Continuation of Journal from Savannah to Arrival at Rhode Island, Journal · Entry 8 – Entry 9
Chriſt's Church, John's Iſland.
Saturday, July 12. Went over the Water on Thurſday, read Prayers and preach'd at the Requeſt of the Church. Wardens, Veſtry, at Chriſt's Church. Returned in the Evening to Charles-Town, preach'd twice there Yeſterday, and went this Morning to John's-Iſland, about 20 Miles up the River, whither I was invited by Colonel Gibs; he receiv'd me and my Friends moſt hoſpitably, provided ſeveral Horſes, Chairs, &c. for us, and his Family: We rode very pleaſantly to the Church—There was a great Congregation; God ſtrengthned me to read Prayers; and preach'd twice with much Freedom. About four we returned to the Colonel's—I eat with ſome Appetite—Was enabled to give a warm and cloſe Exhortation to the Rich that ſat about me, and returned to Charles-Town in the Evening with my dear Friends, praiſing and bleſſing God. Glory be to his moſt holy Name, Dagon ſeems daily to fall before the Ark. A laſting Impreſſion I am perſuaded is made on many Hearts, and God I believe will yet ſhew that he hath much People in Charles-Town and the Countries round about. Lord thou haſt viſited them with thy Judgments, melt them down now with thy Mercies. Stretch out the golden Scepter of thy Favour, and bruiſe them no more with thy Iron Rods; even ſo Lord Jeſus. Amen.
Sunday, July 13. Preach'd this Morning with much Power, and collected in the Evening for my poor Orphans; great Numbers ſtood without the Doors, and it raining very hard in Time of divine Service, many of 'em were driven away; however God cauſed the other People's Hearts to deviſe liberal Things. Upwards of 50. l. Sterl. were collected on the Occaſion; moſt ſhewed a great Readineſs to aſſiſt me, and the Lord was pleaſed much to enlarge my Heart, to give Praiſe unto his Name. In the Morning I went to Church, and heard the Commiſſary preach. But had ſome infernal Spirit been ſent to draw my Picture, I think it ſcarcely poſſible he could paint me in more horrid Colours. I think if ever, then was the Time that all manner of Evil was ſpoke againſt me falſly for Chriſt's ſake; The Commiſſary ſeem'd to ranſack Church-Hiſtory for Inſtances of Enthuſiaſm and abuſed Grace; he drew a Parallel between me, and all the Oliverians, Ranters, Quakers, French Prophets, till he came down to a Family of the Dutarts who lived (not many Years ago) in South-Carolina, and were guilty of the moſt notorious Inceſts, and Murders. To the Honour of God's free Grace be it ſpoken, whilſt he was repreſenting me thus, I felt the bleſſed Spirit ſtrengthning and refreſhing my Soul, God at the ſame Time gave me to ſee what I was by Nature, how I had deſerved his eternal Wrath, and therefore I did not feel the leaſt Reſentment againſt the Preacher; no, I pitied, I prayed for him, and wiſh'd from my Soul, that the Lord would convert him, as he did once the Perſecutor Saul, and let him know, that 'tis Jeſus whom he perſecutes. In the Evening many came as I was inform'd, to hear what I would ſay, but as the Commiſſary hinted that his Sermons ſhou'd be printed, and as they were full of invidious Falſhoods, I held my Tongue, and made little or no Reply. Father forgive him for he knows not what he does.
Saturday, July 19. Preach'd all this Week twice every Day at Charles-Town, except on Wedneſday and Thurſday Evening, the laſt of which Days I was call'd upon to appear in Court, on the former, was deſired to go to James's Iſland to preach at the Houſe of one Madam Woodward. This Gentlewoman, as ſhe inform'd me her ſelf, was once much prejudiced againſt me, in ſo much, that ſhe tho't it dangerous to come and hear me—But having read my Sermons, ſhe changed her Mind; and coming both to Town and John's Iſland to hear me preach, was with her Daughter, and another Gentlewoman much melted down—Being given to Hoſpitality, ſhe provided Food ſufficient for a great Multitude. People came from Town and all the th… …ther neighbouring Places—Her Barn was put into proper Order, and I read Prayers, and preach'd in it with much of God's bleſſed Spirit in my Soul—A lovely melting was viſible in ſeveral Parts of the Auditory. After Sermon, God enabled me to ſpeak many Goſpel Truths amidſt a polite Set of People, and at the Requeſt of Madam Woodward I ſtaid all Night; this gave me an Opportunity of teaching her Family the Way of God more perfectly, and alſo of reſting my weary Body, which ſeems to be declining more and more every Day. Bleſſed be God, if it be conſiſtent with his Glory, and the Good of Souls, I hope it will not be long e're Worms deſtroy it, and my Soul carried to ſee my God.
JESUS to thy dear faithful Hand
My naked Soul I truſt,
My Fleſh awaits thy bleſt Command
To drop into my Duſt.
I have purpoſely given a more general Account of this Week's Labour, than uſual, that I might be the more particular in relating the Commiſſary's dealing with me, from whom by the Hands of his Apparitor, on Fryday July 11, I received the following Citation.
YOU are hereby cited to appear at the Church of St. Philip's Charles-Town, on Tueſday the 15 day of this Inſtant July betwixt the Hours of 9 and 10 in the Forenoon, before the Rev. Alexander Garden Commiſſary, to anſwer to ſuch Articles, as ſhall there be objected to you.
Wm. Smith, Apparitor.
At my Requeſt the ſaid Apparitor brought me the underwritten as a Copy of my Charge.
Locus Sigilli.ALexander Garden lawfully conſtituted Commiſſary of the Right Reverend Father in CHRIST, Edmund, by divine Permiſſion, Lord Biſhop of London, ſupported by the Royal Authority, underwritten.
Alexander Garden,
TO all and ſingular Clerks, and literate Perſons whomſoever, in and throughout the whole Province of South-Carolina, whereſoever appointed Greeting; To you conjunctly and ſeverally, we commit, and ſtrictly injoining, command that you do cite, or cauſe to be cited, peremptorily George Whitefield, Clerk; and Preſbyter of the Church of England, that he lawfully appear before us, in the Pariſh-Church of St. Philip's Charles-Town, and in the judicial Place of the ſame, on Tueſday, the 15 Day of this Inſtant July, 'twixt the Hours of 9 & 10 in the Forenoon, then and there in Juſtice to anſwer to certain Articles, Heads, or Interrogatories which will be objected, and miniſtred unto him concerning the mere Health of his Soul, and the Reformation, and Correction of his Manners, and Exceſſes, and chiefly for omitting to uſe the Form of Prayers preſcribed in the Communion Book.—And further, to do and receive what ſhall be juſt in that Behalf on pain of Law and Contempt.—And what you ſhall do in the Premiſes, you ſhall duly certify us, together with theſe Preſents.
Given under our Hands and Seals of our Office, at Charles-Town, this ſeventh Day of July, in the Year of our LORD, One Thouſand ſeven Hundred and Forty.
Copia Vera.
Tueſday, July 15. I appeared according to the Citation, at the appointed Hour and Place; there were very many Spectators, and the Rev. Mr. Garden, Commiſſary, the Rev. Mr. Guy, the Rev. Mr. Millichamp, the Rev. Mr. Roe, the Rev. Mr. Orr, ſat as Judges, they receiv'd me with good Manners, and after the Clerk of the Court had taken a Minute of their appearing, the Commiſſary tender'd to me a Paper, deſiring my Anſwer to thoſe Articles; but I refus'd taking it, till I was ſatisfied of the Authority of the Court in Queſtion, adding, Do you think I would incur a a Premunire of doing what I could not anſwer, or Words to that Effect? He then ſaid they would proceed to cenſure: Upon which I reminded them of the Example of the Magiſtrates, who exceeded their Authority, in condemning and ſcourging St. Paul, being a Roman, unheard: At this one of the Clergy ſneer'd; but the Commiſſary replied, We ſhall not go beyond our Power, or ſcourge you. After a ſhort Debate, the Commiſſary ſent his Apparitor to his Houſe for his Commiſſ…n in order to give me Satisfaction; in about a quarter of an Hour he returned with ſeveral Bundles of Papers, out of which the Commiſſary firſt produced his Commiſſion, to act as Commiſſary, from the Biſhop of London; I read it, and approv'd of it; but at the ſame Time deſired to be ſatisfied of the Biſhop of London's Authority in this Province, not finding the Royal Authority underwritten, as mentioned in his publick Citation: Upon this a Latin Commiſſion without a Seal, was ordered to be read by the Clerk of the Court.—I objected that it was in Latin, contrary to our late Act, ordering every Thing to be in Engliſh; and not well underſtanding the Clerk, as he read it, I deſired the Peruſal of it my ſelf, which was granted. I read it with an audible Voice, and after reading it, I objected, that though there might be a general Power given to the Biſhop to exerciſe eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction in this Province, yet the Extent of that Power was to be determined by particular Acts of Aſſembly. I further urged, that a Court of this Nature was entirely unprecedented in America, that I belonged to Georgia, a different Province, and was here only as an Itenerate. I alſo added, that my Lord of London, (though I preached in the Fields for ſome Months) never attempted to exerciſe ſuch Authority againſt me. The Commiſſary replied, Though I belonged to Georgia, yet I had committed Irregularities here, and therefore came under his Cognizance, and that what he had to lay to my Charge, might be Crimes of a different Nature.
Not ſatisfied with my Objections, he ordered the Clerk to minute down that I contumaciouſly contemned the Authority of the Court, but I deſired that Expreſſion might be ſoftned, declaring from my Heart that what I did, proceeded from a real Scruple concerning their Authority, urging the Example of King Charles, who, before he made Anſwer to his Accusers, inſiſted on knowing the Authority his Judges had to call him to an Account. I further objected that the Commiſſary in Maryland & Penſylvania were mere Cyphers—That the Truſtees to my Knowledge queſtioned the Biſhop of London's having any Juriſdiction in theſe Parts, and that the Governour of Maryland acting as Ordinary, had ſummoned his Clergy lately to meet him as ſuch, which accordingly they did: I therefore upon the whole humbly deſired as a Favour from the Court, that I might have till To-morrow 9 o'Clock, the Time to which the Court was adjourned, to inform my ſelf of the Extent of their eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction in this Province, aſſuring them that upon finding their Authority valid, I would immediately anſwer to any Interrogatories, and would be ready to receive any Sentence they could with Juſtice paſs upon me—Tho' at my firſt aſking, he ſaid, he had indulged me too far already, yet after ſome Conſideration, Mr. Commiſſary ordered the Clerk to raſe out the former Minute, and to record that upon my ſcrupling the Authority of the Court, I was indulged my Requeſt.
Our Lord was pleaſed to fulfil his Promiſe made to thoſe that ſhould be called before Rulers, and Governours, for his Name Sake; my Soul was full of Peace; I pitied, but did not feel the leaſt Emotion of Reſentment againſt my Judges.—The People behaved pretty quiet, but ſome broke out into a Laughter, ſomething irregular, when I ſaid the Commiſſary in Penſylvania and Maryland were but Cyphers. This I diſapproved of, and check'd immediately. After the Court was adjourned, and the Commiſſary roſe from his Seat I made my Obeiſance, and returned to my Lodgings, thinking my ſelf more highly honoured by my Lord this Morning, than in any other Part of my Life.—Lord ſtrengthen me in all my other impending Trials, for thy great Name's Sake, Amen and Amen.
Wedneſday, July 16. Appeared this Morning at the Hour of 10 and exhibited a Recuſatio Judicis, i. e. my Exception again the Commiſſary's being my Judge in this Cauſe, having too great Reaſon to believe him prejudiced againſt me.—At firſt the Commiſſary refuſed to read it, inſiſting to know firſt, whither I acknowledged the Authority of the Court.—unwarily I anſwer'd, Yes. But upon the Motion of my Advocate, Mr. Rutledge, I recalled my Words, and ſaid I admitted, and ſubmitted to an eccleſiaſtical Court, legally conſtituted. One of the Clergy on the Bench, would have inſiſted on my firſt Anſwer;—But I told him, it was mean ſpirited, and beneath a Court, conſiſting of thoſe that call themſelves Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, to catch at an Expreſſion, which I immediately corrected.—Upon this the Bench agreed to alter the Minute agreeable to my laſt Declaration. The Commiſſary then took my Paper, read it to himſelf, and ſaid he would not accept of it. I then ſtood up according to Law, and ſaid, I would go and proteſt againſt all further Proceedings as null and void, and immediately left the Court; upon Mr. Rutledge his Advice, I return'd and declared that I appeared Apud Acta to the Biſhop of London, and then withdrew a ſecond Time.—We had not gone far from the Place of Judicature, but I was called back by the Apparitor and Regiſter, we returned, and at the Commiſſary's Deſire gave in my Exception to be read, and filed.
By this Time Mr. Commiſſary had gotten one Mr. Graham an Attorney to appear in Behalf of the Court, who inſiſted on having the Merits of my Exceptions tried in Court, but as according to Law, I had referred them to the Examination of Six Arbitrators, Three nominated by me, and Three by the Commiſſary; Mr. Rutledge in my Behalf proteſted againſt all further Proceedings, and againſt my appearing at the next Court 'till my Reference to Arbitrators was complied with, it being quite improbable to imagine that Mr. Commiſſary, who muſt be judged, if my Exceptions ſhould be tried by that Court, ſhould allow himſelf prejudiced. This Recuſatio Judicis I exhibited by the Advice of my Friends, not to quibble with, or evade the Force or Rigour of any Law whatſoever, that I might juſtly fall under: For when the Articles of Impeachment were read, I found myſelf accuſed only of omitting to read the Common Prayer in the Preſbyterian Meeting at ſuch Times as I preached there.—Oh that my Adverſaries may never have any Thing worſe to lay to my Charge.
The Spectators were rather more numerous than Yeſterday; they behaved quietly, and were much rejoiced to ſee my Oppoſers reduced to ſuch a Dilemma.—Well ſaid the Pſalmiſt, The Wrath of Man ſhall turn to thy Praiſe. Great God, the Remainder of it do thou reſtrain, and for thy own Names ſake deliver me from the Hands of unreaſonable Men, who out of a miſguided Zeal, and without a Cauſe are mine Enemies.
Thurſday, July 17. By Advice of Mr. Rutledge, appeared in Court at the Time of their Meeting, to ſee if my Exceptions were admitted to Arbitration or repelled.—The Court being opened Mr. Commiſſary aſk'd me if I was prepared to anſwer the Articles objected againſt me. I replied, I could give no Anſwer till my Exceptions were …ferred to Arbitrators. Mr. Rutledge ſtood up, and ſpake ſome few Words in Vindication of my Objections, proving by a Book of eccleſiaſtical Law, that my Proceedings were according to the Rules therein preſcribed. The Regiſter was ordered to read their Reaſons for repelling my Exceptions; Mr. Graham endeavoured to enforce, having firſt laboured to prove the Juriſdiction of the Court, and to remove the Apprehenſions the Country in general or Diſſenters in particular, might entertain concerning the ill Conſequences of ſuch a Court's being erected. He held on for a conſiderable Time without Interruption, but Mr. … ledge riſing up to invalidate what he had ſaid, was ſtopped: At length, therefore finding my Exceptions repelled, I appealed to his Majeſty in the high Court of Chancery, and declared all other Proceedings in that Court againſt me to be null and void. This cauſed many to rejoice, and give Thanks unto God in my Behalf.—And my dear Redeemer to comfort my Heart, by his good Providence, at my Return to my Lodgings, ſent me ſeveral Letters from Philadelphia, acquainting me how mightily the Word of God grew and prevailed in thoſe Parts.—As alſo Mr. Boulton, who lately kept an Aſſembly-Houſe and whoſe Daughter, not long ſince was converted at Georgia wrote me Word that he had near fifty Negroes now learning to read of him.—And further, that the People of Philadelphia at their own Expence, and Accord, were building a Place for me againſt Winter one hundred Feet long, & ſeventy Feet wide. Lord do thou fill it with thy Preſence, and grant that all that come thither to Worſhip, may worſhip thee in Spirit and in Truth.
Saturday, July 19. After Evening Meeting, was deſired by the Apparitor to come and wait on Mr. Commiſſary, who was ſitting in Court, I went. He deſired me to depoſite Ten Pounds Sterling and to ſwear, that I would lodge my Appeal within a Twelve-month. My Lawyer not being preſent my Friends were too ſollicitous for my Non-compliance, but being to leave Town on Monday, and finding the Commiſſary's printed Orders gave him Authority to require it, I took the deſired Oath, promiſed to leave Ten Pounds in a Friend's Hands, but withal moved for a Copy of the Court's Proceedings, which was readily complied with.—The Court being ended, the Commiſſary deſired to ſpeak with me: I aſk'd him to go to my Lodgings. He choſe to walk in a Green near the Church: His Spirit was ſomething calmer than uſual, but after an Hour's Converſation, we were as far from agreeing as before. He charged me with ſpeaking Blaſphemy, for ſaying that if it was in my Power, I would place him at the Right Hand of GOD. Upon my deſiring to know wherein the Blaſphemy conſiſted, he replied,—Where then will you put CHRIST? I aſked him, why he was guilty of that Fault which he charged me with in accuſing the Methodiſts in general, when he only referred to Things wrote or done by me in particular. He anſwer'd becauſe we were all of one Mind he ſuppoſed.—When I queſtioned him, why he ridicul'd me for making Grimaces in the Pulpit—when he did not come to hear me,—Why ſays he, as I paſſed by one Day, I ſaw you ſpreading out your Hands.—I replied, did not Paul do ſo when he began to preach? In ſhort all his Diſcourſe was ſo inconſiſtent, and contrary to the Goſpel of our Lord, that I was obliged to tell him, that I believed him to be an unconverted Man, an Enemy to God, and of alike Spirit with the Perſecutor Soul.—At this he ſmiled, and after we had walked for a long while we parted, and God gave me great Satisfaction, that I had delivered my Soul in my private Converſation with the Commiſſary.—O Father give him alſo Peace, and Joy in believing, through Jeſus Chriſt the Son of thy Love.
Sunday, July 20.—Preach'd this Morning as uſual, and went afterward to Church, to hear the Commiſſary. His Text was, Take heed how you hear. At firſt I thought we ſhould have a peaceable Sermon, eſpecially ſince we had convers'd before ſo amicably, but the Gall ſoon began to flow from his Tongue, tho' not with ſo much Bitterneſs, as the laſt Sunday.—He endeavoured to apologize for his Proceedings, condemned all that followed me, and gave all Hopes of Heaven, that adhered to him, and the Church. In the Evening (tho' I went off my Bed to do it, and was carried in a Chaiſe) the Lord Jeſus ſtrengthned me to take my laſt Farewel of the dear People of Charles-Town.—My Soul was full of Tenderneſs for them, and many ſeemed to ſympathize with me. Bleſſed be God for ſending me once more among them, tho' the Heat of the Weather, and Frequency of preaching, has perhaps given an irrecoverable Stroke to the Health of my Body, yet I rejoice, knowing it has been for the Conviction, and I believe Converſion of many a Soul. Glory be to God on high, the Fields here, as well as elſewhere are now white, ready unto Harveſt.—Numbers are ſeeking after Jeſus—And two or three gracious diſſenting Miniſters, by my Advice, agreed to ſet up a Weekly-Lecture. I adviſed the People, ſince the Goſpel was not preach'd in the Church, to go and hear it in the Meeting-Houſes.—May the Lord be with both Miniſters and People, & cauſe them to preach, and hear as becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt, What makes the Change more remarkable in Charles-Town People, is, that they ſeemed to me at my firſt coming to be a People wholly devoted to Pleaſure.—One well acquainted with their Circumſtances, and Manners, told me more had been annually ſpent on polite Entertainments, than the Poor's Rate came to, but now the Jewellers and Dancing-Maſters begin to cry out that their Craft is in Danger.—A vaſt Alteration is diſcernable in the Ladies Dreſs.—And ſome, whilſt I have been ſpeaking, have been ſo convinced of the Sin of wearing Jewels, that I have ſeen them with Bluſhes, put their Hands to their Ears, and cover them with their Fans.—But I hope the Reformation has went farther then Externals. Many moral good ſort of Men, who before were ſetled upon their Lees, have been gloriouſly awakened to ſeek after Jeſus Chriſt, and many a Lydia's Heart hath the Lord opened to receive the Things that were ſpoken.
Indeed the Word came often like a Hammer and a Fire,—And a Door, I believe, will be opened for teaching the poor Negroes.—Several of them have done their uſual Work in a leſs Time, that they might come to hear me.—Many of their Owners who have been awakened, reſolve to teach them Chriſtianity. Had I Time, and proper School-maſters, I might immediately erect a Negro School in South-Carolina as well as Penſylvania; many would willingly contribute both Money and Land. Every Day almoſt ſomething or other was ſent for my Orphans at Georgia. The People were very ſolicitous about my Health when they ſaw me weak, ſent me many ſmall Preſents, and took Care to ſee the Lawyer who pleaded for me: I feared ſometimes they would be too hot, but I endeavoured to ſtop their Reſentments againſt the Commiſſary as much as poſſible, and recommended Peace and Moderation to them in moſt of my Diſcourſes. May the Lord Jeſus reward them for all their Works of Faith and Labours which have proceeded of Love. May he never leave 'em without a teaching Prieſt; and may he grant that the Seed ſown in their Hearts may grow up into an eternal Harveſt. Amen and Amen.
Aſhley-Ferry and Pon-Pon.
Monday, July 22. Left Charles-Town very early, accompanied by many of the Inhabitants, who I hope will prove true Followers of the Lamb.—Read Prayers, and preached at Aſhley-Ferry, to a large Congregation, and great Power was among 'em. The Weather continuing extream hot, ſweating and preaching weakened me very much; I went in a Chariot to Madam Bellinger's, who kindly invited me and my Friends to Dinner, I eat but little, took leave of my dear Fellow-Travellers as well as I could, took Horſe in the Evening, put in for Shelter from the Rain at Major Smith's—and reach'd Mr. Bees of Pon-Pon, near forty Miles from Town about Midnight. Here I had the Pleaſure of meeting Mr. Hugh Bryan, but Nature being quite worn out, I went to Reſt as ſoon as poſſible, not doubting but the Lord would cauſe me to renew my Strength before the Morning: Why ſhould I doubt it ſince the Lord hath ſaid I will never leave or forſake thee?
Tueſday, July 23. Slept pretty well, but found myſelf not ſtrong enough to engage in Family Duty, met with and was civilly treated by Mr. Stobo, and Mr. Steward, two Scotch Preſbyterian Miniſters, and Mr. Thompſon, a Church of England Miſſionary, who refuſed to preach, or ſit in Judgment againſt me. About Noon God ſtrengthned me to ride a Mile, and preach under a great Tree, to an attentive Auditory; ſome I obſerved were affected, and I would have willingly preached a ſecond Time, but my Body was ſo Weak, that by the Advice of Friends I reſolved to continue where I was all Night.—Surely it cannot be long e're this earthly Tabernacle will be diſſolved. Never did the Heart pant more eagerly after the Water-Brooks, than my Soul thirſts after the Enjoyment of thee my God.