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Handout #206 |
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Whitefield in America |
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Thursday, Nov. 22 1739. Set out for Neshaminy (twenty
miles distant from Trent Town), where old Mr. [William] Tennant lives, and
keeps an academy, and where I was to preach today, according to appointment.
We came there about twelve, and found above three thousand people gathered
together in the meeting-house yard, and Mr. William Tennent (Junior)
preaching to them, because we were beyond the appointed time. When I came
up, he soon stopped, and sang a psalm, and then I began to speak. At first
the people seemed unaffected, but, in the midst of my discourse, the hearers
began tobe melted down, and cried much. After I had finished Mr. Gilbert
Tennent gave a word of exhortation ...
After our exercises were over, we went to old Mr. Tennent, who entertained us like one of the ancient patriarchs. His wife seemed to me like Elizabeth, and he like Zacharias; both, as far as I can find, walk in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless ... It happens very providentially, that Mr. Tennent and his brethren are appointed to be a Presbytery by the Synod, so that they intend breeding up gracious youths, and sending them out into our Lord's vineyard. The place wherein the young men study now is, in contempt, called the College. It is a long-house, about twenty feet long, and nearly as many broad; and, to me, it seemed to resemble the school of the old prophets ... From this despised place, seven or eight worthy ministers of Jesus have lately been sent forth; more are almost ready to be sent; and a foundation is now being laid for the instruction of many others. The devil will certainly rage against them; but the work, I am persuaded, is of God, and will not come to naught. Carnal ministers oppose them strongly; and, because people, when awakened by Mr. Tennent, or his brethren, see through them, and therefore leave their ministry, the poor gentlemen [Tennent's ministers] are loaded with contempt, and looked upon as persons who turn the world upside down. Friday Nov. 23. Parted with dear Mr. Tennent and his worthy fellow laborers; but promised to remember each other publicly in our prayers. Rode to Abingdon, about ten miles from Neshaminy,and preached to above two thousand people from a porch-window belonging to the meeting-house. It is surprising how such bodies of people, so scattered abroad, can be gathered at so short a warning at Neshaminy, I believe there were nearly a thousand horses. The people, however, did not sit upon them to hear the sermon, as in England, but tied them to the hedges; and thereby much disorder was prevented. As soon as I had done, I had fresh invitations to go to several places, should time and business permit. Though it was cold, the people stood very patiently in the open air, and seemed in no hurry to return home after the discourses were ended. George Whitefield's Journals, Banner of Truth 1960, 354-5. |
