Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-04-29
AAiograp9nd Sk&ttg.
GEORGE ua1qll11lD,
By REV, J. P: NEWMAN.

By REV. *. NEW -"AH' 81. -
He was the sixth son of Thomas. and
Elizabeth White6eld, born. December l6,
TIA, in the city of Gloucester. the birth
place of. distinguished fellow-laborer, the
founder of Sunday schools, Robert Ralkes'
Like many of the great instruments which
God seems to select for the accomplishment
of the exalted purposes of his. will, White
field sprang from the hunblest walks in life.
White6eld's father was an inn-keeper, and
at the age Of fifteen, he assures us that he
was engaged assisting his widowed mother
in keeping public house. At the age Of
twelve he was put to the grammar shool,
where he remained three years; aud at the
age of eighteen be entered PEN broke Col
leee, of the University of Oxford, where be
took his bachelors degree. Here he be-
came acquainted With the brothers John and
Charles Wesley, and through his religious
associations With them, his mind became
aroused to sense Of his lost condition, and
he was led to exclsim, in the agony of his
soul, "Why may Inot trust in Christ. -
He did trust, and, after struggle long and
fierce, came out:triumphant from the conflict,
believing that he was entitled to mansion
IN the skies, V -. -. -. - -.
Sunday, june 20, 1876, at the age of
twenty-five, he was ordained a deacon IN the
cathedral of his native town; and in the
afternoon of the same day preached his first
sermon, which gave promise Of what he was
destined to be, equal to the emergency Of
the times. In the different ages of the
world, when certain instruments were need
ed for the accomplishments Of the purposes
Of Gods will, individuals peculiarly fitted
were selected. Various instances Of this
peculiar fitness of the individual for his
work were mentioned by the lecturer: Moses
to- lead the Israelites out of Egypt; Luther,
Calvin, Melancthon; and others tocommence
and carry. forward the work Of reformation /;
White6eld in England, Jonathan Edwards
in uAmerica,o and others to spread the truths
of an eleyatedeyangelism in the last century.
Whitefeld was emineutly qualified for his
work; with mind enriched by sacred and
profane learning, cultivated imagination,
a piety, as sincere as it was exemplary, a
courage: daantless,' and never bianehed' with
fear, a fortitude that knew no misgivings,
and With a voice which could be elevated to
tones of thunder, he called the attention of
the nations to.the great truths Of the Divine
Gospel, gathering around him crowds of
twenty, thirty, and even fifty thousand per-
sons, with a power unesualed by any man
since the days of Paul. The rich and poor,
England's proud aristocracy, and the poor
golfers alike gathered around him to hear
the words Of the Gospel. ...--.s =,
.In,England, the most distinguished CO.
temporary Of White6eld was John Wesley
No two characters could have been more d.
verse. Wesley was systematic; Whitefeld
the reverse. Whiteheld was the morning
cloud which broke in rich profusiou over
large tract of country, and required the rest
of the day to regain his strength. Wesley
was the perennial fountain in the midst of
the garden, scattering, its waters the livelong
day. After preaching, White6eld lay down
upon his couch exhausted, and death-like
in appearance; after service, Wesley would
mount his pony and trot cheerfully away to
the next village, talking to little groups of
villagers on the way. White6eld was more
at home when addressing large masses of
men; Wesley, when presiding at a, confer
ence.. Whitefeld was the blast of powder
in the quarry, scattering the fragments in
every direction; Wesley would pick up one
of the fragments and polish it. es. r....
Such was Whitefeld' $ power in presenting
truth in different ways, that were he to
preach a sermon twenty ,,mes, he would
continue to improve on each to the last. :;
Wondrous was his voice; SO highly cult
vated that the lowest whisper, as we'll as the
loudest tone on the highest key, could be
distinctly heard. Its sweet accents Of love
fell upon the ear of the unconverted and
softened his marble heart; and it broke up
on the ear of the persistent in crime with
the thunder tones of Jehovah. White6eld
was to sacred eloquenee what Handelswasito
sacred music. If Handel could astonish
vast multitudes and raise them upon their
feet with his Oratorio of the Messiah,
Whitefeld did still greater wonders preach
ing the Messiah. -
A closer analysis into the oratory Of
White6eld will discover to US that he was a
master in rhetoric. The difference between
ministers does not consist so much in the
thoughts uttered as in the manner in which
they are presented. Here was the secret Of
Whitefeld's power. Old truths became new
under the magic Of his eloquence; and
truths which had been preached for 1900
years fell from his lips as though announced
by inspired revelation. -White6eld was
greatest in the sublime naturalness Of his
impersonations; investing the present by the
aid of the Imagination with certainty of the
future. 1t is related that on one occasion,
when the accomplished skeptic, Lord Ches.
ter6eld, was present, White6eld represented
the votary of sin under the figure of blind
beggar, led by little dog The dog had
broken the string, and had slipped from him
Cropping his way for the dog, unconscious, te
the side of the precipice, as he felt along
with his staff, it dropped from his hand and