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
“Though, after the years 1741 and 1742, there were no such
extensive awakenings, Mr. Whitefield’s coming to Scotland was
always refreshing to serious persons, and seemed to put new life
into them, and also to be a means of increasing their number. In
various respects, his preaching was still eminently useful. It
had an excellent tendency to destroy bigotry, and to turn men’s
attention, from smaller matters, to the great and substantial
things of religion. It drew several persons to hear the gospel,
who seldom went to hear it from other ministers. Young people
were much benefited by his ministry, and particularly young
students, who became afterwards serious evangelical preachers.
His morning discourses, which were mostly intended for sincere,
but disconsolate, souls, were peculiarly fitted to direct
and encourage all such in the Christian life. His addresses
in the evening were of a very alarming character. There was
something exceedingly striking in the solemnity of his evening
congregations, in the Orphan Hospital Park at Edinburgh, and
in the High-Churchyard at Glasgow, especially towards the
conclusion of his sermons, (which were commonly very long,
though they seemed short to the hearers,) when the whole
multitude stood fixed, and hung upon his lips, many of them
under deep impressions of the great objects of religion. These
things will not soon be forgotten. His conversation was no less
reviving than his sermons. Many in Edinburgh and Glasgow are
witnesses of this, especially at Glasgow, where, in company with
his good friends Mr. McLaurin, Mr. Robert Scott, and others, one
might challenge the sons of pleasure, with all their wit, good
humour, and gaiety, to furnish entertainment so agreeable. At
the same time, every part of it was not more agreeable than it
was useful and edifying.”
Such a testimony, from a minister living at the time, and one of
Whitefield’s faithful friends, is possessed of more than ordinary value.
On leaving Edinburgh, Whitefield preached at Berwick, ♦Alnwick, and
Morpeth. The people of Newcastle were again favoured with his ministry;
and also those of Sunderland. At length, on reaching Sheffield, he
wrote as follows:――
“SHEFFIELD, _November 1, 1752_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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