CHRISTIAN LEADERS OF THE 18TH CENTURY [ CHAPTER 4 ] - ( PT. 1 )


 { PT.  1 } - GEORGE WHITEFIELD THE MINISTRY             In my judgment, George Whitefield was so entirely first and formost among the English Reformers of the eighteenth century that I make no apology for offering some further information about him. The real amount of good he did, the distinctive character of his preaching, and the private character of the man are all points that deserve consideration. They are points, I might add, above which there is a vast amount of misconception. might be unavoidable and should not surprise us. The materials for forming a correct opinion about such a man as Whitefield are necessarily very spare. He did not write a book for the millions that achieved worldwide fame--like John Bunyan and his Pilgrim's Progress. He did not lead a crusade against an apostate church, with a nation at his back and princes on his side--like Martin Luther. He did not start a religious denomination that fastened its faith on his writings and carefully preserved his best action and words--like John Wesley. There are Lutherans and Wesleyans ( Methodist ) in the present day, but there are no Whitefieldites. No! The great evangelist of the eighteenth century was a simple, sincere man who lived for only one thing--to preach Christ. If he did that, he cared for nothing else. I have no doubt that the records of such a man are large and full in heaven, but they are few and sparse upon earth. Also, we must not forget that most people in every age see nothing in a man like Whitefield except fanaticism and enthusiasm. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHRISTIAN LEADERS OF THE 18TH CENTURY - ( CHAPTER 5 ) - { PT. 9 }

Image
  { CHAPTER  5 }  -  ( PT.  9 ) - May God deliver us from such a fearful expectation at this! Correspondence of this kind could hardly fail to do good to a young man in John Wesley's frame of mind. It undoubtedly led him to a closer study of the Scriptures, deeper self-examination, and more fervent prayer. Whatever doubts he may have had were finally removed, and he was ordained a deacon on September 19, 1725, by Dr. Potter, then bishop of Oxford, and later became archbishop of Canterbury. In the year 1726, John Wesley was elected Fellow of Lincoln College after a contest of more than ordinary severity. His recently adopted serious manner and general religiousness were used against him by his adversaries, but his high character carried him triumphantly through all opposition, to the great delight of his father. As tested as he apparently was at the time in his earthly circumstances, Samuel Wesley wrote, Whatever will be my own fate before the summer is over, God knows; but whatever
Read more

CHRISTIAN LEADERS OF THE 18th CENTURY - ( CHAPTER 5 ) - { PT. 4 }

Image
  ( CHAPTER  5 )  -  { PT.  4 } - The way of teaching was this: the day before a child began to learn, the house was set in order, everyone's work was appointed to them, and instruction was appointed to them, and instruction was given that no one should come into the room from nine to twelve, or from two to five, which were our school hours. One day was allowed for the child to learn his letters, and each of them did learn all their letters, great and small, in that time, except Molly and Nancy, who were a day and a half before they knew them perfectly, for which I then thought them very dull. However, the reason why I thought them so was because the rest learned so quickly. Your brother Samuel, who was the first child I ever taught, learned the alphabet in a few hours. He was five years old on February 10. The next day he began to learn, and as soon as he knew the letters, began at the first chapter of Genesis. He was taught to spell the first verse, then to read it over all over
Read more

CHRISTIAN LEADERS OF THE 18TH CENTURY - ( CHAPTER 5 ) - { PT. 8 }

Image
  ( CHAPTER  5 )  -  { PT.  8 } - Let us hear what John Wesley's mother says about Thomas a Kempis opinion that all mirth or pleasure is useless, if not sinful. She observes: I believe Kempis to have been an honest, weak man who had more zeal than knowledge by condemning all mirth or pleasure as sinful or useless, in opposition to so many direct and plain texts of Scripture. Would you judge of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of pleasure, or of the innocence or enmity of actions? Here is a good rule: what ever weakens your reason, impairs the  conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes away the desire of spiritual things--basically, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind--that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself. Let us hear what John Wesley himself says in a letter on the opinion of Jeremy Taylor: Whether God has forgiven us or not, we know not; therefore, let us be sorrowful for ever having sinned. Samuel Wesley respond
Read more