Though Whitefield was an enormous letter-writer, it is a curious
fact, that, of all the letters written during his present visit to
America, only one has been preserved. It is as follows:--
"SAVANNAH, _June 10, 1738_.
"DEAREST SIR,--I have been about five weeks at Savannah, where
providence seems to intend me to abide for some time. God has
graciously visited me with a fit of sickness; but now I am
as lively as a young eagle. All things have happened better
than was expected. America is not so horrid a place as it is
represented to be. The heat of the weather, lying on the ground,
etc., are mere painted lions in the way, and, to a soul filled
with divine love, not worth mentioning.[134] The country,
mornings and evenings, is exceeding pleasant, and there are
uncommon improvements made in divers places. With a little
assistance, the country people would do very well. As for my
ministerial office, God (such is His goodness) sets His seal
to it here, as at other places. We have an excellent Christian
school, and near a hundred constantly attend at evening prayers.
The people receive me gladly into their houses, and seem to be
most kindly affected towards me. I have a pretty little family,
and find it possible to manage a house without distraction.
We have provisions to feed us, though we are cut off from all
occasions to pamper our bodies. I visit from house to house,
catechise, read prayers twice and expound the two second
lessons, every day; read to a house full of people three times a
week; expound two lessons at five in the morning, read prayers
and preach twice, and expound the catechism at seven in the
evening every Sunday. What I have most at heart is the building
an orphan house, which I trust will be effected at my return to
England. In the meanwhile, I am settling little schools in and
about Savannah, that the rising generation may be bred up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord. The Lord prosper my weak
endeavours for promoting His glory and His people's good!"
[134] In a MS., found after Whitefield's death, he wrote concerning
his present visit to Georgia:--"During my stay there, the weather
was most intensely hot, sometimes almost burning me through my
shoes. Seeing others do it, I determined to inure myself to
hardiness by lying constantly on the ground. Afterwards it became a
hardship to lie upon a bed."
Such was Whitefield's Sunday and week-day work,--upon an average two
and a half public services every day, and four on Sundays.
On the 10th of July, he went to Ebenezer, the place where the
Saltzburghers were settled, and wrote concerning them: "They are
blessed with two such pious ministers as I have not often seen.[135]
They have no courts of judicature, but all little differences are
immediately decided by their ministers, whom they look upon and love
as their fathers. They have likewise an Orphan House, in which are
seventeen children, and one widow, and I was much delighted to see
the regularity wherewith it was managed. I gave Mr. Boltzius, one of
their ministers, some of my poor's store for his orphans. He called
them all before him; catechised and exhorted them to give God thanks
for His good providence towards them; then prayed with them, and
made them pray after him; then sung a psalm; and, afterwards, the
little lambs came and shook me by the hand one by one. So we parted,
and I scarce was ever better pleased in my life."
[135] One of these was John Martin Boltzius, whom Wesley, in the
exercise of his high-churchmanship, had refused to admit to the
Lord's Table at Savannah, because he had not been baptized,--that
is, baptized by an episcopally ordained clergyman. The Saltzburghers
were deplorably poor. In a letter to Dr. Isaac Watts, dated
"Kensington, Nov. 30, 1737," the Rev. F. M. Ziegenhagen, Court
Chaplain to the Queen Consort of George II., says concerning
them,--"In every respect they are suffering great poverty and
hardships. Their pious and indefatigable minister, the Rev. Mr.
Boltzius, acquaints me that any old rag thrown away in Europe is
of service to them: for instance, old shoes, stockings, shirts,
or anything of wearing apparel for men or women, grown people or
children." (Milner's "Life of Watts," p. 572.)
Wherever he went, Whitefield was beloved. Even the mongrel
population of Savannah treated him with affectionate respect.
He writes: "They seem to have a sincere affection for me, and
flock (especially every evening) to hear the word of God. They
everywhere receive me with the utmost civility, and are not angry
when I reprove them. I have endeavoured to let my gentleness be
known amongst them, because they consist of different nations and
opinions; and I have striven to draw them by the cords of love,
because the obedience resulting from that principle I take to be the
most genuine and lasting."
In the month of August, Whitefield visited Frederica,[136] a town
above a hundred miles from Savannah, "and consisting of about a
hundred and twenty inhabitants." Two years ago, the ill-natured
inhabitants of Frederica had worried Charles Wesley almost into
madness; but Whitefield says: "The people received me most gladly,
having had a famine of the word for a long season." Though timber
was being sawn for the purpose, as yet no church had been built; and
Whitefield's first service was under a large tree, where he read
prayers and expounded the Second Lesson.[137] "Poor creatures!" said
he, "my heart ached for them, because I saw them and their children
scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd."
[136] In reality Whitefield was appointed to be the minister, not of
Savannah, but, of Frederica. The reason why he settled at Savannah
was because, since Wesley's departure, the town had been without a
minister; and the reason why he deferred his residence at Frederica
was because there, there was not a church. (See Whitefield's Letter
to Rev. Thomas Church, in 1744.)
[137] During the whole of his residence in Georgia, it was
Whitefield's custom, after reading the Second Lesson, to expound
it, and, to make time for this, he omitted the First Lesson and the
Psalms for the day. (Stephens's "Journal of Proceedings in Georgia,"
vol. i.)
During his five days' stay at Frederica, he paid a flying visit
to Darien, about twenty miles distant, where the Highlanders were
settled, his object being to hold Christian fellowship with Mr.
McLeod, whom he describes as "a worthy minister of the Scotch
Church."
On the 16th of August, he again arrived at Savannah, where he spent
the next twelve days; at the end of which he set sail for England.
During this brief interval, two events occurred which must be
noticed.
The first was his refusal to read the Burial Service over a dead
infidel.[138] Whitefield had frequently visited the man during his
lingering illness, and had offered to pray with him, which he would
not permit. Two days before his death, Whitefield asked him, "Do you
believe Jesus Christ to be God, the one Mediator between God and
man?" The answer was, "I believe Christ was a good man." "Do you
believe the Holy Scriptures?" "I believe," replied he, "something of
the Old Testament--the New I do not believe at all." "Do you believe
a judgment to come?" "I know not what to say to that," answered the
dying sceptic. Whitefield writes: "The day after his decease, he was
carried to the ground, and I refused to read the office over him,
but went to the grave and told the people what had passed between
him and me; warned them against infidelity; and asked them whether I
could safely say, 'As our hope is this our brother doth.' Upon which
I believe they were thoroughly satisfied that I had done right."[139]
[138] This man's name was William Aglionby--in all respects a
disreputable fellow. (Stephens's "Journal of the Proceedings in
Georgia," vol. i.) He had been "a thorn in the flesh" to Wesley.
(See "Life and Times of Wesley," vol. i., p. 157.)
[139] This was not the only instance in which Whitefield took
ecclesiastical law into his own hands. A few weeks before, he had
informed a man at Savannah, that, for the future, he should refuse
to "give him the cup at the sacrament," because the man "denied the
eternity of hell-torments."
The other event was of a more pleasing kind, namely, the opening of
a newly built school-house at Highgate. Only three months had passed
since Whitefield's first visit there. In the interval, one of the
settlers had given him a site for the erection; the rest had given
labour; and now the building was completed. Whitefield consecrated
the edifice by reading the Liturgy, preaching, baptizing an infant,
and catechising the children. "After the service," says the happy
minister, "we refreshed ourselves together, thanked our good God,
and ate our bread with gladness of heart."
Whitefield's departure from Savannah, which took place on August 28,
was widely different from that of his friend Wesley eight months
before. He writes:--
"1738, August 28. This being the day of my departure, it was
mostly spent in taking leave of my flock, who expressed their
affection now more than ever.[140] They came to me, from the
morning to the time I left them, with tears in their eyes,
wishing me a prosperous voyage and safe return. They also
brought me wine, ale, cake, coffee, tea, and other things
proper for my passage, and their love seemed to be without
dissimulation. My heart was full, and I took the first
opportunity of venting it by prayers and tears. I think I never
parted from a place with more regret. I have great hope some
good will come out of Savannah; because, the longer I continued
there, the larger the congregations grew. I scarce know a night,
though we had divine service twice a day, when the church-house
has not been nearly full."
[140] Stephens, the Secretary of the Trustees of Georgia, says: "The
congregation was so crowded that a great many stood without the
doors and under the windows to hear him, pleased with nothing more
than the assurances he gave of his intention to return to them as
soon as possible." He adds, that, when Whitefield left Savannah, he
appointed Habersham, the Savannah schoolmaster, to read the Church
Service to the people during his absence. Habersham did this for two
months, when the Rev. Mr. Norris came and took Whitefield's place.
("Journal of Proceedings in Georgia," vol. i.)
It will naturally be asked, if Whitefield was so happy in his
work in Georgia, why did he so soon leave it? An answer to this
will be found in the following extract from a paper written some
years afterwards. It will be seen, 1. That there were certain
things in the government of the country which Whitefield wished to
have altered. 2. That he felt it a duty to collect funds for the
erection of an orphan house. 3. That it was necessary he should
return to England to be ordained a priest. As an explanation of
what follows, it may be added here, that the Trustees of Georgia,
from the best of motives, had, 1. Prohibited the introduction of
ardent spirits,--a prohibition which it was difficult to enforce,
and which led to clandestine traffic. 2. They had granted lands to
none but _male_ emigrants, and had issued a regulation to the effect
that _female_ descendants should not inherit the estates of their
ancestors. In families of daughters, this was a grievance that
soon created a just discontent. 3. The Trustees also interdicted
the introduction of slaves. "Slavery," said Oglethorpe, "is against
the Gospel as well as against the fundamental law of England."
Besides, he adds, the colony is "an asylum for the distressed, and
it is necessary, therefore, not to permit slaves in such a country,
for slaves starve the poor labourer." Such were some of the reasons
for this interdict; but it is a curious fact, that as early as the
year 1736, several "of the better sort of people in Savannah" had
sent a petition to the Trustees "for the use of negroes."[141] Not
only in one, but in all these respects, Whitefield, oddly enough,
sympathised with the malcontent inhabitants of Georgia. Hear what he
says:--
"The people were denied the use both of rum and slaves. The
lands were allotted them according to a particular plan,
whether good or bad; and the female heirs were prohibited from
inheriting. So that in reality to place people there, on such a
footing, was little better than to tie their legs and bid them
walk. The scheme was well meant at home; but was absolutely
impracticable in so hot a country abroad. However, that rendered
what I had brought over from my friends more acceptable to the
poor inhabitants, and gave me an ocular demonstration of the
great necessity of an orphan house, which I now determined to
set about in earnest. The Saltzburghers at Ebenezer had one; and
having heard and read of what Professor Francke had done in that
way, in Germany, I confidently hoped that something of the like
nature might succeed in Georgia. Many poor orphans were there
already, and the number was likely soon to be increased.
[141] Bancroft's "History of the United States."
"The settlers were chiefly broken and decayed tradesmen from
London and other parts of England; several Scotch adventurers;
some Highlanders, who had a worthy minister named McLeod; a
few Moravians; and the Saltzburghers, who were by far the most
industrious of the whole.
"With the worthy ministers of Ebenezer, Messrs. Grenaw and
Boltzius, I contracted an intimacy. Many praying people were
in the congregation, which, with the consideration that such
faithful labourers as Messrs. Wesleys and Ingham had been
sent, gave me great hope that, unpromising as the aspect at
present might be, the colony might emerge in time out of its
infant state. Mr. Ingham had made some small advances towards
converting the Indians, who were at a small settlement about
four miles from Savannah. He went and lived among them for a few
months, and began to compose an Indian Grammar; but he was soon
called away to England. Mr. Charles Wesley had chiefly acted
as secretary to General Oglethorpe; but he also soon went to
England to engage more labourers. Mr. John Wesley, having met
with unworthy treatment, both at Frederica and Savannah, soon
followed. Through Divine mercy, I met with respectable treatment
from magistrates, officers, and people. The first I visited now
and then; the others, besides preaching twice a day and four
times a Lord's day, I visited from house to house. I was in
general most cordially received; but, from time to time, found
that '_Cælum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt._' Though
lowered in their circumstances, a sense of what they formerly
were in their native country remained. It was plain to be seen
that coming over was not so much out of choice as constraint.
Among some of these, however, the word took effectual root.
I was really happy in my little foreign cure, and could have
cheerfully remained among them, had I not been obliged to return
to England to receive priest's orders and to make a beginning
towards laying a foundation to the orphan house."[142]
[142] Gillies' "Life of Whitefield."
Here then are Whitefield's reasons why, after so short a residence,
he left Savannah, and set sail for England.
First of all, in a boat provided by Thomas Causton, Wesley's foe,
he made his way to Charleston, the capital of Carolina, where, says
he, "I was received in a most Christian manner by the Bishop of
London's Commissary, the Rev. Mr. Garden, a good soldier of Jesus
Christ;"[143] and was treated with great kindness by several others.
Here he remained about ten days, and then, on September 9, embarked
on board the _Mary_, Captain Coc, commander, bound from Charleston
to England.
[143] Such is Whitefield's description of Mr. Garden; who, however,
in 1740, instituted proceedings against him in the ecclesiastical
court, and suspended him from his ministerial office. But more of
this anon.
With the exception of two or three days, the first month of
the passage home was a continual storm. During the first week,
Whitefield never undressed, and lay upon deck, or on a chest, every
night. On October 3, when they had sailed about 150 miles, they
encountered a tempest which slit nearly all their sails to strips.
The captain's hammock, in the great cabin, was half filled with
water. Whitefield, in his berth, was drenched. Most of the fresh
provisions were washed overboard; and the tackling of the ship was
seriously injured. In the midst of all, however, Whitefield was
kept in peace. "God," says he, "was exceeding gracious unto me,
and enabled me greatly to rejoice. My sphere of action was now
contracted into a very narrow compass; for there are but few souls
on board, and all that I can do is to read public prayers, and add a
word of exhortation, twice every day. The captain and all are very
civil."
Whitefield did not forget his friends. On the 2nd of October, he
wrote a long letter "to the Inhabitants of Savannah,"--a sort of
pastoral epistle--in which he strongly insists upon that which had
so often been the subject of his sermons--"the new birth in Christ
Jesus--that ineffable change which must pass upon our hearts before
we can see God." "The author of this blessed change," says he, "is
the Holy Ghost; and the means to attain this Holy Spirit, you know,
and the way you know." It is a remarkable fact, however, that,
whilst specifying the _means_, as 1. Self-denial; 2. Public Worship;
3. Reading the Scriptures; 4. Secret Prayer; 5. Self-examination;
and 6. Receiving the blessed Sacrament,--there is not a word about
faith in Christ; and, further, it is equally remarkable that, until
after this, the doctrine of salvation by faith in Christ only, is
never even mentioned in any of Whitefield's published sermons, nor
in any of his private letters to his friends. The fact is, whilst
he himself fully trusted in the infinite sacrifice of Christ as the
alone _procuring_ cause of a sinner's salvation, he had yet to learn
that the doctrine of justification by faith alone, is not only a
doctrine of _paramount importance_ in the great scheme of Christian
truth, but one which stands pre-eminent throughout the whole of
the New Testament Scriptures. The Wesley brothers, in this very
year, 1738, to their own great amazement, had been brought to the
knowledge of this unspeakably important dogma of revealed religion,
and had begun to preach it. A few months later, Whitefield was led
to embrace the same doctrine, and had the same divine conviction;
and henceforward, to the end of life, was second to none in
expounding and enforcing the text of the inspired Apostle, "To him
that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness."
But leaving this, and returning to Whitefield's pastoral epistle,
while defective in the momentous point just mentioned, it is in all
other respects most admirable.
"I must defer," says he, "dwelling further on this subject till
I see you in person, and am qualified to administer unto you
the sacred symbols of Christ's blessed body and blood. In the
meanwhile, think not that I shall forget you in my prayers. No,
I remember my promise, and, whilst the winds and storms are
blowing over me, I make supplication to God on your behalf.
Remember, my dear friends, that, for the space of near four
months, I ceased not, day and night, warning every one of you
to repent and turn to God, and bring forth fruits meet for
repentance. Repent you, therefore, and walk in all things as
becometh the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then, and
then only, shall your sins be blotted out.[144] Let there be
no divisions among you; for a kingdom divided against itself
cannot stand. Be over-careful for nothing, but, in everything,
with supplications and thanksgiving, make your wants known unto
God. Speak not evil one of another, but live at peace among
yourselves; and the God of peace shall in all things direct and
rule your hearts. Brethren, pray that God would prosper the work
of His hands upon me, and restore me to you as soon as possible.
In about eight months, God willing, I hope to see you. In the
meanwhile, you shall not be forgotten by your affectionate,
though unworthy, minister in Christ Jesus,
"GEORGE WHITEFIELD."
[144] Language like this fully confirms what has just been said
respecting justification by faith only.
Such was Whitefield's letter, written in the midst of ocean-storms.
A fortnight later he wrote as follows:--
"October 14. Sailed this week about 600 miles; but yesterday God
was pleased to send us a contrary wind, which still continues.
A few days ago, I flattered myself we should soon be at our
desired port, but God is pleased to defer the accomplishment
of my hopes. However, blessed be His name! He enables me to
give thanks. Most of this week has been spent in searching the
Scriptures, and in retirements for direction and assistance in
the work before me. My fresh provisions are gone, and the people
are put to the allowance of a quart of water each man for a
day. I hope now the spiritual man will grow, having so little
for the natural man to feed upon. Amen, Lord Jesus! Blessed be
God! By His grace, I rejoice in necessities, and in everything
give thanks. Had this sentence out of Matthew Henry much pressed
upon my heart, 'The mower loses no time while he is whetting his
scythe.'"