Journal of a Voyage from Gibraltar to Georgia, Journal 3 · Part 11 – Part 12
BRISTOL.
Thurſday, February 15. Sat up till paſt one in the Morning anſwering my dear Friends Letters, having no Time otherwiſe.— Received a Letter from a dear Chriſtian Brother, wherein were theſe Words,
I was told that Mr. B—n ſaid to Mr. C—h, I believe the Devil in Hell is in you all. Whitefield has ſet the Town on Fire, and now he is gone to kindle a Flame in the Country. Shocking Language for one who calls himſelf a Miniſter of the Goſpel! But, my dear Friend, I truſt this will not move you, unleſs it is to pity him, and pray the more earneſtly that he may experience the Power of thoſe Truths he is now oppoſing, and have the ſame Fire kindled in his Breaſt, againſt which he is now ſo much enraged. For I truſt, I am perſuaded, it is not a Fire of the Devil's kindling, but an holy Fire that has proceeded from the Holy and Bleſſed Spirit. Oh that ſuch a Fire may not only be kindled, but blow up into a Flame all England, and all the World over!
After having breakfaſted and prayed with ſome religious Friends, I went with Mr. Seward …o public Worſhip: from thence to the Rev. Mr. G—s, Miniſter of St. Mary, Ratcliff, who, as I was informed, had promiſed to lend me his Church to preach in for the Orphan-houſe. But he, in effect, gave me a Refuſal, telling me, that he could not lend his Church without a ſpecial Order from the Chancellor.— Upon this, I immediately waited on the Chancellor, to whom I had ſent the Night before. — But he told me frankly, that he would not give any poſitive Leave, neither would he prohibit any one that ſhould lend me a Church; but he would adviſe me to withdraw to ſome other Place till he had heard from the Biſhop, and not preach on that or any other Occaſion. I asked him his Reaſons. He anſwered, Why will you preſs ſo hard upon me? The Thing has given a general Diſlike. — I replied, Not the Deſign of the Orphan-houſe, — Even thoſe that diſagree with me in other Particulars, approve of that. And as for the Goſpel, when was it preached without Diſlike?" Soon after this, I took my leave, and waited upon the Reverend the Dean, who received me with great Civility. When I had ſhewn him my Georgia Accounts, and anſwered him a Queſtion or two about the Colony, I asked him, Whether there could be any juſt Objection againſt my preaching in Churches for the Orphan-houſe?" — After a Pauſe for a conſiderable Time, he anſwered, "He could not tell." But ſomebody knocking at the Door, he replied, Mr. Whitefield, I will give you an Anſwer ſome other Time; now I expect Company. Will you be pleaſed to fix any, Sir? ſaid I. I will ſend to you ſays the Dean. O Chriſtian Simplicity, whither art thou fled! Why do not the Clergy ſpeak the Truth, that it is not againſt the Orphan-houſe but againſt me and my Doctrine, that their Enmity is levelled. Had another came in his own Name, him they would have received. — But do thou, O LORD, behold their Enmity, and grant unto me, and all thy deſpiſed Servants, that with all Boldneſs we may ſpeak thy Word.
About three in the Afternoon, GOD having given me great Favour in the Jaylor's Eyes, I preached a Sermon on the Penitent Thief to the poor Priſoners in Newgate, and collected fifteen Shillings for them. — Many ſeemed much affected, and I hope the Power of the LORD was preſent to awaken them.
At ſeven I expounded for an Hour with very great Power to a young Society, which GOD has cauſed to be eſtabliſhed ſince I was in Briſtol laſt: And many, I heard afterwards, were pricked to the Heart, which was manifeſt enough by the Tears that were ſhed by almoſt all that heard me. — Bleſſed be GOD the good Seed ſown by my Miniſtry, though but as a Grain of Muſtard-Seed, is now, being watered by the Dew of Heaven, beginning to grow into a great Tree. LORD this is thy doing, and it is marvellous in our Eyes.
The Leſſons were very remarkable, and the People made an Application for me. — The firſt was the Oppoſition mad… againſt Aaron'… Prieſthood, and GOD's determining who was in the right, by cauſing his Rod to bloſſom when the other Rods produced nothing. So let it happen, O LORD, to me thy unworthy Servant. — The ſecond was the Eleventh Chapter of St. Paul's 2d Epiſtle to the Corinthians, where the Apoſtle recounted his Sufferings for CHRIST, againſt the Inſinuations of the falſe Apoſtles. Bleſſed be GOD, in moſt of the Things there recorded, I have, in ſome ſmall Degree, had F…llowſhip with the Apoſtle, and before I die, I doubt not but I ſhall ſympathize with him in moſt other Articles.— While I was reading it, I could not forbear bluſhing much. The People were intent upon me, their Eyes beſpoke the Language of their Hearts: Each ſeemed to ſay, Thou art the Man. Suffering is the beſt Preferment.
Friday, Feb. 16. Begun this Morning to ſettle a daily Expoſition, and reading Prayers to the Priſoners in Newgate. I opened it by enlarging on the Converſion of the Jailor, and I truſt the ſame good Work will be experienced in this Priſon before I leave it.
Dined with a religious Family, ſpent a conſiderable Time in ſinging Hymns, and Prayer, viſited and prayed with two choice Servants of our bleſſed LORD, and expounded from Five 'till near Nine, to two thronged Societies, one of which chiefly conſiſted of young Men whom GOD ſeems to have called to ſhine as Lights in the World, in a crooked and perverſe Generation.—Oh how thankful ought I to be, for ſeeing theſe Frui…s of my poor …!
Saturday, February 17. Read Prayers and expounded the Parable of the Prodigal Son at Newgate, to a great Number of People; and afterwards was much refreſhed by the coming of a dear London Friend, and the Receipt of ſeveral Letters; for the Writers of which, I with many others immediately kneeled down and gave Thanks. One Thing affected me much in their Letters, viz. Their News of a great Oppoſer's being given over by the Phyſicians. — Alas poor Man! We all prayed moſt heartily for him, knowing how ſhortly he muſt give an Account of what he had moſt unjuſtly ſaid and wrote againſt me and many true Servants of JESUS CHRIST. Father lay not this Sin to his Charge.
About One in the Afternoon I went with my Brother Seward, and another Friend, to Kingſwood, and was moſt delightfully entertained by an old Diſciple of the Lord.— My Bowels have long ſince yearned toward the poor Colliers, who, as far as I can find, are very numerous, and yet are as Sheep, having no Shepherd.— After Dinner therefore, I went upon a Mount and ſpake to as many People as came unto me. They were upwards of two Hundred.— Bleſſed be GOD, that I have now broke the Ice; I belie…e I never was more acceptable to my Maſter than when I was ſtanding to teach thoſe Heare…s in the open Fields. — Some may cenſure me. — But if I thus pleaſed Men, I ſhould not be the Servant of CHRIST.
About five, we returned full of Joy; and I wrote to the Biſhop of Briſtol (as I had done before to the Biſhop of Bath and Wells) for Leave to preach in his Lordſhip's Churches, for the Benefit of the Orphan-houſe. May GOD incline him to ſend me an Anſwer of Peace!
At ſeven, I went to expound to a Society of young Men for near two Hours, and then came home with my Friends, bleſſing and praiſing GOD.
Sunday, February 18. Aroſe this Morning about ſix, being called up by near fifty young Perſons, whom I appointed to meet me at my Siſter's Houſe, and with whom I ſpent above an Hour in Prayer, Pſalm-ſinging, and a warm Exhortation. — Soon after this, I read Prayers, and preached at Newgate to a large and very attentive Congregation. At Ten, I preached at St. Warburgh's with great Freedom, and to a large Audience. — Bleſſed be GOD, I thought yeſterday I ſhould not have the Uſe of any Pulpit; but GOD, who has the Hearts of all Men in his Hands, diſpoſed the Reverend Mr. Penroſe to lend me his, who thanked me for my Sermon; and the Reverend Mr. Gibbs ſent to me, and offered me the Uſe both of St. Thomas and St. Mary Ratcliff. — The latter of theſe I accepted of, and preached to ſuch a Congregation as my Eyes never yet ſaw, with great Liberty and Demonſtration of the Spirit. — Many went away for want of room; and Mr. Gibbs and his Lady were exceeding civil both to me and Mr. Seward.— The LORD reward them for this their Love.
After Sermon, and taking a little Refreſhment, I haſted to a Society in Baldwin-ſtreet, where many Hundreds were aſſembled to hear me, ſo that the Stairs and Court below, beſides the Room itſelf, were crowded. — Here I continued expounding for near two Hours. And then expounded for as long a Time at another Society in Nicholas-ſtreet, equally thronged, but with much greater Power. Surely, that ſame JESUS that came to his Diſciples, the Doors being ſhut, when they aſſembled together, was with us of a Truth: For great Numbers were quite melted down, and GOD ſo cauſed me to renew my Strength, that I was better when I returned home, than when I began to exhort my young Fellow-ſoldiers at ſix in the Morning. I could not do this, except JESUS CHRIST did ſtrengthen me. By his free Grace alone, I am what I am▪ Not unto me, but unto thy Name, O LORD, alone be all the Glory.
Monday, February 19. Read P…ayers and expounded as uſual at Newgate, and preached in the Afternoon to a great Multitude at the Pariſh Church of St. Philip and Jacob, and collected Eighteen Pounds for the Orphan-houſe. — Thouſands went away, becauſe there was no room for them within; and GOD enabled me to read Prayers and preach with great Boldneſs. — See ye not, ye oppoſers, how you prevail nothing? Why do you not believe that it would not be thus, unleſs GOD was with me? LORD, open thou their Eyes, that they may ſee that this is thy doing.
About Six in the Evening I went to a new Society greatly thronged, and was enabled, notwithſtanding I had exerted myſelf ſo much at St. Philip's, to expound with great Freedom of Spirit for above an Hour. — Thence I went and expounded for near the ſpace of two Hours to another Society in Baldwin-ſtreet, and much Power from above was amongſt us. This done, I returned home full of Joy, which was kept up by converſing, ſinging and praying with many Chriſtian Brethren. — We parted, rejoycing that GOD cauſed us to go on from conquering, and to conquer.
Amongſt the Letters I received from religiou… Correſpondents, one writes to me thus,— Mr.—, who wrote that Letter in the Miſcellany, died yeſterday. He is now gone to give an Account of the many hard Speeches contained therein. — And is convinced that Orthodoxy in Notions is not the whole of Religion.— In another Part of his Letter he writes thus, We had ſuch a remarkable and ſenſible Preſence of GOD with us at Beech-lane this Evening, as my Eyes and Ears were never ſuch Witneſſes of before. In the midſt of Mr. John Weſley's Expoſition, a Woman preſent had ſuch Convictions of her loſt Eſtate by Nature, and ſuch a ſenſe of Sin, that ſhe could not forbear crying out aloud; upon which Mr. Weſley, breaking off, went to her, who earneſtly deſired him to pray for her, which he did in the Preſence of 2 or 300 People, hardly one of whom, I think, could forbear Tears, upon which ſhe had Comfort. Bleſſed be GOD, the more we are deſpiſed, the more he ſhews that we are Teachers ſent by him. For no one could do theſe Things, except GOD was with him.
Tueſday, Feb. 20. This Day my Maſter honoured me more … ever he did yet.— About Ten in the Morning, in Compliance with a Summons received from the Apparator yeſterday, I waited upon the Rev. Mr. R—l, the Chancellor of Briſtol, who now plainly told me, he intended to ſtop my Proceedings. — I have ſent for the Regiſter here, Sir, ſays he, to take down your Anſwer. Upon which he asked me by what Authority I preached in the Dioceſe of Briſtol, without a Licence. I anſwered, I thought that Cuſtom was grown obſolete: And why, pray Sir, replied I, did not you ask the Iriſh Clergyman this Queſtion, who preached for you laſt Thurſday? He ſaid that was nothing to me. — He then read over Part of the Ordination-Office, and thoſe Canons that forbid any Miniſter preaching in a private Houſe, &c.— And then he asked me what I ſaid to them? I anſwered, that I apprehended thoſe Canons did not belong to profeſſed Miniſters of the Church of England. — But he ſaid they did. — There is alſo a Canon, ſaid I, Sir, forbidding all Clergyman to frequent Taverns and play at Cards; why is not that put in Execution? Why does not ſomebody complain of them, ſays he, and then it would. — When I asked him why I was thus taken particular Notice of, (referring to my printed Diſcourſes for my Principles) He ſaid, I preached falſe Doctrine. Upon which I anſwered him not a Word, but told him, notwithſtanding thoſe Canons, I could not but ſpeak the Things that I knew, and was reſolved to proceed as uſual. — Obſerve his Anſwer then, ſa… he, Mr. Regiſter. — And turning to me, added, I am reſolved, Sir, if you preach or expound any where in this Dioceſe, till you have a Licence, I will firſt ſuſpend, and then excommunicate you. — I then took my leave. — He waited upon me very civilly to the Door, and told me, What he did was in the Name of the Clergy and Laity of the City of Briſtol.— And ſo we parted.
Being taken ill, juſt before I went to the Chancellor, in my Return home, I found I had not ſo much Joy as Peace. But however, I did not perceive the leaſt Motion of Reſentment to ariſe in my Heart. And to ſhow how little I regarded ſuch Threatnings, after I had joyned in Prayer for the Chancellor, I immediately went and expounded at Newgate as uſual; where GOD gave me great Joy, and wonderouſly pricked many to the Heart, as though he would ſay, This is the Way, walk in it. — After this we dined with ſeveral Chriſtian Friends with the kind Keeper of the Priſon, and rejoyced exceedingly at the Thoughts, that we ſhould one Day or other ſing together in ſuch a Place as Paul and Silas did. — GOD prepare us for that Hour. For I believe it will come. I ſhall be exalted, I muſt be humbled.
At four there was a general Expectation of my preaching at St. Nicholas; thouſands wer… to hear me. — But the Lecturer ſent Word, that Orders were given by Mr. B—r, that I ſhould not preach in his Church; which rejoyced me greatly. Lord, why doſt thou thus honour me?
At five I went and expounded on the firſt of St. James, to a Chriſtian Aſſembly indeed, who were much affected. — And afterwards I haſted to Nicholas-ſtreet, where was a great Crowd waiting for me upon the Stairs, Yard and Entry of the Houſe, as well as in the Room itſelf. — I expounded the ninth of St. John, exhorted all to imitate the poor Beggar, and not to fear the Face of Men. — GOD was pleaſed to fill me with unſpeakable Joy and Power. — All were wonderouſly touched, and when after my Expoſition I prayed particularly for the Chancellor, the whole Company was drowned in Tears, and ſaid moſt earneſt Amens to all the Petitions I put up for him. — It is remarkable, we have not had ſuch a continued Preſence of GOD amongſt us, as we have had ſince I was threatned to be excommunicated. But thus it was formerly, ſo it will be now. When we are caſt out, CHRIST will more clearly reveal himſelf to us.
Wedneſday, Feb. 21. Had ſeveral come to me this Morning, to enquire about the State of their Souls, amongſt whom was a little Girl of thirteen Years of Age, who told me in great Simplicity, She was pricked through and through with the Power of the Word. And indeed a good Work, I believe, has been wrought in her Heart. Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings haſt thou perfected Praiſe.
Preached at Newgate with uncommon Freedom and Power, and obſerved the Audience to be quite melted down, After this I made a Collection for the poor Priſoners, and at my Return home was much comforted by another gracious Soul, whom GOD brought unto me, and who was willing to follow me not only to Georgia, but alſo to Priſon and to Death.
At three in the Afternoon, according to my Appointment, I went to Kingſwood amongſt the Colliers. GOD highly favoured us in ſending a fine Day, and near two Thouſand People were aſſembled on that Occaſion. I preached on John ch. iii. ver. 3. and enlarged for near an Hour, I hope, to the Comfort and Edification of thoſe that heard me. GOD grant the Seed ſown may not fall on ſtony or thorny, but on good Ground.
About ſix in the Evening, I expounded to a Society without Lawford's Gate, and afterwards to another in Baldwin-ſtreet; both were exceedingly crowded and attentive. At firſt I could not ſpeak ſo ſtrongly, becauſe I had exerted myſelf ſo much upon the Mount; but afterwards GOD gave me a freſh Supply of Grace, and I was enabled to go through my Work chearfully. Lo! I am with you always, even unto the End of the World.
BATH.
Thurſday, February 22. Obſerving Providence called me, this Morning I went, with ſome Chriſtian Friends, to Bath; where I was much comforted by meeting with ſeveral that love our Lord JESUS in Sincerity. — More eſpecially, I was edified by the pious Converſation of the Rev. Mr. Griffith Jones, whom I have deſired to ſee of a long Seaſon. His Words came with Power, and the Account he gave me of the many Obſtructions he had met with in his Miniſtry, convinced me that I was but a young Soldier, juſt entring the Field. Good GOD, prepare me manfully to fight whatſoever Battles thou haſt appointed for me. I can do all Things through thee ſtrengthening me.