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
As Whitefield was one day preaching in Plymouth, a Mr. Henry Tanner,
who was at work as a ship-builder at a distance, heard his voice,
and resolved, with five or six of his companions, to go and drive
him from the place where he stood; and for this purpose they filled
their pockets with stones. When, however, Mr. Tanner drew near, and
heard Mr. Whitefield earnestly inviting sinners to Christ, he was
filled with astonishment, his resolution failed him, and he went
home with his mind deeply impressed. On the following evening, he
again attended, and heard Mr. Whitefield on the sin of those who
crucified the Redeemer. After he had forcibly illustrated their
guilt, he appeared to look intently on Mr. Tanner, as he exclaimed,
with great energy, "Thou art the man!" These words powerfully
impressed Mr. Tanner; he felt his transgressions of the divine law
to be awfully great, and in the agony of his soul he cried, "God be
merciful to me a sinner!" The preacher then proceeded to proclaim
the free and abundant grace of the Lord Jesus, which he commanded to
be preached among the very people who had murdered him; a gleam of
hope entered the heart of the penitent, and he surrendered himself
to Christ. Mr. Tanner afterwards entered the ministry, and labored
with great success, for many years, at Exeter.
We are not quite certain whether it was on this or a subsequent
visit to Plymouth, that Whitefield had preached on the Sabbath for
the Rev. Mr. Kinsman, and after breakfast on Monday morning, said
to him, "Come, let us visit some of your poor people. It is not
enough that we labor in the pulpit; we must endeavor to be useful
out of it." On entering the dwellings of the afflicted poor, he
administered to their temporal as well as their spiritual wants.
Mr. Kinsman, knowing the low state of his finances, was surprised
at his liberality, and suggested that he thought he had been too
bountiful. Mr. Whitefield, with some degree of smartness, replied,
"It is not enough, young man, to pray, and put on a serious face;
true religion, and undefiled, is this, to visit the widow and the
fatherless in their affliction, and to supply their wants. My stock,
it is true, is nearly exhausted; but God, whom I serve, and whose
saints we have assisted, will, I doubt not, soon give me a supply."
His expectation was not disappointed. A stranger called on him
the same evening, who said, "With great pleasure I have heard you
preach; you are on a journey, as well as myself, and travelling is
expensive. Do me the honor to accept of this;" handing him five
guineas, or twenty-five dollars. Returning to the family, Mr.
Whitefield, very pleasantly smiling, showed them the money, saying,
"There, young man, God has very speedily repaid what I lent him this
morning. Let this in future teach you not to withhold what it is in
the power of your hand to give. The gentleman to whom I was called
is a perfect stranger to me; his only business was to give me the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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