"occasioned many inward conflicts. Sometimes, when twenty-thousand people were before me, I had not in my own apprehension, a word to say, either to God or "to them. But I was never totally deserted, and fre"quently (for to deny it would be lying against God) so "assisted, that I knew by happy experience what our "Lord meant by saying, Out of his belly shall flow riv66 ers of living water.' The open firmament above me, "the prospect of the adjacent fields, with the sight of "thousands and thousands, some in coaches, some on "horseback, and some in the trees, and at times all "affected and drenched in tears together, to which some"times was added the solemnity of the approaching " evening, was almost too much for, and quite overcame "me."[See M. S.]

Besides the colliers, and thousands from neighbouring villages, persons of all ranks flocked daily out of Bristol. And he was soon invited to preach, by some of the better sort, in a large bowling-green in the city itself. Many indeed sneered to see a stripling, with a gown, mount a table, upon what they called unconsecrated ground. And for once or twice it excited the contempt and laughter of the higher rank, who formerly were his admirers when he preached in the churches. But God enabled him to stand the laugh, and to preach the Gospel of Christ with earnestness and constancy; and was pleased to attend it with his blessing. From all quarters people flocked, under great concern about their souls. Sometimes he was

employed almost from morning to night, giving answers to those who came in great distress, crying out, "What shall we do to be saved?" More assistance was wanted; he therefore wrote to Mr. John Wesley, who had never yet been at Bristol, and, having received a favourable answer, recommended him and his brother in the strongest manner to the people, and humbly prayed that the last might be first; for he was determined to pursue his scheme of the Orphan-house, and return to his retreat at Georgia.

Mr. Wesley being come, he took an affectionate leave of his friends at Bristol, and made a second excursion to Wales, where an awakening had begun some years before, by the instrumentality of the Rev. Mr. Griffith Jones,

and was now carried on by the ministry of one Mr. Howel Harris, a layman. They met at Cardiff, and in company with many others went to Husk, Ponty-pool, Abergavenny, Comihoy, Carleon, Trelex, and Newport, and preached in all these places, Mr. Whitefield first in English, and Mr. Harris afterwards in Welch, to many thousands. The serious persons among them of the Free-Grace Dissenters, rejoiced; but many of high-flying principles, and of another stamp, were equally enraged, and expressed their dislike by mockings and threats. All these, however, he was enabled to bear with patience, and without the least discouragement.

About the 8th of April, from Wales he went to Gloucester, the place of his birth, where a church was allowed him for once or twice, but no more. However, he preached frequently in Boothall (the place where the judges sit) and in his brother's field, to many thousands.* His concern for his countrymen, his fellow-citizens, and

* At the time of Mr. Whitefield's preaching in Gloucester, old Mr. Cole, a dissenting minister, used to say, "These are the days of the Son of Man indeed." This Mr. Cole, Mr. Whitefield, when a boy, was taught to ridicule. And being asked once by one of his congregation, What business he would be of? He said, "A minister; "but he would take care never to tell stories in the pulpit "like old Cole." About twelve years afterwards, the old man hearing him preach, and tell some story to illustrate the subject he was upon, and having been informed what he had before said, made this remark to one of his elders. "I find that young Whitefield can now tell stories, as well "as old Cole." He was much affected with Mr. Whitefield's preaching, and so humble, that he used to subscribe himself his curate; and went about preaching after him in the country from place to place. But one evening, while preaching, he was struck with death, and then asked for a chair to lean on, till he concluded his sermon, when he was carried up stairs, and died. Mr. Whitefield's reflection upon this, is, "O blessed God! if it be thy holy "will, may my exit be like his !"

As to Mr. Whitefield's telling stories in the pulpit, some perhaps may find fault; but, beside that he had an un

his own relations, made him forget all bodily weakness (to which, about this time, he was frequently subject) and readily to comply with invitations given to preach at Painswick, Cheltenham, Evesham, Badsey, Stroud, Chafford, places abounding with inhabitants, and where there is ground to hope many received much spiritual benefit. To wander thus about from place to place; to stand at bowling-greens, at market-crosses, and in high-ways, especially in his own country, where, had he conferred with flesh and blood, he might have lived at ease; to be blamed by friends, and have every evil thing spoken against him by his enemies; was (especially when his body was weak, and his spirits low) very trying but still he was inwardly supported.

April 21, he again went to Oxford; and, after staying a few days with the Methodists there, came to London, where he attempted to preach at Islington Church, the incumbent, Mr. Stonehouse, being a friend to the Methodists; but, in the midst of the prayers, the church-warden came and demanded his licence, or otherwise he forbad his preaching in that pulpit. He might, perhaps, have insisted on his right to preach, yet for peace sake he declined; and, after the communion service was over, he preached in the church-yard.

Opportunities of preaching in a more regular way being now denied him, and his preaching in the fields being attended with a remarkable blessing, he judged it his duty to go on in this practice, and ventured the following Sunday into Moorfields. Public notice having been giv en, and the thing being new and singular, upon coming out of the coach, he found an incredible number of people assembled. Many had told him that he should never come again out of that place alive. He went in, however, between two of his friends; who, by the pressure of the .crowd, were soon parted entirely from him, and were obliged to leave him to the mercy of the rabble. But

common fund of passages, proper enough to be thus told, and a peculiar talent of telling them, it was certainly a mean of drawing multitudes to hear him, who would not have attended to the truths of the Gospel delivered in the ordinary manner.

these, instead of hurting him, formed a lane for him, and carried him along to the middle of the Fields (where a table had been placed, which was broken in pieces by the crowd) and afterwards back again to the wall that then parted the upper and lower Moorfields; from whence he preached without molestation, to an exceeding great multitude in the lower Fields. Finding such encouragement, he went that same evening to Kennington-Common, a large open place, near three miles distant from London, where he preached to a vast multitude, who were all attention, and behaved with as much regularity and quietness as if they had been in a church.*

CHAP. V.

From his preaching in Moorfields, &c. to his laying the Foundation of the Orphan-house in Georgia, 1740.

FOR several months, after this, Moorfields, Kené nington-Common, and Blackheath, were the chief scenes of action. At a moderate computation, the auditories often consisted of above twenty thousand. It is said their singing could be heard two miles off, and his voice near a mile. Sometimes there were upwards of a hundred coaches, besides waggons, scaffolds, and other contrivances, which particular persons let out for the convenience of the audience. Having no other method to take, he was obliged to collect for the Orphan-house in the fields, or not at all, which was humbling to him and his friends who assisted him in that work. But the readiness with which the people gave, and the prayers which they put up when throwing in their mites, were very encour aging. In the mean while, Mr. John Wesley was labouring with great zeal at Bristol, his brother, Mr. Charles, in London and elsewhere, Mr. Ingham had been

* "Words cannot well express the glorious displays of Divine Grace which we saw, and heard of, and felt." M.S. "Once upwards of twenty pounds were collected in half-pence." M, S.

preaching in many churches of Yorkshire, Mr. Kinchin in Oxford, and Mr. Rogers in Bedfordshire. Thus the seed sown was gradually increased, and the embargo which was now laid on the shipping gave him leisure for more journeys through various parts of England; and God was pleased to crown his labours with amazing suc

cess.

Some demur happening in Bristol, he went there a few days; put Mr. John Wesley (who had now made a progress in building the Kingswood school, and also had begun a room at Bristol) in full power; and took him along with him, and introduced him as a field preacher, at Gloucester and other places. Every where the word seemed to sink deeper and deeper into the hearts of the hearers. Singing and praying were heard in Kingswood, instead of cursing and swearing; and in many other places the fruits of righteousness evidently appeared. Many false reports were now spread abroad concerning him. Not a journey he could make, but he was either killed or wounded, or died suddenly. One groundless fiction was continually invented after another. And the Bishop of London laid hold of this occasion for publishing a charge to his clergy to avoid the extremes of enthusiasm and lukewarmness. But amidst these discouragements, he was not left without the countenance and friendship of several persons of influence.

The embargo being taken off, and upwards of a thousand pounds collected for the Orphan-house, he sailed the second time for America, August 14, 1739, with a family consisting of eight men, one boy, and two children, besides his friend Mr. Seward.

After a passage of nine weeks," he arrived at Philadelphia in the beginning of November, and was immediately invited to preach in the churches, to which people of all denominations thronged, as in England. From thence

*For the manner in which he employed his time on board, see his Journals and Letters of this period. A little before he sailed, he finished his Answer to the Bishop of London's Pastoral Letter. And during the voyage, he wrote his Letters to the Religious Societies of England. See Vol. IV. of his Works.