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ing to Mr. Whitefield, he had now left it off, and exhorted them, for Christ's sake, that they would go and do likewise. The children were catechised; there was a reformation throughout the whole soldiery. The women cried, "What a change in our Captain!" The bad books and packs of cards, which Mr. Whitefield exchanged for Bibles, and other religious books, (abundance of which were given to him to disperse by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge) were now thrown overboard; and a fever, that prevailed in general through the whole ship, helped to make the impressions sink deeper. For many days and nights he visited betwixt twenty and thirty sick persons, crawling between decks upon his knees, administering medicines or cordials to them, and such advice as seemed suitable to their circumstances. The sailors did not escape the fever; Captain Whiting gladly went with him to visit them. One of them in particular, who had been a most notorious scoffer, sent for him in a bitter agony, crying out upon, and lamenting, his wicked life. The Cadet, who was a cabin passenger, being also seized, was wounded deeply, told Mr. Whitefield the history of his life, and informed Captain Mackay of his desire to leave the army, and return to his original intention (having had an University education) of devoting himself to the service of the Church of God. Mr. Whitefield himself was also seized, but, by the blessing of God, he soon recovered, and was strong enough, in about a week, to come out to the burial of the Cook of the ship, who had boasted, "That he would be wicked till two years before he died, and then he would be good." But he was suddenly taken ill, and died in about six hours.*

It was the beginning of May, when they drew near to land. After preaching his farewel sermon, he arrived at the parsonage-house, in Savannah, May 7, 1738, about four months after his first embarkation at Deptford.

Upon this voyage (many years after) he made the following reflection: "A long, and, I trust, not altogether "unprofitable voyage. What shall I render to the Lord

"This was the only adult, except a soldier (who had "killed himself at Gibraltar by perpetual drinking) that died out of all that were on board." M. S.

"for all his mercies? Besides being strengthened to ge "through my public work, I was enabled to write letters, "and compose sermons, as though I had been on land. "Even at this distance of time, the remembrance of the "happy hours I enjoyed in religious exercises on the "deck, is refreshing to my soul. And though nature "sometimes relented at being taken from my friends, "and the little unusual inconveniences of a sea life, yet a "consciousness that I had in view the glory of God, and "the good of souls, from time to time afforded me un"speakable satisfaction." (M. S.)

One Mr. Delamot, who had gone volunteer with Mr. John Wesley, and was left behind him as schoolmaster at Savannah, received Mr. Whitefield at the parsonage house, which he found much better than he expected. Here some serious persons, the fruits of Mr. Wesley's ministry, soon came to see him. On the morrow he read prayers and expounded in the court-house, and waited upon the magistrates; but, being taken ill, he was confined for above a week with a fever and ague.

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When he was recovered, and able to look about him, he found every thing bore the aspect of an infant colony; and, what was more discouraging still, he saw it was likely to continue so, by the very nature of its constitution. "The "people, (says he) were denied the use both of rum and "slaves. The lands were allotted them according to a "particular plan, whether good or bad; and the female "heirs prohibited from inheriting. So that, in reality, to place people there, on such a footing, was little better "than to tie their legs, and bid them walk. The scheme "was well meant at home; but, as too many years' expe"rience evidently proved, was absolutely impracticable in "so hot a country abroad. However, that rendered what "I had brought over from my friends more acceptable to "the poor inhabitants, and gave me an occular demon"stration, which was what I wanted, when the hint was "given,* of the great necessity and promising utility of a.

"It was first proposed to me by my dear friend, Mr. "Charles Wesley, who, with General Oglethorp, had "concerted a scheme for carrying on such a design, before "I had any thoughts of going abroad myself." Vol. III. page 463.

"future orphan-house, which I now determined, by the “divine assistance, to set about in earnest. The Saltz"burghers at Ebenezer, I found, had one; and having "heard and read of what professor Franck had done in "that way in Germany, I confidently hoped that some"thing of the like nature might be owned and succeeded "in Georgia. Many poor orphans were there already, " and the number was likely soon to increase.

"As opportunity offered, I visited Frederica and the "adjacent villages, and often admired, considering the "circumstances and disposition of the first settlers, that "so much was really done. The settlers were chiefly "broken and decayed tradesmen from London and other "parts of England; and several Scotch adventurers; "some Highlanders, who had a worthy minister, named "Macleod; a few Moravians; and the Saltzburghers, "who were by far the most industrious of the whole"With the worthy ministers of Ebenezer, Messrs. Gre"naw and Boltzins, I contracted an intimacy. Many "praying people were in the congregation, which, with "the consideration that so many charitable people in Eng"land had been stirred up to contribute to Georgia, and "such faithful laborers as Messrs. Wesleys and Ingham "had been sent, gave me great hopes, that, unpromising "as the aspect at present might be, the colony might 66 emerge in time out of its infant state. Some small ad"vances Mr. Ingham had made towards converting the "Indians, who were at a small settlement about four miles ❝from Savannah. He went and lived among them for a "few months, and began to compose an Indian Gram"mar; but he was soon called away to England; and the "Indians (who were only some runaway Creeks) were, in

a few years, scattered or dead. Mr. Charles Wesley "had chiefly acted as Secretary to General Oglethorp, "but he soon also went to England to engage more la“borers; and, not long after, his brother, Mr. John Wes"ley, having met with unworthy treatment, both at Fred"erica and Georgia, soon followed. All this I was ap"prized of, but think it most prudent not to repeat griev"ances. Through divine mercy I met with respectful "treatment from magistrates, officers, and people. The "first I visited now and then, the others, beside preach

❝ing twice a-day, and four times of a Lord's day, I visited "from house to house: I was, in general, most cordially "received; (but from time to time found, that Calum “non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt.") Though "lowered in their circumstances, a sense of what they for"merly were in their native country remained. It was "plain to be seen, that coming over was not so much out "of choice, as constraint: choosing rather to be poor in "an unknown country abroad, than beholden to relations, "or live among those who knew them in more affluent "circumstances, at home. Among some of these the " event however proved, that the word took effectual root. "I was really happy in my little foreign cure, and could "have cheerfully remained among them,had I not been obli"ged to return to England, to receive priest's orders, and "make a beginning towards laying a foundation to the Orphan-house. And thus the place I intended to hide "myself in, became, through my being obliged to return "for these purposes, a means of increasing that populari66 ty which was already begun, but which by me was abso"lutely unforeseen, and as absolutely undesigned."*

About the middle of August, having settled one that came with him as schoolmaster in a neighboring village, and left his friend, Mr. Habersham, at Savannah, after an affectionate parting with his flock, he set out for Charleston in South Carolina.

Here he paid his first visit to Commissary Garden, and at his entreaty preached the next Sunday morning and evening in a grand church resembling one of the new churches in London. The inhabitants seemed, at his first coming up, to despise his youth; but their countenances were altered before worship was over. Mr. Garden thanked him most cordially, and apprised him of the ill treatment Mr. Wesley had met with in Georgia, and assured

* "During my stay there, the weather was most in"tensely hot, sometimes burning me almost through my "shoes. Seeing others do it, who were as unable, I de"termined to inure myself to hardiness, by lying con"stantly on the ground; which, by use, I found to be so "far from being a hardship, that afterwards it became so ❝to lie on a bed." M. S.

him, that, were the same arbitrary proceedings to commence against him, he would defend him with his life and fortune. He also said something about the colony of Georgia, that much encouraged him, as if he thought its flourishing was not very far off; and that Charleston was fifteen times bigger now than when he (Mr. Garden) first came there.

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CHAP. IV.

From his embarking at Charleston for London, to his preaching first in Moorfields. 1739.

SEPTEMBER 6, 1738, Mr. Whitefield embarked in a ship bound from Charleston to London. They had a very uncomfortable passage. For near a fortnight they were beat about not far from the bar; they were soon reduced to an allowance of water; and the ship itself was quite out of repair. They were also very poorly off for provisions. When they were about a third part of their passage, they met with a Jamaica-man, who had plenty of every thing. He sent for Mr. Whitefield on board, and offered him a most commodious birth; but he did not think it right to leave his shipmates in distress, and there. fore returned to his own ship, with such things as they were pleased to give him. The remaining part of the voyage was still more perilous. The only thing comfortable was, that, in the midst of these trials, deep impressions were made on some that were on board. All constantly attended public worship twice, and some thrice, a day. Once the Captain cried out, "Lord, break this hard heart of mine." Others were impressed; particularly one Captain Gladman,a passenger, on whom a great change was wrought, and afterwards, at his own earnest request, became Mr. Whitefield's fellow-traveller. At length, after nine weeks tossing and beating to and fro, they found themselves in Limerick harbour.*

* "I wish I could never forget what I felt when water "and other provision were brought us from ashore. One

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