Required reading
The Great Awakening: A history of the revival of religion in the time of Edwards & Whitefield by Joseph Tracy (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Chapter 15 by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'He arrived at Leith on the third of June, and proceeded directly to Edinburgh.'
My summary
This week we begin to hear about Whitefield's ministry in Britain following his return from North America.
Firstly we see Whitefield's work in England. Sadly people do not want to hear him as they did before he left, primarily due to the John Wesley's public condemnation of Whitefield.
Secondly we start learning about Whitefield's labours in Scotland. We see ministers refuse to allow him to preach in their pulpits because Whitefield refuses to join their denomination alone. Nevertheless Whitefield experiences revival under his preaching throughout Scotland.
What grabbed me
I always find the breaches between Whitefield and other ministers rather sad.
Particularly the disagreement with the Erskines. Whitefield writes: 'I then asked them seriously, what they would have me to do. The answer was, that I was not desired to subscribe immediately to the Solemn League and Covenant, but to preach only for them till I had further light. I asked, why only for them ? Mr. Ralph Erskine said, ' they were the Lord's people.' I then asked, whether there were no other Lord's people but themselves ? and supposing all others were the devil's people, they certainly had more need to be preached to, and therefore, I was more and more determined to go out into the highways and hedges ; and that if the Pope himself would lend me his pulpit, I would gladly proclaim the righteousness of Jesus Christ therein.'
To condemn all those outside your denomination as unsaved is a disgraceful judgement.
Next week's reading
Conclude Chapter 15.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment