Never could Whitefield be accused of moral cowardice. When the old Scotch Marquis of Lothian professed that his heart was impressed with the importance of religion, but wished to be a Christian in the dark, Whitefield said to him, "As for praying in your family, I entreat you not to neglect it; you are bound to do it. Apply to Christ to overcome your present fears; they are the effects of pride or infidelity, or both." * * * * * On his return from Scotland to London in 1741, Whitefield passed through Wales, where at Abergavenny he was married to a Mrs. James, a widow, some ten years older than himself. Of this marriage, as also of the death of his only child, we have already spoken. After preaching at Bristol twice a day for several days in succession, he returned to London in the beginning of December, where he found letters from Georgia, which, on account of the temporal circumstances of his orphan family, somewhat discouraged him. But to trace his progress, and to report all his labors, would be to extend our volume beyond its due limits. He was soon again in the west of England, and writing from Gloucester, his native place, December 23, 1741, he says, "Last Thursday evening the Lord brought me hither. I preached immediately to our friends in a large barn, and had my Master's presence. Both the power and the congregation increased. On Sunday, Providence opened a door for my preaching in St. John's, one of the parish churches. Great numbers came. On Sunday afternoon, after I had preached twice at Gloucester, I preached at the hill, six miles off, and again at night at Stroud. The people seemed to be more hungry than ever, and the Lord to be more among them. Yesterday morning I preached at Painswick, in the parish church, here in the afternoon, and again at night in the barn. God gives me unspeakable comfort and uninterrupted joy. Here seems to be a new awakening, and a revival of the work of God. I find several country people were awakened when I preached at Tewkesbury, and have heard of three or four that have died in the Lord. We shall never know what good field-preaching has done till we come to judgment. Many who were prejudiced against me begin to be of another mind; and God shows me more and more that 'when a man's ways please the Lord, he will make even his enemies to be at peace with him.'"