George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

96 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
First, that he fasted for near a fortnight. Secondly, that he
prayed so as to be heard four storey high. Thirdly, that he had
sold his clothes, and given them to the poor. The fact is, he
was a literalist. In his first religious anxiety, reading one day
about the young man whom our Lord commanded to sell all
and give it to the poor, he thought that the words must be
taken literally— so he sold his clothes, and gave the money to
the poor. At length Whitefield and his friends secured
Periam's release, on condition that he should be taken to
Georgia. Accordingly he went with Whitefield to America ;
there he married one of the orphan-house mistresses. After a
few years both of them died, and two of their sons, promising
boys, became inmates of the institution.
The ship Elizabeth, in which Whitefield had taken berths for
himself and eleven others, was detained by an embargo until
August, and during the odd weeks thus accidentally thrown
into his hands he laboured with tremendous energy, and
abundantly fulfilled the animated charge which Charles Wesley
addressed to him in a poem of nine verses :
' Brother in Christ, and well-beloved,
Attend, and add thy prayer to mine ;
As Aaron called, yet inly moved
To minister in things divine.
Faithful, and often owned of God,
Vessel of grace, by Jesus used ;
Stir up the gift on thee bestowed,
The gift by hallowed hands transfused.'
' It is not strange to come upon so strong a statement concerning sacra-
mental efficacy, in the poem of a man who was such a High Churchman that
he made careful arrangements to be buried in consecrated ground ; but
alas for human ignorance, that piece of St. Mary-le-bone churchyard in
which he is laid is said to be the only piece not consecrated.