long, when the sneer gave place to universal symptoms of wonder and pleasure. The sermon stamped his character at once; and from that time his popularity in London continued to increase. During his stay, which only extended to two months, he maintained his usual habits of visiting the prisoners and the poor.

About this time, letters were received from the Wesleys and Ingham, then in Georgia. Their descriptions of the moral condition of the British colonies in America, affected his heart powerfully, and awakened in him a strong desire to preach the gospel abroad. It was an undertaking suited to his energetic and enterprising character; and therefore sunk deeply amongst his thoughts. He could not, however, come to a final determination then, and therefore he returned to Oxford again. There, Whitefield devoted the chief part of his time to the study of Henry's Commentary; which seems to have been a favourite book amongst his associates in the University. "God," says he, “works by him (Henry) greatly here." How highly he prized his own copy, may be judged from his gratitude when he was able to pay for it. To the friend who furnished it, he writes, "Herewith I send you seven pounds to pay for Mr. Henry's Commentary. Dear Esqr. Thorold made me a present of ten guineas, so that now (for ever blessed be divine goodness!) I can send you more than I thought for." In a former letter he had said, "I hope to send you, in a short time, two guineas towards paying for Henry's Exposition."

The study of this invaluable work was soon interrupted, by an invitation to officiate for a short time at Dummer in Hampshire. This was a very different sphere to any he had been accustomed. The people were equally poor and illiterate; but he was soon reconciled to them, and acknowledged that during his stay he had" reaped much spiritual benefit." While he continued at Dummer, he adhered rigidly to his system of economizing time; dividing the day into three equal parts; eight hours for sleep and meals; eight for public prayers, catechising, and visiting; and eight for study and devotional retirement.

While thus occupied in obscurity, he was not forgotten in London: a profitable curacy in the metropolis was offered to

him; but the chord touched by the spiritual wants of Georgia, had not ceased to vibrate in his inmost soul. From the moment it was struck, Oxford had no magnet, Hampshire no charms, the metropolis no fascination, for the young evangelist. He promptly and decidedly declined the lucrative and attractive curacy, being intent on going abroad. And an opportunity of gratifying his truly missionary spirit soon presented itself. "He received letters," says Dr. Gillies, " containing what he thought to be an invitation to go to Georgia, from Mr. John Wesley, whose brother came over about this time to procure more labourers." The doctor might have said "letters containing what was an invitation:" for although, at a future period, it was insinuated that Whitefield had intruded himself upon the sphere of the Wesleys in America, the imputation is unwarranted. Charles Wesley both urged and encouraged him to leave England. The following extracts are from a poem addressed to Whitefield by Charles Wesley, at the time.

This impassioned adjuration to proceed to America, proves that Whitefield did not intrude himself on the mission, nor run unsent. Had Dr. Southey observed those lines, he would not have said, that "Charles did not invite him to the undertaking." The truth is, both brothers appealed to him in the form most likely to win his consent; making the call appear to be

from God. "Only Mr. Delamotte is with me," says John, "until God shall stir up the hearts of some of his servants to come over and help us. What if thou art the man, Mr. Whitefield? Do you ask me what you shall have? Food to eat, and raiment to put on; a house to lay your head in, such as 'your Lord had not; and a crown of glory that fadeth not away." This is a real invitation, or mockery; and precisely in that spirit which Whitefield could not resist. Accordingly, on reading it, "his heart," he says, "leaped within him, and, as it were, echoed to the call," A concurrence of favourable circumstances at the time, enabled him, thus promptly, to embrace the proposal, and embark in the undertaking. Mr. Kinchin, the minister of Dummer, had been chosen dean of Corpus Christi College, and was willing to take upon him the charge of the prisoners at Oxford; Harvey undertook to supply his place in the curacy; and in Georgia, the novel sphere of usefulness, and the warm friendship of Wesley, were equally attractive, as inducements to leave England. The resolution thus formed, he solemnly confirmed by prayer; and, that it might not be shaken by his relations at Gloucester, he wrote to assure them, that unless they would promise not to dissuade him, he would embark without seeing them. This promise they gave; but they forgot it when he arrived. His aged mother, as might be expected, wept sorely; and others, as Dr. Southey observes, who had no such cause to justify their interference, represented to him what "pretty preferment" he might have if he would stay at home. But, none of these things moved him their influence was defeated by his own prayers, and by the weight of the bishop's opinion; who, as usual, received him like a father, approved of his determination, and expressed his confidence that God would enable him to do much good abroad. From Gloucester he went to take leave of his friends at Bristol. During this visit, the mayor appointed him to preach before the corporation : even the quakers thronged to hear him. But the effect of his farewell sermons will be best told in his own words. "What shall I say? Methinks it would be almost sinful to leave Bristol at this critical juncture. The whole city seems to be alarmed. Churches are as full on week-days, as they use to be on Sundays, and on Sundays so

full, that many, very many are obliged to go away because they cannot come in. Oh that God would keep me always humble, and fully convinced that I am nothing without him; and that all the good done upon earth, God himself doth it."—"The word was sharper than a two-edged sword; the doctrine of the new birth made its way like lightning into the hearers' consciences. Sanctify it, Holy Father! to thine own glory and thy people's good."

Similar impressions were made in Bath and Gloucester, and unprecedented collections obtained for charitable objects. His stay was, however, short; he was called up to London to appear before General Oglethorpe, and the trustees of Georgia. Having been accepted by them, he was presented to the bishop and primate, who both highly approved of his mission. But his departure from England was delayed for some months, owing to the vessel in which he was to sail not being ready at the time expected. He therefore undertook to serve, for a while, the church of one of his friends at Stonehouse. In this retirement his communion with God was, at once, intimate and habitual. Could the trees of the wood speak, he says, they would tell what sweet communion he and his christian brethren had, under their shade, enjoyed with their God. "Sometimes as I have been walking," he continues, "my soul would make such sallies, that I thought it would go out of the body. At other times I would be so overpowered with a sense of God's infinite majesty, that I would be constrained to throw myself prostrate on the ground, and offer my soul as a blank in his hands, to write on it what he pleased. One night was a time never to be forgotten. It happened to lighten exceedingly. I had been expounding to many people, and some being afraid to go home, I thought it my duty to accompany them, and improve the occasion, to stir them up to prepare for the coming of the Son of man. In my return to the parsonage, whilst others were rising from their beds, and frightened almost to death to see the lightning run upon the ground, I and another, a poor but pious countryman, were in the field, praising, praying to, and exulting in our God, and longing for that time when Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire.' Oh that my soul may

be in a like frame when he shall actually come to call me!" He refers to this scene in one of his letters. "Honest James and I were out in the midst of the lightning, and never were more delighted in our lives. May we be as well pleased, when the Son of God cometh to judgment."

He came glowing from this mount of communion to Bristol again, prepared to preach the gospel with new energy; and the people were prepared to hear it with new interest; for such was the impatience for his return, that multitudes on foot, and some in coaches, were waiting to meet him, a mile from the city; and a still greater number welcomed him, as he passed along the streets. And if the city was alarmed during his former visit, it was now electrified: persons of all ranks and denominations crowded to hear him; and such was the pressure in every church, that he could hardly make his way to the reading desk. "Some hung upon the rails of the organ loft, others climbed upon the leads of the church, and altogether made the church so hot with their breath, that the steam would fall from the pillars like drops of rain." When he preached his farewell sermon, and said to the people that perhaps they might "see his face no more," high and low, young and old, burst into tears. Multitudes followed him home with tears, and many with entreaties that he would remain in England; but he was firm to his purpose, and merely consented to spend the next day in speaking with those who had been awakened under his ministry. This he did from seven in the morning until midnight, when he stole away secretly to avoid the parade of a public escort.

After some brief intermediate visits, he arrived again in London. Here invitations to preach and administer the sacrament poured in upon him from so many churches, and were so promptly accepted by him, that his friends were afraid for his health; the crowds at each church being so overwhelming. But his "I find by experience that the more I do, the more I may do, for God." This was said when he was in the habit of preaching four times on the sabbath, and had often to walk ten or twelve miles in going from one church to another, and to preach five times in the week besides. Such unprecedented labours might well be, as they were, called "mighty deeds” by

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