In the spring of 1741, his zeal led him into a singular contest with the holiday folks in Moorfields, where, at that time, it was the custom to erect booths for every species of amusement. On Whit-Monday, attended by a large congregation of praying people, he made an inroad upon the puppet-showmen and mountebanks, endeavouring "to pray them down;" whilst, on their parts, in self-defence, they gave all possible disturbance to the preacher. The result, he says, was so far to his advantage, that he received a thousand notes from persons under conviction; and soon after upwards of three hundred were admitted into the society in one day.

On being excluded from the pulpits of the established church, Mr. Whitfield preached, not only in chapels licensed under the Toleration Act, but in places that were not licensed, and often in the open air. As a preacher, his celebrity was greater than that of Mr. Wesley. In all parts of Great Britain, in Ireland, in America, and wherever he preached, hundreds and thousands flocked to him, and stood as on enchanted ground, listening with mute and breathless delight to his discourses. When he was in Scotland, the Seceders urged him with much importunity, but in vain, to confine his preaching to them. "Why should I preach only for you?" said Mr. Whitfield. "Because," replied Mr. Ralph Erskine, "we are the Lord's people." But," said Mr. Whitfield, "has the Lord no other people than yourselves? And supposing that all others were the devil's people, have not they so much the more need to be preached

to-and shall I say nothing to them?" Having thus failed in their attempt, the Seceders forthwith represented Mr. Whitfield, as "the agent of the devil *."

In his arduous work Mr. Whitfield was assisted by ministers, both from among the established clergy and from among the dissenters; and in addition to this, like Mr. Wesley, he employed a ministry chosen from his own societies. He died of asthma, at Newbury-port, near Boston, in New England, September 30, 1770, having nearly completed his 56th year. Though considering themselves as one body, his followers have not the same 66 union and interchange," as those of Mr. Wesley. Many of the societies founded by him have become independent churches. It is seldom that the character of an extraordinary individual has been so differently estimated as that of Mr. Whitfield. During his life he had warm eulogists and bitter enemies; and in our own times, while some go so far as to say that he was a hypocrite, acting under a mask, and that the love of power was the passion which usurped and absorbed him, we are told by others that he was moved by a holy impulse, that he enjoyed the special protection of the Most High, and that miracles were wrought in his favour. If we are obliged to acknowledge that he was too intent upon obtaining a sway over the minds of his hearers, and that he seemed, on many occasions, to be turning every inward and every outward *See Sir H. Moncrieff Wellwood's "Life of Dr. Erskine,"

p. 96.

resource to the accomplishment of this purpose, we must not forget that he was much respected by persons whose names are never mentioned but with veneration, and whose good opinion was praise.

Mr. Whitfield was himself sensible that he had carried his peculiar doctrines to an extravagant length; and who can avoid admiring the manly, the noble ingenuousness with which he confessed his mistake? The following extract is from one of his letters, dated June 24, 1748.

"Yesterday, I made an end of revising all my journals. Alas! alas! in how many things have I judged and acted wrong. I have been too rash and hasty in giving characters, both of places and persons. Being fond of Scripture language, I have often used a style too apostolical; and, at the same time, I have been too bitter in my zeal. Wildfire has been mixed with it; and I find that I frequently wrote and spoke in my own spirit, when I thought I was writing and speaking by the assistance of the Spirit of God. I have likewise too much made inward impression my rule of acting; and too soon, and too explicitly published what had been better kept in longer, or told after my death. By these things I have hurt the blessed cause I would defend, and also stirred up much needless opposition. This has humbled me much, and made me think of a saying of Mr. Henry's, Joseph had more honesty than policy, or he never would have told his dreams!' At the same time, I cannot but praise God, who filled me with so much of his holy fire, and carried me, a

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poor weak youth, through such a torrent both of popularity and contempt, and set so many seals to my unworthy ministrations. I bless him for ripening my judgment a little more, for giving me to see, and to confess; and I hope, in some degree, to correct and amend some of my errors."

Whitfield published, at intervals, Sermons, Tracts, and Letters, which were collected after his death, and printed in 6 vols. 8vo.

LADY HUNTINGDON'S CONNEXION.

Mr. Whitfield was chaplain to Selina, the Countess Dowager of Huntingdon, a lady of ardent religious feelings, who erected chapels in different parts of the country, and vested them in trustees. She also built a college at Trevecca, near Talgarth, in Brecknockshire, with the view of educating pious young men for the ministry.

Her ladyship died in 1791. For some time after her death the "Connexion" was carried on upon nearly the same principle as before; that is, as an itinerancy, by ministers ordained among themselves, acting under the Countess's representatives. Of late, however, a permanent ministry has been thought to be more desirable, in order to save the expense attending frequent change of ministers, and to remedy the inconveniences arising from the unsettled state of the congregations in which such a practice prevails.

Two very important regulations have been adopted: (1.) That if any minister leaves the Connexion, to which he has no tie but choice, he is admitted into

it no more, although the trustees cordially rejoice in his usefulness in any other denomination of Christians. (2.) That if any minister departs from the Calvinistic articles of the Church of England, or incurs reproach by any accusation of immoral conduct, he is summoned before the trustees; and if the charge be proved, he is dismissed, without the possibility of being ever again permitted to officiate in any of their congregations. At first, these congregations manifested an attachment to the Established Church; but the feeling is now much weaker than it was, both among ministers and people. The Liturgy of the Church of England, with some few modifications, is used in most of the principal chapels, but not so as to prevent the use of extemporary prayer.

On Lady Huntingdon's death, the seminary at Trevecca was transferred to Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire, where it exists at present under the sole, exclusive superintending care of trustees appointed for the purpose. The students are admitted into this college usually between twenty and thirty years of age, and the allotted term of study is four years. There is an annual examination, in the presence of the trustees, the assistant committee, and other friends; and discourses are delivered publicly in the college, twice a year, by the senior students.

"The object of this institution," says one of the Reports, "is not to serve the interests of a party, but to promote the extension of the kingdom of Emmanuel, by the publication of his glorious Gospel, and the doctrines of his grace; and the young men