November 1741 to June 1742.
Whitefield left Edinburgh on October 29, 1741, and rode on Earl Leven's horse, three hundred miles, to Abergavenny in Wales, for the purpose of marrying Mrs. James, a widow lady, who, up to this period of his history, is never even mentioned in any of Whitefield's letters. The marriage ceremony was performed at St. Martin's Chapel, near Caerphilly, in the parish of Eglws Ilan. The following is a copy of the register, in the handwriting of the Rev. John Smith, the then vicar of Eglws Ilan:—
GEORGE WHITEFIELD
AND
ELIZABETH JAMES,
Married, November 14, 1741.[489]
Of Mrs. James's previous history, nothing has been published.[490] She was a friend of the Methodists, and of Wesley, as well as of Whitefield. Only six weeks before her marriage, Wesley was her guest, at Abergavenny, and writes, "She received us gladly, as she had done aforetime."[491] Exactly a month before she became Mrs. Whitefield, Wesley was again in the same neighbourhood, and was warmly attacked by his quondam friends, but now his Calvinistic foes, Thomas Bissicks and Joseph Humphreys. Mrs. James kindly interfered, and Wesley, not without reason, calls her "a woman of candour and humanity."[492]
Whitefield did everything religiously. On the day before his marriage, writing to Earl Leven, he remarks:—
"I find a restraint upon me now, so that I cannot write. God calls me to retirement, being to enter the marriage state to-morrow. I am persuaded your lordship will not fail to pray, that we may, like Zacharias and Elisabeth, walk in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless."
Five days subsequent to his marriage, he says, to a friend at Edinburgh, "On Saturday, I was married, in the fear of God, to one who, I hope, will be a helpmeet to me. I expect to be in London in about three weeks. My wife I shall leave in the country for some time."
To another friend in Edinburgh he writes: "Jesus was called to, Jesus was present at, the marriage." In a letter to James Habersham, he says: "The Lord has given me a wife. Her name was James, a widow, between thirty and forty years of age. She has been a housekeeper many years. Once gay; but, for three years last past, a despised follower of the Lamb of God. I left her about three weeks ago, and am going to settle affairs, and bring her up to London." Shortly after, writing to his friend Gilbert Tennent, he remarked: "About eleven weeks ago, I married, in the fear of God, one who was a widow, of about thirty-six years of age, and who has been a housekeeper for many years; neither rich in fortune,[493] nor beautiful as to her person, but, I believe, a true child of God, and one who would not, I think, attempt to hinder me in His work for the world. In that respect, I am just the same as before marriage. I hope God will never suffer me to say, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'"
These are all the references which Whitefield makes to the new relationship into which he had so recently entered. Why did he marry? That is a question which cannot easily be answered, unless it be supposed that he wanted a matron for his Orphan House, in Georgia. Men like Whitefield and Wesley, almost always from home, ought to remain unmarried. Their wives, naturally enough, very often become Xantippes.
The Gentleman's Magazine, when it announced Whitefield's marriage, referred its readers to a prayer, in his last Journal, which was as follows:—
"Northampton, October 19, 1740. Mrs. Edwards" (wife of the celebrated Jonathan Edwards) "is a woman adorned with a meek and quiet spirit. She talked feelingly and solidly of the things of God, and seemed to be such a helpmeet for her husband, that she caused me to renew those prayers, which, for some months, I have put up to God, that He would send me a daughter of Abraham to be my wife. I find, upon many accounts, it is my duty to marry. Lord, I desire to have no choice of my own. Thou knowest my circumstances. Thou knowest I only desire to marry in and for Thee. Thou didst choose a Rebecca for Isaac; choose one for me, to be a helpmeet for me, in carrying on that great work committed to my charge! Lord, hear me! Let my cry come unto Thee!"
Southey flatly asserts that Whitefield's "marriage was not a happy one,"[494] but adduces no evidence in proof of this. Cornelius Winter also says: "Mr. Whitefield was not happy in his wife, but I fear some, who had not all the religion they professed, contributed to his infelicity. He did not intentionally make his wife unhappy. He always preserved great decency and decorum in his conduct towards her. Her death set his mind much at liberty. She certainly did not behave in all respects as she ought. She could be under no temptation from his conduct towards the sex, for he was a very pure man, a strict example of the chastity he inculcated upon others."[495] Great importance has been attached to this account, because Cornelius Winter was an inmate of Whitefield's house; but it is only fair to add, that Winter was not born until a year after Whitefield's marriage, and that his introduction to Whitefield's house was within a year and a half of Mrs. Whitefield's death. On the other hand, as the reader will hereafter find, Whitefield not unfrequently speaks of his wife in endearing terms; and, in 1768, he preached her funeral sermon, and praised her many virtues. She also, on more than one occasion, evinced qualities of mind deserving more than ordinary commendation. Three years after her marriage, whilst she and Whitefield were on their way to Georgia, the ship in which they sailed was threatened by an enemy. Guns were mounted, and chains put about the masts. The wildest confusion reigned, and Whitefield confessed that he was "naturally a coward;" but his wife "set about making cartridges," and did her utmost in having all things ready for the "fire and smoke."[496] At another time, when a mob gathered round her husband, and stones flew in all directions, and the great preacher began to fear, she, who was standing by his side, pulled his gown, and cried, with genuine heroism, "Now, George, play the man for God." Such a woman would almost seem to have deserved more attention than it was possible for her husband to pay her.
Be that as it may, it is a fact, that, within a week after his marriage, Whitefield again started out on his evangelistic ramblings, leaving his newly wedded wife behind him in Wales.[497] A few extracts from his letters, written at this period, will illustrate the principles and actions of the man.
Lady Dirleton was one of the "honourable women" with whom Whitefield became acquainted in Scotland; and to her he addressed the following:—
"Bristol, November 22, 1741.
"Honoured Madam,—Your ladyship enjoys great advantages, and glorious means of making progress in spiritual things. You are rich in this world's goods: may God make you rich in faith and good works! It gives me comfort to think, what sweet freedom I have enjoyed, when opening the Scriptures in your ladyship's house. Surely, God was with us of a truth. In Wales, we had much of the Divine presence. The people there are so hungry after the word, that they are resolved not to leave wrestling with the Most High, till He shall be pleased to send me thither. I think I can say, that God brings me nearer and nearer to Himself daily; and I will not rest, till I am moulded into the image of my bleeding Lord. I pray God, that your ladyship may be content with no degrees of holiness; but may be daily pressing forward, till you arrive at the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus."
To a friend in Edinburgh, he wrote:—
"Bristol, November 27, 1741.
"I am resolved not to rest till everything, contrary to true, catholic, Christian love, be rooted out of my soul. Christ's blood and Spirit are able to do this for me. I only need to pray to God to make me willing to have it done. I believe I shall see greater things than ever. We cannot expect too great things from God."
To a friend in London, he remarked:—
"Bristol, November 30, 1741.
"I rejoice that your soul is thirsting for holiness. God grant it may never cease till you experience the full and glorious liberty of His children! I see plainly how Satan loves to drive to extremes. Since there is no such thing as having the in-being of sin destroyed, he would not have people press after a delivery from the power of it. This also is owing to the corruption of our hearts. The old man doth not love to be crucified and slain; but I hope the language of your heart and mine is this—
'Reign in me, Lord, Thy foes control,
That would refuse Thy sway;
Diffuse Thy image through my soul,
And bring the perfect day.Scatter the last remains of sin,
And seal me Thine abode;
O set me purified within,
A temple meet for God.My root of holiness Thou art,
For faith hath made Thee mine;
With all Thy fulness, fill my heart,
Till I am wholly Thine.'"No wonder, when we come to be thus minded, if carnal ministers, and carnal professors of all kinds, cry out against us. Nay, even some who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, having slumbered and slept, and mixed too much with the world, even such frequently fight against their privileges, and rest in an infant state of piety. But, I believe, the Lord will rouse them, and let the world know what the blood of Jesus can and will do. Blessed be His name! we have a growing church at Bristol. Yesterday, and several other times, the Lord has filled many, as with new wine. Sometimes, I scarce have known whether I have been in or out of the body; but, I find, the more I receive of grace, the more I desire to lie as a poor, very poor sinner, at the feet of Christ. Several have just now been with me, who have, this last week, drunk deep of Divine love. They are now full of the comforts of the Holy Ghost. Let us, my dear brother, live a life of great nearness to Jesus; and labour day by day to perfect holiness in the fear of God. There is a glorious rest to be entered into even here. May the Lord make us partakers of it!"
These are notable extracts. Their tone and language are remarkably different from the tone and language of Whitefield's previous correspondence. Strangely enough, though fresh from Calvinistic Scotland, he was evidently veering round to something like Wesley's doctrine of Christian perfection. In 1740, the two Wesleys had published a volume of "Hymns and Sacred Poems," with a preface, in which Wesley propounded his views of Christian holiness in language the strongest he ever used. Indeed, in after life, he himself modified several of the expressions in this remarkable preface, and honestly admitted that some of them were far too strong. The hymns, and especially the preface, when first published, greatly disturbed Whitefield's serenity, and, no doubt, partly led to the temporary estrangement between him and Wesley, which had then occurred. But, notwithstanding this, in the foregoing letter, Whitefield breathes out the desires of his soul, in three of the most forcibly worded verses in Wesley's book. It is true, he slightly alters the phraseology, and likewise injures it; but there is no material alteration of sentiment. The verses, as the Wesleys published them, were as follows:—
"Reign in me, Lord, Thy foes control,
Who would not own Thy sway;
Diffuse Thy image through my soul;
Shine to the perfect day.
Scatter the last remains of sin,
And seal me Thine abode;
O make me glorious all within,
A temple built by God.
My inward holiness Thou art,
For faith hath made Thee mine:
With all Thy fulness fill my heart,
Till all I am is Thine!"
Such was part of Wesley's hymn on "Christ our Sanctification. Stronger language, on the subject, he never used; and, yet, this was now the language of his friend Whitefield. If the views of the two were not perfectly identical, there certainly was a near approach, on the part of Whitefield, to the doctrine Wesley taught. Why was this? There can be little doubt, that, it was greatly owing to the brotherly influence of Howell Harris. To a large extent, Whitefield had been made the tool of excited partisans, both in London and in Bristol. The men were violently opposed to Wesley, but were too small to even think of conquering him, without Whitefield's aid. Whitefield was naturally unsuspicious, and, he was also fond of being regarded and consulted as a leader. Wesley's opponents knew all this, and used their opportunity for annoying him. Bitter complaints were made to Whitefield, respecting the doctrines that he taught. Whitefield, whose heart was always better than his head, became confused, and he was induced to strongly condemn some of Wesley's doctrines, without really understanding what they were. Estrangement followed; and, for the last six months, the two old friends had been divided. During Whitefield's visit to Scotland, Howell Harris seems to have acted as his curate, in London; where he also had an important interview with the Wesley brothers. Hence the following, addressed to Whitefield:—
"October, 1741.
"Dear Brother Whitefield,—I believe that jealousies will not be entirely eradicated until correspondence with those who indulge a party-spirit, and are not like little children, ceases. I have seen, more than ever, since I came home, what carnal professors are.[498] The Lord has helped me to bear my testimony against sin, and to declare that all those who labour for deliverance from the dominion of sin, self, and unbelief, shall be set free; they shall so behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, as to be changed into His image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. iii. 18; Rom. vi. 14, viii. 2; 2 Peter i. 4; and 2 Cor. v. 15). When I mentioned this liberty from the power of sin, I was abused as one holding sinless perfection; and, I find, they have troubled you with this information. I have always stated, that the body of sin remains in believers, but that the power of it is destroyed. By dwelling on sanctification, we shall find self and carnal reason in arms against us; just the same as the pride of the Pharisees is against us, when we preach justification by faith. These opposers would be glad to influence you. They were in hopes to set brother Cennick and myself by the ears, but the Lord disappointed them.
"Now, as to brother Wesley. The Lord gave me, on a certain day, such earnestness to pray for him, and such faith that he would be led into all truth, that all my prejudices were removed, and I felt I could speak to him in love. Still, I had no thoughts of so doing, until he invited me to visit him. Then I opened my heart to him, and told him how the Lord taught me every truth. He allowed everything, and said, that we, through grace, shall not fall away. I saw room to hope, that the Lord would bring us together in truth.[499] As to free-will, he utterly denied it. He does really mean what he says. He did so openly, in Charles Square. 'God,' said he, 'is willing to save you all, if you will. What I mean by saying if you will, is, not if you have a faint wish to go to heaven, but, if you will submit to Christ, in all His offices, for salvation—if you are willing He should save you from sin, as well as hell; else you cannot be saved.'
"Brother Charles Wesley came to town last Saturday night, and we providentially met. He owned he had no free-will until four years ago; that it was God who chose him first; and not he God: and that he is kept faithful by the faithfulness of God. He spoke tenderly of you, and seemed to be quite loving and teachable."[500]
Harris's letter seems to have touched Whitefield, and to have filled his heart with a gush of warm affection, which found utterance in the following letter, which he, immediately, wrote to Wesley:—
"Aberdeen, October, 1741.
"Reverend and dear Brother,—I have for a long time expected that you would have sent me an answer to my last; but, I suppose, you are afraid to correspond with me, because I revealed your secret about the 'lot.'" (See p. 469.) "Though much may be said for my doing it, yet I am sorry now that any such thing dropped from my pen, and I humbly ask pardon. I find I love you as much as ever; and pray God, if it be His blessed will, that we may be all united together.
"For some days, it has been upon my mind to write to you, and this morning I received a letter from brother Harris, telling me how he had conversed with you and your dear brother. May God remove all obstacles that now prevent our union! Though I hold particular election, yet I offer Jesus freely to every individual soul. You may carry sanctification to what degrees you will, only I cannot agree that the in-being of sin is to be destroyed in this life.
"Oh, my dear brother, the Lord has been much with me in Scotland. I every morning feel fellowship with Christ, and He is pleased to give me peace and joy in believing.
"In about three weeks, I hope to be at Bristol. May all disputings cease, and each of us talk of nothing but Jesus, and Him crucified! This is my resolution. The Lord be with your spirit!
"I am, without dissimulation, ever yours,
"George Whitefield."
When Whitefield arrived in Bristol, Wesley was recovering from a severe and dangerous fever; and, though neither of them mentions the fact, there can be little doubt, that the old friends met, and conversed together, as Whitefield proposed they should. As noticed in foregoing pages, Whitefield, to some extent, misunderstood and mis-stated Wesley's doctrine of Christian holiness; and as it is probable that explanations were given during the interview at Bristol, there is now no difficulty in understanding the alteration of tone and language in Whitefield's letters already quoted. Though in a mystic way still clinging to what he calls the "in-being of sin" in all believers, Whitefield was now, in reality, seeking the sanctification which Wesley taught.
On December 4, Whitefield arrived in London, from which he had been absent the last four months. Three days afterwards, he wrote as follows to James Habersham:—
"London, December 7, 1741.
"My dear Friend and Brother,—I came hither last Friday, and received a packet of letters from Bethesda. When I read brother Grant's account of the circumstances of the family, I remembered what the Lord pressed upon my soul on shipboard: 'The bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast in those days.' However, be not discouraged. Professor Francke's students were once obliged to sell their clothes to buy candles.
"The work of God advances here greatly. We have a large Society, consisting of several hundreds; and a noble place to meet in. I have called it a Tabernacle, because, perhaps, we may be called to move our tents.
"In Wiltshire, and at Kingswood, there are many good souls, and two new houses built. In Wales, the door is opened wider than ever. The work is very extraordinary in Scotland. I hear, daily, accounts of its continuance and increase.
"God is pleased to let me feel more of His power than ever. O that His whole mind were in me! I hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed be God! there is a promise that such shall be filled.
"The Lords see through Mr. Garden's enmity, and will have nothing to do with my Appeal; so that a hook is put into the leviathan's jaws.
"Ever, ever yours in Christ,
"George Whitefield."
Such was Whitefield's letter to America. From America, he received one equally inspiriting. The Rev. Thomas Prince wrote to him as follows:—
"Boston, December 6, 1741.
"Reverend and dear Sir,—Since my last, our exalted Saviour has been riding forth in His magnificence and glory, through divers parts of our land, in so triumphant a manner as hath never been seen or heard among us, or among any other people, since the days of the apostles. He is daily making His most resolute opposers to fall down under Him. Almost every week, we hear of new and surprising conquests. Some, who were like incarnate devils, are thrown, at once, into such extreme distress as no pen can possibly describe and, in two or three days, are turned into saints, full of divine adoration, and love, and joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Amazing works of this kind are now going on at Taunton, Middleborough, Bridgewater, Abington, York, Ipswich, Rowley, Cape Anne, Rittery, and Berwick. On a day of fasting and prayer at Portsmouth, the Spirit of God came down, and seized the people by scores and hundreds; and, in three days, there were a thousand in that town in deep distress about their souls."[501]
After spending a few days in London, Whitefield started out to join his newly wedded wife at Abergavenny. On his way, he spent about a week at Gloucester, where he wrote the two following letters, the first to Lord Rae in Scotland, and the second to his lay-curate, John Cennick, in London.
"Gloucester, December 19, 1741.
"My Lord,—In England, as well as in Scotland, the Redeemer is riding on from conquering to conquer. I have lately been at Bristol and London, and have had the pleasure of seeing the Church walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. I have preached here twice every day, for some days past. I am athirst for holiness. I see such beauty and transcendent excellencies in Christ, that I long to have His whole mind and image stamped upon my soul. Nothing can satisfy me but the highest degrees of sanctification and inward holiness. Here, I believe, I am laudably ambitious. My Saviour wills my sanctification. My Saviour would have me filled with all the fulness of God."
"Gloucester, December 22, 1741.
"My dear Brother,—Last Thursday evening, the Lord brought me hither. I preached immediately to our friends in a large barn, and had my Master's presence. On Friday and Saturday, I preached again twice. On Sunday, God opened a door for my preaching in St. John's, one of the parish churches. The late incumbent had been my grand opposer. He being dead, and the new minister not having taken possession, the power of the pulpit was in the churchwardens' hands. God inclined them to let me preach there on Sunday morning and yesterday afternoon. On Sunday afternoon, after I had preached twice at Gloucester, I preached at Mr. F——'s, six miles off; and again, at night, at Stroud. The people seem to be more hungry than ever, and the Lord to be more amongst them. Yesterday morning, I preached at Painswick, in the parish church; here in the afternoon; and again, at night, in the barn. God gives me unspeakable comfort, and uninterrupted joy. There seems to be a new awakening, and a revival of the work of God. To-morrow morning, I purpose to set out for Abergavenny."
Thus, after a long interval, was Whitefield allowed to occupy two of the pulpits of the Established Church. In four days, he had been to Abergavenny, and had come back to Bristol; where he wrote the following racy letter to a gentleman in London:—
"Bristol, December 28, 1741.
"Dear Mr. M——, Both my wife and I received your letters. I send this to thank you for them. I came from Abergavenny on Saturday night. My dear wife was pretty well; I expect her here on Friday.
"We shall bring no more goods to London than we shall use; but I know not what to say about coming to your house, for, I am told, you and your wife are dilatory, and that you do not rise sometimes till nine or ten in the morning. This will never do for me; and, I am persuaded, such conduct tends much to the dishonour of God, and to the prejudice of your own precious soul. Sometimes I have looked upon you with grief. You have busied yourself about the outward affairs of religion with respect to others, and, all the while, I fear, neglected the improvement of your own heart. I fear your present business will not answer; and, I am sure, you will have no solid comfort, till you look less abroad and more at home. Somebody said, you were like the Athenians, who desired to hear some new thing. I thought the observation was too just. You are jealous about principles, which is right; but, all the while, your own practice is not sufficiently watched over. I have heard you spend much time in coffee houses, and from your own house. I hope these things are not so. You will not be offended with me for this plain dealing. You know I love you; and, I am sure, this letter proceeds from love. The eyes of the world are now in an especial manner upon you. Labour, therefore, my dear brother, to get an abiding presence of God in your heart. Be willing to be searched. Pray that you may feel the full power of the Redeemer's blood. Be not slothful in business. Go to bed seasonably, and rise early. Redeem your precious time. Pick up all the fragments of it, that not one moment may be lost. Be much in secret prayer. Converse less with man, and more with God. Accept this advice, given in great love."
Another letter, of the same date, must have insertion. It is a striking fact, that, though all of them distinct, there were, at the same time, remarkable religious movements in America, England, Scotland, and Wales. The labours and successes of Howell Harris, in the last-mentioned country, have been already noticed. About half a score clergymen of the Established Church had practically identified themselves with him, and had become itinerant preachers. Among these, were the Rev. Daniel Rowlands, the Rev. William Williams, the Rev. Peter Williams, and the Rev. Howell Davies. A considerable body of lay-preachers, also, had sprung into existence; and the Methodist congregations and Societies of the principality were daily increasing in number and importance.[502] To these Welsh evangelists, in one of their assemblies, Whitefield addressed the following:—
"Bristol, December 28, 1741.
"My dear Brethren in Christ,—Though obliged to be absent in body, I write this to assure you of my being present in spirit. I wish you much of the presence of our glorious Head. I doubt not but you will find Him faithful to His promise, and, as you meet together in His name, He certainly will be in the midst of you. The affairs you meet about are affairs of the utmost importance. You ought to watch close, and to be instant in prayer; for you need much of the wisdom which cometh from above.
"One great matter is rightly to know to what particular office, and to what particular part, Jesus Christ has called each of you. For, I take it for granted, none of you will presume to run before you are called, or have evidences of your own conversion. Different persons have different gifts and graces. Some are called to awaken; others to establish and build up. Some have popular gifts fit for large auditories; others move best in a more contracted sphere, and may be exceeding useful in the private Societies. Those who are called to act in a public manner, I think, ought to give themselves wholly to the work, and go out without purse or scrip. Their Master will bear their charges. Others, who can only visit privately, may mind their secular employ, and give their leisure time to the service of the Church. Some of you are ministers of the Church of England; but, if you are faithful, I cannot think you will continue in it long. However, do not go out till you are cast out; and, when cast out for Jesus Christ's sake, be not afraid to preach in the fields. And whilst you remain in, O let not the children of God starve for want of the sacrament, though they may belong to another parish. The canon which forbids giving it to strangers was only to prevent persons coming unprepared, without the minister's knowledge. It is regarded by none of the clergy; and nothing but the enmity of the old serpent excites them to mention it to any of you. For my own part, I should think it an honour to be put into the spiritual court, and to be excommunicated, for giving the children of God the sacrament at my church, when they cannot have it elsewhere. The Spirit of Christ and of glory, I am sure, would rest upon my soul.
"As for those who are not ordained, I cannot say much, only pray that each may take his proper place. If Brother Lewis could come over and help us, it would be well. The Church here wants more labourers. It is proper, somebody should be always in Wiltshire and Kingswood. I wish also you could meet monthly; if not all together, yet in little bodies, as you lie nearest to each other. I am about to settle a monthly meeting in Bristol and London, where correspondents' letters are to be read, and prayer made accordingly. If you had monthly meetings, each exhorter or labourer might communicate his success; an abstract might be sent to England; and we, in return, would send you an abstract of our affairs. Unity would thereby be promoted, love increased, and our hands strengthened.
"All this may be done without a formal separation from the Established Church, which I cannot think God calls for as yet; only, I think, if a brother or sister has a mind to communicate among the Dissenters, and has freedom to receive in the Church too, they ought to be left at their liberty.
"Thus, my dear brethren, I have given you what occurred to my mind. I am ashamed whilst I am writing, knowing my insufficiency to advise. But you will accept in love, from one who desires to be the servant of all. It may be, hereafter, God may bring me to you, and we may enjoy sweet fellowship together. In the meanwhile, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace. I entreat your most earnest prayer in behalf of, dear brethren, your most affectionate, though most unworthy, brother and servant,
"George Whitefield."[503]
There is much in this important letter which deserves attention; but the intelligent reader can easily form his own opinions on the topics it embraces.
As usual, Whitefield was greatly occupied with his Orphan-house affairs. His scheme, as he himself originally propounded it, was benevolently comprehensive.
"An orphan house," he wrote in 1739, "is much wanted at Savannah; for there are many orphans, who, now being obliged to live in the families about town, lose all the advantages they receive at school.
"Besides, it will be a great encouragement to people to go to the colony, when they are assured their children will be provided for after their decease; and it will be an unspeakable comfort to parents already there, who fear nothing so much as having their children left destitute when they are dead.
"Further, if the Indians, who live near the town, can be persuaded to send their children, it seems to be the only probable means to bring about their conversion.
"It may be further considered, that the children, to be maintained in the Orphan House, are to be bred up to manual labour from their very infancy; and that the persons to be employed in their education, it is to be hoped, have the glory of God at heart, and desire no other gratuity than food and raiment.
"Part also of the Orphan House is to be set apart for an infirmary, where sick servants and poor people, who now are in great danger of perishing for want of necessaries, are to be taken in and provided for; which must be a great ease and assistance, not only to the servants, but to masters and mistresses of families, who cannot afford to have physicians, or to furnish sick servants with things convenient."[504]
All must admit the benevolent character of Whitefield's project. The difficulties he had to encounter were enormous. Again and again, he was in danger of being arrested for the debts that he had incurred in the erection of his large building. Providence, however, provided for his necessities; and now his Orphanage was opened, and his plans were being carried out. He had many friends; but he also had some enemies. Among the latter was a Mr. Nesbit, who had recently returned to England from Carolina, where he had lived thirty years. In three letters, published in the Scots' Magazine for 1741, Mr. Nesbit alleged, that "the extraordinary expense, in building the Orphan House, might have been saved, by appropriating one or more of the empty houses in Savannah," where Whitefield "might have had his choice of hundreds." Mr. Nesbit continues: "The colony of Georgia has been dwindling away for two or three years past, by reason of the oppressions the people have suffered. Of the thousands sent over by the Trustees, only a few families remain, and they are waiting an opportunity to get out of the arbitrary government of the place. Savannah is now two-thirds desolate; and, except the few people in that town, there is scarce an inhabitant within sixty or seventy miles of the Orphan House. Of what use can an hospital be in a desert and abandoned country? or how can such a house be maintained in that situation, exposed to Spaniards, Indians, and runaway negroes?" Another of Mr. Nesbit's complaints was that Whitefield had "paid £3 for each cow and calf, whereas the price in Carolina was only thirty shillings;" and that the keeping of his live stock was costing twice as much as it ought to cost. "Thousands of pounds," says the censor, "have been expended on the Orphan House, and it is not above half finished. Mr. Whitefield has paid twice as much for his boards, planks, and scantlings, as he should have done."
It is not unlikely that simple-minded Whitefield was cheated by the worldly-wise colonists with whom he had business transactions; but that he did his best cannot reasonably be doubted. Nesbit's letters were published while Whitefield was in Scotland, and was making collections for the Orphanage. Whitefield wrote two replies, one dated September 26, and the other October 3, 1741; and both were published in the Scots' Magazine. A brief extract from the second must suffice. In answer to the allegation that the expense of building might have been saved by using empty houses in Savannah, Whitefield writes:—
"I tried this experiment while the Orphan House was building. I gave Mr. Douglas £35 a year for his house, the largest in Savannah. I had the use of the parsonage, the Germans' house, and another house besides; all of which, put together, were scarcely sufficient; and, if I had had to pay rent for them all, they would have cost upwards of £50, if not £60, per annum. Judge you, then, whether it was not better to build one large, convenient house, than to be at such an annual expenditure for rent, and to undergo the inconvenience of living in separate houses.
"I fear you have been misinformed that, excepting a few people in Savannah, there is scarce an inhabitant within sixty or seventy miles of the Orphan House; for, within four or five miles, there are Mr. Fallowfield's plantation, Mr. Parker's plantation (both magistrates of Savannah), Colonel Stevens's plantation, Mr. Mercer's plantation, with some others a little farther distant; besides three hundred Saltzburghers not above forty miles distant from us."
Whitefield adds:—
"The Orphan House has been the support of the northern parts of the colony. It has been the means of bringing several children out of a state little better than slavery. It has enabled many a man to pay his debts. Above all, it has been the means, under God, of bringing many a poor soul to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, which was my chief end in building it. Whilst I have this single end in view, I fear neither Spaniards' swords, nor the scourges of men's tongues. My motto is 'the Burning Bush.' You know, that burnt, but was not consumed."
Such was a part of Whitefield's answer to Mr. Nesbit. At the end of the year, he published "An Account of Money received and disbursed for the Orphan House in Georgia" (8vo. 45 pp.), with a preface, dated December 23, 1741. Extracts from this have been already given; but, as a further refutation of Mr. Nesbit's allegations, the following extract from a letter, written by a gentleman from Boston, who had visited the Orphan House, will, it is hoped, interest the reader. The letter is dated "Bethesda, January 1, 1742."
"The Orphan House is pleasantly situated, and, with the buildings belonging to it, presents a much handsomer prospect than is given by the draught annexed to the public accounts. The great house is now almost finished; and nothing has hindered but the want of glass, which they daily expect from Bristol, and some bricks to carry up another stack of chimneys, which would have been done before, if a vessel that was bringing bricks and other stores had not been taken by the Spaniards. They have cut a fine road to Savannah, through a thicket of woods; and, that it might be passable, were obliged to make ten bridges and crossways. They have also cleared forty acres of land, twenty of which were planted the last year; the other twenty were for the benefit of the air. They have also a large garden at the front of the house, brought into pretty good order. If the colony be allowed negroes, as it is thought it must and will be, they can, with about twenty negroes to manure the plantation, which contains five hundred acres, raise much more provision than a larger family than this can expend. They have already a fine live stock; and, in a few years, it is to be hoped, they will be able to support themselves.
"The economy observed here is as follows: The bell rings in the morning at sunrise, to wake the family. When the children arise, they sing a short hymn, and pray by themselves. Then they go down to wash, and, by the time they have done that, the bell calls to public worship, when a portion of Scripture is read and expounded, a psalm sung, and the exercise begun and ended with prayer. Then they breakfast, and afterwards go, some to their trades, and the rest to their prayers and schools. At noon, they all dine in the same room, and have comfortable and wholesome diet provided. A hymn is sung before and after dinner; then, in about half an hour, to school again; an interval which affords time enough for recreation. A little after sunset, the bell calls to public duty again, which is performed in the same manner as in the morning. After that they sup, and are attended to bed by one of their masters, who then prays with them. On the Sabbath day, they all dine on cold meat provided the day before, that none may be kept from public worship, which is attended four times a day in summer, and three in the winter. The children are kept to reading between whiles. Many have reported that the place is very unhealthy; but I believe it is quite otherwise; a remarkable proof of which is, that not one of the family has died, and but three or four in the hospital. Many, who now think the erecting of the Orphan House a mad scheme, would alter their sentiments were they here. Innumerable difficulties have been overcome, and affairs now wear a pleasant aspect. Upon the whole, I think the institution to be of God; therefore, it doth and will prosper."
The reader has here as full a description of the Orphan House in 1741, as can well be given.
Nearly all the printed attacks on Whitefield, during the year 1741, have been already noticed; but it may be added, that, in this year, the following tracts were published by his friend Wesley, not exactly against Whitefield, but against the doctrines he held:—1. "Serious Considerations on Absolute Predestination. Extracted from a late Author."[505] (12mo. 24 pp.) 2. "The Scripture Doctrine concerning Predestination, Election, and Reprobation. Extracted from a late Author." (12mo. 16 pp.) 3. "A Dialogue between a Predestinarian and his Friend." (12mo. 7 pp.) 4. "Christian Perfection: a Sermon preached by John Wesley, M.A., Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford." (12mo. 12 pp.)
The Bishop of London, also, in his Charge to the Clergy of his Diocese, had a fling at the erratic evangelist, telling his reverend brethren, that, Whitefield had slandered the Church and clergy; for he had "publicly spread and avowed, in a very unworthy and licentious manner, that the generality of the clergy of the Church of England were shamefully remiss and negligent in the pastoral office."
And once more: An anonymous author published an 8vo. pamphlet of thirty-six pages, with the title, "The Controversy concerning Free-will and Predestination, set in a true light, and brought to a short issue. Recommended to Mr. Whitefield and his followers." In his preface, the writer taunts Whitefield "as an oracle, most implicitly believing that he is inspired by the Holy Ghost." He continues: "With undaunted assurance, Mr. Whitefield takes upon him to instil this abominable doctrine of Predestination into his hearers and admirers—a doctrine which runs counter to revelation, and to the blessed nature of God; which depreciates the merits and satisfaction of Jesus Christ in the grand atonement; which sets the Divine attributes out of harmony; which makes prayer useless, and the command to pray an imposition; which makes God partial, arbitrary, despotic, unjust, and cruel; and which makes the Christian priesthood and sacraments, at least, insignificant. Who can reasonably doubt, that there is a plot of Satan and his emissaries, to promote infidelity by this; and, perhaps, to make way for popery, on the principle, Divide et impera—divide and govern"?
The author dates his pamphlet, "November 24, 1741," and concludes it with the following lines:—
"Why is this wrangling world thus toss'd and torn?
Free-grace, free-will, are both together born.
If God's free-grace rule in and over me,
His will is mine, and so my will is free."
Whitefield closed the year 1741 in Bristol, and spent nearly the whole of the first month of 1742 in the same city. He preached twice every day; and was still ardently desiring holiness. At the beginning of the year, he went to hear Charles Wesley preach; and he also commenced the monthly meeting, which he had mentioned in his letter to the Welsh evangelists. Hence the following to a friend, in London:—
"Bristol, January 2, 1742.
"My soul is thirsting after the Redeemer's love. I care not how the old man be crucified, and cut to pieces, so that I may put on the new man, which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness. Great, very great things has Jesus done for me, a worthless worm; but I see infinitely greater things lying before me. There is an inexhaustible fulness in Jesus Christ, out of which I hope to draw to the endless ages of eternity. Oh the meekness, the love, and purity in Jesus! Why should we be dwarfs in holiness?
"Yesterday I went to hear Mr. Charles. I believe the Lord helped him in some parts of his discourse. I would be free; I would meet more than half-way; but we are all too shy. The Lord fill his soul with more of the disinterested love of Jesus!
"To-night, I begin a general monthly meeting to read corresponding letters. Pray, give thanks for the success of the gospel in my unworthy hands."
Whitefield left Bristol on January 22, and on the same day preached twice at Tockington, a small village in Gloucestershire. On the 23rd, he preached "to many thousands at Stroud, with wondrous power." On the 25th, he reached Gloucester, where he remained a fortnight, preaching twice, and sometimes oftener, every day. The following are extracts from letters, written during this visit to his native city. To John Cennick, in London, he wrote:—
"Gloucester, January 28, 1742.
"Our congregations here are larger than at Bristol. The word proves sharper than a two-edged sword. Every sermon is blessed. I am just now going to Chalford. To-morrow, I expect my wife. Sinless perfection, I fear, will be propagated in these parts. The Lord, in His due time, will root out that pernicious weed. God willing, I shall examine Hampton Society to-night. I think to do the same in Wiltshire. I want to be in London as soon as may be."
On the same day, he wrote to Gilbert Tennent:—
"God has been very good to me since my arrival in England. I found, when I came at first, I had all my work to begin again. Brother Wesley had so prejudiced the people against me, that those who were my spiritual children would not so much as come and see me. Nay, they have gone by me, whilst preaching in Moorfields, and stopped their ears. I was also embarrassed by Brother Seward's death. He died without making any provision for me; and, at the time, I was much indebted for the Orphan House. All this was to humble me, and prepare me for future blessings. The Lord has enabled me, blessed be His name! to keep steady to my principles and usual practice. A new and numerous church has been raised in London. In Essex, the Lord was wonderfully with me. Everywhere, the congregations increase. In Bristol, God enabled me to fight my way through. We have hired a large room, and have expounded there twice a day. In Scotland, the work, for its beginning, is greater than in New England. Through the tender mercies of our God, I have been carried, as on eagles' wings, through a variety of outward and inward troubles, the greatness of which none knows but God and my own soul. I am glad that matters are settling so amicably at Philadelphia. What a pity it is that we should fall out in the way to heaven! I would do anything except defiling my conscience, and giving up what I think is truth, to prevent it. The Associate Brethren are much to be blamed. I never met with such narrow spirits."
To a friend, at New Brunswick, he remarked:—
"What have you to do but to walk humbly with your God, and daily to aspire after the whole mind that was in Jesus? I find but few truly labouring after this. For my own part, I am ashamed to think how unlike I am to my Saviour. I see such beauty in Him, that I long to be conformed to His image. Blessed be God! the work in our hands everywhere increases. I am supported and encouraged, quickened and comforted, day by day. Jesus loves and blesses me."
On February 5, he wrote again to Gilbert Tennent:—
"Reverend and dear Brother,—On Tuesday, I received yours. I thank you for your kind caution. My mistakes often humble me. Never did Jesus send out a more weak and worthless wretch. I have not freedom now to continue writing a journal, as usual. I shall proceed, for the future, in a more compendious way."
Whitefield here makes a statement of great importance. From December 28, 1737, to March 11, 1741; he had written a copious journal of his experiences, labours, and successes; and had published far more of it than was expedient. Both friends and foes—in England, Scotland, and America—had assailed him on this account, and not without reason. Even he himself acknowledged the justice of these attacks, when, in 1756, he published a new edition of his Journals, "revised, corrected, and abridged." Unfortunately, in an evil hour, he resolved to throw aside his diary. Yes, unfortunately; for it cannot be denied, that, diaries, properly written, by remarkable men, like Whitefield, are an incalculable boon. Who could have adequately appreciated Wesley's character, labours, and success, without his Journals? And, to some extent, the same may be said of Whitefield. There is a difference, however. Whitefield's long and numerous letters, unlike Wesley's, were autobiographical. His life cannot be written without his letters; but with them such a work is not impossible. From his return to England in 1741, he ceased to write Journals; but, to the end of life, he never lost his passion for writing about himself, in correspondence with his friends.
One of the Oxford Methodists, the Rev. William Chapman, was settled as a clergyman in Bath; and, to him, Whitefield addressed the following:—
"Gloucester, February 5, 1742.
"My dear Friend and Brother,—Yesterday, I preached three times, and visited a private Society in the evening. To-day, I was enabled to preach three times, with great power. Here there is such an awakening, as I never saw in these parts before. It is pleasant to hear the people come and tell how God wrought upon them by my unworthy ministry two years ago. The fruits of the Spirit are now apparent in their lives. Letters from Scotland bring blessed tidings, as also from Philadelphia. O the blessed effects of field preaching! O that I were humble, and thankful! Help me, my dear friend, to entreat the Redeemer to make me as a little, a very little child. At the beginning of next week, I hope to be in Bath; but cannot tell exactly the day. I thank my friends for their kind intention to meet me; but I had rather avoid it. The less parade the better. Let us stand still, and see the salvation of God. He will not bless what doth not come from Himself."
Whitefield seems to have spent about a fortnight in Bath and its neighbourhood. He then set out for London, and, on the road, wrote the following almost ecstatic letter to a distinguished lady with whom he had become acquainted in Scotland. Lady Mary Hamilton was sister to William, third Marquis of Lothian, the Countess of Home, Lady Cranstown, and Lady Ross. Her ladyship's mother was daughter of Archibald Campbell, the unfortunate Earl of Argyll, who was beheaded in 1635. She had married Alexander Hamilton of Ballincrieff, member of Parliament for the county of Linlithgow, and Post-Master General of Scotland. Mr. Hamilton, as well as his wife, was partial to Whitefield's preaching, and always received him at his house with every mark of polite attention. For six-and-twenty years, until her death, in 1768, Lady Mary was one of Whitefield's correspondents.[506] His letter to this noble lady cannot fail to be read with interest.
"Thales, near Reading, February 23, 1742.
"Honoured Madam,—I am now upon the road to London. This morning your acceptable letter came to hand. Though somewhat wearied, I would fain answer it before I retire to rest.
"Blessed be God! who causes your ladyship to be never less alone, than when alone. O Madam, what a Comforter is the Holy Ghost! What sweet company is Jesus Christ! What a privilege is it to have fellowship with the great Three-One! A world lying in wickedness knows nothing of it. Everything yields comfort when the Spirit breathes upon it.
"I am amazed that God should work by my hands; but Jesus is love. He yet delights to honour me. I have lately seen the Redeemer riding in His strength, and getting Himself the victory in poor sinners' hearts. O that our Jesus may set the world in a flame of love! Hasten that time, O blessed Jesus! O let Thy kingdom come!
"I have heard from my dear orphans to-day. They have been reduced to straits; but the Lord has stirred up a wealthy friend or two to assist them. I find there has been a fresh awakening among them. I am informed that twelve negroes, belonging to a planter lately converted at the Orphan House, are savingly brought home to Jesus Christ.
"I am glad to hear that the work goes on in Scotland. The Lord, I trust, will ripen your soul apace for glory. He has various ways of perfecting His saints. Methinks, I see your ladyship sitting in your chair, and ravished with the Redeemer's beauty. Sometimes you are, as it were, washing His feet with your tears; at other times, sitting by faith at His feet, and hearing or reading His word. Sometimes your heart is too big to speak; then again, out of the abundance of your heart, your mouth poureth forth hallelujahs. Sometimes you are lost in wonder; and at all times longing to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. This, I trust, is the life your ladyship lives. This is life indeed. They who live otherwise are dead whilst they live. They call for our compassion and prayers; for who has made the difference? Distinguishing grace! O the unsearchable riches of Christ! I could speak of Him for ever. The Lord be with your spirit, and abundantly bless both you, Mr. Hamilton, and your child!"
On arriving in London, Whitefield wrote to his friend Mr. Noble, of New York, as follows:—
"London, February 26, 1742.
"My very dear Brother,—Before yours came to hand, the Lord had given me an enlarged heart, and unfeigned love and freedom, to converse with all His dear children, of whatever denomination. I talk freely with the Messrs. Wesley, though we widely differ in a certain point. Most talk of a catholic spirit; but it is only till they have brought people into the pale of their own church. This is downright sectarianism, not catholicism. How can I act consistently, unless I receive and love all the children of God, whom I believe to be such, of whatever denomination they may be? Why should we dispute when there is no probability of convincing? I am persuaded, the more the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, the more all narrowness of spirit will subside and give way. Besides, so far as we are narrow-spirited, we are uneasy. Prejudices, jealousies, and suspicions make the soul miserable. But enough of this. My dear brother Noble is of my mind; only let me give you one caution. Take heed that your getting acquainted with any new set of Christians does not lead you insensibly to despise others of your old acquaintance. Watch, and deal very tenderly with all; otherwise you will grow reserved and artful, and will lose a simple, open, guileless spirit, before you are aware."
To the same effect is the following letter to the Rev. William Chapman, of Bath:—
"London, March 4, 1742.
"My dear Friend and Brother,—I hope you are not offended, because you did not see me in Bath again. The glorious Emmanuel pointed out my way hither. Since I came, He has been wonderfully kind to me, and to His people. I am much assisted daily, in preaching to poor sinners the unsearchable riches of Christ. Life and power fly all around, and the Redeemer is getting Himself the victory daily in many hearts. O that my dear Mr. Chapman may be made a flaming fire, and a spiritual father to thousands!
"I despair of a greater union among the churches, till a greater measure of the Spirit be poured from on high. Hence, therefore, I am resolved simply to preach the gospel of Christ, and leave others to quarrel by and with themselves. To contend, where there is no probability of convincing, only feeds and adds fuel to an unhallowed fire. Love, forbearance, long-suffering, and frequent prayer to the Lord Jesus, is the best way to put it out. O love—true, simple, Christian, undissembled love—whither art thou fled?"
The treatment he received from the Church of England, and from Presbyterians in Scotland, and his differences with the Wesleys, were not the only things that troubled Whitefield. His evangelistic friends in Wales were not perfectly harmonious; and there can hardly be a doubt that this was one of the incidents which led him to write as he did in the foregoing letters. Whitefield hated disputations; and yet, even some of his dearest friends were sometimes in danger of being divided by their religious contests. Hence the following extract from a letter, written by Howell Harris to Whitefield's wife:—
"Lanworthadd, March 24, 1742.
"Our Society of ministers and exhorters go on sweetly. We had some disputes the last time we met; but we never parted with such broken hearts and wet cheeks. The Lord pities us, and will set us free from those strong corruptions, that set us together by the ears, and divide us, and cool our love to each other."[507]
Whitefield sighed for union; and, by keeping apart from controversy, and simply testifying the gospel of the grace of God, he did his utmost to make professing Christians a loving brotherhood. Sometimes, the prospect of this began to brighten; and, at all times, he had reason to exult on account of new conversions. The following extracts from letters, that he wrote in the month of April, will be welcome:—
"London, April 6, 1742.
"O what a blessing it is to be redeemed from a vain conversation! O that every poor sinner felt it! Then would the children of God agree in one, and divisions would be at an end. Blessed be our Lord! there is a greater prospect of union than ever. It is what my soul longs after, and labours for. It is a great pity that poor pilgrims should fall out in their way to heaven; but this will be, till we get more of the Divine Spirit.
"I believe there is such a work begun, as neither we nor our fathers have heard of. The beginnings are amazing; how unspeakably glorious will the end be! In New England, the Lord takes poor sinners by hundreds, I may say by thousands. In Scotland, the fruits of my poor labours are abiding and apparent. In Wales, the word of the Lord runs and is glorified; as also in many places in England. In London, our Saviour is doing great things daily. We scarce know what it is to have a meeting without tears. Our Lord always meets with us. I sleep and eat but little, and am constantly employed from morning till midnight; and, yet, I walk and am not weary, I run and am not faint. O free grace! It fires my soul, and makes me long to do something more for Jesus. It is true, indeed, I want to go home; but here are so many souls ready to perish for lack of knowledge, that I am willing to tarry below, as long as my Master has work for me to do."
To John Cennick, now evangelizing in Whitefield's native county, he wrote as follows:—
"London, April 8, 1742.
"I rejoice to hear that the Lord is with you, and that He was pleased to bless my poor labours in Gloucestershire. I would have you to dispute as little as possible. Awakened souls should be told to look continually to the Lord Jesus. Our Lord is with us much in London. I preach twice daily. Our Society grows."
Whitefield longed for union; Wesley, for the present, seems to have been indifferent concerning it, and was also beset with those who wished to make him think that Whitefield was not sincere. The following is a significant entry in Wesley's Journal:—
"1742. April 23. I spent an agreeable hour with Mr. Whitefield. I believe he is sincere in all he says concerning his earnest desire of joining hand in hand with all that love the Lord Jesus Christ. But, if (as some would persuade me) he is not, the loss is all on his own side. I am just as I was. I go on my way, whether he goes with me, or stays behind."[508]
Whitefield had now spent nearly two months of wintry weather in the metropolis, and, of course, his ministry had been mainly confined to his wooden meeting-house, in the neighbourhood of Moorfields. At length, the sun was again shining, the birds were singing, and the breezes balmy. It was time for Whitefield to resume his "field-pulpit," and to use the bright blue heavens as his sounding-board. During the Easter holidays, commencing on Easter Monday, April 19, Whitefield preached six or seven sermons in his old open-air cathedral, Moorfields;[509] and, writing to a friend in Philadelphia, remarked, "We have had a glorious Easter, or rather a Pentecost." The scenes witnessed on these three memorable days—Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday—are described by himself in two letters, written three weeks afterwards. The letters are here thrown into one continuous narrative.
"London, May 11, 1742.
"With this, I send you a few of the many notes I have received from persons who were convinced, converted, or comforted in Moorfields, during the late holidays. For many weeks, I found my heart much pressed to preach there at this season, when Satan's children keep their annual rendezvous.
"I must inform you, that Moorfields is a large, spacious place, given, as I have been told, by one Madam Moore, for all sorts of people to divert themselves in. For many years past, from one end to the other, booths of all kinds have been erected, for mountebanks, players, puppet-shows, and such-like.
"With a heart bleeding with compassion for so many thousands led captive by the devil at his will, on Easter Monday,[510] at six o'clock in the morning, attended by a large congregation of praying people, I ventured to lift up a standard amongst them, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Perhaps, there were about ten thousand waiting, not for me, but for Satan's instruments to amuse them. I was glad to find that, for once, I had, as it were, got the start of the devil. I mounted my field-pulpit,[511] and almost all flocked immediately around it. I preached on these words, 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,' etc. They gazed, they listened, they wept. All was hushed and solemn; and I believe many felt themselves stung with deep conviction of their past sins.
"Being thus encouraged, I ventured out again at noon: but what a scene! The fields, the whole fields, seemed, in a bad sense of the word, all white, ready, not for the Redeemer's, but, for Beelzebub's harvest. All his agents were in full motion, drummers, trumpeters, merry-andrews, masters of puppet-shows, exhibitors of wild beasts, etc., etc.,—all busy in entertaining their respective auditories. I suppose, there could not be less than twenty or thirty thousand people.
"My pulpit was fixed on the opposite side, and immediately, to their great mortification, they found the number of their attendants sadly lessened. Judging that, like St. Paul, I should now be called, as it were, to fight with beasts at Ephesus, I preached from these words: 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians.' You may easily guess, that there was some noise among the craftsmen, and that I was honoured with having stones, dirt, rotten eggs, and pieces of dead cats thrown at me, whilst engaged in calling them from their favourite, but lying vanities. My soul was indeed among lions; but far the greater part of my congregation seemed to be turned into lambs.
"This encouraged me to give notice, that I would preach again at six o'clock in the evening. I came, I saw, but what? Thousands and thousands more than before, still more deeply engaged in their unhappy diversions; but, among them, some thousands waiting as earnestly to hear the gospel. This was what Satan could not brook. One of his choicest servants was exhibiting, trumpeting on a large stage; but, as soon as the people saw me, in my black robes, and my pulpit, I think, all of them, to a man, left him and ran to me. For a while, I was enabled to lift up my voice as a trumpet. God's people kept praying; and the enemy's agents made a kind of roaring at some distance from us. At length, they approached nearer, and the merry-andrew (who complained that they had taken many pounds less that day on account of my preaching) got upon a man's shoulders, and, advancing near the pulpit, attempted, several times, to strike me with a long, heavy, whip; but always, with the violence of his motion, tumbled down. Soon afterwards, they got a recruiting sergeant, with his drum, etc., to pass through the congregation. I gave the word of command, and ordered that way might be made for the king's officer. The ranks opened, while all marched quietly through, and then closed again. Finding those efforts to fail, a large body, on the opposite side of the field, assembled together, and, having got a large pole for their standard, advanced towards us with steady and formidable steps, till they came very near the skirts of our congregation. I saw, gave warning, and prayed to the Captain of our salvation for support and deliverance. He heard and answered; for, just as they approached us, with looks full of resentment, they quarrelled among themselves, threw down their pole, and went their way, leaving, however, many of their company behind. I think, I continued in praying, preaching, and singing (for the noise, at times, was too great to preach), about three hours.
"We then retired to the Tabernacle. My pocket was full of notes from persons brought under concern. I read, them, amidst the praises and spiritual acclamations of thousands, who joined with the holy angels in rejoicing that so many sinners were snatched, in such an unlikely place and manner, out of the very jaws of the devil. This was the beginning of the Tabernacle Society. Three hundred and fifty awakened souls were received in one day; and, I believe, the number of notes exceeded a thousand.
"The battle, that was begun on Monday, was not quite over till Wednesday evening, though the scene of action was a little changed.
"Being strongly invited, and a pulpit being prepared for me by an honest Quaker, a coal merchant, I ventured, on Tuesday evening, to preach in Marylebone Fields, a place almost as much frequented by boxers, gamesters, and such-like, as Moorfields. A vast congregation was assembled, and, as soon as I got into the field-pulpit, their countenances bespoke the enmity of their hearts against the preacher. I opened with these words: 'I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.' I preached in great jeopardy; for the pulpit being high, and the supports not well fixed in the ground, it tottered every time I moved, and numbers of enemies strove to push my friends against the supports, in order to throw me down. But the Redeemer stayed my soul upon Himself, and I was not much moved, except with compassion for those to whom I was delivering my Master's message.
"Satan, however, did not like thus to be attacked in his strongholds, and I narrowly escaped with my life; for, as I was passing from the pulpit to the coach, I felt my hat and wig to be almost off. I turned about, and observed a sword just touching my temples. A young rake, as I afterwards found, was determined to stab me, but a gentleman, seeing the sword thrust near me, struck it up with his cane, and so the destined victim providentially escaped. Such an attempt excited abhorrence. The enraged multitude seized the man, and had it not been for one of my friends, who received him into his house, he must have undergone a severe discipline.
"The next day, I renewed my attack in Moorfields; and, after the mob found that pelting, noise, and threatenings would not do, one of the merry-andrews got up into a tree, very near the pulpit, and shamefully exposed his nakedness before all the people. Such a beastly action quite abashed the serious part of my auditory; but hundreds, of another stamp, instead of rising up to pull down the unhappy wretch, expressed their approbation by repeated laughs. I must own, at first it gave me a shock. I thought Satan had now almost undone himself; but, recovering my spirits, I appealed to all, since now they had such a spectacle before them, whether I had wronged human nature, in saying, after pious Bishop Hall, 'that man, when left to himself, is half a devil and half a beast;' or, as the great Mr. Law expressed himself, 'a motley mixture of the beast and devil.'
"Silence and attention being thus gained, I concluded with a warm exhortation; and closed our festival enterprises by reading fresh notes that were put up, and by praising and blessing God, amidst thousands at the Tabernacle, for what He had done for precious souls, and on account of the deliverances He had wrought out for me and His people.
"I cannot help adding, that, several little boys and girls were fond of sitting round me on the pulpit, while I preached, and handing to me the people's notes. Though they were often struck with the eggs, dirt, etc., thrown at me, they never once gave way; but, on the contrary, every time I was struck, turned up their little weeping eyes, and seemed to wish they could receive the blows for me."
This is a simple and strange story. Seldom do the annals of the Christian Church present a more remarkable example of the power of gospel truth. Here were assembled thousands, "the devil's castaways," as Whitefield would have called them,—the very scum of London's teeming population, many of them clad in rags, and almost all of them labelled with the marks of vice and wretchedness; and, yet, even in such a congregation, hundreds become penitent, and begin to call upon God for mercy. Even the wildest mob only need "the truth as it is in Jesus" simply and faithfully proclaimed, for there is always in that glorious truth a something which meets the yearnings of the most degraded soul. Whitefield's Easter-tide services, in the midst of the Moorfields mobs, were not unworthy of the name he gave them—"a glorious Pentecost."[512]
Whitefield continued the services thus begun; and no wonder. The following announcement was made in the Weekly History, of May 8, 1742:—
"This evening, about six o'clock, the Rev. Mr. Whitefield purposes to preach at Charles Square, by Hoxton.[513] To-morrow, about five p.m., at Kennington Common; and, on Tuesday next, about six p.m., at St. Marylebone Fields. He preached, in Moorfields, every day in the holiday week; some days twice, and some thrice. The auditories were very large and attentive, and, for the most times, very quiet. Many souls have been wrought upon during the last week's preaching, and several of them of the most abandoned sort. The Society, in London, is in great order, and great grace is among its members. For some time past, there have been about twenty souls each week added to it. In about three weeks, Mr. Whitefield purposes setting out for Scotland, with an intent to visit Ireland also. He has been in London about two months, and has preached twice, and sometimes thrice, every day."
Whitefield embarked for Scotland on May 26, and arrived in Edinburgh on the 3rd of June. During his eight days' voyage, he employed himself, as usual when on shipboard, in writing letters to his friends.
One of these was the Rev. Mr. Meriton, a clergyman in the Isle of Man, who, ten months before, had become acquainted with Wesley in London,[514] and who seems to have spent the last years of his life chiefly in accompanying the two Wesleys in their preaching excursions, and in assisting them in the chapels they had built. He died in 1753. To him Whitefield wrote as follows:—
"On board the Mary and Ann, bound to Scotland, May 26, 1742.
"Rev. and dear Sir,—I received your letter on Saturday last, and felt great concern while perusing it. One thing especially pleased me. I found that a report, I had lately heard concerning you, was false; for I had been told, that the bishop, seeing your zeal, had, at last, ordered the clergy to open the church doors for you, and that now you had done with appearing openly in the defence of the glorious gospel. Blessed be God! this is not true; though I find both you and your people have been greatly discouraged. I see no way of extricating yourself, but by acting up to the dictates of your own conscience, and leaving the consequences to the great Head and King of the Church. Up then, and be doing; and the Lord will be with you. If you cannot preach freely in the Isle of Man, go whithersoever the Lord shall be pleased to lead you. Our commission is very extensive: 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.' We want labourers much in England. If our ascended Saviour has given you popular gifts, and freedom and authority in speaking without notes, you need not fear. He will assist you, and make you a blessing to many souls.
"Your being a minister of the Established Church will be an advantage, and your age also will give you yet more authority; but an unction from the Holy One is the best qualification. I would, therefore, persuade you to ask God, again and again, what He would have you to do. I am apt to think, He will not restore to you the comforts of the Holy Ghost, until you give up yourself simply to follow the dictates of His providence and Spirit. Then, let men or devils say and do their worst. How can we know God's power, unless we try it? Not that I would have you, dear friend, do anything rashly. No: 'He that believeth doth not make haste.'
"I wonder not that your brother's love is grown cold. It is hard for one in his station, unless he be thoroughly inured to contempt, and will give God leave to act in His own way, to withstand a whole body of lukewarm, prejudiced, envious, malignant clergy. These have always been the greatest opposers of true, vital religion. These were our Saviour's most bitter enemies. These will be ours also, if we come forth in His Spirit, and preach by His power. But, blessed be God! I can say, by happy experience, our glorious Emmanuel will make us more than conquerors over them all. He has continually fought my battles for me, and, I am persuaded, will do so to the end."
Such was Whitefield's letter to this Methodist clergyman in the Isle of Man. There can be little doubt, that it greatly contributed towards securing for the Wesleys one of the most brave-hearted of their clerical helpers, the Rev. John Meriton. A good deal might be said concerning the last ten years of his life; but this is not the place for it.
The following was (probably) written to John Bray, the London Moravian, a former friend of the Wesleys and of Whitefield, and who, at this particular time, was, like the Rev. John Meriton, in doubt how to act.[515] The London Moravians were now in a state of considerable agitation, and Bray, the brazier in Little Britain, London, as well as Meriton, the clergyman, in the Isle of Man, seems to have desired the benefit of his old friend's advice.
"May 27, 1742.
"My dear Brother B.,—Your letter was sweet to my heart. I will now endeavour to answer it.
"I need not tell you I love you. God has often borne witness to our fellowship, by giving us His presence. What has happened of late to disunite, will, in the end, I am persuaded, only promote a closer union. I feel my heart more and more disposed to love and honour all denominations of believers. In all societies of Christians, under heaven, there must necessarily be persons of a different standing in the school of Christ. Those who are not solidly established in the love of God will fall too much in love with the outward form of their particular church, be it what it may; but as the love of God gets the ascendancy, the more they will be like Him and His holy angels, and will, consequently, rejoice when souls are brought to Jesus, whatever instruments may be made use of for that purpose. I wish there was more confidence among us all; but I see that none but the Spirit of God can outwardly unite us, and, therefore, I have now given it up into the Redeemer's hand. Only this I pray, that I may be one of the first, and not the last, in bringing back the King. If I have, at any time, set improper bounds to the Spirit of God, I desire to be very low and broken-hearted for it. I am sure it has not been done willingly."
In the same strain, Whitefield wrote to a minister at Leominster.
"May 27, 1742.
"If the Lord give us a true catholic spirit, free from sectarian zeal, we shall do well. I am sorry to hear that there is so much narrowness among some of the brethren in Wales. Brother Harris complains sadly of it. I hope you will be kept free, and not fall into disputing about baptism, or other non-essentials; for, I am persuaded, unless we all are content to preach Christ, and to keep off from disputable things, wherein we differ, God will not bless us long. If we act otherwise, however we may talk of a catholic spirit, we shall only bring people over to our own party, and there fetter them."
Another letter addressed to Howell, Harris, and to the same effect, must suffice.
"May 29, 1742.
"My very dear Brother,—I am heartily sorry that such a narrow spirit prevails in Wales. But what shall we say? The Redeemer's love alone can unite and keep His flocks together. Disputing with bigots and narrow-spirited people will not do. I intend, henceforth, to say less to them, and pray more and more to our Lord for them. Blessed be God! the partition wall is breaking down daily in some of our old friends' hearts in London. I exhort all to go where they can profit most. O, my brother, I find that nothing but the wisdom from above can teach us how to build up souls.
"In London, we have public Societies twice a week, and a general meeting for reading letters once a month. Our Lord has been much with us. We seem to move on now in gospel dignity, and are terrible as an army with banners. The Easter holidays were high days indeed. My wife does not forget her friends in Wales. I expect great things in Scotland. Adieu! Forget not to pray for your affectionate brother pilgrim,
"George Whitefield."
It is evident, from these, and other letters, previously-inserted, that Whitefield was a man of one business. He was an evangelist at large. He discarded controversy. He made no attempt to reform or to institute churches. His sole object was "to testify the gospel of the grace of God," and to be useful in saving souls.
He arrived in Scotland on the 3rd of June, and here he spent the next five months.
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