Whitefield found himself in the presence of what seemed an
urgent and overwhelming call to preach. Here were the Kingswood
miners, a community ignorant, vicious, forgotten, who, beyond
all others, needed the care and teaching of the Christian
Church, and yet were left completely outside, not merely of its
agencies, but even of its very remembrance. When Whitefield
was setting out for America some wise and keen-sighted friend
said to him, “If you have a mind to convert Indians, there are
colliers enough in Kingswood.”--W. H. FITCHETT, “Wesley
and His Century.”
(2060)