While the honoured guest of the Earl of Leven and Melville, Whitefield sent the following letter to his faithful superintendent in Georgia:—
"Melville, October 5, 1741.
"My very dear Friend and Brother,—I have, by the ship which brings you this, sent you £70 worth of different sorts of goods, to be disposed of, and the money to be applied to the use of the Orphan House. I have also sent six hundred yards of cloth, a present of my own, to make the boys and girls coats and gowns, some whereof I have had made up here. The other things were given by various persons. Amongst these, you will find some damask tablecloths, which I desire you will sell, they being too good, in my opinion, for our use. I have been enabled to pay my brother, and also Mr. N——'s bill of £300.[471] There is yet £200 to be paid; but very shortly, I hope to discharge that also.
"I have been in Scotland about two months; and God has been pleased to bless my ministrations in an abundant manner. The good that has been done is inexpressible. I am intimate with three noblemen, and several ladies of quality, who have a great liking for the things of God.[472] I am now writing in an earl's house, surrounded with fine furniture; but, glory be to free grace! my soul is in love only with Jesus.[473] I have some thoughts of visiting Ireland. Whether I shall do that, or come to America, in the spring, God only knows. I long to see you and the rest of my dear family. Thousands of prayers are put up for us, and thousands of lies are spread abroad against us."
Of "the thousands of lies," the following, extracted from a letter written not long after Whitefield's visit, may be taken as a specimen:—
"Wherever he went, he had a gaping crowd around him, and had the address to make them part with their money. He was a pickpocket, and inflexible about the article of gathering money. He went off to England with a full purse, but with a ruined reputation among all except his bigoted admirers. Very few ministers enter into the spirit of Whitefieldism."[474]
Whitefield refers to the same sort of calumny in the following, which was to a friend in Edinburgh:—
"Melville, October 5, 1741.
"The calumnies of evil men are not to be regarded. I value them not in the least. My largest donations have been from the rich. The mites, which the lower sort of people have given, I am persuaded will not prevent their paying their debts, and will not impoverish their families. Mr. W—— wishes there may be a contribution for myself; but I will not admit of any such thing. I make no purse. What I have, I give away. Freely I have received; freely I desire to give. 'Poor, yet making many rich,' shall be my motto still. My great and professed design is to bring poor sinners to Jesus Christ; but, as my orphan family is now large, and has daily to be provided for, without the least visible fund; and as I believe much glory will redound to God from the Orphan House, I think it my duty to speak to those who, for Christ's sake, are willing to afford help. I would have no one afraid of doing too much good, or think that a little given in charity will impoverish the country."
From Melville, Whitefield proceeded to Aberdeen, where he spent several days; and here a strange scene occurred. The two ministers of the Kirk were the Rev. Mr. Bisset and the Rev. Mr. Ogilvie, with the latter of whom Whitefield had been in correspondence. In a long letter, Whitefield writes as follows:—