George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

Mo GEORGE WHITEFIELD
sistent with the doctrines of the gospel ; at which some gentlemen were so
enraged that they broke open the door. It is most extraordinary that such
devilish diversions should be supported in that city, and by some of that
very sect whose first principles are an utter detestation of them, as appears
from William Penn's "No Cross, no Crown," in which he says, "every
step in a dance is a step to hell." '
Circumstances called both Gladman and Seward away from
Whitefield's side before New York was reached ; and it cannot
be regretted that the latter, much as Whitefield was attached
to him, never returned. 1 They were despatched to England
to bring over some one to take charge of the orphanage in
Whitefield's absence, to acquaint the Trustees of Georgia with
the state of the colony, to procure an allowance of Negroes —
that is, slaves ; also a free title to the lands, an independent
magistracy, and money for building the church at Savannah.
Seward died in 1741, in Wales, as the result of a blow from a
rioter—a martyr, his work for Whitefield unfinished.
Sick and weary, Whitefield preached his way from Phila-
delphia to New York, where his friend Mr. Noble received him.
A strong, healthy man might flatter himself that he had achieved
marvels, could he say that he had done as much as White-
field did there under weakness of body and much loneliness of
heart. The services were early and late, numerous, sometimes
1 Here is a scene in Benjamin Franklin's shop, occasioned by this para-
graph. ' May 23, 1740.— Called at Mr. Franklin's the printer's, and met
Mr. P and several other gentlemen of the Assembly, who accosted me
very roughly concerning a paragraph I had put in the papers, alleging it to
be false. They much insisted that my paragraph insinuated as if the
gentlemen were convicted of their error by Mr. Whitefield's preaching,
which they abhorred. I told them I thought no one would construe it so ;
but if they did, it was an honour to them, for that I myself was formerly as
fond of them as they could be, but, blessed be the Lord, that 1 was con-
vinced to the contrary,' — 'Journal of a Voyage from Savannah to Philadel-
phia, &c, by William Seward, Gent., companion in travel with the Rev.
Mr. George Whitefield,' 1740.