The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-05-11
SIXTH yoLUHE-,-NUM6ER sos.
GEoRGE WHITFIELD.

He was the sixth son of Thomas and Elizabeth
Whitefeld, born December 16, l714 in the city
of Gloucester, the birth place ola distinguished
fellow-laborer, the founder of Sunday schools,
Robert Raikes. Like many of the great instru-,
ments which God seems to select for the accom-
nlishment of the exalted purpose OF has VIII,
Whitfield sprang from the humblest walk In llte
Whitfelds father was an inn-keeper, and at the
ace 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 school, where he remained three years;
aud at the age of eighteen he entered Pembroke
COLLEGE, OF the University of Oxford, where no
took his bachelors degree. Here he became ac-f
uuainted 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 exclaim, in
/ the agony of his soul, ''Why may not trust in
! Christ" He did trust and, after struggle long
and fierce came out triumphant from the conflict,
| believing that he entitled to mansion IN tho
skies.
! Whitfield was as bold in his apostrophes as
| sublime in his impersonaton. When preaching
from the balcony of the old Court House i'll Phila-
delphia in the midst of his discourse he exclaimed
in thunder tones, looking up to heaven: "Father
! Abraham who have you in heaven! Have you
any Episcopaians?" The old man replied, "No
"IIaye you any Prcsbyterians!" "No.g "Any
Baptists?" "No." "Any Methodist, Indepen-
dents, Secedcrs," ETC. "No, no, NO. We do not
know such party names-up here" ''Who have
YOU I'D there, them" eve have only those who
are Christians those who believe in Christ. II
this be the case, said the preacher God help us TO
forget party names.
! 1t is said that the celebrated historian, Hume,
was all occasional listener to his sermons. On ono
occasion, when he was present, Whltefcld, adj
dressing his audience, said: "The attending angel
is about to take his flight shall he leave without
carrying with him to heaven the news of one sim
E ner converted" Then, lifting his eyes and hands
to heaven, he burst into food of tears, and ex-
claimed: stop, Gabriel stop, Gabriel! stop, ere
YOU enter the sacred portals carry with you the
news of one sinner converted from the error Of his
+ ways .. -.. - .....,. r.-- -
! What must have been the persuasive power OF
, his cloqucnce to elicit the cncomiums bestowed
upon him by Hume, Bonsbroke, Chesterfield,
o and Franklin; men either nfdel, or by nomeans
; remarkable for personal piety Hume said he
/ would go twenty miles to hear " htield preach
o Lord Chesterields testimony that he was the
most wonderful man of his age; that he had the.
+ eloquence Of inspiration Carrck, the celebrated
actor remarked that he would give fifty gulneas to
: be able to pronuncc the intoriccton 90" as
n Whitfield did. Dir Franklin states that, on one
occasion he went to hear him, having in his pocket
t handful Of copper, four or five silver dollars
J., and four or five pistolcs in gold. AT the com
s menccmcnt of his DISCOURSE Whitfield inti-
g mated his intention Of taking up collection at
;, the close The doctor, in his own mind, deter
~ mind not to contribute anything; but the orator
proceeded in his discourse, he concluded to give
the copper Another stroke of his eloquence de-
cidcd him to give the silver, and he finished up so
admirably that, when the box around, he
!: turned gold silver, and all intoit. -e- .rs.-.