George Whitefield: A Biography, with special reference to his labors in America

On the morning following these solemn services, Whitefield left Boston on his way to Northampton. To detail his four days' progress, would be almost to repeat what we have already written. At Concord, where he arrived on Monday about noon, he preached twice to some thousands in the open air, "and a comfortable preaching it was. The hearers were sweetly melted down." Mr. Bliss, the minister of the town, of whose subsequent labors it has been well said, more perfect accounts ought to have been preserved, wept abundantly. On Tuesday he "preached at Sudbury to some thousands with power, and observed a considerable commotion in the assembly;" as was also the case the same afternoon at Marlborough. At the latter place he was met by Governor Belcher, who went with him through the rain that night to Worcester. Here, on Wednesday, he "preached in the open air to some thousands. The word fell with weight indeed. It carried all before it. After sermon, the governor said to me, 'I pray God I may apply what has been said to my own heart. Pray, Mr. Whitefield, that I may hunger and thirst after righteousness.'" Passing on, he preached at Leicester, Brookfield, and Cold-Spring, on his way to Hadley, where he arrived on Friday, and preached about noon. In this place he says, "A great work was begun, and carried on some years ago; but lately the people of God have complained of deadness and losing their first love. However, as soon as I mentioned what God had done for their souls formerly, it was like putting fire to timber. The remembrance of it quickened them, and caused many to weep sorely." On the same afternoon he crossed the ferry to Northampton.

Of the great revival of religion in New England, which commenced at Northampton about 1734, and is the subject of President Edwards' "Narrative," we have already briefly spoken; its importance will justify a more extended notice. It began without any extraordinary circumstances to awaken the attention of the people, or any uncommon arrangements or efforts by the minister. The young people of the place had for two or three years shown an increased measure of thoughtfulness, and a growing disposition to receive religious instruction. There had been, from time to time, instances of strong religious impression and of hopeful conversion. But in the latter end of December, 1734, five or six persons, one after another, became very suddenly the subjects of the grace of God which newly creates the soul. Among these was a young woman distinguished for her gayety in youthful society, "one of the greatest company-keepers in the whole town," who came to the pastor with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and with faith and hope in the Saviour of sinners, before any one had heard of her being at all impressed with serious things. The sudden, though, as time proved, the real conversion of this young woman, was the power of God striking the electric chain of religious sympathies which had imperceptibly, but effectually encircled all the families of Northampton. Mr. Edwards' "Narrative" says, "The news of it seemed to be almost like a flash of lightning upon the hearts of young people all over the town, and upon many others… Presently a great and earnest concern about the great things of religion and the eternal world became universal in all parts of the town, and among persons of all degrees and all ages. All talk but about spiritual and eternal things was soon thrown by; all the conversation in all companies was upon these things only, except so much as was necessary for people carrying on their ordinary secular business. The minds of people were wonderfully taken off from the world; it was treated among us as a thing of very little consequence. All would eagerly lay hold of opportunities for their souls, and were wont very often to meet together in private houses for religious purposes. And such meetings, when appointed, were generally thronged. Those who were wont to be the vainest and loosest, and those who had been most disposed to think and speak lightly of vital and experimental religion, were now generally subject to great awakening. And the work of conversion was carried on in a most astonishing manner, and increased more and more. From day to day, for many months together, might be seen evident instances of sinners brought out of darkness into marvellous light. In the spring and summer following, the town seemed to be full of the presence of God; it was never so full of love, and yet so full of distress, as it was then. It was a time of joy in families, on account of salvation being brought to them; parents rejoicing over their children as new-born, and husbands over their wives, and wives over their husbands. The goings of God were then seen in his sanctuary, God's day was a delight, and his tabernacles were amiable. Our public assemblies were then beautiful; the congregation was alive in God's service, every one eagerly intent on the public worship, every hearer eager to drink in the words of the minister as they came from his mouth. The assembly were, from time to time, in tears, while the word was preached; some weeping with sorrow and distress, others with joy and love, others with pity and concern for their neighbors."

In December, 1743, nine years after this blessed work had begun, Edwards writes, "Ever since the great work of God that was wrought here about nine years ago, there has been a great, abiding alteration in this town, in many respects. There has been vastly more religion kept up in the town, among all sorts of persons, in religious exercises, and in common conversation, than used to be before. There has remained a more general seriousness and decency in attending the public worship. I suppose the town has been in no measure so free from vice, for any long time together, for these sixty years, as it has these nine years past. There has also been an evident alteration with respect to a charitable spirit to the poor. And though, after that great work of nine years ago, there has been a very lamentable decay of religious affections, and the engagedness of people's spirits in religion, yet many societies for prayer and social religion were all along kept up, and there were some few instances of awakening and deep concern about the things of another world, even in the most dead time. In the year 1740, in the spring, before Mr. Whitefield came to this town, there was a visible alteration. There was more seriousness and religious conversation, especially among young people. Those things that were of ill tendency among them were more forborne; and it was a more frequent thing for persons to visit their ministers upon soul accounts. In some particular persons, there appeared a great alteration about that time. And thus it continued till Mr. Whitefield came to town, which was about the middle of October following."

And what thought Whitefield himself on his arrival at Northampton? Let us hear him. "Their pastor's name is Edwards, successor and grandson to the great Stoddard, whose memory will be always precious to my soul, and whose books, entitled, "A Guide to Christ," and "Safety of appearing in Christ's righteousness," I would recommend to all. Mr. Edwards is a solid, excellent Christian, but at present weak in body. I think I may say I have not seen his fellow in all New England. When I came into his pulpit, I found my heart drawn out to talk of scarce any thing besides the consolations and privileges of saints, and the plentiful effusion of the Spirit upon the hearts of believers. And when I came to remind them of their former experiences, and how zealous and lively they were at that time, both minister and people wept much; and the Holy Ghost enabled me to speak with a great deal of power. In the evening, I gave a word of exhortation to several who came to Mr. Edwards' house."

On the following morning, "At Mr. Edwards' request, I spoke to his little children, who were much affected. Preached at Hatfield, five miles from Northampton, but found myself not much strengthened. Conversed profitably on the way about the things of God with dear Mr. Edwards, and preached about four in the afternoon to his congregation. I began with fear and trembling, feeling but little power in the morning, but God assisted me. Few dry eyes seemed to be in the assembly for a considerable time. I had an affecting prospect in my own heart of the glories of the upper world, and was enabled to speak of them feelingly to others. I believe many were filled, as it were, with new wine; and it seemed as if a time of refreshing was come from the presence of the Lord."

The day following this was the Sabbath. Whitefield tells us in his journal, that he "felt wonderful satisfaction in being at the house of Mr. Edwards. He is a son himself, and hath also a daughter of Abraham for his wife. A sweeter couple I have not yet seen. Their children were dressed, not in silks and satins, but plain, as becomes the children of those who in all things ought to be examples of Christian simplicity. She is a woman adorned with a meek and quiet spirit, talked feelingly and solidly of the things of God, and seemed to be such a help-mate for her husband, that she caused me to renew those prayers, which, for some months, I have put up to God, that he would be pleased to send me a daughter of Abraham to be my wife. I find, upon many accounts, it is my duty to marry. Lord, I desire to have no choice of my own. Thou knowest my circumstances; thou knowest I only desire to marry in and for thee."

Whitefield "preached this morning, and perceived the melting begin sooner and rise higher than before. Dear Mr. Edwards wept during the whole time of exercise. The people were equally, if not more affected; and my own soul was much lifted up towards God. In the afternoon the power increased yet more and more. Our Lord seemed to keep the good wine till the last. I have not seen four such gracious meetings together since my arrival. My soul was much knit to these dear people of God; and though I had not time to converse with them about their experiences, yet one might see they were for the most part, a gracious, tender people; and though their former fire might be greatly abated, yet it immediately appeared when stirred up."

Edwards had looked forward to Whitefield's visit to Northampton with interest, for he felt greatly concerned for his success. He wrote a week before his arrival to his friend Dr. Wheelock, then a young minister of twenty-nine, "I think that those that make mention of the Lord, should now be awakened and encouraged to call upon God, and not keep silence, nor give him any rest, till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth; and particularly should be earnest with God, that he would still uphold and succeed the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, the instrument that it has pleased him to improve to do such great things for the honor of his name, and at all times so to guide and direct him under his extraordinary circumstances, that Satan may not get any advantage of him."

After his visit, Edwards writes, "Mr. Whitefield's sermons were suitable to the circumstances of the town; containing just reproofs of our backslidings, and in a most moving and affecting manner, making use of our great profession and our great mercies as arguments with us to return to God, from whom we had departed. Immediately after this, the minds of the people in general appeared more engaged in religion, showing a greater forwardness to make it the subject of their conversation, and to meet frequently for religious purposes, and to embrace all opportunities to hear the word preached. The revival at first appeared chiefly among professors, and those who had entertained the hope that they were in a state of grace, to whom Mr. Whitefield chiefly addressed himself; but in a very short time, there appeared an awakening and deep concern among some young persons that looked upon themselves in a Christless state; and there were some hopeful appearances of conversion; and some professors were greatly revived. In about a month or six weeks, there was a great alteration in the town, both as to the revivals of professors, and awakenings of others."

During this visit of Whitefield to Edwards, some conversation was held between them, of which, several years afterwards, as it appears to us, far too much was said. Edwards took an opportunity, privately, to converse with his friend about impulses, and furnished him with some reasons for thinking that he gave too much attention to such things. Whitefield did not appear offended, neither did he seem inclined to converse much on the subject, or to yield to the reasonings of his friend Edwards. The latter says, "It is true, that I thought Mr. Whitefield liked me not so well for my opposing these things; and though he treated me with great kindness, yet he never made so much of an intimate of me, as of some others." It seems also, that they conversed on the strong language which the great evangelist was accustomed to employ as to those whom he considered to be unconverted, and the duty of the people to forsake the preaching of ministers whom he did not consider to be renewed in the spirit of their minds. Whitefield told Edwards also, of the design he had cherished of bringing over a number of young men from England, to be ordained by the Tennents, in New Jersey; an object, however, which he never accomplished.

It appears that after preaching at Northampton twice on the Sabbath, Whitefield, accompanied by his friend Edwards, rode to the house of the father of the last-named gentleman, the Rev. Timothy Edwards, in East Windsor, Connecticut. At this place, as also at Westfield, Springfield, Suffield, Hartford, Wethersfield, Middletown, and Wallingford, he preached to large assemblies, generally with his accustomed animation and power, and with the happy proofs of success which he so frequently witnessed. During this week also, he experienced a remarkable deliverance from great danger. He says, "A little after I left Springfield, my horse, coming over a broken bridge, threw me over his head, directly upon my nose. The fall stunned me for a while. My mouth was full of dust, I bled a little, but falling upon soft sand, got not much damage. After I had recovered myself, and mounted my horse, God so filled me with a sense of his sovereign, distinguishing love, and my own unworthiness, that my eyes gushed out with tears; but they were all tears of love. Oh, how did I want to sink before the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity!"

During this week also, on his way to Suffield, he met with a minister who said, "It was not absolutely necessary for a gospel minister, that he should be converted;" meaning, no doubt, that though conversion was necessary to his salvation, it was not indispensable to his ministerial character and usefulness. This gave Whitefield a subject. "I insisted much in my discourse upon the doctrine of the new birth, and also the necessity of a minister's being converted, before he could preach Christ aright. The word came with great power, and a great impression was made upon the people in all parts of the assembly. Many ministers were present. I did not spare them. Most of them thanked me for my plain dealing; but one was offended; and so would more of his stamp be, if I were to continue longer in New England. For unconverted ministers are the bane of the Christian church; and though I honor the memory of that great and good man Mr. Stoddard, yet I think he is much to be blamed for endeavoring to prove that unconverted men might be admitted into the ministry. How he has handled the controversy, I know not. I think no solid arguments can be brought to defend such a cause. A sermon lately published by Mr. Gilbert Tennent, entitled, 'The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry,' I think unanswerable. Tracy truly says, that Stoddard, in his 'Appeal to the Learned,' assumes that an unconverted minister is bound to continue in the performance of ministerial duties, and infers that unconverted men may therefore be admitted to the church. This opinion at one period extensively prevailed, though all held it desirable that a minister should be a converted man. By his attacks on this opinion, and especially by thus endorsing Tennent's Nottingham sermon, Whitefield gave great offence."

On Wednesday afternoon, he preached at East Windsor, and spent the night with Mr. Edwards, senior, "I believe," he says, "a true disciple and minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. After exercise, we supped at the house of old Mr. Edwards. His wife was as aged, I believe, as himself, and I fancied that I was sitting in the house of a Zacharias and Elisabeth." On the following day, he "preached to many thousands, and with much freedom and power," at Hartford in the morning, and at Wethersfield in the afternoon. Here he met Messrs. Wheelock and Pomeroy, "two young, faithful, and zealous ministers of Jesus Christ." From this place he had intended to go eastward as far as Plymouth, and return by another route to Providence, and notice had been given in the newspapers of about twenty sermons which he proposed to preach at the times and places specified. He was afterwards blamed for making these appointments without first consulting the pastors of the several churches; thus giving countenance, it was said, to the practice of itinerants intruding into other men's parishes without their consent. The proceeding was certainly somewhat irregular, but Whitefield was not much to be blamed for it. The details were settled, and the publication made, by men in whose judgment and knowledge of the customs of the country he had a right to confide; and the appointments were believed, in all cases, and doubtless known in some, to be agreeable to the parties concerned. At Wethersfield, however, the evangelist ascertained the necessity of his hastening on to New York, and immediately, therefore, published a note recalling these appointments.

On Friday, October 24, Whitefield arrived at New Haven, and was entertained at the house of Mr. James Pierpont, the brother-in-law of Mr. Edwards, and of Mr. Noyes, the minister of the First Congregational church. The Legislature of the colony being in session, he remained till after the Lord's day; and "had the pleasure of seeing numbers daily impressed," under his ministrations in the old polygonal meeting-house. Several ministers of the vicinity visited him, "with whose pious conversation he was much refreshed." Good old Governor Tallcott, on whom with due politeness he waited to pay his respects, said to him, "Thanks be to God for such refreshings in our way to heaven." Among others who heard his glowing appeals to the congregations that listened to him during this visit, was young Samuel Hopkins, still well known as an eminent divine. Hopkins was now nineteen, and was a student at college; his biographer tells us, that "he was much interested in the man, and much impressed by his solemn warnings."

The testimony of Hopkins himself may here be introduced. He says, speaking of Whitefield, "The attention of the people in general was greatly awakened upon hearing the fame of him, that there was a remarkable preacher from England travelling through the country. The people flocked to hear him when he came to New Haven. Some travelled twenty miles out of the country to hear him. The assemblies were crowded, and remarkably attentive; people appeared generally to approve, and their conversation turned chiefly upon him and his preaching. Some disapproved of several things, which occasioned considerable disputes. I heard him when he preached in public, and when he expounded in private in the evening, and highly approved of him, and was impressed by what he said in public and in private. He preached against mixed dancing and the frolicking of males and females together, which practice was then very common in New England. This offended some, especially young people. But I remember I justified him in this in my own mind, and in conversation with those who were disposed to condemn him. This was in October, 1740, when I had entered on my last year in college."

On this visit, Whitefield dined with the Rev. Mr. Clap, the rector of the college. Of the college he says, "It is about one-third part as big as Cambridge. It has one rector, three tutors, and about a hundred students. But I hear of no remarkable concern among them concerning religion." Mr. Clap, it is well known, afterwards became the public opponent of Whitefield; and it would seem that his dislike to him commenced with this first interview; for he "spoke very closely to the students, and showed the dreadful consequences of an unconverted ministry." In his journal of the day he says, "O that God may quicken ministers! O that the Lord may make them a flaming fire!" On the two days following, he preached at Milford, Stratford, and Fairfield, on his way to New York. On Wednesday, when at Stamford, he thus speaks of New England and his labors in it:

"I give God thanks for sending me to New England. I have now had an opportunity of seeing the greatest and most populous parts of it; and take it all together, it certainly on many accounts exceeds all other provinces of America, and for the establishment of religion, perhaps all other parts of the world. Never, surely, was so large a spot of ground settled in such a manner, in so short a space of one hundred years. The towns all through Connecticut and eastwards towards York in the province of Massachusetts, [Maine,] near the river-side, are large, well peopled, and exceedingly pleasant to travel through. Every five miles, or perhaps less, you have a meeting-house, and I believe there is no such a thing as a pluralist, or non-resident minister in both provinces. Many, nay, most that preach, I fear do not experimentally know Christ; yet I cannot see much worldly advantage to tempt them to take upon them the sacred function. Few country ministers, as I have been informed, have sufficient allowed them in money to maintain a family. God has remarkably, in sundry times and in divers manners, poured out his Spirit in several parts of both provinces; and it often refreshes my soul to hear of the faith of the good forefathers who first settled in these parts. Notwithstanding they had their foibles, surely they were a set of righteous men. They certainly followed our Lord's rule, sought first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and behold, all other things God added unto them. Their seed are now blessed, in temporal things especially, and notwithstanding the rising generation seem to be settled on their lees, yet I believe the Lord hath more than seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. The ministers and people of Connecticut seem to be more simple than those that live near Boston, especially in those parts where I went. But I think the ministers' preaching almost universally by notes, is a certain mark they have in a great measure lost the old spirit of preaching. For though all are not to be condemned that use notes, yet it is a sad symptom of the decay of vital religion when reading sermons becomes fashionable, where extempore preaching did once almost universally prevail. As for the universities, I believe it may be said, their light is become darkness, darkness that may be felt, and is complained of by the most godly ministers. I pray God these fountains may be purified, and send forth pure streams to water the cities of our God… As for the civil government of New England, it seems to be well regulated, and I think, at opening all their courts, either the judge or a minister begins with a prayer. Family worship, I believe, is generally kept up. The negroes I think better used, both in soul and body, than in any other province I have yet seen. In short, I like New England exceedingly well; and when a spirit of reformation revives, it certainly will prevail here more than in other places, because they are simple in their worship, less corrupt in their principles, and consequently easier to be brought over to the form of sound words, into which so many of their pious ancestors were delivered. Send forth, O Lord, thy light and thy truth, and for thine infinite mercy's sake, show thou hast a peculiar delight in these habitable parts of the earth. Amen, Lord Jesus, amen, and amen."

Among many who became the subjects of divine grace during this visit of Whitefield to New England, was Daniel Emerson, who was educated at Harvard college, where he received his first degree in 1739, and where he continued to reside for some time as a graduate. While at college, he is said to have been very fond of the gay pleasures of this life, until his attention was effectually called to religion by the preaching of Whitefield, whom he followed from place to place for several days. He was ordained at Hollis, New Hampshire, in 1743, where, in a ministry of fifty years, he was a worthy follower of his spiritual father. The chief excellences of his preaching were sound doctrine, deep feeling, and zeal at times almost overwhelming. He was truly a son of thunder, and a flaming light. He was almost incessantly engaged in labors, preaching, attending funerals, etc., far and near. His efforts were greatly blessed, especially among his own people, who under his ministry enjoyed extensive revivals of religion, and where also a large number of ministers have been called to their work. He died in 1801, aged eighty-five.