_To the Rev. Mr. H――――._
_London, April 5, 1749._
_Rev. and dear Sir_,
YOUR kind letter would not have lain by me unanswered so long, had I
not been necessarily employed in affairs of immediate consequence. At
Lady _H――――_’s request, I read part of it to some of the nobility, who
approved of it very much. By your leave, I will put a sentence or two
of it, without mentioning names, into a pamphlet I am now fitting for
the press. I suppose you have seen it advertised. I want to own and
publicly confess my public mistakes. O how many, how great have they
been! How much obliged am I to my enemies for telling me of them! I
wish you could see my pamphlet before it comes out. I just now wrote
to Doctor _S――――_ to see if he cannot meet me this day sevennight, or
contrive some way for conveyance of my little piece to him. O that it
may be blessed to promote GOD’s glory, and the good of souls! You will
be glad to hear that our LORD has given us a good passover, and that
the prospect is still encouraging among the Rich. I intend leaving
town in about a week, and to begin ranging after precious souls.――But
I shall wait for the doctor’s answer. You judge right when you say,
“it is your opinion that I do not want to make a sect, or set myself
at the head of a party.” No, let the name of _Whitefield_ die, so that
the cause of JESUS CHRIST may live. I have seen enough of popularity
to be sick of it, and did not the interest of my blessed Master
require my appearing in public, the world should hear but little of
me henceforward. But who can desert such a cause? Who, for fear of
a little contempt and suffering, would decline the service of such a
Master? O that the LORD JESUS may thrust out many, many labourers into
his harvest? Surely the time must come, when many of the priests also
shall be obedient to the word. I wait for thy salvation, O LORD!――But
I must bid you farewel. Praying that you may grow under the cross, and
be enabled to flourish unconsumed in fire, I subscribe myself, Reverend
and dear Sir,
Yours most affectionately in our common LORD,
_G. W._