The Life of the Rev. George Whitefield, Volume 2 (of 2)Tyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The Life of the Rev. George Whitefield, Volume 2 (of 2)
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Whitefield, George, 1714-1770
The Countess made him her domestic chaplain,――the only ecclesiastical
preferment, except the living at Savannah, he ever had; and, in
acknowledgment of the honour, he wrote to her as follows:――
“LONDON, _September 1, 1748_.
“HONOURED MADAM,――Although it is time for me to be setting
out” (for Scotland), “I dare not leave town without dropping
a few lines, gratefully to acknowledge the many favours I have
received from your ladyship, especially the honour you have done
me in making me one of your ladyship’s chaplains. A sense of it
humbles me, and makes me pray more intensely for grace to walk
worthy of that God who has called me to His kingdom and glory.
As your ladyship has been pleased to confer this honour upon me,
I shall think it my duty to send you weekly accounts of what the
Lord Jesus is pleased to do for me and by me.
“Glory be to His great name, the prospect is promising. My
Lord Bath[198] received me yesterday morning very cordially,
and would give me five guineas for the orphans. God’s peculiar
providence has placed your ladyship at Chelsea. Upon the road, I
propose writing you my thoughts of what scheme seems to be most
practicable, in order to carry on the work of God, both here and
in America.”
To a friend, on the same day, Whitefield wrote:――
“LONDON, _September 1, 1748_.
“I have been a mile or two upon the road to Scotland, but turned
back because my chaise was not registered.
“My hands have been full of work, and I have been among great
company. A privy counsellor of the King of Denmark, and others,
with one of the Prince of Wales’s favourites, dined and drank
tea with me on Monday. On Tuesday, I preached twice at Lady
Huntingdon’s, to several of the nobility. In the morning, the
Earl of Chesterfield[199] was present. In the evening, Lord
Bolingbroke.[200] All behaved quite well, and were in some
degree affected. Lord Chesterfield thanked me, and said, ‘Sir,
I will not tell you what I shall tell others, how I approve
of you,’ or words to this purpose. He conversed with me freely
afterwards. Lord Bolingbroke was much moved, and desired I would
come and see him next morning. I did; and his lordship behaved
with great candour and frankness. All accepted of my sermons.
Thus, my dear brother, the world turns round. ‘In all time of my
wealth, good Lord, deliver me!’”
Before following Whitefield to Scotland, further extracts from his
letters must be given.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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