20. Associates 175
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AssociatesWhitefield's life went on in the way in which it had begun. He turned neither to the right nor to the left, and only while physically invalided did he pause in his incredible program of labor. During each year that he was in England he made a trip to Scotland, and yet another four times he visited America.
Instead, however, of looking into all these activities individually, we will seek to learn of his career by looking at the lives of certain of his associates.
Charles Wesley
For sixteen years Charles labored with unfailing zeal as an open-air preacher. He was fearless in his declaration of the gospel. His word went forth with power. He faced mobs with boldness, lived virtually a homeless life, and, above all, was used of God in the winning of numerous souls to Jesus Christ. He was the constant partner of his brother in the founding and upbuilding of Methodist Societies.
By 1750 Charles had experienced certain changes in his theological thought. As we have seen, he no longer fully believed John's teaching of sinless perfection, and he now accepted to some extent the doctrine of predestination.1 In 1752 he wrote to Whitefield suggesting he might throw in his lot with him. But Whitefield replied, "The connection between you and your brother hath been so close and your attachment to him so necessary to keep up his interest that I would not, for the world, do or say anything that may separate such friends."2
Three years later Charles addressed an "Epistle" to Whitefield, declaring there was no longer any barrier between them. It begins,
Come on, my Whitefield! (since the strife is past,
And friends at first are friends again at last). . . .
While Charles was a mighty evangelist, he was also a powerful poet, and it is in that regard that he is most remembered today. He composed just under nine thousand poems, most of which are hymns, and he is undoubtedly the greatest of all English hymn-writers. Following Whitefield's death, Charles penned in verse a picture of his life, An Elegy, a work of 536 lines, several selections from which are cited in this book.
John Cennick
We saw that when Whitefield sailed the third time to America, he placed John Cennick in the superintendency of his Societies and of the Tabernacle. Cennick was a truly godly man and a very capable preacher, but he proved too gentle to handle the problems that arose. He felt the need of strong associates, and since he loved the Moravians he went over to their movement.
He became a Moravian missionary in Ireland. Renting an unused church in Dublin, he
... preached twice daily to crowds so great that those who wished to hear must be present two or three hours before the time.... All the windows were taken down so that people might hear in the burying-ground and environs, yet multitudes were disappointed. . . . Often seven or eight priests were together to hear him, and many of the Church clergy. . . .3
In Cennick's congregation there was a capable young preacher, Benjamin La Trobe. (His son, of the same name, was a chief architect in the reconstruction of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. in 1819.) Cennick left La Trobe to conduct the work in Dublin, while he accepted the many invitations he had received to minister in northern Ireland.
He held meetings in barns, houses, and fields and for many months was subject to bitter persecution—beaten by hoodlums, set upon by dogs, attacked by mobs, and arrested and fined. He and his wife were often in utter poverty, but his joy in the Lord abounded. He was patient and kind, and people saw in him a Christianity that was beautiful and real. As a result,
He was loved... by all classes and by all denominations. At Moneymore the Presbyterians asked him to be their minister. At Ballynahone the Roman Catholics said if he would only settle there they would never go to mass again. At New Mills the people rushed from their cabins, barred his way, offered him milk, and besought him saying, 'If you cannot stop to preach, at least come into our house to pray.' .. . He was so beloved that many of the inn-keepers gave him board and lodging free of charge. . . . The parish priest at Balinderry wished, he said, he had the privilege of accompanying Cennick on his journeys. He would pocket the money and drink the liquor that Cennick refused.4
In the space of seven years, Cennick established forty Societies and built no fewer than ten churches.
We see something of Cennick's spirit in a letter he wrote to a fellow-pastor who seemed to feel there was some slight difference between them. Cennick wrote,
... My heart is as your heart, and Jesus shall still be the faithful witness between us, that we will aim at nothing in all our love and correspondence, but to live and act for his Name's sake. He is the God of our life, the Angel that saved us out of the world ... and whose presence shall be our most precious treasure forever. The best blessing He has, light upon thee, keep thee in peace and in true poverty; and in all thy labours, His ears be open to thy sighs, and his hand lead thee till I kiss thee above!5
Cennick was a gifted poet. From him we have the Grace before meals ("Be present at our table, Lord") and the hymns "Jesus my all to heaven is gone," "Children of the heavenly King," "Thou dear redeemer, dying Lamb," and numerous others. "Lo He comes with clouds descending" is largely from his pen. He died at the age of thirty-six, and in his pocket was found a poem, "Nunc Dimittis"—verses which breathe a beautiful spirit of calm resignation to the will of God, an unquestioning assurance of Heaven, and a deep longing to be there. It would be greatly to the welfare of Christians everywhere if he were more widely-known.
Howell Harris
From almost the very week of his conversion in 1735 Harris preached daily and often two or three times a day, with discourses that lasted an hour and frequently more. For years he was constantly on the go, preaching at fairs and wakes, declaring the gospel to multitudes in the open air and visiting Societies.6 And repeatedly for months at a stretch he bore the oversight of Whitefield's work in London. He had no definite income and often went without adequate food; yet when he received a gift of money, he invariably gave a considerable portion to the poor.
His zeal was amazing. He made, for instance, such reports as, "To the Tabernacle to preach. Satan raged a little in his servants, and God strengthened me inwardly accordingly. There was a great crowd. I did so sweat that I was all wet through my clothes, and so spent that I could hardly walk."7 "Discoursed on ... the glory of the word COME. 1 had such power and voice clear, calling, threatening and beating the desk, so that I felt I was in the suburbs of heaven." "Came home past 2 [A.M.] having travelled this week near 250 miles being sorely tired and worn out, I and my horse."
After a visit to North Wales to encourage a group of persecuted believers he wrote, "I have now visited .. . 13 Counties and travaild mostly 150 miles a Week and discoursed twice every day & sometimes three and four times a day & this last Journey I have not taken off my Cloaths for 7 Nights and travaild from one morning to ye next morning on ye Mountain, being obliged to meet at that time by Reason of Persecution."8
Moreover, during his days in north Wales, while holding an open-air meeting in the town of Bala, Harris received, he says, "... a blow on the head with violence enough to slit my head in two."
A man in the best of health could ill have stood the exertions that were constant in Harris's life, and it appears that the blow on the head brought a change in his procedure. At least he now became somewhat irresponsible, this condition being manifest chiefly in that he began to allow himself to be governed by a Mrs. Sydney Griffith.
In 1748 Madame Griffith left her husband, a drunken squire, and was taken by Harris (with his wife's consent) into his home. She was twenty-nine, a woman of some personal strength and physical attractiveness, and he believed she possessed the apostolic gift of prophecy. He took her with him on his evangelistic journeys and accepted her judgments for and against spiritual leaders in Wales.
Christians were appalled at this behavior, and many ceased all cooperation with Harris. Moreover, he soon went to London, Madame Griffith followed him, and he came to Whitefield expecting to preach at the Tabernacle. Of course Whitefield refused him. Harris reported that Whitefield said "he did not approve of Madam Griffith being with me, that it was contrary to God's word, and spake with great authority in his spirit."9 Madame Griffith, however, soon died.
Harris settled down at his home at Trevecca in Wales. Several of his followers, in order to be near him, came there too, and he began enlarging his house till it became a kind of community institution. He was often, however, very unwell, and his mind frequently seemed unbalanced. After some years he improved to some extent and sought out Whitefield and the Wesleys, and they received him. He also began to preach again, but never regained the force and fervor of his former years.
Our sympathies go out to Howell Harris, a most sincere man who overworked himself in seeking to serve the Lord.
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was one of the most discerning of men. We saw that when Whitefield first arrived in Philadelphia Franklin took particular notice of him, reported on the effects of his ministry, estimated that he could be heard by thirty thousand people, and complimented his oratorical powers.
Upon beginning his next visit to America Whitefield was unwell, and Franklin, learning soon of some improvement, wrote, "I am glad to hear Mr Whitefield ... has recovered his health. He is a good man, and I love him."10 Whitefield shortly preached a sermon expressing his delight that the Jacobite Rebellion in England had been put down. Franklin reported, "No discourse of his among us has given more general satisfaction; nor has the Preacher ever met with more universal applause, having demonstrated himself to be as sound and zealous a Protestant... as he is a good and masterly orator."11
And on an occasion when Whitefield was leaving Philadelphia, Franklin stated, as we have seen, "Mr Whitefield was never so generally well esteemed by persons of all ranks among us; nor did he ever leave us with so many ardent wishes for a safe return."12
Franklin indicated the relation between Whitefield and himself by reporting:
The following statement will show something of the terms on which we stood. Upon one of his arrivals from England, he wrote to me that he should soon come to Philadelphia, but knew not where he should lodge when there.... My answer was 'You know my house; if you can make shift with its scanty accommodations, you will be most heartily welcome.' He replied, that if I made that kind offer for Christ's sake, I should not miss of a reward. And I returned, 'Don't let me be mistaken, it was not for Christ's sake, but for yours.'13
From Franklin's correspondence we find that his mother-in-law, Mrs. Read, was a regular contributor to the Orphan House, and that on one occasion his sister-in-law "entertained several friends" by reading them the account of Whitefield's activities contained in a letter from Franklin.
When Franklin learned that Whitefield was preaching regularly to the nobility in England, he wrote to him, saying, "I am glad to hear that you have frequent opportunities of preaching among the great. If you can gain them to a good and exemplary life, wonderful changes will follow in the manners of the lower ranks... ."14 He closed his letter with the words, "My wife and family join in the most cordial salutations to you and good Mrs Whitefield. I am, dear Sir, your very affectionate friend. . . ."
In 1740 Franklin conceived the idea of founding an academy in Philadelphia and using as its headquarters the auditorium that had been built for Whitefield to preach in. He wrote to Whitefield asking for suggestions as to the curriculum and organization of the proposed institution, and Whitefield replied: ". . . Your plan I have read over, and do not wonder as to its meeting general approbation. It is certainly well calculated to promote polite literature; but I think there wants aliquid Christi [something of Christ] in it. . . ."15 Whitefield went on to state that Christianity is the foundation on which arts and science should be built, to suggest the need of adequate teachers, and also to suggest his hearty agreement with the entire project.
A further letter from Franklin suggested that the two of them should unite in a new and history-making undertaking. It reads:
I sometimes wish that you and I were jointly employed by the Crown to settle a Colony in Ohio. .. . What a glorious thing it would be to settle in thai fine Country a large Strong body of Religious and Industrious people. . . . Might it not generally facilitate the Introduction of pure Religion among the Heathen, if we could by such a Colony, show them a better Sample of Christians than they commonly see in our Indian Traders? .. . In such an enterprise I could spend the Remainder of my life with pleasure; and I firmly believe God would bless us with success. . . , 16
Accordingly, it is evident Franklin was not always the agnostic he is believed to have been.
In 1766 Franklin was in England, where on behalf of the American Colonies he effected a vigorous opposition to the Stamp Act. Franklin was examined in the matter before the House of Commons, and Whitefield, who was present, reported: "Dr Franklin has gained immortal honour by his behaviour at the bar of the House.... He stood unappalled, gave pleasure to his friends, and did honour to his country."
Certain Americans, however, mistakenly felt that Franklin had betrayed his country, and therefore a company of his friends planned to publish an account of his statements. Joseph Galloway, a prominent Pennsylvania lawyer, in writing to Franklin's son, declared that Whitefield's name must be included among those defending Franklin, asserting, "It will certainly put an effectual stop to the malignant lies concerning Mr F's conduct relating to the Stamp Act. . . . For who would dare deny Mr Whitefield's authority—will the Church? Will the Presbyterians?"
Whitefield died in 1770, and Franklin wrote, "I knew him intimately upwards of 30 years. His integrity, disinterestedness and indefatigable zeal in prosecuting every good work, I have never seen equalled and shall never see excelled."17
Late in life Franklin wrote an account of his relationships with Whitefield. By that time, however, his own standards of behavior had changed to some extent, and, perhaps as a salve for his conscience, he criticized the literary efforts of his friend for whom he had previously had only praise. Moreover, he also stated, "Mr Whitefield used to pray for my conversion but never had the satisfaction of feeling that his prayers were heard." Perhaps herein lies the cause of his change.