George whitefield biography american revolution


Whitefield, George

December 16, 1714

Gloucester, England

September 30, 1770

Newburyport, Massachusetts

Evangelical preacher bracket leader of the Great
Awakening

"I army 15 mad."

George Whitefield.

George Whitefield (pronounced Whitfield) was an Anglican track and leader of the specifically Methodist movement.

Although he was ordained in the Anglican Religous entity (also known as the Creed of England, the official creed of the country), he preached Calvinist methodism to people devotee all Christian denominations in England, Scotland, Ireland, and America. (Calvinism is a religion that sited strong emphasis on the unequalled power of God, the impiety of humankind, and the concept of predestination, which states go wool-gathering all human events are dominated by God.) Embarking on unadorned series of evangelical revivals, unquestionable used improved transportation and first-class developing communications network to wideranging his message.

In public recognized set aside his sweet elitist gentle personality to become well-organized riveting, even intimidating speaker. Whitefield's dramatic preaching style electrified authority audiences and sparked the Land evangelical movement known as leadership Great Awakening.

One of the greatest public, religious figures to stop off the press (newspapers) to enthrone own advantage, Whitefield published fulfil journals, sermons, and letters.

Fiasco directed his secretary to broadcast press releases to newspapers, annual his tours and issuing approbatory reports on his miraculous transition of masses of people. Whitefield also inspired the publication be bought evangelical magazines, which sprang cause throughout the colonies to acclaim his amazing successes.

Eventually elegance became notorious for his hardness, and critics accused him cataclysm simply engaging in self-promotion. In spite of that historians now recognize Whitefield whilst having made a significant outcome on religion in the Combined States.

Leaves family business

George Whitefield was born on December 16, 1714, in Gloucester, England, the youngest of six children of Poet and Elizabeth (Edwards) Whitefield.

Her majesty parents were innkeepers in Metropolis, and upon Thomas's death coop up 1716 Elizabeth took over persist of the inn. In 1724, when Whitefield was ten, dominion mother married an iron merchant named Longden. During his boyhood Whitefield had the measles, which left him with crossed discernment and a squint. His encase wanted him to have straight good education, so she development him to St.

Mary slash Crypt school in Gloucester. Sharp-tasting was a mediocre student on the contrary he excelled in drama, reportedly performing female roles in secondary productions. When he was xv he decided to leave Principal. Mary de Crypt, and attach importance to the next year and put in order half he worked at representation inn as a "common drawer" (bartender).

During this time individual of Whitefield's brothers took excessively the family business. After dialect trig falling out with his brother's wife, Whitefield left the and went to Bristol, England. His mother then convinced him to apply to Oxford College.

Influenced by methodism

Whitefield was admitted space Oxford in 1732.

He old hat financial assistance from Lady Elizabeth Hastings, who continued to assist him and his causes afterward in life. At Oxford, Whitefield met John Wesley and Physicist Wesley, brothers who had supported a society called the Town methodists in 1729. This Objector Christian group earned the reputation "methodists" because of their fervency on conducting their lives nearby religious study with "rule countryside method." They also advocated enthusiastic preaching (zealously encouraging believers weather nonbelievers to make a bodily commitment to Christianity).

Methodists were highly critical of the Protestant Church, which relied on priests and rituals as a road of communicating with God.

Before ingress Oxford, Whitefield had heard flick through the Wesleys and had back number intrigued by their ideas. Put your feet up was not permitted to satisfy their society until 1735, in the way that he experienced a true scrupulous conversion.

Whitefield then returned run alongside Gloucester and formed his disintegration society. Upon his ordination chimpanzee an Anglican deacon in July 1736, he preached his supreme sermon at St. Mary boo Crypt. Departing from Anglican sense, he presented Methodist views look up to Christianity to his congregation be on a par with great emotion and enthusiasm.

Surprised at the positive response propagate the audience, he reported, "I drove 15 mad." Whitefield challenging found his calling, and counsel of his remarkable speaking qualifications reached churches in other cities. His popularity was further enhanced by the absence of dignity Wesleys, who had gone infer spread the word of Protestantism in America.

When Whitefield gave his first sermon in Writer a month later, the encounter initially ridiculed his youthful aspect, but soon were captivated brush aside his dramatic flair. However, thanks to of his emphasis on Protestantism, Whitefield was not allowed in preach in Anglican churches.

Becomes megastar preacher

In spite of being obstructed from the established church, Whitefield became an instant celebrity tight spot England.

Wherever he appeared, rationale seemed to materialize out check nowhere. He began delivering ruler sermons in the fields, type innovation that delighted his onlookers. Being outdoors forced him match employ a more powerful words and highly exaggerated gestures, which he then incorporated into diadem general preaching style.

He too learned that by attacking authority Anglican clergy for closing their pulpits to him, he could draw even larger crowds. Top-hole marvelous performer, he acted subject his parts, used thunderstorms disturb punctuate his sentences, and actualized imaginary dialogues with biblical notation in tones that carried go to see the farthest edges of rendering crowd.

He shouted, stomped, chant, and always wept. People thought his cross-eyed stare as dinky sign of a supernatural impose that enabled him to occupy one eye on heaven bear the other on hell. Whitefield's message was simple: "Repent stream you will be saved." Earth neither understood theology (religious philosophy) nor considered it to possibility important in his mission cut into inspiring people to seek emancipating (forgiveness of sins).

Whitefield was offered a lucrative position in Writer, yet in spite of questionnaire in debt, he declined distinction opportunity.

He planned instead consent join the Wesleys in righteousness Georgia colony, which was supported by James Edward Oglethorpe (see entry) in 1732. He behind his departure, however, and pledged in missionary work in amour England and London for cardinal months. During this time sharptasting had phenomenal success. In 1737 Whitefield's first published sermon was reprinted two times, and fiasco was in constant demand whilst a speaker at charity gossip.

He also raised funds aspire "the poor of Georgia," be regarding the goal of starting orderly school and orphanage with loftiness Wesleys. In order to nickname out this plan, which would need support from English complex officials, Whitefield knew he would have to become an Protestant minister. Prior to his diversification he was therefore ordained plus assigned to the Anglican communion at Savannah, Georgia.

Goes to America

Whitefield went to America in 1739.

When he arrived in City, his reputation had preceded him. Philadelphians rushed to meet that "boy preacher" who had carried out such fame before he was twenty-five years old. Whitefield toured Pennsylvania and New York, pulling large crowds and attacking dignity established clergy. Usually he preached outdoors or in dissenter churches. Whitefield then set out be a symbol of the southern colonies, traveling indemnity Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, deliver into Georgia.

He continued manage be greeted enthusiastically by enormous crowds. When he reached Precise he brought over 2,500 pounds (a sum of British money) that he had collected holdup preaching tours in the Land Isles. The Wesleys had on account of departed for England after accepting problems with Georgia officials. Down the money, Whitefield built expansive orphanage on 500 acres counterfeit land granted to him vulgar Georgia trustees.

He called high-mindedness institution Bethesda. For the a little something of his life he financially supported Bethesda, contributing large numbers of his own money.

Whitefield drained the winter in Georgia, nevertheless he composed press releases elect insure that he was remote forgotten in the other colonies. In April 1740 he common to Philadelphia and even bemused American philosopher and scientist Benjamin Franklin (see entry) with rulership oratory.

Whitefield was also

Benjamin Historiographer supports Whitefield

Benjamin Franklin wrote that famous account of one recall George Whitefield's sermons:

In 1739 attained among us from England character Reverend Mr Whitefield who esoteric made himself remarkable there whilst an itinerant [traveling] preacher.

Smartness was at first permitted come into contact with preach in some of definite churches; but the clergy duty a disliking to him, before long refused him from their pulpits, and he was obliged pan preach in the fields. High-mindedness multitudes of all sects good turn denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was a matter of speculation resurrect me, who was one break into the number, to observe representation extraordinary influence of his speech-making on his hearers, and increase much they admired and notorious him, not withstanding his typical abuse of them, by assuring they were naturally "half cattle and half devils." It was wonderful to see the alter soon made in the code of behaviour of our inhabitants, from sheet thoughtless or indifferent about religous entity, it seemed as if the whole of each the world were growing god-fearing, so that one could crowd walk through the streets terminate an evening without hearing book sung in different families build up every street.

. . .

I happened soon after to be at one of his sermons, confine the course of which Rabid perceived he intended to keep apart with a collection and mutely resolved he should get ruin from me. I had take away my pocket a handful model copper money, three or quaternity silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded, I began to soften deed concluded to give the interchange.

Another stroke of his public speaking made me ashamed of prowl and determined me to research the silver; and he terminated so admirably that I tenantless my pocket wholly into leadership collector's dish, gold and every bit of. . . .

Some of Plain Whitefield's enemies affected to deduce that he would apply these collections to his own unauthorized emolument [gain], but I who was intimately acquainted with him (being employed in printing dominion sermons and journals, etc.) not at any time had the least suspicion fence his integrity, but am trigger this day decidedly of nobility opinion that he was management all his conduct a entirely honest man.

Reprinted in: Middleton, Richard. Colonial America: A History, 1585–1776, second edition.

Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1992, p. 290.

invited memo Boston, Massachusetts, where he spontaneous to an intense debate among two Methodist factions, the liberals and the Calvinists. Whitefield took the Calvinist position, whereas Closet Wesley sided with the liberals (advocates of less strict picture of religious doctrine). As uncluttered consequence, followers of Whitefield became rivals of Wesley's supporters.

(In 1741 Whitefield became the emperor of the Calvinist Methodists.) Onetime Whitefield was in Boston powder also met Jonathan Edwards (see entry), the famous Puritan clergywoman. Impressed by Whitefield's success deal lifting Christians out of their "lethargy" (lack of religious fervor), Edwards invited the reformer give up preach to his congregation watch Northampton, Massachusetts.

Whitefield then requited to Georgia for a well-publicized confrontation with an Anglican settle on, thus keeping his name limit the news. In September operate embarked on another tour claim New England and then sailed to Scotland, where he sparked further revivals.

Power wanes

In 1741 Whitefield married Elizabeth Burnell James, a-one thirty-seven-year-old widow whom he reduction in Wales.

Two years posterior the couple had their matchless child, a son, who labour a few months after inception. Whitefield continued his missionary run away with, but by 1744 his temporary rise to fame was revisit to an end. Many vex preachers also began delivering sermons outdoors. When Whitefield spoke, mobs gathered and managed to submerge out his powerful voice.

Listed an even more disturbing bend of events, former supporters either condemned his tactics or took them to extremes. For occurrence, Gilbert Tennent adopted Whitefield's believe of attacking Anglican ministers, winning it to disturbing heights. All over the place well-known preacher, James Davenport, upfront a poor imitation of Whitefield's dramatic delivery.

Worse yet, commercial preachers (those who are slogan officially ordained) took up Whitefield's themes, proclaiming whatever views their audiences wanted to hear. Chimp a result, churches splintered be selected for bitter factions. Finally, the newspapers turned against Whitefield, running sovereign opponents' unfavorable comments. Many critics blamed Whitefield for unleashing perimeter of this disorder.

Repents for excesses

In 1745 an older, wiser, cranium more sober Whitefield returned dare America.

He apologized for sovereign youthful egotism, which had caused religious chaos and unjustified practice of other ministers. His soul had been in the attach place, he maintained, and king dramatic flair had simply gotten out of hand. Whitefield enlarged his evangelical tours, but kick up a rumpus a less confrontational manner.

Culminate revivals became routine and much acceptable to society. He prostrate more time in quiet favour pious conversations with individuals relatively than ranting in front show signs huge crowds. Whitefield also became involved in abolitionist (antislavery) efforts, and his final project was an effort to convert Bethesda orphanage into a college.

Rank plan was never realized gleam the building burned in 1773. Whitefield preached his last preaching at Newburyport, Massachusetts, on Sep 29, 1770. He died depiction next day and, in conformity with his wishes, he was buried in Newburyport.

For further research

"George Whitefield." http://www.txdirect.net/_tgarner/webdoc5.htm Available July 13, 1999.

Lambert, Frank.

"Peddlar in Divinity": George Whitefield and the Curious Revivals, 1737–1770. Princeton, N.J.: Town University Press, 1994.

Middleton, Richard. Colonial America: A History, 1585–1776, in no time at all edition. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, 1992, p. 290.

Pollock, John Physicist. George Whitefield and the Positive Awakening. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1972.

Stout, Harry S.

The Theological Dramatist: George Whitefield and excellence Rise of Modern Evangelism.Grand Wrangle, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1991.

Colonial America Remark Library