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
At the Tabernacle in London, the ministry of Mr. Kinsman was greatly
distinguished for its excellence and success, and he thought himself
highly honored in preaching the first sermon delivered from the
pulpit of the present Tabernacle. His musical voice, his lively and
pathetic address, and the richness of the evangelical truths he
proclaimed, brought numbers of all classes of society to hear him.
Among them was Shuter, the comedian, to whom we shall again refer as
a hearer of Whitefield, and who years afterwards, in an interview
with Kinsman, drew a striking contrast between their professions,
and bitterly lamented that he had not cordially embraced religion,
when his conscience was impressed under the preaching of the great
evangelist.
But we must not stay longer to speak of Kinsman; suffice it to say
that he founded, in addition to Plymouth, a new church three miles
from thence, at a place now called Devonport, and labored with
energy and holy success till the sixty-ninth year of his age, when
he died in triumph, February 28, 1793. Of such a man it was truly
said, that for Whitefield "he retained the most filial affection to
his dying day; and frequently travelled with, and consulted him as a
father upon all his religious concerns."
In March Whitefield returned to London, where the feeble state of
his health made him feel weary even in his success. He says, "I
have seen enough of popularity to be sick of it, and did not the
interest of my blessed Master require my appearing in public, the
world should hear but little of me henceforward." Yet his zeal
abated not. "I dread the thoughts of flagging in the latter stages
of my road," is an expression often used in his letters to his
friends. He thought that preaching and travelling contributed to his
health. In a letter to Hervey, he says, "Fear not your weak body,
we are immortal till our work is done. Christ's laborers must live
by miracle; if not, I must not live at all, for God only knows what
I daily endure. My continual vomitings almost kill me, and yet the
pulpit is my cure; so that my friends begin to pity me less, and to
leave off that ungrateful caution, 'Spare thyself.' I speak this to
encourage you."
All this Whitefield meant. Hence in May we find him preaching at
Portsmouth daily, for more than a week, to very large and attentive
auditories; where was shown another remarkable instance of the power
which attended his preaching, for many who a few days before were
speaking all manner of evil against him, were very desirous of his
longer stay to preach the gospel among them. From Bristol, June 24,
he writes, "Yesterday God brought me here, after a circuit of about
eight hundred miles, and enabled me to preach to, I suppose, upwards
of a hundred thousand souls. I have been in eight Welsh counties,
and I think we have not had one dry meeting. The work in Wales is
much upon the advance, and likely to increase daily."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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