"Aberdeen, October 9, 1741.
"At my first coming here, things looked a little gloomy; for the magistrates had been so prejudiced by one Mr. Bisset, that, when applied to, they refused me the use of the kirkyard to preach in. This Mr. Bisset is colleague with one Mr. Ogilvie, at whose repeated invitation I came hither. Though colleagues of the same congregation, they are very different in their natural tempers. The one is, what they call in Scotland, of a sweet-blooded; the other, of a choleric disposition. Mr. Bisset is neither a Seceder, nor quite a Kirkman, having great fault to find with both. Soon after my arrival, dear Mr. Ogilvie took me to pay my respects to him: he was prepared for this, and immediately pulled out a paper, containing a great number of insignificant queries, which I had neither time nor inclination to answer. The next morning, it being Mr. Ogilvie's turn, I lectured and preached. The magistrates were present; the congregation was very large; and light and life fled all around. In the afternoon, Mr. Bisset officiated; and I attended. He began his prayers as usual; but, in the midst of them, naming me by name, he entreated the Lord to forgive the dishonour that had been put upon him, by my being suffered to preach in that pulpit; and, that all might know what reason he had to put up such a petition, he, in about the middle of his sermon, not only urged that I was a curate of the Church of England, but also quoted a passage or two from my printed sermons, which, he said, were grossly Arminian. Most of the congregation seemed surprised and chagrined, and especially his good-natured colleague, Mr. Ogilvie, who immediately after sermon, without consulting me, stood up and gave notice that Mr. Whitefield would preach in about half an hour. The interval being so short, the magistrates returned into the sessions-house; and the congregation patiently waited, big with expectation of hearing my resentment. At the time appointed, I went up, and took no other notice of the good man's ill-timed zeal, than to observe, in some part of my discourse, that, if the good old gentleman had seen some of my later writings, wherein I had corrected several of my former mistakes, he would not have expressed himself in such strong terms. The people, being thus diverted from controversy with man, were deeply impressed with what they heard from the word of God. All were hushed, and more than solemn; and, on the morrow, the magistrates sent for me, and begged I would accept of the freedom of the city."[475]
For the present, poor Mr. Bisset was vanquished. Besides expounding in private houses, Whitefield added five more sermons to the two already preached; many of his hearers "were brought under great convictions; and the people much regretted his departure."[476]
Leaving Aberdeen on Wednesday, October 13, Whitefield began his journey back to Edinburgh. On October 14, he preached at Stonhithe and Benham; on the 15th, thrice at Montrose; on the 16th and 17th, five times at Brechin; on the 18th, twice at Forfar; on the 19th, twice at Coupar, near the residence of Earl Leven, whose guest he was; and on the 20th and 21st, four times at Dundee, where, he says, "the concern among the hearers was very remarkable." A week after this, he set out for Wales, but, before he went, he preached and lectured, in Edinburgh, in three days, not fewer than sixteen times. Hence the following to John Cennick, his curate at the Tabernacle, London:—
"Edinburgh, October 27, 1741.
"My very dear Brother,—Although it be past eleven at night, I cannot miss a post. The Lord is doing great things here. On Sunday last (October 24), the Lord enabled me to preach four times, and to lecture, in the evening, in a private house. Yesterday, I preached three times, and lectured at night. To-day, Jesus has enabled me to preach seven times; once in the Church, twice at the Girls' Hospital, once in the Park, once at the Old People's Hospital, and afterwards twice in a private house. Notwithstanding, I am now as fresh as when I arose in the morning. Both in the church and park, the Lord was with us. The girls in the hospital were exceedingly affected, and so were the standers by. One of the mistresses told me, that she is now awakened in the morning by the voice of prayer and praise; and the master of the boys says, that they meet together every night to sing and pray, and that, when he goes to their rooms, to see if all be safe, he generally disturbs them at their devotions. The presence of God, at the Old People's Hospital, was wonderful. The Holy Spirit seemed to come down like a mighty rushing wind. Every day, I hear of some fresh good wrought by the power of God. I scarce know how to leave Scotland. I believe I shall think it my duty to pay the inhabitants another visit as soon as possible. Above £500 have been collected, in money and goods, for the poor orphans. To-morrow, I shall leave this place, and go through Wales in my way to London."
Before he left Edinburgh, Whitefield wrote another letter to Earl Leven, which, considering the high office held by that nobleman in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, was somewhat singular, but, at the same time, bravely faithful. His lordship had given Whitefield a horse, for his long journey through Wales to London.
"Edinburgh, October 26, 1741.
"My Lord,—It is now past eleven at night. All is wrapt in awful silence. My soul is in a quiet, composed frame. I have been giving your lordship's letter a second reading. The Holy Spirit seems to be moving upon your soul; and I trust you will now awake into a new world, and know what it is to live by faith. O that the stone of infidelity, which before lay at the door of your heart, may now be rolled away! O that you may rise, be loosed from your corruptions, and go about doing good! My lord, if you could be brought to love secret prayer, and to converse feelingly with God in His word, your heaven would begin on earth: you would enjoy more pleasure than in all manner of riches. What will those avail, if you are not rich towards God? As for praying in your family, I entreat you not to neglect it. You are bound to do it. Apply to Christ for strength to overcome your present fears. They are the effects of pride, or infidelity, or of both. After once or twice, the difficulty will be over.
"It rejoices me to think that I shall one day, perhaps, see a church in Melville House. Happy, happy are you, my lord, in having such a consort, who will forward you in every good word and work. As God shall enable me, I shall bear you both upon my heart. My riding upon your lordship's horse will often remind me to pray for the donor. I should be glad to hear, from time to time, what the Lord is doing for your soul. Since you have laid your commands upon me, I shall write as often as possible.
"It is late; the clock has struck twelve. Methinks, I could wish the cry was now made, 'Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!' My soul longs to go forth to meet Him. This evening, I was greatly refreshed in preaching on these words, 'This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.' When shall I see Him as He is? Well may your lordship say, 'He is altogether lovely.' Eternity is too short to utter all His praise."
The reader has now the substance of Whitefield's own account of his first tour in Scotland. Many anecdotes in relation to it still exist, and the following may be taken as specimens.
When preaching at Dunfermline, it was known that Whitefield would make a collection for his Orphan House in Georgia. A gentleman, of some importance in the town, determined he would not be persuaded by the great orator to be a contributor, and, before leaving home, emptied his pockets of all his money. Whitefield, in the course of his sermon, mentioned the excuses often made for not practising beneficence, and, among others, dwelt upon the case of those who designedly came to religious services without their cash. The prudent gentleman at once borrowed of a friend half a guinea for the collector.[477]
Whitefield's power of riveting the attention of his auditors was marvellous. It is related, by one of his biographers, that a gentleman, who had been to hear him in the Orphan House Park, Edinburgh, was met, on his way home, by an eminent minister, under whom he usually sat. The minister, indignant at the aberration of this distinguished member of his flock, expressed his surprise that he should have gone to hear such a rambling preacher as Whitefield was. "Sir," replied the admonished gentleman, "when I hear you, I am planting trees all the time; but during the whole of Mr. Whitefield's sermon, I had no time for planting even one."[478]
In one of his journeys, Whitefield was told of a widow with a large family, whose landlord had distrained her furniture, and was about to sell it, unless her rent was paid. Whitefield's purse was never large, but his sympathy was great, and he, immediately, gave the five guineas which the helpless woman needed. The friend, who was travelling with him hinted, that the sum was more than he could reasonably afford; to which the gushing, if not perfectly accurate, reply was, "When God brings a case of distress before us, it is that we may relieve it." The two travellers proceeded on their journey, and, before long, encountered a highwayman, who demanded their money, which they gave. Whitefield now turned the tables on his friend, and reminded him how much better it was for the poor widow to have the five guineas than the thief, who had just robbed them. They had not long resumed their travel, before the man returned, and demanded Whitefield's coat, which was much more respectable than his own. This request was also granted, Whitefield accepting the robber's ragged habiliment till he could procure a better. Presently, they perceived the marauder again galloping towards them most furiously; and now, fearing that their lives were threatened, they also spurred their horses, and, fortunately, arrived at some cottages, before the highwayman could stop them. The thief was baulked, and, no doubt, was immensely mortified; for, when Whitefield took off the man's tattered coat, he found, in one of its pockets, a carefully wrapped parcel containing one hundred guineas.[479]