About midsummer, he preached at Kingswood, Bristol, Bradford, Frome, Chippenham, Rodborough, Castlecomb, and Dursley. But, intending to open Lady Huntingdon's chapel at Tunbridge, he did not go his western circuit at this time. July 23, 1769, he opened Lady Huntingdon's new chapel at Tunbridge Wells, and preached from Genesis xxviii. 17. This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven. The congregation being too large to be accommodated in the chapel, he preached out of doors, from a mount in the court before the chapel; after which he gave a general exhortation; and next day administered the Lord's supper, and preached from Thess. ii. 11, 12. He now began seriously to prepare for another voyage across the Atlantic, to visit once more his beloved orphans and friends at Georgia. Accordingly, at the beginning of September, he embarked the seventh and last time, in the Friendship, Captain Ball, for America. From on board he writes: "I am comforted on every side-a civil captain and passengers; all willing to attend on divine worship, and to hear of religious things." CHAPTER XX. From his last embarking for America, to his death, September 30, 1770. THE Vessel was detained a month in the Downs, by contrary winds; one ship was lost, but the passengers escaped in a boat. Whitefield, as usual, ever careful to redeem the time, employed himself in writing many excellent consolatory epistles to his numerous friends; he often preached on board, and sometimes also on shore, both at Deal and Ramsgate. During the vio lence of the storms, they sung the following hymns, written by the Rev. Charles Wesley. HYMN I. LORD of the wide extended main, Whose power the winds and waves controls; Whose spirit leads believing souls. For thee we leave our native shore, (We, whom thy love delights to keep,) "T is here thy unknown paths we trace, While through the mighty waves we pass, Throughout the deep thy footsteps shine, Thy wisdom here we learn to adore, Infinite God! thy greatness span'd The measur'd waters sink and rise! Thee to perfection, who can tell? Yet in thy Son divinely great, Our advocate hath plac'd us there. With him we're going up on high, We boast of our recover'd powers, HYMN II. GLORY to Thee, whose powerful word, Let air, and earth, and skies obey, What tho' the floods lift up their voice, Headlong we cleave the yawning deep, And all the watery world upturn. Roar on, ye waves! our souls defy The calm in a believer's breast. Rage, while our faith the Savior tries, But fall, when he shall say, "BE STILL.!" It is presumed, the following extract from Whitefield's MS. Journal, relative to this period, will be read with interest. "Saturday, September 2. Had a most awful parting season at Tottenham court chapel sacrament, last Sunday morning; the sermon from Gen. xxviii. 12. And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and, behold, the angels of God ascended and descended on it.' Preached from the same text at the Tabernacle, which was more than full, on Wednesday morning at seven o'clock. This day dined with my worthy, fast, and tried friend, Mr. Keen; and having comfortably settled, and left all my outward concerns in his hands, I took an affectionate leave, and in company with some dear friends, this evening reached Gravesend; where others met us. We supped and conversed together in some degree, I trust, like persons who hoped, ere long, to sit down together at the marriage feast of the supper of the Lamb. Hasten, O Lord, that wished for time! "Sunday, September 3. Preached this morning at the Methodist's Tabernacle, from John xii. 32. 'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.' The congregation was not very large; but God gave me great freedom of speech, and made it indeed a house of God, and gate of heaven. In the afternoon, I preached in the marketplace, from Gen. iii. 13. And the Lord God said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? and the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat'-to a much larger, but not more devout auditory. In the out-skirts, as might naturally be expected, some were a little noisy; but a great body were very attentive, and I was enabled to lift up my voice like a trumpet. The remainder of the evening was spent as the night before, with my London christian friends, who, with me, less than the least of all, exceedingly rejoiced at the opportunity of a parting street market-place preaching; where, I trust, some pennyless bankrupt sinners, were made willing to buy gospel wine and milk, without money, and without price. May the great day show, that this hope was not altogether ill grounded! "Monday, September 4. Had my dear christian friends on board to breakfast with me this morning. Conversation was sweet, but parting bitter. What mean you, said the apostle, to weep and break my heart? However, through infinite mercy, I was helped to bear up; and after their departure, the divine presence made up the loss of all, even with new creature comforts. Lord, if thy divine presence go not with, and accompany me all the way, for thine infinite mercy's sake, suffer me not to go one step further! But I believe thy promise Lord, "Tuesday, September 5. The captain not coming down as was expected, we did not weigh anchor till this morning's ebb." "The winds being contrary, and the weather hazy, we did not arrive in the Downs till the Friday following. In the interim, I had the opportunity of conversing a little with the pilot, and strange passengers. All attended divine worship very orderly, and thanked me for my offer of lending them books, and giving them what assistance lay in my power, towards making their voyage comfortable. All seemed thankful, and the pilot parted with tears in his eyes. May the great and never failing pilot, the Almighty Jesus, renew us, and take us all into his holy protection, and then all must necessarily end in our safe arrival in the haven of eternal rest! "Tuesday, September 12. Preached last Sunday morning to my little flock on board, and was most agreeably surprised to-day, with a kind unexpected visit from the Rev. Dr. Gibbons. His discourse was very friendly and devout. "Wednesday, September 13. I went on shore, and attended an ordination solemnity, at the dissenting meeting. Several ministers officiated. Several very important questions were asked and answered before, and a solemn charge given after imposition of hands. But the prayer put up in the very act of laying on of hands, by Dr. Gibbons, was so affecting, and the looks and behavior of those that joined, so serious and solemn, that I hardly know when I was more struck under any one's ministration. The ordination being over, at the desire of the ministers and other gentlemen, I went and dined with them; our conversation. was edifying; and being informed, that many were desirous to hear me preach, I willingly complied; and I trust some seed was sown the same evening at Deal; which, by God's heavenly blessing, will spring up to life eternal. The people of Deal seemed very civil, and some came to me who had not forgotten my preaching to them, and their deceased friends and parents, thirty-two years ago. "Friday, September 15. I had received most pressing invitations to visit Ramsgate, many weeks ago. These were now repeated by many of that place, who came to the ordination at Deal; so there was no resisting their importunity. We reached Ramsgate at about two, took some refreshment, and there I preached about four, not to a very large, but an attentive and affected auditory. This I did also the morning following; and was most agreeably entertained with the discourse and good memory of one in particular, who had been my fellow passenger, and frequent hearer many years ago, in the Wilmington, Captain Darling, bound to Piscataway, in New England. The people's behavior here was so undissembledly generous, frank, genteel, and christian, that I know not where I have been more pleased and delighted. Being quite uneasy, lest by staying longer I should be unready, if the wind should turn favorable, I went early on Sunday morning to Deal, and from thence immediately on board, and preached in the afternoon. This morning, I received a surreptitious copy of my Tabernacle farewell sermon, taken, as the short hand writer professes, verbatim as I spoke it. But surely he is mistaken. The whole is so injudiciously paragraphed, and so wretchedly unconnected, that I owe no thanks to the misguided, though it may be well meant zeal of the writer and publisher, be they who they will. But such conduct is an unavoidable tax upon popularity. And all that appear for Jesus Christ and his blessed gospel, must, like their master, expect to suffer from the false fire of professing friends, as well as the secret malice of avowed enemies. However, if any one sentence is blessed to the conviction of one sinner, or the edification of any individual saint, I care not what becomes of my character, though I would always pray to be preserved from bringing upon myself, or others, needless and unnecessary contempt. "Monday, September 25. Weighed anchor last Tuesday torning, with a small favorable gale and fine weather. So many ships which had lain in the Downs, moving at the same time, and gently gliding by us, together with the prospect of the adjacent shore, made a most agreeable scene. But it proved only a very transient one. For by the time we got to Fairlee, the wind backened, clouds gathered, very violent gales succeeded, and for several days we were so tossed, that after coming over against Brighthelmstone, the captain rightly judging, turned back, as did many other ships, and anchored over against New Rumsey and Dungeness. Lord, in thine own time, thou wilt give the winds a commission to carry us forward towards our desired port!" Reader! what was it, think you, that inspired this venerable evangelist with such a firm confidence in the goodness and mercy of God, towards his people in general, and himself in |