The Life of the Rev George Whitefield by Rev L Tyerman

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Title: The Life of the Rev. George Whitefield, Vol. 2 (of 2)

Author: Luke Tyerman

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The Life of the

Rev. George Whitefield

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REVD. GEORGE WHITEFIELD, B.A.

AGED 54

Engraved by J. COCHRAN.

THE LIFE

OF THE

REV. GEORGE WHITEFIELD,

B.A., OF PEMBROKE COLLEGE, OXFORD.

BY

REV. L. TYERMAN,

AUTHOR OF

“THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE REV. SAMUEL WESLEY, M.A., RECTOR OF EPWORTH;”

“THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE REV. JOHN WESLEY, M.A.;”

AND “THE OXFORD METHODISTS.”

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL II.

London:

HODDER AND STOUGHTON,

27, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.

MDCCCLXXVII.

Hazell, Watson, and Viney, Printers, London and Aylesbury.

GENERAL CONTENTS.

VOL. II.

SECOND VISIT TO SCOTLAND.

June to October, 1742.

Marvellous Work of God—Revivals at Cambuslang, Kilsyth, etc.—Letter to Lord Rae—Erection in the Hospital Park, Edinburgh—

Great Commotions—Opposition of the “Associate Presbytery”—Mr. Robe’s Answer—Letter to Ebenezer Erskine—Public
Fast—Anti-Whitefieldian Declaration—Letter from Gentleman in Boston—Hostile Pamphlets—Pamphlet by Whitefield on New
England Revival—Whitefield’s Financial Report of Orphan House—Letter to Rev. Mr. Willison—Young Truants—Invasion of
Georgia—Whitefield’s Chaplain and Surgeon Imprisoned—Letter to Trustees of Georgia—Whitefield’s Vindication of himself—
Methodism in Wales—Whitefield’s Letter to his Mother—Second Visit to Cambuslang—The Moravians—Letter to Habersham
—Revivals in Scotland—Letter to Colonel Gardiner—Whitefield and Wesley Reconciled—Collections in Scotland, 1–35

IN ENGLAND AND WALES.

November, 1742, to August, 1744.

Letter to Habersham—Aristocratic Hearers—Letter to Lady Frances Gardiner—Rev. John Meriton—Persecution in Wales—John

Cennick in Trouble—Letter to Bishop Sherlock—Orphan House—Letter to Ingham—Letter to Colonel Gardiner—Letter to
Hervey—Methodism in Wales—Whitefield in Gloucestershire—Second Conference of Calvinistic Methodists—Rev. Howell
Davies—Whitefield elected Moderator—Tour in Wales—David Taylor—In West of England—Association at Trevecca—Rev.
Richard Thomas Bateman—Thomas Adams—Persecution at Minchin Hampton—John Syms—Proposed Conference—
Separation from Church—Narrow Escape—Dissenters Alarmed—Birth of Son—In Devonshire and Cornwall—Letter to
Howell Harris—Wiltshire Societies—In Staffordshire, etc.—Association at Watford—Whitefield’s Poverty—Death of his Child
—Trial at Gloucester Assizes—Fly-Sheets of Bishop of London—Whitefield’s Answers—A Furious Pamphleteer—Rev.
Thomas Church—Fine Picture of Enthusiasm—Bishop Smalbroke’s Charge—Whitefield’s Answer—Brutal Treatment at
Plymouth—Labours at Plymouth—Rev. Henry Tanner—Rev. David Crossly—Thomas Beard—Methodist Soldiers—The
Christian History—Whitefield’s Preachers—Outrages at Exeter, 36–119

THIRD VISIT TO AMERICA.

August, 1744, to June, 1748.

Dangerous Voyage—Whitefield Ill—Prince’s Christian History—Sir William Pepperell—Letter by Whitefield’s Wife—Dr. Timothy

Cutler—Rev. Charles Chauncy, D.D.—Rev. Zachary Grey, D.D.—Whitefield’s Answer to Chauncy—Hostile Publications—
Friendly Publications—Summary—Whitefield in Boston—A Convert—Rev. Thomas Prince—Paper Warfare—Cennick’s
Secession—Cape Breton Expedition—Sermon in a Thunderstorm—Brainerd—Receipts and Disbursements for Orphan House
—Bickerings—Associations of Calvinistic Methodists—Whitefield’s Preachers—Outrage at Plymouth—Whitefield’s Loyalty—
In Maryland—In Virginia—Rev. Samuel Davies—Rev. Samuel Finley, D.D.—Countess of Huntingdon—Whitefield a Slave-
Owner—Loss of Health—Letter to Cennick—Again Itinerating—Letter to John and Charles Wesley—Rev. Samuel Moody—
Hunting after Sinners—Visit to Bermudas—Voyage Home—The Revival in America, 120–185

THREE YEARS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

July 1, 1748, to August 29, 1751.

Popularity in London—Lady Huntingdon and the Calvinistic Methodists—Whitefield as Moderator—Resolves not to found Societies

—Ceases to be Moderator—Howell Harris his Successor—New Scheme—Whitefield becomes Lady Huntingdon’s Chaplain—
Earl of Bath—Earl of Chesterfield—Lord Bolingbroke—Dr. Stonehouse—Whitefield in Scotland—Synod of Glasgow—
Proceedings of other Synods, and of the Associate Presbytery—Bishop Lavington Enraged—Persecution in Wales—Whitefield
Visits Dr. Watts—Thomas Olivers Converted—Whitefield wishes to have Slaves—Letter to Dr. Doddridge—Aristocratic
Hearers—Dr. Stonehouse afraid to become a Methodist—Whitefield in the West of England—Rev. Andrew Kinsman—Mr.
Robert Cruttenden—A Reverend Slanderer—John Sladdin’s Pamphlet—Whitefield and Bishop Lavington—“The Devil’s
Castaways”—Whitefield at Portsmouth—In Wales—An Indigent Minister—New Jersey College—College of Philadelphia—
Franklin on Reformations—Rev. Robert Robinson—Letter to a Bishop—Bishop Lavington’s “Enthusiasm of Methodists and
Papists Compared”—Rev. George Thompson—At Exeter—Letter to Hervey—Tour to the North of England—Wesley and
Grace Murray—Another Tour—Colonel Galatin—Methodism in Dublin—Persecution at Cork—New Year’s Sermon—Rev.
William Baddiley—Dr. Andrew Gifford—Persecution in Ireland—Whitefield helping Wesley—Government of Georgia—At
Gloucester, etc.—Letter to Franklin—In Cornwall—New Jersey College—At Northampton—Persecution at Rotherham—Rev.
John Thorpe—“Ingham’s Circuit”—In Scotland—James Nimmo, Esq.—Old Friends Meet again—Rev. Martin Madan—Rev.
Moses Browne—Memorable Visit—Methodism in Canterbury—Letter on Marriage—Original Letter by Gilbert Tennent—
Moses Browne Embarrassed—“A House of Mourning”—Hostile Publications—Whitefield on Slavery—In Ireland—Original
Letter by Whitefield’s Wife—Leaving England, 186–277

FOURTH VISIT TO AMERICA, AND RETURN TO ENGLAND.

September, 1751, to March, 1754.

In America—Letter on Wesley—Sudden Return to England—Original Letter to Blackwell—Tour to West of England and Wales—

Letter to Franklin—Success in Scotland—In Yorkshire, etc.—John Edwards and Dublin Methodists—The Orphan House—
John and Charles Wesley—The New Tabernacle—The Moravians—Whitefield’s Hymn Book—Specimens of Preaching—
Foundation Laid of New Tabernacle—Methodism in Norwich—Whitefield’s “Expostulatory Letter” to Zinzendorf—Letters by
James Hutton, Peter Bohler, and Count Zinzendorf—Andrew Frey’s Pamphlet—Letter to John Syms—New Tabernacle
Opened—Tour to Scotland—Glasgow Playhouse—Glorious Seasons in Yorkshire—Another Tour—Norwich Tabernacle—
Bristol Tabernacle—Wesley dangerously Ill—Letters concerning—Visit to England of Gilbert Tennent and Samuel Davies—
New Tabernacle paid for, 278–324

FIFTH VISIT TO AMERICA.

March, 1754, to May, 1755.

Popery in Lisbon—Learning Lessons—Arrival in America—Itinerating—New Jersey College—Government of Georgia—Scenes at

Boston, etc.—Revival in Virginia—Visit to Orphan House—Return to England, 325–340

EIGHT YEARS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

1755 TO 1763.

Evangelical Clergymen—Trying to Serve a Friend—Whitefield’s “Communion Morning’s Companion”—Death of Lady Anne

Hastings—Cornelius Winter—Methodists at Norwich—Wesley and Hervey—Charles Wesley’s Poem on Whitefield—
Commencement of the “Seven Years’ War”—Tour to Newcastle—Long Acre Chapel—Bishop Pearce—Letters to—Long
Acre Riots—Archbishop Herring on Whitefield and Wesley—Threatening Letters—Advertisement in London Gazette—
Whitefield’s “Address to Persons of All Denominations”—National Alarm—Collection on Fast-Day—Tottenham Court Road
Chapel—Rev. Dr. Thomas Haweis—Wesley’s Letter to William Law—Franklin’s Novel Scheme—Visit to a Murderer—Tour
to Scotland—Rev. John Fawcett, D.D.—Samuel Whitaker—Labours in Scotland—Helping Charles Wesley—Rev. Henry Venn
—Congregations in London—Faithful Preaching—Balaam-like Pamphlets—Shuter, the Comedian—Memorable Visit to
Scotland—Thomas Rankin—Visit to Ireland—Nearly Murdered—Methodist Clergymen—“Mission Week” at Cheltenham—
Death of Belcher and Burr—Whitefield’s Health Failing—Almshouses at Tottenham Court Road Chapel—Letter to Professor
Francke—Journey in One-Horse Chaise—“Spiritual Routs”—Rev. Robert Robinson—Visit to Berridge—In Scotland—
Thanksgiving Sermons—Return to London—Death of Hervey—Dr. Free—Remarkable Meetings—Lady Huntingdon and
Methodism in Brighton—Whitefield Publishes a Sermon by John Foxe, the Martyrologist—Seven Weeks in Scotland—The
Orphan House—Rev. Samuel Clarke’s “Annotations”—Three Thanksgiving Sermons—Sermon Against Theatres—Enlargement
of Tottenham Court Road Chapel—Whitefield Publishes a Pamphlet on “Russian Cruelty”—Collections on Fast-Day—Riot at
Kingston-on-Thames—Earl Ferrers—Burial of an Executed Felon—Preaching Journeys—Samuel Foote—“The Minor”—Large
Number of Disgraceful Pamphlets Published—Madan’s Letter to Garrick—Painful Year—Foote after Whitefield’s Death—
Sermons and Collections on Fast-Day—Berridge Helping Whitefield—Whitefield seriously Ill—Scurrillous Publications—Jonas
Hanway—Bishop of Lincoln—At Bristol—Trip to Holland—Wesley’s Conference at Leeds—In Scotland—In the West of
England—Relieving the Poor—Trying to Settle his Affairs—Whitefield’s Trustees—A Farewell Sermon—Extracts from other
Sermons—Volume of Sermons, Published by Gurney—Answer to Bishop Warburton’s “Observations”—Tour to Scotland—
Embarks for America, 341–466

SIXTH VISIT TO AMERICA.

June 4, 1763, to July 8, 1765.

At Sea—Pastoral Letter—At Philadelphia—Prevented Going to his Orphan House—At New York—Letter to Charles Wesley—At

Boston—Harvard College—Dr. Wheelock’s School—The Orphan House—Again at New York—At Philadelphia—Letter to
Wesley—The “New Lights”—Arrival at Savannah—Proposal to Convert the Orphan House into a College—Memorials—
Orphan House Accounts—At Bethesda—Tour to Philadelphia—Embarks for England—John Harman—Lloyd’s Evening Post,
467–486

WHITEFIELD’S LAST FOUR YEARS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

July 7, 1765, to September 5, 1769.

Health not Improved—Supplies for his Chapels—Important Letter—Lady Huntingdon—Chapel at Bath—Memorial to George

III.—Whitefield a Peacemaker—Methodists at Sheerness—“Brilliant Audiences”—Samson Occum—Thomas Powys,
Esq.—“Quadruple Alliance”—John Fawcett begins to Preach—Letter to Gustavus Gidley—Whitefield’s Loyalty—A Royal
Marriage—Fletcher of Madeley helps Whitefield—At Bath and Bristol—Captain Torial Joss—Captain Scott—Rowland Hill
—“Lecture upon Heads”—The Methodist and Mimic—The Methodist—Letter to Thomas Powys, Esq.—“Preface” to
Bunyan’s Works—Cornelius Winter—Winter’s Delineation of Whitefield—Re-opening of Brighton Chapel—Rev. Richard de
Courcy—Another Preaching Tour—Services at Haverfordwest—Letter by Fletcher of Madeley—Letter to Rowland Hill—
Chandler’s Proposal respecting Colonial Bishops—Whitefield’s Correspondence with the Archbishop of Canterbury respecting
Orphan House—Proposal to make Orphan House a Public Academy—Letters to Rowland Hill—Whitefield Attends Wesley’s
Conference—His Kindness to Wesley’s Preachers—Tour to Newcastle-on-Tyne—A Burglary—Visit to Venn at Huddersfield
—Wesley’s Northern Societies—A Remarkable Service—Troubles of Methodist Students at Cambridge—Death of Earl of
Buchan—The Young Earl of Buchan—Correspondence with Benjamin Franklin—Trevecca College—Expulsion of Oxford
Students—Whitefield’s Letter to Dr. Durell—Hostile Publications—Curious Engraving—A Felon Executed—Visit to Tunbridge
Wells—Letter by Rowland Hill—Death of Whitefield’s Wife—Opening of Trevecca College—Whitefield Ruptures a Blood-
vessel—His Portrait—Remarkable Meetings at Lady Huntingdon’s—Orphan House Enlargements—Opening of Chapel at
Tunbridge Wells—Extracts from Last Sermons in England—Rev. George Burder—Gurney’s Volume of Whitefield’s Sermons,
487–568

SEVENTH VISIT TO AMERICA.

September, 1769, to September, 1770.

Embarks for America—Letter to Wesley—Detention in the Downs—Ordination Service at Deal—Last Sermons at Ramsgate—

Arrival at Charleston—At Bethesda—Letter to Charles Wesley—Memorable Day at the Orphan House—Whitefield’s
Memorable Sermon there—Orphan House Accounts—Rules for Orphan House Academy—Subsequent History of Orphan
House—Wesley’s Letter respecting Orphan House—Happy—Another Gospel Tour—Meets Wesley’s Missionaries—Rev. Dr.
Kirkland—Preaching on a Felon’s Coffin—A Rebuke—Whitefield’s Popularity—Whitefield’s Preaching Places during Last Two
Months of his Life—His Last Letters—Riots at Boston—His Last Sermon—Rev. Jonathan Parsons—Whitefield’s Death—His
Funeral—Benjamin Randall—Mourning at Savannah—Whitefield’s Corpse—His Cenotaph—Proposed Monument—Visits to
Whitefield’s Sepulchre—One of his Bones Stolen—His Will—Elegies, Charles Wesley’s, Cowper’s—Funeral Sermon by
Wesley—Funeral Sermons Preached—Funeral Sermons Published—Rev. Jonathan Parsons on Whitefield—Dr. Pemberton on
Ditto—Rev. Henry Venn on Ditto—Toplady on Ditto—Rev. John Newton on Ditto—The Scots’ Magazine on Ditto—The
Pennsylvania Journal on Ditto—Dr. Gillies on Ditto—Concluding Remarks, 569–635

INDEX.

NAMES OF PERSONS AND PLACES.

635–645

W

THE LIFE

OF

The REV. GEORGE WHITEFIELD, B.A.

SECOND VISIT TO SCOTLAND.

June to October, 1742.

HEN Whitefield arrived in Edinburgh, a minister told him, that, though seven months had elapsed since his departure,
scarcely one of his converts had “fallen back, either among old or young.”1 This was a remarkable fact; but there was also
another, equally deserving notice. As already shewn, up to the time of Whitefield’s first visit to Scotland, the churches of

that country, like those of England, were in the most deplorable condition. In many instances, ministers were unfaithful; in most
instances, congregations were dead; and, as it respects the outside populace, it is not an extravagance to say, that, speaking
generally, they were almost entirely regardless of religion, and were steeped in worldliness, frivolity, and vice. In the interval,
however, between Whitefield’s first and second visits, a most marvellous work of God had taken place. How far Whitefield’s labours
and influence, in 1741, had contributed to this, it, perhaps, would be presumptuous to say. So far as it concerns the cause of Christ,
this is of little consequence. Every reader of the unvarnished facts will form his own opinion on the subject. Many of these facts have
been already given; and others must now be mentioned. Cambuslang was then a small parish, about four miles from Glasgow; and
here Whitefield had preached with amazing power and success only a few months before. The minister of Cambuslang—the
Rev. William McCulloch—was a man of “genuine piety, and of considerable capacity; but had nothing particularly striking either in
the manner or substance of his preaching.”2 During most of the year 1741, he had strongly pressed on his congregation the nature
and necessity of the new birth. In the third week of February, 1742, three days were specially employed in prayer. On the fourth day,
Thursday, February 18, “about fifty persons came to Mr. McCulloch’s house, under convictions and alarming apprehensions
respecting the state of their souls, and desiring to speak with him.” After this, numbers of others daily resorted to him, and he soon
found it necessary to preach a sermon every day, and, after the sermon, to spend some time with the penitents, “in exhortations,
prayers, and singing of psalms.” In less than three months, more than three hundred were converted. Though the parish was of small
extent, and most of the people lived within a mile of Mr. McCulloch’s church, not fewer than twelve “societies for prayer” were
begun by the converts. In the month of April, the Rev. Mr. Willison, one of Whitefield’s correspondents, visited the place, and wrote:
“The work at Cambuslang is a most singular and marvellous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I pray it may be a happy forerunner of a
general revival of the work of God, and a blessed means of union among all the lovers of Jesus.”

Kilsyth, a small town, about twelve miles from Glasgow, was another place graciously visited by God’s good Spirit. Its minister,

the Rev. James Robe, began a series of sermons on the new birth, as early as the year 1740; but nothing remarkable occurred until
May, 1742, the month when Whitefield set out on his second visit to Scotland. At the beginning of the month, “societies for prayer
were erected in the parish;” and, almost immediately, great numbers began to cry aloud for mercy. On May 16, after dismissing his
congregation, Mr. Robe invited the penitents into his barn; but the numbers were so great, that the barn could not contain them: and,
nolens volens, he was obliged to convene them in his kirk. He says, “I sung a psalm, and prayed with them; but, when I essayed to
speak to them, I could not be heard, such were their bitter cries and groans. After this, I ordered that they should be brought to me in
my closet, one by one; and, in the meantime, I appointed psalms to be sung with those in the kirk, and that the precentor and two or
three of the elders should pray with the distressed.” Before the month ended,—that is, before Whitefield had arrived in Scotland,—
the penitents at Kilsyth numbered nearly a hundred; and a similar work was begun, and was spreading in several neighbouring
parishes, as Kirkintilloch, Auchinloch, Campsie, and Cumbernauld.3 Such was the state of things, in this part of Scotland, when
Whitefield and his wife reached Edinburgh, on Thursday, June 3, 1742.

One of his first letters, at Edinburgh, was addressed to Lord Rae, the death of whose wife had recently occurred. An extract

from it will help to shew the spirit in which Whitefield began his work in Scotland.

“Edinburgh, June 4, 1742.

“My Lord,—Your lordship’s kind letter was put into my hands yesterday. I heartily sympathise with you; but could

not help rejoicing on your honoured lady’s account, knowing she is now entered into her blessed Master’s joy. Among
Christians, death has not only lost its sting, but its name. I never was so joyful as I am now at the death of those who die
in the Lord; and never was so reconciled to living myself. Lately, in London, we had a sister in Christ, whose last words
were, ‘Holy, holy, holy.’ She could say no more here; but our Saviour sent for her to finish her song in heaven. I
preached over her corpse; our Society attended; and surely never did any triumph over death more than we did that night.
But your lordship may ask, ‘Why are you reconciled to life?’ Because I can do that for Jesus on earth, which I cannot do
in heaven: I mean, be made instrumental in bringing weary, heavy-laden sinners to find rest in His blood and
righteousness. If our Saviour were to offer either to take me now, or to let me stay only to take one sinner more, I would
desire to stay to take the sinner with me.

“I hear of wonderful things in Scotland. I can only fall down and worship. I have seen greater things than ever in

England. I expect to see far greater in Scotland. Our Lord will not let His people be disappointed of their hopes.”

Whitefield was in Edinburgh, but where was he to preach? The question was soon solved. The following minute was passed at a

meeting of the managers of Heriot’s Hospital, held on June 17, 1742: “The managers agree to erect seats in the Hospital Park for
about two thousand people, part of which are to be covered with shades, and let out to the best advantage. It is further agreed, that,
out of the profits arising from these seats, after paying all charges anent the same, a sum not exceeding £60 sterling shall be given to
the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield, for defraying his charges during his continuance in this country.”4 The seats, thus erected, were
semicircular in form; those with shades were let at three shillings each for the season; and those without shades might be used by
paying a halfpenny each for them, every time they were occupied. A few seats outside the railing were free; and the back seats within
were permitted to be used by soldiers gratuitously. The money thus raised seems to have amounted to £260 3s., which was
distributed as follows: For erecting seats, £80 4s.; for repairing the “park dikes,” £28 5s.; payment to the tacksman of the park for
damage done to the grass, £4 10s.; gift to Whitefield, £60; balance paid to the treasurer of the hospital, £87 4s.5 Such was
Whitefield’s cathedral in the metropolis of Scotland.

From the day of his arrival, he preached twice daily, expounded almost every night, and regularly visited the three hospitals.6 On

the 12th of June, in writing to his helper, John Cennick, he remarked: “Our Saviour deals most lovingly with me. I never enjoyed so
much happiness in Him as now. Day and night, He is pleased to shine upon my soul. My success here is great. I am enabled to ‘be
instant in season, and out of season,’ and to ‘reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine.’”7

Of course, a little time was requisite to erect Whitefield’s open-air church; and hence, after spending twelve days in Edinburgh, he

set out, on June 15, to Kilsyth, Cambuslang, and other places, in the west of Scotland. Previous to starting, he wrote, as follows, to
the Rev. William McCulloch, minister at Cambuslang:—

“Edinburgh, June 8, 1742.

“Reverend and very dear Brother,—I heartily rejoice at the awakening at Cambuslang and elsewhere. I believe you will

both see and hear far greater things than these. I trust, that, not one corner of poor Scotland will be left unwatered by the
dew of God’s heavenly blessing. The cloud is now only rising as big as a man’s hand: in a little while, we shall hear a
sound of an abundance of gospel rain. God willing, I hope to be with you at the beginning of next week.”

Whitefield spent more than a fortnight in this revival excursion to the west,—one of the most remarkable fortnights in his eventful

life. Hence the following letters to his friends. The first and second were addressed to John Cennick.

“Glasgow, June 16, 1742.

“Last Lord’s-day, I preached, in the morning, in the park at Edinburgh, to a great multitude. Afterwards, I attended,

and partook of the holy sacrament, and served four tables. In the afternoon, I preached in the churchyard, to a far greater
number. Such a passover, I never saw before. On Monday, I preached again in Edinburgh. On Tuesday, twice at Kilsyth,
to ten thousand; but such a commotion, I believe, you never saw. O what agonies and cries were there! Last night, God
brought me hither. A friend met me without the town, and welcomed me in the name of twenty thousand. The streets
were all alarmed. By three o’clock this morning, people were coming to hear the word of God. At seven, I preached to
many, many thousands; and again this evening. Our Lord wounded them by scores. It is impossible to tell you what I see.
The work flies from parish to parish. O what distressed souls have I beheld this day! Publish this on the housetop; and
exhort all to give thanks.”

In this letter, Whitefield’s wife added a postscript:—

“My husband publicly declared here, that, he was a member of the Church of England, and a curate thereof; and, yet,

was permitted to receive, and assist at the Lord’s supper in the churches at Edinburgh.”8

“June 19, 1742.

“Yesterday morning, I preached at Glasgow, to a large congregation. At mid-day, I came to Cambuslang, and

preached, at two, to a vast body of people; again at six, and again at nine at night. Such commotions, surely, were never
heard of, especially at eleven o’clock at night. For an hour and a half, there was such weeping, and so many falling into
such deep distress, expressed in various ways, as cannot be described. The people seemed to be slain in scores. Their
agonies and cries were exceedingly affecting. Mr. M’Culloch preached, after I had done, till past one in the morning; and
then could not persuade the people to depart. In the fields, all night, might be heard the voice of prayer and praise. The
Lord is indeed much with me. I have, to-day, preached twice already, and am to preach twice more, perhaps thrice. The
commotions increase.”9

On his return to Edinburgh, Whitefield wrote to a friend in London, as follows:—

“Edinburgh, July 7, 1742.

“I arrived here, last Saturday evening, from the west, where I preached all last week—twice on Monday, at Paisley;

three times each day, on Tuesday and Wednesday, at Irvine; twice on Thursday, at Mearns; three times on Friday, at

Cumbernauld; and twice on Saturday, at Falkirk, in my way to Edinburgh. In every place, there was the greatest
commotion among the people. The auditories were very large, and the work of God seems to be spreading more and
more.

“Last Sabbath, I preached twice in the park at Edinburgh, and once in the church, and I have preached twice every

day since. A number of seats and shades, in the form of an amphitheatre, have been erected in the park, where the
auditory sit in beautiful order.

“I purpose going to Cambuslang to-morrow, to assist at the communion; and shall preach at various places westward

before I return here.”

To John Cennick, he sent the following:—

“New Kilpatrick, July 15, 1742.

“Last Friday night, I came to Cambuslang, to assist at the blessed sacrament. On Saturday, I preached to above

twenty thousand people. On the Sabbath, scarce ever was such a sight seen in Scotland. Two tents were set up, and the
holy sacrament was administered in the fields. When I began to serve a table, the people crowded so upon me, that I was
obliged to desist, and go to preach in one of the tents, whilst the ministers served the rest of the tables. There was
preaching all day, by one or another; and, in the evening, when the sacrament was over, at the request of the ministers, I
preached to the whole congregation of upwards of twenty thousand persons. I preached about an hour and a half. It was
a time much to be remembered. On Monday morning, I preached again to near as many. I never before saw such a
universal stir. The motion fled, as swift as lightning, from one end of the auditory to the other. Thousands were bathed in
tears—some wringing their hands, others almost swooning, and others crying out and mourning over a pierced Saviour.
In the afternoon, the concern was again very great. Much prayer had been previously put up to the Lord. All night, in
different companies, persons were praying to God, and praising Him. The children of God came from all quarters. It was
like the passover in Josiah’s time. We are to have another in two or three months, if the Lord will.10

“On Tuesday morning, I preached at Glasgow—it was a glorious time—and, in the afternoon, twice at Inchannon.

Yesterday morning, I preached there again; and here twice. Every time there was a great stir, especially at this place. A
great company of awakened souls is within the compass of twenty miles; and the work seems to be spreading apace. I
am exceedingly strengthened, both in soul and body, and cannot now do well without preaching three times a day.”

These were strange scenes. Much might be written respecting this remarkable work of God in Scotland; but want of space

prevents enlargement. Those who wish for a full account, will do well to get, (if they can,) and read, “A Faithful Narrative of the
Extraordinary Work of the Spirit of God, at Kilsyth, and other Congregations in the Neighbourhood. Written by James Robe, A.M.,
Minister of the Gospel at Kilsyth,11 1742.” (12mo. 224 pp.) The “commotions,” however, which Whitefield mentions, may be
briefly noticed. They were severely criticised at the time; and even now deserve attention. What were they? Mr. Robe shall answer.

Besides the intense excitement among the penitents in general, about one in five of them “came under,” what Mr. Robe calls,

“faintings, tremblings, or other bodily distresses.”12 He writes: “The bodies of some of the awakened were seized with trembling, and
fainting; in some of the women there were hysterics, and convulsive motions in others, arising from an apprehension and fear of the
wrath of God.” Among those who were not physically affected, there were loud outcries for the mercy of God; and, among those
who found peace with God, there were some who experienced great, though joyous, agitation. Mr. Robe remarks:—

“Some, who had been under deep apprehensions of Divine wrath, and had sunk under a sense of their guilt, when the

Lord opened their hearts to receive Him as offered to them in the gospel, were surprised with joy and admiration. Some
cried out with a loud voice, shewing forth the praises of the Lord. Others broke forth into loud weeping, from a sense of
their vileness and unworthiness. Some had, for a time, their bodies quite overcome, and were ready to faint, through the
feeling of such unexpected happiness. The countenances of others quite changed. There was an observable serenity, a
brightness, an openness, so that it was the observation of some concerning them, that they had got new faces.”13

This is not the place to enter into any elaborate defence or condemnation of such religious phenomena. They were not novel.

Similar scenes had been witnessed, in Bristol, under Wesley’s ministry, only three years before; and, at this very time, and on a large
scale, similar scenes were being witnessed, among the Presbyterians of New England. Of course, they were denounced, especially by
the Erskines and their friends; but Mr. Robe, while not enamoured of them, endeavoured to explain them, shewing that they were the
natural results of deep convictions and strong emotions; that exactly the same sort of thing had often happened in the history of the
Christian Church; and that the Bible itself contained similar examples. One or two extracts, from Mr. Robe’s “Preface,” must suffice:
—

“I seriously beg those who are prejudiced against this dispensation of God’s extraordinary grace, and look upon it as a

delusion, to direct me and other ministers what we shall answer the distressed persons of all ages, who come to us crying
bitterly that they are lost and undone, because of their sins. Shall we tell them, that, their fears of the wrath of God are all
delusion? Shall we tell persons, lamenting their cursing, swearing, Sabbath-breaking, and other immoralities, that, it is the
devil who makes them see these evils to be offensive to God, and destructive to their souls? Shall we pray, and
recommend them to pray to be delivered from such delusions? It would be worse than devilish, to treat the Lord’s
sighing and groaning prisoners at this rate. And, yet, such treatment is a natural consequence of reckoning this the work
of the devil, and a delusion.”

In reply to “The Associate Presbytery”—the Church-reformers of the age—who bitterly denounced the work, and compared the

converts to the Camisards,14 Mr. Robe remarks:—

“My dear brethren, whatever bitter names you and your party give us—whatever bitter reproaches you cast upon us

—we take all patiently. There are thousands of witnesses, that we return you blessing for cursing, and that we pray for
you, who despitefully use us. We would lay our bodies on the ground, for you to go over, if it could, in the least,
contribute to remove your prejudices, and advance the kingdom of our dear Redeemer; but we cannot look upon the guilt
you have brought upon yourselves, without the deepest grief; and upon the opposition you give to us in our endeavours to

recover sinners out of the snare of the devil, without the most zealous concern. You declare the work of God to be the
work of the grand deceiver. My dear brethren, for whom I tremble, have you been at due pains to know the nature and
circumstances of this work? Have you taken the trouble to go to any of these places, where the Lord has appeared in His
glory and majesty? Have you ever so much as written to any of the ministers, to receive information from them? It is not
consistent with common justice to condemn them as deceivers; and it is amazing rashness, to pronounce, without
enquiry, that to be the work of the devil, which, for anything you know, may be the work of the infinitely good and holy
Spirit. Is not this to be like the scribes and Pharisees, who ascribed the miraculous work of our Lord to Beelzebub? Are
you not afraid lest you come too near this sin?”

There is something profoundly mournful in all this. The Erskines were sincere, but sour. Their zeal to reform the Church of

Scotland might be commendable; their opposition to the work of God cannot be too severely censured. They had been the friends of
Whitefield. At their invitation, he, eleven months before, had come to Scotland; but, instead of co-operating with him, they almost
immediately disowned him. Only a week after this, his second arrival in Scotland, he wrote a most friendly letter to Ebenezer Erskine;
but, as will soon be seen, without good effect. The letter was as follows:—

“Edinburgh, June 10, 1742.

“Reverend and very dear Sir,—The love which I bear you, for my Master’s sake, constrains me to send you a line. It

is some concern to me, that our difference as to outward things should cut off our sweet fellowship with each other. God
knows, I highly value and honour you. Reverend and dear sir, I do assure you, I love you and your brethren more than
ever. I applaud your zeal for God; and, though, in some respects, I think it not according to knowledge, and to be levelled
frequently against me, yet I feel no resentment, and should joyfully hear you and your brethren preach. I salute them all;
and pray our common Lord to give us all a right judgment in all things. I hope the glorious Emmanuel will be present at
the sacrament, and will make Himself known to you in breaking of bread. When I shall come to Stirling, I know not. O
when shall the time come, when the watchmen will see eye to eye? Hasten that time, our Lord and our God! But, perhaps,
I am troublesome. Forgive me, reverend and dear sir, being, without dissimulation, your younger brother and servant in
the gospel of Christ,

“George Whitefield.”

What was the response to this loving letter? Exactly five weeks afterwards, on the 15th of July, “The Associate Presbytery”

issued a document announcing a “Public Fast,” and the reasons for observing it. One reason was, that the “bitter outcryings, faintings,
severe bodily pains, convulsions, voices, visions, and revelations,” connected with the revivals at Cambuslang and other places, were
a proof that the work there was a delusion, and of the devil; and another was, “the fond reception given to Mr. George Whitefield,
notwithstanding it is notoriously known, that he is a priest of the Church of England, who has sworn the oath of supremacy, and
abjured the Solemn League and Covenant, and endeavours, by his lax toleration principles, to pull down the hedges of
government and discipline, which the Lord has planted about His vineyard in this land.”15

This was bad enough to come from Christian men; but worse followed. A month later, there was published a pamphlet of thirty-

two pages, of minute type, and closely printed, with the title, “The Declaration of the true Presbyterians within the Kingdom of
Scotland, concerning Mr. George Whitefield, and the Work at Cambuslang.”

This pretentiously religious, but extremely malignant production begins as follows:—“The Declaration, Protestation, and

Testimony of the suffering Remnant of the anti-Popish, anti-Lutheran, anti-Prelatic, anti-Whitefieldian, anti-Erastian, anti-Sectarian,
true Presbyterian Church of Christ in Scotland.” Very sonorous, but very rancorous! Whitefield is branded as “an abjured, prelatic
hireling, of as lax toleration principles as any ever set up for the advancing of the kingdom of Satan.” He is “a wandering star, who
steers his course according to the compass of gain and advantage.” He is “a base English impostor, whom the enemies of Christ’s
kingdom have chosen as their commander-in-chief, to lead the covenanted kingdom of Scotland back to Egypt and Babylon, to the
bondage and slavery of Popery, Prelacy, and Sectarianism.” He is “the most latitudinarian, prelatic priest that ever essayed to
confound, and unite into one, almost all sorts and sizes of sects and heresies with orthodox Christians.” His “foul, prelatic, sectarian
hands” had administered the sacrament to Presbyterians. He “is not of a blameless conversation, as the Word of God requires all the
ministers of the gospel to be, but is a scandalous idolater, being a member of the idolatrous Church of England, which resembles the
idolatrous Church of Rome, in many of her idolatries.” He “is a poor, vain-glorious, self-seeking, puffed-up creature.” He “is a limb of
Antichrist; a boar, and a wild beast, from the anti-Christian field of England, come to waste and devour the poor erring people of
Scotland.” “In collecting such vast sums of money in Scotland, his insatiable covetousness is shewn; and it is evident, that, his design
in coming is to pervert the truth, subvert the people, and make gain to himself, by making merchandise of his pretended ministry.” The
pamphlet finishes by “protesting, testifying, and declaring against Whitefield, and all, of every rank, station, and degree, within the
kingdom of Scotland, who, in any manner of way, have aided, assisted, countenanced, and encouraged him.” The last paragraph in
this pious production is as follows:—

“And that this our Declaration, Protestation, and Testimony may come to the world’s view, we do appoint and ordain

our emissaries, in our name, to pass upon the ―― day of August, 1742, to the market-cross of ――, and other public
places necessary, and there publish, and leave copies of the same, that none may pretend ignorance thereof.

“Given in Scotland, upon the ―― day of August, 1742.

“Let King Jesus reign,
And let all His enemies be scattered.”

Worse and worse; and yet there is more to follow. About the same time, there was published, in Edinburgh, “A Letter from a

Gentleman in Boston, to Mr. George Wishart, one of the Ministers of Edinburgh, concerning the state of Religion in New England.”
(12mo. 24 pp.) Three extracts from this production must suffice.

“The minds of the people, in this part of the world, had been greatly prepossessed in favour of Mr. Whitefield, from

the accounts transmitted of him, as a wonder of piety, and a man of God. Accordingly, when he came to Boston, about
two years ago, he was received as though he had been an angel of God, yea, a god come down in the likeness of man. He
was strangely flocked after by all sorts of persons, and much admired by the vulgar, both great and small. The ministers
had him in veneration, and, as much as the people, encouraged his preaching, attending it themselves every day in the
week, and mostly twice a day. The grand subject of conversation was Mr. Whitefield, and the whole business of the
town was to run from place to place to hear him preach. His reception, as he passed through this and the neighbouring
governments of Connecticut and New York, was after much the same manner, save only, that he met with no admirers
among the clergy, unless here and there one, anywhere but in Boston. You ask, What was the great good this gentleman
was the instrument of? I answer, Wherever he went, he generally moved the passions, especially of the younger people,
and females; the effect whereof was a great talk about religion, together with a disposition to be perpetually hearing
sermons, to the neglect of all other business. In these things chiefly consisted the goodness so much spoken of. I could
not but discern, that there were the same pride and vanity, the same luxury and intemperance, the same lying and tricking
and cheating, in the town, as there were before this gentleman came among us. There was also raised such a spirit of
bitter, censorious, uncharitable judging, as was not known before; and the greatest friends of Mr. Whitefield were as
much puffed up with conceit and pride as any of their neighbours.”

The writer then proceeds to say, that a number of imitators of Whitefield sprung up after his departure, and that one of the most

famous of them was Gilbert Tennent,

“A man of no great parts or learning, and whose preaching was in the extemporaneous way, with much noise, and

little connection. Under his preaching, scores cried out, fell down, swooned away, and were like persons in fits. Visions
became common, and trances also. Laughing, loud, hearty laughing, was one of the ways in which the new converts
almost everywhere expressed their joy at the conversion of others. Houses of worship were scarce emptied night or day
for a week together, and unheard-of instances of supposed religion were carried on in them. In the same house, and at the
same time, some would be praying, some exhorting, some singing, some clapping their hands, some laughing, some
crying, some shrieking, and some roaring out.”

The gentleman in Boston concludes thus:—

“I am among those who are clearly of opinion, that, there never was such a spirit of superstition and enthusiasm

reigning in the land before; never such gross disorders, and bare-faced affronts to common decency; never such
scandalous reproaches on the blessed Spirit, making Him the author of the greatest irregularities and confusions. Yet, I
am of opinion also, that the appearances among us have been the means of awakening the attention of many; and a good
number, I hope, have settled into a truly Christian temper.”

The “Letter” was written with seeming candour, but there can be little doubt that its publication in Edinburgh added to the

difficulties which Whitefield had to encounter among the precise Presbyterians of the kingdom of Scotland. Almost
contemporaneously with this, there was published in Glasgow, a small 12mo. book, of 130 pages, entitled, “The State of Religion in
New England, since the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield’s arrival there, in a Letter, from a Gentleman in New England, to his Friend in
Glasgow: with an Appendix containing Proofs of the principal Facts, and further Accounts of the Disorders in matters of Religion
lately introduced into various parts of New England and Carolina.” The gentleman’s letter is dated “May 24, 1742.”

The preface to this publication contains the following:—

“Mr. Whitefield asks nothing, indeed, for his preaching, but he has a brother Syms to suggest, wherever he goes,

what it is decent to give so great a man; and, by these means, he has, these four months past, made as much gain as
several of the bishops in England, or any six ministers in Scotland, for the same time; and that partly by getting from
some poor parishes, for a day’s holding forth, nearly as much as they collect for their own poor in a whole year.”

This was a baseless slander; but let it pass. The “Gentleman in New England” asks:—

“In what does Mr. Whitefield’s fervour turn? Is it not upon getting money and popular applause, by perpetually

roaring out hell-flames, fire and brimstone, incarnate devils, and damnation? Some are frightened out of their senses;
others fall into convulsions and epileptic fits; and others scream and roar with hideous voices. These are, according to
him, the fruits of the Spirit, and gales from the Holy Ghost.”

Gilbert Tennent, the friend of Whitefield, is similarly abused.

“In the pulpit, Gilbert Tennent is an awkward and ridiculous ape of Whitefield, for his appearance is very clownish.

His great business, in his sermons, is either to puzzle or to frighten his hearers, but especially the latter, which he does by
roaring and bellowing damnation, devils, and all the dreadful words he can think of. He is followed by all sorts of people,
as much as Whitefield was, and, by many, is preferred to him.”

Of the Presbyterian helpers, employed by Whitefield and Tennent in New England, the “Gentleman” remarks:—

“There is a creature here whom, perhaps, you never heard of before. It is called an Exhorter. It is of both sexes, but

generally of the male, and young. Its distinguishing qualities are ignorance, impudence, zeal. Numbers of these exhorters
are among the people here. They go from town to town; creep into houses; lead captive silly women; and then the men.
Such of them as have good voices do great execution. They move their hearers, and make them cry, faint, swoon, and
fall into convulsions.”

The converts of Whitefield and Tennent are thus described:—

“The converts are all made in this manner. First, they become concerned for their souls, and greatly distressed, and

not rarely distracted. They continue in this condition for some days, and then, all at once, without any visible means, they
come out of their dark and disconsolate state all light, joy, and ecstasy. This they express by their talk to their neighbours,
which they call telling their experiences; and, in many places, by immoderate laughter and singing hymns. Their joy is

sometimes so great, that, their eyes sparkle, and their faces shine. These are certain signs of the Spirit of God being in
them. One of a hundred excepted, they all make religion to consist in the feeling of inward impulses and impressions, in
an inexplicable faith, joys, ecstasies, and such-like things. They are bigoted to certain opinions, which they do not
understand; and have not the least degree of charity for those who are of another way of thinking. All of them are vain,
self-conceited, superstitious, enthusiastic, censorious slanderers. Reason, learning, and morality, they professedly
disregard. If they hear a minister preach, in the most evangelical manner, upon any moral duty, or if they hear him
recommend the exercise of reason and understanding, they call him a dry, husky, Arminian preacher, and conclude for
certain that he is not converted.”

The reader may easily imagine the effects likely to be produced, at this juncture, among the Presbyterians of Scotland, by such

infamous statements respecting Presbyterian converts and congregations in New England.

The subject is a loathsome one; but, perhaps, it is best, once for all, to exhaust it. To say nothing of objectionable passages in

Ralph Erskine’s pamphlet, entitled, “Fraud and Falsehood Detected,” and in the sermons he preached at different places in the year
1742, particularly those on Luke xxii. 31, 32; Heb. xiii. 8; and Rev. v. 9;16 the following publications must have annoyed Whitefield,
and, also, injured him in the estimation of the Scottish people.

1. “Some Observations upon the Conduct of the Famous Mr. W—field. By a true Lover of the Church and Country. Edinburgh:

printed in the year 1742.” (12mo. 12 pp.) The author of these “Observations” told his readers, that, Whitefield had taken upon
himself “the office of a thirteenth apostle;” and that he began his work in Scotland “with a notorious lie, for he said he was £600 out
of pocket about his Hospital in Georgia, whereas it can be proved that he advanced about £1000 to a captain of a man of war, who
gave him bills for it upon the Admiralty, who paid this sum to him a little before he came to Scotland.” The writer adds, “Instead of
going to Georgia, this thirteenth Apostle was moved to take to him a fellow-mate; so that now, I am afraid, these” (Scotch)
“collections will be applied towards the maintenance of him, her, and their issue.” The anxious author, in conclusion, benevolently
remarks: “Let all good people beware of this stroller; for he will yet find a way to wheedle you out of your money. He is as artful a
mountebank as any I know.”

2. “A Letter to a Gentleman in Edinburgh, containing Remarks upon a late Apology for the Presbyterians in Scotland, who keep

Communion, in the Ordinances of the Gospel, with Mr. George Whitefield, a Priest of the Church of England: shewing that such a
Practice is not justifiable by the Principles and Practice of the Church of Scotland, from the Reformation to this day; nor by the
Westminster Confession of Faith, Solemn League and Covenant. In which Mr. Whitefield’s Religion, Orthodoxy, and Moral
Character are set in a proper light, by Collections from his own printed Performances. Glasgow, 1742.” (pp. 112....