From His Arrival in Edinburgh, 1759, to His Opening the Countess of Huntingdon’s Chapel at Bath, 1765
About tlic beg;iniiiiig of July, 1759, he came to Edinburjjh. The congrefifatioiis were never more numerous or attentive than here and at Glasgow. Yet, he complains in his letters, “that with respect to the power of religion, it was a dead time in Scotland, in comparison with London, and several other parts of England.” During his stay, the sum he collcct’d for the benefit of the Orphan-hospital, amounted to two hundred and fifteen pounds. This year’s visit to Scotland occasioned an occurrence wliicli redounded much to his credit, and fully cleared him from the charges of mercenary and sordid motives, brought against him very unjustly by some of his adversaries.
A Miss Hunter, a young lady of considerable fortune, made him an offer of her whole estate, both money and lands, amounting to above seven thousand pounds, which he generously refused: and upon his declining to accept it for himself, she again offered it for the benefit of the institution in Georgia, which he also absolutely refused. These are facts too well known to be denied.
This winter he continued in London; during which, he wrote a preface to Dr. Samuel Clarke’s bible. He also considerably enlarged his chapel, which was far too small to contain the congregation.
On the 14th of March, 1760, he collected at Tottenham court chapel and Tabernacle, upwards of four hundred pounds for the relief of the distressed Prussians, who suffered so much from the savage cruelty of the Russians, at Newmark, Custrin, &c. For this disinterested act of benevolence, he received the thanks of his Prussian majesty.
In the summer of 1760, he traveled through Gloucestershire and Wales, and afterwards to Bristol. When he preached at the Tabernacle, many more attended than the place would hold; and in the fields there were supposed to be ten thousand.
About this time, he underwent a new sort of persecution, which however, men of the greatest eminence have sometimes experienced, being burlesqued and ridiculed in a manner the most ludicrous and profane, on the stage of the theater royal, Drury lane. Many acts of violence had been offered to his person, but his enemies being now convuiced that the law would not permit them longer to proceed in that way with impunity, determined to try the effect of mockery. For this purpose, they procured for their tool, Mr, Samuel Foote, a man well qualified to act the mimic; who having imitated Wliitelield’s person and action with success, and spoke some ludicrous sentences in his manner, was thereby encouraged to write a farce, called the Minor, to ])e performed at Drury lane. Whitefield takes notice of this in a letter, dated August 16, 1760. It seems to have talccni its rise from the malice of the play house people, after they had failed in their attempt to deter him from jn-eaching at Long Acre chapel; and even still more exasperated by his building a chapel of his own in Tottenham court road. A letter was written to David Garrick, q., occasioned by the intended representation of the Minor. llus letter was supposed to have been written by the Rev. Martin Madan.
This theatrical piece, by its horrid blasphemy and impiety, excited the just indignation of every serious person. The impious author, intending to expose Mr. Whitefield to public contempt, makes no scruple to treat the very expressions, and sacred doctrines of the Bi])le, with that profane ridicule, which a sol)er minded Mahomedan would blush at! Or, to put the most favorable construction upon the matter, he, and the agents employed at the Tabernacle and chapel, to procure materials, were so shamefully ignorant of the inspired writings, as not to know, that what they took for Mr. Whitefield’s peculiar language, was that of the word of God! However, they lost their labor; for by their endeavors to lessen the number of his followers, they increased them, and brought thousands more to hear the gospel: and thus Providence gave him the victory over them, baffling all the schemes of the prince of darkness!
Here it will not be amiss to insert the following account from Edinburgh: —” Mr. Foote* being manager of the Edinburgh theater, in the winter of 1770, the Minor was acted there. The first night it was pretty full, as people fond of any novelty, were led to it without knowing any thing of the nature of the performance. But such was The public sense of the impurity and indecency of it, when known, that on the second night, only ten women appeared. When it was acted on Saturday, November 24, a dispute arose among the spectators, whether it was proper to bring Mr. Whitefield upon the stage, as he was now dead? This, however, was done, and raised a general indignation in the inhabitants of that city. Next day several
* One evening -while Foote was exhibiting; Whitefield to public ridicule, in the theater of Di-ury lane, the venerable man himself was engaged in preaching at Tottenham court chapel. His subject was, “ike joys of Heaven.” Towards the close of his discourse, when his piety, his imagination, and his eloquence were on fire, he cried out in the midst of a melted and enraptured assembly, pointing to the heavens, “there, there, an vmgodly foot tramples on the saints no more.”
ministers, the Rev. Dr. »skine, Dr. Walker, (fee, took notice oi’ it in their discourses tVoni the ]nilpit. Dr. Walker, whoso church was frequented by people of the higher rank, observed in his lecture upon 2 Cor. v. 14 — 21, that he could not read the 17th verse, if any man be in, Christ, he is a new creature without expressing the just indignation he felt, upon hearing, that last night a profane piece of buftbonry was publicly acted, in which this sacred doctrine is ridiculed. The Rev. Mr. Baine, of the kirk of relief, preached a sermon on the occasion, Decemlr 2, from Psalm xciv. 1(5. Towards the conclusion he says, “how base and ungrateful is such treatment of the dead! and that too so very nigh to a family of orphans, the records of whose hospital will transmit Mr. Whitefield’s name to posterity with honor, when the memory of others will rot! How illiberal such usage of one, whose seasonable good services for his king and comitry, are well known; and whose indefatigable labors for his beloved Master, were countenanced by heaven!”
May 14, 1760, he preached at Tottenham court chapel, from Hosea xi. 8, 9, and at the Tabernacle in the evening, when his text was the last verse of the SOth Psalm. At the former place, he collected two hundred and twenty-two pounds, eight shillings, and ninepence; and at the latter, one hundred and eighty-two pounds, fifteen shillings, and ninepence, for the distressed Protestants in Prussia. Thus it appears that his benevolent disposition led him strictly to observe public occurrences: and surely no man more carefully endeavored to approve them.
The months of September and October, 1760, he spent in traveling and preaching through Yorkshire; and passed the winter in London, in his usual manner.
February 13, 1761, being a day appointed for a general fast, he preached early in the morning at the Tabernacle, from Exodus xxxiv. 3, and collected one hundred and twelve pounds. Li the forenoon again, at the chapel, from Joel ii. 15. After sermon, the collection amounted to two hundred and forty-two pounds; and in the evening he preached at the Tabernacle, from Genesis vii. l,and collected two hundred and ten pounds. These sums, amounting to five hundred and sixty-four pounds, were immediately applied to the noble purposes for which they were collected, the relief of the poor afliicted German Protestants, and the unhappy sufferers by fire at Boston. Four hundred pounds were conveyed to the Germans, through the hands of the Rev. Mr. Ziegenhagen.
“Boston, February 27, 1764. At a meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of Boston, on Friday last, it was VOTED UNANIMOUSLY, that the thanks of the town be given to the Rev. George Whitefield, for his charitable care and pains in collecting a considerable sum of money in Great Britain, for the distressed snftercrs by the great fire in Boston, in 1760; and a respectable committee was appointed to wait on Mr. Whitefield, to inform him of the vote, and present him with a copy thereof.”
But his bodily health, which had often been very bad, now grew worse and worse; so that, in August, 1761, he was brought to the very gates; yet the Lord was pleased to raise him again. It was happy for him, that he frequently obtained the assistance of clergymen from the country at this time; particularly of the Rev. John Berridge,* vicar of Everton, Bed-
* This eminently humble, laborious, and highly honored ambassador of the Lord Jesus, was born in ITIG, at Kingston, in Nottinghamshire. In the fifteenth year of his age he was convinced of the sinfulness of man, and the necessity of being born again, not of the will of man, or of the will of the flesh, but of God.
He was .sent to the University of Cambridge in the nineteenth year of his age, and in 1749, began his ministry, at Stapleford, near Cambridge; where he preached regularly six years with zeal and faithfulness, but with little success. In 1755 he was admitted to the vicarage of Everton, in Bedfordshire; where he continued till his death.
From his own memorandums, found among his papers since his decease, it appears he was a stranger to that faith which purifies, works by love, and makes Christ all in all to the believing soul, till the year 1757; and therefore went about preaching up the righteousness of the creature, instead of the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ alone, for acceptance with God. This made it no wonder that his ministrations were no more blessed to the ^ouls of others than to his owti. In the following year it pleased the Lord of his infinite mercy to open the eyes of his mind, to see his error, and make him cry out, “Lord, if I am right, keep me so; but if I am not, make me so; and lead me to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus.”
A few days after this, his earnest and constant prayer was granted; he was led by the blessed spirit to acknowledge the insufficiency of good works to merit the divine favor, and accordingly renounced them, as unworthy of dependence, and in no wise meritorious” in the sight of God. He was taught the necessity of believing in the Redeemer alone for life and salvation, and joyfully received and depended on him as the only Savior from the wrath to -come; agreeably to the declaration of an inspired apostle. Acts iv. 12. “Neither is salvation in any other; for there is none other name imder heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
From this time he truly found his preaching was. not in vain in the Lord; for he had many bright and eminent seals added to his ministry, which were his joy in life, and shall doubtless be his crown of rejoicing when tmie shall be no more. Among these was the Rev. Mr. Hicks, a clergyman of Wrestlingworth, about four miles from Everton, who became a very useful man, and often accompanied him in his itinerant lalwrs from place to place.
Having so good a Master, he entered upon his work with cheerful steps, and pursued it with the greatest industry. Emboldened by the success of Whitefield, he saw it to be his duty to itincate, or to extend the sphere of his usefulness by becoming a traveling preacher. He did not confine his labors to the narrow limits of Everton, but, like the majestic sim, illuminated an extensive tract of comitry. His love to mankind was ardent; he knew the worth of an immortal soul; he knew the awful terrors of the Lord; he knew the emptiness of the present world; he knew the sandy foimdation upon which thousands build; he knew the dangerous devices of Satan; he knew the awful precipice upon which the ungodly stand. His bowels melted with pity — his heart yearned to assist them. He therefore left no means unatfordshire; Fellow of Claro Hall, Cambridge; and chaplain to the Right Honorable, the Earl of Buchan; of whom he writes,
templed to awaken their concern, and allure iheni to the Son of God. In his itineracy he would lake the counties of Bedford, Canibridije, Essex, Hertford and Huntingdon, making the episcopal mandate the invariable rule of his operations, “Go and seek Christ’s sheep where thou canst find them.” In this circuit he preached upt)n an average from ten to twelve sermons a week, and frequently rode a hundred miles. Nor were these extraordinary exertions the nasty fruit of intermitting zeal, but they were regularly continued during the long succession of more than tweiUy years, exemplifying through the whole of his ministerial career, the motto of the late celebrated Dr. Doddridge, Dum vivimus vivamus.
The first year that he began to preach the gospel, he was visited by upwards of a thousand different persons under serious impressions: and it has been computed, that under his own, and the joint ministry of Mr. Hicks, about Jour tkousaTul were awakened to a concern about their souls, in the -space of twelve months.
For several years before Whitefield died, Mr. Berridge preached at the Tabernacle and Tottenham court chapel, and continued to do so annually till 1793; he intended to have come that year, and was expected by his numerous friends in London, but instead of his presence, they received the melancholy tidings of his death. For some days previous to his decease, his strength and health” had visibly decreased, and on Simday, 20th January, he came down into his parlor as usual, but with great difliculty reached his chamber in the evening. A few hours after he was in bed, he “appeared to be seized with the symptoms of immediate dissolution. His face was contracted and his speech faltered; and in this situation he continued till about three o’clock on Tuesday afternoon, January 22, when breathing less and less, this champion of his Redeemer calmly entered into the joy of his Lord, in the 76th year of his age. On the ensuing Sabbath, his remains were interred in his own parish church yard. The Rev. Charles Simeon, Fellow of King’s college, Cambridge, preached his funeral sermon, from 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. Six neighboring clergymen attended to bear his pall. The almost immense concourse of people, who assembled from all parts of the country, to be present at this solemnity, the undissembled grief which was depicted upon every countenance, the tears which trickled down every cheek, were a melancholy, but expressive eulogium on his character, and should be considered as a just panegyric on his worth.
Never man entered upon the work of his Master with more disinterested views. HLs purse was as open as his heart, though not so large. His ear was ever attentive to the tale of woe, his eye was keen to observe the miseries of the poor, the law of kindness was written upon his heart, and his hand was always ready to administer relief. The gains of his vicarage, of his fellowship, and of his patrimonial income, (for his father died very rich,) were appropriated to support his liberality. Houses were rented, lay preachers maintained, and his own traveling expenses disbursed by himself. Cottagers were always gainers by his company. He invariably left a half crown for the homely provisions of the day, and during his itineracy, it actually cost hivufive hundred pounds in this single article of expenditure.
His mental powers were far from contemptible: he possessed a strength of understanding — a quickness of perception — a depth of penetration — a brilliancy of fancy — and a fund of prompt wit, beyond most men. A vein of inno<;ent humour ran through all his public and private discourses. This softened, what some might call the austerity of religion, and rendered his company pleasant to people of less serious habits; but, what is very singular, it never overcame his gravity.
In learning he was inferior to very few of the most celebrated sons of science and literature at the university. His masculine ability, his uniform sobriety, and long residence at college, were favorable to improvement; and so insatiable was his thirst for knowledge, that from his entrance at Clare Hall, to his acceptance of the vicaracc of Everton, he regularly studied fif- “A new instrument is raised up out of Cambridge university: he has been preaching with groat fame, and like an angel of the church indeed.” After his recovery, which was very gradual, he was so extremely weak as to be unable to labor as formerly; and therefore left London, and visited Bristol, Exeter, and Plymouth.
He now found himself much better, though not able to bear the fatigue of long journeys and frequent preaching, as he used to do. Of this he complains in October, 1761: “I have not preached a single sermon for some weeks. Last Sunday I spoke a little, but I feel its effects ever since. A sea voyage seems more necessary to me now than ever. I now know what nervous disorders are. Blessed be God, that they were contracted in his service! I do not repent, though I am frequently tempted to wish that the report of my death had been true, since my disorder keeps me from my old delightful work of preaching.”
In a journey this month to Leeds and Newcastle, although he was enabled to bear riding in a post chaise, he could preach but seldom; and his friends prudently refrained from pressing him. “I hope, however,” says he, “I am traveUng in order to preach.” Accordingly he journeyed slowly to Edinburgh and Glasgow; and was in London till the month of December; when he was much recovered, which he attributed instrumentally to his following the advice and prescriptions of several eminent physicians in Edinburgh; being convinced, as he said, “that their directions had been more blessed, than all the medicines and advice he had elsewhere.”
His health being in a great measure restored, he could not refrain from his beloved work. And writes from Bristol, April, 1762: “Bristol air agrees with me. I have been enabled to preach five times this last week, without being hurt. Who knows but I may yet be restored so far as to sound the gospel trumpet for my God! The quietness I enjoy here, with daily riding out, seems to be one very proper means.”
Notwithstanding his weakness and shortness of breath, he still continued preaching four or five times a week, till the middle of May; and now and then was enabled to “take the field,” as he called it; in which exercise he much delighted. “Mounts,” says he,” are the best pulpits; and the heavens the
teen hours a day. He was as familiar with the learned languages as with his mother tongue.
None who intimately knew him, will consider this as an exaggerated history, but will rather join the honest man, who told the minister at the close of his funeral sermon in London, “Sir, I have known good Mr. Berridge above forty years; and after all your commendation, I must say, as the queen of Sheba did on another occasion, the half luis not been told.”
MEMOIRS OF wnrrEFiKr,i>. 179
best sounding boards. O for power equal to my will! I would fly from pole to pole, publishing the everlasting gospel of the
Son of God!’’
After his return to town, his zealous exertions, increasing cares and labors, affected his spirits, and brought him low again. He therefore resolved on a voyage to Holland; and accordingly set out in the month of July. The sea air agreed so well with him, that finding himself much better, he writes from Norwich, July 31: ‘-The expedition to Holland, was. I trust, profitable to myself and others; and, if ever my usefulness is to be continued at London, I must be prepared for it by a longer itineration both by land and water. At present, blessed be God, I can preach once a day; and it would do your heart good to see what an infiuence attends the word. All my old times are revived asfain.”
August IS. he arrived at Edinburgh: from thence went to Glasgow: preached at each place alternately every day, and at Cambuslang twice, till September 13, when he returned to England; and rejoiced at the news of an expected peace, hoping soon to embark for America.
During his stay in England, he was not able to preach more than once a day, through extreme weakness and bodily pain. At Leeds, Bristol, and Plymouth, he labored with greater ease and pleasure: but of London, he says, “as aflairs are circumstanced, every thing there tends to weigh me down.” Having therefore enga2:ed some of his dearest and most intimate friends, to take upon them the whole care and management of the affairs of his chapel and Tabernacle, with all his other concerns in England, he set sail in the month of March, 1763, for Greenock, in Scotland. In this tour, he preached at Everton, Leeds, Aberford, Kippax, and Newcastle; and also was employed in writhig his obser”ations, in answer to Bishop Warburton.
For some weeks after his arrival in Scotland, he regularly preached once a day; but was obliged, by the return of his former complaint, when at Edinburgh, to refrain, for the most part, for almost six weeks.
At length he embarked the sixth time for America, on the first of June, in the ship Fanny, Captain Archibald Galbraith, bound from Greenock to Virginia; and arrived there in the latter end of August, after a voyage of twelve weeks. “Thanks to a never failing Redeemer,” says he” I have not been laid by an hour, through sickness, since I came on board. A kind captain, and almost orderly and quiet ship’s company, who gladly attended when I had breath to preach. Scarce an oath have I heard upon deck, and such a stillness has been through the whole ship, both on week days and the Lord’s day, as hath
180 MEMOIRS OF WITITEFIELl).
from time to time surprised me.” He dated his letters in September, October, and November, from Philadelphia. Though still reduced by weakness, yet he continued to preach twice a week, “Here,” says he, “are some young bright witnesses rising up in the church. Perhaps I have already conversed with forty new creature ministers of various denominations. Sixteen popular students, I am credibly informed, were converted in New Jersey college last year. What an open door if I had strength! Last Tuesday we had a remarkable season among the Lutherans; children and grown people were much impressed,”
it was his earnest wish to go immediately to Georgia, but he was absoHitely dissuaded by his physicians, till he recovered his strength. In the latter end of November, he left Philadelphia and went to New York’, preaching several times by the way; at the college of New Jersey, and also at Edinburgh town, with much approbation and success. His spirits now revived, so that he was enabled to preach three times a week. During his stay in New York, in the winter, he writes, “prejudices in this place have most strongly subsided. The better sort floclf, as eagerly as the common people, and are fond of coming for private gospel conversation. Congregations continue very large, and, I trust, saving impressions are made upon many.” This appears by the following account taken from the Boston Gazette.
“New York, January 23, 1754. The Rev. George Whitefield has spent seven weeks with us, preaching twice a week, with more general approbation than ever; anct has been treated with great respect, by many of the gentlemen and merchants of this place. During his stay, he preached two charity sermons, the one on the occasion of the annual collection for the poor, in which double the sum was collected that ever was upon the like occasion; the other was for the benefit of Mr. Wheelock’s Indian school at liebanon, in New England, for which he collected, notwithstanding the present prejudices of many people against the Indians, the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds. In his last sermon, he took a very affectionate leave of the people of tins city, who expressed great concern at his departure. May CJod restore this great and good man, in whom the gentleman, the christian, and accomplished orator, shine forth with such peculiar lustre, to a perfect state of health, and continue him long a blessing to the world, and the church of Christ!”’
Having left New York, he preached at East Hamptonbridge, Hampton, and South Hold, on Long Island, at Shelter Island, and at New London, Norwich, and Providence, on the main ay to Boston, where ho arrived in cr end
.-xAU,i>’, 1704, and was welcomed l)y inai j, Wn.i great
ailection. But as the small pox was spreading tln-ough the
town, he preached for some time in the ])arts adjacent. At
Newbury, in particular, a divine power attended the word
preached. From Concord, he writes, to his friend Mr. S,
■’ How would you have been delighted to have seen Mr. Wheelock’s Indians! Such a promising nursery of future missionaries, I believe, was never seen in New England before. Pray encourage it willi all your might. I also wish you would give some useful puritanical booirs to Harvard college library, lately burnt down.” The estimation in which he was held by the gentlemen of Harvard college, will be seen by the following:
“At a meeting of the president and fellows of Harvard college, August 22, 1708, the Rev. G. Whitetield, having, in addition to his former kindness to Harvard college, lately presented to the library a new edition of his journals, and having procured large benefactions from several benevolent and respectable gentlemen, voted, that the thanks of the corporation be given to the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, for these instances of candor and generosity.”
PRESENT.
The President, Dr. Elliot,
Mr. Appleton, Dr. Cooper,
Mr. Professor Winthrop, Treasurer Hubbard.
(A true Copy,) Per E. Holyoke, President.
In the month of April his disorder returned; but not so violently as to prevent him long from preaching, and the Bostoni ans flocked with great eagerness to hear him. He left Boston, in order to proceed immediately southward, but messengers were sent after him to persuade him to return.
June 1, 1704, he writes, “Friends have even constrained me to stay here, for fear of running into the summer’s heat. Hitherto I find the benefit of it. Whatever it is owing to, through mercy, I am much better in health than I was this time twelve months, and can preach thrice a week to very larjje auditories, without hurt; and every day I hear of some brought under concern. This is all of grace!”
He again left Boston, to the great grief of his friends, after a sorrowful parting, and came hack to New York; and from thence his letters are dated from June till the end of August. “At present,” says he,” my health is better than usual, and as yet I have felt no inconvenience from the summer’s heat. I have preached twice lately in the fields, and we sat imder the blessed Redeemer’s shadow with great delight. My late excursions upon Long Island, I trust, have been blessed. It would surprise you to see above o)ie hundred carriages at every sermon, in the new world!’’
He spent the months of September and October at Philadelphia; where the provost of the college read prayers for him. Both the present, and the late governor, with the principal gentlemen of the city, attended. He received the thanks of the trustees, for speaking for the charity children, and recommending the institution.
Ijcaving Philadelphia, he continued his journey southward through” Virginia; and November 22, from New Brunswick, in Carolina, he writes thus: — “At Newborn, last Sunday, good impressions were made. From that place to this, I have met with what they call New Lights in almost every stage. I have the names of several of their preachers. This with every other ])lace, being open and exceedingly desirous to hear the gospel, makes me almost determined to come back early in the spring.” Having preached at Charleston, he once more arrived at Savannah, and had the happiness to find the state of the colony as prosperous as lie could wish. “The colony,” says he, “is rising fast; nothing but plenty at Bethesda; and all arrears, I trust, will be paid off before I leave it: so that in a short time, I hope to be freed from these outward encumbrances.” And he was not disappointed in his expectations. He writes, “Bethesda, Januftry 14, 1765. God hath given me great favor in the sight of the governor, council, and assembly. A memorial was presented for an additional grant of land, consisting of two thousand acres. It was immediately coniplicd with. Both houses addrctssed the governor in behalf of the intended college. As warm an answer was given. Eveiy heart seems to leap for joy, at the prospect of its future utility.” Again, “Bethesda, February 13. Yesterday morning, the governor, and Lord
J. A. G n, with several other gentlemen, favored me with
their company to breakfast. But how was my lord surprised and delighted! After expressing himself in the strongest terms, he took me aside, and inlbrmed me, that the governor had showed him the accounts, by which he found, what a great benefactor I had been; that the intended college would be of the utmost utility to Geo)gia, and the neighboring provinces; that the plan was beautiful, rational, and practicable; and that he was persuaded his majesty would highly approve of, and also faA’^or it with some peculiar marks of his royal bounty.” He adds in the same letter,” Now farewell, my beloved Bethesda; surely the most delightful place in all the southern parts of America. What a blessed winter have I had! Peace and love, and harmony, and plenty, reign here! Mr. Wright, hath done much
MEMOIRS OP WniTEFIF.LD. 183
in a litttc time, all arc surprised at it; but lie Iiatli worked night and day, and not stirred a mile for many weeks. ‘^Fhanksbeto God, all outward tiiinLTS are settled on this side the water. The auditing the accoimts, and layinsf the foundation for a college, hath silenced enemies, and comforted friends. The finishing of this affair confirms my call to England, at this time.
Having left Bethesda in such comfortable circumstances, he determined, on the ISth of February, to delay his intended journey to the northward, judging it best to sail immediately for England, to settle the college affairs. However, he spent part of the month of March at Charleston, and then taking an affectionate fiirewell, proceeded towards Philadelphia, preaching at many places by the way, especially at Mewcastle. He says, “all along from Charleston to this place, the cry is, for Christ’s sake stay and preach to us! O for a thousand lives to spend for Jesus!”
There being no vessel at Philadelphia, bound for England, he sailed for New York, in the Earl of Halifax packet, and once more landed in England, July 5, 1765. He writes, “we have had but a twenty-eight days’ passage. The transition hath been so sudden, that I can scarce believe I am in England. I hope, ere long, to have a more sudden transition into a better country.” When he arrived, he was very ill of a nervous fever; which left him extremely weak in body, and prevented him from exerting himself, as he had been used to do. Yet, far from being discouraged, he continued to do all the good he could, being in expectation of soon entering into his eternal rest. “O, to end life well!” says he, “methinks I have now but one river to pass over. And we know of One that can carry us over, without being ankle deep.”
On the 6th of October, he was called to open the Countess of Huntingdon’s chapel at Bath. His text was 2 Cor. vi. 16. He says, “the chapel is extremely plain, and yet equally grand — a beautiful original — all was conducted with great solemnity. Though a very wet day, the place was very full. I preached in the morning; the Rev. Mr. Townsend, of Pewsy, in the evening.”