by tears and groans4 ,fools who came to mock1 began to pray1 and to cry out1 ,what must we do to be saved8 ,mr4 ,shirley1 in giving an account of this same service1 tells us that not only the field1 but the woodlands about it1 were covered with crowds collected from different parts4 ,an unusual solemnity pervaded this vast multitude1 and at the close of the service the one hundredth psalm was sung1 and concluded with ,mr4 ,grimshaw's favorite doxology1 ',praise ,god1 from whom all blessings flow4' ,the volume of sound produced by the united voices of thousands1 while it rechoed through the vale below1 had such an effect as no language can describe4 ,mr4 ,grimshaw was a very remarkable clergyman connected with the church of ,england1 though found fault with on account of his irregularity4 ,he studied at ,cambridge for the ministry before he was acquainted with the reality of true religion4 ,his conversion was very striking2 after which he became a remarkably faithful and pungent preacher4 ,he settled at ,haworth1 in ,yorkshire1 where ,mr4 ,whitefield visited him4 ,in one of the services held by ,mr4 ,whitefield in ,yorkshire1 a deep solemnity was created by providential circumstances4 ,he had mounted the temporary scaffold to address the thousands before him4 ,casting a look over the multitude1 he elevated his hands1 and in an energetic manner implored the divine presence and blessing4 ,with a solemnity peculiarly his own1 he then announced his text1 ,it is appointed unto men once to die1 but after this the judgment4 ,heb4 #aa3bg4 ,after a short pause1 as he was about to proceed1 a wild1 terrifying shriek issued from the centre of the congregation4 ,a momentary alarm and confusion ensued4 ,mr4 ,whitefield waited to ascertain the cause1 and requested the people to remain still4 ,mr4 ,grimshaw hurried to the spot1 and in a few minutes was seen pressing towards the place where ,mr4 ,whitefield stood4 ,brother ,whitefield1 said he1 manifesting in the strongest manner the intensity of his feelings1 and the ardor of his concern for the salvation of sinners1 you stand among the dead and the dying4 ,an immortal soul has been called into eternity2 the destroying angel is passing over the congregation2 cry aloud1 and spare not4 ,the awful occurrence was speedily announced to the congregation4 ,after the lapse of a few moments1 ,mr4 ,whitefield again announced his text4 ,again a loud and piercing shriek proceeded from the spot near where ,lady ,huntingdon and ,lady ,margaret ,ingham were standing4 ,a thrill of horror seemed to escape from the multitude when it was understood that a second person had fallen a victim to the king of terrors4 ,when the consternation had somewhat subsided1 ,mr4 ,whitefield gave indications of proceeding with the service4 ,the excited feelings of many were wound up to their highest point4 ,all was hushed2 not a sound was to be heard2 and a stillness like the awful silence of death spread over the assembly1 as he proceeded in melting strains to warn the careless1 ,christless sinner to flee from the wrath to come4 ,as winter was now approaching1 ,whitefield felt it important to return to the metropolis4 ,during the tour he had made1 he won to ,christ not a few of those who afterwards laid the foundations of churches now flourishing in the counties of ,lancaster1 ,york1 and ,northumberland4 ,he met1 however1 with so much rude treatment here and there1 as sent him home praying1 ',lord1 give me a pilgrim heart for my pilgrim life4' ,he was now in winter quarters1 but was neither idle nor useless4 ,to use his own words1 ,the glory of the ,lord filled the tabernacle1 and the shout of a king was in the camp1 and that from week to week4 ,thousands1 thousands crowded to hear4 ,every day also he heard of instances of conversion4 ,one of these pleased him greatly4 ,it was that of a boatswain1 who1 before hearing him1 knew no more about divine truth than the whistle he blew on board4 ,he mentions also a boy eleven years of age1 a woman of eighty1 and a baker1 who had been a ,jerusalem sinner1 all of whom bowed before the cross1 and placed their hopes of salvation on ,him who died thereon4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,labors ,,in ,,great ,,britain--,,fourth ,,visit ,,to ,,america--,,new ,,tabernacle ,,in ,,london1 ,,and ,,tabernacle ,,at ,,bristol4 #agej-aged4 ,at the beginning of the year #agej1 ,whitefield was still in ,london4 ,at this time his intended college at ,bethesda occupied much of his attention4 ,he wrote to his friends in every quarter for help4 ,his usual appeal was1 ,we propose having an academy or college at the orphan-house4 ,the house is large1 and will hold a hundred4 ,my heart1 ,i trust1 is larger1 and will hold ten thousand4 ,though in ,london1 his heart was in ,america4 ,he says1 ,ranging seems my province2 and methinks ,i hear a voice behind me saying1 ',this is the way1 walk in it4' ,my heart echoes back1 ',lord1 let thy presence go with me1 and then send me where thou pleasest4' ,in the midst of all1 ,america1 dear ,america1 is not forgotten4 ,i begin to count the days1 and to say to the months1 ',fly fast away1 that ,i may spread the gospel-net once more in dear ,america4' ,be it here mentioned1 that amid the busy scenes of his life1 and while surrounded with the flatteries of the great and noble1 ,whitefield did not forget the duties he owed to his mother4 ,a person whom he had employed to obtain some comforts for her1 had neglected the duty1 so that the now aged matron might have felt a week's anxiety4 ,he wrote to her1 ,i should never forgive myself1 was ,i1 by negligence or any wrong conduct1 to give you a moment's needless pain4 ,alas1 how little have ,i done for you4 ,christ's care for his mother excites me to wish ,i could do any thing for you4 ,if you would have any thing more brought1 pray write1 honored mother4 99 99 99 ,tomorrow it will be thirty-five years since you brought unworthy me into the world4 ,o that my head were waters1 and mine eyes fountains of tears1 that ,i might bewail my barrenness and unfruitfulness in the church of ,god4 ,while he was now fully engaged in preaching1 and was surrounded with flatteries1 he did not forget his duty to conflict with sin4 ,he writes1 ,i find a love of power sometimes intoxicates even ,god's dear children4 ,it is much easier for me to obey than govern4 ,this makes me fly from that which1 at our first setting out1 we are apt to court4 ,i cannot well buy humility at too dear a rate4 ,dr4 ,philip ,doddridge1 as every reader knows1 was one of the most pious and accomplished preachers and writers of the ,non-conformists of ,england in his day4 ,nor was his missionary zeal small in its degree4 ,though he died as early as #agea1 he had said1 ,i am now intent on having something done among the dissenters1 in a more public manner1 for propagating the gospel abroad1 which lies near my heart4 ,i wish to live to see this design brought into execution1 at least into some forwardness1 and then ,i should die the more cheerfully4 ,it was indeed the passion of his life to promote the interests of evangelical truth1 and save the souls of men4 ,and though1 as his recent eulogist1 the ,rev4 ,john ,stoughton1 has said1 condemned by some1 and suspected by others for so doing1 he took a deep and sympathetic interest in the evangelical labors of ,whitefield4 ,it seems strange in our day to think of ,whitefield being regarded as an enthusiast by orthodox dissenters4 ,yet there were those who did thus regard him4 ,bradbury poured on him streams of wit2 ,barker regarded his sermons as low and coarse2 and another in writing calls him honest1 crazy1 confident ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,but ,doddridge regarded him as far otherwise1 and spoke of him as a flaming servant of ,christ4 ,he prayed on one occasion at the ,tabernacle1 but ,dr4 ,watts was much grieved by it2 and when1 on ,whitefield's visiting ,northampton1 ,doddridge gave him the use of his pulpit1 the managers of the college of which he was president remonstrated with him for so doing4 ,the visit of ,whitefield to ,doddridge was in ,february1 #agej1 where he met with the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,sir ,james ,stonehouse1 and the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,hartley and ,hervey4 ,the latter eminent clergyman thus writes3 ,i have lately seen that most excellent minister of the ever-blessed ,jesus1 ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,i dined1 supped1 and spent the evening with him at ,northampton1 in company with ,dr4 ,doddridge1 and two pious1 ingenious clergymen of the church of ,england1 both of them known to the learned world by their valuable writings4 ,and surely ,i never spent a more delightful evening1 or saw one that seemed to make nearer approaches to the felicity of heaven4 ,a gentleman of great worth and rank in the town invited us to his house1 and gave us an elegant treat2 but how mean was his provision1 how coarse his delicacies1 compared with the fruit of my friend's lips3 they dropped as honey from the honey-comb1 and were a well of life4 ,surely people do not know that amiable and exemplary man1 or else1 ,i cannot but think1 instead of depreciating1 they would applaud and love him4 ,for my part1 ,i never beheld so fair a copy of our ,lord1 such a living image of the ,saviour1 such exalted delight in ,god1 such enlarged benevolence to man1 such a steady faith in the divine promises1 and such a fervent zeal for the divine glory2 and all this without the least moroseness of humor1 or extravagance of behavior1 sweetened with the most engaging cheerfulness of temper1 and regulated by all the sobriety of reason and wisdom of ,scripture2 insomuch that ,i cannot forbear applying the wise man's encomium of an illustrious woman to this eminent minister of the everlasting gospel3 ',many sons have done virtuously1 but thou excellest them all4' ,in the month of ,march1 #agej1 a general alarm had been awakened by earthquakes in ,london1 and fears were excited by pretended prophecies of still greater devastation4 ,these signal judgments of ,jehovah were preceded by great profligacy of manners1 and its fruitful parent1 licentiousness of principle4 ,dr4 ,horne1 afterwards dean of ,canterbury and bishop of ,bristol1 in a sermon preached at the time1 says1 ,as to faith1 is not the doctrine of the ,trinity1 and that of the divinity of our ,lord and ,saviour--without which our redemption is absolutely void1 and we are yet in our sins1 lying under the intolerable burden of the wrath of ,god--blasphemed and ridiculed openly in conversation and in print8 ,and as to righteousness of life1 are not the people of this land dead in trespasses and sins8 ,idleness1 drunkenness1 luxury1 extravagance1 and debauchery2 for these things cometh the wrath of ,god1 and disordered nature proclaims the impending distress and perplexity of nations4 ,and ,oh1 may we of this nation never read a handwriting upon the wall of heaven1 in illuminated capitals of the ,almighty1 ,,mene1 ,,mene1 ,,tekel1 ,,upharsin--,god hath numbered the kingdom1 and finished it4 ,thou art weighed in the balances of heaven1 and found wanting the merits of a rejected ,redeemer1 and therefore the kingdom is divided and given away4 ,the shocks felt in ,london in ,february and ,march of this year1 were far more violent than any remembered for a long series of years4 ,the earth moved throughout the whole cities of ,london and ,westminster4 ,it was a strong and jarring motion1 attended with a rumbling noise like that of thunder4 ,multitudes of persons of every class fled from these cities with the utmost haste1 and others repaired to the fields and open places in the neighborhood4 ,towerhill1 ,moorfields1 and ,hyde ,park were crowded with men1 women1 and children1 who remained a whole night under the most fearful apprehensions4 ,places of worship were filled with persons in the utmost state of alarm4 ,especially was this the case with those attached to ,methodist congregations1 where multitudes came all night1 knocking at the doors1 and for ,god's sake begging admittance4 ,as convulsions of nature are usually regarded by enthusiasts and fanatics as the sure harbinger of its dissolution1 a soldier had a revelation1 that a great part of ,london and ,westminster would be destroyed by an earthquake on a certain night1 between the hours of twelve and one o'clock4 ,believing his assertion1 thousands fled from the city for fear of being suddenly overwhelmed1 and repaired to the fields1 where they continued all night1 in momentary expectation of seeing the prophecy fulfilled2 while thousands of others ran about the streets in the most wild and frantic state of consternation1 apparently quite certain that the day of judgment was about to commence4 ,the whole scene was truly awful4 ,under these circumstances1 the ministers of ,christ preached almost incessantly1 and many were awakened to a sense of their awful condition before ,god1 and to rest their hopes of eternal salvation on the ,rock of ages4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 animated with that burning charity which shone so conspicuously in him1 ventured out at midnight to ,hyde ,park1 where he proclaimed to the affrighted and astonished multitudes that there is a ,saviour1 ,christ the ,lord4 ,the darkness of the night1 and the awful apprehensions of an approaching earthquake1 added much to the solemnity of the scene4 ,the sermon was truly sublime1 and to the ungodly sinner1 the self-righteous pharisee1 and the artful hypocrite1 strikingly terrific4 ,with a pathos which showed the fervor of his soul1 and with a grand majestic voice that commanded attention1 he took occasion from the circumstances of the assembly1 to call their attention to that most important event in which every one will be interested1 the final consummation of all things1 the universal wreck of nature1 the dissolution of earth1 and the eternal sentence of every son and daughter of ,adam4 ,the whole scene was one of a most memorable character4 ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley1 ,mr4 ,romaine1 and others preached in a similar manner1 and with like happy results4 ,at this period1 ,whitefield and his female friends especially1 were the subjects of royal attention at the court of ,george the ,second4 ,it is said that on one occasion ,lady ,chesterfield appeared in a dress with a brown ground and silver flowers1 of foreign manufacture4 ,the king1 smiling significantly1 said to her aloud1 ,i know who chose that gown for you--,mr4 ,whitefield2 ,i hear you have attended on him for a year and a half4 ,her ladyship acknowledged she had done so1 and professed her approbation of his character and ministry2 and afterwards deeply regretted that she had not said more when she had so good an opportunity4 ,whitefield had occasion to wait on the secretary of state1 in company with ,dr4 ,gifford1 a ,baptist pastor in ,london1 to ask relief for some persecuted ,christians in ,ireland1 and was assured that no hurt was designed by the state to the ,methodists4 ,he also renewed his friendship with the ,messrs4 ,wesley1 and several times exchanged pulpits with them4 ,he writes1 ,i have now preached thrice in ,mr4 ,wesley's chapel1 and ,god was with us of a truth4 ,again was our evangelist tired of ,london1 and again had he grown sick for want of field-preaching4 ,accordingly he set out for ,bristol and other parts of the west of ,england2 and although rain and hail pelted him in his field-pulpits1 he preached about twenty times in eight or nine days4 ,as soon as he found himself in his own element1 he saw every thing in his old lights4 ,he says1 ,every thing ,i meet with seems to carry this voice with it3 ',go thou and preach the gospel2 be a pilgrim on earth2 have no party1 or certain dwelling-place4' ,my heart echoes back1 ',lord ,jesus1 help me to do or suffer thy will4 ,when thou seest me in danger of nestling1 in pity1 in tender pity put a thorn in my nest1 to prevent me from it4' ,from ,bristol1 ,whitefield went to ,taunton1 where he met with the ,rev4 ,richard ,pearsall1 an eminent and excellent ,presbyterian minister1 of whom he speaks very highly2 and from thence1 on his way to ,plymouth1 he stayed at ,wellington1 to preach for the ,rev4 ,risdon ,darracott1 who has ever since been distinguished as the star in the west4 ,mr4 ,darracott was the son of a dissenting minister in ,dorsetshire1 where he was born in #agag1 when ,whitefield was three years old4 ,he studied for the ministry under the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,doddridge1 at ,northampton1 and entered on his ministerial course in ,cornwall in #agch1 which situation he was most reluctantly compelled to leave two years afterwards from violent hemorrhage of the lungs4 ,under this alarming visitation he spent about six months with his friends in ,devonshire1 where his fervent-minded father had preached till his death at the age of forty4 ,while here1 he had a call to succeed a venerable minister at ,wellington1 who had recently deceased4 ,he found the congregation small1 and the number of communicants but twenty-eight4 ,his ministry soon drew a large congregation1 many of whom had never before made a profession of religion1 and were first attracted into the town from the neighboring villages out of mere curiosity to hear him4 ,the house of worship was soon insufficient to contain his hearers2 and even when it was enlarged1 many were frequently compelled to stand out of doors1 unable to obtain an entrance4 ,the ,rev4 ,benjamin ,fawcett1 who preached his funeral sermon1 said1 ,i never knew any congregation which appeared to have so many instances of abiding religious impressions2 and added1 ,i have good reason to believe that his ministry was owned to the effectual conversion of many hundreds of souls4 ,the night before the death of this excellent man1 which took place in his forty-second year1 he exclaimed1 ,oh1 what a good ,god have ,i1 in and through ,jesus ,christ4 ,i would praise him1 but my lips cannot4 ,eternity will be too short to speak his praises4 ,the physician coming in1 he said to him1 ,oh1 what a mercy is it to be interested in the atoning blood of ,jesus4 ,i come to the ,lord as a vile sinner1 trusting in the merits and precious blood of my dear ,redeemer4 ,o grace1 grace1 free grace6 ,his last words were1 ,i am going from weeping friends to congratulating angels1 and rejoicing saints in glory4 ,he is coming4 ,oh1 speed thy chariot wheels2 why are they so long in coming8 ,i long to be gone6 ,he left in his church more than two hundred communicants4 ,whitefield and ,darracott were congenial spirits1 and ,darracott1 like his friend1 had suffered much reproach in the cause of his ,master2 he was what ,whitefield called him1 a flaming and successful preacher of the gospel4 ,he had just at this time lost three lovely children4 ,two of them1 says ,whitefield1 had died on the ,saturday evening before the sacrament2 but weeping did not prevent sowing4 ,he preached the next day1 and administered as usual4 ,our ,lord strengthened him2 and for his three natural1 gave him above thirty spiritual children2 and he is likely to have many more4 ,he has ventured his little all for ,christ2 and last week a saint died who left him and his heirs two hundred pounds in land4 ,did ever any one trust in ,god1 and was forsaken8 ,this interview with ,darracott1 and with good old ,mr4 ,pearsall1 who had been a preacher of righteousness before ,whitefield was born1 had an inspiring influence upon him4 ,he says1 ,i began to take the field again at his dwelling for the spring6 ,i begin to begin to spend and be spent for ,him who shed his own dear heart's blood for me4 ,he makes ranging exceedingly pleasant4 ,soon after this1 ,whitefield went again into ,yorkshire4 ,at ,rotherham he says1 ,satan rallied his forces4 ,the crier was employed to give notice of a bear-baiting4 ,you may guess who was the bear6 ,however1 ,i preached twice4 ,the drum was heard1 and several watermen attended with great staves4 ,the constable was struck1 and two of the mobbers apprehended1 but rescued afterwards4 ,sheffield and ,leeds he found to be a new and warmer climate4 ,lancashire1 however1 was still but cold to him4 ,all was quiet at ,manchester1 and he humbly hoped some had enlisted1 but no great impression was then made4 ,at ,bolton1 a drunkard stood up behind him to preach2 and the wife of the man who lent him the field1 twice attempted to stab the workman who put up the stand for him4 ,this roused him1 and he bore down all opposition by a torrent of eloquence1 which quite exhausted him4 ,in the night1 however1 some rude fellows got into the barn and stables where his chaise and horses had been put1 and cut them very shamefully4 ,this conduct he called1 ,satan showing his teeth4 ,to narrate the particulars of this journey would be little more than a repetition of scenes of insult and of success with which the reader has already become familiar4 ,at ,ulverston he says1 ,satan made some small resistance4 ,a clergyman1 who looked more like a butcher than a minister1 came with two others1 and charged a constable with me2 but ,i never saw a poor creature sent off with such disgrace4 ,one of the most remarkable conversions recorded in the history of the church occurred during this journey by the ministry of ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,the full particulars are recorded in the ,life of the ,countess of ,huntingdon1 and can only be briefly mentioned here4 ,in the early period of ,whitefield's ministry1 many of the taverns became places where his doctrines and zeal were talked of and ridiculed4 ,a ,mr4 ,thorpe1 and several other young men in ,yorkshire1 undertook at one of these parties to mimic the preaching of ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,the proposition met with applause2 one after another stood on a table to perform his part1 and it devolved on ,mr4 ,thorpe to close this irreverent scene4 ,much elated1 and confident of success1 he exclaimed1 as he ascended the table1 ,i shall beat you all4 ,who would have supposed that the mercy of ,god was now about to be extended to this transgressor of his law8 ,the ,bible was handed to him2 and by the guidance of unerring ,providence1 it opened at ,luke #ac3c3 ,except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish4 ,the moment he read the text his mind was impressed in a most extraordinary manner2 he saw clearly the nature and importance of the subject2 and as he afterwards said1 if he ever preached with the assistance of the ,holy ,spirit1 it was at that time4 ,his address produced a feeling of depression in his auditors2 and when he had finished1 he instantly retired to weep over his sins4 ,he soon after became associated with the people of ,god1 and died a successful minister of ,christ1 at ,masborough1 in ,yorkshire1 in #aggf1 about six years after the death of ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,he was the father of the distinguished ,rev4 ,william ,thorpe1 of ,bristol4 ,passing on to ,edinburgh1 ,whitefield was1 as usual1 received with the most unfeigned tenderness and joy1 preaching to great multitudes of attentive and serious people1 whose earnest desire to hear him made him exert himself beyond his strength4 ,he says1 ,by preaching always twice1 once thrice1 and once four times in a day1 ,i am quite weakened2 but ,i hope to recruit again4 ,christ's presence makes me smile at pain4 ,he returned to ,london1 having preached about one hundred times1 it was believed to not less than one hundred thousand people4 ,among the occasional hearers of ,whitefield when in ,scotland1 was the celebrated infidel historian1 ,david ,hume4 ,an intimate friend having asked him what he thought of ,mr4 ,whitefield's preaching1 he replied1 ,he is1 sir1 the most ingenious preacher ,i ever heard2 it is worth while to go twenty miles to hear him4 ,he then repeated the following passage1 which occurred towards the close of the discourse he had been hearing4 ,after a solemn pause1 ,mr4 ,whitefield thus addressed his numerous audience3 ',the attendant angel is just about to leave the threshold1 and ascend to heaven4 ,and shall he ascend1 and not bear with him the news of one sinner1 among all this multitude1 reclaimed from the error of his ways8' ,to give the greater effect to this exclamation1 he stamped with his foot1 lifted up his eyes and hands to heaven1 and with gushing tears cried aloud1 ',stop1 ,gabriel6 stop1 ,gabriel6 stop1 ere you enter the sacred portals1 and yet carry with you the news of one sinner converted to ,god4' ,he then1 in the most simple but energetic language1 described what he called a ,saviour's dying love to sinful man1 so that almost the whole assembly melted into tears4 ,this address was accompanied with such animated1 yet natural action1 that it surpassed any thing ,i ever saw or heard in any other preacher4 ,in the summer of #agea1 ,whitefield paid a second visit to ,ireland1 and was most hospitably received in ,dublin by a respectable and opulent gentleman named ,lunell1 who had been brought to ,christ by the first ,methodist itinerant preacher in that city4 ,during this excursion1 ,whitefield preached about eighty sermons1 fourteen of them in ,dublin1 and seven in ,limerick4 ,his hearers in ,dublin organized themselves into a public society1 which does not seem to have met his approbation4 ,he says1 ,this morning ,i have been talking with dear ,mr4 ,adams1 and can not help thinking that you have run before the ,lord1 in forming yourselves into a public society as you have done4 ,i am sincere when ,i profess that ,i do not choose to set myself at the head of any party4 ,when ,i came to ,ireland1 my intention was to preach the gospel to all2 and if it should ever please the ,lord of all lords to send me thither again1 ,i purpose to pursue the same plan4 ,for ,i am a debtor to all of every denomination1 and have no design1 if ,i know any thing of this desperately wicked and deceitful heart1 but to promote the common salvation of mankind4 ,the love of ,christ constrains me to this4 ,during this visit1 ,whitefield a few times ventured out of the city to ,oxmantown-green1 then a large open place1 situated near the royal barracks1 where the ,ormond and ,liberty boys1 two factions among the lowest class of the people1 generally assembled on the ,sabbath to fight with each other4 ,the congregations at first were very numerous1 and deeply affected1 nor did any disturbance occur4 ,thus encouraged1 the preacher ventured again1 and gave notice of his intention to resume his labors4 ,he went through the barracks1 the door of which opened into the green1 and pitched his tent near the barrack walls1 not doubting of the protection1 or at least of the interposition of the officers and soldiers1 if there should be occasion for it4 ,the multitude in attendance was indeed vast4 ,after singing and prayer1 ,whitefield preached without molestation1 except that now and then a few stones and clods of dirt were thrown at him4 ,it being war-time1 he took occasion to exhort his hearers1 as was his usual practice1 not only to fear ,god1 but to honor the king2 and prayed for the success of the king of ,prussia4 ,when the service was over1 he thought to return home by the way he came1 but1 to his great surprise1 a passage through the barracks was denied2 and he was compelled to pass from one end of the green to the other1 through thousands of ,roman-catholics4 ,he was unattended2 for a soldier and four preachers who came with him had fled from the scene of danger1 and he was seriously attacked by the mob4 ,they threw vollies of stones upon him from all quarters1 and he reeled backwards and forwards till he was almost breathless and covered with blood4 ,at length1 with great difficulty he staggered to the door of a minister's house near the green1 which was kindly opened to him4 ,for a while he continued speechless1 and panting for breath2 but his weeping friends having given him a cordial1 and washed his wounds1 a coach was procured1 in which1 amidst the oaths1 imprecations1 and threatenings of the rabble1 he got safe home1 and united in a hymn of thanksgiving with his friends4 ,in a letter written to a friend soon after this event1 he says1 ,i received many blows and wounds2 one was particularly large1 and near my temple3 ,i thought of ,stephen1 and was in hopes1 like him1 to go off in this bloody triumph to the immediate presence of my ,master4 ,unpromising1 however1 as things were in ,ireland1 the labors of ,whitefield1 followed as they were by those of the ,wesleys1 became the foundation of a number of ,christian societies that proved vast blessings to ,ireland2 and some of them grew into large churches1 which continue to flourish till this day4 ,the society to which reference has been made1 which assembled in ,skinner's alley1 secured ministerial aid from the late ,rev4 ,john ,edwards1 who was one of ,whitefield's converts1 and among the earliest preachers at the ,tabernacle in ,london2 and who also itinerated over nearly the whole of ,england1 ,scotland1 and ,ireland4 ,the period was one of great persecution1 and this good man had several remarkable preservations from death4 ,at one time1 while he resided in ,dublin1 he was returning from preaching at a village1 when he was seized by a party of rude fellows1 who declared they would throw him over the bridge into the ,liffey4 ,this was observed by an opposite political party1 residing on the other side of the river1 who encountered his assailants1 and rescued him out of their hands1 saying he lived on their side the river1 and none should hurt him4 ,at another time1 having preached out of doors1 a furious mob of the ,white-boys1 a political party so called1 beset the house in which he was1 and threatened to burn it to the ground1 unless he was driven out of it4 ,his anxious friends could see but one way for his escape1 which was through a window that opened into a garden belonging to a justice of the peace1 who was himself a violent persecutor of the ,methodists4 ,through this window ,mr4 ,edwards was1 like the apostle ,paul1 let down in a basket4 ,here he stood some time in great consternation1 fearing the family might observe him1 and charge him with breaking into the garden for improper purposes1 and so both religion and himself would be injured4 ,at length he ventured to knock at the door1 and asked for the magistrate1 to whom he ingenuously stated the facts1 and who most generously protected and extended to him the hospitalities of his house for two days4 ,one fact more must be told of this excellent man4 ,he resolved to visit a town to which had removed a number of soldiers who had received benefit from his ministry4 ,he was met1 however1 by some of these pious men1 who told him that the inhabitants were determined to take his life4 ,edwards was not to be dissuaded from his purpose2 and on his arrival he immediately preached in the street1 and several distinguished persons1 including the mayor of the town1 came to hear him1 and by their influence prevented disturbance4 ,after the service1 the mayor invited him to breakfast with several of the principal inhabitants1 and told him they were very glad he was come--that the people were extremely dissolute in their manners1 and the clergy1 both ,protestants and ,catholics1 exceedingly remiss in their duty1 and they hoped the ,methodists would succeed in reforming the town4 ,these gentlemen subscribed to the support of stated preaching1 and extensive and lasting good was done4 ,amid ,whitefield's innumerable engagements and declining health1 ,bethesda and his beloved ,america could not be forgotten4 ,while he was at ,glasgow during this summer of #agea1 he was greatly delighted to hear that ,mr4 ,dinwiddie1 brother-in-law to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,m',culloch1 of ,cambuslang1 was appointed governor of ,virginia4 ,the gospel had been much opposed there1 and he thought the appointment now made would greatly tend to check persecution4 ,whitefield1 as it appears to us1 now very suddenly determined on another voyage to ,america4 ,he arrived in ,london from ,edinburgh in the early part of ,august1 with improved health1 the country air having healed his hemorrhage4 ,he took a hasty leave of his friends1 and set sail for ,georgia1 in the ,antelope1 ,captain ,m',lellan1 taking several orphans with him4 ,he arrived at ,savannah ,oct4 #bg1 and had the happiness of finding the orphan-house in a prosperous condition4 ,here1 however1 he did not stay long2 as in ,november we hear of him in his usual labors1 and with his usual ardor engaged in his constant work of preaching4 ,having formerly suffered much from the climate of ,america in the summer1 he determined again to embark for ,london1 which he did in ,april4 ,we can scarcely trace his object in this journey to and from ,america1 except in some designs of the government to place ,georgia on a new footing4 ,in ,june1 #ageb1 ,mr4 ,whitefield was found in the society of the ,countess of ,huntingdon at ,bath1 where he continued about three weeks1 preaching every evening to great numbers of the nobility4 ,here he became acquainted with ,mrs4 ,grinfield1 a lady who attended on the person of ,queen ,caroline4 ,one of ,csar's household1 he writes1 hath been lately awakened1 through her ladyship's instrumentality1 and ,i hope others will meet with the like blessing4 ,he afterwards visited her at the palace of ,st4 ,james1 and says1 ,the court1 ,i believe1 rings of her1 and if she stands1 ,i trust she will make a glorious martyr for her blessed ,lord4 ,the ,moravians1 or ,united ,brethren1 were at one period on terms of very cordial friendship with the ,messrs4 ,wesley and ,whitefield4 ,at the time of which we are writing1 a series of strange absurdities1 resembling the adoration of saints and other superstitions of popery1 developed themselves among members of that body1 at the head of which then stood ,count ,zinzendorf1 to whom ,whitefield wrote an urgent remonstrance on the subject4 ,an open separation took place1 and ,mrs4 ,grinfield1 the ,rev4 ,john ,cennick1 and some others1 adhered to the count1 while ,whitefield and ,lady ,huntingdon endeavored to bring him back to what they believed the simplicity of the gospel4 ,lady ,huntingdon1 speaking of her final interview with him1 says1 ,our conference was long1 and as the count honored me with his company for a few days1 was resumed at intervals1 always closing with a solemn scriptural prayer to our great and glorious ,head1 for the illuminating influences of his ,spirit to guide us into all truth4 ,we parted with the utmost cordiality4 ,dear ,mr4 ,whitefield's letter1 says ,lady ,huntingdon1 has much grieved the count4 ,but his remonstrance is faithful1 and the awful exposures he has reluctantly been forced to make1 may be productive of the highest good in opening the eyes of many to the miserable delusions under which they lie4 ,a correspondence1 indeed we may say friendship1 had for years existed between ,whitefield and the eminent philosopher ,dr4 ,benjamin ,franklin4 ,the following1 from a letter of ,whitefield1 ,august #ag1 #ageb1 shows his fidelity to the eminent citizen and statesman3 ,i find you grow more and more famous in the learned world4 ,as you have made a pretty considerable progress in the mysteries of electricity1 ,i would now humbly recommend to your diligent1 unprejudiced pursuit and study1 the mystery of the new birth4 ,it is a most important1 interesting study1 and when mastered1 will richly answer and repay you for all your pains4 ,one1 at whose bar we are shortly to appear1 hath solemnly declared that1 without it1 we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven4 ,you will excuse this freedom4 ,i must have aliquid ,christi--something of ,christ1 in all my letters4 ,this honest letter ought to have delighted the philosopher in his closet1 even more than the eulogium he heard while standing behind the bar of the ,house of ,lords1 when ,earl ,chatham said of him1 ,franklin is one whom ,europe holds in high estimation for his knowledge and wisdom2 one who is an honor1 not to the ,english nation only1 but to human nature4 ,in the course of the summer of #ageb1 and the following one1 ,whitefield visited ,scotland twice1 and preached much also throughout ,england and ,wales4 ,as usual1 he greatly rejoiced in the presence and service of ,god1 and never appears to have been more happy than in this period of his life4 ,since ,i left ,newcastle1 he writes1 ,i have scarcely known sometimes whether ,i have been in heaven or on earth4 ,thousands and thousands flock twice or thrice a day to hear the word of life4 ,god favors us with weather1 and ,i would fain make hay while the sun shines4 ,oh that ,i had as many tongues as there are hairs in my head4 ,the ever-loving1 ever-lovely ,jesus should have them all4 ,fain would ,i die preaching4 ,about this period also1 ,mr4 ,hervey and he were employed in revising each other's manuscripts2 the former was then preparing his ,theron and ,aspasio1 a work which1 though florid in its style1 has been eminently useful in conducting many of its readers to a saving knowledge of the doctrines of the gospel4 ,of his friend's writings ,mr4 ,whitefield says1 ,for me to play the critic on them1 would be like holding up a candle to the sun4 ,however1 ,i will just mark a few places1 as you desire4 ,i foretell their fate2 nothing but your scenery can screen you4 ,self will never bear to die1 though slain in so genteel a manner1 without showing some resentment against its artful murderer4444 ,i thank you a thousand times for the trouble you have been at in revising my poor compositions1 which ,i am afraid you have not treated with a becoming severity4 ,how many pardons shall ,i ask for mangling1 and1 ,i fear1 murdering your ',theron and ,aspasio8' ,if you think my two sermons will do for the public1 pray return them immediately4 ,i have nothing to comfort me but this1 that the ,lord chooses the weak things of this world to confound the strong1 and things that are not1 to bring to naught things that are4 ,i write for the poor2 you for the polite and noble4 ,god will assuredly own and bless what you write4 ,whitefield was now also very busy in erecting his second ,london ,tabernacle1 which he dedicated1 ,june #aj1 #agec4 ,we have1 for the sake of completing the narrative of its first building1 already given in our third chapter a statement of the second tabernacle1 to which the reader is referred4 ,both the judgment and inclination of ,mr4 ,whitefield concurred to induce him to persevere in his itinerant course1 correctly judging that in this way he best employed his peculiar talents4 ,after preaching1 therefore1 with his usual fervor and success for a short time in his newly erected ,tabernacle1 he again set out towards ,scotland1 where he spent some days at ,edinburgh and ,glasgow1 and preached generally twice1 sometimes three times a day1 and once five times4 ,he says1 ,attention sat upon all faces1 and friends came round like bees1 importuning me to stay another week4 ,this he found too much for his strength1 but still went forward1 often expressing his desire to serve his divine ,master to the utmost limit of his power1 and his hopes to be with him soon in heaven4 ,during this journey1 including his return to ,london1 where he arrived the latter end of ,september1 he travelled about twelve hundred miles1 and preached one hundred and eighty times1 to many thousands of hearers4 ,as converts increased in ,bristol and its neighborhood1 ,mr4 ,whitefield felt compelled to erect there also a tabernacle4 ,lady ,huntingdon was one of the earliest contributors to this important object1 and through her influence ,lord ,chesterfield gave twenty pounds to it4 ,he had no taste for religion1 but he well understood oratory1 and in his letter to ,lady ,huntingdon covering his remittance1 he said1 ,mr4 ,whitefield's eloquence is unrivalled1 his zeal inexhaustible4 ,the ,earl of ,bath sent fifty pounds1 saying1 ,mocked and reviled as ,mr4 ,whitefield is by all ranks of society1 still1 ,i contend that the day will come when ,england will be just1 and own his greatness as a reformer1 and his goodness as a minister of the most high ,god4 ,the ,tabernacle at ,bristol was dedicated ,november #be1 #agec1 with a sermon from ,whitefield4 ,its history is one of deep interest4 ,its early ministers were worthy of any age1 but remarkably fitted for that in which their lot was cast2 men of pith and power1 undismayed at dangers1 braving all kinds of difficulty and toil1 and prepared equally for labor and sufferings in the cause of their great ,master4 ,nor have later ministers dishonored their predecessors2 the cause still flourishes1 and the hallowed house has been the birthplace of many eminent ,christians4 ,what ,whitefield then said of this house might often be said of it now3 ,it is large1 but not half large enough2 for if the place could contain them1 nearly as many would attend as in ,london4 ,he always delighted in his visits to this place1 and laid here a foundation for vast benefits1 even to the present day4 ,on one of his visits to preach here1 he began a series of sermons on the evening before the commencement of the fair4 ,his text was1 ,ho1 every one that thirsteth1 come ye to the waters2 and he that hath no money1 come ye1 buy and eat2 yea1 come buy wine and milk without money1 and without price4 ,isa4 #ee3a4 ,the congregation was large1 and thus he began3 ,my dear hearers1 ,i fear that many of you are come to attend ,bristol fair4 ,so am ,i4 ,you do not mean to show your goods until to-morrow2 but ,i shall exhibit mine to-night4 ,you are afraid purchasers will not come up to your price2 but ,i am afraid my buyers will not come down to mine2 for mine1 striking his hand on the ,bible1 are 'without money1 and without price4' ,after the dedication of this ,bristol ,tabernacle1 ,whitefield preached in the open air in various parts of ,somersetshire1 at seven o'clock at night4 ,my hands and body1 says he1 were pierced with cold2 but what are outward things1 when the soul is warmed with the love of ,god8 ,the stars shone with exceeding brightness2 by an eye of faith ,i saw ,him who 'calleth them all by their names4' ,my soul was filled with a holy ambition1 and ,i longed to be one of those who 'shall shine as the stars for ever and ever4' ,at this time he had a fine opportunity to show his ,christian attachment to his old friends4 ,mr4 ,john ,wesley had1 by a series of extraordinary labors1 brought his life into great danger1 and ,whitefield1 hearing of this while at ,bristol1 wrote a sympathizing letter to his brother ,charles1 in which he prays for the descending garment of ,elijah to rest on the surviving ,elisha1 and encloses an ardent and solemn farewell to the invalid1 who was supposed to be dying4 ,he says1 ,the news and prospect of your approaching dissolution have quite weighed me down4 ,i pity myself and the church1 but not you4 ,a radiant throne awaits you1 and ere long you will enter into your ,master's joy4 ,yonder he stands with a massy crown1 ready to put it on your head1 amidst an admiring throng of saints and angels4 ,but ,i1 poor ,i1 that have been waiting for my dissolution these nineteen years1 must be left behind to grovel here below4 ,well1 this is my comfort1 it cannot be long ere the chariots will be sent even for worthless me4 ,if prayers can detain you1 even you1 reverend and very dear sir1 shall not leave us yet4 ,but if the decree is gone forth that you must now sleep in ,jesus1 may he kiss your soul away1 and give you to die in the embraces of triumphant love4 ,if in the land of the living1 ,i hope to pay my best respects to you next week4 ,if not1 reverend and dear sir1 farewell4 ,he had soon the satisfaction of witnessing the recovery of his friend1 who was to survive him more than twenty years4 ,we have already intimated that ,whitefield used his influence in ,scotland in favor of the ,new ,jersey college1 located at ,princeton4 ,in accordance with his advice1 the friends of the college in this country sent over the ,rev4 ,samuel ,davies1 afterwards president of the college1 and the ,rev4 ,gilbert ,tennent1 to promote its interests in the ,british islands4 ,a few extracts from the manuscript diary of ,davies1 with the use of which we have been favored for this volume1 will show the readiness of ,whitefield to labor1 or to be nothing1 so that the cause of ,christ might be advanced4 ,the deputation arrived in ,england in the closing month of #agec1 and thus writes ,davies3 ,wednesday1 ,december #bf4 ,mr4 ,whitefield having sent us an invitation last night to make his house our home during our stay here1 we were perplexed what to do1 lest we should blast the success of our mission among the dissenters1 who are generally disaffected to him4 ,we at length concluded1 with the advice of our friends and his1 that a public intercourse with him would be imprudent1 in our present situation1 and visited him privately this evening2 and the kind reception he gave us revived dear ,mr4 ,tennent4 ,he spoke in the most encouraging manner as to the success of our mission4 ,and in all his conversation discovered so much zeal and candor1 that ,i could not but admire the man as the wonder of the age4 ,when we returned1 ,mr4 ,tennent's heart was all on fire1 and after we had gone to bed1 he suggested that we should watch and pray2 and we rose and prayed together till about three o'clock in the morning4 ,jan4 #a4 ,went in the evening to hear ,mr4 ,whitefield in the ,tabernacle1 a large1 spacious building4 ,the assembly was very numerous1 though not equal to what is common4 ,he preached on the parable of the barren fig-tree2 and though the discourse was incoherent1 yet it seemed to me better calculated to do good to mankind than all the accurate1 languid discourses ,i ever heard4 ,after sermon ,i enjoyed his pleasing conversation at his house4 ,it would seem that ,messrs4 ,davies and ,tennent had their trials1 as well as their encouragements4 ,writing ,jan4 #ad1 ,mr4 ,davies says1 ,spent an hour with ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,he thinks we have not taken the best method in endeavoring to keep in with all parties1 but should 'come out boldly1' as he expressed it1 which would secure the affections of the pious people1 from whom we might expect the most generous contributions4 ,on the evening after this1 they dined with ,whitefield at the house of a common friend1 and he rejoiced in the abundant success they afterwards met with from nearly all parties4 ,jan4 #be4 ,dined with ,mr4 ,bradbury1 who has been in the ministry about fifty-seven years4 ,he read us some letters which passed between ,mr4 ,whitefield and him1 anno #agda2 occasioned by ,mr4 ,whitefield's reproving him in a letter for singing a song in a tavern1 in a large company1 in praise of old ,english beef4 ,the old gentleman sung it to us1 and we found it was partly composed by himself1 in the high-flying days of ,queen ,anne4 ,he is a man of a singular turn1 which would be offensive to the greatest number of serious people2 but for my part ,i could say1 ',i knew 'twas his peculiar whim1 ,nor took it ill1 as't came from him4' ,in ,march1 #aged1 ,whitefield1 in company with twenty-two poor destitute children1 sailed the fifth time for ,america4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,fifth ,,visit ,,to ,,america--,,renewed ,,labors ,,in ,,great ,,britain--,,tottenham-,,court-,,road ,,chapel4 #aged-agfc4 ,on this voyage to ,america1 ,whitefield sailed for ,south ,carolina by way of ,lisbon4 ,his health demanded repose2 he thought that seeing ,popery as it is when unrestrained by public opinion1 might be of use to him in his future labors2 and moreover1 he had with him a number of orphans whom he wished comfortably to settle at ,bethesda before he visited the northern provinces4 ,it would be pleasant1 if our limits would allow it1 to furnish the letters he wrote from ,lisbon during nearly four weeks1 but a few sentences must suffice3 ,this leaves me an inhabitant of ,lisbon4 ,we have now been here almost a week1 and ,i suppose shall stay a fortnight longer4 ,a reputable merchant has received me into his house1 and every day shows me the ecclesiastical curiosities of the country4 ,o1 my dear friend1 bless the ,lord of all lords1 for causing your lot to be cast in such a fair ground as ,england1 and giving you such a goodly heritage4 ,it is impossible to be sufficiently thankful for civil and religious liberty1 for simplicity of worship1 and powerful preaching of the word of ,god4 ,o for simplicity of manners1 and a correspondent behavior4 ,the air agrees with my poor constitution extremely well4 ,through divine assistance2 ,i hope what ,i see will also improve my better part1 and help to qualify me better for preaching the everlasting gospel4 ,in another letter he writes1 ,never did civil and religious liberty appear to me in so amiable a light as now4 ,what a spirit must ,martin ,luther and the first reformers be endued with1 that dared to appear as they did for ,god4 ,lord1 hasten that blessed time when others1 excited by the same spirit1 shall perform like wonders4 ,oh1 happy ,england6 ,oh1 happy ,methodists1 who are ,methodists indeed6 ,and all ,i account such1 who1 being dead to sects and parties1 aim at nothing else but as holy a method of living to1 and dying in the blessed ,jesus4 ,he was heartily glad to get away from ,popish processions and superstitious rites1 and again to visit his dear ,america4 ,our evangelist arrived with his orphans at ,beaufort1 in ,south ,carolina1 ,may #bg1 #aged1 greatly improved in health1 with a heart burning with love and zeal for his ,lord and ,master4 ,he says1 with his usual energy1 ,oh that ,i may at length learn to begin to live4 ,i am ashamed of my sloth and lukewarmness1 and long to be on the stretch for ,god4 ,his family now consisted1 black and white1 of one hundred and six members1 all dependent on his personal efforts and influence4 ,he regarded his charge as a stewardship for ,god1 and collected accordingly1 nothing doubting4 ,it was now summer1 and besides the oppressive heat1 great thunders1 violent lightnings1 and heavy rains frequently beat upon him as he journeyed from place to place4 ,his health improved1 and his spirits rose as he advanced on his journey4 ,at ,charleston1 and elsewhere1 his labors were received with the same degree of acceptance as formerly1 and he was much encouraged by the conversion of a clergyman1 a faithful successor to ,mr4 ,smith of the city just named1 and the first student sent forth from ,bethesda4 ,he arrived at ,new ,york1 by water1 ,july #bg1 and divided his labors between that city and ,philadelphia almost entirely for nearly two months4 ,in the latter city1 he tells us1 he was seized with violent cholera morbus1 and brought to the gates of death4 ,to use his own words1 he had all his cables out1 ready to cast anchor within the port of eternity2 but he was soon at sea again1 although only able to preach once a day for some time4 ,everywhere1 he says1 a divine power accompanied the word1 prejudices were removed1 and a more effectual door opened than ever for preaching the gospel4 ,when he looked at the glorious range for hunting in the ,american woods1 he was at a loss on which hand to turn4444 ,affection1 intense affection cries aloud1 ,away to ,new ,england1 dear ,new ,england1 immediately4 ,providence1 and the circumstances of the southern provinces1 point directly to ,virginia4 ,while thus undecided1 he visited his old friend ,governor ,belcher1 then governor of ,new ,jersey1 and residing at ,elizabeth town4 ,he found the good old man ripening for heaven1 willing to depart and to be with ,christ4 ,at this time the commencement of ,new ,jersey college was held1 and as a mark of their respect1 the president and trustees conferred on him the honorary degree of master of arts4 ,the meeting of the synod immediately followed1 respecting which body he says1 ,i was much refreshed with the company of the whole synod2 such a number of simple-hearted1 united ministers ,i never saw before4 ,i preached to them several times1 and the great ,master of assemblies was in the midst of us4 ,influenced by what he saw and heard in ,new ,jersey1 ,whitefield determined to go to ,new ,england1 and to return from thence by ,virginia to ,georgia1 and made his arrangements accordingly2 it would comprise a circuit of more than two thousand miles1 but he said1 ,the ,redeemer's strength will be more than sufficient4 ,it has been thought that it was during this visit of ,whitefield to ,new ,jersey1 and probably at the table of ,governor ,belcher1 that he dined in company with a number of ministers1 and held the often-reported conversation with ,father ,tennent4 ,after dinner1 ,mr4 ,whitefield adverted to the difficulties attending the ,christian ministry2 lamented that all their zeal availed but little2 said that he was weary with the burden of the day2 and declared his great comfort in the thought1 that in a short time his work would be done1 when he should depart and be with ,christ4 ,he then appealed to the ministers1 if it was not their great comfort that they should soon go to rest4 ,they generally assented1 except ,mr4 ,tennent1 who sat next to ,mr4 ,whitefield in silence1 and by his countenance indicated but little pleasure in the conversation4 ,seeing this1 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 gently tapping him on the knee1 said1 ,well1 brother ,tennent1 you are the oldest man among us2 do you not rejoice to think that your time is so near at hand1 when you will be called home8 ,mr4 ,tennent bluntly answered1 ,i have no wish about it4 ,mr4 ,whitefield pressed him again4 ,mr4 ,tennent again answered1 ,no1 sir1 it is no pleasure to me at all2 and if you knew your duty1 it would be none to you4 ,i have nothing to do with death2 my business is to live as long as ,i can1 as well as ,i can1 until ,he shall think proper to call me home4 ,mr4 ,whitefield still urged for an explicit answer to his question1 in case the time of death were left to his own choice4 ,mr4 ,tennent replied1 ,i have no choice about it2 ,i am ,god's servant1 and have engaged to do his business as long as he pleases to continue me therein4 ,but now1 brother1 let me ask you a question4 ,what do you think ,i should say1 if ,i was to send my servant into the field to plough2 and if at noon ,i should go to the field1 and find him lounging under a tree1 and complaining1 ',master1 the sun is very hot1 and the ploughing hard2 ,i am weary of the work you have appointed me1 and am overdone with the heat and burden of the day4 ,do1 master1 let me return home1 and be discharged from this hard service8' ,what should ,i say8 ,why1 that he was a lazy fellow1 and that it was his business to do the work that ,i had appointed him1 until ,i should think fit to call him home4 ,accompanied by ,president ,burr1 ,whitefield set out1 ,october #a1 for ,boston1 and arrived there on the #ith4 ,here he stayed a week1 and saw there1 morning after morning1 three or four thousand people hanging in breathless silence on his lips1 and weeping silent tears4 ,whitefield himself calls it a lovely scene1 and says he never saw a more effectual door opened for the gospel4 ,sinners have been awakened1 saints quickened1 and enemies made at peace with me4 ,grace1 grace6 ,surely my coming here was of ,god4 ,convictions do fasten1 and many souls are comforted4 ,such were the crowds at the early sermons1 that in order to reach the pulpit1 he had to get in at the windows of the churches4 ,in a letter to the ,countess of ,huntingdon1 he wrote1 ,in ,boston1 the tide ran full as high as ever your ladyship knew it at ,edinburgh1 or in any part of ,scotland4 ,while at ,boston1 ,whitefield heard with much pleasure of the appointment of his friend ,habersham as secretary to the new governor of ,georgia1 and wrote to him1 ,i wish you joy of your new honor4 ,may the ,king of kings enable you to discharge your trust as becomes a good patriot1 subject1 and ,christian4 ,you have now a call1 ,i think1 to retire from business1 and to give up your time to the public4 ,our evangelist travelled north as far as ,portsmouth1 in ,new ,hampshire1 generally preaching two or three times a day1 till ,november #g1 when he took his farewell at ,boston1 at four o'clock in the morning4 ,speaking of this journey1 he says1 ,what have ,i seen8 ,dagon falling everywhere before the ark2 enemies silenced1 or made to own the finger of ,god2 and the friends of ,jesus triumphing in his glorious conquests4 ,a hundredth part cannot be told4 ,we had scarcely one dry meeting4 ,when he arrived in the neighborhood of ,portsmouth1 the northern boundary of his journey1 he was overwhelmed with humility as well as joy1 by the large cavalcade which came out to meet and welcome him4 ,he says of them1 ,they were too many2 and of this northern journey1 ,it seems to me the most important one ,i was ever engaged in4 ,of no portion of ,whitefield's life are we so ignorant as of the journey he now made from ,new ,england to the ,south4 ,journal1 letters1 historians1 and newspapers alike fail us4 ,gillies tells us only that from ,boston he proceeded to ,rhode ,island1 and went onward through ,maryland and ,virginia1 with a prospect so pleasing1 that he lamented he had not come sooner4 ,the whole country seemed eager to hear the gospel1 many coming forty or fifty miles1 and a spirit of conviction and consolation appeared in every congregation4 ,prejudices seemed to have fled2 churches were opened to him2 high and low1 rich and poor1 now seemed to think favorably of his ministrations2 and many acknowledged what ,god had done for their souls through his preaching1 when he was there before4 ,it scarcely appears probable that he went from ,rhode ,island to ,maryland by water2 but if he did not1 he must have passed through ,new ,york1 ,new ,jersey1 and ,philadelphia1 and we feel somewhat of surprise that no records of the journey appear to have been preserved4 ,dr4 ,franklin relates a very characteristic anecdote of ,mr4 ,whitefield1 which probably occurred in ,philadelphia or its neighborhood at a period not later than this4 ,the eloquent orator was preaching in an open field1 when a drummer was present1 who was determined to interrupt the preacher1 and rudely beat his drum in a violent manner1 in order to drown his voice4 ,whitefield spoke very loud1 but could not make so much noise as the instrument4 ,he therefore called out to the drummer1 ,friend1 you and ,i serve the two greatest masters existing1 but in different callings4 ,you beat up for volunteers for ,king ,george1 ,i for the ,lord ,jesus3 in ,god's name1 then1 let us not interrupt each other2 the world is wide enough for both1 and we may get recruits in abundance4 ,this speech had such an effect on the drummer1 that he went away in great good-humor1 and left the preacher in full possession of the field4 ,virginia1 alike from the success of his former labors there1 and from the general characteristics of the people1 must have presented a scene of intense interest to ,whitefield at this time4 ,everywhere great preparations were made for his coming1 and large congregations assembled to hear him4 ,it is said1 that on one occasion1 as he was speaking on the banks of one of the rivers of this noble province1 and spoke of the strength of human depravity1 and the insufficiency of the means of grace to convert the sinner without the influence of the ,holy ,spirit3 ,sinners1 said he1 think not that ,i expect to convert a single soul of you by any thing that ,i can say1 without the assistance of ,him who is 'mighty to save4' ,go and stand by that river1 as it moves on its strong and deep current to the ocean1 and bid it stop1 and see if it will obey you4 ,just as soon should ,i expect to stop that river by a word1 as by my preaching to stop that current of sin which is carrying you to perdition4 ,father in heaven1 see6 they are hurried on towards hell2 save them1 or they perish6 ,the impression which this address produced on his hearers was so strong1 that they were ready to respond with trembling1 ,save1 ,lord2 we perish6 ,whitefield must have been highly gratified on reaching ,charleston1 in attending the ordination of the young minister there1 his first student from ,bethesda1 of whom we have already spoken as succeeding ,mr4 ,smith2 and not less would he rejoice that one of the actors at the ,charleston theatre had been snatched as a brand from the burning4 ,though we have not the exact date of his arrival at ,savannah1 we know that he remained there but a very short time4 ,his health again declined1 his former vomitings returned with violence1 and his animal spirits failed with his strength4 ,in ,february1 #agee1 we again find him at ,charleston2 and in the latter end of ,march1 he embarked for ,england1 arriving1 after a comparatively short voyage1 at ,newhaven1 in ,sussex1 ,may the eighth4 ,two strong impressions were made on the mind of ,whitefield as he now looked on his native land4 ,the first was that of grief on account of its condition4 ,nothing less than war with ,france was daily expected1 for the ,french threatened to invade ,britain1 and were constantly making encroachments on her ,american colonies4 ,at this time1 he says1 next to ,jesus ,christ1 my king and my country were upon my heart1 ,i hope ,i shall always think it my duty1 next to inviting sinners to the blessed ,jesus1 to exhort my hearers to resist the first approaches of popish tyranny and arbitrary power4 ,o that we may be enabled to watch and pray against all the opposition of antichrist in our own hearts2 for1 after all1 there lies the most dangerous man of sin4 ,his second feeling was one of holy joy2 for during his absence the preaching of the gospel had been abundantly successful4 ,he writes1 ,glory be to the great ,head of the church6 ,the poor despised ,methodists are as lively as ever2 and in several churches the gospel is now preached with power4 ,many in ,oxford are awakened to the knowledge of the truth2 and ,i have heard almost every week of some fresh minister or another1 who seems 'determined to know nothing but ,jesus ,christ1 and him crucified4' ,at the ,tabernacle in ,london1 as might be expected1 ,whitefield enjoyed what he terms golden seasons2 but by this time not a few of the ,london clergy had begun to preach ,christ with holy fidelity2 and as this was the principal thing he desired1 he says his call to go abroad was still more clear4 ,indeed1 so little did he now esteem ,london as a sphere of labor1 and so much did he regard places by the amount of their destitution1 that he wished at once to return to ,america1 without ranging through ,england or ,scotland4 ,hence he says1 ,methinks ,i could set out for ,america to-morrow1 though ,i have not yet entered upon my country range4 ,but if he loved ,america most1 ,england loved herself more1 and he was drawn again into ,gloucestershire and ,bristol4 ,he went also1 at the request of ,lady ,huntingdon1 to dedicate the new ,tabernacle at ,norwich1 to which we have already referred4 ,at this last place1 he says1 ,august #cj1 #agee1 ,notwithstanding offences have come1 there has been a glorious work begun1 and is now carrying on4 ,the polite and great seem to hear with much attention2 and ,i scarcely ever preached a week together with greater freedom4 ,for a long period the work of ,god abundantly prospered in connection with this ,tabernacle4 ,two years after its dedication1 the ,hon4 and ,rev4 ,walter ,shirley preached some time in it1 and had eight hundred communicants in fellowship1 and he said of them1 ,their experience1 lives1 and conversation are so excellent1 that there is nothing like it in the whole kingdom4 ,on ,whitefield's return to ,london1 there were those who urgently entreated him to engage in a new controversy with the ,messrs4 ,wesley1 some of whose followers had been jealous of his success at ,norwich4 ,he declined1 with his common remark1 ,i have no time for controversy1 and reserved what he had to say till he could see them face to face1 simply writing to assure them that he had no party designs on foot4 ,very soon after this1 he set out for his northern circuit2 and wonderfully indeed did the ,lord grant him success4 ,one thing1 however1 on this journey grieved him4 ,his friends at ,leeds1 without his knowledge1 had built a large church edifice4 ,he saw at once1 that this circumstance would create an awful separation among the societies formed by the ,messrs4 ,wesley and his own friends2 and lost no time in writing to those ministers1 that they might endeavor to prevent a breach4 ,both the plan and the spirit of this undertaking so grieved him1 that he exclaimed1 ,oh this self-love1 this self-will1 is the devil of devils4 ,this he wrote to ,lady ,huntingdon1 a proof that party was not their object2 and it is pleasant to add1 that ,whitefield's fears were groundless4 ,leeds1 even then1 contained population sufficient to fill both houses1 and the whole movement fell out rather to the furtherance of the gospel4 ,during two months he preached twice1 and some days three times1 to greater numbers than ever before1 inviting them to ,christ1 and exhorting them to pray for ,king ,george1 and the dear friends in ,america4 ,he heard at this time1 that the ,american ladies were making the soldiers' coats2 and he immediately wrote to urge his own female friends in the new world to be some of the most active in this labor of love4 ,though ,mr4 ,whitefield stood very high in the esteem of that class of ministers who embraced his views of evangelical truth1 and who approved the plans he pursued for the evangelization of the world1 they never considered him perfect1 nor were some of them backward1 when they deemed it needful1 to reprove him4 ,in a sermon he once preached in ,haworth church1 ,yorkshire1 of which his friend ,grimshaw was the minister1 having spoken severely of those professors of the gospel who1 by their loose and evil conduct1 caused the ways of truth to be evil spoken of1 he intimated his hope1 that it was not necessary to enlarge much on that topic to the congregation before him1 who had so long enjoyed the labors of an able and faithful preacher2 and he was willing to believe that their profiting appeared to all men4 ,this latter expression roused ,mr4 ,grimshaw's spirit1 and notwithstanding his great regard for the preacher1 he stood up and interrupted him1 saying1 with a loud voice1 ,o sir1 for ,god's sake1 do not speak so2 ,i pray you1 do not flatter4 ,i fear the greater part of them are going to hell with their eyes open4 ,notwithstanding the astonishing labors of ,whitefield on this tour1 he returned to ,london apparently in full flesh1 and was congratulated by his friends on his improved appearance4 ,alas1 all this1 as he well knew1 was disease1 which indeed very soon became apparent4 ,he was seized with inflammatory sore throat1 that was followed by quinsy1 assuming an almost fatal aspect4 ,one physician prescribed silence and warmth1 and the preacher promised to be very obedient1 but a few days afterwards1 another recommended a perpetual blister3 this proposal roused him1 and he determined to try his own remedy--perpetual preaching4 ,the remedy itself was painful1 but he said1 ,when this grand catholicon fails1 it is all over with me4 ,at this time the sad news of the earthquake at ,lisbon arrived in ,london2 he was unable to preach on the subject1 but when told of it he said1 ,blessed be ,god1 ,i am ready2 ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth4 ,oh that all in ,portugal had known this6 ,then an earthquake would only be a rumbling chariot to carry the soul to ,god4 ,poor ,lisbon1 how soon are thy riches and superstitious pageantry swallowed up6 ,in the winter of #agee-f1 he was applied to to preach in the vicinity of the two great theatres1 which he began to do in ,long ,acre chapel4 ,disturbances took place1 and the ,bishop of ,london interposed to stop him4 ,in the end he erected ,tottenham ,court-road chapel1 as already detailed in our third chapter4 ,mr4 ,whitefield's ministry in ,london at this time was still successful4 ,thousands hung on his lips with delight1 not a few of whom were won to the service of ,christ4 ,he tells us1 among many similar facts1 of the conversion of a ,mr4 ,crane1 who was afterwards appointed steward of the orphan-house in ,georgia4 ,this gentleman had one evening determined to visit the theatre1 and set out for ,drury-lane2 that house being crowded1 he resolved to go to ,covent-garden2 that also being so full that he could not obtain admittance1 he changed his plan1 and resolved on being entertained with one of ,whitefield's sermons1 and hastened to ,tottenham ,court-road chapel4 ,it pleased ,god to impress the word on his heart1 and he became an eminent ,christian4 ,so truly is the prediction verified1 ,i am found of them who sought me not4 ,during this year he published ,a ,short ,address to ,persons of all ,denominations1 occasioned by an ,alarm of an intended ,invasion4 ,we have examined it1 and not without pleasure4 ,it is a faithful exposure of ,popery and its bitter fruits4 ,it is a charge often preferred against the faithful ministers of ,christ1 by those whose consciences testify to their own guilt1 that they are personal in their remarks1 and mean to censure particular individuals4 ,it is certain that this was often done by ,mr4 ,whitefield1 and sometimes with very happy effect4 ,he once drew1 from the conduct of his female servant1 the picture of a ,christian failing in his duty1 which painfully distressed her1 till he gave her an assurance of his entire forgiveness4 ,nor was this the only time when his hearers were compelled to feel1 he means me4 ,the celebrated comedian1 ,shuter1 had a great personal regard for ,mr4 ,whitefield1 and not unfrequently attended his ministry4 ,at one period of his popularity he was acting in a drama under the character of ,ramble4 ,during the run of the performance1 he attended service at ,tottenham ,court chapel1 and was seated in a pew exactly opposite the pulpit4 ,mr4 ,whitefield on that occasion gave full vent to his feelings1 and in his own energetic manner invited sinners to the ,saviour4 ,while doing this1 fixing his eye full on ,shuter1 he added1 ,and thou1 poor ,ramble1 who hast long rambled from him1 come also4 ,oh1 end your rambling by coming to ,jesus4 ,shuter was exceedingly struck1 and going afterwards to ,whitefield1 he said1 ,i thought ,i should have fainted2 how could you serve me so8 ,in the early part of #agef1 ,whitefield was engaged in ,london1 preaching and collecting for the poor not only at ,bethesda1 but also for the ,french ,protestants4 ,at the ,tabernacle1 a man came up to him in the pulpit1 threatening his life1 and handing him three anonymous letters denouncing sudden and certain death1 unless he ceased to preach and to pursue the offenders by law4 ,one of these letters ,whitefield sent to the government1 who at once offered a reward1 and his majesty's pardon1 to any one who would discover the writer4 ,while this fact gratified1 it also embarrassed him4 ,he wrote to ,lady ,huntingdon1 ,my greatest distress is to act so as to avoid rashness on the one hand1 and timidity on the other4 ,for his own sake1 he would not have cared about the matter2 but looking at it as connected with the cause of civil and religious freedom1 he wisely allowed the law to take its course at the hazard of his own life by assassination4 ,agreeably with the advice of the government1 he carried the whole affair into the court of the ,king's ,bench2 this alarmed the offenders1 and the annoyance ceased4 ,we next find him at ,bristol1 but not to rest1 though the labors and anxieties of the winter and spring had nearly worn out his strength and spirits4 ,here he preached as usual1 and then returned to ,london4 ,during this journey he preached in several places in ,gloucestershire1 his native county1 and in ,bradford1 ,frome1 ,warminster1 and ,portsmouth1 spending about three months in the tour4 ,in the county which gave ,whitefield birth1 is still to be seen a chair on which he often sat1 and on which may be yet read the following lines3 ,if love of souls should e'er be wanting here1 ,remember me1 for ,i am ,whitefield's chair2 ,i bore his weight1 was witness to his fears1 ,his earnest prayers1 his interesting tears4 ,his holy soul was fired with love divine3 ,if thine be such1 sit down and call me thine4 ,a very few weeks passed1 and we find him in ,kent4 ,in a letter written ,july #bg1 after his visit to that county1 he says1 ,the gospel flourishes in ,london4 ,i am just returned from preaching at ,sheerness1 ,chatham1 and in the camp4 ,on the next day he set off towards ,scotland4 ,on ,august #ad1 he writes from ,sunderland1 ,how swiftly doth my precious time pass away6 ,it is now a fortnight since ,i came to ,leeds1 in and about which ,i preached eight days1 thrice almost every day1 to thronged and affected auditories4 ,on ,sunday last at ,bradford1 in the morning1 the auditory consisted of about ten thousand2 at noon and in the evening1 at ,birstal1 to nearly double the number4 ,though hoarse1 ,i was helped to speak so that all heard4 ,next morning ,i took a sorrowful leave of ,leeds1 preached at ,doncaster at noon1 and at ,york the same night4 ,on ,wednesday1 at ,warstall1 about fifty miles off2 on ,thursday1 twice at ,yarm2 and last night and this morning1 here4 ,wherever he labored1 he heard of the good effects of his preaching in those places last year1 and was constantly finding many trophies of redeeming love4 ,such was the effect of the two sermons he preached at ,birstal1 that several hundreds rode eight miles with him in the evening1 singing and praising ,god4 ,in a day or two after this1 we find him at ,edinburgh and ,glasgow1 preaching1 as usual1 to vast crowds1 and with his accustomed success4 ,at the former places especially1 even politicians gave him a cordial welcome1 and thronged to hear him1 while the newspapers applauded him for his spirit-stirring exposures of ,popish tyranny and arbitrary power4 ,he preached twice every day in the ,orphan-hospital park1 and blended with almost every sermon rousing appeals to the ,protestantism1 courage1 and loyalty of the ,scotch4 ,at the close of one of his sermons he pleaded the cause of the poor ,highlanders1 and collected at its close about three hundred dollars4 ,on his way back to ,london1 ,whitefield held a peculiarly solemn and refreshing meeting with his friends at ,leeds2 and after it1 he braced his nerves by a tour of mountain preaching in company with his friend ,grimshaw4 ,but it was now late in ,october1 and as he found these cold countries bringing on his last year's disorder1 and having1 as he significantly says1 grown very prudent1 he returned to ,london1 and dedicated ,tottenham ,court-road church edifice4 ,another errand also had taken him to that city4 ,the new governor of ,georgia had sent for him1 to consult with him before sailing to that colony4 ,whitefield met him1 and was so much delighted with him1 that he wrote off to ,bethesda to prepare them for a state visit4 ,he says1 ,waited upon his excellency1 and gave him1 and all whom he pleases to bring1 an invitation to ,bethesda4 ,dear ,mrs4 ,c---- will make proper provision4 ,he went even farther1 and proposed that the governor1 if possible1 should be received at ,bethesda with military honors4 ,the success of his new house of worship in ,tottenham ,court-road showed the necessity and propriety of its erection on that spot4 ,several persons of distinction came1 and engaged permanent seats2 and the place was often so crowded1 that hundreds were unable to obtain admission4 ,it was now usual with him to preach about fifteen times every week1 which1 with a weak appetite1 want of rest1 and much care upon his mind1 greatly enfeebled him4 ,he writes1 ,but the joy of the ,lord is my strength2 and my greatest grief is1 that ,i can do no more for ,him who hath done and suffered so much for me4 ,in the following year1 #ageg1 ,whitefield planned another journey to ,scotland1 at the time the general assembly of the church was held4 ,before leaving ,london1 he had placed the affairs of his projected college in the hands of ,lord ,halifax1 and he now seems to have hoped that this journey to ,scotland would have promoted that object1 as well as others4 ,it is said1 that about a hundred ministers at a time attended his sermons1 thirty of whom invited him to a public entertainment4 ,lord ,cathcart1 his majesty's commissioner to the assembly1 also invited him to his own table4 ,whitefield says that he preached just fifty times on this visit1 which extended to about a month4 ,from ,scotland he went1 in ,june1 as we have seen1 to ,ireland1 and enjoyed1 in the midst of no small persecution1 much preaching1 and much success4 ,on his return to ,london1 he found that the governor of ,georgia had visited ,bethesda1 and promised to communicate his sentiments to ,lord ,halifax1 concerning its being enlarged into a college2 but the pressure of public affairs hindered his application to the government4 ,bad news arrived from ,america1 about the fleet1 and therefore ,whitefield kept a fast-day at his houses of worship4 ,the health of our evangelist now sadly failed4 ,he was brought to live on the short allowance of preaching but once a day1 and thrice on the ,sunday2 very short allowance for him4 ,once1 however1 he broke through the restraint1 and preached three times on the success of the king of ,prussia2 which1 he says1 somewhat recovered him1 after he had been for a week at the gates of the grave4 ,he was not able this winter to attempt what he considered great things2 but ,tottenham ,court was his ,bethel1 as he called it4 ,this house was then surrounded by a beautiful piece of ground1 and he formed the plan of building on it an almshouse for twelve godly widows1 as a standing monument that the ,methodists were not against good works4 ,this charity he soon carried into effect4 ,his thoughts1 however1 were not confined to home4 ,although broken down in health and spirits1 by weakness and want of rest1 he watched the affairs of ,prussia with intense interest1 and assured the ,german ,protestants1 through ,professor ,francke1 that we looked on their distresses as our own4 ,in the spring of #ageh1 he laid the foundation-stone of his almshouse1 and in ,june of the same year began to select its inmates4 ,pointing to these houses1 some years afterwards1 he said to a gentleman who was visiting him1 ,those are my redoubts4 ,the prayers of the poor women who reside in them1 protect me in my house4 ,having arranged for the supply of his ,london pulpits1 ,whitefield went into the west of ,england1 and proceeded from thence into ,wales4 ,but his health was so feeble1 that he could not bear to drive1 nor even ride in a one-horse chaise4 ,the roads were rough1 and riding shook him nearly to pieces4 ,every thing1 he says1 wearies this shattered bark now4 ,a friend purchased for him a close chaise1 advancing the money until he could conveniently repay it4 ,he deeply felt this kindness1 because by no other means could he have itinerated4 ,i would not1 he says1 lay out a single farthing but for my blessed ,master2 but it is inconceivable what ,i have undergone these three weeks4 ,i never was so before4 ,o for a hearse to carry my weary carcass to the wished for grave4 ,during all this tour he was unable to sit up in company even once2 yet he often preached to ten or fifteen thousand people1 and made their tears flow like water from the rock4 ,his views of himself at this time were more than usually humble4 ,he said to ,lady ,huntingdon1 ,oh1 ,i am sick--sick in body1 but infinitely more so in mind1 to see so much dross in my soul4 ,blessed be ,god1 there is ,one who will sit as a refiner's fire1 to purify the sons of ,levi4 ,i write out of the burning bush4 ,christ is there2 ,christ is there6 ,among the many illustrations of ,scripture which ,whitefield often introduced into his sermons1 one is truly worthy of record4 ,preaching from the words1 ,wherefore1 glorify ye the ,lord in the fires1 ,isa4 #bd3ae1 he says1 ,when ,i was1 some years ago1 at ,shields1 ,i went into a glass-house1 and standing very attentively1 ,i saw several masses of burning glass of various forms4 ,the workman took one piece of glass1 and put it into one furnace1 then he put it into a second1 and then into a third4 ,i asked him1 ',why do you put that into so many fires8' ,he answered me1 ',oh1 sir1 the first was not hot enough1 nor the second1 and therefore we put it into the third1 and that will make it transparent4' ',oh1' thought ,i1 'does this man put this glass into one furnace after another1 that it may be rendered perfect8 ,oh1 my ,god1 put me into one furnace after another1 that my soul may be transparent1 that ,i may see ,god as he is4' ,in the month of ,july1 ,whitefield again set out for ,scotland1 preaching on his way in many pulpits1 including ,bishop ,bunyan's1 as he used to call him1 at ,bedford1 ,berridge's at ,everton1 and ,doddridge's at ,northampton4 ,four ,episcopal clergymen lent him their pulpits4 ,his health received1 for some time1 little benefit1 so that he sometimes feared he must return4 ,but he adds1 ,through divine strength1 ,i hope to go forward2 and shall strive1 as much as in me lies1 to die in this glorious work4 ,he preached and collected in ,scotland with his accustomed energy and success1 and returned to ,london with his health somewhat renovated4 ,this year he lost by death some of his earliest and warmest friends1 including ,hervey in ,england1 and ,presidents ,burr and ,edwards1 and ,governor ,belcher1 in ,america4 ,such removals gave him also a desire to depart1 but his work on earth was not yet done4 ,three principal facts connected with our evangelist may be said to mark the year #agei4 ,one was1 that he had the satisfaction to clear off all his debts for the orphan-house4 ,bethesda's ,god1 he writes1 lives for ever1 and is faithful and all-sufficient4 ,he longed again to visit ,america1 but several difficulties intervened for the present4 ,a second event which marked the year1 was another journey to ,scotland4 ,he complains in his letters1 that though his congregations at ,edinburgh and ,glasgow were never more numerous and attentive1 yet1 with respect to the power of religion1 it was a dead time in ,scotland1 in comparison with ,london and several other parts of ,england4 ,his presence in ,scotland1 however1 at this time was very important1 especially in collecting for his orphan-house and the ,highland ,society for the support of children4 ,many ,scottish soldiers were now in ,america1 which greatly increased the interest felt in every thing relating to it4 ,in this year1 #agei1 ,mr4 ,whitefield also for the first time visited ,brighthelmstone1 now called ,brighton1 a very fashionable watering-place1 where ,george ,,iv4 afterwards1 while regent1 built a tawdry tasteless palace4 ,the preacher's first sermon was delivered under a tree in a field behind the ,white ,lion inn4 ,among his congregation on that day was a young man named ,tuppen1 about eighteen years of age4 ,he had been educated by a pious mother in the strict observance of the external parts of religion1 but was entirely destitute of its power4 ,he attended not so much from curiosity1 as from the intention to insult and interrupt the preacher4 ,he tells us1 ,i had therefore provided myself with stones in my pocket1 if opportunity offered1 to pelt the preacher2 but ,i had not heard long1 before the stone was taken out of my heart of flesh2 and then the other stones1 with shame and weeping1 were dropped one by one out upon the ground4 ,the words1 ,turn ye1 turn ye1 became the means of turning him from sin to ,god4 ,mr4 ,tuppen became an excellent ,christian minister1 and labored as a pastor for some years in ,portsmouth4 ,he then removed to the city of ,bath1 where he originated a congregation1 and built a house for public worship4 ,he was succeeded in this important sphere by the late distinguished ,william ,jay1 who labored there for about sixty-four years4 ,such was the prosperity attendant on the efforts of ,messrs4 ,whitefield1 ,madan1 ,romaine1 ,berridge1 ,venn1 and ,fletcher1 at ,brighton1 that ,lady ,huntingdon felt it her duty to erect a church edifice there1 and being unable to do it in any other way1 sold her jewels to the amount of nearly three thousand five hundred dollars4 ,the cause still flourishes there1 and very many have been turned to righteousness4 ,while ,whitefield's ministry at the ,tabernacle was at its height of popularity1 ,foote1 a comedian of eminent talent for mimicry1 who was frequently in difficulties on account of his love of ridicule1 by which indeed his life was shortened1 employed his wit to bring the distinguished preacher into contempt4 ,one of his biographers says1 that very pressing embarrassments in his affairs compelled him to bring out his comedy of ',the ,minor1' in #agfj1 to ridicule ,methodism1 which1 though successful1 gave great offence1 and was at last suppressed4 ,of this miserable piece of buffoonery1 it may be enough to say1 that ,foote1 and the agents employed at the ,tabernacle and ,tottenham ,court-road chapel to collect materials from ,whitefield for the accomplishment of their object1 were so disgracefully ignorant of the inspired writings1 as not to know that what they took for ,mr4 ,whitefield's peculiar language was that of the word of ,god4 ,lady ,huntingdon interposed in the matter1 first with the ,lord ,chamberlain1 by whose license alone any play could then be performed in ,london1 and then with ,mr4 ,garrick1 the latter of whom assured her that he would use his influence to exclude it1 and added1 that had he been aware of the offence it was adapted to give1 it should never have appeared with his concurrence4 ,the representation of this piece of mummery1 as might have been expected1 considerably increased ,whitefield's popularity1 and brought thousands of new persons to hear the gospel3 thus ,providence gave him the victory over his opposers4 ,to report the sicknesses1 the labors1 and the successes of ,whitefield from this time to that of his sixth embarkation for ,america1 would be little more than a repetition of the past4 ,suffice it to say1 that in ,england1 and in ,scotland1 he labored amid much ill-health1 and surrounded with many dangers2 but at length1 having found an ,episcopal clergyman1 the ,rev4 ,john ,berridge1 a man of somewhat eccentric manners1 but of great learning1 of eminent piety1 and of burning zeal1 who was willing to labor for a time in ,london1 ,whitefield set sail in the ship ,fanny1 ,captain ,archibald ,galbraith1 bound from ,greenock to ,virginia1 ,june #a1 #agfc1 and arrived at ,rappahannock1 after a tedious1 but otherwise pleasant voyage of about twelve weeks1 in the last week of ,august4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,sixth ,,visit ,,and ,,labors ,,in ,,america--,,renewed ,,labors ,,in ,,great ,,britain4 #agfc-agfg4 ,whitefield was now for the sixth time in ,america4 ,he was twelve weeks on the voyage2 but though tedious1 it had done him good4 ,i enjoyed1 he says1 that quietness which ,i have in vain sought after for some years on shore4 ,owing to the violence of his asthma1 he had set sail with but little hopes of farther public usefulness2 but after being six weeks at sea1 he wrote to a friend1 ,who knows but our latter end may yet increase8 ,if not in public usefulness1 ,lord ,jesus1 let it be in heart-holiness4 ,i know who says ,amen4 ,i add1 ,amen and amen4 ,on his arrival in ,virginia1 ,whitefield was surrounded by many ,christian friends1 the fruits of his former labors in that colony1 but whom he had not hitherto known4 ,it was with great difficulty1 however1 that he preached to them2 for though his general health was better1 his breathing was very bad4 ,the months of ,september1 ,october1 and ,november1 he spent in ,philadelphia4 ,he says1 ,here are some young bright witnesses rising up in the church4 ,perhaps ,i have already conversed with forty new creature ministers of various denominations4 ,sixteen popular students1 ,i am credibly informed1 were converted in ,new ,jersey college last year4 ,what an open door if ,i had strength6 ,last ,tuesday we had a remarkable season among the ,lutherans2 children and grown people were much impressed4 ,ill as he was1 he preached twice a week1 and with his usual success4 ,he intensely desired at this time to visit ,georgia1 but was absolutely prohibited by his physicians1 till he had recovered his strength4 ,in the end of ,november1 therefore1 he passed over into ,new ,jersey1 visiting the college1 and ,elizabethtown4 ,he tells us that at the college he had four sweet seasons4 ,his spirits rose at the sight of the young soldiers who were to fight when he had fallen4 ,it was now winter1 and cold weather and a warm heart put him in good spirits1 so that he was able to preach three times a week4 ,a young man1 a member of the college1 hearing that ,whitefield was to preach in the neighborhood1 and being more than a little anxious to ascertain whether he really deserved all the celebrity he enjoyed1 went to hear him4 ,the day was very rainy1 and the audience was small2 the preacher1 accustomed to address thousands1 did not feel his powers called forth as at other times4 ,after having heard about one-third part of the sermon1 the young man said to himself1 ,the man is not so great a wonder after all--quite commonplace and superficial--nothing but show1 and not a great deal of that2 and looking round upon the audience1 he saw that they appeared about as uninterested as usual1 and that old father ----1 who sat directly in front of the pulpit1 and who always went to sleep after hearing the text and plan of the sermon1 was enjoying his accustomed nap4 ,about this time1 ,whitefield stopped4 ,his face went rapidly through many changes1 till it looked more like a rising thunder-cloud than any thing else2 and beginning very deliberately1 he said1 ,if ,i had come to speak to you in my own name1 you might rest your elbows upon your knees1 and your heads upon your hands1 and sleep2 and once in a while look up and say1 ',what does the babbler talk of8' ,but ,i have not come to you in my own name4 ,no2 ,i have come to you in the name of the ,lord ,god of hosts1 and--here he brought down his hand and foot at once1 so as to make the whole house ring--and ,i must1 and will be heard4 ,every one in the house started1 and old father ---- among the rest4 ,aye1 aye1 continued the preacher1 looking at him1 ,i have waked you up1 have ,i8 ,i meant to do it4 ,i am not come here to preach to stocks and stones2 ,i have come to you in the name of the ,lord ,god of hosts1 and ,i must1 and ,i will have an audience4 ,the congregation was fully aroused1 and the remaining part of the sermon produced a considerable effect4 ,from ,new ,jersey1 ,whitefield passed on to ,new ,york1 where he says1 ,such a flocking of all ranks ,i never saw before at ,new ,york4444 ,prejudices have most strangely subsided4 ,the better sort flock as eagerly as the common people1 and are fond of coming for private gospel conversation4 ,congregations continue very large1 and ,i trust saving impressions are made upon many4 ,such also was his influence as a philanthropist1 that though prejudices ran high against the ,indians1 on account of a threatened insurrection in the south1 he collected about six hundred dollars for ,dr4 ,wheelock's ,indian school at ,lebanon1 ,conn41 which he soon after visited with much pleasure4 ,an extract of a letter from ,new ,york1 dated ,jan4 #bc1 #aged1 which appeared in the ,boston ,gazette1 may show the esteem in which he was held3 ,the ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield has spent seven weeks with us1 preaching twice a week1 with more general approbation than ever2 and has been treated with great respect by many of the gentlemen and merchants of this place4 ,during his stay he preached two charity sermons1 the one on the occasion of the annual collection for the poor1 in which double the sum was collected that ever was upon the like occasion2 the other was for the benefit of ,mr4 ,wheelock's ,indian school at ,lebanon1 for which he collected1 notwithstanding the present prejudices of many people against the ,indians1 the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds4 ,in his last sermon1 he took a very affectionate leave of the people of this city1 who expressed great concern at his departure4 ,may ,god restore this great and good man1 in whom the gentleman1 the ,christian1 and accomplished orator shine forth with such peculiar lustre1 to a perfect state of health1 and continue him long a blessing to the world and the church of ,christ4 ,leaving ,new ,york1 he visited and preached1 as far as his strength would allow1 at ,easthampton ,bridge1 ,hampton1 and ,southhold1 on ,long ,island2 at ,shelter ,island1 and at ,new ,london1 ,norwich1 and ,providence4 ,whitefield arrived at ,boston in the end of ,february1 #agfd1 and was welcomed by multitudes with cordial affection2 and again he saw the ,redeemer's stately steps in the great congregation4 ,boston at that time was visited with small-pox1 and ,whitefield therefore devoted much of his labor to the adjacent towns4 ,writing from ,concord1 he says1 ,how would you have been delighted to have seen ,mr4 ,wheelock's ,indians4 ,such a promising nursery of future missionaries1 ,i believe1 was never seen in ,new ,england before4 ,pray encourage it with all your might4 ,about two months after his arrival in ,boston1 his illness returned1 but did not long prevent him from preaching1 and the people still flocked in crowds to hear him4 ,he left ,boston for the south2 but messengers were sent to entreat his return1 and especially urged him to renew his six o'clock morning lecture4 ,he did return1 but was now unable to preach at the early hour they desired2 he appeared1 however1 in the pulpit for some time on three occasions in the week1 and such was the number of converts discovered1 that after he had left it was proposed to send him a book filled with their names1 as desiring his return4 ,we ought to have said1 that according to the ,boston ,gazette1 about the time of the arrival of ,whitefield1 at a meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of ,boston1 it was unanimously voted that the thanks of the town be given to the ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield1 for his charitable care and pains in collecting a considerable sum of money in ,great ,britain for the distressed sufferers by the great fire in ,boston1 #agfj4 ,a respectable committee was appointed to wait on ,mr4 ,whitefield1 to inform him of the vote1 and present him with a copy thereof4 ,notwithstanding the earnest entreaties of his friends1 he left ,boston in the early part of ,june4 ,on the first of that month he wrote1 ,friends have even constrained me to stay here1 for fear of running into the summer's heat4 ,hitherto ,i find the benefit of it4 ,whatever it is owing to1 through mercy1 ,i am much better in health than ,i was this time twelve months1 and can preach thrice a week to very large auditories without hurt2 and every day ,i hear of some brought under concern4 ,this is all of grace4 ,sorrowfully parting from his friends at ,boston1 ,whitefield left them for ,new ,york by way of ,new ,haven4 ,here he preached to the students1 and had taken his leave of them2 but such was the impression he had made on their minds1 that they requested the president to go after him1 to entreat for another quarter of an hour's exhortation4 ,he complied with the request1 and the effect was what he called the crown of the expedition4 ,he continued at ,new ,york till the end of ,august4 ,while there he writes1 ,at present my health is better than usual1 and as yet ,i have felt no inconvenience from the summer's heat4 ,i have preached twice lately in the fields1 and we sat under the blessed ,redeemer's shadow with great delight4 ,my late excursions upon ,long ,island1 ,i trust1 have been blessed4 ,it would surprise you to see above one hundred carriages at every sermon in the new world4 ,on his way to ,philadelphia1 in ,september1 ,whitefield preached at the ,new ,jersey college commencement2 for which1 and for the influence he had exerted in favor of the institution1 the trustees sent him a vote of thanks4 ,his reception at the college was all he could desire4 ,the governor and the ex-governor of the state1 with many other gentlemen1 attended1 and every other mark of respect was shown him4 ,at ,philadelphia1 he describes the effect of his labors as great indeed1 and as usual1 he was compelled to exclaim1 ,grace1 grace6 ,leaving ,pennsylvania1 he went on through ,virginia2 here he tells us1 in places as unlikely as ,rome itself1 he found societies of ,christians1 formed and led on by a wealthy planter of that colony2 they met him in a body1 wishing publicly to identify themselves with him4 ,surely the ,londoners1 he writes1 who are fed to the full1 will not envy the poor souls in these parts4 ,i almost determine to come back in the spring from ,georgia to them4 ,on one occasion1 while he was preaching in this colony1 a ,mr4 ,allen1 afterwards a member of the eminent ,mr4 ,davies' church at ,hanover1 and who1 with his family1 addicted himself to the ministry of the saints1 fell on the ground at full length1 suddenly1 as if shot through the heart1 and lay for the remainder of the evening as one who was dead4 ,his descendants are now very numerous1 and many of them are among the most zealous ,christians in that state4 ,from ,virginia1 ,whitefield proceeded to ,south ,carolina1 and1 ,nov4 #bb1 wrote1 ,at ,newbern1 last ,sunday1 good impressions were made4 ,i have met with what they call ',new ,lights' in almost every place1 and have the names of several of their preachers4 ,having preached at ,charleston1 he passed on to ,bethesda1 and had the happiness to find the whole colony in a prosperous condition4 ,here he spent the winter1 and writes1 ,peace and plenty reign at ,bethesda4 ,all things go on successfully4 ,god hath given me great favor in the sight of the governor1 council1 and assembly4 ,a memorial was presented for an additional grant of lands1 consisting of two thousand acres4 ,it was immediately complied with4 ,both houses addressed the governor on behalf of the intended college4 ,a warm answer was given2 and ,i am now putting every thing in repair1 and getting every thing ready for that purpose4 ,every heart seems to leap for joy at the prospect of its future usefulness to this and the neighboring colonies4 ,he who holdeth the stars in his right hand will direct1 in due time1 whether ,i shall directly embark for ,england1 or take one tour more to the northward4 ,i am in delightful winter quarters for once4 ,his excellency dined with me yesterday1 and expressed his satisfaction in the warmest terms4 ,who knows how many youths may be trained up for the service of the ever-loving and altogether lovely ,jesus4 ,thus far1 however1 we may set up our ,ebenezer4 ,hitherto the bush hath been burning1 but is not consumed4 ,to this statement he adds1 ,mr4 ,wright hath done much in a little time2 but he hath worked night and day1 and not stirred a mile for many weeks4 ,thanks be to ,god1 all outward things are settled on this side the water4 ,the auditing the accounts1 and laying the foundation for a college1 hath silenced enemies and comforted friends4 ,the finishing of this affair confirms my call to ,england at this time4 ,but the intense anxiety of multitudes to hear his preaching1 prevented ,whitefield from leaving ,america for several months longer4 ,he had1 indeed1 as early as the middle of ,february1 determined not to visit ,new ,england till his return from ,europe2 but arriving at ,charleston1 he was compelled to devote to labors there the whole month of ,march1 and then set out for ,philadelphia1 preaching at many places on his way4 ,he says1 ,all the way from ,charleston to this place the cry is1 ',for ,christ's sake1 stay and preach to us4' ,oh for a thousand lives to spend for ,jesus4 ,the heat of the weather made it indispensable for his health that he should go to sea1 and ,july #eth he once more arrived in ,england1 on his last return voyage from ,america4 ,he says1 ,we have had but a twenty-eight days' passage4 ,the transition has been so sudden1 that ,i can scarcely believe that ,i am in ,england4 ,i hope1 ere long1 to have a more sudden transition into a better country4 ,when he arrived in his native land1 he was ill of a nervous fever1 which left him extremely weak in body1 and unable to exert himself as formerly4 ,yet1 still intent on his work1 he did what he could1 in expectation of soon entering into his eternal rest4 ,oh1 to end life well6 he writes2 methinks ,i have now but one river to pass over4 ,and we know of ,one who can carry us over without being ankle deep4 ,on ,whitefield's arrival in ,england1 he found that his excellent friend the ,countess of ,huntingdon was erecting a large and beautiful church edifice in the fashionable city of ,bath1 and to that place he at once repaired4 ,there he found several of his clerical brethren preaching in the private chapel at ,bretby ,hall1 belonging to the ,earl of ,chesterfield1 who had placed it for the time being at the disposal of ,lady ,huntingdon4 ,on ,whitefield's arrival1 this place was of necessity exchanged for the ,park1 where the concourse of people was as vast as ever4 ,october #f1 he preached the dedicatory sermon of ,lady ,huntingdon's church at ,bath1 to an immense crowd4 ,to his friend ,robert ,keen1 ,esq41 one of the managers of his ,london houses1 he wrote1 ,could you have come1 and have been present at the opening of the chapel1 you would have been much pleased4 ,the building is extremely plain1 and yet equally grand4 ,a most beautiful original6 ,all was conducted with great solemnity4 ,though a wet day1 the place was very full1 and assuredly the great ,shepherd and ,bishop of souls consecrated and made it holy ground by his presence4 ,he made but a short stay at ,bath1 and returned to ,london1 still feeble and tottering1 but still compelled to labor4 ,he had an interview with his old friend ,john ,wesley1 who says of him1 ,he seemed to be an old man1 being fairly worn out in his ,master's service1 though he has hardly seen fifty years2 and yet it pleases ,god that ,i1 who am now in my sixty-third year1 find no disorder1 no weakness1 no decay1 no difference from what ,i was at five and twenty1 only that ,i have fewer teeth1 and more gray hairs4 ,writing to a friend at ,sheerness1 in ,kent1 ,jan4 #ah1 #agff1 ,whitefield says1 ,i am sorry to acquaint you that it is not in my power to comply with your request1 for want of more assistance4 ,i am confined in town with the care of two important posts1 when ,i am only fit to be put into some garrison among invalids4 ,by some means1 however1 he obtained a release1 for in ,march we find him at ,bath and ,bristol4 ,writing1 ,march #ag1 he says1 ,the uncertainty of my motions has made me slow in writing2 and a desire to be a while free from ,london cares1 has made me indifferent about frequent hearing from thence4 ,last ,friday evening1 and twice yesterday1 ,i preached at ,bath1 to very thronged and brilliant auditories4 ,whitefield's interest in ,america was not lessened by his absence from it4 ,he ardently loved it1 and wished for the return of its peace and prosperity4 ,he hoped1 with many others1 that the repeal of the ,stamp ,act would lead to this result2 hence1 we find in his ,letter-book this entry3 ,march #af1 #agff1 ,stamp ,act repealed4 ,gloria ,deo4 ,among the remarkable men of his day was ,samson ,occam4 ,he was descended1 on his mother's side1 from ,uncas1 chief of the ,mohegans4 ,he was born in #agbc1 of parents who led a wandering life1 depending on hunting and fishing for subsistence4 ,none cultivated their lands1 all dwelt in wigwams1 and ,samson was one of the very first of the tribe who learned to read4 ,about the year #agdj1 at the age of seventeen1 he was converted by the labors of ,whitefield1 ,gilbert ,tennent1 and their companions4 ,in a year or two he had learned to read his ,bible with ease1 and to his great advantage4 ,he was a pupil at the school originally founded by ,dr4 ,wheelock1 at ,lebanon1 ,conn41 for the benefit exclusively of ,indians1 four years1 and was then a teacher for eleven years4 ,in #agei1 he was ordained by the ,suffolk ,presbytery1 and became an eminently zealous preacher to the scattered ,mohegans4 ,in #agff1 in company with the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitaker of ,norwich1 he went to ,england to advocate the cause of ,dr4 ,wheelock's ,indian school1 which school was afterwards merged in ,dartmouth college1 of which ,mr4 ,wheelock was also founder and first president4 ,occum preached in the churches of ,whitefield and ,lady ,huntingdon1 as well as in some others of different denominations4 ,we remember half a century ago hearing an old lady at ,kidderminster1 the town of ,richard ,baxter1 describe a scene which occurred in ,fawcett's church in that town4 ,occum had preached1 and a handsome collection had been taken for his object2 with tears of gratitude and joy the good man thanked them1 and in tones which neither the weeping nor the mimetic talent of the old lady would allow her fully to imitate1 assured them that the blessing of many ready to perish would come upon them4 ,the place was a ,bochim1 and nothing could prevent the people from having the plates again carried round1 that they might add to the liberal contributions they had already made4 ,occum preached in ,great ,britain from three to four hundred sermons2 and as no ,north ,american ,indian had ever preached in ,england before1 public curiosity was great1 and his pecuniary success considerable4 ,he brought to this country1 with his companion1 as the produce of their labors1 more than forty-five thousand dollars4 ,in #aggb he published an interesting sermon which he preached to an ,indian at his execution4 ,an excellent portrait of him was published in ,england4 ,dr4 ,timothy ,dwight writes1 ,i heard ,mr4 ,occum twice4 ,his discourses1 though not proofs of superior talents1 were decent2 and his utterance in some degree eloquent4 ,his character at one time labored under some imputations2 yet there is good reason to believe that most1 if not all of them were unfounded2 and there is satisfactory evidence that he was a man of piety4 ,an account of the ,montauk ,indians1 written by ,occum1 is preserved in the ,historical ,collections4 ,he died at ,new ,stockbridge1 ,n4 ,y41 ,july1 #agib4 ,it has been said that the first ,sunday-school in these ,united ,states was founded in the house of his sister1 a few months after his death4 ,occum was somewhat of a wit1 and could well apply his talent in his conflict with the enemies of divine truth4 ,he once ended a long controversial conversation with a ,universalist1 by saying1 ,well1 well1 remember1 if you are correct1 ,i am safe2 if you are not correct1 ,i am safe4 ,i have two strings to my bow2 you have but one4 ,in ,june1 #agff1 we again find ,whitefield in the neighborhood of ,bristol1 whence he writes1 ,as my feverish heat continues1 and the weather is too wet to travel1 ,i have complied with the advice of friends1 and have commenced a ,hot-wells water drinker twice a day4 ,however1 twice this week1 at six o'clock in the morning1 ,i have been enabled to call thirsty souls to come and 'drink of the water of life freely4' ,tomorrow evening1 ,god willing1 the call is to be repeated1 and again on ,sunday4 ,on his return to ,london1 he writes1 under date of ,september #be1 ,many in this metropolis seem to be on the wing for ,god2 the shout of a king is yet heard in the ,methodist camp4 ,had ,i wings1 ,i would gladly fly from pole to pole2 but they are clipped by thirty years' feeble labors4 ,twice or thrice a week ,i am permitted to ascend my gospel throne4 ,the love of ,christ1 ,i am persuaded1 will constrain you to pray that the last glimmering of an expiring taper may be blessed to the guiding of many1 wandering souls to the ,lamb of ,god4 ,the good providence of ,god now gave ,whitefield a colleague in the ministry at the ,tabernacle and ,tottenham ,court-road chapel1 the ,rev4 ,torial ,joss4 ,this gentleman had spent many years as captain at sea2 converted by divine grace1 and filled with holy zeal1 he devoted his popular talents to the welfare of his fellow-men1 preaching both on sea and land4 ,in a remarkable manner1 ,mr4 ,whitefield became acquainted with him1 and1 without his knowledge1 published that he would preach in his houses of worship1 which1 though with extreme reluctance1 ,joss did4 ,these services were often renewed1 and ,whitefield gave him no rest till he abandoned the sea1 and devoted himself to the ministry4 ,everywhere he was popular1 and everywhere useful4 ,he continued minister of the two places in ,london--spending four or five months in each year travelling and preaching--for twenty-seven years after the death of his friend1 and then departed from earth1 in #agig1 in holy triumph1 in the #ffth year of his age4 ,one of the most extraordinary men in modern times was the late ,rev4 ,rowland ,hill1 who erected ,surrey chapel1 ,london1 and continued to preach in it till his death1 in his eighty-ninth year1 in #ahcc4 ,he was eminently dignified in person1 possessed extraordinary zeal1 and was honored by his great ,master with probably more success in the direct work of saving souls than any other minister of his day4 ,he was a man of considerable rank1 his father being a gentleman of title1 one of his brothers a member of ,parliament for many years1 representing his native county1 and the late eminent statesman and soldier ,lord ,hill was his nephew4 ,mr4 ,hill himself in early life became a ,christian1 and was educated for the ministry in the established church1 but violated its rules1 and preached wherever he could2 for many years he was greatly persecuted by his own family1 some of whom1 however1 in the end sustained the yoke of ,christ4 ,when ,rowland began his somewhat erratic career1 the opposition from his father was so great1 that he was reduced sometimes to extreme poverty2 and he was exactly the man to be encouraged by such men as ,whitefield and ,berridge4 ,we give a few extracts from letters addressed to him by ,whitefield1 which certainly show no small degree of ardor1 though we cannot see in them what ,hill's clerical biographer1 ,mr4 ,sidney1 professed to find1 an aspiration after the honors1 when he had no prospect of the sufferings of martyrdom4 ,the fact was1 that ,mr4 ,sidney was offended with ,whitefield1 as he was with his venerable uncle1 ,mr4 ,hill1 for having deviated from the rigid laws of the establishment4 ,it is only needful to introduce the first letter by saying that it was dated1 ,london1 ,december #bg1 #agff1 and was sent in answer to one in which ,mr4 ,hill had asked his counsel4 ,about thirty-four years ago1 the master of ,pembroke college1 where ,i was educated1 took me to task for visiting the sick and going to the prisons4 ,in my haste ,i said1 ',sir1 if it displeaseth you ,i will go no more4' ,my heart smote me immediately2 ,i repented1 and went again2 he heard of it--threatened--but for fear he should be looked on as a persecutor1 let me alone4 ,the hearts of all are in the ,redeemer's hands4 ,i would not have you give way2 no1 not for a moment4 ,the storm is too great to hold long4 ,visiting the sick and imprisoned1 and instructing the ignorant1 are the very vitals of true and undefiled religion4 ,if threatened1 denied degree1 or expelled for this1 it will be the best degree you can take--a glorious preparative for1 and a blessed presage of future usefulness4 ,i have seen the dreadful consequences of giving way and looking back4 ,how many by this wretched cowardice1 and fear of the cross1 have been turned into pillars1 not of useful1 but of useless salt4 ,now is your time to prove the strength of ,jesus yours4 ,if opposition did not so much abound1 your consolations would not so abound4 ,blind as he is1 ,satan sees some great good coming on4 ,we never prospered so much at ,oxford as when we were hissed at and reproached as we walked along the streets1 as being counted the dung and offscouring of all things4 ,that is a poor building which a little stinking breath of ,satan's vassals can throw down4 ,your house1 ,i trust1 is better founded4 ,is it not built upon a rock8 ,is not that rock the blessed ,jesus8 ,the gates of hell1 therefore1 shall not be able to prevail against it4 ,go on1 therefore1 my dear man1 go on4 ,old ,berridge1 ,i believe1 would give you the same advice2 you are honored in sharing his reproach and name4 ,god be praised that you are enabled to bless when others blaspheme4 ,god bless and direct and support you4 ,he will1 he will4 ,good ,lady ,huntingdon is in town2 she will rejoice to hear that you are under the cross4 ,you will not want her prayers1 or the poor prayers of1 my dear honest young friend1 yours1 in an all-conquering ,jesus4 ,the opposition ,mr4 ,hill met with from his parents increased1 and the threat of his degree being withheld1 was1 on the part of the university authorities1 more determined2 still1 however1 he persevered in his preaching and his visits1 in violation of the laws of discipline4 ,in ,june1 #agfg1 ,mr4 ,whitefield wrote him3 ,i wish you joy of the late high dignity conferred upon you--higher than if you were made the greatest professor in the university of ,cambridge4 ,the honorable degrees you intend giving to your promising candidates1 allowing some of his fellow-students to preach in the various places which he had visited1 ,i trust will excite a holy ambition1 and a holy emulation2 let me know who is first honored4 ,as ,i have been admitted to the degree of doctor for near these thirty years1 ,i assure you ,i like my field preferment1 my airy pluralities1 exceedingly well4 ,for these three weeks last past ,i have been beating up for fresh recruits in ,gloucestershire and ,south ,wales4 ,thousands and thousands attended1 and good ,lady ,huntingdon was present at one of our reviews4 ,her ladyship's aid-de-camp preached in ,brecknock-street1 and ,captain ,scott1 that glorious field-officer1 lately fixed up his standard upon dear ,mr4 ,fletcher's horseblock at ,madeley4 ,being invited thither1 ,i have a great inclination to lift up the ,redeemer's ensign next week in the same place2 with what success1 you and your dearly beloved candidates for good old methodistical contempt shall know hereafter4 ,god willing1 ,i intend fighting my way up to town4 ,soon after my arrival there1 ,i hope thousands and thousands of volleys of prayers1 energetic1 effectual1 fervent1 heaven-besieging1 heaven-opening1 heaven-taking prayers1 shall be poured forth for you all4 ,oh1 my dearly beloved and longed-for in the ,lord1 my bowels yearn towards you4 ,fear not to go without the camp2 keep open the correspondence between the two universities4 ,remember the praying legions--they were never known to yield4 ,god bless those that are gone to their respective cures--,i say not livings1 a term of too modern date4 ,christ is our life2 ,christ is the ,levite's inheritance1 and ,christ will be the true disinterested ,levite's lot and portion and all4 ,greet your dear young companions whom ,i saw2 they are welcome to write when they please4 ,god be your physician under your bodily malady4 ,a thorn1 a thorn6 but ,christ's grace will be sufficient for you4 ,to his tender1 never-failing mercy ,i commit you4 ,a few weeks after this1 ,mr4 ,hill was much depressed in spirits1 partly from bodily illness1 partly because he was about to leave ,cambridge and its surrounding villages1 where he had latterly so frequently preached1 but chiefly from the fact that he was going home1 where he would again meet the frowns of his honored parents1 for what they deemed his overrighteousness4 ,in the midst of all this1 however1 he knew that he would meet at ,hawkstone1 his father's residence1 the cordial welcome of his sister and elder brother1 ,richard ,hill1 afterwards a baronet4 ,this gentleman had lately become a village preacher and a visitor of prisons1 like his brother4 ,under these circumstances he was addressed by ,whitefield1 in his own peculiar and energetic style3 ,what said our ,lord to ,martha8 ',did ,i not say unto thee1 ,if thou wouldest believe1 thou shouldst see the glory of ,god8' ,blessed1 for ever blessed be the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 for what he hath done for your dear brother4 ,a preaching1 prison-preaching1 field-preaching esquire1 strikes more than all the black gowns and lawn sleeves in the world4 ,and if ,i am not mistaken1 the great ,shepherd and ,bishop of souls will let the world1 and his own children too1 know that he will not be prescribed to in respect to men1 or garbs1 or places2 much less will he be confined to any order or set of men under heaven4 ,i wish you both much1 very much prosperity4 ,you will have it--you will have it4 ,this is the way1 walk ye in it4 ,both ,tabernacle and ,tottenham ,court-road chapel pulpits shall be open to a captain or an esquire sent of ,god4 ,the good news from ,oxford is encouraging4 ,say what they will1 preaching should be one part of the education of a student in divinity4 ,i pray for you night and day4 ,on the arrival of ,mr4 ,hill at his father's beautiful seat1 it was his happiness to find that his brother ,brian1 afterwards useful as a clergyman1 was added to the number of believers in ,christ2 he learned also1 that one of his college friends had been threatened to have an exhibition1 or yearly gift towards his university expenses1 withdrawn1 unless he renounced his evangelical doctrines and practices4 ,the reader will now understand ,mr4 ,whitefield's letter3 ,i have been sadly hindered from answering your last letter1 delivered to me by your brother4 ,i gave it him to read1 and we had1 ,i trust1 a profitable conference4 ,god be praised if another of your brothers is gained4 ,what grace is this6 ,four or five out of one family--it is scarcely to be paralleled4 ,who knows but the root1 as well as the branches1 may be taken by and by8 ,abba1 ,father1 all things are possible with thee6 ,steadiness and perseverance in the children will be one of the best means1 under ,god1 of convincing the parents4 ,this present opposition ,i think cannot last very long2 if it does1 to obey ,god rather than man1 when forbidden to do what is undoubted duty1 is the invariable rule4 ,our dear ,penty afterwards the ,rev4 ,thomas ,pentycross is under the cross at ,cambridge4 ,but ',satan thwarts1 and men object1 ,yet the thing they thwart effect4' ,i should be glad if any one's exhibition was taken from him for visiting the sick1 etc4 ,it would vastly tend to the furtherance of the gospel2 but ,satan sees too far1 ,i imagine1 to play such a game now4 ,let him do his work2 he is only a mastiff chained4 ,continue to inform me how he barks1 and how far he is permitted to go in your parts2 and ,god's people shall be more stirred up to pray for you all4 ,the close of ,mr4 ,hill's life was truly interesting and instructive4 ,as has been intimated1 he preached with scarcely diminished power until within a few weeks of his death4 ,during the last two or three years of his life he very frequently repeated the following lines of an old poet3 ,and when ,i'm to die1 ,receive me1 ,i'll cry1 ,for ,jesus has loved me1 ,i cannot tell why2 ,but this ,i can find1 ,we two are so joined1 ,that he'll not be in glory1 and leave me behind4 ,the last time he occupied my pulpit1 writes his neighbor1 the ,rev4 ,george ,clayton1 when he preached excellently for an hour1 in behalf of a charitable institution1 he retired to the vestry after service under feelings of great and manifest exhaustion4 ,here he remained until every individual except the pew-openers1 his servant1 and myself had left the place4 ,at length he seemed with some reluctance to summon energy enough to take his departure1 intimating that it was in all probability the last time he should preach in ,walworth4 ,his servant went before to open the carriage-door1 the pew-openers remaining in the vestry4 ,i offered my arm1 which he declined1 and then followed him as he passed down the aisle of the chapel4 ,the lights were nearly extinguished1 the silence was profound1 nothing indeed was heard but the slow majestic tread of his own footsteps1 when1 in an undertone1 he thus soliloquized3 ',and when ,i'm to die1' etc4 ,to my heart this was a scene of unequalled solemnity1 nor can ,i ever recur to it without a revival of that hallowed1 sacred1 shuddering sympathy which it originally awakened4 ,when the good old saint lay literally dying1 and when apparently unconscious1 a friend put his mouth close to his ear1 and repeated slowly his favorite lines3 ,and when ,i'm to die1 etc4 ,the light came back to his fast-fading eye1 a smile overspread his face1 and his lips moved in the ineffectual attempt to articulate the words4 ,this was the last sign of consciousness which he gave4 ,we could almost wish that every disciple of ,christ would commit these lines1 quaint as they are1 to memory1 and weave them into the web of his ,christian experience4 ,confidence in ,christ1 and undeviating adherence to him1 can alone enable us to triumph in life and death4 ,in ,november1 #agff1 ,whitefield again visited ,bath and ,bristol1 and then passed on to ,gloucestershire and ,oxford4 ,never did so many of the nobility attend his ministry as he now saw at ,bath1 and the results of his whole journey were such as to fill him with the most devout gratitude4 ,he saw too the number of his clerical friends largely increasing1 and especially rejoiced in the fact that the excellent ,fletcher1 of ,madeley1 preached in his pulpits in ,london4 ,he writes of this event1 ,dear ,mr4 ,fletcher has become a scandalous ,tottenham ,court preacher4444 ,were we more scandalous1 more good would be done4444 ,still1 'the shout of a king is yet heard' in the ,methodist camp4 ,in ,january1 #agfg1 ,whitefield wrote a recommendatory preface to the works of ,john ,bunyan1 whom he pleasantly designated1 ,bishop ,bunyan2 and as soon as the weather would permit1 we find him at ,norwich1 and then at ,rodborough1 ,woodstock1 ,gloucester1 and ,haverfordwest1 from which last place he wrote1 ,thousands and thousands attend by eight in the morning4 ,life and light seem to fly all around4 ,on a second visit to ,gloucester on this tour1 he wrote1 ,blessed be ,god1 ,i have got on this side the ,welsh mountains4 ,blessed be ,god1 ,i have been on the other side4 ,what a scene last ,sunday6 ,what a cry for more of the bread of life6 ,but ,i was quite worn down4 ,in ,september following1 he again visited the north of ,england1 writing from day to day in high spirits4 ,september #bh1 he says1 ,my body feels much fatigued in travelling2 comforts in the soul overbalance2 and from ,leeds1 ,october #c1 he writes1 ,field and street preaching have rather bettered than hurt my bodily health4 ,whitefield now returned to ,london1 to sustain a heavy disappointment4 ,the negotiations relative to the college at ,bethesda were this winter brought to an issue4 ,a memorial addressed to his ,majesty was put into the hands of the clerk of the ,privy ,council1 setting forth the great utility of a college in that place to the southern provinces2 and praying that a charter might be granted upon the plan of the college in ,new ,jersey4 ,this memorial was transmitted by the clerk of the ,privy ,council to the lord president1 and by his lordship referred to the ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 to whom also a draft of an intended charter was presented by the ,earl of ,dartmouth4 ,a correspondence followed all this between the archbishop and ,whitefield2 the consequence of which was1 that his grace gave the draft of the college to the lord president1 who promised he would consider of it2 and gave it as his opinion that the head of the college ought to be a member of the church of ,england2 that this was a qualification not to be dispensed with2 and also1 that the public prayers should not be extempore ones1 but the liturgy of the church1 or some other settled and established form4 ,whitefield replied that these restrictions he could by no means agree to1 because the greatest part of the contributions for the orphan-house came from ,protestant dissenters2 and because he had constantly declared that the intended college should be founded upon a broad foundation1 and no other4 ,this1 said he1 ,i judged ,i was sufficiently warranted to do1 from the known1 long-established1 mild1 and uncoercive genius of the ,british government2 also from your grace's moderation towards ,protestant dissenters2 from the unconquerable attachment of the ,americans to toleration principles1 as well as from the avowed habitual feelings of my own heart4 ,this being the case1 and as your grace1 by your silence1 seems to be like-minded with the lord president2 and as your grace's and his lordship's influence will undoubtedly extend itself to others1 ,i would beg leave1 after returning all due acknowledgments1 to inform your grace that ,i intend troubling your grace and his lordship no more about this so long depending concern4 ,as it hath pleased the great ,head of the church in some degree to renew my bodily strength1 ,i propose now to renew my feeble efforts1 and to turn the charity into a more generous1 and consequently into a more useful channel4 ,i have no ambition to be looked upon as the founder of a college2 but ,i would fain act the part of an honest man1 a disinterested minister of ,jesus ,christ1 and a true1 catholic1 moderate presbyter of the church of ,england4 ,thus ended ,whitefield's labors to establish a college at ,bethesda4 ,berridge1 and not a few others of his friends rather rejoiced in his disappointment1 as they thought there was some fear1 uncontrolled as the institution might hereafter be by men of established principles of piety1 that an unconverted ministry might be increased by its means4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,his ,,last ,,labors ,,in ,,great ,,britain--,,college ,,at ,,trevecca--,,earl ,,of ,,buchan--,,tunbridge ,,wells4 #agfg-agfi4 ,whitefield had abandoned the idea of a charter for a college at present1 but he was yet ardently desirous of a public academy being added to his orphan-house1 similar to what existed at ,philadelphia before a college charter was granted4 ,he thought that if this could be done1 a better day might arrive1 when a charter on broad principles might be obtained4 ,he developed his whole plan in a letter to ,governor ,wright4 ,feeling too the uncertainty of life1 he wrote to his friend ,mr4 ,keen1 ,none but ,god knows what a concern is upon me now1 in respect of ,bethesda4 ,as another voyage1 perhaps1 may be the issue and the result of all at last1 ,i would beg you and my dear ,mr4 ,h---- to let me have all my papers and letters1 that ,i may revise and dispose of them in a proper manner4 ,this can do no hurt1 come life or come death4 ,october #bhth1 #agfg1 ,whitefield preached at the ,london ,tabernacle before the society for promoting religious knowledge among the poor1 usually called1 ,the ,book ,society4 ,this society had been organized seventeen years before this period1 and included in it such men as ,watts1 ,doddridge1 and ,gifford4 ,he gave way to all the zeal of his heart while he discussed the petition1 ,thy kingdom come4 ,luke #aa3b4 ,the congregation was immense1 many had to go away unable to obtain admittance4 ,it was believed that a larger number of dissenting ministers were present than ever before heard a sermon from an ,episcopal minister1 and the collection reached more than five hundred dollars1 or above four times the usual amount1 besides eighty new annual subscribers4 ,after the service1 he dined with a very large party1 including the ministers1 where harmony reigned1 and much respect was shown him4 ,it may be readily supposed1 that with advancing years and increasing experience1 some changes might have taken place both in the style and manner of ,whitefield's preaching4 ,the ,rev4 ,cornelius ,winter1 who had become somewhat closely associated with him1 says1 ,he dealt more in the explanatory and doctrinal mode on the ,sabbath morning than at any other time1 and sometimes made a little1 but by no means an improper show of learning4 ,his afternoon sermon was more general and exhortatory4 ,in the evening1 he drew his bow at a venture2 vindicated the doctrines of grace1 fenced them with articles and homilies1 referred to the martyr's seal1 and exemplified the power of divine grace by quotations from the venerable ,foxe4 ,sinners were then closely plied1 numbers of whom1 from curiosity1 coming to hear for a minute or two1 were often compelled to hear the whole sermon4 ,how many in the judgment-day will rise to prove that they heard to the salvation of the soul4 ,upon the members of society1 the practice of ,christianity was then usually inculcated1 not without some pertinent anecdote of a character worthy to be held up for an example1 and in whose conduct the hints recommended were exemplified4 ,on ,mondays1 ,tuesdays1 ,wednesdays1 and ,thursdays1 he preached at six in the morning2 and never1 perhaps1 did he preach greater sermons than at this hour4 ,this1 with the frequent administration of the ,lord's supper to hundreds of communicants1 was his usual plan for several years2 but now he became more colloquial in his style1 with but little action2 he gave pertinent expositions of the ,scriptures1 with striking remarks1 all comprehended within an hour4 ,winter adds1 ,the peculiar talents he possessed1 subservient to great usefulness1 can be but faintly conceived from his sermons in print2 though1 as formerly1 ,god has made the reading of them useful1 and ,i have no doubt that in future they will have their use4 ,but even yet our evangelist had to engage in war4 ,the opposition of the universities in ,oxford and ,cambridge to the principles and practices introduced by ,whitefield1 ,wesley1 and their companions1 grew and strengthened1 till an event occurred at ,oxford singularly remarkable in its history for opposition to evangelical religion1 which for many years continued to excite very extraordinary interest4 ,the ,london ,st4 ,james' ,chronicle1 of ,thursday1 ,march #ag1 #agfc1 contained the following extract of a letter from ,oxford3 ,on ,friday last1 six students1 belonging to ,edmund ,hall1 were expelled the university1 after a hearing of several hours before ,mr4 ,vice-,chancellor and some of the heads of houses1 for holding methodistical tenets1 and taking upon them to pray1 read1 and expound the ,scriptures1 and singing hymns in a private house4 ,the ---- of the ---- ,the ,principal of the ,edmund ,hall1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,dixon defended their doctrines from the ,thirty-nine ,articles of the established church1 and spoke in the highest terms of the piety and exemplariness of their lives2 but his motion was overruled1 and sentence pronounced against them4 ,dr4 ----1 ,dixon1 one of the heads of houses present1 observed1 that as these six gentlemen were expelled for having too much religion1 it would be very proper to inquire into the conduct of some who had too little2 and ,mr4 ---- ,dr4 ,nowell was heard to tell their chief accuser1 that the university was much obliged to him for his good work4 ,to detail the events which followed this extraordinary act1 and to describe the excitement thus created1 form no part of the design of our volume4 ,we have referred to the fact because ,mr4 ,whitefield and his friend ,sir ,richard ,hill took part in the controversy4 ,referring to ,dr4 ,nowell's assertion to ,mr4 ,higson1 their chief accuser1 and who was also their tutor1 that the university was obliged to him1 ,whitefield says to the ,vice-,chancellor1 ,what thanks1 reverend sir1 he may meet with from the whole university ,i know not2 but one thing ,i know1 namely1 that he will receive no thanks for that day's work from the innumerable company of angels1 the general assembly of the first-born which are written in heaven1 or from ,god the ,judge of all1 in that day when ,jesus the ,mediator of the new covenant shall come in his own glory1 in the glory of the ,father and his holy angels1 and gather his elect from all the four corners of the world4 ,it is true1 indeed1 one article of impeachment was1 that 'some of them were of trades before they entered into the university4' ,but what evil or crime worthy of expulsion can there be in that8 ,to be called from any1 though the meanest mechanical employment1 to the study of the liberal arts1 where a natural genius hath been given1 was never yet looked upon as a reproach to1 or diminution of any great and public character whatsoever4 ,profane history affords us a variety of examples of the greatest heroes1 who have been fetched even from the plough to command armies1 and who performed the greatest exploits for their country's good4 ,and if we examine sacred history1 we shall find that even ,david1 after he was anointed king1 looked back with sweet complacency to the rock from whence he was hewn1 and is not ashamed to leave it upon record1 that ,god took him away from the sheepfolds1 as he was following the ewes great with young2 and1 as though he loved to repeat it1 he took him1 he says1 'that he might feed ,jacob his people1 and ,israel his inheritance4' ,but why speak ,i of ,david1 when ,jesus of ,nazareth1 ,david's ,lord and ,david's ,king1 had for his reputed father a carpenter8 and in all probability1 as it was a common proverb among the ,jews1 that 'he who did not teach his son a trade1 taught him to be a thief1' he worked at the trade of a carpenter himself4 ,for this1 indeed1 he was reproached and maligned3 ',is not this1' said they1 'the carpenter's son8' ,nay1 ',is not this the carpenter8' ,but who were these maligners8 ,the greatest enemies to the power of godliness which the world ever saw1 the scribes and ,pharisees1 that 'generation of vipers1' as ,john the ,baptist calls them1 who1 upon every occasion1 were spitting out their venom1 and shooting their arrows1 even bitter words1 against that ,son of man1 even that ,son of ,god who1 to display his sovereignty1 and confound the wisdom of the worldly wise1 chose poor fishermen to be his apostles2 and whose chief of the apostles1 though brought up at the feet of ,gamaliel1 both before and after his call to the apostleship1 labored with his own hands1 and worked at the trade of a tent-maker4 ,it is pleasant to know that the young men thus expelled became useful in the church of ,christ4 ,one of them1 indeed1 ,erasmus ,middleton1 who had been sustained at ,oxford by ,mr4 ,fuller1 a dissenter and banker in ,london1 was ordained in ,ireland by the bishop of ,down1 and having married a lady of the ducal family of ,gordon1 in ,scotland1 was curate successively to the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,romaine and ,cadogan in ,london1 and finally rector of ,turvey1 in ,bedfordshire1 where he was the immediate predecessor of the sainted ,legh ,richmond4 ,many delightful evidences yet exist that as ,whitefield drew nearer the end of his career on earth1 his holy zeal increased1 rather than lessened4 ,we have lying before us three of his letters1 not included either in the collection of his printed correspondence1 or in the lives which have been published4 ,the first was addressed to a gentleman at ,wisbeach1 and appears to have been written from ,london4 ,it is dated ,sept4 #be1 #agff4 ,,dear ,,sir--,as your letter breathes the spirit of a sincere follower of the ,lamb of ,god1 ,i am sorry that it hath lain by so long unanswered2 but bodily weakness1 and a multiplicity of correspondents1 both from abroad and at home1 must be pleaded as excuses4 ',blessed be ,god1 our salvation is nearer than when we believed4' ,it should seem that you have now served three apprenticeships in ,christ's school1 and yet ,i suppose the language of your heart is1 ',i love my ,master1 and will not go from him2' and ,oh1 what a mercy1 that whom ,jesus loves1 he loves to the end6 ,do you not begin to long to see him more than ever8 ,do you not groan in this tabernacle1 being burdened8 ,courage1 courage2 he that cometh will come1 and will not tarry4 ,oh that patience may have its perfect work6 ,many in this metropolis seem to be on the wing for ,god2 the shout of a king is yet heard in the ,methodist camp4 ,had ,i wings1 ,i would gladly fly from pole to pole2 but they are clipped by thirty years' feeble labors4 ,twice or thrice a week ,i am permitted to ascend my gospel throne4 ,the love of ,christ1 ,i am persuaded1 will constrain you to pray that the last glimmering of an expiring taper may be blessed to the guiding of many wandering souls to the ,lamb of ,god4 ,the second letter was written from the same city1 ,february #ab1 in the following year1 and was addressed to ,captain ,scott1 a military officer then quartered at ,leicester4 ,this gentleman1 in early life1 had been much devoted to the gayeties of fashionable society2 long after he had entered the army1 he was converted to ,god1 under the ministry of the ,rev4 ,w4 ,romaine2 and a few weeks before ,mr4 ,whitefield addressed to him this letter1 he had begun to preach the grand message of reconciliation4 ,he afterwards left the army1 was ordained as a ,congregational minister1 and labored for many years in almost innumerable places in city and country1 with abundant success4 ,what1 not answer so modest a request1 namely1 to snatch a few moments to send dear ,captain ,scott a few lines8 ,god forbid4 ,i must again welcome him into the field of battle4 ,i must again entreat him to keep his rank as captain1 and not suffer any persuasions to influence him to descend to the low degree of a common soldier4 ,if ,god will choose a red-coat preacher1 who shall say unto him1 ',what doest thou8' ,prevent thy foes1 nor wait their charge2 ,but call the lingering battle on2 ,but strongly grasp thy seven-fold targe1 ,and bear the world and ,satan down4 ,strong in the ,lord's almighty power1 ,and armed in panoply divine1 ,firm mayest thou stand in danger's hour1 ,and prove the strength of ,jesus thine4 ,the helmet of salvation take1 ,the ,lord the ,spirit's conquering sword2 ,speak from the word1 in lightning speak2 ,cry out1 and thunder from the ,lord4 ,through friends and foes pursue thy way1 ,be mindful of a dying ,god2 ,finish thy course1 and win the day1 ,though called to seal the truth with blood4 ,gladly would ,i come1 and in my poor way endeavor to strengthen your hands2 but alas1 ,i am fit for nothing1 but1 as an invalid1 to be put into some garrison1 and now and then put my hand to some old gun4 ,blessed be the ,captain of our salvation for drafting out some young champions to reconnoitre and attack the enemy4 ,you will beat the march in every letter1 and bid the common soldiers not halt1 but go forwards4 ,good ,lady ,huntingdon wishes you much prosperity4 ,pray write to her at ,brighthelmstone1 now ,brighton1 ,sussex4 ,she will most gladly answer you2 and ,i assure you1 her ,ladyship's letters are always weighty4 ,hoping one day or another to see your face in the flesh1 and more than hoping to see you crowned with glory in the kingdom of heaven1 ,i must hasten to subscribe myself1 my dear captain1 yours in our all-glorious ,captain-general1 ,g4 ,,whitefield4 ,the last letter we shall introduce in this connection was addressed by ,whitefield to the ,honorable and ,rev4 ,walter ,shirley1 of ,ireland1 a near relative of the ,countess of ,huntingdon1 who breathed1 as a minister of ,christ1 much of the spirit of his great ,master4 ,it was dated1 ,bath1 ,dec4 #h1 #agfg3 ,,rev4 ,,and ,,very ,,dear ,,sir--,how glad was ,i to hear by the ,london ,shunamite1 ,mrs4 ,herritage1 that you and your lady were well2 that ,god had given you a son2 that you reflected on your preaching at ,tottenham ,court chapel with pleasure2 that you had gotten a curate2 and1 to complete all1 that you intended to visit ,england next spring4 ,this news rejoiced me before ,i left town1 and was most grateful to our good ,lady ,huntingdon1 whom ,i have the honor of waiting upon at this time in ,bath4 ,she hath been sick1 nigh unto death1 but through mercy is now somewhat recovered1 though as yet unable to write much4 ,this her ladyship much regrets on your account2 and therefore enjoins me to inform you1 that your letter did not reach her hands till many weeks after the proper time2 that ever since she has been visited with lingering sickness1 but begs you will not linger in coming over to our ,macedonia to help us4 ,the thought of it seems to refresh her heaven-born soul4 ,blessed be ,god1 her ladyship still takes the lead4 ,she is now doing honor to the remains of the ,earl of ,buchan1 who sweetly slept in ,jesus last week4 ,all hath been awful1 and more than awful4 ,on ,saturday evening1 before the corpse was taken from ,buchan house1 a word of exhortation was given1 and a hymn sung in the room where the corpse lay4 ,the young ,earl stood with his hands on the head of the coffin1 the ,countess ,dowager of ,buchan on his right hand1 ,lady ,ann ,agnes1 and ,lady ,isabella ,erskine on his left1 and their brother the ,hon4 ,thomas ,erskine next to their mother1 with ,miss ,o----1 ,miss ,w----1 ,miss ,g----2 on one side all the domestics1 with a few friends on the other4 ,the word of exhortation was received with great solemnity1 and most wept under the parting prayer4 ,at ten1 the corpse was removed to good ,lady ,huntingdon's chapel1 where it was deposited within a place railed in for that purpose1 covered with black baize1 and the usual funeral concomitants1 except escutcheons4 ,on ,sunday morning1 all attended in mourning at early sacrament4 ,they were seated by themselves1 at the feet of the corpse1 and with their head servants1 received first1 and a particular address was made to them4 ,immediately after receiving1 these verses were sung for them3 ',our lives1 our blood1 we here present1 ,if for thy truth they may be spent3 ,fulfil thy glorious counsel1 ,lord2 ,thy will be done1 thy name adored4 ',give them thy strength1 ,o ,god of power1 ,then let men rave or devils roar1 ,thy faithful witnesses they'll be2 ',tis fixed1 they can do all through thee6' ,then they received this blessing3 ',the ,lord bless you1 and keep you2 the ,lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you2 the ,lord cause his face to shine upon you1 and give you peace2' and so returned to their places4 ,sacrament ended1 and a blessed sacrament it was1 the noble mourners returned to the good ,countess of ,huntingdon's house1 which was lent them for the day4 ,at eleven1 public worship began4 ,the bereaved relatives sat in order within1 and the domestics round the outside of the rail4 ,the chapel was more than crowded4 ,near three hundred tickets1 signed by the present earl1 were given out to the nobility and gentry1 to be admitted4 ,all was hushed and solemn4 ,proper hymns were sung1 and ,i preached on the words1 ',blessed are the dead that die in the ,lord4' ,attention sat on every countenance1 and deep and almost universal impressions were made4 ,the like scene1 and if possible more solemn1 was exhibited in the evening1 and ,i was enabled to preach a second time1 and a like power attended the word as in the morning4 ,ever since1 there hath been public service and preaching twice a day4 ,this is to be continued till ,friday morning1 then all is to be removed to ,bristol1 in order to be shipped off to ,scotland4 ,the inscription on the coffin runs thus3 ',his life was honorable--his death blessed--he sought earnestly peace with ,god--he found it1 with unspeakable joy1 alone in the merits of ,jesus ,christ1 witnessed by the ,holy ,spirit to his soul--he yet speaketh4 ,go and do likewise4' ,i have often wished for you here4 ,congregations are very large1 attentive1 and deeply impressed4 ,great numbers of all ranks crowd to see and hear2 and ,i trust many will also feel4 ,surely the death of this noble earl1 thus improved1 will prove the life of many4 ,he behaved like the patriarch ,jacob1 when by faith1 leaning upon his staff1 he blessed his children4 ,the earl added1 ',yea1 and they shall be blessed4' ,he laid his hands on1 and blessed his children1 assuring them of his personal interest in ,jesus4 ,he had great foretastes of heaven4 ',had ,i strength of body1' cried he1 ',i would not be ashamed1 before men and angels1 to tell what the ,lord ,jesus hath done for my soul4 ,come1 ,holy ,ghost--come1 ,holy ,ghost2 happy1 happy1 happy6' and then sweetly slept in ,jesus4 ,all surviving relatives still feel the influence4 ,they sit round the corpse1 attended by their domestics and supporters1 twice a day4 ,good ,lady ,s---- gets fresh spirits4 ,the present noble earl1 ,i believe1 hath got the blessing indeed1 and seems1 upon the best evidence1 to determine to know nothing but ,jesus ,christ1 and him crucified4 ,he hath behaved in the most delicate manner to the ,countess1 and other noble survivors4 ,the summer of #agfh brought to ,whitefield a series of changes4 ,for the last time he now visited ,edinburgh1 where he found his congregations as large1 and his ,christian friends as affectionate as ever4 ,soon after his return to ,london1 ,mrs4 ,whitefield was seized with inflammatory fever1 and died1 as we have already seen1 on the #ith of ,august4 ,his own health too was more than declining4 ,he writes1 ,i have been in hopes of my own departure4 ,through hard writing1 and frequent preaching1 ,i have burst a vein4 ,the flux is in a great measure stopped2 but rest and quietness are strictly enjoined4 ,rest and quietness6 ,with ,whitefield such things were impossible as long as he could move or speak4 ,his fire must burn till its whole material was expended2 his heart overflowed1 and he must labor till his body sank under exhaustion4 ,no persecution could appall him1 no sickness could long keep him from his beloved engagements4 ,he would preach till he died1 being fully assured that his labor was not in vain in the ,lord4 ,neither ,whitefield nor any of his friends could ever be the advocates of an unlearned ministry4 ,many of the men engaged under his direction1 and preaching in what was already called ,lady ,huntingdon's connection1 needed1 as they well knew1 a better education than they possessed4 ,hence her ladyship obtained a lease of an old structure1 supposed to have been part of an ancient castle erected in the reign of ,henry the ,second4 ,the date over the entrance1 now almost effaced1 is #aagf4 ,it was called ,trevecca ,house1 was situated in the parish of ,talgarth1 in ,south ,wales1 and was for some time the residence of ,howel ,harris4 ,this building was opened as a college for religious and literary instruction1 and the chapel dedicated to the preaching of the everlasting gospel1 ,aug4 #bd1 #agfh1 the anniversary of the ,bartholomew act1 and of the birth of her ladyship4 ,mr4 ,whitefield preached from ,exod4 #bd3bd3 ,in all places where ,i record my name1 ,i will come unto thee and bless thee2 and on the following ,sabbath he addressed a congregation of some thousands1 who assembled in the court before the college4 ,his text on that occasion was1 ,other foundation can no man lay than that is laid1 which is ,jesus ,christ4 ,when speaking of the dedication of the college1 ,mr4 ,whitefield says1 ,what we have seen and felt at the college is unspeakable4 ,after her ladyship's death the institution was removed to ,cheshunt1 about thirteen miles north of ,london1 where it still flourishes under the presidency of the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,w4 ,h4 ,stowell4 ,in the early part of #agfi1 ,mr4 ,whitefield was for some weeks seriously ill1 but towards the close of ,march1 he was able to write1 ,through infinite mercy ,i have been able to preach four days successively4 ,during his illness he received many offers of assistance from his brethren in the ministry1 but from none more cordially than from the ,honorable and ,rev4 ,mr4 ,shirley4 ,writing to him1 ,april #a1 ,whitefield says3 ,how much am ,i obliged to you for your two kind letters1 and more especially for the repeated offers of your ministerial assistance4 ,they will be most gratefully accepted1 and1 ,i humbly hope1 be remarkably succeeded by ,him who hath promised to be with us always1 even unto the end of the world4 ,blessed be ,his name1 we have been favored with most delightful passover feasts4 ,the shout of the ,king of kings is still heard in the midst of our ,methodist camps2 and the shout of1 ,grace1 grace6 resounds from many quarters4 ,our almighty ,jesus knows how to build his temple in troublous times4 ,his work prospers in the hands of the elect countess1 who is gone to ,bath1 much recovered from her late indisposition4 ,worthy ,lady ,fanny ,shirley proposes soon to follow1 in order to reside there4 ,some more coronets1 ,i hear1 are likely to be laid at the ,redeemer's feet4 ,they glitter gloriously when set in and surrounded by a crown of thorns4 ',subjects of the ,lord1 be bold2 esus will his kingdom hold2 ,wheels encircling wheels must run1 ,each in course to bring it on4' ,that the friendship of ,dr4 ,franklin towards ,mr4 ,whitefield was sincere1 cannot be doubted2 there is1 however1 somewhat painful in the thought1 that even in this connection ,franklin could not conceal his scepticism4 ,in #agfi both these eminent men were in ,london1 and every one knows that the state of our country was very trying4 ,franklin thus wrote to ,whitefield3 ,i am under continued apprehensions that we may have bad news from ,america4 ,the sending soldiers to ,boston always appeared to me a dangerous step2 they could do no good1 they might occasion mischief4 ,when ,i consider the warm resentment of a people who think themselves injured and oppressed1 and the common insolence of the soldiery1 who are taught to consider that people as in rebellion1 ,i cannot but fear the consequences of bringing them together4 ,it seems like setting up a smith's forge in a magazine of gunpowder4 ,i see with you that our affairs are not well managed by our rulers here below2 ,i wish ,i could believe with you1 that they are well attended to by those above3 ,i rather suspect1 from certain circumstances1 that though the general government of the universe is well administered1 our particular little affairs are perhaps below notice1 and left to take the chance of human prudence or imprudence1 as either may happen to be uppermost4 ,it is1 however1 an uncomfortable thought1 and ,i leave it4 ,it would have been strange indeed if ,whitefield had allowed a letter closing in this manner to pass without a remark2 hence we are prepared to find that1 in his own handwriting1 at the foot of the autograph letter1 he wrote1 ,uncomfortable indeed6 and1 blessed be ,god1 unscriptural2 for we are fully assured that 'the ,lord reigneth1' and are directed to cast all our own care on him1 because he careth for us4 ,could ,dr4 ,franklin have seen the splendid results of that management which he thought indicated the absence of a particular providence--could he have beheld the vast ,republic1 the abode of liberty1 commerce1 literature1 and religion1 which in less than a century has grown out of the insurgent colonies--he would surely have exclaimed1 in the language of the prophet1 ,verily there is a ,god in the earth6 ,in ,july1 ,whitefield was called by ,lady ,huntingdon to visit ,tunbridge ,wells1 a popular watering place in ,kent1 some twenty or thirty miles from ,london1 to dedicate a new and beautiful house to the service of ,god4 ,the congregation was far too large to be accommodated within the walls2 he therefore preached out of doors from a mount in the court before the house4 ,his text was1 ,this is none other but the house of ,god1 and this is the gate of heaven4 ,gen4 #bh3ag4 ,this sermon is said to have been one of his most eloquent and thrilling efforts2 the lofty energy of his tones1 the utter forgetfulness of himself in the all-absorbing interest of his subject1 the very impersonation of the truths which he uttered as he stretched forth his hand1 ,look yonder2 what is that ,i see8 ,it is my agonizing ,lord6 ,hark1 hark6 do you not hear8 ,o earth1 earth1 earth1 hear the word of the ,lord6 thrilled the vast congregation1 riveting the eye1 piercing the conscience1 and holding strong men breathless before the resistless might of his inspired eloquence4 ,after the service he delivered an exhortation1 and on the next day again preached and administered the ,lord's supper4 ,he now began to prepare for his seventh1 and as it proved1 his last voyage to ,america1 especially to visit his beloved orphans and friends in ,georgia4 ,the only thing which seems to have grieved him1 was the pain of parting for a time from his ,london friends4 ,this was nothing new1 but his feelings were even less reconciled to the event than formerly4 ,oh1 he says1 these partings6 without a divine support they would be intolerable4 ,talk not of taking personal leave2 you know my make4 ,paul could stand a whipping1 but not a weeping farewell4 ,the text of his last sermon was ,john #aj3bg1 #bh3 ,my sheep hear my voice1 and ,i know them1 and they follow me3 and ,i give unto them eternal life2 and they shall never perish1 neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand4 ,the sermon was printed1 and that very incorrectly2 but a few sentences will show that it was strikingly characteristic3 ,these words1 it will be recollected1 were uttered by ,christ at the feast of dedication4 ,this festival was of bare human invention1 and yet ,i do not find that our ,lord preached against it4 ,and ,i believe that when we see things as we ought1 we shall not entertain our auditories about rites and ceremonies1 but about the grand thing4 ,it is the glory of ,methodists1 that while they have been preaching forty years1 there has not been1 that ,i know of1 one single pamphlet published by them about the non-essentials of religion4444 ,the ,lord divides the world into sheep and goats4 ,o sinners1 you are come to hear a poor creature take his last farewell2 but ,i want you to forget the creature and his preaching4 ,i want to lead you further than the ,tabernacle--even to mount ,calvary1 to see with what expense of blood ,jesus ,christ purchased 'his own4' ,now1 before ,i go any further1 will you be so good1 before the world gets into your hearts1 to inquire whether you belong to ,christ or not4 ,surely the world did not get into your hearts before you rose from your beds4 ,many of you were up sooner than usual4 ,the sermon was preached at seven o'clock in the morning4 ,i hope the world does not get into your hearts before nine4 ,man1 woman1 sinner1 put thy hand upon thy heart1 and say1 ,didst thou ever hear ,christ's voice so as to follow him8444 ,i once heard ,dr4 ,marryatt1 who was not ashamed of 'market language1' say at ,pinner's ,hall1 ',god has a great dog to fetch his sheep back when they wander4' ,he sends the devil after them1 to bark at them2 but instead of barking them further off1 he barks them back to the fold4444 ',none shall pluck them out of my hand4' ,this implies that there is always somebody plucking at ,christ's sheep4 ,the lust of the flesh is plucking2 the pride of life is plucking2 and the devil is continually plucking at them2 'but nothing shall pluck them out of my hand2' ,i have bought them1 and am gone to heaven to 'prepare a place for them4' ,of this sermon1 as taken in shorthand and printed1 ,whitefield received a copy while at ,deal1 and was much dissatisfied with it4 ,he says1 ,this morning ,i received a surreptitious copy of my ,tabernacle farewell sermon1 taken1 as the shorthand writer professes1 verbatim as ,i spoke it4 ,but surely he is mistaken4 ,the whole is so injudiciously paragraphed1 and so wretchedly unconnected1 that ,i owe no thanks to the misguided1 though it may be well-meant zeal of the writer and publisher1 be they who they will4 ,had ,whitefield known that the lad of seventeen who had thus taken down his sermon1 would hereafter become a devoted and useful minister of ,christ1 the secretary of the ,london ,missionary ,society1 the originator of the ,london ,religious ,tract ,society1 and for many years the editor of the ,london ,evangelical ,magazine1 and the author of ,village ,sermons1 which have circulated by hundreds of thousands of volumes in both hemispheres1 how would his heart have warmed towards him4 ,let us copy from the journal of ,george ,burder1 as given in his life by his son1 the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,h4 ,f4 ,burder1 a short passage3 ,august1 #agfi4 ,about this time ,i heard ,mr4 ,whitefield preach several sermons1 particularly his two last in ,london2 that at ,tottenham ,court chapel on ,sabbath morning1 and that at the ,tabernacle on ,wednesday morning at seven o'clock4 ,i remember a thought which passed my mind1 ,i think1 as ,i was going to hear his last sermon--',which would ,i rather be1 ,garrick or ,whitefield8' ,i thought each1 in point of oratory1 admirable in his way4 ,i doubt not conscience told me which was best4 ,i wrote ,mr4 ,whitefield's sermons in shorthand1 though standing in a crowd4 ,the latter ,i copied out1 and by the request of a friend it was printed in about a week4 ,i remember sitting up part of a night to write it out1 and at the same time ,i observed the comet which then appeared4 ,the sermon was very incorrect1 and ,mr4 ,whitefield being detained at ,deal before he left ,england1 saw it1 and complained of it4 ,before we entirely separate from the ,tabernacle1 we wish to record some other interesting facts associated with it1 especially relating to ,thomas ,wilson1 ,esq41 for many years the treasurer of ,hoxton1 afterwards ,highbury1 college1 who gave the ground on which the latter building stands1 devoted his fortune to the extension of the cause of ,christ1 and in addition to many other noble acts1 erected five large houses of worship in the ,british metropolis1 capable of seating eight thousand persons4 ,the father of this gentleman was for many years a devoted deacon of a ,congregational church1 but entered into full sympathy with the labors of ,whitefield1 attending the ,tabernacle on ,lord's-day evenings4 ,to this circumstance1 perhaps1 may be traced much of his own zeal for the glory of ,god1 and no inconsiderable portion of that public spirit which afterwards distinguished his son ,thomas1 who well remembered being carried in his nurse's arms1 in company with his parents1 to the scene of ,whitefield's ministry1 and listening with such interest as one so young was likely to feel1 to a preacher of surpassing eloquence and power4 ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,morison1 one of his biographers1 adds3 ,thus did he imbibe in early life a strong prepossession for animated public address1 which he never lost in after-years1 and which he never failed to urge upon all youthful candidates for the sacred office4 ,as might have been expected1 the ,tabernacle became his ,sabbath home1 where he was wont to listen to men of fervent eloquence1 and of purely evangelical sentiment4 ,he entered1 while very young1 into communion with the church in that place1 and afforded a pleasing example of early and consistent dedication to the service of ,christ4 ,having finished the service of the ,tabernacle which we just now described1 ,whitefield went immediately to ,gravesend1 twenty miles from ,london1 to set sail1 embarking in the ,friendship1 ,captain ,ball1 for ,charleston4 ,his companions on the voyage were ,messrs4 ,winter and ,smith1 both of them young ministers of lively zeal2 and the former especially1 was distinguished in after-life by great success in his labors for ,christ and his church4 ,whitefield wrote1 ,i am comfortable on every side--a civil captain and passengers2 all willing to attend on divine worship1 and to hear of religious things4 ,but delay was the lot of our evangelist and his friends4 ,they arrived in the ,downs1 and had to stay there about a month waiting for a fair wind4 ,while here1 he was delighted with a most unexpected visit from ,dr4 ,gibbons of ,london1 and the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,bradbury of ,ramsgate1 who had met at ,deal to ordain a young minister4 ,he says1 ,wednesday1 ,sept4 #ac1 ,i went on shore1 and attended an ordination solemnity at the dissenting meeting4 ,several ministers officiated4 ,several important questions were asked and answered before1 and a solemn charge given after imposition of hands4 ,but the prayer put up in the very act of laying on of hands1 by ,dr4 ,gibbons1 was so affecting1 and the looks and behavior of those that joined so serious and solemn1 that ,i hardly know when ,i was more struck under any one's ministration4 ,the ordination being over1 at the desire of the ministers and other gentlemen1 ,i went and dined with them3 our conversation was edifying2 and being informed that many were desirous to hear me preach1 ,i willingly complied2 and ,i trust some seed was sown the same evening at ,deal1 which1 by ,god's heavenly blessing1 will spring up to life eternal4 ,the people of ,deal seemed very civil1 and some came to me who had not forgotten my preaching to them1 and their deceased friends and parents1 thirty-two years ago4 ,whitefield tells a somewhat amusing anecdote of ,dr4 ,gibbons1 on one of his visits on board4 ,the worthy doctor was unused to the sea1 and became sea-sick1 so that he was obliged to lie down for some time in the state-cabin4 ,there1 says our evangelist1 he learned more experimentally to pray for those who do business in the great waters4 ,while yet in the ,downs1 ,whitefield preached not only on board1 but at ,ramsgate and elsewhere4 ,on ,september #be1 in company with many other ships1 they sailed1 but soon were again compelled to cast anchor over against ,new ,romney and ,dungenness4 ,at length1 however1 they cleared the channel1 and after a long and dangerous voyage arrived safe at ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c4 ,happily1 ,whitefield's health had become greatly renovated1 so that he felt better than after any voyage he had made for many years4 ,in his memorandum he wrote3 ,november1 #agfi4 ,for the last week we were beating about our port1 within sight of it1 and continued for two days in ,five-fathom hole1 just over the bar4 ,a dangerous situation1 as the wind blew hard1 and our ship1 like a young ,christian1 for want of more ballast1 would not obey the helm4 ,but through infinite mercy1 on ,november #cj1 a pilot-boat came and took us safe ashore to ,charleston1 having been on board almost thirteen weeks4 ,friends received me most cordially4 ,praise the ,lord1 ,o my soul1 and forget not all his mercies4 ,oh1 to begin to be a ,christian and minister of ,jesus6 ,on the very day of his landing1 ,whitefield preached at ,charleston1 and learned from his friend ,mr4 ,wright that all was well at ,bethesda4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,seventh ,,visit ,,and ,,labors ,,in ,,america--,,death4 #agfi1 #aggj4 ,whitefield now lost no time in proceeding to his beloved ,bethesda1 which at present wore a very inviting aspect4 ,writing1 ,january #aa1 #aggj1 he says1 ,every thing exceeds my most sanguine expectations4 ,i am almost tempted to say1 ',it is good for me to be here2' but all must give way to gospel ranging--divine employ6 ',for this1 let men revile my name1 ,i'll shun no cross1 ,i'll fear no shame2 ,all hail1 reproach6' ,in another letter he says1 ,the increase of this colony is almost incredible4 ,two wings are added to the orphan-house1 for the accommodation of students2 of which ,governor ,wright laid the foundation1 ,march #be1 #agfi4 ,an official paper of the ,georgia legislature will show the esteem in which ,whitefield was held by that body4 ,commons ,house of ,assembly1 ,monday1 ,jan4 #bi1 #aggj4 ,mr4 ,speaker reported1 that he1 with the house1 having waited on the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 in consequence of his invitation1 at the orphan-house academy1 heard him preach a very suitable and pious sermon on the occasion2 and with great pleasure observed the promising appearance of improvement towards the good purposes intended1 and the decency and propriety of behavior of the several residents there2 and were sensibly affected1 when they saw the happy success which has attended ,whitefield's indefatigable zeal for promoting the welfare of the province in general1 and the orphan-house in particular4 ,ordered1 that this report be printed in the ,gazette4 ,,john ,,simpson1 ,clerk4 ,in pursuance of this vote1 we find in the ,georgia ,gazette as follows3 ,savannah1 ,january #ca1 #aggj4 ,last ,sunday1 his ,excellency the ,governor1 ,council1 and ,assembly1 having been invited by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 attended divine service in the chapel of the orphan-house academy1 where prayers were read by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,ellington1 and a very suitable sermon was preached by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 from ,zechariah #d3aj1 ',for who hath despised the day of small things8' to the great satisfaction of the auditory2 in which he took occasion to mention the many discouragements he met with1 well known to many there1 in carrying on the institution for upwards of thirty years past1 and the present promising prospect of its future and more extensive usefulness4 ,after divine service1 the company were very politely entertained with a handsome and plentiful dinner2 and were greatly pleased to see the useful improvements made in the house1 the two additional wings of apartments for students1 one hundred and fifty feet each in length1 and other lesser buildings1 in so much forwardness2 and the whole executed with taste1 and in so masterly a manner2 and being sensible of the truly generous and disinterested benefactions derived to the province through his means1 they expressed their gratitude in the most respectful terms4 ,on ,february #aj1 we find a letter written at ,charleston by ,whitefield to his friend ,mr4 ,robert ,keen of ,london3 ,through infinite mercy1 this leaves me enjoying a greater share of bodily health than ,i have known for many years4 ,i am now enabled to preach almost every day1 and my poor feeble labors seem not to be in vain in the ,lord4 ,blessed be ,god1 all things are in great forwardness at ,bethesda4 ,i have conversed with the governor in the most explicit manner1 more than once1 concerning an act of ,assembly for the establishment of the intended orphan-house college4 ,he most readily consents4 ,i have shown him a draft1 which he much approves of1 and all will be finished at my return from the northward2 in the meanwhile the building will be carried on4 ,as two ministers from ,new ,jersey and ,rhode ,island have been soliciting benefactions for their respective colleges1 no application of that nature can be made here2 but the ,lord will provide4444 ,since my being in ,charleston1 ,i have shown the draft to some persons of great eminence and influence4 ,they highly approve of it1 and willingly consent to be some of the wardens4 ,nearly twenty are to be of ,georgia1 and about six of this place2 one of ,philadelphia1 one of ,new ,york1 one of ,boston1 three of ,edinburgh1 two of ,glasgow1 and six of ,london4 ,those of ,georgia and ,south ,carolina are to be qualified2 the others to be only honorary corresponding wardens4 ,two days afterwards he again writes to the same friend1 ,in a few months1 ,i hope all will be completed4 ,but what may these few months produce8 ,lord ,jesus1 prepare us for whatsoever thou hast prepared for us1 and give peace in our time1 for thine infinite mercy's sake4 ,you must expect another draft soon4 ,god be praised for that saying1 ',it is more blessed to give than to receive4' ,you would be pleased to see with what attention the people hear the word preached4 ,i have been in ,charleston near a fortnight--am to preach at a neighboring country parish church next ,sunday1 and hope to see ,georgia the week following4 ,perhaps ,i may sail from thence to the northward1 and perhaps embark from thence4 ,lord ,jesus1 direct my goings in thy way4 ,i am blessed with bodily health1 and am enabled to go on my way rejoicing4 ,grace1 grace6 ,on returning to ,bethesda1 his heart seems to have been full of the orphan-house and the college4 ,for the direction of the latter1 he prepared a series of rules1 and especially provided for the reading of the old ,puritan and ,non-conformist writers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries4 ,every letter he wrote contained references to the improved state of his health1 and the increased number of preaching engagements which he was now able to fulfil4 ,his spirits seem to have been better1 and his exultations in the divine kindness more ardent than ever1 while his correspondence indicates much heavenly-mindedness1 and lively desires for the highest happiness of his friends4 ,as ,whitefield had now been in the south more than five months1 we are not surprised to find that applications poured in from every part of the north1 entreating him to revisit the scenes of other years4 ,he left ,bethesda and its affairs in the hands of persons worthy of his confidence1 of whom he said1 ,such a set of helpers ,i never met with4 ,after some hesitation as to where he should first go1 he set out for ,philadelphia1 where he arrived on the #fth of ,may4 ,writing three days afterwards1 he says1 ,the evening following1 ,i was enabled to preach to a large auditory1 and have to repeat the delightful task this evening4 ,pulpits1 hearts1 and affections1 seem to be as open and enlarged to me as ever4 ,on the #bdth he again wrote1 ,a wide and effectual door1 ,i trust1 has been opened in this city4 ,people of all ranks flock as much as ever4 ,impressions are made on many1 and ,i trust they will abide4 ,to all the ,episcopal churches1 as well as most of the other places of worship1 ,i have free access4 ,notwithstanding ,i preach twice on the ,lord's day1 and three or four times a week besides1 yet ,i am rather better than ,i have been for many years4 ,this is the ,lord's doing4 ,on ,june #ad1 he says1 ,this leaves me just returned from a one hundred and fifty miles' circuit1 in which1 blessed be ,god1 ,i have been enabled to preach every day4 ,so many new as well as old doors are open1 and so many invitations sent from various quarters1 that ,i know not which way to turn myself4 ,of his last visit to ,new ,jersey1 ,bishop ,white of ,philadelphia1 then a young man of twenty-three1 says1 ,when he was on his way from ,philadelphia to ,boston1 late in the summer1 he had been prevailed on to promise to cross from ,bristol to ,burlington1 and to preach there4 ,i happened to be in the latter place1 and staying in the house of a relative1 when it was announced that ,mr4 ,whitefield was at a tavern on the other side of the river4 ,he was expected to be escorted by my relative4 ,i went with him2 and we returned in a boat with ,mr4 ,whitefield and his company4 ,he preached to the assembled citizens in front of the court-house1 and afterwards dined at the house of my relative4 ,during dinner1 he was almost the only speaker1 as was said to be common2 all present being disposed to listen4 ,a few days after this visit1 we find him at ,new ,york1 writing1 ,june #cj1 ,i have been here just a week4 ,have been enabled to preach four times2 and am to repeat the delightful task this evening4 ,congregations are larger than ever4 ,blessed be ,god1 ,i have been strengthened to itinerate and preach daily for some time4 ,next week ,i purpose to go to ,albany2 from thence1 perhaps to the ,oneida ,indians4 ,there is to be a very large ,indian congress2 ,mr4 ,kirkland accompanies me4 ,he is a truly ,christian minister and missionary4 ,every thing possible should be done to strengthen his hands and his heart4 ,perhaps ,i may not see ,georgia till ,christmas4 ,as yet1 ,i keep to my intended plan1 in respect to my returning4 ,lord ,jesus1 direct my goings in thy way4 ,the heat begins now to be a little intense2 but through mercy ,i am enabled to bear up bravely4 ,what a ,god do we serve6 ,on the twenty-ninth of ,july1 he again writes from the same city1 and it is the last entry in his memorandum3 ,since my last1 and during this month1 ,i have been above a five hundred miles' circuit2 and have been enabled to preach and travel through the heat every day4 ,the congregations have been very large1 attentive1 and affected2 particularly at ,albany1 ,schenectady1 ,great ,barrington1 ,norfolk1 ,salisbury1 ,sharon1 ,smithfield1 ,poughkeepsie1 ,fishkill1 ,new ,rumbart1 ,new ,windsor1 and ,peck's ,hill4 ,last night ,i returned hither1 and hope to set out for ,boston in two or three days4 ,o what a new scene of usefulness is opening in various parts of this world6 ,all fresh work where ,i have been4 ,the divine influence has been as at first4 ,invitations crowd upon me both from ministers and people1 from many1 many quarters4 ,a very peculiar providence led me very lately to a place where a horse-stealer was executed4 ,thousands attended4 ,the poor criminal had sent me several letters1 hearing ,i was in the country4 ,the sheriff allowed him to come and hear a sermon under an adjacent tree4 ,solemn1 solemn6 ,after being by himself about an hour1 ,i walked half a mile with him to the gallows4 ,his heart had been softened before my first visit4 ,he seemed full of solid1 divine consolation4 ,an instructive walk6 ,i went up with him into the cart4 ,he gave a short exhortation4 ,i then stood upon the coffin--added1 ,i trust1 a word in season--prayed--gave the blessing1 and took my leave4 ,effectual good1 ,i hope1 was done to the hearers and spectators4 ,grace1 grace6 ,our local histories seem to delight to honor ,whitefield by the introduction of his name whenever they have an opportunity4 ,in a notice of ,sharon1 in ,barber's ,historical ,collections of ,connecticut1 the writer says1 ,in the latter part of ,july1 #aggj1 the ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield passed through this town on a preaching tour4 ,there was considerable opposition to his being admitted into the meeting-house1 and arrangements had been made to hold the service in an orchard still standing near the meeting-house1 in case he should be refused4 ,mr4 ,smith1 the ,rev4 ,cotton ,mather ,smith1 a descendant of ,cotton ,mather1 invited him into the pulpit1 though strongly opposed by a considerable number of influential men4 ,an immense congregation from this and the neighboring towns filled the meeting-house to overflowing4 ,his text was1 ',marvel not that ,i said unto you1 ,ye must be born again4' ,he proceeded to discourse on the doctrine of the new birth with astonishing power and eloquence1 and the congregation were much moved by the power of the truth and ,spirit of ,god4 ,the concluding words of his discourse were a quotation1 with a little variation1 from the close of the fourth chapter of ,solomon's ,song4 ',awake1 ,o north wind1 and come1 thou south2 blow upon this garden1 that the spices thereof may flow out4 ,let my ,beloved come into this garden1 and eat his pleasant fruits4' ,many of the inhabitants of ,sharon followed him for several successive days1 to hear the word of life from this devoted minister of the cross4 ,we think it must have been in this journey that ,whitefield's ministry was blessed to the conversion of a young man who has left his mark on the age4 ,benjamin ,randall was born in ,new ,castle1 ,new ,hampshire1 in #agdi4 ,in his twenty-second year he was brought under the ministry of ,whitefield1 by which means he became deeply convinced of sin1 and was soon after converted to ,god4 ,in #aggf1 he united with a ,calvinistic ,baptist church2 but before long began to preach what he accounted more correct doctrines in his native town1 and was honored of ,god to effect a very powerful and extensive revival4 ,he is considered the founder of the denomination of ,freewill ,baptists1 which now comprises from eleven to twelve hundred churches1 more than a thousand pastors and licentiates1 and upwards of fifty thousand communicants4 ,mr4 ,randall was a man of strong mental powers1 and though he had not a classical education1 he was a good ,english scholar1 aspired after general and religious knowledge1 had fine discriminating talent1 and was remarkable for the perseverance with which he pursued whatever he undertook4 ,above all1 like his spiritual father1 he possessed what a living preacher has well called1 a passion for souls4 ,from ,new ,york ,whitefield proceeded to ,boston1 and short extracts from two of his letters1 and those the last he wrote1 will show his position and his feelings3 ,september #ag1 he says to ,mr4 ,wright1 at ,bethesda1 ,fain would ,i come by ,captain ,souder1 from ,philadelphia2 but people are so importunate for my stay in these parts1 that ,i fear it will be impracticable4 ',my ,god will supply all my need according to the riches of his grace in ,christ ,jesus4' ,two or three evenings ago1 ,i was taken in the night with a violent flux1 attended with retching and shivering1 so that ,i was obliged to return from ,newbury2 but through infinite mercy ,i am restored1 and to-morrow morning hope to begin again4 ,never was the word received with greater eagerness than now4 ,all opposition seems1 as it were1 for a while to cease4 ,i find ,god's time is the best4 ,the season is critical as to outward circumstances2 but when forts are given up1 the ,lord ,jesus can appoint salvation for walls and for bulwarks2 he has promised to be a wall of fire round about his people4 ,this comforts me concerning ,bethesda1 though we should have a ,spanish war4 ,you will be pleased to hear1 ,i never was carried through the summer's heat so well4 ,and finally1 to his dear friend ,mr4 ,keen of ,london1 he wrote from ,portsmouth1 ,new ,hampshire1 ,september #bc1 just one week before his death1 ,by this time ,i thought to be moving southward4 ,but never was greater importunity used to detain me longer in these northern parts4 ,poor ,new ,england is much to be pitied2 ,boston people most of all4 ,how grossly misrepresented6 ,what a mercy that our ,christian charter cannot be dissolved6 ,blessed be ,god for an unchangeable ,jesus6 ,you will see1 by the many invitations1 what a door is opened for preaching the everlasting gospel4 ,i was so ill on ,friday that ,i could not preach1 though thousands were waiting to hear4 ,well1 the day of release will shortly come1 but it does not seem yet2 for by riding sixty miles ,i am better1 and hope to preach here to-morrow4 ,i trust my blessed ,master will accept these poor efforts to serve him4 ,o for a warm heart6 ,o to stand fast in the faith1 to acquit ourselves like men1 and be strong6 ,may this be the happy experience of you and yours4 ,i suppose your letters are gone for me in the ,anderson to ,georgia4 ,if spared so long1 ,i expect to see them about ,christmas4 ,still pray and praise4 ,i am so poorly1 and so engaged when able to preach1 that this must apologize for not writing to more friends3 it is quite impracticable4 ,whitefield's hope to preach here to-morrow was fully realized4 ,in the ,pennsylvania ,journal and ,weekly ,advertiser1 we find a letter from ,portsmouth1 dated ,sept4 #bh1 #aggj1 which says1 ,last ,sunday morning came to town from ,boston1 the ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield1 and in the afternoon he preached at the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,haven's meeting-house2 ,monday morning he preached again at the same place1 to a very large and crowded audience4 ,tuesday morning a most numerous assembly met at the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,langdon's meeting-house1 which it is said will hold nearly six thousand people1 and was well filled1 even the aisles4 ,evening he preached at the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,john ,rodgers' meeting-house in ,kittery1 and yesterday at the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,lyman's in ,york1 to which place a number of ladies and gentlemen from town accompanied him4 ,this morning ,friday he will preach at the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,langdon's meeting-house in this town4 ,we are now approaching the closing scene1 and are invited to hear ,whitefield's last sermon4 ,on his way to ,newburyport1 where he had engaged to preach on ,sunday morning1 ,september #cj1 he was entreated to preach at ,exeter4 ,this had been the scene of some of his former triumphs4 ,he was once preaching here1 when a man was present who had loaded his pocket with stones to throw at the preacher4 ,he heard his prayer with patience1 but as soon as he had read his text1 the man took a stone out of his pocket and held it in his hand1 waiting for an opportunity to throw it4 ,but ,god sent a word to his heart1 and the stone dropped from his hand4 ,after the sermon1 the poor fellow went to ,mr4 ,whitefield1 and said1 ,sir1 ,i came here to-day with the intention of breaking your head1 but ,god has given me a broken heart4 ,this man was converted to ,god1 and lived an ornament to the gospel4 ,as though it had been felt by the public that this might be our preacher's last sermon1 inconvenient as ,saturday noon must be for the assembling of a congregation for worship1 such a multitude was collected that no house could contain them1 and ,whitefield1 for nearly two hours1 discoursed to an attentive crowd in the open air4 ,of this last sermon at ,exeter1 a gentleman who was present has given a deeply interesting and affecting account4 ,the relator was then in his eighty-sixth year1 but he retained a strong remembrance of the most trivial incidents connected with that extraordinary man4 ,he says3 ,it was usual for ,mr4 ,whitefield to be attended by ,mr4 ,smith1 who preached when he was unable on account of sudden attacks of asthma4 ,at the time referred to1 after ,mr4 ,smith had delivered a short discourse1 ,mr4 ,whitefield seemed desirous of speaking2 but from the weak state in which he then was1 it was thought almost impossible4 ,he rose from the seat in the pulpit1 and stood erect1 and his appearance alone was a powerful sermon4 ,the thinness of his visage1 the paleness of his countenance1 the evident struggling of the heavenly spark in a decayed body for utterance1 were all deeply interesting2 the spirit was willing1 but the flesh was dying4 ,in this situation he remained several minutes1 unable to speak2 he then said1 ',i will wait for the gracious assistance of ,god1 for he will1 ,i am certain1 assist me once more to speak in his name4' ,he then delivered perhaps one of his best sermons1 for the light generally burns most splendidly when about to expire4 ,the subject was a contrast of the present with the future2 a part of this sermon ,i read to a popular and learned clergyman in ,new ,york1 who could not refrain from weeping when ,i repeated the following3 ',i go1 ,i go to rest prepared2 my sun has arisen1 and by aid from heaven1 given light to many2 't is now about to set for--no1 it cannot be6 't is to rise to the zenith of immortal glory2 ,i have outlived many on earth1 but they cannot outlive me in heaven4 ,many shall live when this body is no more1 but then--,oh1 thought divine6--,i shall be in a world where time1 age1 pain1 and sorrow are unknown4 ,my body fails1 my spirit expands2 how willingly would ,i live for ever to preach ,christ6 but ,i die to be with him4 ,how brief1 comparatively brief1 has been my life1 compared with the vast labors ,i see before me yet to be accomplished2 but if ,i leave now1 while so few care about heavenly things1 the ,god of peace will surely visit you4' ,these1 and many other things he said1 which1 though simple1 were rendered important by circumstances2 for death had let fly his arrow1 and the shaft was deeply enfixed when utterance was given to them3 his countenance1 his tremulous voice1 his debilitated frame1 all gave convincing evidence that the eye which saw him should shortly see him no more for ever4 ,when ,i visited the place where he is entombed1 ,newburyport1 ,i could not help saying1 ',the memory of the just is blessed1' ,few are there like ,george ,whitefield2 however zealous1 they do not possess the masterly power1 and those who do1 too often turn it to a purpose that does not glorify ,god4 ,we have already spoken of the ,rev4 ,daniel ,rodgers1 a descendant of the martyr of that name1 and pastor of the second congregational church at ,exeter4 ,it was this old friend of ,whitefield who had importuned him to preach at ,exeter4 ,the ,almanack ,journal of this excellent man contains the following items of the activity of our eloquent orator in his closing days3 ,september #aj1 #aggj1 dear ,mr4 ,whitefield preached here1 ,a4 ,m41 ten o'clock4 #aath1 ,mr4 ,whitefield preached again in ,mr4 ,parsons' meeting-house4 #abth1 ,i rode over to ,rowley1 ,mr4 ,whitefield preached there4 #adth1 a storm of rain4 #aeth1 the rain continues4 ,mr4 ,whitefield went to ,boston1 not well4 #beth1 ,i heard dear ,mr4 ,whitefield preach4 #bfth1 he went to ,kittery1 and preached for brother ,john2 ,p4 ,m4 ,i rode to ,york4 #bgth1 ,mr4 ,whitefield preached at ,york2 ,p4 ,m4 we returned to ,portsmouth4 #bhth1 ,mr4 ,whitefield preached his farewell sermon2 ,i returned home4 #bith1 dear ,mr4 ,whitefield preached for me the last sermon he ever preached4 ,mr4 ,smith's account of the closing scene will not be considered too minute in its details4 ,before he commenced his journey of fifteen miles from ,portsmouth to ,exeter1 ,mr4 ,clarkson1 senior1 observing him more uneasy than usual1 said to him1 ',sir1 you are more fit to go to bed than to preach4' ,whitefield's reply was1 ',true1 sir2' but turning aside1 he clasped his hands together1 and looking up1 said1 ',lord ,jesus1 ,i am weary in thy work1 but not of thy work4 ,if ,i have not yet finished my course1 let me go and speak for thee once more in the fields1 seal thy truth1 and come home and die4' ,his last sermon was from #b ,cor4 #ac3e1 ',examine yourselves1 whether ye be in the faith4 ,know ye not your own selves1 how that ,jesus ,christ is in you1 except ye be reprobates8' ,he dined at ,captain ,gillman's4 ,after dinner1 ,mr4 ,whitefield and ,mr4 ,parsons rode to ,newbury4 ,i did not get there till two hours after them4 ,i found them at supper4 ,i asked ,mr4 ,whitefield how he felt after his journey4 ,he said he was tired1 therefore he supped early1 and went to bed4 ,he ate a very little supper1 talked but little1 asked ,mr4 ,parsons to discharge the table1 and perform family duty1 and then retired up stairs4 ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,hallock tells us1 that1 in #ahbb1 he visited ,newburyport and the tomb of ,whitefield4 ,he was then told by persons whom he considered reliable1 that when ,whitefield was retiring to his chamber on this last evening of his life1 many were so desirous to see and hear him1 that he stood on the stairs with a lamp in his hand1 and there gave them a tender spiritual address4 ,we resume ,mr4 ,smith's account3 ,he said he would sit and read till ,i came to him1 which ,i did as soon as possible2 and found him reading the ,bible1 with ,dr4 ,watts' ,psalms lying open before him4 ,he asked me for some water-gruel1 and took about half his usual quantity2 and kneeling down by his bedside1 closed the evening with prayer4 ,after a little conversation1 he went to rest1 and slept till two in the morning1 when he awoke1 and asked for a little cider2 he drank about a wine-glass full4 ,i asked him how he felt1 for he seemed to pant for breath4 ,he said to me1 ',my asthma is coming on again2 ,i must have two or three days' rest4 ,two or three days' riding1 without preaching1 would set me up again4' ,soon afterwards1 he asked me to put the window up a little higher1 though it was half up all night4 ',for1' said he1 ',i cannot breathe2 but ,i hope ,i shall be better by and by3 a good pulpit sweat to-day may give me relief2 ,i shall be better after preaching4' ,i said to him1 ',i wish you would not preach so often4' ,he replied1 ',i had rather wear out than rust out4' ,i then told him1 ,i was afraid he took cold in preaching yesterday4 ,he said he believed he had2 and then sat up in bed1 and prayed that ,god would be pleased to bless his preaching where he had been1 and also bless his preaching that day1 that more souls might be brought to ,christ4 ,he prayed for direction whether he should winter in ,boston1 or hasten to the southward2 and he prayed for a blessing on his ,bethesda college1 and his dear family there1 for the ,tabernacle and ,chapel congregations1 and all connections on the other side of the water2 and then he laid himself down to sleep again4 ,this was near three o'clock4 ,at a quarter past four he awoke1 and said1 ',my asthma1 my asthma is coming on2 ,i wish ,i had not given out word to preach at ,haverhill on ,monday2 ,i don't think ,i shall be able2 but ,i shall see what to-day will bring forth4 ,if ,i am no better to-morrow1 ,i will take two or three days' ride6' ,he then desired me to warm him a little gruel2 and in breaking the fire-wood1 ,i waked ,mr4 ,parsons1 who thinking ,i knocked for him1 rose and came in4 ,he went to ,mr4 ,whitefield's bedside1 and asked him how he felt4 ,he answered1 ',i am almost suffocated4 ,i can scarcely breathe1 my asthma quite chokes me4' ,i was then not a little surprised to hear how quickly1 and with what difficulty he drew his breath4 ,he got out of bed1 and went to the open window for air4 ,this was exactly at five o'clock4 ,i went to him1 and for about the space of five minutes saw no danger1 only that he had a great difficulty in breathing1 as ,i had often seen before4 ,soon afterwards1 he turned himself to me1 and said1 ',i am dying4' ,i said1 ',i hope not1 sir4' ,he ran to the other window1 panting for breath1 but could get no relief4 ,it was agreed that ,i should go for ,dr4 ,sawyer2 and on my coming back1 ,i saw death on his face2 and he again said1 ',i am dying4' ,his eyes were fixed1 his underlip drawing inward every time he drew breath4 ,i persuaded him to sit down in the chair1 and have his cloak on2 he consented by a sign1 but could not speak4 ,i then offered him a glass of warm wine2 he took half of it1 but it seemed as if it would have stopped his breath entirely4 ,he went towards the window1 and we offered him some warm wine1 with lavender drops1 which he refused4 ,in a little time he brought up a considerable quantity of phlegm4 ,i then began to have some small hopes4 ,mr4 ,parsons said he thought ,mr4 ,whitefield breathed more freely than he did1 and would recover4 ,i said1 ',no1 sir1 he is certainly dying4' ,i was continually employed in taking the phlegm out of his mouth with a handkerchief1 and bathing his temples with drops1 rubbing his wrists1 etc41 to give him relief1 if possible1 but all in vain2 his hands and feet were as cold as clay4 ,when the doctor came in1 and saw him in the chair leaning upon my breast1 he felt his pulse1 and said1 ',he is a dead man4' ,mr4 ,parsons said1 ',i do not believe it2 you must do something1 doctor4' ,he said1 ',i cannot2 he is now near his last breath4' ,and so indeed it was2 for he fetched but one gasp1 and stretched out his feet1 and breathed no more4 ,this was exactly at six o'clock4 ,we continued rubbing his legs1 hands1 and feet1 with warm cloths1 and bathed him with spirits for some time1 but all in vain4 ,i then put him into a warm bed1 the doctor standing by1 and often raised him upright1 continued rubbing him and putting spirits to his nose for an hour1 till all hopes were gone4 ,the people came in crowds to see him4 ,whitefield seems to have had somewhat of a presentiment that his death would be unattended with any remarkable expression of spiritual enjoyment4 ,in his last preceding visit to this country1 he had spent a day or two under the roof of the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,finley1 then president of the college at ,princeton1 ,new ,jersey4 ,one day ,dr4 ,finley said at the dinner-table1 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 ,i hope it will be very long before you will be called home2 but when that event shall arrive1 ,i shall be glad to hear the noble testimony you will bear for ,god4 ,whitefield replied1 ,you would be disappointed1 doctor2 ,i shall die silent4 ,it has pleased ,god to enable me to bear so many testimonies for him during my life1 that he will require none from me when ,i die4 ,no1 no4 ,it is your dumb ,christians1 who have walked in fear and darkness1 and thereby been unable to bear a testimony for ,god during their lives1 that he compels to speak out for him on their death-beds4 ,we resume ,mr4 ,smith's narrative3 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,parsons1 at whose house my dear master died1 sent for ,captain ,fetcomb1 and ,mr4 ,boadman1 and others of his elders and deacons1 and they took the whole of the burial upon themselves1 prepared the vault1 and sent and invited the bearers4 ,many ministers of all persuasions came to the house of the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,parsons1 where several of them gave a very particular account of their first awakenings under his ministry several years ago1 and also of many in their congregations that1 to their knowledge1 under ,god1 owed their conversion to his coming among them1 often referring to the blessed seasons they had enjoyed under his preaching2 and all said1 that this last visit was attended with more power than any other1 and that all opposition fell before him4 ,then one and another would pity and pray for his dear ,tabernacle and ,chapel congregations1 and it was truly affecting to hear them bemoan ,america and ,england's loss4 ,thus they continued for two hours1 conversing about his great usefulness1 and praying that ,god would scatter his gifts1 and drop his mantle among them4 ,dr4 ,gillies says1 ,early next morning1 ,mr4 ,sherburn of ,portsmouth sent ,mr4 ,clarkson and ,dr4 ,haven with a message to ,mr4 ,parsons1 desiring that ,mr4 ,whitefield's remains might be buried in his own new tomb1 at his own expense2 and in the evening several gentlemen from ,boston came to ,mr4 ,parsons1 desiring the body might be carried there4 ,but as ,mr4 ,whitefield had repeatedly desired to be buried before ,mr4 ,parsons' pulpit1 if he died at ,newburyport1 ,mr4 ,parsons thought himself obliged to deny both these requests4 ,mr4 ,parsons1 in a note to his funeral sermon1 says1 ,at one o'clock all the bells in the town were tolled for half an hour1 and all the vessels in the harbor gave their proper signals of mourning4 ,at two o'clock the bells tolled a second time4 ,at three the bells called to attend the funeral4 ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,haven of ,portsmouth1 and the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,rodgers of ,exeter1 ,jewet and ,chandler of ,rowley1 ,moses ,parsons of ,newbury1 and ,bass of ,newburyport1 were pall-bearers4 ,mr4 ,parsons and his family1 with many other respectable persons1 followed the corpse in mourning4 ,the procession1 says ,mr4 ,smith1 was only one mile1 and then the corpse was carried into the ,presbyterian church1 and placed at the foot of the pulpit1 close to the vault2 the ,rev4 ,daniel ,rodgers made a very affecting prayer1 and openly declared1 that1 under ,god1 he owed his conversion to that dear man of ,god whose precious remains now lay before them4 ,then he cried out1 ',o my father1 my father6' then stopped and wept as though his heart would break2 the people weeping all through the place4 ,then he recovered1 and finished his prayer1 and sat down and wept4 ,then one of the deacons gave out the hymn1 ',why do we mourn departing friends8' some of the people weeping1 some singing1 and so on alternately4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,jewet preached a funeral discourse2 and made an affectionate address to his brethren1 to lay to heart the death of that useful man of ,god1 begging that he and they might be upon their watchtower1 and endeavor to follow his blessed example4 ,the corpse was then put into the vault1 and all concluded with a short prayer1 and dismission of the people1 who went weeping through the streets to their respective places of abode4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,rodgers1 from whose ,almanack ,journal we have quoted1 records that the vast assembly at the funeral consisted of four1 since thought five thousand people1 and adds1 ,oct4 #g1 ,i preached from those words in the first ,philippians1 ',having a desire to depart and be with ,christ1' etc4 ,i spoke extempore1 somewhat largely1 of dear ,mr4 ,whitefield's character4 ,the late venerable ,mr4 ,bartlet of ,newburyport1 some years ago1 erected a monument to the memory of ,whitefield in the church beneath which his remains are interred4 ,the cenotaph was executed by ,mr4 ,struthers of ,philadelphia1 after a design of ,strickland1 and the inscription which follows was written by the late ,rev4 ,dr4 ,ebenezer ,porter1 of the ,theological seminary at ,andover4 ,,this ,,cenotaph is ,,erected1 ,,with ,,affectionate ,,veneration1 ,to the ,memory ,,of ,,the ,,rev4 ,,george ,,whitefield1 ,,born ,,at ,,gloucester1 ,,england1 ,,december #af1 #agad2 ,,educated ,,at ,,oxford ,,university2 ,,ordained #agcf4 ,,in ,a ,,ministry ,,of ,,thirty-,,four ,,years1 ,,he ,,crossed ,,the ,,atlantic ,,thirteen ,,times1 ,,and ,,preached ,,more ,,than ,,eighteen ,,thousand ,,sermons4 ,,as ,a ,,soldier ,,of ,,the ,,cross1 ,,humble1 ,,devout1 ,,ardent1 ,,he ,,put ,,on ,,the ,,whole ,,armor ,,of ,,god3 ,,preferring ,,the ,,honor ,,of ,,christ ,,to ,,his ,,own ,,interest1 ,,repose1 ,,reputation1 ,,and ,,life4 ,,as ,a ,,christian ,,orator1 ,,his ,,deep ,,piety1 ,,disinterested ,,zeal1 ,,and ,,vivid ,,imagination1 ,,gave ,,unexampled ,,energy ,,to ,,his ,,look1 ,,utterance1 ,,and ,,action4 ,,bold1 ,,fervent1 ,,pungent1 ,,and ,,popular ,,in ,,his ,,eloquence1 ,,no ,,other ,,uninspired ,,man ,,ever ,,preached ,,to ,,so ,,large ,,assemblies1 ,,or ,,enforced ,,the ,,simple ,,truths ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,,by ,,motives ,,so ,,persuasive ,,and ,,awful1 ,,and ,,with ,,an ,,influence ,,so ,,powerful1 ,,on ,,the ,,hearts ,,of ,,his ,,hearers4 ,,he ,,died ,,of ,,asthma1 ,,september #cj1 #aggj4 ,,suddenly ,,exchanging ,,his ,,life ,,of ,,unparalleled ,,labors ,,for ,,his ,,eternal ,,rest4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,south ,,church1 ,,boston4 ,illustration3 ,,monument ,illustration3 ,,old ,,south1 ,,at ,,newburyport ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,testimonies ,,and ,,facts ,,illustrative ,,of ,,whitefield',s ,,character4 ,last evening1 says a letter from ,boston1 ,october #a1 #aggj1 to the ,pennsylvania ,journal1 we were informed by a melancholy messenger from ,newburyport1 that yesterday morning about six o'clock1 at that place1 the renowned and ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield1 chaplain to the ,right ,hon4 the ,countess of ,huntingdon1 etc41 was1 by a sudden mandate1 summoned to the bosom of his ,saviour4 ,he had been preaching in divers parts of this province since his arrival from the southward1 with his usual diligence and energy2 was now from a tour to the province of ,new ,hampshire on his return to this town1 but being seized with a violent fit of the asthma1 was in a short space translated from the labors of this life to the enjoyment of a better4 ,of this truly pious and very extraordinary personage1 little can be said but what every friend to vital ,christianity who has sat under his ministry will readily attest4 ,in his public performances throughout ,europe and ,british ,america1 he has1 for a long course of years1 astonished the world as a prodigy of eloquence and devotion4 ,with what frequency and cheerfulness did he ascend the desk1 the language of his actions being ever1 ',wist ye not that ,i must be about my ,master's business8' ,with what divine pathos did he plead with1 and persuade by the most engaging incitements1 the impenitent sinner to the practice of piety and virtue4 ,filled with the spirit of grace1 he spoke from the heart2 and with a fervency of zeal perhaps unequalled since the apostles1 ornamented the celestial annunciations of the preacher with the graceful and most enticing charms of rhetoric and oratory4 ,from the pulpit he was unrivalled in the command of an ever-crowded and admiring auditory2 nor was he less entertaining and instructive in his private conversation and deportment4 ,happy in a remarkable ease of address1 willing to communicate1 studious to edify1 and formed to amuse--such1 in more retired life1 was he whom we lament4 ,and while a peculiar pleasantry enlivened and rendered his company agreeable1 his conversation was ever marked with the greatest objects of his pursuit--virtue and religion4 ,it were to be wished that the good impressions of his ministry may be long retained2 and that the rising generation1 like their pious ancestors1 may catch a spark of that ethereal flame which burnt with such lustre in the sentiments and practice of this faithful servant of the most high ,god4 ,another contemporaneous article says1 ,dr4 ,cooper of ,brattle-street1 called an enthusiast by none1 won early to serious religion by his ,whitefield's instrumentality1 delivered a sermon upon his death1 in which he pronounced a strong eulogy in favor of his holy and successful activity in the cause of vital and practical religion through the ,english dominions4 ,pews1 aisles1 and seats were so crowded1 and heads and shoulders were in such close phalanx1 that it looked as though a man might walk everywhere upon the upper surface of the assembly1 without finding an opening for descending to the floor4 ,when the news of ,mr4 ,whitefield's death reached ,georgia1 its inhabitants vied with each other in showing him the highest respect4 ,all the black cloth in the stores was bought up2 the pulpit and desk of the church1 the branches1 the organ-loft1 and the pews of the governor and council were covered with black4 ,the governor and council in deep mourning convened at the state-house1 and went in procession to church1 where they were received by the organ playing a funeral dirge4 ,two funeral sermons were there listened to by the authorities4 ,in the ,legislature high eulogiums were pronounced on the admirable preacher1 and a sum of money was unanimously appropriated for removing his remains to ,georgia1 to be interred at his orphan-house2 but the inhabitants of ,newburyport strongly objected1 and the design was relinquished4 ,forty-five years later when a new county was formed in ,georgia1 it received the name of ,whitefield in commemoration of his worth and useful services4 ,in a letter from ,dr4 ,franklin to a gentleman in ,georgia1 he says1 ,i cannot forbear expressing the pleasure it gives me to see an account of the respect paid to his memory by your assembly4 ,i knew him intimately upwards of thirty years2 his integrity1 disinterestedness1 and indefatigable zeal in prosecuting every good work1 ,i have never seen equalled1 ,i shall never see excelled4 ,of course it would be expected that the sermons at ,savannah would be of great interest4 ,such a discourse was delivered by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,ellington1 who very truly said1 ,whitefield's longing desires for the salvation of immortal souls would not admit of his being confined within the limits of any walls4 ,how he has preached1 with showers of stones1 and many other instruments of malice and revenge about his ears1 many of his surviving friends can witness4 ,but having the salvation of sinners at heart1 and a great desire to rescue them from the power of an eternal death1 he resolved to spend and be spent for the service of precious and immortal souls2 and spared no pains and refused no labor1 so that he might administer to their real and eternal good4 ,he died like a hero on the field of battle4 ,thousands in ,england1 ,scotland1 and ,america have great reason to bless ,god for his ministrations4 ,who shall attempt to describe the feelings of the congregations at the ,tabernacle and ,tottenham ,court chapels1 when the news of their pastor's death first reached them8 ,all were indeed clothed in mourning4 ,by ,whitefield's own previous appointment1 the ,rev4 ,john ,wesley preached the funeral sermon at ,tottenham ,court-road chapel4 ,the preacher bore this testimony3 ,in his public labors he has for many years astonished the world with his eloquence and devotion4 ,with what divine pathos did he persuade the impenitent sinner to embrace the practice of early piety and virtue4 ,filled with the spirit of grace1 he spoke from the heart with a fervency of zeal perhaps unequalled since the days of the apostles2 and adorned the truths he delivered with the most graceful charms of rhetoric and oratory4 ,from the pulpit he was unrivalled in the command of an ever-crowded auditory4 ,it was the love of ,god shed abroad in his heart by the ,holy ,ghost which filled his soul with tender1 disinterested love to every child of man4444 ,mention has been already made of his unparalleled zeal1 his indefatigable activity1 his tender-heartedness to the afflicted1 and charitableness towards the poor4 ,but should we not likewise mention his deep gratitude to all whom ,god had used as instruments of good to him8 of whom he did not cease to speak in the most respectful manner1 even to his dying day4 ,should we not mention that he had a heart susceptible of the most generous and the most tender friendship8 ,i have frequently thought that this1 of all others1 was the distinguishing part of his character4 ,how few have we known of so kind a temper1 of such large and flowing affections6 ,was it not principally by this that the hearts of others were so strongly drawn and knit to him8 ,can any thing but love beget love8 ,this shone in his very countenance1 and continually breathed in all his words1 whether in public or private4 ,was it not this which1 quick and penetrating as lightning1 flew from heart to heart2 which gave that life to his sermons1 his conversation1 his letters8 ,ye are witnesses4 ,the ,rev4 ,john ,newton preached a funeral sermon at ,olney1 where he was then settled1 from the highly appropriate text1 ,he was a burning and a shining light1 ,john #e3ce1 in which he thus speaks of ,whitefield3 ,some ministers are burning and shining lights in a peculiar and eminent degree4 ,such a one1 ,i doubt not1 was the servant of ,god whose death we now lament4 ,i have had some opportunities of looking over the history of the church in past ages2 ,i am not backward to say1 that ,i have not read or heard of any person1 since the apostles' days1 of whom it may be more emphatically said1 ',he was a burning and a shining light1' than the late ,mr4 ,whitefield2 whether we consider the warmth of his zeal1 the greatness of his ministerial talents1 or the extensive usefulness with which the ,lord honored him4 ,i do not mean to praise the man1 but the ,lord who furnished him1 and made him what he was4 ,he was raised up to shine in a dark place4 ,the state of religion when he first appeared in public1 was very low in our established church4 ,i speak the truth1 though to some it may be an offensive truth4 ,the doctrines of grace were seldom heard from the pulpit1 and the life and power of godliness were little known4 ,many of the most spiritual among the dissenters1 were mourning under a sense of a great spreading declension on their side4 ,what a change has taken place throughout the land within a little more than thirty years2 that is1 since the time when the first set of despised ministers came to ,oxford6 ,and how much of this change has been owing to ,god's blessing on ,mr4 ,whitefield's labors1 is well known to many who have lived through this period1 and can hardly be denied by those who are least willing to allow it4444 ,his zeal was not like wildfire1 but directed by sound principles1 and a sound judgment4444 ,the ,lord gave him a manner of preaching which was peculiarly his own4 ,he copied from none1 and ,i never met with any one who could imitate him with success4 ,with regret we tear ourselves away from ,romaine and ,toplady1 from ,pemberton and ,parsons1 and from a multitude of others who bore testimonies like those we have given1 but which would exceed the limits of our narrative4 ,mr4 ,newton1 after his removal to ,london1 once breakfasting with a company of noblemen and gentlemen1 was asked if he knew ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,he answered in the affirmative1 and remarked1 that as a preacher ,mr4 ,whitefield far exceeded every other man of his time4 ,mr4 ,newton added1 ,i bless ,god that ,i lived in his time3 many were the winter mornings ,i rose at four o'clock to attend his ,tabernacle discourses at five2 and ,i have seen ,moorfields as full of lanterns at these times1 as ,i suppose the ,hay market is full of flambeaux on an opera night4 ,as a proof of the power of ,mr4 ,whitefield's preaching1 ,mr4 ,newton said1 that a military officer at ,glasgow1 who had heard him preach1 laid a wager with another1 that at a certain charity sermon1 though he went with prejudice1 he would be compelled to give something4 ,the other1 to make sure that he would not1 laid aside all the money out of his pockets2 but before he left the church1 he was glad to borrow some1 and lose his bet4 ,mr4 ,newton mentioned as another striking illustration of ,mr4 ,whitefield's persuasive oratory1 his collecting after one sermon #fjj1 or about #c1jjj1 for the inhabitants of an obscure village in ,germany1 that had been burned down4 ,after this sermon1 ,whitefield said1 ,we shall sing a hymn1 during which those who do not choose to give their mite on this awful occasion1 may sneak off4 ,not one moved2 he came down from the pulpit1 ordered all the doors to be shut but one1 at which he held the plate himself1 and collected the large sum we have named4 ,mr4 ,newton farther stated what he knew to be a fact1 that at the time of ,whitefield's greatest persecution1 when obliged to speak in the streets1 in one week he received not fewer than a thousand letters from persons distressed in their consciences by the energy of his preaching4 ,a gentleman of title in ,england was one day examining some works of the distinguished sculptor1 ,john ,bacon4 ,among them he observed a bust of ,mr4 ,whitefield1 which led him to remark1 ,after all that has been said1 this was truly a great man2 he was the founder of a new religion4 ,mr4 ,bacon replied1 ,a new religion1 sir8 ,yes1 said the baronet2 what do you call it8 ,nothing1 was the reply1 but the old religion revived with new energy1 and treated as though the preacher meant what he said4 ,several interesting narratives have been given of visits to the tomb of ,whitefield1 which show the preciousness of his memory4 ,in #ahcd1 the ,rev4 ,andrew ,reed1 ,d4 ,d41 of ,london1 and the late ,rev4 ,james ,matheson1 ,d4 ,d41 of ,durham1 visited this country as a deputation to its churches from the ,congregational ,union of ,england and ,wales4 ,in describing their visit to ,newburyport1 ,dr4 ,reed says1 ,we had a conference with the pastors here1 and afterwards went to the church which is enriched with the remains of ,whitefield4 ,the elders of the church were present in the porch to receive us4 ,we descended to the vault4 ,there were three coffins before us4 ,two pastors of the church lay on either side1 and the remains of ,whitefield in the centre4 ,the cover was slipt aside1 and they lay beneath my eye4 ,i had before stood in his pulpits2 seen his books1 his rings1 and chairs2 but never before had ,i looked on part of his very self4 ,the skull1 which is perfect1 clean1 and fair1 ,i received1 as is the custom1 into my hand4 ,i could say nothing2 but thought and feeling were busy4 ,on returning to the church1 ,i proposed an exercise of worship4 ,we collected over the grave of the eloquent1 the devoted1 and seraphic man1 and gave expression to the sentiments that possessed us1 by solemn psalmody and fervent prayer4 ,it was not an ordinary service to any of us4 ,in the year #ahce1 a similar deputation visited this country from the ,baptist ,union of ,great ,britain and ,ireland4 ,it consisted of the late ,rev4 ,f4 ,a4 ,cox1 ,d4 ,d41 of ,london1 and the ,rev4 ,james ,hoby1 ,d4 ,d41 then of ,birmingham4 ,they also visited the tomb of our never-to-be-forgotten evangelist4 ,we give a few sentences from their report3 ,we made an excursion to ,newburyport1 thirty-nine miles from ,boston1 to see the tomb of ,whitefield4 ,on our arrival1 we hastened to the depository of the precious remains of that eminent servant of ,god4444 ,we descended with some difficulty into the subterraneous vault1 which is immediately behind the pulpit1 in a small chamber like a vestry1 external to the body of the church4 ,deep expectant emotions thrilled through our bosoms1 while a kind of trap-door was opened1 and we descended beneath the floor to another door1 which stood perpendicularly1 by which we entered1 or rather crept1 into the awful and silent sepulchre4 ,there were three coffins placed in parallel lines2 two of them containing the mortal part of ,mr4 ,parsons and ,mr4 ,prince1 pastors of the church4 ,we instinctively took our seats1 the one on the one coffin1 the other on the other1 with the coffin of ,whitefield between1 over which1 when the upper part of the lid was removed1 to reveal the skeleton secrets of the narrow prison-house1 we bent in solemn stillness and awe4 ,we gazed on the fragments--we contemplated and handled the skull of that great preacher of righteousness--we thought of his devoted life1 his blessed death1 his high and happy destiny2 and whispered our adorations of the grace that formed him both for earth and heaven4 ,the following lines were written by the departed and amiable ,william ,b4 ,tappan1 on visiting this spot in ,september1 #ahcg4 ,and this was ,whitefield6--this1 the dust now blending ,with kindred dust1 that wrapt his soul of fire-- ,which1 from the mantle freed1 is still ascending ,through regions of far glory1 holier1 higher4 ,oh1 as ,i gaze here with a solemn joy ,and awful reverence1 in which shares ,decay1 ,who1 this fair frame reluctant to destroy1 ,yields it not yet to doom which all obey-- ,how follows thought his flight1 at ,love's command1 ,from hemisphere in sin1 to hemisphere1 ,warning uncounted multitudes with tears-- ,preaching the risen ,christ on sea and land-- ,and now those angel journeyings above6 ,souls1 his companions1 saved by such unwearied love6 ,in ,december1 #ahde1 one of the ,london daily papers1 ,the ,sun1 contained a somewhat extended account of ,whitefield in ,new ,england1 and especially his death1 funeral1 and tomb1 from which we borrow mementos that in both hemispheres may be interesting for generations to come4 ,i was spending ,sunday at ,old ,ipswich1 in the latter part of last ,september1 when by accident ,i fell in with an old inhabitant of the town who had heard ,whitefield preach there4 ,he was a sort of patriarch of the place1 and as he sat on one of the stones which surrounded the ancient orthodox meeting-house1 his grey locks streaming from beneath his queerly shaped hat1 and attired in his primly cut old-fashioned coat1 he appeared no bad representative of the departed ,puritans who1 in former days1 had soberly and decently obeyed the call of the ,sabbath bell1 and worshipped in the same temple whose steeple now casts its shadow athwart the green sward beneath4444 ,as the bell of ,old ,ipswich church swung out that bright ,sabbath morning1 it was a pretty sight to see the village people coming from different points to the decaying old church1 which was situated1 as most country churches in ,new ,england are1 on a hill-top4 ,while ,i was enjoying the scene1 the old man to whom ,i have alluded1 and who was sitting on a stone1 accosted me1 and asked me if ,i was not a stranger 'in these parts4' ,on my informing him that ,i was1 he pointed out to me the 'lions' of the neighborhood1 and wound up by asking1 ',i suppose1 sir1 you've heard of ,whitefield8' ',of ,whitefield8 to be sure ,i have4' ',well1 ,i've seen ,whitefield1 ,george ,whitefield stood on this very stone1' 7dropping his stick feebly from his shaking hands17 'and ,i heard him preach here4' ',and do you remember any thing about him8' ,i asked4 ',well1 ,i guess ,i do4 ,i was but a bit of a boy then2 but here he stood on this stone1 looking like a flying angel1 and we call this ,whitefield's pulpit to this day4444 ,there was folks here from all parts to hear him2 so he was obliged to preach outside1 for the church wasn't half big enough for 'em1 and no two ways about it4 ,i've heard many parsons sin' that time1 but none on 'em could come nigh him1 any how they could fix it4' ',do you remember any thing of his sermons8' ,i inquired4 ',oh1 ,i was too young to notice aught1 sir1 but the preacher hisself and the crowds of people1 but ,i know he had a very sweet voice2 and as ,i said1 when he spread his arms out1 with a little ,bible in his hand1 he looked like a flying angel4 ,there never were so many people1 afore nor since1 in ,old ,ipswich4 ,i suppose1 sir1 you'll be going to see his bones8 ,he was buried at ,newburyport1 and you can see 'em if you like4' ,i made up my mind that ,i would see them1 if possible4 ,on the following day1 ,i went over to ,newburyport by railroad1 and proceeded first to the house in which ,whitefield died4 ,it was at the time the residence of the ,rev4 ,jonathan ,parsons1 the first regular pastor of the ,presbyterian ,society in the town4 ,it is a plain unpretending structure1 possessing no other claims to attention than its being the spot where the last scene of ,whitefield's career was enacted4 ,i knocked1 and asked of a lady who answered my summons1 if ,i might be allowed to see the room in which ,mr4 ,whitefield died4 ,she very courteously showed me up a flight of stairs into a chamber1 which1 she said1 ,mr4 ,whitefield used to sleep in4 ',here is the place he died in1' said the lady1 as she showed me a little entry just outside the door of the chamber1 directly over the entrance to the house4 ',he lay the night before he died1' said the lady1 'in that bed-chamber2 and when he was struck with death1 he ran out to this entry window for breath1 and died while sitting in a chair opposite to it4' ,the ,federal-street church1 where ,whitefield was buried1 was but a short distance from the house in which he died1 and on my way to it ,i called on the sexton4444 ,he preceded me through the aisle of the church1 and opening a little narrow door by the side of the pulpit1 we passed into a dim gloomy room behind it1 and from thence descending four or five steps1 found ourselves in a brick vault which lay directly under the pulpit4 ,it was two or three minutes before my eyes got accustomed to the gloom2 but soon objects became discernible1 and ,i saw three old coffins1 two of them serving as supporters to the third1 which lay across them4444 ,the sexton trimmed his lamp1 then lifted the lid of an old coffin1 and holding the flame close to it1 said1 ',here1 look in1 444 ,,that',s ,,the ,,man4' ,yes1 there lay the man1 or at least1 all that remains of the once mighty preacher4 ,a strange awe came over me at his words1 ',that's the man4' ,i took the skull in my hands1 and examined it carefully4 ,the forehead was rather narrow than broad1 and by no means high4 ,i soon put it back again to the coffin4 99 99 99 99 99 ,among the more prominent traits in the character of ,whitefield1 we may designate his indifference to his own honor and ease1 of which his narrative contains almost innumerable illustrations4 ,in the preparation of the deed of trust for his intended college1 he entirely omitted his own name1 that the proposed trustees might accept the office without suffering contempt for being connected with him4 ,it was not pretence which led him often to say1 ,let the name of ,george ,whitefield perish1 if ,god be glorified4 ,on the same principle of almost self-annihilation he acted in reference to the accumulation of money4 ,he secured nothing for himself4 ,it does not seem that what he left to his friends by his will was or could be paid2 what had been left him as legacies had been nearly all expended1 and would have been entirely1 had he lived to return to his beloved ,bethesda4 ,by his will he placed the institution in the hands of ,lady ,huntingdon1 who sent out ministers and other persons to conduct it4 ,but soon after this1 the buildings were burnt down4 ,after the fire1 came the ,revolutionary war1 which tended to unsettle the tenure of property1 and at the time of its close1 the whole plans1 alike of the orphan-house and the college1 were nearly unknown4 ,the authorities of ,savannah1 in accordance with the high regard which they still entertained for ,whitefield's memory1 secured whatever they could of the wreck1 the proceeds of which they invested in a school for the young1 which yet flourishes4 ,perhaps no man was ever more thoroughly fond of labor4 ,from a memorandum in which ,mr4 ,whitefield recorded the times and places of his ministerial labors1 it appears that from the period of his ordination to that of his death1 which was thirty-four years1 he preached upwards of eighteen thousand sermons4 ,it would be difficult to imagine how many thousand miles he travelled4 ,when he ascertained that his physical powers began to fail1 putting himself on what he called short allowance1 he preached only once on every week-day1 and three times on the ,sabbath4 ,in view of his various journeyings in the slow and inconvenient modes of travelling then in use1 his thirteen voyages across the ,atlantic1 and all that he accomplished1 it appears that few men ever performed so much labor within the same period4 ,nearly every one who has attempted a description of ,whitefield has said much of his extraordinary voice4 ,it is known that ,garrick was heard to say that he would give a hundred guineas if he could say ,oh6 as ,whitefield did4 ,the late ,rev4 ,dr4 ,haweis1 speaking of his wonderful voice1 and of its sweetness and variety of tone1 said he believed on a serene evening it might be distinctly heard for nearly a mile4 ,others have given similar evidence4 ,the late ,sir ,george ,beaumont1 no mean authority on such a subject1 thus familiarly speaks3 ,oh yes2 ,i heard that young gentleman this morning allude to 'roaring ,whitefield1' and was amused at his mistake4 ,it is a common one4 ,whitefield did not roar4 ,i have been his auditor more than once1 and was delighted with him4 ,whitefield's voice could be heard at an immense distance2 but that was owing to its fulness1 roundness1 and clearness4 ,it was a perfectly sound voice4 ,it is an odd description1 but ,i can hit upon no better2 there was neither crack nor flaw4 ,to describe him as a bellowing1 roaring field preacher1 is to describe a mountebank1 not ,whitefield4 ,he had powers of pathos of the highest order4 ,the tender1 soft1 persuasive tones of his voice were melodious in the extreme4 ,and when he desired to win1 or persuade1 or plead1 or soothe1 the gush of feeling which his voice conveyed at once surprised and overpowered you4 ,speaking on the authority of his tutor1 the ,rev4 ,cornelius ,winter1 the late excellent ,mr4 ,jay says that ,whitefield's voice was incomparable3 not only distinct and loud1 but abounding with every kind of inflection1 and perfectly under his power2 so that he could render every thing he expressed1 however common or insignificant in itself1 striking and affecting4 ,this distinguished man had a peculiar talent for making the narration of facts tell in the pulpit4 ,nothing occurred among even his own family connections1 but he would make it contribute to the edification of his auditors4 ,one ,lord's day morning1 with his usual fervor he exhorted his hearers to give up the use of means for the spiritual good of their relatives and friends only with their lives4 ,he told them he had a brother1 for whose spiritual welfare he had very long used every possible means4 ,he had warned him1 and prayed for him1 but all apparently to no purpose1 till a few weeks previous2 when that brother1 to his astonishment and joy1 came to his house1 and with many tears declared that he had come up from the country to testify to him the great change which divine grace had wrought in his heart1 and to acknowledge with gratitude his obligation to the man by whom ,god had wrought4 ,mr4 ,whitefield added1 that he had that morning received information1 that on his brother's return to ,gloucestershire1 where he resided1 he dropped down dead as he was getting out of a stagecoach4 ,let us pray always1 said he1 for ourselves1 and for those who are dear to us1 and never faint4 ,this habit of making every occurrence bear on his ministry1 ,mr4 ,winter1 who knew him more intimately1 and has told us more of his private life and conduct than any other man1 tells us was perfectly in character with ,mr4 ,whitefield4 ,he turned every thing into gold2 he improved every thing for good4 ,passing occurrences determined the matter of his sermons1 and1 in some degree1 the manner of his address4 ,thus1 if he had read on astronomy in the course of the week1 you would be sure to discover it4 ,he knew how to convert the centripetal motion of the planets to the disposition of the ,christian towards ,christ2 and the fatal attraction of the world was very properly represented by a reference to the centrifugal4 ,if he attended any extraordinary trial1 he would avail himself of the formality of the judge in pronouncing sentence4 ,it would only be by hearing him1 and by beholding his attitude and tears1 that a person could well conceive the effect2 for it was impossible but that solemnity must surround him who1 under ,god1 became the means of making all solemn4 ,he sometimes made use of an incident of history in the reign of ,henry ,,viii4 ,the apprentices of ,london appeared before that monarch1 pleading his pardon for their insurrections1 manifesting intense feeling on the matter1 and praying for mercy1 mercy4 ,take them away1 take them away1 was the monarch's request1 moved by the sight and the cries of these youths1 ,i cannot bear it4 ,the application1 as will be readily supposed1 was1 that if an earthly monarch of ,henry's character could be so moved1 how prevalent must be the plea of the sinner in the ears of infinite ,love4 ,the case of two ,scotchmen in the convulsion of the state at the time of ,charles ,,ii4 served him on more than one occasion4 ,these men1 having to pass some of the troops1 were thinking of their danger1 and meditating the best way of escape1 when one of them proposed wearing a skullcap2 but the other1 thinking that would imply distrust of the providence of ,god1 determined to proceed bareheaded4 ,the last was the first laid hold of1 and being asked1 ,are you for the covenant8 replied1 ,yes2 and being further asked1 ,what covenant8 answered1 ,the covenant of grace2 by which reply1 eluding farther inquiry1 he was allowed to pass2 but the other1 not answering satisfactorily1 received a blow from the sabre1 which penetrating through the cap1 struck him dead4 ,in the application1 ,mr4 ,whitefield1 warning against vain confidence1 exclaimed1 ,beware of your skullcaps4 ,an ,american clergyman has told us that he once related to ,whitefield an affecting occurrence1 but did it with the ordinary brevity and feeling of common conversation4 ,afterwards he heard ,mr4 ,whitefield preach1 and tell this same story with such nature1 pathos1 and power1 that the clergyman found himself weeping like a child4 ,it has been well said1 that he spoke with the tones of the soul2 and that his gestures were impelled by the same spontaneous magical influence which made them1 as well as his words1 seem part of his soul4 ,indeed1 he threw his soul into every thing he did and said4 ,it is said that ,whitefield would sometimes rise in the sacred desk1 and for a minute or two looking in silence around his vast audience1 as if salvation or perdition teemed in every cast of his eye1 would burst into tears1 while the swift contagion1 before he uttered a word1 had reached every heart that could feel1 and dimmed every eye that could weep4#b #b ,the ,new ,york ,evangelist1 in #ahcj1 made the remark1 that ,whitefield would have lost much of his oratorical influence on his hearers1 had his speaking eyes been covered with a pair of modern spectacles4 ,while his path to the sinner's heart was thus met with tears1 he was never without strength or aim4 ,he struck everywhere4 ,he swung his glittering weapon1 the sword of the ,spirit1 in every direction1 the same whether he preached in the cushioned and carpeted pulpit to lords1 ladies1 and gentlemen1 or encountered a mob of stage-players and merry-andrews in the open field4 ,he insisted on instant1 visible1 decisive action in his hearers4 ,all was commotion where he moved4 ,the very earth would seem to be shaken with the thunder of his eloquence2 the heavens seemed1 in the bold metaphor of ,isaiah1 to drop down from above1 and the skies to pour down righteousness1 when he set the trumpet of the gospel to his lips1 and made the notes of salvation or perdition ring in the ears of dying men4 ,such unwonted sounds startled the multitude into life1 rousing energies that were forthwith enlisted either for or against the mighty cause which he advocated1 with the boldness and fervor of one who had received immediate commission from heaven4 ,his sacred ambition was content with nothing short of the conquest of thousands4 ,it has been well said by a living ,american writer1 that ,whitefield was1 in sacred eloquence1 what ,handel was in sacred music4 ,there was an air1 a soul1 and a movement in his oratory1 which created indescribable emotion in his vast assemblies1 and if ,handel1 with a thousand auxiliary voices and instruments1 astonished the multitude in ,westminster ,abbey1 even to raising them on their feet1 by the performance of his ,messiah1 ,whitefield did greater wonders in his single person by preaching the ,messiah to the immense crowds in ,tottenham ,court-road and ,moorfields4 ,the same writer has said elsewhere1 ,the influence of ,whitefield and ,edwards on theology and pulpit eloquence were immense4 ,there was in those two men indeed 'a diversity of gifts1 but the same spirit1' ,the intellect prevailed in ,edwards1 the impassioned in ,whitefield4 ,pure truth came forth from the mind of the one as nakedly demonstrated as it ever was on the pages of ,newton and ,locke2 for ,edwards1 when but a child1 read ,locke with enthusiasm4 ,from the soul of ,whitefield it came forth arrayed in the gorgeous robes of his own many-colored imagination1 baptized in the tenderness of his own sympathetic spirit4 ,at times1 indeed1 the thunders of ,sinai seemed to shake the sacred desk1 but the softer music of the harp of ,zion was more congenial with his compassionate spirit1 though he was always bold for ,god1 and braved danger in every form for the salvation of sinners4 ,it is not strange that ,american preachers venerate1 even to enthusiasm1 the memory of such a man1 and visit his dust1 enshrined as it is in the bosom of ,new ,england1 with feelings of indescribable interest4 ,his labors were for us2 his rest is with us2 his example is before us4 ,the first were indefatigable2 the second is peaceful2 the last is glorious4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,winter says1 ,i hardly ever knew him to go through a sermon without weeping more or less2 and again1 ,it was only by beholding his attitude and tears1 that one could well conceive of the effect4 ,no doubt there was a connection between the tears of ,whitefield and his piety2 but it must not be supposed that he was always the weeping prophet2 he could smile as well as weep4 ,a venerable lady in ,new ,york1 known to some yet living1 speaking of the influence which first won her heart to ,god1 said that ,mr4 ,whitefield was so cheerful that it tempted her to be a ,christian4 ,every thing about this distinguished man excited attention4 ,his voice1 accompanied by his look from crossed eyes1 and proceeding from a man of his robust frame1 produced wonderful effects4 ,it is said that when once preaching in a graveyard1 two young men conducted themselves improperly1 when he fixed his eyes upon them1 and with a voice resembling thunder1 said1 ,come down1 ye rebels4 ,they instantly fell1 neither of them being inclined again to come into contact with such a look1 or to hear such a voice4 ,he was once preaching to a vast crowd of people in southern ,pennsylvania1 which was at that time ignorant and uncivilized4 ,he was incessantly disturbed by their noise1 and twice reproved them with great severity4 ,at length he was so overcome by their noisy and irreverent conduct1 that he stopped short1 dropped his head into his hands1 burst into a flood of tears1 and exclaimed1 ,oh1 ,lord ,god1 ,i am ashamed that these people are provoking thy wrath1 and ,i dare not reprove them a third time4 ,such was the effect of his conduct and feeling1 that his audience became perfectly quiet1 and remained so till the end of his discourse4 ,we have before us two narratives of his preaching during very heavy storms4 ,dr4 ,campbell1 a successor of ,whitefield in the ,tabernacle in ,london1 and whose ministry has been marked by much of the power and success of his great predecessor1 has given to the first of these narratives the title of ,thunder and ,eloquence4 ,before he commenced his sermon on this occasion1 long darkening columns crowded the bright sunny sky of the morning1 and swept their dull shadows over the building1 in fearful augury of the storm4 ,his text was1 ,strive to enter in at the strait gate2 for many1 ,i say unto you1 shall seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,see1 said he1 pointing to a shadow that was flitting across the floor--see that emblem of human life4 ,it passed for a moment1 and concealed the brightness of heaven from our view2 but it is gone4 ,and where will ye be1 my hearers1 when your lives have passed away like that dark cloud8 ,oh1 my dear friends1 ,i see thousands sitting attentively1 with their eyes fixed on the poor unworthy preacher4 ,in a few days1 we shall all meet at the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,we shall form a part of that vast assembly that will gather before the throne2 and every eye will behold the ,judge4 ,with a voice whose call you must abide and answer1 he will inquire whether on earth you strove to enter in at the strait gate2 whether you were supremely devoted to ,god2 whether your hearts were absorbed in him4 ,my blood runs cold when ,i think how many of you will then seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,oh1 what plea can you make before the ,judge of the whole earth8 ,can you say it has been your whole endeavor to mortify the flesh1 with its affections and lusts--that your life has been one long effort to do the will of ,god8 ,no2 you must answer1 ',i made myself easy in the world by flattering myself that all would end well2 but ,i have deceived my own soul1 and am lost4' ,you1 ,o false1 and hollow ,christian1 of what avail will it be that you have done many things--that you have read much in the sacred word--that you have made long prayers--that you have attended religious duties1 and that you have appeared holy in the eyes of men8 ,what will all this be1 if1 instead of loving ,him supremely1 you have been supposing you should exalt yourself in heaven by acts really polluted and unholy8 ,and you1 rich men1 wherefore do you hoard your silver8 ,wherefore count the price you have received for ,him whom you every day crucify in your love of gain8 ,why--that when you are too poor to buy a drop of cold water1 your beloved son may be rolled to hell in his chariot1 pillowed and cushioned around him4 ,the eye of the preacher gradually lighted up as he proceeded1 till towards the close it seemed to sparkle with celestial fire4 ,with his whole energy he exclaimed1 ,o sinners1 by all your hopes of happiness1 ,i beseech you to repent4 ,let not the wrath of ,god be awakened4 ,let not the fires of eternity be kindled against you4 ,see there6 pointing to the lightning1 which played on the corner of the pulpit1 it is a glance from the angry eye of ,jehovah6 ,raising his finger in a listening attitude1 as the distant thunder grew louder and louder1 and broke in one tremendous crash over the building1 he continued1 ,hark6 ,it was the voice of the ,almighty as he passed by in his anger6 ,as the sound died away1 he covered his face with his hands1 and knelt beside his pulpit1 apparently lost in inward and intense prayer4 ,the storm passed rapidly away1 and the sun1 beaming forth in his might1 threw across the heavens a magnificent arch of peace4 ,rising1 and pointing to the beautiful object1 he exclaimed1 ,look upon the rainbow1 and praise ,him who made it4 ,very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof4 ,it compasseth the heavens about with glory2 and the hands of the ,most ,high have bended it6 ,on another occasion1 as ,mr4 ,whitefield was preaching in ,boston1 on the wonders of creation1 providence1 and redemption1 a violent storm of thunder and lightning came on4 ,in the midst of the sermon it attained to so alarming a height that the congregation sat in almost breathless awe4 ,the preacher closed his note-book1 and stepping into one of the wings of the desk1 fell on his knees1 and with much feeling and fine taste repeated3 ,hark1 ,,the ,,eternal rends the sky6 ,a mighty voice before him goes-- ,a voice of music to his friends1 ,but threatening thunder to his foes3 ',come1 children1 to your ,father's arms2 ,hide in the chambers of my grace1 ,till the fierce storm be overblown1 ,and my revenging fury cease--' ,let us devoutly sing to the praise and glory of ,god this hymn1 ,old ,hundred4 ,the whole congregation instantly rose1 and poured forth the sacred song1 in which they were accompanied by the organ1 in a style of simple grandeur and heartfelt devotion that was probably never surpassed4 ,by the time the hymn was finished the storm was hushed4 ,the remainder of the services were well adapted to sustain the elevated feeling which had been produced2 and the benediction with which the good man dismissed the flock was universally received with streaming eyes1 and hearts overflowing with tenderness and gratitude4 ,another writer has thus described his appearance in the pulpit4 ,there was nothing in the appearance of this extraordinary man which would lead you to suppose that a ,felix would tremble before him4 ,he was something above the middle stature1 well proportioned1 and remarkable for a native gracefulness of manner4 ,his complexion was very fair1 his features regular1 and his dark blue eyes small and lively4 ,in recovering from the measles he had contracted a squint with one of them2 but this peculiarity rather rendered the expression of his countenance more remarkable1 than in any degree lessened the effect of its uncommon sweetness4 ,his voice excelled both in melody and compass2 and its fine modulations were happily accompanied by that grace of action which he possessed in an eminent degree1 and which has been said to be the chief requisite in an orator4 ,to see him when he first commenced1 one would have thought him any thing but enthusiastic and glowing2 but as he proceeded1 his heart warmed with his subject1 and his manner became impetuous and animated2 till1 forgetful of every thing around him1 he seemed to kneel at the throne of ,jehovah1 and to beseech in agony for his fellow-beings4 ,after he had finished his prayer1 he knelt for a long time in profound silence1 and so powerful was the effect on the most heartless of his audience1 that a stillness like that of the tomb pervaded the whole house4 ,mr4 ,tracy1 in his narrative of the ,great ,awakening about #agdj1 has admirably remarked1 ,it is often said that ,whitefield cannot have been a very great man1 because his printed sermons contain only plain1 common thoughts1 such as men of ordinary minds habitually use4 ,but what made those thoughts so common8 ,they were not common when he began to utter them4 ,in ,england especially1 and to a considerable extent here also1 they astonished his hearers by their strangeness4 ,what is more common than a voyage across the ,atlantic8 ,but was ,columbus1 therefore1 only an ordinary man8 ,the case of ,copernicus is more nearly parallel4 ,he reasserted a truth which had been uttered1 repudiated1 and forgotten4 ,that truth is now common1 even among school-boys4 ,but was he1 therefore1 only a child in intellect8 ,there are yet extant about eighty of the sermons by which ,whitefield agitated nations1 and the more remote influence of which is still distinctly to be traced1 in the popular divinity and national character of ,great ,britain and of the ,united ,states4 ,of these compositions1 ,sir ,james ,stephen1 an evangelical ,episcopalian of ,london1 wrote at some length in the ,edinburgh ,review1 #ahch1 and we shall make no apology for borrowing a portion of his remarks1 combining them with some of our own4 ,it is true1 that these sermons have fallen into very general neglect2 for to win permanent acceptance for a book1 into which the principles of life were not infused by its author1 is a miracle which not even the zeal of religious proselytes can accomplish4 ,yet1 inferior as were his inventive to his mimetic powers1 ,whitefield is entitled1 among theological writers1 to a place which1 if it cannot challenge admiration1 may at least excite and reward curiosity4 ,many1 and those by far the worst of his discourses1 bear the marks of careful preparation4 ,take at hazard a sermon of one of the preachers usually distinguished as evangelical1 add a little to its length1 and subtract a great deal from its point and polish1 and you have one of his more elaborate common topics discussed in a commonplace way2 a respectable mediocrity of thought and style2 endless variations on one or two cardinal truths--in short1 the task of a clerical ,saturday evening1 executed with piety1 good sense1 and exceeding sedateness4 ,but open one of that series of ,whitefield's sermons which bears the stamp of having been conceived and uttered at the same moment1 and imagine it recited to myriads of eager listeners with every charm of voice and gesture1 and the secret of his unrivalled fascination is at least partially disclosed4 ,he places himself on terms of intimacy and unreserved confidence with you1 and makes it almost as difficult to decline the invitation to his familiar talk as if ,montaigne himself had issued it4 ,the egotism is amusing1 affectionate1 and warm-hearted1 with just that slight infusion of self-importance without which it would pass for affectation4 ,in his art of rhetoric1 personification holds the first place2 and the prosopopoeia is so managed as to quicken abstractions into life1 and to give them individuality and distinctness without the exhibition of any of those spasmodic and distorted images which obey the incantations of vulgar exorcists4 ,every trace of study and contrivance is obliterated by the hearty earnestness which pervades each successive period1 and by the vernacular and homely idioms in which his meaning is conveyed4 ,it is in the grandeur and singleness of purpose that the charm of ,whitefield's preaching seems to have consisted4 ,you feel that you have to do with a man who lived and spoke1 and who would gladly have died1 to deter his hearers from the path of destruction1 and to guide them to holiness and peace4 ,his gossipping stories1 and dramatic forms of speech1 are never employed to hide the awful realities on which he is intent4 ,conscience is not permitted to find an intoxicating draught in even spiritual excitement1 or an anodyne in glowing imagery4 ,guilt and its punishment1 pardon and spotless purity1 death and an eternal existence1 stand out in bold relief on every page4 ,from these the eye of the teacher is never withdrawn1 and to these the attention of the hearer is riveted4 ,all that is poetic1 grotesque1 or rapturous is employed to deepen these impressions1 and is dismissed as soon as that purpose is answered4 ,deficient in learning1 meagre in thought1 and redundant in language as are these discourses1 they yet fulfil the one great condition of genuine eloquence4 ,they propagate their own kindly warmth1 and leave their stings behind them4 ,the enumeration of the sources of ,whitefield's power is still essentially defective4 ,neither energy1 nor eloquence1 nor histrionic talents1 nor any artifices of style1 nor the most genuine sincerity and self-devotedness1 nor all these united1 would have enabled him to mould the religious character of millions in his own and future generations4 ,the secret lies deeper4 ,it consisted in the theology he taught--in its perfect simplicity and universal application4 ,would ministers1 says he1 preach for eternity1 they would then act the part of true ,christian orators2 and not only calmly and coolly inform the understanding1 but by pathetic and persuasive address1 endeavor to move the affections and to warm the heart4 ,to act otherwise1 betrays a sad ignorance of human nature1 and such an inexcusable ignorance and indifference in a preacher1 as must constrain the hearers to suspect1 whether they will or not1 that the preacher1 let him be whom he will1 only deals in the false commerce of unfelt truth4 ,his eighteen thousand sermons were but so many variations on two key-notes3 man is guilty1 but may obtain forgiveness2 he is immortal1 and must ripen here for endless weal or woe hereafter4 ,expanded into innumerable forms1 and diversified by infinite varieties of illustration1 these two cardinal principles were ever in his heart and on his tongue4 ,let who would invoke poetry to embellish the ,christian system1 or philosophy to explore its esoteric depths1 from his lips it was delivered as an awful and urgent summons to repent1 to believe1 and to obey4 ,to set to music the orders issued to seamen in a storm1 or to address them in the language of ,aristotle or ,descartes1 would have seemed to him not a whit more preposterous than to divert his hearers from their danger and their refuge1 their duties and their hopes1 to any topics more trivial or more abstruse4 ,in fine1 he was thoroughly and continually in earnest1 and therefore possessed that tension of the soul which admitted neither of lassitude nor relaxation1 few and familiar as were the topics to which he was confined4 ,his was1 therefore1 precisely that state of mind in which alone eloquence1 properly so called1 can be engendered1 and a moral and intellectual sovereignty won4 ,nor less important is it to remark1 though we need not illustrate it at length1 that much was effected by every one seeing that he always forgot himself in his subject1 and rested only on heaven for success4 ,he felt himself called to serve ,christ1 and gave himself to his task1 to save sinners1 and he cared for nothing else4 ,no one ever doubted his sincerity when he prayed1 ,help me1 ,friend of sinners1 to be nothing1 to say nothing1 that thou mayest say and do every thing1 and be my all in all4 ,if the same feelings were fully shown by the ministry at present1 our messages would tell more on the hearts of our hearers4 ,we need hardly remind the reader that ,whitefield was remarkable for a devotional spirit4 ,probably no man ever lived nearer to ,god4 ,had he been less prayerful1 he would have been less powerful4 ,it has been said that during a few of the last years of his life he read the voluminous exposition of ,matthew ,henry1 comprising six quarto volumes1 in a kneeling posture1 pausing and praying that ,god would engraft upon his mind the instructions of that extraordinary man4 ,when he came before his auditors1 he looked like one who had been with ,god4 ,this it was which won for him the title of seraphic--he was a human seraph1 and burnt out in the blaze of his own fire4 ,usually for an hour or two before he went into the pulpit1 he claimed retirement4 ,in this claim he was imperative1 and would not be interrupted in his seasons of hallowed intercourse with ,god4 ,engaged almost incessantly in preaching1 or in preparation for it1 it was impossible1 however much he desired it1 to pay many private visits of a religious nature4 ,we are told1 however1 that on one occasion1 when a young minister1 afterwards exceedingly popular and useful1 was once visiting him1 he was sent for to visit a poor woman who had been so dreadfully burnt that she could not survive many hours4 ,he went immediately1 and prayed with her4 ,he had no sooner returned1 than she called out1 ,oh1 where is ,mr4 ,whitefield8 ,urged by her entreaty1 her friends requested him to visit her a second time4 ,he complied1 and again prayed with her4 ,the poor afflicted woman continued still to desire his presence4 ,when her friends came for him a third time1 ,i begged of him1 said the young clergyman1 not to go2 for he could scarcely expect to do any good4 ',your nerves are too weak1 your feelings are too acute to endure such scenes4' ,i shall never forget his mild reproof3 ',leave me2 my ,master can save to the uttermost1 to the very uttermost4' ,in conversation with his friends1 ,whitefield was as far removed as possible from duplicity and mere compliment4 ,he invited from his friends whatever of instruction and of reproof they considered him to need4 ,and while he was always ready to receive reproof1 he was1 when called to the duty1 ready to give it1 and often in a way which his friends did not expect4 ,a censorious professor of religion1 knowing the doctrinal differences between the two men1 asked ,whitefield if he thought they would see ,mr4 ,john ,wesley in heaven4 ,his answer was truly admirable3 ,no1 sir1 ,i fear not2 for he will be so near the throne1 and we shall be at such a distance1 we shall hardly get sight of him4 ,it is said1 that when he was once travelling in company with a ,christian man1 they had occasion to stay for a night at a road-side tavern4 ,after they had retired1 they were greatly annoyed by a company of gamblers1 who were in an adjoining room4 ,whitefield could not rest1 and told his friend that he would go into the room and reprove them for their conduct4 ,the other remonstrated against his doing so1 but in vain4 ,he went2 and unhappily1 his words fell apparently powerless upon them4 ,returning1 he laid down to sleep4 ,what1 asked his companion1 did you gain by your trouble8 ,whitefield characteristically answered1 ,a soft pillow4 ,in his intercourse with general society1 ,mr4 ,whitefield never forgot his dignity as a servant of ,jesus ,christ4 ,when he was in the zenith of his popularity1 ,lord ,clare1 who knew that his influence was considerable1 applied to him by letter1 requesting his influence at ,bristol at the ensuing general election4 ,to this request ,mr4 ,whitefield replied1 that in general elections he never interfered2 but he would earnestly exhort his lordship to use great diligence to make his own particular calling and election sure4 ,mr4 ,whitefield was greatly distinguished1 even from early life1 for neatness in his person1 order in his apartments1 and regular method in the management of all his affairs4 ,he was accustomed to say that a minister should be without a spot2 and on one occasion remarked1 that he could not feel comfortable if he knew that his gloves were out of their proper place4 ,the advantages of such habits are numerous4 ,they save time1 give a degree of comfort which can only be known by experience1 and add not a little to the dignity of the ,christian minister4 ,the device upon ,whitefield's seal1 of which probably few impressions are now to be found1 was truly characteristic4 ,it was a winged heart soaring above the globe1 and its motto was1 ,astra petamus--,let us seek heaven4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,character ,,of ,,whitefield ,,as ,a ,,preacher--,,centennial ,,commemorations4 ,in suggesting a few of the ,,characteristics ,,of ,,whitefield',s ,,preaching1 we are very greatly indebted to an excellent anonymous writer in the ,london ,evangelical ,magazine for #ahec4 ,we consider as among the reasons of his success1 and as worthy of our imitation1 ,first1 the prominence given to the leading truths of salvation1 and the constant exaltation of ,christ in them4 ,there needs no minute inquiry1 or great analytical care1 to ascertain what was the pervading theme of this popular minister3 it was ,christ1 and him crucified1 and the glorious truths that hover around the cross1 and derive from it their being and lustre4 ,there was no other subject1 in ,whitefield's estimation1 that was worthy of preminence1 and to unfold1 elucidate1 and apply it1 was the great design of his labors4 ,he saw in it such a wonderful adaptation to the necessities and condition of fallen humanity1 that he stood in the midst of its wants and woes with all the confidence of a good physician who had a sovereign and sufficient remedy to propose4 ,he knew that there was no case which it could not meet1 no moral disease from which it would not recover1 no spiritual need which it would not supply2 and therefore1 however far gone men might be from original righteousness1 however hardened in sin1 sunk in iniquity1 or however elevated by the delusions of a false morality and fancied self-righteousness1 he propounded this as the only and all-sufficient antidote1 at once to destroy and heal1 to kill and to make alive4 ,as to the spurious production of a rationalistic theory on the one hand1 or the prescriptions of ceremonial virtue and sacramental grace on the other1 he knew them not4 ,he saw at once their hollowness and insufficiency1 and would not mock the necessities of our fallen nature1 or aggravate the wounds which sin had made by a proposal of them4 ,his acquaintance with the human heart was deep1 and his knowledge of the different modifications of the original disease was so great1 that he despaired of relief from any expedients save that which infinite ,wisdom had devised1 and which the gospel of the grace of ,god revealed4 ,philosophy with all its discoveries1 and reason with all its powers1 the law with all its authority1 and virtue with all its rewards1 he knew could only1 like the priests and the ,levites1 have passed the patient by1 and left him to despair1 till a greater than they should arrive1 and say1 ,i will come and heal you4 ,on that adorable ,personage1 therefore1 and the wonders of his skill and love1 he delighted to dwell4 ,every sermon was full of ,christ2 every discourse was odorous of him4 ,from whatever part of revealed truth he derived his text1 and with whatever peculiar development of man's moral physiology he had to do1 there was something to suggest1 to demonstrate the need1 or the suitableness1 or the all-sufficiency of the ,saviour of the world4 ,to set him forth1 in the glories of his wonderful person1 the variety of his offices1 the perfection of his righteousness1 the completeness of his atonement1 and the plenitude of his grace1 was his perpetual aim4 ,to these he gave continual prominence1 at all times1 and in every place4 ,there was no reserve1 no equivocation1 no partial statement on such themes4 ,it was a full1 clear1 consistent gospel4 ,from his lips the gospel gave no uncertain sound4 ,this made him a welcome messenger of glad tidings to all4 ,this gave him a key to the hearts of many1 who1 as they stood around him1 and wondered at him1 like those five thousand whom the ,redeemer fed with five loaves and two small fishes1 found all their appetites suited1 and all their necessities supplied4 ,it was the magic power which arrested them2 the centre of gravitation which attracted them2 the bread of life which fed them4 ,as ,moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness1 so now was the ,son of man lifted up by the ministry of this his devoted herald2 and far as the camp extended1 and wide as the circumference of poison and death was spread1 the wounded looked thereon and lived4 ,a restorative virtue issued from it4 ,the hardest heart was softened4 ,the most obstinate in rebellion was overcome4 ,the blindest saw4 ,the moral lepers were cleansed4 ,the broken in heart were made whole1 and the spiritually dead were raised to life4 ,this was the ,lord's doing1 and it was marvellous in their eyes4 ,they beheld the man4 ,they heard him preach4 ,they felt the power4 ,it was because ,he was exalted among them who had said1 ,i1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw all men unto me4 ,secondly1 the glow of feeling1 the melting compassion1 which pervaded his own soul4 ,oh1 it is supremely delightful and deeply affecting to observe the tender affection and melting pathos with which ,whitefield propounded and proclaimed the precious truths and everlasting verities of the gospel to his fellow-men4 ,he stood among them as one of their race1 one of their number1 conscious of the common misery into which all had fallen1 and weeping over the miseries and ruin in which by nature they were alike involved4 ,as he opened up the treasures of infinite mercy1 and the riches of redeeming love to their view1 he wept to think how long they had been unknown or despised by many1 and with what base ingratitude thousands would probably still turn away from them4 ,as one who saw their immortal being in jeopardy1 and their souls standing on the verge of irretrievable ruin1 he hastened1 with joy in his countenance and tenderness in his heart1 to tell them of ,one who was mighty to save1 and that now was the accepted time1 and now the day of salvation4 ,not as one who had a cold lecture on ethics to deliver1 or a dissertation on philosophy to expound1 or a problem in mathematics to solve1 did he proceed to such a work2 but as one who felt the weight of his great commission1 and knew the worth of never-dying souls4 ,the evil of sin1 the danger of impenitence1 the powers of the world to come1 the glories of heaven1 and the unutterable miseries of the regions of woe1 were visibly present to his own mind2 and of these1 out of the abundance of his heart1 he spoke to others4 ,he could not be calm1 he could not be apathetic on such themes as these4 ,passion was reason1 transport temper1 here4 ,and with much of the melting tenderness of ,him who wept over ,jerusalem1 he spoke of these things to all that resorted to him4 ,what moving words did he utter on ,blackheath hill1 in the ,tabernacle pulpit1 and on ,kingswood mount6 ,his vivid eye beamed with the glow of tenderness1 and his tears1 as he spoke1 oft-times moistened his little ,bible or bedewed the ground4 ,in his printed sermons1 which doubtless are but feeble specimens of his free and fervent manner1 there are strains of tender pathos and impassioned oratory1 which it is almost impossible to read even now without being moved to share in his feelings and in the emotions which they must have enkindled around2 and in the perusal of which we wonder not that1 in all the circumstances1 the place in which he stood was a ,bochim--a place of weeping4 ,oh1 the melting power1 the exquisite pathos1 the tender expostulation of this preminent man1 and unrivalled preacher of the gospel of our salvation6 ,we wish we could catch them now--that all preachers possessed them2 that the rising ministry especially would emulate him in these things4 ,whitefield showed his intense feeling1 not from the mere power of ratiocination1 or from the poetic memento1 or for the sake of producing effect by the tears that were unfelt1 or which only flowed from the surface2 but from the meltings of a tender heart1 influenced by a ,saviour's love1 and overflowing with the commiseration of a benign compassion for dying multitudes around4 ,doddridge's beautiful hymn1 ,arise1 my tenderest thoughts1 arise1 one might almost think was written at ,whitefield's side4 ,the tenderness of ,john1 and the weeping of ,paul1 were blended in him with the boldness of ,peter4 ,the love that agonized in the garden of ,gethsemane1 and bled on the cross of ,calvary1 was largely diffused through all his powers4 ,thirdly1 the direct address of his ministry4 ,the characteristic mode of his preaching1 and the style of his public ministrations1 was1 to direct his appeal to the hearts and consciences of his hearers1 and to preach to the people all the words of this life4 ,it was not an harangue before them4 ,it was not an oration beautifully prepared1 read1 or delivered in their hearing1 and presented simply for their acceptance and admiration2 but a direct address1 an affectionate appeal1 a solemn and earnest communication of the message he had received from ,god to them4 ,oh1 we have sometimes thought1 what a marked difference there ought to be between the ministrations of a servant of ,christ to his fellow-immortals1 on things of eternal importance in which they are personally and deeply concerned1 and the delivery of a lecture from the philosopher's desk1 or even of a dissertation on theology from the professorial chair4 ,so thought the apostles4 ,so thought the prophets and public teachers of sacred mysteries of old4 ,they had the burden of the ,lord to deliver1 and it was unto the people4 ,they had an embassy to execute1 and it was by negotiating directly with1 and in the consciences of their hearers4 ,whitefield caught their spirit1 proceeded in their way1 and did such mighty execution1 not by the mere symmetrical illustration of divine truth1 but by the direct presentation of it to their minds4 ,they had not to ask1 ,for whom is all this intended8 and1 ,is it designed for us8 ,they felt that it was4 ,it came home to their consciences1 and to their very hearts4 ,they could not transfer it to others1 nor avoid the application of it to themselves4 ,had the preacher called them by name1 which in his skilful delineation of character1 he sometimes virtually did1 they could not have been more certain that he intended it for them1 and that it was at their peril to neglect or pass it by4 ,i have a message from ,god unto thee1 he substantially said in every discourse he uttered1 and the people were compelled to believe it4 ,go1 and tell this people1 said the divine voice to ,isaiah1 ,ye hear indeed1 but do not understand2 ye see indeed1 but do not perceive4 ,therefore1 said ,peter1 let all the house of ,israel know assuredly that ,god hath made that same ,jesus1 whom ye have crucified1 both ,lord and ,christ4 ,now then1 said ,paul1 we are ambassadors for ,christ2 as though ,god did beseech you by us1 we pray you1 in ,christ's stead1 be ye reconciled to ,god4 ,such was the tenor of the apostolic ministry4 ,such the secret of its mighty power and success4 ,and such also was the characteristic of the faithful and seraphic ,whitefield1 by which he knocked at the door of many hearts1 and those hearts were opened to him1 to his message1 and to his ,lord4 ,his plan was that of heavenly wisdom2 his appeal was the same4 ,unto you1 ,o men1 ,i call1 and my voice is to the sons of men4 ,in him were verified the poet's graphic lines3 ,there stands the messenger of truth2 there stands ,the legate of the skies3 his theme divine1 ,his office sacred1 his credentials clear4 ,by him the violated law speaks out ,its thunders2 and by him1 in strains as sweet ,as angels use1 the gospel whispers peace4 ,he stablishes the strong1 restores the weak1 ,reclaims the wanderer1 binds the broken heart1 ,and sues the sinner to return to ,god4 ,fourthly1 his habitual dependence on the ,spirit of ,god1 and his earnest aspirations for the manifestation of his power4 ,that he was conscious of his own superior talents as an orator1 and knew how to employ them on sacred themes2 that he skilfully wielded all the weapons of a well-studied eloquence to gain access to the human mind1 and knew both how to alarm and how to persuade1 and could attempt both with as much success probably as any speaker1 either of ancient or modern times2 that he had a large and minute acquaintance with the powers and passions of the human soul1 and knew well when and how to touch the hidden springs of its energies and actions2 that he had a good amount of common and sacred learning at his command1 and like that ,apollos whom among the early teachers of ,christianity he most resembled1 was mighty in the ,scriptures2 and that he delighted to expatiate on the wonders and glories of redemption as a restorative scheme preminently adapted to interest and attract1 to impress and rule our common nature--are facts open to all who inspect his writings and accompany him in his labors1 and will be denied by none4 ,but with all these1 and amid all1 in every sermon he composed and delivered1 and in his most impassioned addresses to his hearers1 there is manifested an underlying and all-pervading dependence on the power and grace of the ,spirit of ,god1 which was in character1 if not in degree1 meek1 humble1 genuine1 entire1 like that of the most eminent apostle or adoring saint at the foot of the divine throne4 ,with him it was not merely a sentiment1 but a feeling2 and that feeling constant and habitual1 as it was in him who in the review of his labors said1 ,i have planted1 ,apollos watered1 but ,god gave the increase4 ,he knew that none but the almighty ,spirit could gain effectual access to the spirit of man2 and that not even a ,melancthon1 a ,luther1 or a ,whitefield1 could make old ,adam yield1 unless constrained by a superior power4 ,he seemed to stand in the valley of vision among the dry bones1 as the prophet did1 and while he addressed them with something like a prophet's power1 he had no expectation or hope of success until the wind of heaven came down and blew upon them4 ,therefore he prophesied to it as well as to them4 ,come from the four winds1 ,o breath1 and breathe upon the slain1 that they may live1 was often the mighty cry of his soul1 before preaching1 while preaching1 and after preaching4 ,it seemed to be his joy1 his only1 his all-sustaining confidence1 that he lived under the dispensation of the ,spirit1 and wrought in a day1 and preached upon a theme1 in connection with which the ministration of the ,spirit was to be glorious1 by his wonderful works of conviction1 conversion1 and sanctification1 among the children of men4 ,to that ,spirit1 as the glorifier of ,christ1 he often devoutly and earnestly appealed4 ,sometimes1 in the midst of an unusual flow of tender and eloquent address to his hearers on his favorite theme of the glories and grace of his divine ,master1 he would pause in solemn silence1 and lifting up his hands and his voice to heaven1 and carrying the hearts of his audience with him1 invoke aloud the descending and all-consuming fire4 ,the present ,god was acknowledged and felt4 ,the word came in demonstration of the ,spirit and of power4 ,and while the habitual aim of his preaching was to exalt ,christ ,jesus the ,lord1 and while he reasoned1 and opened the ,scriptures1 and taught and alarmed or invited his hearers1 in the most touching strains of urgent remonstrance and tender entreaty1 to accept now the great salvation1 the inward state of his soul was that of entire reliance on the presence and coperation of the ,holy ,spirit of ,god4 ,to him were sent up his most intense aspirations4 ,in all the records of his success1 to that ,spirit the honor is always ascribed4 ,not ,i1 but the grace of ,god which was with me1 is the grateful acknowledgment he makes in the review of every field occupied and every triumph won4 ,and thus it was that the fabric of his ministry1 and of all his ministrations1 in the multitudinous labors which he directed against the kingdom of darkness and of ,satan in his day1 was like the mystic vision which ,ezekiel saw1 instinct with life4 ,the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels4 ,when this went1 those went2 when this stood1 those stood2 when this was lifted up from the earth1 those were lifted up4 ,it was all life4 ,a living preacher2 a living theme2 a living power1 giving life1 and spreading it all around4 ,therefore it was that life followed in the region of death1 and at his coming the desert rejoiced1 and the wilderness blossomed as the rose4 ,dry bones were raised1 and clothed afresh1 ,and hearts of stone were turned to flesh4 ,by preaching such as we have now attempted to describe1 thousands and tens of thousands were gathered to ,christ4 ,an exceeding great army stood up4 ,slumbering churches were awakened1 religion was revived1 and righteousness and praise were caused to spring forth before all the nations4 ,and as this apostolic man surveyed the amazing scene1 and glanced at the wide circumference of his labors1 in the ,british ,isles and in the ,new ,world1 he might have exclaimed1 as one before him had done1 ,now thanks be unto ,god1 who always causeth us to triumph in ,christ1 and maketh manifest the savor of his name by us in every place4 ,through mighty signs and wonders1 by the power of the ,spirit of ,god1 from ,jerusalem round about to ,illyricum1 ,i have fully preached the gospel of ,christ4 ,for ,i am not ashamed of the gospel of ,christ3 for it is the power of ,god to salvation2 to the ,jew first1 and also to the ,greek4 ,who1 in the remembrance of ,whitefield and his times1 will not long for their return1 and exclaim1 ,awake1 awake2 put on strength1 ,o arm of the ,lord2 awake1 as in the ancient days4 ,o that thou wouldest rend the heavens1 that thou wouldest come down1 that the mountains might flow down at thy presence1 as when the melting fire burneth1 the fire causeth the waters to boil1 to make thy name known to thine adversaries1 that the nations may tremble at thy presence6 ,spirit of the living ,god1 descend and replenish with thy power all our souls1 our ministry1 our temples1 our land4 ,in estimating the character of ,whitefield1 it should be observed that he dealt with his hearers1 individually and collectively1 as immortal beings4 ,to use the language of ,isaac ,taylor1 he held ,,man as if in the abstract1 or as if whatever is not common to all men were forgotten4 ,the most extreme diversities1 intellectual and moral1 differences of rank1 culture1 national modes of thought1 all gave way and ceased to be thought of2 distinctions were swept from the ground where he took his position4 ,at the first opening of his lips1 and as the rich harmony of his voice spread its undulations over the expanse of human faces1 and at the instant when the sparkle of his bright eye caught every other eye1 human nature1 in a manner1 dropped its individuality1 and presented itself in its very elements to be moulded anew4 ,whitefield1 although singularly gifted with a perception of the varieties of character1 yet spoke as if he could know nothing of the thousands before him but their immortality and their misery2 and so it was that these thousands listened to him4 ,no preacher whose history is on record1 has trod so wide a field as did ,whitefield1 or has retrod it so often1 or has repeated himself so much1 or has carried so far the experiment of exhausting himself1 and of spending his popularity1 if it could have been spent1 but it never was spent4 ,within the compass of a few weeks he might have been heard addressing the negroes of the ,bermuda islands1 adapting himself to their infantile understandings1 and to their debauched hearts2 and then at ,chelsea1 with the aristocracy of rank and wit before him1 approving himself to listeners such as the lords ,bolingbroke and ,chesterfield4 ,whitefield might as easily have produced a ,hamlet or a ,paradise ,lost1 as have excogitated a sermon which1 as a composition1 a product of thought1 would have tempted men like these to hear him a second time2 and as to his faculty and graces as a speaker1 his elocution and action1 a second performance would have contented them4 ,but in fact ,bolingbroke1 and many of his class1 thought not the hour long1 time after time1 while1 with much sameness of material and of language1 he spoke of eternity and of salvation in ,christ4444 ,floods of tears moistened cheeks rough and smooth2 and sighs1 suppressed or loudly uttered1 gave evidence that human nature is one and the same when it comes in presence of truths which bear upon the guilty and the immortal without distinction4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,james ,hamilton of ,london has admirably delineated ,whitefield1 in a passage which must be admired by all who read it3 ,whitefield was the prince of ,english preachers4 ,many have surpassed him as sermon-makers1 but none have approached him as a pulpit orator4 ,many have outshone him in the clearness of their logic1 the grandeur of their conceptions1 and the sparkling beauty of single sentences2 but in the power of darting the gospel direct into the conscience1 he eclipsed them all4 ,with a full and beaming countenance1 and the frank and easy port which the ,english people love--for it is the symbol of honest purpose and friendly assurance--he combined a voice of rich compass1 which could easily thrill over ,moorfields in musical thunder1 or whisper its terrible secret in every private ear2 and to this gainly aspect and tuneful voice he added a most expressive and eloquent action4 ,improved by conscientious practice1 and instinct with his earnest nature1 this elocution was the acted sermon1 and by its pantomimic portrait enabled the eye to anticipate each rapid utterance1 and helped the memory to treasure up the palatable ideas4 ,none ever used so boldly1 nor with more success1 the highest styles of impersonation3 as when he described to his sailor-auditors a storm at sea1 and compelled them to shout1 ',take to the longboat1 sir6' ,his 'hark1 hark6' could conjure up ,gethsemane with its faltering moon1 and awake again the cry of horror-stricken innocence2 and an apostrophe to ,peter on the holy mount would light up another ,tabor1 and drown it in glory from the opening heaven4 ,his thoughts were possessions1 and his feelings were transformations2 and he spoke because he felt1 his hearers understood because they saw4 ,they were not only enthusiastic amateurs1 like ,garrick1 who ran to weep and tremble at his bursts of passion1 but even the colder critics of the ,walpole school were surprised into momentary sympathy and reluctant wonder4 ,lord ,chesterfield was listening in ,lady ,huntingdon's pew when ,whitefield was comparing the benighted sinner to a blind beggar on a dangerous road4 ,his little dog gets away from him when skirting the edge of a precipice1 and he is left to explore the path with his iron-shod staff4 ,on the very verge of the cliff this blind guide slips through his fingers and skims away down the abyss4 ,all unconscious1 the owner stoops down to regain it1 and stumbling forward--',good ,god1 he is gone6' shouted ,chesterfield1 who had been watching with breathless alarm the blind man's movements1 and who jumped from his feet to save the catastrophe4 ,but the glory of ,whitefield's preaching was his heart-kindled and heart-melting gospel4 ,but for this1 all his bold strokes and brilliant surprises might have been no better than the rhetorical triumphs of ,kirwan and other pulpit dramatists4 ,he was an orator1 but he only sought to be an evangelist4 ,like a volcano where gold and gems may be darted forth as well as common things1 but where gold and molten granite flow all alike in fiery fusion1 bright thoughts and splendid images might be projected from his pulpit1 but all were merged in the stream which bore along the gospel and himself in blended fervor4 ,indeed1 so simple was his nature1 that glory to ,god and good will to man had filled it2 there was room for little more4 ,having no church to found1 no family to enrich1 and no memory to immortalize1 he was simply the ambassador of ,god2 and inspired with its genial piteous spirit--so full of heaven reconciled and humanity restored--he soon himself became a living gospel4 ,radiant with its benignity1 and trembling with its tenderness1 by a sort of spiritual induction a vast audience would speedily be brought into a frame of mind--the transfusing of his own2 and the white furrows on their sooty faces told that ,kingswood colliers were weeping1 or the quivering of an ostrich plume bespoke its elegant wearer's deep emotion4 ,and coming to his pulpit direct from communion with his ,master1 and in the strength of accepted prayer1 there was an elevation in his mien which often paralyzed hostility1 and a self-possession which made him amid uproar and confusion the more sublime4 ,with an electric bolt he would bring the jester in his fool's cap from his perch on the tree1 or galvanize the brickbat from the skulking miscreant's grasp1 or sweep down in crouching submission and shamefaced silence the whole of ,bartholomew fair2 while a revealing flash of sententious doctrine1 of vivified ,scripture1 would disclose to awe-struck hundreds the forgotten verities of another world1 or the unsuspected arcana of their inner man4 ',i came to break your head1 but1 through you1 ,god has broken my heart1' was a sort of confession with which he was familiar2 and to see the deaf old gentlewoman who used to mutter imprecations at him as he passed along the streets1 clambering up the pulpit stairs to catch his angelic words1 was a sort of spectacle which the triumphant gospel often witnessed in his day4 ,and when it is known that his voice could be heard by twenty thousand1 and that ranging all the empire1 as well as ,america1 he would often preach thrice on a working-day1 and that he has received in one week as many as a thousand letters from persons awakened by his sermons1 if no estimate can be formed of the results of his ministry1 some idea may be suggested of its vast extent and singular effectiveness4 99 99 99 99 99 ,very admirably has a writer in the ,north ,british ,review compared and contrasted ,whitefield and ,wesley4 ,he says1 ,few characters could be more completely the converse1 and in the church's exigencies1 more happily the supplement of one another1 than were those of ,george ,whitefield and ,john ,wesley2 and had their views been identical1 and their labors all along coincident1 their large services to the gospel might have repeated ,paul and ,barnabas4 ,whitefield was soul1 and ,wesley was system4 ,whitefield was a summer cloud which burst at morning or noon a fragrant exhalation over an ample track1 and took the rest of the day to gather again2 ,wesley was the polished conduit in the midst of the garden1 through which the living water glided in pearly brightness and perennial music1 the same vivid stream from day to day4 ,after a preaching paroxysm1 ,whitefield lay panting on his couch1 spent1 breathless1 and deathlike2 after his morning sermon in the foundry1 ,wesley would mount his pony1 and trot and chat1 and gather simples1 till he reached some country hamlet1 where he would bait his charger1 and talk through a little sermon with the villagers1 and remount his pony and trot away again4 ,in his arial poise1 ,whitefield's eagle eye drank lustre from the source of light1 and loved to look down on men in assembled myriads2 ,wesley's falcon glance did not sweep so far1 but it searched more keenly and marked more minutely where it pierced4 ,a master of assemblies1 ,whitefield was no match for the isolated man4 ,seldom coping with the multitude1 but strong in astute sagacity and personal ascendency1 ,wesley could conquer any number one by one4 ,all force and impetus1 ,whitefield was the powder-blast in the quarry1 and by one explosive sermon would shake a district1 and detach materials for other men's long work--deft1 neat1 and painstaking1 ,wesley loved to split and trim each fragment into uniform plinths and polished stones4 ,or1 taken otherwise1 ,whitefield was the bargeman or the wagoner who brought the timber of the house1 and ,wesley was the architect who set it up4 ,whitefield had no patience for ecclesiastical polity1 no aptitude for pastoral details--with a beaver-like propensity for building1 ,wesley was always constructing societies1 and with a king-like craft of ruling1 was most at home when presiding over a class or a conference4 ,it was their infelicity that they did not always work together--it was the happiness of the age1 and the furtherance of the gospel1 that they lived alongside of one another4 ,,centennial ,,commemorations4 ,when a century had elapsed from the commencement of ,whitefield's public labors1 it was deemed desirable by many in ,england to hold public services of a devotional and practical character1 in celebration of the event4 ,especially was it designed that such celebrations should have a reference1 as far as possible1 to advance open-air preaching4 ,the first services of this character were very properly held in the ,tabernacle1 ,london1 on ,may #ba1 #ahci1 and well do we remember with what intense interest1 in common with thousands1 we attended them4 ,ministers and laymen of at least four religious denominations assisted in them1 and eloquently discoursed on subjects illustrating the grace of ,god in connection with ,whitefield1 but still more intent were they on benefiting the present and future generations of men4 ,dr4 ,campbell delivered a sermon on the character and labors of ,apollos1 illustrated by those of ,whitefield2 the late ,dr4 ,cox discoursed on the genius and labors of ,whitefield2 the late ,rev4 ,john ,blackburn described the past and present state of religion in ,england2 and the ,rev4 ,john ,young1 ,,ll4 ,d41 urged the propriety1 duty1 and necessity of open-air preaching4 ,in addition to these sermons1 several admirable speeches were made1 and every thing was marked by a spirit of earnest devotion4 ,a small volume1 containing the sermons and speeches1 was printed1 and put into extensive circulation4 ,about the same time1 a number of ministers of the ,congregational order met in a central town of ,gloucestershire1 when one of them suggested1 that as the present year was the centenary of the ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield's labors in reviving the apostolic practice of open-air preaching1 it might be desirable to commemorate them by a special religious open-air celebration4 ,it was further remarked1 that ,whitefield was a native of ,gloucester2 that as many ministers present presided over churches instituted by his ministry2 that as ,stinchcombe hill1 in the very centre of the county1 presented a most beautiful and eligible spot for a public meeting2 and as upon its summit1 a century ago1 ,whitefield himself had preached and showed the glad tidings of the kingdom of ,god1 it seemed a duty to improve the opportunity it offered of addressing1 on the gracious persuasives of the cross1 a large concourse of persons1 many of whom might never hear the gospel1 and of promoting in the county the revival of evangelical religion1 which ,god so highly honored his devoted servant in commencing in our land4 ,the suggestion was most cordially received1 arrangements were made1 and1 ,july #cj1 #ahci1 though the weather was unfavorable1 the meeting was attended by at least seven thousand persons4 ,a large preaching stand was erected for the ministers1 nearly one hundred of whom were present4 ,sermons were preached by the ,rev4 ,drs4 ,matheson and ,ross1 and by the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,t4 ,east1 ,j4 ,h4 ,hinton1 and ,j4 ,sibree2 and addresses were given1 and the devotional exercises led by many others4 ,the services were solemnly impressive4 ,the late ,josiah ,conder1 ,esq41 wrote two hymns especially for the occasion1 which are well worthy of preservation2 we therefore transfer them to our pages4 ,i4 ,how sweet from crowded throngs1 ,zion1 ascend thy songs1 ,with choral swells through echoing aisles6 ,where brethren1 brethren meet1 ,these songs rise doubly sweet1 ,from humbler rooms or loftier piles4 ,but here1 not made with hands1 ,a nobler temple stands2 ,here1 'mid thy works1 ,o ,god1 we bow1 ,where all around1 above1 ,proclaims thy power and love2 ,oh1 tune our hearts to praise thee now4 ,we bless thy gracious care1 ,for many a house of prayer1 ,where saints may meet with conscience free1 ,to keep thy simple rites1 ,in which thy church delights1 ,and unforbidden1 wait on thee4 ,but now1 beneath the sky1 ,we raise our songs on high1 ,to ,him who gave all nature birth2 ,while the free air wafts round ,to distant vales the sound-- ,praise to the ,lord of heaven and earth4 ,so to the mountain air ,the ,saviour breathed his prayer2 ,so 'mid green hills or deserts rude1 ,the poor he meekly taught1 ,and gracious wonders wrought1 ,or fed the famished multitude4 ,so did apostles teach2 ,so did our ,whitefield preach2 ,these hills have heard his fervent prayer3 ,oh1 let the saving word ,throughout our land be heard1 ,free as the light1 and open as the air4 ,,ii4 ,where is the voice of ,whitefield now8 ,where does his mantle rest8 ,oh1 for ,elisha's from the plough1 ,with kindred zeal possessed6 ,apostles of heroic mould1 ,with love seraphic fired1 ,divinely called1 like those of old ,at ,pentecost inspired6 ,oh ,,thou1 our ,head1 enthroned on high1 ,by whom thy members live1 ,wilt thou not hear our fervent cry1 ,the holy unction give8 ,in all the plenitude of grace ,thy gifts of might bestow2 ,and by us1 ,lord1 in every place1 ,thy saving virtue show4 ,this ,christian land with error teems1 ,the blind by blinder led2 ,the sophist weaves his ,atheist schemes2 ,wide has the poison spread4 ,arise1 ,o ,lord1 send forth thy word2 ,thy faithful heralds call2 ,and while the gospel trump is heard1 ,let ,satan's bulwarks fall4 ,free1 pure1 and vital as the light1 ,,god',s message to our race2 ,like genial gales the ,,spirit',s might1 ,sovereign1 mysterious grace4 ,breathe forth1 ,o wind1 and to new birth ,quicken the bones of death2 ,regenerate this withered earth2 ,give to the dying breath4 ,it is pleasant to add to this account1 that satisfactory evidences were given that some1 during these services1 were brought to the saving knowledge of the truth as in ,jesus4 ,and it may be mentioned as a singular circumstance1 that an old man one hundred and three years of age attended on this occasion1 who had been carried in his mother's arms to this same spot to hear ,whitefield preach just a century before4 ,the last centenary service to which we shall make reference1 is the one held at the ,bristol ,tabernacle1 ,november #be1 #ahec4 ,the sermon on ,the ,character of ,whitefield1 by the ,rev4 ,john ,angell ,james1 was from the text1 ,this one thing ,i do4 ,phil4 #c3ac4 ,in it he said3 ,we hear much in our days about the adaptation of the gospel to the age4 ,there is no word ,i more hate or love1 dread or desire1 according to the sense in1 or the purpose for which it is used1 than this word adaptation as applied to preaching4 ,now1 if by adaptation be meant1 more philosophy1 and less ,christianity2 more of cold abstract intellectualism1 and less of popular1 simple1 earnest statement of gospel truth2 more profound discussion and artificial elaboration addressed to the learned few1 and less of warm-hearted appeal to the multitude1 may ,god preserve us from such adaptation1 for it is high-treason against truth and the salvation of souls4 ,but if by this be meant a stronger intelligence1 a chaster composition1 a sterner logic1 a more powerful rhetoric1 a more correct criticism1 and a more varied illustration1 but all employed to set forth the gospel as comprehending those two great words1 redemption and regeneration1 let us have it2 we need it2 and come in ever such abundance1 it will be a blessing4 ,adaptation6 the gospel is adaptation1 from beginning to end1 to every age of time1 and to all conditions of humanity4 ,it is ,god's own adaptation4 ,it is he who knows every ward of the lock of man's nature1 who has constructed this admirable key2 and all the miserable tinkering of a vain and deceitful philosophy can make no better key1 nor can all the attempts of a philosophizing theology make this key better fit the wards of the lock4 ,adaptation6 was not the gospel in all its purity and simplicity adapted to human nature as it existed in commercial1 scholastic1 philosophical ,corinth8 ,and did not ,paul think so when he determined to know nothing there1 but ',christ1 and him crucified8' ,was it not by this very gospel1 which many are beginning to imagine is not suited to an intellectual and philosophical age1 that ,christianity fought its first battles1 and achieved its victories over the hosts of darkness8 ,against the axe1 the stake1 the sword of the gladiator1 and the lions of the amphitheatre2 against the ridicule of wits1 the reasoning of sages1 the interests1 influence1 and craft of the priesthood2 against the prowess of armies1 and the brute passions of the mob1 ,christianity1 strong in its weakness1 sublime in its simplicity1 potent in its isolation1 asking and receiving no protection from the sceptre of the monarch or the sword of the warrior1 went forth to do battle with the wisdom of ,greece and the mythology of ,rome4 ,everywhere it prevailed1 and gathered its laurels from the snows of ,scythia1 the sands of ,africa1 the plains of ,india1 and the green fields of ,europe4 ,with the gospel alone she overturned the altars of impiety in her march4 ,power felt his arm wither at her glance4 ,she silenced the lying oracles by the majesty of her voice1 and extinguished the deceptive light of philosophy in the schools1 till at length she who went forth forlorn and weeping from ,calvary to the tomb of ,joseph of ,arimathea1 ascended1 upon the ruins of the temples1 the idols1 and the altars she had demolished1 to the throne of the ,csars1 and with the diadem on her brow1 and the purple on her shoulders1 gave laws to the world from that very tribunal where she had been dragged as a criminal and condemned as a malefactor4#c #c ,see ,dr4 ,john ,m4 ,mason's ,funeral ,sermon for ,mrs4 ,graham4 ,adaptation6 is not justification by faith the very substance of the gospel1 and was it not by this doctrine that ,luther effected the enfranchisement of the human intellect1 from the chains of slavery which had been forged in the ,vatican2 achieved the liberation of half ,europe from the yoke of ,rome1 and gave an impulse to human thought and vital ,christianity which has not yet spent itself1 and never will1 till it issues in the jubilee of the nations and the glories of the millennium8 ,adaptation6 did not ,whitefield move this kingdom almost to its centre1 and equally so our then great transatlantic colony to its extremities1 fascinating alike the colliers of ,kingswood and the citizens of the metropolis2 and by this mighty theme enable myriads to burst the chains of sin and ,satan1 and to walk abroad disenthralled by the mighty power of redeeming grace8 ,adaptation6 is not this gospel now proving its power in heathen countries to raise the savage into civilized man1 the civilized man into the saint1 and in this ascending scale of progression1 the saint into the seraph8 ,and yet1 with these proofs of the power of the gospel to adapt itself to every age of the world1 and to every condition of humanity1 there are those who want something else to effect the regeneration of mankind4 ',and ,i1 if ,i be lifted up1 will draw all men unto me4' ,so said the ,saviour of men4 ,the cross is the great moral magnet for all ages and all countries1 to draw men from barbarism to civilization1 from sin to holiness1 from misery to happiness1 and from earth to heaven2 and it were as rational to say the loadstone had lost its original power of polar attraction1 and the mariner's compass is an old1 stale invention1 and must now be replaced with some new device1 better adapted to the modern light of science1 as to suppose that the doctrine of the cross had become effete1 and must give way to some new phase of theological truth4 ,i now consider the manner in which ,whitefield carried out his own purpose into action4 ',one thing ,i do3' and how did he accomplish it8 ,never was the joyful sound sent over the world by a more magnificent voice4 ,all his biographers labor1 as do the historians of ,greece in describing the power of ,demosthenes1 to make us understand his wondrous oratory4 ,perhaps1 after all1 that which gives us the most vivid idea of it is1 not the crowds it attracted1 moved1 and melted1 but that it warmed the cold and calculating ,franklin1 and fascinated the philosophical and sceptical ,hume4 ,heaven rarely ever gave1 or gives to man the faculty of speech in such perfection4 ,but what is particularly worthy of notice is1 that he trusted not to its native power1 but increased that power by assiduous cultivation4 ,his matchless elocution was not only an endowment1 but an acquirement4 ,if he preached a sermon twenty times1 he went on to the last improving his method of delivering it1 both as to tones and action2 not for theatrical display--no man was ever more free from this--but to carry out his 'one thing'--the salvation of souls4 ,he knew1 and deeply and philosophically entered into the meaning of that text1 ',faith cometh by hearing2' and he also knew that attentive hearing comes by the power of speaking4 ,with such a theme as the gospel1 with such an object as salvation1 with such an aim as eternity1 and such a ,master to serve as ,christ1 he would not give utterance to such subjects1 and for such purposes1 in careless and slovenly speech4 ,he studied to be the orator1 that he might thus pluck souls as brands from the burning4 ,in this let us imitate him4 ,of all our faculties1 that of speech is perhaps least cultivated1 yet is most susceptible of cultivation1 and pays best for the pains bestowed upon it4 ,my brethren1 speech is the great instrument of our ministerial labor4 ,our assault upon the rebel town of ,mansoul is to be carried on1 and our entrance to be effected1 to use the language of ,bunyan1 at ear-gate4 ,the tongue1 rather than the pen1 is the weapon of most of us4 ,for the love of souls1 let us endeavor to be good speakers4 ,with the loftiest themes in the universe for our subjects1 do1 do let us endeavor to speak of them in some measure worthily4 ,it is an instructive and astounding1 and to us humiliating and disgraceful fact1 that the stage-player1 whether in comedy or in tragedy1 takes ten times more pains to give effective utterance to his follies1 vices1 and passions1 for the amusement of his audience1 than we do to eternal and momentous truths for the salvation of ours4 ,the stage seems the only arena where the power of oratory is much studied4 ,should this be8 ,a few characteristics of ,whitefield's manner deserve emphatic mention and particular attention1 as connected with the execution of his one great purpose4 ,the first ,i notice is solemnity4 ,he never1 as did some of his followers1 degraded the pulpit by making it the arena of low humor and wit2 abounding in anecdote1 and even in action1 he was uniformly solemn4 ,his deep devotional spirit contributed largely to this1 for his piety was the inward fire which supplied the ardor of his manner4 ,he was eminently a man of prayer2 and had he been less prayerful1 he would also have been less powerful4 ,he came into the pulpit from the closet1 where he had been communing with ,god1 and could no more trifle with merry humor at such a time than could ,moses when he came down from the mount to the people2 or than the high-priest when he came out from the blazing symbols of the divine presence between the cherubim in the holy of holies2 or ,isaiah when he saw the ,lord of hosts1 high and lifted up1 with his train filling the temple4 ,happily the age and taste for pulpit buffoonery is gone1 ,i hope never to return4 '',tis pitiful to count a gain when you should woo a soul4' ,it was the stamp and impress of eternity upon his preaching1 that gave ,whitefield such power4 ,he spoke like a man that stood upon the borders of the unseen world1 alternately rapt in ecstasy as he gazed upon the felicities of heaven1 and convulsed with terror as he seemed to hear the howlings of the damned1 and saw the smoke of their torment ascending from the pit for ever and ever4 ,his maxim was to preach1 as ,apelles painted1 for eternity1 and he said1 if ministers preached for eternity1 they would then act the part of true ,christian orators4 ,and tell me1 my brethren1 what are all the prettinesses1 the beauties1 or even sublimities of human eloquence--what the similes1 metaphors1 and other garniture of rhetoric--what the philosophy and intellectualities which many in this day are aiming at1 to move and bow and conquer the human soul1 compared with 'the powers of the world to come8' ,but there was another characteristic of ,whitefield's manner1 and that was its tenderness4 ,our ,lord1 as to his humanity1 was a man of sorrows1 and therefore of tears2 so was ,paul1 so was ,whitefield4 ,perhaps the latter somewhat too much so1 at any rate far too much so for any preacher but himself1 and with him the fountain of his tears was somewhat too full and flowing4 ,but ,oh1 what an apology for this1 and what a stroke of pathetic eloquence was that appeal when on one occasion he said1 ',you blame me for weeping1 but how can ,i help it1 when you will not weep for yourselves1 although your immortal souls are on the verge of destruction1 and for aught ,i know you are hearing your last sermon1 and may never more have an opportunity to have ,christ offered to you4' ,man is an emotional as well as an intellectual creature1 and sympathy is one of the powers of our physical and mental economy4 ,the passions are of an infectious nature1 and men feel more in a crowd than in solitude4 ,the adage of the ancient elocutionist is still true1 ',if you wish me to weep1 weep yourself4' ,whitefield's tears drew forth those of his audience1 and his pathos softened their hearts for the impressions of the truth4 ,it is forgotten by many preachers that they may do much by the heart1 as well as by the head4 ,we are not the teachers of logic1 mathematics1 metaphysics1 or natural philosophy1 which have nothing to do with the heart1 but of religion1 the very seat of which is there2 and we address ourselves not only to the logical1 but to the sthetical part of man's complex nature4 ,by argument1 ,i know we must convince1 but we must not stop in the judgment1 but go on to reach the heart1 and we ourselves must feel as well as reason4 ,clear1 but cold1 is too descriptive of much modern preaching4 ,it is the frosty moonlight of a winter's night1 not the warm sunshine of a summer's day4 ,a cold preacher is likely to have cold hearers4 ,cold6 ,what1 when the love of ,god1 the death of ,christ1 the salvation of souls1 the felicities of heaven1 and the torments of hell are the theme8 ,enthusiasm here is venial1 compared with lukewarmness4 ,need ,i say that earnestness was characteristic of ,whitefield's preaching8 ,yes1 that one word1 perhaps1 more than any other in our language1 is its epitome4 ,an intense earnestness marked its whole career1 and was carried to such a pitch as to subject him1 as did that of ,paul1 to the imputation of madness4 ,the salvation of souls was so entirely the one thing that engrossed his soul1 his time1 his labors1 that not a step deviated from it4 ,every moment1 every day1 was an approximation to it4 ,his devotions1 his recreations1 if any such he had1 his journeys1 his voyages1 his sermons1 his correspondence1 were all referred to this one end4 ,his exertions never relaxed for a moment1 and he1 with his great compeer ,wesley1 made the trial so seldom made1 what is the utmost effect which1 in the way of saving souls1 may be granted to any one preacher of the gospel in any age or country4 ,what may not be done1 and is not done by earnestness8 ,it gives some success to any error1 however absurd or enormous1 and to any scheme of wickedness1 however flagrant and atrocious4 ,what is it that has given such success to popery1 to infidelity1 to ,mormonism8 ,earnestness4 ,and shall the apostles and advocates of error be more in earnest than the friends of truth8 ,whitefield often quoted ,betterton the player1 who affirmed that the stage would soon be deserted if the actors spoke like the preachers4 ,and what would empty the play-house1 that is1 dulness and coldness1 does often empty the meeting-house4 ',mr4 ,betterton's answer to a worthy prelate1' says ,whitefield1 'is worthy of lasting regard4' ,when asked how it is that the clergy1 who speak of things real1 affected the people so little1 and the players1 who speak only of things imaginary1 affected them so much1 replied ',my lord1 ,i can assign but one reason--we players speak of things imaginary as though they were real1 and too many of the clergy speak of things real as though they were imaginary4' ,it is not always so4 ,many a preacher1 even in our own day1 by the unaffected earnestness of his manner1 carries away his audience upon the tide of his own feeling4 ,they hear what he says1 they see what he feels1 his eye helps his tongue1 the workings of his countenance disclose the feelings of his heart2 his manner is a lucid comment upon his matter1 breaks down the limits which words impose upon the communication of ideas1 and gives them not only an apprehension of the meaning1 but a sense of the importance of his subject1 which unimpassioned language and manner could not have done4 ,i name but one thing more as characteristic of this great man1 and which it would be well for us to imitate1 and that is1 his dauntless courage4 ,see him not only facing mobs1 defying threats1 and even lifting up his pulpit amid the wild uproar of a ,london fair1 the boldest achievement that a speaker ever accomplished1 but holding on his noble career unterrified1 and working amid the storm of obloquy that came upon him from so many quarters4 ,who that has ever read1 can ever forget ,cowper's exquisite description of him8 ',,leuconomus--beneath well-sounding ,greek ,i show a name a poet must not speak-- ,stood pilloried on infamy's high stage1 ,and bore the pelting storm of half an age1 ,the very butt of slander1 and the blot ,for every dart that malice ever shot4 ,the man that mentioned him at once dismissed ,all mercy from his lips1 and sneered and hissed4 ,his crimes were such as ,sodom never knew1 ,and perjury stood up to swear all true2 ,his aim was mischief1 and his zeal pretence1 ,his speech rebellion against common-sense3 ,a knave when tried on honesty's plain rule1 ,and when by that of reason1 a mere fool4 ,the world's best comfort was1 his doom was passed1 ,die when he might1 he must be damned at last4 ,now truth1 perform thine office1 waft aside ,the curtain drawn by prejudice and pride1 ,reveal--the man is dead--to wondering eyes1 ,this more than monster1 in his proper guise4 ,he loved the world that hated him2 the tear ,that dropped upon his ,bible was sincere3 ,assailed by scandal and the tongue of strife1 ,his only answer was--a blameless life2 ,and he that forged1 and he that threw the dart1 ,had each a brother's interest in his heart4 ,paul's love of ,christ1 and steadiness unbribed1 ,were copied close in him1 and well transcribed4 ,he followed ,paul--his zeal a kindred flame1 ,his apostolic charity the same4 ,like him1 crossed cheerfully tempestuous seas1 ,forsaking country1 kindred1 friends1 and ease4 ,like him he labored1 and like him1 content ,to bear it1 suffered shame where'er he went4 ,blush1 calumny6 and write upon his tomb1 ,if honest eulogy can spare the room1 ,thy deep repentance of thy thousand lies1 ,which1 aimed at him1 have pierced the offended skies2 ,and say1 ,blot out my sin1 confessed1 deplored1 ,against thine image1 in thy saint1 ,o ,lord4' ,what but a guilty cowardice is it1 a false and pusillanimous shame1 that keeps us in these days from some novel and bolder method of aggression upon the domain of darkness8 ,are we not wanting here in that moral courage which would make us1 when conscious of doing right1 indifferent to the stare of the ignorant1 and the wonder of the timid2 to the shaft of ridicule1 and the malignant censure of the cynic8 ,how enslaved are we by the fetters of custom1 or restrained by the trammels of conventiality6 ,how little are we disposed to go out of the usual track1 even in saving souls6 ,very few are disposed to imitate the boldness1 ingenuity1 and novelty of that noble-hearted brother1#d who hired a disengaged theatre in the city where he dwelt1 and for four months preached there to listening and well-behaved crowds1 the gospel of salvation2 and for his reward had very many given to him1 who are his joy now1 and will be his crown of rejoicing in the presence of ,christ at his coming4 ,who can see ,paul on ,mars-,hill1 addressing himself to the sages and their followers of all sects1 and preaching to them a doctrine so repugnant to the mythology of the temple and the philosophy of the schools1 as ,christ1 the last judgment1 and the resurrection of the body1 without being impressed with the moral courage of such an act8 ,it is this spiritual heroism that is wanted in our modern preaching1 and indeed1 which was no less needful when the ,methodistic company commenced their preaching4 #d ,the ,rev4 ,richard ,knill of ,chester1 formerly a missionary in ,india1 and afterwards in ,russia1 since deceased4--,b4 ,nor is it only in this unwillingness to go off from our own ground for saving souls that our guilty cowardice is seen1 but in the disposition to shirk the more solemn and searching truths of revelation4 ,are we not giving way too much to the fastidiousness of modern taste and refinement1 which is craving after smooth things2 which desires the sentimental1 the picturesque1 the imaginative1 but turns with disgust from the solemn1 the alarming1 the awakening8 ,are we not too gentle and courteous to mention such a word as 'hell' to modern ears polite8 ,are we not too fearful to break in with the thunders of a violated law upon those who are at ease in ,zion8 ,i do not ask for a gross1 revolting method of describing the punishment of the wicked1 as if the preacher delighted in harrowing up the feelings of his audience4 ,this is as disgusting as if1 in order to keep men from crime1 our judges and magistrates were ever and anon giving a minute detail of the process of an execution1 and the convulsive pangs of an expiring wretch suspended to the beam of the gibbet4 ,we ask not for a harsh1 scolding1 and denunciating style of preaching2 but we do want more of the unflinching boldness1 and the dauntless courage1 which1 are necessary to fidelity1 and absolutely essential to him who would win souls to ,christ4 ,it is too generally forgotten1 that our ,lord ,jesus1 who was incarnate love1 was the most solemn and awful of all preachers4 ,he whose gentle spirit so often breathed out itself in invitation1 and whose compassion melted into tears1 at other times robed himself in terror1 and uttered the most alarming peals of divine indignation4 ,what we need for our ministry is this mixture of tenderness and solemnity1 which entered so deeply into the ministry of ,christ1 and was so characteristic of his servant1 whose labors we this day commemorate and commend4 99 99 99 99 99 ,hear also the ,rev4 ,john ,glanville1 the present successor of ,whitefield in the ,tabernacle at ,bristol3 ,and such preaching must continue1 if the world is to be saved4 ,nothing but this is suited to man's necessities2 nothing else can meet man's miseries4 ,the battle must be fought with the old1 well-tried1 but not worn-out weapons4 ,god has provided them1 and we must use them4 ,we require nothing else2 the world has not outgrown the old gospel1 so as to need something new to soothe its sorrows and satisfy its wants4 ,not that ministers can now produce the effect ,whitefield did4 ,he was a man standing alone4 ,the charm and power of his preaching have never been explained4 ,it was all fire and flame1 shooting out red-hot thunderbolts against the citadels of sin4 ,it was an undivided soul1 solemnly consecrated to one object--an entire life1 zealously employed in one thing4 ,as he preached1 every feature spoke1 the whole man became vocal1 and the truth of ,god stood out in its full proportions and beauty1 in the bright and broad daylight of heaven4 ,so unreserved was his self-consecration1 that every thing was deemed impertinent which obtruded upon1 or interfered with the one great end of his existence4 ,he lived in communion with ,god--more in heaven than on earth4 ,he was much at the foot of the throne1 and got his strength there2 he prevailed with men1 because he had prevailed with ,god4 ,his whole soul was filled with life1 and fired with love1 from being in habitual contact with the cross4 ,and we must pursue the same course1 and try to do the same thing4 ,we have the power1 and we must bring it forth and use it4 ,god has given the machinery1 and it is for us to set it in motion4 ,the world is perishing1 and we must save it2 it is dying1 and we must give it life4 ,god from his eternal throne calls us--,christ from his bleeding cross speaks to us--voices from the abodes of sin1 and the regions of despair1 sound in our ears4 ,and we all1 as ministers and as members1 must rise up in the vigor of piety and the fervor of prayer4 ,we must rise up from the slumbers of selfishness1 and tear off the fetters of the world1 and act as those who believe in the existence of an eternal heaven and an eternal hell1 and that all souls will be found in the one or in the other--as those who have a great work to do1 and but a short and uncertain time to do it in4 ,awake1 awake1 put on strength1 ,o arm of the ,lord2 awake1 as in the ancient days1 in the generations of old4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,minor typographical errors have been corrected without note4 ,irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed4 ,missing page numbers are page numbers that were not shown in the original text4 ,mismatched quotes are not fixed if it's not sufficiently clear where the missing quote should be placed4 ,the cover for the e,book version of this book was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain4