( CHRISTIAN LEADERS OF THE 18TH CENTURY ) - [ CHAPTER 3 ] - { PT. 10 }


 { PT.  10 } - On the morning of Saturday, September 29, the day before he died, Whitefield set out on horseback from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in order to fulfill an engagement to preach at Newburyport on Sunday. On the way, unfortunately, he was earnestly pleaded with to preach at a place called Exeter, and although feeling very ill, he did not have the heart to refuse. A friend remarked before he preached that he looked more uneasy than usual, and said to him, Sir, you are more fit to go to bed than to preach! To this Whitefield replied, True Sir. Then turning aside, he clasped his hands together, looked up, and said, Lord Jesus, I am weary in Your work, but not of Your work. If I have not yet finished my course, let me go and speak for You once more in the fields, seal Your truth, and come home to die. He than went and preached to a very great multitude in the fields from 2 CORINTHIANS  13:5 for about two hours. It was his last sermon, and was a fitting conclusion to his whole career. An eyewitness has given the following remarkable account of this closing scene of Whitefield's life: He rose from his seat and stood erect. His appearance alone was a powerful sermon. The thinness of his face, the paleness of his countenance, and the evident struggling of the heavenly spark in a decayed body for utterance were all deeply interesting. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was dying. He remained like this for several minutes, unable to speak. He then said, I will wait for the gracious assistance of God, for He will, I am certain, assist me once more to speak in His name. He then delivered perhaps one of his best sermons. The latter part contained the following passage: I go; I go to a rest prepared: my sun has given light to many--but now it is about to set--no, to rise to the zenith of immortal glory. I have outlived many on earth, but they cannot outlive me in heaven. Many will outlive me on earth and will live when this body is no more, but there--oh, thought divine! I will be in a world where time, age, sickness, and sorrow are unknown. My body fails, but my spirit expands. How willingly would I live forever to preach Christ, but I die to be with Him.

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