George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

FIRST SERMON IN MOORFIELDS 91
commanding bearing ; his clear, blue eyes, that melted with
tenderness and kindness ; his raised hand, which called for
attention—everything about him declared him a man who was
capable of ruling them ;
and they were willing to listen to him.
When he spoke, and they heard his strong but sweet voice,
exquisitely modulated to express the deepest, strongest passion,
or the soberest instruction, or the most indignant remonstrance,
they stood charmed and subdued. Then his message was so
solemn and so gracious, something in which every one was
interested for time and for eternity ; and he delivered it as
if it were all real to him, as indeed it was ; as if he believed
it and loved it, and wanted them also to accept it, as indeed
he did. No scoffer durst raise his shout, no disturber durst
meddle with his neighbour, as the thrilling text flew all around,
every one hearing it, 'Watch, therefore, for ye know neither
the day nor the hour in which the Son of man cometh ' ; and
as the preacher, with finger pointed upwards, cried, ' There
.shall be a day in which these heavens shall be wrapped up
like a scroll—the elements melt with fervent heat—this earth
and all things therein be burnt up, and every soul of every
nation summoned to appear before the dreadful tribunal of
the righteous Judge of quick and dead, to receive rewards or
punishments according to the deeds done in their bodies.'
Quietness and attention reigned through all the host while,
for perhaps an hour and a half, he spoke of the wise and
the foolish virgins, and then—for he had a pleasant egotism,
which for a moment turned men's minds to himself only to
direct them onward to the Master—entreated them, with a last
entreaty, not to reject his message because he was young :
' ' Oh ! do not turn a deaf ear to me,' he begged ; do not reject the
message on account of the meanness of the messenger !
I am a child, a
youth of uncircumcised lips, but the Lord has chosen me that the glory
might be all His own. Had He sent to invite you by a learned Rabbi,
you might have been tempted to think the man had done something. But
now God has sent a child that cannot speak, that the excellency of the