George Whitefield - Philip - XXV - Chapters 24 & 25

Required reading
Life and times of George Whitefield by Robert Philip (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapters 24 (Whitefield's influence in America) and 25 (Whitefield and the Bishops).

My summary
In Chapter 24 we hear more of Whitefield's work in America.  He is now quite unwell but still managing to preach and collect money for various needs - in this instance for an Indian school.  Philip acknowledges his inadequacy in writing about Whitefield's work in America and calls upon American writers to give a fuller treatment of it.

Then in Chapter 25 there is a discussion of Whitefield's opinion on church government, particularly the role of Anglican Bishops.  Philip states: 'My own conviction is, that he [Whitefield] had neither fixed nor definite opinions upon the subject of episcopacy.  He was for it and against it, just as it was for and against the work of evangelizing the county.  He thought highly of episcopal power, when it aided or protected faithful preaching; and meanly, when it hindered the gospel.'

What grabbed me
I loved the enthusiasm of the Americans to keep Whitefield in their towns. 

The Bostonians were very persistent in trying to keep him, despite his poor health and his trouble with the heat:  'He preached for them, however, thrice a week for some time; and such was the number of converts discovered after his farewell sermon, that his friends actually proposed to send after him a book, full of names of the multitude who were clamorous for his return, although he was fleeing for his life. The heat alone had compelled him to leave. It was now summer, and he began to sink again. What could he do but fly ? The good Bostonians assured him, that their summers had lately become much cooler than formerly, and that he might safely risk their dog-days now ! He tried to believe them, until he had hardly breath enough to say farewell. His parting with them tried him much. " It has been heart-breaking," he says, " I cannot stand it! "'

I've never heard of anyone trying to keep a preacher by convincing him that their climate has changed.  They must really have loved him.

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 26 (Whitefield's last labours at home), 27 (Whitefield and Edmund-Hall) and 28 (Whitefield's last voyage).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.