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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 who afterwards, at his own earnest request, became Mr. Whitefield's fellow traveler. At length, after nine weeks tossing and beating to and fro, they found themselves in Limerick harbor.*

At Limerick, Bishop Burscough received him very kindly, and engaged him to preach in the cathedral, the good effects of which he heard of many years after. From thence he went to Dublin, where he preached and was courteously received by Dr. Delany, Bishop Rundell, and Archbishop Bolton, who had heard of him from a gentleman of Gibraltar. And, after a passage of twenty-four hours from Dublin, he arrived at Parkgate, Thursday, November 30, preached twice on the Lord's day, at Manchester, and came to London the Friday following, December 8.

Here he had a conference with the Moravian brethren, who had lately come to London; and though he could not directly fall in with their way of expressing themselves, yet he heartily agreed with them in the old Protestant doctrine of justification in the sight of God, by faith alone in the imputed righteousness of Christ; and was not a little delighted to find a great increase of the work of God, both as to light and love, doctrine and practice, through the instrumentality of Mr. Charles, and especially of Mr. John Wesley.

Some of the clergy now began to show their displeasure more and more; so that in two days five churches were denied him. And though the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London, both received him civilly, it was but coldly: and the latter inquired, "Whether his Journals were not a little tinctured with enthusiasm." He replied, that they were written only for himself, and private friends, and were published entirely without his consent or knowledge, or so much as his consent being asked at all. The trustees for the colony of

* "I wish I could never forget what I felt when water and other provision were brought us from ashore. One Mr. MacMahon, a country gentleman, came from his seat at midnight on purpose to relieve us, and most kindly invited me, though unknown, to his house to stay as long as I pleased." MS.

+ It was certainly wrong to publish them without his consent and revisal; otherwise, the publication of them was a very proper way to prevent the misrepresentation of facts, either by calumny and detraction on the one hand, or by exaggeration on the other. And it is a great pity he did not continue them. They would have been the best possible memoirs of his life. But we see how the offense given by, or taken at, some passages, might help to determine him

Georgia received him more cordially, were pleased to express their satisfaction at the accounts sent them of his conduct during his stay in the colony: and, being requested, by letters sent, unknown to him, from the magistrates and inhabitants, they most willingly presented him to the living of Savannah, (though he insisted upon having no salary) and as readily granted him five hundred acres of land, whereon to erect an Orphan-house; to collect money for which, together with taking priest's orders, were the chief motives of his returning to England so soon.

Nearly a month elapsed before a board sat to make him these returns. But during that interval he was not idle. He and his brethren went on in their usual course, preaching occasionally as churches were allowed them.* And though

the church wardens and clergy were averse, yet the common people were rather more eager than ever. But what surprised him most was, to see many of the heads and members of the London societies (who, by the accounts given by Drs. Woodward and Horneck, het thought, were founded on a good bottom) make such virulent opposition. However, numbers of "to proceed, (as he afterwards says) in a more compendious way." The Journals were, indeed, mostly written amidst his incessant labors in preaching, traveling, and writing a multitude of letters. And the whole was told with the unguarded simplicity, which, though it charms the candid, and disposes them to forgive or overlook many things, yet gives frequent handle to the critical and severe. It must also be owned, that his unsuspecting honesty made him sometimes receive with too little caution, the characters of persons and societies, from those whom he took to be the friends of religion, and who perhaps were really so, but were misinformed. Being therefore convinced, upon second thoughts, that his Journals and the two first parts of his Life needed correction, he promised a new edition to them, which he accordingly published in 1756. And in the preface he ingeniously acknowledges, that, upon a review, he had found" many mistakes," (which are now rectified,) and many passages that were justly exceptionable," (which are now erased.) And in a note, upon September 24, 1740, he says, "In my former journal, taking things by hearsay too much, I spoke and wrote too rashly, both of the colleges and ministers of New England; for which as I have already done, when at Boston last, from the pulpit, I take this opportunity of asking public pardon from the press. It was rash and uncharitable, and, though well meant, I fear did hurt." But these corrections, while they show the author's candor and humility, do not affect the history of his extraordinary labors and success in the work of the gospel.

"God gave us a most pleasant gospel Christmas season, and such a happy beginning of a new year, as I had never seen before."

"On the first night of the new year," says Wesley, "Mr. Hall, Kinchin, Ingham, Whitefield, Hutchins, and my brother Charles, were present at our love-feast, with about sixty of our brethern. About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch, that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of His majesty, we broke out with one voice, We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord."

+ See Dr. Woodward's Account of the Rise and Progress of the Religious Societies in the city of London, &c.

them were of another mind, and other societies were soon formed in various parts of the town. A large room in Fetterlane was the general place of rendezvous, where they had frequent meetings, and great satisfaction in social prayer.* At the same time, the people crowded into the churches that were open, and were affected more than ever. And he and his brethren were so much engaged, that for some days he could walk, and preach, and visit societies, with very little sleep, and religious exercises seemed to be their meat and drink.

January 11, 1739, he set out for Oxford, to receive priest's orders from his good friend Bishop Benson,† which he did the next Lord's day; and having preached and administered the sacrament at the Castle, and preached again in the afternoon, to a crowded congregation, he returned to London, January 15. As he had collected so much for the charity schools last year, he reasonably supposed that the pulpits would not be denied him for the use of the Georgia Orphan-house this year. But the religious concern advancing, and spreading more and more, opposition also increased. A pamphlet was published against his sermon on Regeneration. Several clergymen made strong objections against him and his brethren, for expounding in societies; and some people were threatened with prosecution by their parish ministers, for suffering them to expound in their houses. Yet this did not discourage either preachers or hearers. The more they were opposed the more they were strengthened. New awakenings were heard of in various parts; and, "What shall I do to be saved?" was the question every day repeated.

All the pulpits were not as yet shut up. Two or three churches were allowed him to preach in, and to collect for the Georgia orphans, and for erecting a church for the poor Saltz

"It was a Pentecost season indeed. Sometimes whole nights were spent in prayer. Often have we been filled as with new wine. And often have I seen them overwhelmed with the Divine Presence, and crying out, Will God, indeed, dwell with men upon earth!-How dreadful is this place!-This is no other than the house of God, and the gate of Heaven!" MS.

+ Shortly after the late Countess of Huntingdon was brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, Bishop Benson, who had been Lord Huntingdon's tutor, was sent for in order to reason with her ladyship respecting her opinions and conduct. But she pressed him so hard with articles and homilies; and so plainly and faithfully urged upon him the awful responsibility of his station under the great head of the church, Jesus Christ, that his temper was ruffled, and he rose up in haste to depart, bitterly lamenting that he had ever laid his hands on George Whitefield, to whom he imputed, though without cause, the change wrought in her ladyship. She called him back; " My lord," said she, "mark my words: when you come upon your dying bed, that will be one of the few ordinations you will reflect upon with complacence." It deserves remark, that Bishop Benson on his dying bed, sent ten guineas to Mr. Whitefield, as a token of his favor and approbation, and begged to be remembered by him in his prayers.

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"I thought it might be doing the service of my Creator, who had a mountain for his pulpit, and the heavens for a sounding board; and who, when his gospel was refused by the Jews, sent his servants into the highways and hedges."

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