Thus, already, Whitefield had determined the plan which he steadfastly pursued to the end of life. He was an ordained clergyman of the Church of England; but was always ready to preach for any other church whatever. In this respect, there was always a marked difference between him and his friends John and Charles Wesley. For this, he had been partly trained in England, but especially in America, where his preaching labours had been chiefly in connection with Nonconformist churches, and had been greatly blessed.
On July 24th, Whitefield embarked, at Gravesend, for Scotland, where he landed six days afterwards. During the voyage, he wrote twenty-seven letters, ten of which were to boys and girls in his Orphan House. One of the letters, addressed to "the Students under conviction at the Colleges of Cambridge and Newhaven, in New England and Connecticut," must close the present chapter:—
"Dear Gentlemen,—With unspeakable pleasure I have heard,[450] that there seems to be a general concern among you about the things of God. It was no small grief to me, that I was obliged to say of your college, that 'your light was become darkness.' I heartily thank God for sending dear Mr. Tennent among you. What great things may we not now expect to see in New England, since it hath pleased God to work so remarkably among the sons of the prophets? Now we may expect a reformation indeed, since it is beginning at the house of God.
"A dead ministry will always make a dead people. Whereas, if ministers are warmed with the love of God themselves, they cannot but be instruments of diffusing that love among others. This, this is the best preparation for the work whereunto you are called. Learning without piety will only make you more capable of promoting the kingdom of Satan. Henceforward, therefore, I hope you will enter into your studies, not to get a parish, nor to be polite preachers, but to be great saints. This, indeed, is the most compendious way to true learning; for, an understanding enlightened by the Spirit of God is more susceptible of divine truths, and, I am certain, will prove most useful to mankind. The more holy you are, the more will God delight to honour you. He loves to make use of instruments which are like Himself. I hope that the good old divinity will now be precious to your souls, and that you will think it an honour to tread in the steps of your pious forefathers. They were acquainted with their own hearts, and, therefore, from their own experience, they knew how to succour others. O may you follow them, as they followed Christ!
"I trust you will not be offended at me for sending you these few lines. I write out of the fulness of my heart. I make mention of you always in my prayers. Forget me not in yours; and fail not to give thanks, as well as pray, for your affectionate brother and servant, in our common Lord,
"George Whitefield."
FIRST VISIT TO SCOTLAND.
August to November, 1741.
At the very time when Wesley was founding Methodism in Bristol and in London, certain charges were brought, by the Commissioners of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, against the following ministers of that community: namely, Ebenezer Erskine, of Stirling; William Wilson, of Perth; Alexander Moncrieff, of Abernethy; James Fisher, of Kinclaven; Ralph Erskine, of Dunfermline; Thomas Mair, of Orwell; Thomas Nairn, of Abbots-hall; and James Thompson, of Burntisland.
Ebenezer Erskine was ordained, at Portmoak, in 1703; and Ralph, at Dunfermline, in 1711. The former was now sixty-one years of age, and the latter fifty-six. Both the brothers had been educated in the University of Edinburgh; were men of talent; were diligent in the discharge of their parochial duties; and were eminently successful in their ministry. For instance, Ralph writes: "Sabbath, July 10, 1737. I preached at half-past seven in the morning. The" (sacramental) "tables began to be served a little before nine, and continued till about twelve at night, there being between four and five thousand communicants."