Mr. Whitefield in Scotland--Dr. Erskine and Dr.
Robertson--Scotch Nobility--Mr. and Lady Jane Nimmo--Letter
to Lady Huntingdon--Mr. Wardrobe--Mr. Hervey: his “Theron and
Aspasio”--Letters to Lady Huntingdon--Lady Fanny Shirley--Prince
and Princess of Wales--Mr. Hervey’s method of preaching--Letter
from Lady Huntingdon--Mr. Steward--Lady Anne Hastings.
Mr. Whitefield visited Scotland, for the first time, in 1741. The
fame of his success as a popular preacher, in England and America,
had induced individuals of different persuasions, and in particular a
class of ministers who had lately seceded from the Established Church,
to invite him earnestly to that country, from an expectation that he
might be as successful in promoting the revival of religion there, as
they believed him to have been in England and America; it was also not
unreasonably hoped, on the part of the seceding friends, that, by means
of his popularity, directed by them, they might gain both attention and
influence to their infant sect.
He continued to officiate, as he had originally done in England,
sometimes in the parish churches, and more frequently in the fields, in
the most populous districts of Scotland; from Edinburgh and Glasgow, to
Leith, Dundee, and Aberdeen, everywhere attended by immense multitudes
of people; on many occasions producing effects on his hearers, of every
rank, age, and character, of which, though there may have been similar
examples, yet there are certainly not many more striking or perhaps
equal instances on record.
On this first visit to Scotland, he was most hospitably received by
many persons of rank, who behaved towards him with great politeness
and attention: and this attention was considerably increased, in
every subsequent visit, after he became chaplain to the Countess of
Huntingdon; her Ladyship being, as we have already shown, well known
to many of the Scotch nobility, among whom she had a very extensive
acquaintance. His adherence to the doctrines of Calvin, which he
affirmed to be the doctrines of the Church of England, rendered him far
more popular than Mr. Wesley; who, although he was more literary, and
spoke with more classical correctness, was yet compelled to admit the
effect of Mr. Whitefield’s eloquence, amidst all the improprieties of
manner and language which he imputed to him.
The countenance which was given to Mr. Whitefield, and the astonishing
effects resulting from his labours, not only created much diversity
of opinion within the Established Church, but occasioned violent
dissensions in private life, as many individuals still living can
attest.
The late Dr. Erskine, minister of the old Greyfriars’ Church, was
still, at the period of which we speak, a student at the University of
Edinburgh, and was one of those who zealously defended the character
of Mr. Whitefield. He felt the force of his powerful and popular
eloquence, and seems to have had a strong impression of the usefulness
and efficacy of his evangelical doctrines. Dr. Robertson, then also a
student at the University, certainly entertained a different opinion,
both of his character, which they did not at that time consider
sufficiently established, and of the extraordinary effects imputed to
his public ministrations.
Dr. Robertson and Dr. Erskine had been associated in a literary
society, in the University, with a number of individuals who became
afterwards considerable in different departments. Unfortunately, the
question of Mr. Whitefield’s character and usefulness was introduced
into their debates; and, calling forth very contrary opinions, was
agitated with so much zeal and asperity, as to occasion the dissolution
of their society, and to interrupt even their intercourse in private
life.[102]
The clamour excited in England, before this time, against the
progress of Methodism, in which the characters of Lady Huntingdon,
Mr. Whitefield, and the Wesleys, were treated with equal freedom and
severity, must have greatly contributed to heighten the prejudices
circulated in Scotland against Mr. Whitefield, and the respectability
or success of his labours. There was not, indeed, the same prejudice in
Scotland as in England against field-preaching. During the preceding
century the persecuted Presbyterians, driven from their churches, had
transmitted to their descendants a partiality for religious assemblies
in the fields, which, although no longer the effect of necessity,
continued to be in very general practice, as often as the sacrament of
the Lord’s Supper was dispensed, and in some districts of the country
are not even at this day completely disused. When Mr. Whitefield,
therefore, appeared in the Orphan Hospital Park, at Edinburgh, the
circumstance of his addressing the people in the open air exhibited
no novelty to an audience who were far too numerous to have been
contained in any church of the city, and who were accustomed to
field-preaching in almost every parish of the country in which they
occasionally resided.
Some of the most distinguished families in the kingdom were, as often
as the opportunity was given them, his constant hearers, and were,
besides, in the habit of admitting him to their private society; and
among those, in particular, was a nobleman, who was then his Majesty’s
representative, as Lord High Commissioner, in the General Assembly, who
not only attended his ministrations and invited him to his house, but
who introduced him to his public table during the session of Assembly.
His visits to Scotland continued, and in the summer of 1750 we find him
at the hospitable residence of Mr. Nimmo,[103] where he was most kindly
received during his then stay in Edinburgh. Greater multitudes than in
any former visits flocked to hear him, and earnestly entreated him
not to leave them soon. Though burning with fever, and much indisposed
from a violent cold, he continued to preach twice a day, early in the
morning and at six in the evening. “Your Ladyship’s health (says he, in
a letter to the Countess) is drank and enquired after every day. Mr.
Nimmo, who married Lord Marchmont’s sister, has given me three franks,
and his family are in the number of those who are left in Sardis, and
have not defiled their garments.”
It was during this visit of Mr. Whitefield to Scotland that Lady Jane
Nimmo wrote the following letter to Lady Huntingdon:--
“Madam--Accept my thanks for your very obliging message by Mr.
Whitefield; and I hope to avail myself of your kind offer the
first time I go to London with Mr. Nimmo. Your very acceptable
and truly Christian letter was conveyed to me by my brother,
and I ought to have answered it sooner, had not some family
occurrences interfered, which obliged me to leave home for a
distant part of the kingdom.
“Your Ladyship will rejoice to hear that greater crowds than
ever flock to hear Mr. Whitefield. The energy and power of the
Gospel word is truly remarkable, and such as to cause great joy
and thankfulness among the people of God. Dear Lady Frances
Gardiner is very active in bringing people to hear him, to some
of whom there is reason to believe the word has been blessed.
There is a great awakening among all classes. Truth is great
and will prevail, notwithstanding all manner of evil is spoken
against it. The fields are more than white, and ready unto
harvest, in Scotland. Many prayers are offered up for your
Ladyship, and many bless God for your sending your chaplain to
these parts. The infinitely condescending Redeemer vouchsafes
to bless your labours for the good of souls in England: and
your Ladyship will shortly have my native country to add to the
brilliancy of that diadem which shall adorn your brow in the
great day of the Lord. I blush and am confounded when I think to
what little purpose I have lived. It is time now to begin to do
something for Him who has done so much for me, and suffered so
much for my sinful soul. I beg, dear Madam, you will pray for
me while life lasts. I feel under manifold obligations to your
Ladyship, and hope to spend an eternity with you in praising
that grace and love that has plucked us as brands out of the
burning. Mr. Nimmo begs his most cordial salutations to you,
yours, and all who love your dear Lord and Saviour in sincerity;
and, wishing you the best of blessings, I subscribe myself, my
dear Madam, your Ladyship’s most affectionately, in our common
Lord,
“August 9th.” “J. NIMMO.”
In one of Lady Huntingdon’s letters to Mr. Whitefield she requests
him to invite the correspondence of the Rev. James Robe, minister of
Kilsyth, well known in Scotland for his zealous exertions in the cause
of truth, and by the publication of his “Narrative” of the revival of
religion, and the visible convulsive agitations which accompanied his
ministrations, and those of the parish ministers in his neighbourhood.
Dr. Gillies, of Glasgow, Mr. Adams, of Falkirk, Mr. Robe, of Kilsyth,
Dr. Webster, of Edinburgh, and Mr. Wardrobe, of Bathgate, were men of
great piety, and of more liberality of mind than was commonly found
among the Scotch ministers at the time of which we are writing. They
cultivated an acquaintance with the Methodists, and frequently invited
Mr. Whitefield and Mr. Wesley to visit Scotland. With Lady Huntingdon
several of them kept up a constant correspondence for many years,
particularly Mr. Wardrobe, for whom her Ladyship had a great regard,
and whom she often called her zealous Scotch chaplain.[104]
It was about this time that Mr. Hervey commenced his inimitable work
of “Theron and Aspasio.” Of the amiable and excellent Hervey it may
be truly said, that few lives have ever been more heavenly, and few
deaths more triumphant. He died in the Lord, and is now at rest, where
even “the wicked cease from troubling.” His name is recorded in the
annals of eternity, and the honours conferred on him by Christ will
for ever continue blooming and incorruptible in the world of glory;
his character, both in his public and private capacity, was of the
most exemplary kind; his writings afford a lasting and indisputable
proof of his grace and abilities--these were given him for the use of
the Church of God, and they were laid out for that end. His style has
been much admired: it must be owned that there is much of brilliancy
and floridness in all his compositions; but persons of refined taste
have expressed themselves much less satisfied with his language than
his thoughts. The nervous, chaste, and manly style of the ancient
classics he certainly has not copied; but rather that laboured
attention to words and forms which has been objected to in Seneca,
Austin, and others. However, this is but of small importance, compared
with the heavenly truths he delivered, and the seraphic ardour with
which he uttered them. The casket, indeed, is brilliant, and carefully
embellished; but it is the jewel within that gives it value.
His “Theron and Aspasio” has proved eminently useful to multitudes, and
it still continues to exhibit, with increasing usefulness, all those
grand doctrines of Christianity which are of universal concernment and
of the last importance. With that humility which was so conspicuous in
this amiable man, we find him, in the following letter, submitting the
first four dialogues of his work to the critical inspection of Lady
Huntingdon:--
“Madam--With gratitude I received, and with inexpressible
delight I perused, your Ladyship’s very kind and truly Christian
letter. I assure you I esteem such epistles to be favours
indeed. May I be so bold as to beg you to continue them?
The languor of my constitution is so great, and the failure
of my spirits so frequent, that I have not been able to pay
the indispensable debt of gratitude and friendship due to my
correspondents; but though I have not written to your Ladyship
as frequently as I ought, I have taken every opportunity to
enquire after you. Lady Frances Shirley has lately given me some
pleasing instances of your Ladyship’s usefulness to the souls of
your fellow-mortals. May your words be ‘as polished shafts’ in
the victorious Redeemer’s quiver, and ‘as a nail fastened in a
sure place!’ May the seed which you are daily sowing in various
parts of the kingdom grow and prosper; and may the ground before
you be like the harvest of the sixth year in Israel--doubly
fruitful.
“Your Ladyship is pleased to express a wish that I should
proceed without delay in finishing my intended work. Be assured
your wishes, Madam, have all the force of a command with me.
I send you the first four dialogues, beseeching you to peruse
them, not with the partiality of a friend, but the severity
of a critic. The like request I have made of others, and have
received their friendly corrections. I am deeply sensible of my
own deficiencies, and in order, therefore, to render my work,
if possible, fit for public view--meet for the Master’s use--I
shall feel obliged by any corrections or improvements which your
pen may make. Your Ladyship is at liberty to show the manuscript
to whom you please. Your remarks, and those of your friends,
may supply the sterility of my invention and the poverty of my
language.
“The letter of my honourable friend, Lady Frances, brought me
your Ladyship’s message. Most gladly will I lend my pulpit to
any minister whom you send; but it would give me unspeakable
pleasure to see you at Weston. O do come, and diffuse a little
of that holy zeal which continually burns in your heart, and
which, I trust, will warm the hearts of multitudes! May your
Ladyship be made the honoured instrument of training up many,
very many, for a life of distinguished holiness and extensive
usefulness in the world below, and for a life of consummate
happiness and everlasting glory in the mansions of eternal
felicity above!
“My good friend Mr. Hartley begs me to present his respects
and Christian regards to your Ladyship, to which Dr. Stonhouse
requests his may be united. The latter was much benefitted by
your very seasonable letter to him. Once more, I earnestly beg
that you will bestow your free corrections on my manuscript.
If you really approve what I have sketched, I shall be
encouraged to proceed in my work. May I not hope for the honour
of dedicating it to your Ladyship? It would give me singular
pleasure to have any work of my pen patronized by the Countess
of Huntingdon.
“Praying that the Lord Jesus may prosper you in all your
labours, and enable you to pray for the weakest of all your
brethren, I remain, Madam, in great weakness, but with great
sincerity, your Ladyship’s truly affectionate friend and willing
servant, for Christ’s sake,
“JAMES HERVEY.”
Lady Huntingdon, entering fully into the design of Mr. Hervey’s work,
claimed the assistance of all those whom she considered capable of
suggesting improvements and useful hints, and transmitted their
observations to the author. The imputation of Christ’s righteousness,
which is considered very distinctly and copiously in the Dialogues
of “Theron and Aspasio,” becoming the topic of conversation at
her Ladyship’s, when several ministers were present, the late Mr.
Hartley,[105] Rector of Winwick, in Northamptonshire, objected to the
doctrine, and said it would be better to suppress than to publish the
intended work. This information was communicated to Mr. Hervey, who, in
a letter to Mr. Ryland, of Northampton, father of the late Dr. Ryland,
of Bristol, thus notices the circumstance:--
“My good friend and pious brother Hartley has just published
a volume of sermons. He is a friend to the righteousness of
Christ; but, so far as it is formed in our hearts, he does not
like the doctrine of imputed righteousness: and said, at Lady
Huntingdon’s, from the sincerity and impartiality of his zeal,
that it would be better to have my intended work suppressed than
published. This I was told under the rose; and this I speak only
_inter nos_. I heartily wish my brother Hartley’s sermons
may be accompanied with an abundant blessing, and bring much
honour to our crucified Lord.”
Lady Huntingdon, as will appear from the following letter, dated July
14, 1753, declined the offered dedication. Mr. Hervey says--
“Madam--Accept my thanks for taking the trouble of perusing my
very imperfect manuscript, and my grateful acknowledgments for
the improving touches and remarks you have made, as well as
for those of your highly valuable friends and acquaintances.
The corrections you have done me the honour to transmit will
be exceedingly beneficial to the work, and render it more
acceptable to the public in general. But I confess I feel
disappointed at your Ladyship’s declining to patronize the
public attempt of my pen; nevertheless, your observations are so
sensible and just, and carry with them so much weight, that I
cannot think of pressing the matter on your attention, further
than to solicit your prayers for the success of the undertaking,
and for the unworthy author. O that a double portion of
the divine benediction may attend it!--that it may be made
instrumental in awakening the supine, and directing many to take
shelter in our Divine Mediator!
“Your Ladyship’s hint relative to Lady Frances I shall certainly
improve without delay. I rejoice to hear that the Redeemer’s
cause prospers. O may the arm of the Lord be revealed more and
more amongst us, and the triumphs of free grace have wider
spread and freer course! May your bow ever abide in strength,
and may your ability for the service of our Divine Master
increase, as much as mine decreases!
“When you write next to dear Mr. Whitefield, your Ladyship
will much oblige me by conveying to him my kindest wishes and
my Christian love. I shall write in a post or two to Lady
Frances. The moment my work comes from the press, I must beg
your acceptance of a few copies for your Ladyship and friends.
Continue to beseech the Lord Jesus to make it subservient to the
furtherance of his cause, and cease not to pray for its most
unworthy author. May the eye of Omnipotence be your guide and
mine! Your obliged friend and servant, for Christ’s sake,
“JAMES HERVEY.”
Few religious authors met with more acceptance than Mr. Hervey, and
few have met with more opposition:[106] his “Theron and Aspasio” has
been severely censured. This is the more surprising, as it contains the
leading truths of the Gospel, such as they were formerly maintained
by all the Protestant Churches and a great number of the soundest and
most holy divines; and, indeed, is chiefly prized by the most judicious
and evangelical friends of the truth. Among many others, the late
evangelical Romaine says, “Read his ‘Theron and Aspasio,’ and when
you are thoroughly convinced that ‘Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth,’ and can say with faith,
‘In the Lord have I righteousness and salvation,’ then your mind will
be settled in peace and comfort, and you will be delivered from those
dangerous errors which are now propagated concerning the righteousness
of the Lord Jesus. Thank God for the masterly defence of it in these
Dialogues. In them, Mr. Hervey, being dead, yet speaketh the promise
of the adorable Redeemer, and clearly proves that we have our salvation
through his righteousness.” Even his combatant, Mr. Wesley, owns that
in it most of the grand truths of Christianity are explained and proved
with great strength and clearness.
Lady Fanny Shirley now became the patroness of Mr. Hervey. The lively
imagination, solid judgment, correct taste, and luxuriance of style
displayed in his writing soon attracted the cultivated mind of her
Ladyship, who invariably expressed herself highly pleased with the
clear, pleasant, and judicious views of divine truth which he exhibited
to the minds of his readers. Her name has been immortalized by the
dedication of “Theron and Aspasio” to her Ladyship--a work which, for
nearly a century, has wonderfully contributed to the diffusion of
evangelical truth in Britain and elsewhere; and we fondly hope the
saving effects of the principles it contains may be still more widely
extended for ages to come.
Lady Fanny, having perused Lord Bolingbroke’s “Letters on the Study and
Use of History,” wrote to Mr. Hervey, asking his opinion concerning
his Lordship’s remarks on Scriptural History. Mr. Hervey immediately
procured the book, and submitted to her Ladyship’s judgment the
thoughts which occurred whilst reading it. His “Letter” was addressed
to Lady Fanny, whose name, though it would have graced and recommended
his performance, he was not allowed to mention. Her Ladyship’s
commands, which would admit of no excuse, drew the remarks from his
pen; and her desire, which with him always had the force of a command,
brought them to the press. At the commencement of his “Letter,” he
assures her Ladyship that, though many might discuss the point much
more clearly and satisfactorily than the person she favoured with her
commands, yet no one could think it a greater honour to receive, or a
greater pleasure to execute them.
The cross of Christ was the doctrine that lay nearest the heart of
this good man; this, in all its tendencies and bearings, in all its
relations to the honour of God and the salvation of men, he delighted
to elucidate in every diversity or form of words, and on this he dwelt
with growing zeal and ardour to the close of life. It was the subject
that met him in every direction, that beautified and adorned every
other topic, that lived and breathed in all his preaching, the centre
point of all his sermons; in reference to, and in dependence upon
which, other subjects were considered.
His manner of preaching was impressive: indeed, he thought his message
written on his heart. He spoke of the guilt of sin and the sufferings
of Christ in the exercise of feeling his own guilt, and leaning on
these sufferings for its expiation. He expatiated on the love of Christ
under the influence of a heart kindled with it; and on the glory to
come, in the temper of one who expects and longs to be a sharer in that
glory. Of his mode of preaching, and the manner in which he exercised
his ministry, an interesting account has been preserved by Lady
Huntingdon, in a letter to one of her intimate correspondents, most
probably to Lady Fanny Shirley:--
“My dear Friend--Your account of the old man was highly
satisfactory. The intelligence from Trevecca is most
encouraging, and Mr. Harris is rejoicing over a multitude
snatched as firebrands out of the burning. * * *
“Our dear Mr. Hervey goes on in his usual way; I lately had an
interesting account of his manner of lecturing in his church,
which pleased me much, and I send it to you, knowing how
delighted you will be with anything that relates to him:--‘Last
Sabbath-day, after preaching in the morning at Olney, with
three others, I rode to hear one Mr. Hervey, a minister of
the Church of England, who preached at Collingtree, and, to
my great surprise as well as satisfaction, having never seen
such a thing before, in prayer-time, instead of singing psalms,
they sung two of Dr. Watts’s hymns, the clerk giving them out
line by line. After prayer, without going out of the desk, the
minister put off his surplice, and turned to the 15th of St.
Matthew, which was the second lesson of the day, and told the
people what pleasure had occurred in his mind whilst reading
the parable of our Saviour’s feeding the four thousand men,
besides women and children, with seven loaves and a few little
fishes; he then spoke in a plain, simple manner about it, and
afterwards spiritualized it by observing what great things the
Lord sometimes does by small things and weak instruments. And
then, without going up into the pulpit, he turned to the 5th
chapter of the Ephesians, and read the 25th, 26th, and 27th
verses, and very sweetly and clearly he spoke from them; showing
the meaning of those words in the creed--_I believe in the
Holy Catholic Church_, wherein he observed, they do not
believe in the Church as in God Almighty and in his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord; but the meaning, he observed, was, I believe
God has a Holy Catholic Church: and the word _Catholic_
signifies _universal_; that there always was, now is, and
will be a Church of Christ. He then from the holy word showed
who were the members of this Church--such as were cleansed,
washed, or justified from their sins in the blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ: and here he spoke very clearly to the people,
and told them that _all_ were not of or in this Church,
which he compared to Noah and his family in the ark being
safe, when all the rest were drowned in the deluge. In like
manner he showed, notwithstanding their coming to that place or
building, if they were not members of that Church he had been
describing, by being united to Jesus Christ by faith, they,
as the people out of the ark, must perish at last. And as he
had been telling them who were the members of this Church, he
spake in a humble way of himself, as being an unworthy member
thereof. And now having shown what was meant by the Church,
and who were its members, he showed, lastly, from the words
he had read, what were the Church’s privileges. And first,
Christ loved the Church--secondly, he gave himself for it--and
last, to crown all, he would ‘present it to himself a glorious
Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.’ Thus
far I have been particular, for such a way of proceeding in
the Church of England seems wonderful to me. But what shall we
say? God is no respecter of persons, neither of places. Oh that
others of his brethren, the clergy, may go and do likewise! And
I am not without hope that many will. I was with him a little
after he had done preaching, and he spake of two more of the
clergy who are coming on much in the same way, and live down
lower in the country, near Daventry; and another who came out
of Huntingdonshire some time ago, on purpose to see him, and
since has written a letter to him. This Mr. Hervey expounds
every Wednesday night at the same church, preaches twice on the
Sabbath-day, catechizes the children, and meets some people on
Tuesdays and Thursdays, in or near the parish where his father
preached.[107]
“Though long, I am persuaded your gratification will be as great
as mine at this narration of his proceedings among his people.
The fields are everywhere ready unto harvest, and I consider
it right, and the bounden duty of ministers, to use all lawful
efforts for the Gospel’s sake: and our success therein will at
once declare God’s voice to the land. O how little do we do
for Him who hath done so much for us! May we be continually on
the stretch for God--now is the time. Let us use all possible
exertions while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can
work. Dear Mr. Rowlands says, ‘The Lord gets himself the victory
in a wonderful manner in Wales, and many are added to the Lord.
The work is on the increase everywhere.’
“And now, my dear friend, your remembering me before the throne
of grace makes me prize you more than ever. Continue to bear
me--my poor, vile, and worthless self--and all my wretched
performances for Him, when you approach the mercy-seat, and
plead powerfully in my behalf. Oh! I need it--
‘Strengthen thy servant, gracious Lord,
Subdue her sins thro’ Jesu’s blood;
And when she would from thee depart,
O bind her, Jesus, to thy heart.’
“May the God of love be with you to the close of your earthly
career, is the earnest prayer of your ever faithful and
affectionate friend,
“S. HUNTINGDON.”
About this time Lady Huntingdon was much affected on account of the
death of the Rev. Mr. Steward, a valuable minister, who began to be
popular in the Church, but was soon called to his everlasting rest.
Being acquainted with some members of the Huntingdon family, he was
invited to her Ladyship’s house to hear Mr. Whitefield, and was among
the first witnesses to the benediction of the Spirit of God upon their
labours of love.[108]
Mr. Whitefield was deeply affected at the loss of this excellent man,
whose lustre was eclipsed in the zenith of merited popularity, and
whose ministerial career was interrupted before he had well attained
the meridian of life. “Strange (says he, writing to Mr. Charles Wesley)
that so many should be so soon discharged, and we continued! Eighteen
years have I been waiting for the coming of the Son of God; but I find
we are immortal till our work is done. O that we may never live to be
ministered unto, but to minister! Mr. Steward spoke for his Lord as
long as he could speak at all. He had no clouds nor darkness! I was
with him till a few minutes before he slept in Jesus.”
The summer of 1754, Lady Huntingdon spent at Ashby-place, where she
was visited by Mr. Ingham, who preached frequently during his stay.
She also went to Aberford for some time, and from thence repaired to
London. “I was surprised (says the Countess of Hertford) to meet Lady
Huntingdon on the road last Saturday fortnight; she was on her way to
London, but her coach drove by so fast that I had only time to send
Lomas after her with my compliments: she seemed to me to look as well
as ever I saw her.”
In May, 1755, Mr. Whitefield returned to England from America, and on
his arrival in London was disappointed at finding Lady Huntingdon had
gone to Ashby. He was, however, much gratified at receiving a liberal
benefaction from her Ladyship for Bethesda, and delighted by the
intelligence that so many had been “stirred up to preach a crucified
Saviour” during his absence. “Many (says Mr. W.) in Oxford are awakened
to the knowledge of the truth, and I have heard almost every week of
some fresh minister or another that seems determined to know nothing
but Jesus Christ and him crucified. This excites the enmity of the old
serpent, which discovers itself in various shapes. The greatest venom
is spit out against Mr. Romaine, who, having been reputed a great
scholar, is now looked upon and treated as a great fool, because made
wise himself, and earnestly desirous that others also should be made
wise to eternal salvation.”
On the 1st of July, Lady Anne Jaqueline Hastings was removed to her
eternal rest, after a short illness, in the 65th year of her age. “At
Bristol (says Mr. Whitefield) I heard of the death of good Lady Anne,
and was glad to find that Miss Wheeler bore the news of it with so much
composure. Alas! how many has your Ladyship lived to see go before you;
John Cennick is now added to the happy number of those who are called
to see Him as He is. I do not envy, but I want to follow after them.”