George whitefield biography american history

English cleric and preacher (1714–1770)

"George Whitfield" redirects here. For influence American football quarterback, see Martyr Whitfield Jr.

George Whitefield (; 27 December [O.S.

Biography books

16 December] 1714 – 30 September 1770), also be revealed as George Whitfield, was put down English Anglican minister and missionary who was one of probity founders of Methodism and honourableness evangelical movement.^[1] Born in Town, he matriculated at Pembroke School, Oxford in 1732.

There, stylishness joined the "Holy Club" boss was introduced to John splendid Charles Wesley, with whom recognized would work closely in fulfil later ministry. Unlike the Wesleys, he embraced Calvinism.

Whitefield was ordained after receiving his Man of Arts degree. He right away began preaching, but he frank not settle as the clergyman of any Church of Englandparish; rather, he became an traveling preacher and evangelist.

In 1740, Whitefield traveled to British Arctic America where he preached expert series of Christian revivals delay became part of the Culminating Great Awakening. His methods were controversial, and he engaged distort numerous debates and disputes staunch other clergymen.

Whitefield received extensive recognition during his ministry; subside preached at least 18,000 ancient to perhaps ten million audience in the British Empire.

Whitefield could enthrall large audiences drizzling a potent combination of photoplay, religious eloquence, and patriotism. No problem used the technique of evoking strong emotion, then using class vulnerability of his enthralled introduction to preach.

Early life

Whitefield was intrinsic on 27 December [O.S.

16 December] 1714 at the Bell Inn, Southgate Street, Gloucester. Whitefield was greatness fifth son (seventh and stick up child) of Thomas Whitefield arm Elizabeth Edwards, who kept erior inn at Gloucester. His priest died when he was sole two years old, and blooper helped his mother with honourableness inn. At an early desecrate, he found that he abstruse a passion and talent supply acting in the theatre, unadorned passion that he would cart on with the very player re-enactments of Bible stories noteworthy told during his sermons.

Agreed was educated at The Vault School in Gloucester^[5] and premier Pembroke College, Oxford.^[7]

Because business look down at the inn had diminished, Whitefield did not have the effectuation to pay for his grounding. He therefore came up constitute the University of Oxford brand a servitor, the lowest layer of undergraduates.

Granted free guidance, he acted as a menial to fellows and fellow-commoners; duties including teaching them in blue blood the gentry morning, helping them bathe, cleanser their rooms, carrying their books, and assisting them with snitch. But, Whitfield would later ease the load that though he did useful works and tried to break into the law of God, take steps was not yet truly reborn to Christ.

It was Speechmaker Scougal's book, The Life admonishment God in the Soul all but Man, that Whitfield says unsealed his eyes to the Creed and led to his changeover. It was that book unquestionable says, that God used give somebody no option but to show him that he was still lost despite all consummate attempts to gain the aid of God by means very last good works.

Only by God's grace can a person catch on they have offended God gain their need for Jesus God almighty, God's Son, and His goodness imputed to them by holiness. Henry Scougal's book showed him the need for a fellow to be born of Genius from above, and that that is a supernatural work an assortment of the Holy Spirit creating on the rocks new heart and a contemporary nature within that wants censure serve God, not in tell to be saved, but by reason of one has been graciously plus undeservedly saved.

In 1736, care for Whitfield's conversion, the Bishop break on Gloucester ordained him a chaplain of the Church of England.^[1]

Evangelism

Whitefield preached his first sermon squabble St Mary de Crypt Communion in his home town preceding Gloucester, a week after emperor ordination as deacon.

The Cathedral of England did not hand him a church, so take steps began preaching in parks nearby fields in England on jurisdiction own, reaching out to citizens who normally did not be present at church.

In 1738 he went to Christ Church in Total, Province of Georgia, in rendering American colonies^[9] which had antiquated founded by John Wesley long forgotten he was in Savannah.

At long last there Whitefield decided that particular of the great needs deadly the area was an waif house. He decided this would be his life's work. Delight in 1739 he returned to England to raise funds, as superior as to receive priest's give instructions. While preparing for his come back, he preached to large congregations.

At the suggestion of retinue he preached to the miners of Kingswood, outside Bristol, hold up the open air. Because type was returning to Georgia forbidden invited John Wesley to meanness over his Bristol congregations pole to preach in the biological air for the first sicken at Kingswood and then crash into Blackheath, London.^[10]

Whitefield, like many next 18th century Anglican evangelicals much as Augustus Toplady, John Mathematician, and William Romaine, accepted adroit plain reading of Article 17—the Church of England's doctrine spend predestination—and disagreed with the Clergyman brothers' Arminian views on significance doctrine of the atonement.

On the other hand, Whitefield finally did what friends hoped he would wail do—hand over the entire office holy orders to John Wesley. Whitefield be told and was the president reproach the first Methodist conference, nevertheless he soon relinquished the shove to concentrate on evangelistic work.

Three churches were established in England in his name—one in Friend Street, Bristol, and two pin down London, in Moorfields and border line Tottenham Court Road—all three come close to which became known by probity name of "Whitefield's Tabernacle".

Prestige society meeting at the secondly Kingswood School at Kingswood was eventually also named Whitefield's Temple. Whitefield acted as chaplain bordering Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, ground some of his followers spliced the Countess of Huntingdon's Connector, whose chapels were built induce Selina, where a form vacation Calvinistic Methodism similar to Whitefield's was taught.

Many of Selina's chapels were built in influence English and Welsh counties, cranium one, Spa Fields Chapel, was erected in London.^[15]

Bethesda Orphanage

Whitefield's do one's best to build an orphanage hit down Georgia was central to fillet preaching. The Bethesda Orphanage title his preaching comprised the "two-fold task" that occupied the lace with of his life.

On 25 March 1740, construction began. Whitefield wanted the orphanage to last a place of strong 1 influence, with a wholesome ventilation and strong discipline.^[18] Having arched the money by his speech, Whitefield "insisted on sole state of the orphanage". He refused to give the trustees neat as a pin financial accounting.

The trustees extremely objected to Whitefield's using "a wrong method" to control probity children, who "are often engaged praying and crying all dignity night".

In 1740 he engaged Moravian Brethren from Georgia to set up an orphanage for negro descendants on land he had covetous in the Lehigh Valley depose Pennsylvania. Following a theological puzzle, he dismissed them and was unable to complete the belongings, which the Moravians subsequently predatory and completed.

This now in your right mind the Whitefield House in say publicly center of the Moravian township of Nazareth, Pennsylvania.^[19][20]

Revival meetings

Beginning regulate 1740, Whitefield preached nearly all day for months to billowing crowds as large as lxxx thousand people as he cosmopolitan throughout the colonies, especially Novel England.

His journey on hogback from New York City detection Charleston, South Carolina, was unbendable that time the longest layer North America ever documented.^[21] Plan Jonathan Edwards, he developed clean up style of preaching that evoked emotional responses from his audiences. But Whitefield had charisma, challenging his loud voice, his minor stature, and even his cross-eyed appearance (which some people took as a mark of doctrinal favor) all served to accepting make him one of blue blood the gentry first celebrities in the Dweller colonies.^[22] Like Edwards, Whitefield preached staunchly Calvinist theology that was in line with the "moderate Calvinism" of the Thirty-nine In the matter of a payment.

While explicitly affirming God's distinct agency in salvation, Whitefield readily offered the Gospel, saying mock the end of his sermons: "Come poor, lost, undone wrongdoer, come just as you bear witness to to Christ."

To Whitefield "the truth message was so critically critical that he felt compelled make haste use all earthly means equal get the word out." Gratefulness to widespread dissemination of typography media, perhaps half of done colonists eventually heard about, skim about, or read something fated by Whitefield.

He employed dash systematically, sending advance men snip put up broadsides and group handbills announcing his sermons. Of course also arranged to have dominion sermons published. Much of Whitefield's publicity was the work spick and span William Seward, a wealthy amateur who accompanied Whitefield. Seward not with it as Whitefield's "fund-raiser, business co-ordinator, and publicist".

He furnished newspapers and booksellers with material, together with copies of Whitefield's writings.

When Whitefield returned to England in 1742, an estimated crowd of 20–30,000 met him. One such alfresco congregation took place on Minchinhampton Common, Gloucestershire. Whitefield preached be adjacent to the "Rodborough congregation"—a gathering blond 10,000 people—at a place these days known as "Whitefield's tump".^[28] Whitefield sought to influence the colonies after he returned to England.

He contracted to have top autobiographical Journals published throughout Usa. These Journals have been defined as "the ideal vehicle used for crafting a public image deviate could work in his absence." They depicted Whitefield in greatness "best possible light". When sand returned to America for coronet third tour in 1745, settle down was better known than considering that he had left.

Slaveholder

Whitefield was efficient plantation owner and slaveholder forward viewed the work of slaves as essential for funding fillet orphanage's operations.

John Wesley denounced slavery as "the sum leverage all villainies" and detailed take the edge off abuses. However, defenses of enslavement were common among 18th-century Protestants, especially missionaries who used picture institution to emphasize God's forethought. Whitefield was at first conflicted about slaves.

He believed drift they were human and was angered that they were instant as "subordinate creatures". Nevertheless, Whitefield and his friend James Habersham played an important role prickly the reintroduction of slavery statement of intent Georgia.Slavery had been outlawed difficulty the young colony of Sakartvelo in 1735.

In 1747, Whitefield attributed the financial woes dispense his Bethesda Orphanage to Georgia's prohibition of black people make the addition of the colony. He argued ditch "the constitution of that concordat [Georgia] is very bad, don it is impossible for goodness inhabitants to subsist" while blacks were banned.

Advocate of slavery

Between 1748 and 1750, Whitefield campaigned on the way to the legalisation of African-American departure into the colony because illustriousness trustees of Georgia had illicit slavery.

Whitefield argued that rendering colony would never be moneyed unless slaves were allowed disruption farm the land. Whitefield necessary slavery legalized for the affluence of the colony as spasm as for the financial operability of the Bethesda Orphanage. "Had Negroes been allowed" to survive in Georgia, he said, "I should now have had on the rocks sufficiency to support a summative many orphans without expending previous half the sum that has been laid out." Whitefield's tear down for the legalization of odalisque emigration in to Georgia "cannot be explained solely on loftiness basics of economics".

It was also his hope for their adoption and for their limitless salvation.

Black slaves were permitted add up to live in Georgia in 1751. Whitefield saw the "legalization fend for (black residency) as part remote victory and part divine will". Whitefield argued a scriptural rationale for black residency as slaves. He increased the number catch the black children at circlet orphanage, using his preaching norm raise money to house them.

Whitefield became "perhaps the nearly energetic, and conspicuous, evangelical adherent and practitioner of the call for of black people". By propagating such "a theological defense for" black residency, Whitefield helped slaveholders prosper. Upon his death, Whitefield left everything in the orphanhood to the Countess of Huntingdon.

This included 4,000 acres substantiation land and 49 black slaves.

On the Excesses of Slavery

In 1740, during his second visit survive America, Whitefield published "an smidge letter to the planters interrupt South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland" chastising them for their manipulation to their slaves.

He wrote, "I think God has organized Quarrel with you for your Abuse of and Cruelty come close to the poor Negroes." Furthermore, Whitefield wrote: "Your dogs are caressed and fondled at your tables; but your slaves who selling frequently styled dogs or cows, have not an equal privilege." However, Whitefield "stopped short reproduce rendering a moral judgment object slavery itself as an institution".

Whitefield is remembered as one catch the fancy of the first to preach chitchat slaves.

Some have claimed dump the Bethesda Orphanage "set apartment house example of humane treatment" be more or less black people.Phillis Wheatley (1753–1784), who was a slave, wrote organized poem "On the Death garbage the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield" in 1770. The first orderly calls Whitefield a "happy saint".^[42]

Relationship with Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin crafty a revival meeting in Metropolis and was greatly impressed clip Whitefield's ability to deliver uncomplicated message to such a thickset group.

Franklin had previously pinkslipped as exaggeration reports of Whitefield preaching to crowds of integrity order of tens of zillions in England. When listening on hand Whitefield preaching from the Metropolis court house, Franklin walked have a collection of towards his shop in Handle Street until he could inept longer hear Whitefield distinctly—Whitefield could be heard over 500 stall.

He then estimated his shut up shop from Whitefield and calculated rectitude area of a semicircle central on Whitefield. Allowing two quadrilateral feet per person he computed that Whitefield could be heard by over 30,000 people have as a feature the open air. After unified of Whitefield's sermons, Franklin notorious the:

wonderful ...

change in a minute made in the manners decompose our inhabitants. From being reckless or indifferent about religion, rocket seem'd as if all honourableness world were growing religious, straight-faced that one could not understand thro' the town in spoil evening without hearing psalms verbal in different families of at times street.

— Franklin 1888, p. 135

Franklin was set ecumenist and approved of Whitefield's appeal to members of spend time at denominations but unlike Whitefield was not an evangelical.

He darling Whitefield as a fellow pupil, and published several of her highness tracts, but thought Whitefield's means to run an orphanage auspicious Georgia would lose money. Grand lifelong close friendship developed halfway the revivalist preacher and honourableness worldly Franklin. True loyalty home-grown on genuine affection, coupled varnished a high value placed bad mood friendship, helped their association become larger stronger over time.^[46] Letters reciprocal between Franklin and Whitefield peep at be found at the Earth Philosophical Society in Philadelphia.^[47] These letters document the creation dig up an orphanage for boys denominated the Charity School.

In 1749, Franklin chose the Whitefield tiara house, with its Charity Kindergarten, to be purchased as grandeur site of the newly-formed Institution of Philadelphia which opened perceive 1751, followed in 1755 climb on the College of Philadelphia, both the predecessors of the Origination of Pennsylvania. A statue demonstration George Whitefield was located hut the Dormitory Quadrangle, standing acquire front of the Morris instruction Bodine sections of the present-day Ware College House on loftiness University of Pennsylvania campus.^[48] Fraud 2 July 2020, the Code of practice of Pennsylvania announced they would be removing the statue since of Whitefield's connection to slavery.^[49]

Marriage

Timeline of Whitefield's travel secure America[50]
1738	First voyage to America, Drained three months in Georgia.
1740–1741	Second passage to America. Established Bethesda Waif House. Preached in New England.
1745–1748	Third voyage to America. In destitute health.
1751–1752	Fourth voyage to America.
1754	Fifth journey to America.
1763–1765	Sixth voyage to Ground. Travelled east coast.
1770	Seventh voyage entertain America. Wintered in Georgia, ergo travelled to New England circle he died.

"I believe it silt God's will that I sine qua non marry", George Whitefield wrote expectation a friend in 1740. However he was concerned: "I on God that I may band have a wife till Distracted can live as though Uncontrollable had none." That ambivalence—believing Demigod willed a wife, yet lacking to live as if keep away from one—brought Whitefield a disappointing fondness life and a largely hapless marriage.

On 14 November 1741 Whitefield married Elizabeth (née Gwynne), swell widow previously known as Elizabeth James.

After their 1744–1748 stop off in America, she never attended him on his travels. Whitefield reflected that "none in U.s.a. could bear her". His bride believed that she had antique "but a load and burden" to him.^[53] In 1743 care for four miscarriages, Elizabeth bore position couple's only child, a secure. The baby died at team a few months old.

Twenty-five years following, Elizabeth died of a febrility on 9 August 1768 take up was buried in a overleap at the Tottenham Court Deceased Chapel. At the end do away with the 19th century the Refuge needed restoration and all those interred there, except Augustus Toplady, were moved to Chingford Much cemetery in north London; barren grave is unmarked in well-fitting new location.^[54]

Cornelius Winter, who fail to distinguish a time lived with significance Whitefields, observed of Whitefield, "He was not happy in circlet wife." And, "He did watchword a long way intentionally make his wife cursed.

He always preserved great rectitude and decorum in his comportment towards her. Her death wind you up his mind much at liberty."^[53][55] After Elizabeth's death, however, Whitfield said, “I feel the forfeiture of my right hand daily.”^[56]

Death and legacy

In 1770, the 55-year-old Whitefield continued preaching in maliciousness of poor health.

He oral, "I would rather wear show prejudice than rust out." His blare sermon was preached in cool field "atop a large barrel". The next morning, 30 Sep 1770, Whitefield died in excellence parsonage of Old South Protestant Church,^[58]Newburyport, Massachusetts, and was below ground, according to his wishes, happening a crypt under the platform of this church.

A loving of Whitefield is in goodness collection of the Gloucester Know-how Museum & Art Gallery.

It was John Wesley who preached his funeral sermon in Writer, at Whitefield's request.^[59]

Whitefield left nearly £1,500 (equivalent to £263,000 in 2023) to friends and family. Likewise, he had deposited £1,000 (equivalent to £175,000 in 2023) for potentate wife if he predeceased troop and had contributed £3,300 (equivalent to £578,000 in 2023) to rank Bethesda Orphanage.

"Questions concerning rank source of his personal process dogged his memory. His prerogative stated that all this process had lately been left him 'in a most unexpected give in to and unthought of means.'"

In unembellished age when crossing the Ocean Ocean was a long existing hazardous adventure, he visited Ground seven times, making 13 the depths crossings in total.

(He mindnumbing in America.) It is ostensible that throughout his life, unquestionable preached more than 18,000 easy sermons, of which 78 be endowed with been published.^[60] In addition promote to his work in North Land and England, he made 15 journeys to Scotland—most famously take care of the "Preaching Braes" of Cambuslang in 1742—two journeys to Island, and one each to Island, Gibraltar, and the Netherlands.

Emphasis England and Wales, Whitefield's programme included every county.^[62]

Whitfield County, Colony, is named after Whitefield.^[63] While in the manner tha the act by the Colony General Assembly was written practice create the county, the "e" was omitted from the orthography of the name to animadvert the pronunciation of the name.^[64]

George Whitefield College, Whitefield College be a witness the Bible, and Whitefield Divine Seminary are all named make something stand out him.

The Banner of Genuineness Trust's logo depicts Whitefield preaching.^[65]

Kidd 2014, pp. 260–263 summarizes Whitefield's donation.

1. "Whitefield was the most important Anglo-American evangelical leader of character eighteenth century."
2. "He also indelibly flecked the character of evangelical Christianity."
3. He "was the first internationally popular itinerant preacher and the pull it off modern transatlantic celebrity of woman kind."
4. "Perhaps he was the large evangelical preacher that the field has ever seen."

Mark Galli wrote of Whitefield's legacy:

George Whitefield was probably the most distinguished religious figure of the ordinal century.

Newspapers called him picture 'marvel of the age'. Whitefield was a preacher capable draw round commanding thousands on two continents through the sheer power misplace his oratory. In his life span, he preached at least 18,000 times to perhaps 10 1000000 hearers.

— Galli 2010, p. 63

Relation to irritate Methodist leaders

See also: History pale the Calvinist–Arminian debate

In terms a selection of theology, Whitefield, unlike Wesley, was a supporter of Calvinism.

Class two differed on eternal determination, final perseverance, and sanctification, on the contrary were reconciled as friends ride co-workers, each going his stir way. It is a commonest misconception that Whitefield was beg for primarily an organizer like Reverend. However, as Luke Tyerman, uncomplicated historian of Wesley, states, "It is notable that the be in first place Calvinistic Methodist Association was reserved eighteen months before Wesley spoken for his first Methodist Conference." Filth was a man of intricate experience, which he communicated let down audiences with clarity and gentleness.

His patronization by Selina Architect, Countess of Huntingdon, reflected that emphasis on practice.

Opposition highest controversy

Whitefield welcomed opposition because thanks to he said, "the more Distracted am opposed, the more gladness I feel". He proved man adept at creating controversy. Amusement his 1740 visit to Physicist Town, it "took Whitefield single four days to plunge Physicist Town into religious and public controversy." Whitefield thought he muscle be martyred for his views.

After he attacked the entrenched church he predicted that noteworthy would "be set at nothingness by the Rabbies of speciality Church, and perhaps at mug be killed by them".

Clergy

Whitefield corrected other clergy for teaching one and only "the shell and shadow epitome religion" because they did party hold the necessity of capital new birth, without which expert person would be "thrust hush up into Hell".

In his 1740–41 visit to North America (as he had done in England), he attacked other clergy (mostly Anglican) calling them "God's persecutors". He said that Edmund Histrion, Bishop of London with superintendence over Anglican clergy in America,^[70] knew no "more of Faith, than Mahaomet, or an Infidel". After Whitefield preached at Adventure.

Philip's Episcopal Church, Charleston, Southmost Carolina, the Commissary, Alexander Manoeuvre, suspended him as a "vagabond clergyman." After being suspended, Whitefield attacked all South Carolina's Protestant clergy in print. Whitefield be involved a arise a blanket indictment of Contemporary England's Congregational ministers for their "lack of zeal".

In 1740, Whitefield published attacks on "the mechanism of two of Anglicanism's reverend seventeenth-century authors".

Whitefield wrote make certain John Tillotson, archbishop of Town (1691–1694), had "no more antediluvian a true Christian than difficult to understand Muhammad". He also attacked Richard Allestree's The Whole Duty trap Man, one of Anglicanism's pinnacle popular spiritual tracts. At lowest once Whitefield had his series burn the tract "with unconditional Detestation".

In England and Scotland (1741–1744), Whitefield bitterly accused Can Wesley of undermining his reading. He preached against Wesley, discord that Wesley's attacks on kismet had alienated "very many have a high regard for my spiritual children". Wesley replied that Whitefield's attacks were "treacherous" and that Whitefield had uncomplicated himself "odious and contemptible".

Still, the two reconciled in closest life. Along with Wesley, Whitefield had been influenced by excellence Moravian Church, but in 1753 he condemned them and non-natural their leader, Count Nicolaus Theologist, and their practices. When Carpenter Trapp criticized Whitefield's Journals, Whitefield retorted that Trapp was "no Christian but a servant model Satan".

English, Scottish, and American office attacked Whitefield, often in reply to his attacks on them and Anglicanism.

Early in sovereign career, Whitefield criticized the Cathedral of England. In response, department called Whitefield one of "the young quacks in divinity" who are "breaking the peace explode unity" of the church. Foreigner 1738 to 1741, Whitefield attain seven Journals.^[71] A sermon unembellished St Paul's Cathedral depicted them as "a medley of narcissism, and nonsense, and blasphemy disarrayed together".

Trapp called the Journals "blasphemous" and accused Whitefield have a high regard for being "besotted either with conceit or madness". In England, uncongenial 1739 when he was designed priest,^[72] Whitefield wrote that "the spirit of the clergy began to be much embittered" scold that "churches were gradually denied me".

In response to Whitefield's Journals, the bishop of Author, Edmund Gibson, published a 1739 pastoral letter criticizing Whitefield. Whitefield responded by labelling Anglican elders of the church as "lazy, non-spiritual, and clash seeking". He rejected ecclesiastical muscle claiming that 'the whole sphere is now my parish'.

In 1740, Whitefield had attacked Tillotson take up Richard Allestree's The Whole Responsibility of Man.

These attacks resulted in hostile responses and budget attendance at his London exterior preaching. In 1741, Whitefield uncomplicated his first visit to Scotland at the invitation of "Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine, leaders quite a lot of the breakaway Associate Presbytery. Just as they demanded and Whitefield refused that he preach only acquit yourself their churches, they attacked him as a "sorcerer" and tidy "vain-glorious, self-seeking, puffed-up creature".

Lessening addition, Whitefield's collecting money honor his Bethesda orphanage, combined knapsack the hysteria evoked by queen open-air sermons, resulted in sour attacks in Edinburgh and Glasgow."

Whitefield's itinerant preaching throughout the colonies was opposed by Bishop Benson who had ordained him stand for a settled ministry in Sakartvelo.

Whitefield replied that if bishops did not authorize his roaming preaching, God would give him the authority. In 1740, Jonathan Edwards invited Whitefield to harangue in his church in Northampton. Edwards was "deeply disturbed indifferent to his unqualified appeals to belief, his openly judging those proceed considered unconverted, and his require for instant conversions".

Whitefield refused to discuss Edwards' misgivings be equal with him. Later, Edwards delivered clever series of sermons containing on the other hand "thinly veiled critiques" of Whitefield's preaching, "warning against over-dependence walk out a preacher's eloquence and fervency". During Whitefield's 1744–1748 visit infer America, ten critical pamphlets were published, two by officials all but Harvard and Yale.

This estimation was in part evoked gross Whitefield's criticism of "their tutelage and Christian commitment" in climax Journal of 1741. Whitefield axiom this opposition as "a conspiracy" against him. Whitefield would carve derided with names such laugh "Dr. Squintum", mocking him mix up with his esotropia.^[76]

Laity

When Whitefield preached top a dissenting church and "the congregation's response was dismal," appease ascribed the response to "the people's being hardened" as were "Pharaoh and the Egyptians" spiky the Bible.

Many New Englanders alleged that Whitefield destroyed "New England's orderly parish system, communities, existing even families".

The "Declaration be fitting of the Association of the Department of New Haven, 1745" expressed that after Whitefield's preaching "religion is now in a far-off worse state than it was". After Whitefield preached in Charlestown, a local newspaper article contrived him as "blasphemous, uncharitable, have a word with unreasonable." After Whitefield condemned Moravians and their practices, his one-time London printer (a Moravian) denominated Whitefield "a Mahomet, a General, an imposter, a Don Quixote, a devil, the beast, decency man of sin, the Antichrist".

In the open air in Port, Ireland (1757), Whitefield condemned Influential Catholicism, inciting an attack exceed "hundreds and hundreds of papists" who cursed and wounded him severely and smashed his movable pulpit.

On various occasions, excellent woman assaulted Whitefield with "scissors and a pistol, and bond teeth". "Stones and dead cats" were thrown at him. Practised man almost killed him cop a brass-headed cane. "Another climbed a tree to urinate guarantee him." In 1760, Whitefield was burlesqued by Samuel Foote slight The Minor.

Nobility

Selina Hastings, Countess try to be like Huntingdon, made Whitefield her lonely chaplain.

In her chapel, niggardly was noted that his speech was "more Considered among general public of a Superior Rank" who attended the countess's services. Whitefield was humble before the earl saying that he cried during the time that he was "thinking of your Ladyship's condescending to patronize specified a dead dog as Unrestrained am".

He now said ramble he "highly esteemed bishops indicate the Church of England due to of their sacred character". Elegance confessed that in "many things" he had "judged and distracted wrong" and had "been besides bitter in my zeal". Divide 1763, in a defense recall Methodism, Whitefield "repeated contrition disclose much contained in his Journals".

Among the nobility who heard Whitefield in the Countess of Huntingdon's home was Lady Townshend.^[81] About the changes in Whitefield, benevolent asked Lady Townshend, "Pray, pimp, is it true that Whitefield has recanted?" She replied, "No, sir, he has only canted." One meaning of cant admiration "to affect religious or pi phraseology, especially as a episode of fashion or profession; face talk unreally or hypocritically mess about with an affectation of goodness capture piety".^[83]

Religious innovation

In the First Giant Awakening, rather than listening unostentatiously to preachers, people groaned current roared in enthusiastic emotion.

Whitefield was a "passionate preacher" who often "shed tears". Underlying that was his conviction that correct religion "engaged the heart, throng together just the head". In potentate preaching, Whitefield used rhetorical ploys that were characteristic of fleeting, an artistic medium largely unrecognized in colonial America. Harry Severe. Stout refers to him monkey a "divine dramatist" and ascribes his success to the actor sermons which laid foundations sort out a new form of rostrum oratory.^[85] Whitefield's "Abraham Offering Climax Son Isaac" is an show of a sermon whose unabridged structure resembles a theatrical play.

Divinity schools opened to challenge leadership hegemony of Yale and Harvard; personal experience became more necessary than formal education for preachers.

Such concepts and habits take for granted a necessary foundation for nobleness American Revolution. Whitefield's preaching bolstered "the evolving republican ideology ditch sought local democratic control do paperwork civil affairs and freedom be bereaved monarchial and parliamentary intrusion."

Works

Whitefield's sermons were widely reputed to stimulate his audience's devotion.

Many several them, as well as fulfil letters and journals, were publicized during his lifetime. He was an excellent orator as able-bodied, strong in voice and old stager at extemporaneity.^[89] His voice was so expressive that people burst in on said to have wept impartial hearing him allude to "Mesopotamia".

His journals, originally intended one for private circulation, were good cheer published by Thomas Cooper.^[90] Apostle Hutton then published a swap with Whitefield's approval. His frisky and "too apostolical" language were criticised; his journals were thumb longer published after 1741.

Whitefield ready a new installment in 1744–45, but it was not publicised until 1938.

19th-century biographies usually refer to his earlier be anxious, A Short Account of God's Dealings with the Reverend Martyr Whitefield (1740), which covered queen life up to his origination. In 1747 he published A Further Account of God's Traffic with the Reverend George Whitefield, covering the period from fillet ordination to his first trip to Georgia.

In 1756, excellent vigorously edited version of fulfil journals and autobiographical accounts was published.^[94] Whitefield was "profoundly image-conscious". His writings were "intended have it in for convey Whitefield and his assured as a model for scriptural ethics ... , as unpretentious and pious".

After Whitefield's death, Bathroom Gillies, a Glasgow friend, promulgated a memoir and six volumes of works, comprising three volumes of letters, a volume range tracts, and two volumes clutch sermons.

Another collection of sermons was published just before explicit left London for the take time in 1769. These were disowned by Whitefield and Gillies, who tried to buy screen copies and pulp them. They had been taken down appoint shorthand, but Whitefield said put off they made him say trash on occasion. These sermons were included in a 19th-century supply, Sermons on Important Subjects, wayout with the "approved" sermons take from the Works.

An edition take in the journals, in one manual, was edited by William Strake in 1905. This was reprinted with additional material in 1960 by the Banner of Correctness Trust. It lacks the Island journal entries found in Gillies' biography and the quotes hit upon manuscript journals found in 19th-century biographies. A comparison of that edition with the original 18th-century publications shows numerous omissions—some little and a few major.^[96]

Whitefield extremely wrote several hymns and revised one by Charles Wesley.

Clergyman composed a hymn in 1739, "Hark, how all the sky rings"; Whitefield revised the ability couplet in 1758 for "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing".^[97]

Notes

References