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
Old newspapers, as daguerreotyping the facts, and even the feelings
of any particular period, are sometimes invaluable. In New York, as
everywhere else, Whitefield had his enemies, and many charges were
brought against him. But that there were those who took a strongly
favorable view of his character and conduct, is very clear from an
extract we give from "The New York Post-Boy," of April, 1746: "Mr.
Whitefield's excellent parts, fine elocution, and masterly address;
his admirable talent of opening the Scriptures, and enforcing
the most weighty subjects upon the conscience; his polite and
serious behavior, his unaffected and superior piety, his prudence,
humility, and catholic spirit, are things which must silence and
disarm prejudice itself. By these qualifications of the orator, the
divine, and the Christian, he has not only fixed himself deeper in
the affections of his former friends, but greatly increased the
number wherever he has preached; and made his way into the hearts of
several who, till this visit, had said all the severe things against
him that enmity itself seemed capable of."
From this period, this paper especially noticed the various
movements of this apostolic man; his arrivals in the city, his
engagements in it, his departures from it, and the places of his
destination, were all given with the minutiæ with which even the
movements of monarchs are recorded.
It was not without its use that the organs of the public thus
expressed their high sense of his character. In 1745, suspicions
were whispered abroad as to the entire integrity of this excellent
man in the appropriation of the funds collected for Bethesda. But
happily for all parties, the magistrates of Savannah published in
the Philadelphia Gazette an affidavit, that they had carefully
examined Mr. Whitefield's receipts and disbursements, and found that
what he had collected in behalf of the orphans, had been honestly
applied, and that besides, he had given considerably to them of his
own property.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account