George Whitefield: A Biography, with special reference to his labors in AmericaBelcher, Joseph
Religion
George Whitefield: A Biography, with special reference to his labors in America
Belcher, Joseph
Whitefield, George, 1714-1770
One or two other facts connected with Whitefield's usefulness in New
England are too important to be omitted. During this visit he was
much gratified by an interview with a colored man, who had been his
chaise-driver when he first visited Cambridge. The negro had heard
him preach in the college a sermon especially addressed "to those
who labor and are heavy-laden." It took such a hold on the poor man,
that he repeated it in the kitchen when he reached home. Mr. Cooper
of Boston was so well satisfied, as was Whitefield also, with his
account of his conversion, that he was admitted to the Lord's table.
Another "brand plucked from the burning" was a son of Mackintosh,
an English rebel, who had been condemned to perpetual imprisonment,
and had been allowed by George the First to settle in New England.
One of his daughters, a lady of fortune, had heard Whitefield preach
in Dr. Prince's church at Boston, and had been won by the word to
Christ. She was soon after smitten by sickness, and ripened rapidly
for heaven. On her death-bed she cried out for her "soul friend" Mr.
Whitefield; but checking her own impatience, she asked, "Why should
I do so? He is gone about his Master's work, and in a little time we
shall meet to part no more." The distinguished evangelist had a very
high opinion of her piety, and his interest in her was increased by
the fact that she had a very remarkable escape from some ruffians
who had been bribed to convey her and her sister to Scotland, that
their uncle might seize on an estate worth a thousand pounds a year.
There were at this time not less than twenty ministers in the
neighborhood of Boston who unhesitatingly spoke of Whitefield
as their spiritual father, directly tracing their conversion to
his ministry. Of one of these we have an account by Collins, the
journalist of South Reading. Speaking of 1741, he says, "Mr.
Whitefield preached upon our Common in the open air. Mr. Hobby
the minister went with the multitude to hear him. It is said that
Mr. Hobby afterwards remarked, he came to pick a hole in Mr.
Whitefield's coat, but that Whitefield picked a hole in his heart.
Mr. Hobby afterwards wrote and published a defence of Mr. Whitefield
in a letter to Mr. Henchman, the minister of Lynn, who had written
against him."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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