"Edinburgh, August 10, 1741.
"Reverend and dear Sir,—I thank you for your kind and obliging letter. I hope to come into the northern parts; but the precise time I cannot tell.
"I find it best simply to preach the pure gospel, and not to meddle at all with controversy. The present divisions are a sore judgment to Scotland. This is my comfort, Jesus is king. I have been with several of 'The Associate Presbytery,' but I see no hopes of accommodation. O that the power of religion may revive! Nothing but that can break down the partition wall of bigotry."
One of the noblemen with whom Whitefield became acquainted in Edinburgh was Lord Rae, to whom he wrote as follows:—
"Edinburgh, August 11, 1741.
"My Lord,—I hope this will find your lordship safe at your journey's end, rejoicing in God for giving His angels charge concerning you in the way. The Lord of all lords has dealt most lovingly with me since your departure hence. His power has been frequently made known in the great congregation, and many come to me daily, crying out, 'What shall I do to be saved?' I hope we shall see the kingdom of God come with power. This is the full desire of my soul. I am determined to seek after and know nothing else. Besides this, all other things are but dung and dross. O my Lord, why should we, who are pilgrims, mind earthly things? Why should we, who are soldiers, entangle ourselves with the things of this life? Heavenly-mindedness is the very life of a Christian. It is all in all."
Another nobleman, who became one of Whitefield's friends, was the Marquis of Lothian. The following is an extract from Whitefield's letter to him:—
"Edinburgh, August 12, 1741.
"My Lord,—I am surprised to find your lordship so condescending as to write to me. How bright does humility shine in great personages! I pray God to give your lordship grace to determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He is the only centre of true happiness. In Him alone, solid, lasting joys are to be found. Having Jesus, I find, in Him I possess all things. But whither am I going? Your lordship will excuse me. I pray God to visit you with His great salvation. I thank your lordship for your intended benefaction to the poor Georgia orphans. I hope the glorious Emmanuel will accept it at your hands."
Another letter, apparently to Howell Harris, who probably was supplying Whitefield's pulpit at the Tabernacle, London, was as follows:—
"Edinburgh, August 13, 1741.
"My very dear Brother,—'The Associate Presbytery' have been hard upon me; but I find no freedom any longer than I continue just as I am, and evangelize to all. I know not that I differ from you in one thing.
"Glory be to God for what He has done in London! He is doing great things here. I walk in the continual sunshine of His countenance. Every day, fresh seals are given of my ministry. This morning, God opened my mouth to speak to preachers of the gospel. Be pleased to accept this summary account of my proceedings. On Sunday morning, I preached to the orphans here; and in the evening to as many people as the Sunday before. Every day since, excepting Monday, I have preached, either in the churches or field, twice a day; and, yesterday, I collected upwards of £93 for the Georgia orphans. People are daily coming under deep convictions, and fresh invitations are sent me to preach at divers places round about. On Sunday, I purpose to preach in the country, and also the greater part of the following week, and shall return again about Friday to this city. O my brother, exhort all to praise the Lord!"
In a letter to David Erskine, of Stirling, one of the sons of Ebenezer Erskine, Whitefield seems to attribute the blame of the bigoted proceedings of the Dunfermline conference to others than to the two Erskine brothers:—
"Edinburgh, August 13, 1741.
"My dear Brother,—The treatment I met with from 'The Associate Presbytery' was not altogether such as I expected. It grieved me, as much as it did you. I could scarce refrain from bursting into a flood of tears. I wish all were like-minded with your honoured father and uncle. Matters then would not be carried on with so high a hand. Such violent methods, such a narrow way of acting, can never be the way to promote and enlarge the kingdom of the blessed Jesus. It surely must be wrong to fix such bounds to ourselves, as forbid even our hearing those who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, and have also been owned of Him. Christ would not have done so. Supposing the scheme of government, which 'The Associate Presbytery' contend for, to be scriptural, yet forbearance and long-suffering ought to be exercised towards such as differ from them. I am persuaded, there is no such form of government, prescribed in the book of God, as excludes a toleration of all other forms whatsoever. If the New Testament outward tabernacle was to be built as punctual as the Old, as punctual directions would have been given about the building of it; whereas, it is only deduced by inference, and thus we see Independents, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians bring the same text to support their particular scheme; and, I believe, Jesus Christ thereby would teach us to exercise forbearance to each other. If the scheme of 'The Associate Presbytery' were to take effect, they must, out of conscience, restrain and grieve, if not persecute, many of God's children who could not come into their measures; and I doubt not but their present violent methods, together with the corruptions of the Assembly, will cause many to turn Independents, and set up particular churches of their own. This was the effect of Archbishop Laud acting with so high a hand; and whether it be presbytery or episcopacy, if managed in the same manner, it will be productive of the same effects.
"Blessed be God! I have not so learned Christ. I preach the simple gospel; and our glorious Jesus is pleased to attend it with His power. O dear sir, I love and honour your pious father. Remember me in the kindest manner to the good old man. I pray God, his last days may not be employed too much in the non-essentials of religion. My heart is knit to the family. God willing, I am to preach at Falkirk on Tuesday evening, and purpose to be at Stirling that night, and to preach twice there the next day. If it was thought advisable, I would collect for the Orphan House at Georgia in the afternoon."
In another letter, dated "Edinburgh, August 15, 1741," Whitefield speaks of more than "three hundred in the city seeking after Jesus," and says: "Every morning I have a levee of wounded souls. At seven in the morning, we have a lecture in the fields, attended not only by the common people, but persons of great rank. I have reason to think several of the latter sort are coming to Jesus. Little children also are much wrought upon. Congregations consist of many thousands. I preach twice daily, and expound in private houses at night, and am employed in speaking to souls under distress great part of the day."