George Whitefield

1714-1770

   George Whitefield was a renowned preacher, considered to be much more eloquent that John Wesley. He persuaded John Wesley to preach in the fields.

   George Whitefield and John Wesley did not see eye-to-eye on a theology of grace however. In 1740 Wesley published "Free Grace," saying that God’s grace was extended to all. Wesley rejected the concept of divine election. Whitefield was a Calvinist. He once wrote, "God, himself, I find, teaches my friends the doctrine of election. If I mistake not, my dear and honored Mr. Wesley will hereafter be convinced of it also."

   The two men were never to agree on divine election. Whitefield thought Wesley's was preaching universal redemption whereas Wesley thought Whitefield's preaching implied Christians need not take moral responsibility. They parted ways but managed, in the end, to maintain a respect for each other in that their hearts were the same in terms of unity in Jesus Christ.

   After Whitefield's death, John Wesley preached a memorial sermon. Wesley said:

"Let my last end be like his!" How many of you join in this wish? Perhaps there are few of you who do not, even in this numerous congregation! And O that this wish may rest upon your minds! -- that it may not die away till your souls also are lodged "where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest!"

On the Death of George Whitefield

by Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784)

   Phillis Wheatley (right) was purchased in 1761 by John Wheatley of Boston as a companion for his wife, Susanna. She learned English quickly and was taught to read and write. In less than two years after her arrival in New England, she was reading passages from the Bible, Greek and Latin classics, astronomy, geography, history, and British literature. She became well known for her poem eulogizing the Reverend George Whitefield.

Hail, happy saint, on thine immortal throne,
Possest of glory, life, and bliss unknown;
We hear no more the music of thy tongue,
Thy wonted auditories cease to throng.
Thy sermons in unequall'd accents flow'd,
And ev'ry bosom with devotion glow'd;
Thou didst in strains of eloquence refin'd
Inflame the heart, and captivate the mind.
Unhappy we the setting sun deplore,
So glorious once, but ah! it shines no more.

   Behold the prophet in his tow'ring flight!
He leaves the earth for heav'n's unmeasur'd height,
And worlds unknown receive him from our sight.
There Whitefield wings with rapid course his way,
And sails to Zion through vast seas of day.
Thy pray'rs, great saint, and thine incessant cries
Have pierc'd the bosom of thy native skies.
Thou moon hast seen, and all the stars of light,
How he has wrestled with his God by night.
He pray'd that grace in ev'ry heart might dwell,
He long'd to see America excell;
He charg'd its youth that ev'ry grace divine
Should with full lustre in their conduct shine;
That Saviour, which his soul did first receive,
The greatest gift that ev'n a God can give,
He freely offer'd to the num'rous throng,
That on his lips with list'ning pleasure hung.

  "Take him, ye wretched, for your only good,
"Take him ye starving sinners, for your food;
"Ye thirsty, come to this life-giving stream,
"Ye preachers, take him for your joyful theme;
"Take him my dear Americans, he said,
"Be your complaints on his kind bosom laid:
"Take him, ye Africans, he longs for you,
"Impartial Saviour is his title due:
"Wash'd in the fountain of redeeming blood,
"You shall be sons, and kings, and priests to God."

   Great Countess,* we Americans revere
Thy name, and mingle in thy grief sincere;
New England deeply feels, the Orphans mourn,
Their more than father will no more return.

  But, though arrested by the hand of death,
Whitefield no more exerts his lab'ring breath,
Yet let us view him in th' eternal skies,
Let ev'ry heart to this bright vision rise;
While the tomb safe retains its sacred trust,
Till life divine re-animates his dust.

   *A reference to the Lady Huntingdon (above right). She appointed the Rev. George Whitefield as one of her chaplains, established sixty-four Methodist meeting houses in England, and provided seminaries for the education of ministers to supply them. Horace Walpole described Lady Huntingdon as the St. Teresa of the Methodists.

For Further Study

• The Elect Lady (rev. 1990), a biography of Lady Huntington by Gilbert W. Kirby for the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion, an evangelical Christian denomination.
• Lady Selina Shirley Huntingdon (1707-1791)
• An Open Letter from George Whitefield to John Wesley
  Whitefield's letter was referring to John Wesley's sermon on "Free Grace"
• Two Sorts of Methodists, Chapter 11, John Wesley the Methodist: A Plain Account of His Life and Work by a Methodist Preacher (1903)
  Whitefield's Calvinism.--Arminians.--" The Queen of the Methodists."-- Trevecca College.-- Lady Huntingdon's Connection.--Time Heals the Wounds.--Whitefield's Candle Burns to the Socket.

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   This quiz is based on information in John Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life copyright © 1996 Charles Yrigoyen, Jr.

   The drawing near the top of most the web pages for Holiness of Heart and Life depicts the Reverend John Wesley (1703-1791) at age 48. All of the black and white drawings have been scanned by Nancy A. Carter from public domain nineteeth century or early twentieth century Methodist history books. Please acknowledge this web site, John Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life, http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/, if you reproduce these. Sorry, the graphics are available only in the 72 dpi resolution you see here.

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