CONTINUATION OF WHITEFIELD'S SECOND VISIT TO AMERICA. 1740.
At the period when Whitefield laid the cornerstone of his Bethesda,
his health was much impaired, and his spirits depressed. But it
was necessary that funds should be obtained, to meet the claims
now daily made upon him. He had received handsome donations from
Charleston, New York, and Philadelphia, yet the urgent demand was
for more. He therefore embarked from Charleston for Newcastle,
Delaware, in a sloop, and arrived there in about ten days. Passing
on from thence to Philadelphia, he found the churches closed against
him. The commissary told him that he would lend the church to him
no more. The laconic answer of Whitefield was, "The fields are
open;" and eight thousand people assembled to hear him the same
evening, and ten thousand on the following day. On the following
Lord's day morning, he collected one hundred and ten pounds sterling
for his "poor orphans," and then went to the Episcopal church,
where the commissary preached a sermon on justification by works.
As Whitefield was recognized at church, it was naturally expected
that in the evening he would answer the sermon; nor was the public
expectation disappointed. After his sermon, he collected eighty
pounds more for Bethesda.
But far higher success than this attended his labors. Societies for
worship were commenced in different parts of the town; not a few
began seriously to inquire after the way of salvation; many negroes
came to the evangelist with the inquiry, "Have I a soul?" and a
church was formed, of which the distinguished Gilbert Tennent was
the eminently useful pastor. No less than one hundred and forty, who
had undergone a previous strict examination as to their personal
piety, were received as constituent members of the church, and large
additions were from time to time made to their number.
Several events of special interest occurred during this visit to
Philadelphia. Tennent had to tell a series of delightful facts
as to the usefulness of Whitefield's former labors. He began to
deliberate on a plan for a negro school in Pennsylvania, as he did
afterwards also in Virginia, but unexpected difficulties intervened,
and both in the end were abandoned. Mr. Jones, the Baptist minister
of the city, told Whitefield of the change produced by his former
preaching on the minds of two ministers; one of whom stated to his
congregation that he had hitherto been deceiving both himself and
them, and added, that he could not preach to them at present, but
requested them to unite in prayer with him; and the other resigned
his charge, to itinerate among the unenlightened villages of New
Jersey and elsewhere. Another fact was, that an Indian trader became
so impressed with the preaching of Whitefield, that he had given up
his business, and was gone to teach the Indians with whom he used to
trade. Nor had his usefulness stopped here: he heard of a drinking
club, which had attached to it a negro boy remarkable for his powers
of mimicry. This boy was directed by the gentlemen who composed the
club to exercise his powers on Mr. Whitefield: he did so, but very
reluctantly; at length he stood up and said, "I speak the truth in
Christ, I lie not; unless you repent, you will all be damned." This
unexpected speech had such an effect as to break up the club, which
met no more.
We add a few paragraphs from Seward's journal, who soon after
sailed for England to promote the interests of Georgia, and who
died in the parent country. They date from the 24th to the 26th of
April. "Came to Christopher Wigner's plantation in Skippack, where
many Dutch people are settled, and where the famous Mr. Spalemburg
lately resided. It was surprising to see such a multitude of people
gathered together in such a wilderness country, thirty miles distant
from Philadelphia. Mr. Whitefield was exceedingly carried out,
in his sermon, to press poor sinners to come to Christ by faith,
and claim all their privileges; namely, not only righteousness
and peace, but joy in the Holy Ghost; and after he had done, our
dear friend Peter Bohler preached in Dutch, to those who could not
understand Mr. Whitefield in English."
"Before Mr. Whitefield left Philadelphia, he was desired to visit
one who was under a deep sense of sin, from hearing him preach. In
praying with this person, he was so carried beyond himself, that
the whole company, about twenty, seemed to be filled with the Holy
Ghost, and magnified the God of heaven."
"Arose at three o'clock, and though Mr. Whitefield was very weak
in body, yet the Lord enabled him to ride nearly fifty miles, and
to preach to about five thousand people at Amwell, with the same
power as usual. Mr. Gilbert Tennent, Mr. Rowland, Mr. Wales, and Mr.
Campbell, four godly ministers, met us here."
"Came to New Brunswick. Met Mr. Noble from New York, a zealous
promoter of our Lord's kingdom. He said their society at New York
was enlarged from seventy to one hundred and seventy, and was
daily increasing; and that Messrs. Gilbert and William Tennent,
Mr. Rowland, and several others, were hard laborers in our Lord's
vineyard."
It will be readily supposed that by this time Whitefield and
his movements had become so much a matter of interest as to be
frequently discussed in the newspapers of the day.
The "New England Weekly Journal" of April 29, 1740, copies from a
Philadelphia paper of April 17: "The middle of last month the Rev.
Mr. Whitefield was at Charleston, and preached five times, and
collected at one time upwards of £70 sterling for the benefit of
the orphan-house in Georgia; and on Sunday last, after ten days'
passage from Georgia, he landed at Newcastle, where he preached
morning and evening. On Monday morning he preached to about three
thousand at Wilmington, and in the evening arrived in this city.
On Tuesday evening he preached to about eight thousand on Society
hill, and preached at the same place yesterday morning and evening."
Then follows a list of his appointments daily to April 29, during
which time he was to preach at Whitemarsh, Germantown, Philadelphia,
Salem, N. J., Neshaminy, Skippack, Frederick township, Amwell, New
Brunswick, Elizabethtown, and New York. On May 6th, the Journal
copied a Philadelphia notice of April 24th, that he had preached on
the previous Sabbath to fifteen thousand hearers, and on Monday at
Greenwich and Gloucester, and that he would return to Georgia before
visiting New England.
The Journal of May 20th, contains a letter from Whitefield to a
friend in England, dated New Brunswick, N. J., April 27. Of his
visit to Charleston he says, "A glorious work was begun in the
hearts of the inhabitants, and many were brought to cry out, 'What
shall we do to be saved?' A fortnight ago, after a short passage of
ten days, I landed in Pennsylvania, and have had the pleasure of
seeing and hearing that my poor endeavors for promoting Christ's
kingdom, when here last, were not altogether in vain in the Lord. I
cannot tell you how many have come to me laboring under the deepest
convictions, and seemingly truly desirous of finding rest in Jesus
Christ. Several have actually received him into their hearts by
faith, and have not only righteousness and peace, but joy in the
Holy Ghost. In short, the word has run and been much glorified, and
many negroes also are in a fair way of being brought home to God.
Young ones I intend to buy, and do not despair of seeing a room full
of that despised generation, in a short time, singing and making
melody with grace in their hearts to the Lord.
"An effectual door is opened for preaching the everlasting gospel,
and I daily receive fresh and most importunate invitations to preach
in all the counties round about. God is pleased to give a great
blessing to my printed sermons. They are in the hands of thousands
in these parts, and are a means of enlightening and building up many
in their most holy faith. The clergy, I find, are most offended
at me. The commissary of Philadelphia, having gotten a little
stronger than when I was here last, has thrown off the mask, denied
me the pulpit, and last Sunday preached up an historical faith,
and justification by works. But the people only flock the more.
The power of God is more visible than ever in our assemblies, and
more and more are convinced that I preach the doctrine of Jesus
Christ. Some of the bigoted, self-righteous Quakers now also begin
to spit out a little of the venom of the serpent. They cannot bear
the doctrine of original sin, and of an imputed righteousness as
the cause of our acceptance with God. I have not yet met with much
opposition from the dissenters; but when I come to tell many of
them, ministers as well as people, that they hold the truth in
unrighteousness, that they talk and preach of justifying faith,
but never felt it in their hearts, as I am persuaded numbers of
them have not, then they no doubt will shoot out their arrows, even
bitter words."
While on his voyage from Charleston to Newcastle, Whitefield seems
to have devoted the 4th of April, 1740, to correspondence on the
subject of marriage. "I find," said he, "by experience, that a
mistress is absolutely necessary for the due management of my
increasing family, and to take off some of that care which at
present lies upon me." His letters were addressed to a young lady
and her parents, connected with a family much devoted to piety.
Here, as everywhere else, his heart is transparent. He says to the
parents of Miss E----, "I write only because I believe it is the
will of God that I should alter my state; but your denial will fully
convince me that your daughter is not the person appointed for me.
He knows my heart; I would not marry but for him, and in him, for
ten thousand worlds."
The next year, having returned to England, Whitefield, like his
eminent friend John Wesley, was married, and, like him also, was
unhappy in his domestic relation. In each case, the husband exacted
a previous pledge that the wife should never prevent the delivery
of a single sermon; and this was followed by separation from the
wife for weeks, months, or even years, in the prosecution of their
arduous labors. In the case of Whitefield, his marriage in Wales,
with a widow lady, in 1741, was followed by the birth of a son;
previous to which event he had said, in the joy of his heart, that
his name should be John, and that he should be a preacher of the
everlasting gospel. The first prediction was realized, and when
his child was a week old, the good man told his people in the
Tabernacle, London, that he would live to preach, and "be great in
the sight of the Lord." But alas, at the end of four months John
died, and his father very wisely wrote in his journal: "I hope what
happened before his birth, and since at his death, has taught me
such lessons as, if duly improved, may render his mistaken parent
more sober-minded, more experienced in Satan's devices, and
consequently more useful in his future labors in the church of God."
On the death of his wife somewhat suddenly, August 9, 1768, Mr.
Whitefield himself preached her funeral sermon, from Romans 8:28:
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose." In
describing her character, he particularly mentioned her fortitude
and courage, and suddenly exclaimed, "Do you remember my preaching
in those fields by the stump of the old tree? The multitude was
great, and many were disposed to be riotous. At first I addressed
them with firmness; but when a gang of desperate banditti drew
near, with the most ferocious looks, and horrid imprecations and
menaces, my courage began to fail. My wife was then standing behind
me, as I stood on the table. I think I hear her now. She pulled my
gown"--himself suiting the action to the word, by placing his hand
behind him and touching his robe--"and looking up, said, 'George,
play the man for your God.' My confidence returned. I again spoke to
the multitude with boldness and affection; they became still; and
many were deeply affected."
Before we leave Philadelphia, we may relate an instance or two as
to the power of his eloquence. Dr. Franklin says, "He had a loud
and clear voice, and articulated his words so perfectly that he
might be heard and understood to a great distance; especially as his
auditors observed the most profound silence. He preached one evening
from the top of the court-house steps, which are in the middle of
Market-street, and on the west side of Second-street, which crosses
it at right angles. Both streets were filled with his hearers to a
considerable distance. Being among the hindmost in Market-street,
I had the curiosity to learn how far he might be heard by setting
backwards down the street towards the river; and I found his voice
distinct till I came near Front-street, where some noise in that
street obstructed it. Imagine, then, a semicircle of which my
distance should be a radius, and that it was filled with auditors,
to each of whom I allowed two square feet, I computed that he might
well be heard by more than thirty thousand people."
But not only does Franklin bear witness of Whitefield's eloquence as
to his voice, but still more strongly as to its _persuasiveness_, of
which, it seems, he was himself a striking illustration. He says, "I
refused to contribute to his orphan-house in Georgia, thinking it
injudiciously located. Soon after, I happened to attend one of his
sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish
with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing
from me. I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or
four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded, I
began to soften, and determined to give the copper. Another stroke
of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined me to give
the silver; and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my pocket
wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all. At this sermon there
was also one of our club; who being of my sentiments respecting the
building at Georgia, and suspecting a collection might be intended,
had, by precaution, emptied his pockets before he came from home.
Towards the conclusion of the discourse, however, he felt a strong
inclination to give, and applied to a neighbor, who stood near him,
to lend him some money for the purpose. The request was made to,
perhaps, the only man in the company who had the firmness not to be
affected by the preacher. His answer was, 'At any other time, friend
Hodgkinson, I would lend to thee freely; but not now, for thee seems
to be out of thy right senses.'"
Whitefield, much as he loved Philadelphia, had now again to leave
it. Thus writes the correspondent of the "New England Weekly
Journal," at Newcastle, May 15: "This evening Mr. Whitefield went
on board his sloop here, to sail for Georgia. On Sunday he preached
twice In Philadelphia, and in the evening, when he preached his
farewell sermon, it is supposed he had twenty thousand hearers. On
Monday he preached at Darby and Chester; on Tuesday, at Wilmington
and White Clay creek; on Wednesday, twice at Nottingham; on
Thursday, at Fog's Manor and Newcastle. The congregations were
much increased since his being here last. The presence of God was
much seen in the assemblies, especially at Nottingham and Fog's
Manor, where the people were under such deep soul distress, that
their cries almost drowned his voice. He has collected in this and
the neighboring provinces, about £450 sterling for his orphans in
Georgia."
He arrived at Savannah June 5, and most interesting was the manner
of his reception. He says, "O what a sweet meeting I had with my
dear friends! What God has prepared for me, I know not; but surely
I cannot well expect a greater happiness, till I embrace the saints
in glory. When I parted, my heart was ready to break with sorrow;
but now it almost bursts with joy. O how did each in turn hang upon
my neck, kiss, and weep over me with tears of joy! And my own soul
was so full of a sense of God's love when I embraced one friend
in particular, that I thought I should have expired in the place.
I felt my soul so full of a sense of the divine goodness, that I
wanted words to express myself. Why me, Lord; why me? When we came
to public worship, young and old were all dissolved in tears. After
service, several of my parishioners, all my family, and the little
children, returned home, crying along the streets, and some could
not avoid praying very loud.
"Being very weak in body, I laid myself upon a bed; but finding so
many weeping, I rose and betook myself to prayer again. But had
I not lifted up my voice very high, the groans and cries of the
children would have prevented my being heard. This continued for
near an hour; till at last, finding their concern rather increase
than abate, I desired all to retire. Then some or other might be
heard praying earnestly, in every corner of the house. It happened
at this time to thunder and lighten, which added very much to the
solemnity of the night. Next day the concern still continued,
especially among the girls. I mention the orphans in particular,
that their benefactors may rejoice in what God is doing for their
souls."
On the 7th of June, he wrote, "I have brought with me a Latin
master, and on Monday laid the foundation, in the name of the Lord
Jesus, for a university in Georgia." On the 28th of the same month,
he wrote to a Mr. W. D----, in a style admirably corresponding with
the meek spirit we have already seen in his letter to the Rev.
Dr. Pemberton, of New York. "I thank you for your kind letters
and friendly cautions; and I trust I shall always reckon those my
choicest friends, who, in simplicity and meekness, tell me the
corruptions of my heart. It is that faithfulness which has endeared
J. S---- to me. I think I never was obliged to any one so much
before. O my dear brother, still continue faithful to my soul; do
not hate me in your heart; in any wise reprove me. Exhort all my
brethren to forgive my past, I fear, too imperious carriage; and let
them pray that I may know myself to be, what I really am, less than
the least of them all."
Whitefield's family at Bethesda had now increased to not less than
one hundred and fifty persons, and to advance their interests, it
was needful that he should again visit Charleston, where he arrived
on the third of July, and immediately commenced preaching, as on
former visits. On the following Sabbath, three days after his
arrival, he attended the Episcopal church, where, he says, "I heard
the commissary preach as virulent and unorthodox, inconsistent a
discourse, as ever I heard in my life. His heart seemed full of
choler and resentment. Out of the abundance thereof, he poured forth
so many bitter words against the Methodists, as he called them, in
general, and me in particular, that several who intended to receive
the sacrament at his hands, withdrew. Never, I believe, was such
a preparation sermon preached before. After sermon, he sent his
clerk to desire me not to come to the sacrament till he had spoken
with me. I immediately retired to my lodgings, rejoicing that I was
accounted worthy to suffer this further degree of contempt for my
dear Lord's sake."
The next day, the commissary of the bishop of London issued against
Whitefield the following ecclesiastical writ:
"Alexander Garden, lawfully constituted Commissary of the Right
Reverend Father in Christ, Edmund, by divine permission Lord Bishop
of London, supported by the royal authority underwritten:
"Alexander Garden, To all and singular clerks, and literate persons
whomsoever, in and throughout the whole province of South Carolina,
wheresoever appointed, Greeting:
"To you, conjunctly and severally, we commit, and strictly
enjoining, command, that you do cite, or cause to be cited,
peremptorily, George Whitefield, clerk, and presbyter of the Church
of England, that he lawfully appear before us, in the parish church
of St. Philip, Charleston, and in the judicial place of the same, on
Tuesday, the fifteenth day of this instant July, 'twixt the hours of
nine and ten in the forenoon, then and there in justice to answer to
certain articles, heads, or interrogatories, which will be objected
and ministered unto him concerning the mere health of his soul, and
the reformation and correction of his manners and excesses, and
chiefly for omitting to use the form of prayers prescribed in the
Communion-Book; and further to do and receive what shall be just
in that behalf, on pain of law and contempt. And what you shall do
in the premises, you shall duly certify us, together with these
presents.
"Given under our hands and seals of our office, at Charleston, this
seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and forty."
Justice to all parties requires it should be said, that the phrase
as to the health of Whitefield's _soul_ was used by Garden not of
choice, but in conformity with the forms of English ecclesiastical
law; the theory of which is, that ecclesiastical courts are only
held to promote the spiritual health or welfare of those who are
cited into them. The principal sin of Whitefield was "omitting to
use the form of prayer prescribed in the Common Prayer Book." The
undisputed matter of fact, as Tracy says, was, that he always used
that form when he could obtain an Episcopal church to preach in; but
when he was shut out of such pulpits, and was preaching to Baptists,
Presbyterians, and Congregationalists, in their own houses of
worship, where none of the congregations had prayer books, or knew
how to use them, and where the introduction of unaccustomed forms
would not have promoted the devotion of the worshippers, he prayed
extempore.
On the day this writ was issued, Whitefield preached for Mr.
Chanler, "a gracious Baptist minister, about fourteen miles from
Charleston;" and twice on the next day "to a large audience in
Mr. Osgood's meeting-house, a young Independent minister," at
Dorchester; the next day at Dorchester again, and at Charleston
in the evening; the next day preached and read prayers in Christ's
church, and twice at Charleston the next day, with great success.
And now, on July 11th, a citation was served upon him to appear on
the fifteenth, as required in the writ.
On the 12th, he preached and read prayers twice on John's island;
and on the 13th, which was the Sabbath, he again listened to a
sermon from the commissary. Of this sermon Whitefield says, "Had
some infernal spirit been sent to draw my picture, I think it
scarcely possible that he could paint me in more horrid colors. I
think, if ever, then was the time that all manner of evil was spoken
against me falsely for Christ's sake. The commissary seemed to
ransack church history for instances of enthusiasm and abused grace.
He drew a parallel between me and all the Oliverians, Ranters,
Quakers, French prophets, till he came down to a family of Dutartes,
who lived not many years ago in South Carolina, and were guilty of
the most notorious incests and murders."
The next day Whitefield again preached twice; and on Tuesday
appeared before the commissary, according to his citation. This is
said to have been the first court of the kind ever attempted to be
held in any of the colonies. It consisted of the reverend commissary
A. Garden, and the Rev. Messrs. Guy, Mellichamp, Roe, and Orr, who,
as well as Whitefield himself, and his able advocate, Mr. Andrew
Rutledge, respectively showed their want of familiarity with such
business, and, after a series of blunders on both sides, the court
adjourned to nine o'clock the next morning, to afford Whitefield
time to ascertain the extent of the jurisdiction of the bishop and
his commissary. How little, however, he studied the subject may be
inferred from the fact, that he preached twice during the remainder
of the day. The next day, a Mr. Graham appeared as a prosecuting
attorney, and Mr. Rutledge as counsel for the respondent. Whitefield
made some mistakes, but hints from his quick-sighted advocate and
his own adroitness saved him from their consequences; though he
contrived to give the court a lecture on the meanness of catching at
a word as soon as it was out of his lips, without allowing him time
to correct it. He now filed his objection against being judged by
the commissary, who, he alleged, was prejudiced against him. This
gave rise to new questions: the court adjourned; and the evangelist
went to James' island, read prayers, and preached. The next day
he again appeared in court, and found that his exceptions were
repelled, and that the arbitrators he had asked for would not be
appointed. He now appealed to the high Court of Chancery in London,
declaring all further proceedings in this court to be null and
void. He then retired and read letters which refreshed his spirit,
by informing him how "mightily grew the word of God and prevailed"
at Philadelphia; and that Mr. Bolton, in Georgia, had nearly fifty
negroes learning to read. On the 18th he preached twice, and on the
19th again appeared before the commissary, and bound himself, in
a penalty of ten pounds, to prosecute his appeal in London within
twelve months. The appeal was never tried, as the ecclesiastical
authorities allowed it to die of neglect.
"The court being ended," says Whitefield, in his journal, "the
commissary desired to speak with me. I asked him to my lodgings. He
chose to walk on a green near the church. His spirit was somewhat
calmer than usual; but after an hour's conversation, we were as far
from agreeing as before." "All his discourse was so inconsistent and
contrary to the gospel of our Lord, that I was obliged to tell him
that I believed him to be an unconverted man, an enemy to God, and
of a like spirit with the persecutor Saul. At this he smiled; and,
after we had talked a long while, we parted, and God gave me great
satisfaction that I had delivered my soul in my private conversation
with the commissary."
The next day, July 20, was the Sabbath. The commissary preached in
his usual style, and Whitefield preached his farewell sermon to
the people of Charleston. By his recommendation two or three of
the dissenting ministers had instituted a weekly lecture; and the
evangelist "advised the people, as the gospel was not preached in
church, to go and hear it in the meeting-house." On leaving the
city, he summed up, in his journal, the results of his labors in
this manner:
"What makes the change more remarkable in the Charleston people
is, that they seemed to me, at my first coming, to be a people
wholly devoted to pleasure. One well acquainted with their
manners and circumstances, told me more had been spent on polite
entertainments, than the poor's-rate came to; but now the jewellers
and dancing-masters begin to cry out that their craft is in danger.
A vast alteration is discernible in the ladies' dresses. And some,
while I have been speaking, have been so convinced of the sin of
wearing jewels, that I have seen them with blushes put their hands
to their ears, and cover them with their fans. But I hope the
reformation has gone farther than externals. Many moral, good sort
of men, who before were settled on their lees, have been gloriously
awakened to seek after Jesus Christ; and many a Lydia's heart hath
been opened to receive the things that were spoken. Indeed, the word
came like a hammer and a fire. And a door, I believe, will be opened
for teaching the poor negroes. Several of them have done their usual
work in less time, that they might come to hear me. Many of their
owners, who have been awakened, resolved to teach them Christianity.
Had I time, and proper schoolmasters, I might immediately erect a
negro school in South Carolina, as well as in Pennsylvania. Many
would willingly contribute both money and land."
The Baptist church in Charleston at this time was nearly extinct,
being reduced to five or six communicants, but Whitefield's success
greatly increased their number, and it thus gained strength which
it has never lost. It is also gratefully mentioned even now by the
church of that denomination at Eutaw, that Whitefield during this
visit to South Carolina preached the dedication-sermon of their
house of worship.
Whitefield left Charleston on July 21, visiting and preaching on his
way homeward, which he reached towards the close of the same week.
He preached on the Sabbath in extreme weakness of body, but "with
the Holy Ghost from above," and several were hopefully converted to
God. On the 18th of August, he again left Savannah for Charleston,
where he was able, for want of bodily strength, to preach but once a
day, but he thought that his sermons were attended with more power
and success than ever before. In a few days after, having preached a
farewell sermon to four thousand hearers, he sailed for New England,
where he had been very cordially invited by leading ministers and
others in Boston and many other places.