The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-06-09
TnE TOME or WHITEFIELp.

Journal, recently visited Newburyport, Ms. and the
tomb of the celebrated WhitefeId He says
'We made way to the ancient church in which
he often preached, and in the front ofwhose pulpit he
had requested TO be buried, should he die in New
buryport. It's a venerable looking structure, high
posted, long, narrow, with a steeplelsurmountng the
end fronting the street, and the exterior showing
little of the ravages of time It erected in
1850, and in 1929 remodeed in the interior with
pulpit and pews and arched roof. At the fu-
neral of Whitefeld it is said to have contained, not
accommodated, an audience of sIr thousand. We
were happy to be informed it continues TO be filled
every Sabbath Upon entering the long aisle the first
object when strikes tho eye is the marble tablet
wrought into woodwork at the bottom OF the pulpit.in
scribed with these words "Heyc lie The remains Of
George TVhitefeld" A rude railing is thrown a
round protect it from the awess hands OF vistuns
On the right side of the pulpit elegant Cenotnph
in rich marble was erected IN 1929 by the liberaity
of the late William Bartlett, the inscription of which
furnished by DR.. Porter of Andover.
Following the leading of the obugng sexton, we
left by door opening into the entry Of chapel join
cd to the rear of the church in which the weekly
meetings of the society held. In this entry lit
tie trap door is constructed just in the rear of the pull
PIT, WHICH new up at the toucn Oh me sexton. IL
was past sun set and even at mid day light would
be needed in visiting the tomb below. The sexton
touching his lamp with lucifer, descended on a frnil
and toerng ladder, and bid us follow. The space
between the ground and floor is so narrow, that one
is obliged to stoop crawl TO make his way. A
contracted door opened through what seemed TO
be the foundation OF the church into the ad Join
ing tomb the sexton again went before he lit ed
up the coffin lid and before was all that remains Of
George Whtefed. Three tenants only occupy this
dark and narrow dwelling; Prince the blind man,
Whitefeld whose coffin rests that Of Prince, and
Parsons the pastor of the church, at whose house
and in whose Whte6eld expired. The coffin
of each had been renewed, but the remains had
been preserved with sacred care. The flesh of
Whitefeld had turned to a black mould, and fallen
10 the bottom of the coffin; but the bones remained
entire and in their natural position There are the
ribs, beneath which beat big and generous heart
filed with the love of God and ;;he often
raised and swung in the vehemence of argument and
persuasion the skull once containing noble an
intellect, as perfect as though death had been but
yesterdays the jaws, the teeth, the frame Of the nose
all there and en,ire bat the eye that flashed the
fire, was quenched the lips on which hung congrega-
tons of 20 or $4,000, silent; aud the soul
which had animated and directed this form in deeds
of glorious accomplishment, had returned TO God who
gavei,.
We stood gazing and musing in silence, with the
damps of the deep vault upon us,and the lamp throw
ing its Pickering light upon the Wondering flesh and
whitened bones of Gods dear servants which,
are assured, despite modern theories, his eye will
watch over and his hand gather and his power mould
into forms Of new beauty the resurrection of the
Just and when we had laid our hand our trembling
hand upon the forehead of George WhitefeId, we
returned, TO the light of day, but to the shades Of
evening, feeling than we felt, chow awful
goodness ISL which commands admiration and
erence even of the bones and dust of those who
hibited it.
1t may be added that the arm chair in which
Whefed died is preserved in the Museum Of the
Mission house in Boston. Ii is much more Of
homely and unimportant affair than what the pic
lures in the Life of WhitefeId repfesen, it to have
BEEN" .... .... ...'