George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

52 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
their large dimensions by the congregations which crowded to
hear the famous clergyman. A terrible and unaccountable
panic seized one of the congregations as it was awaiting his
appearance. Some threw themselves out of the gallery, others
leaped from the windows, and some of the strong trampled
upon the weak. When he came it was a scene of wild con-
fusion. His invincible presence of mind did not forsake him,
and he announced his intention to preach on the common.
Many thousands followed him through the rain into the field ;
but there were five dead persons left behind in the meeting-
house, and others were dangerously wounded. The calamity,
which weighed heavily on his spirits, in nowise damaged his
popularity, because, notwithstanding the lamentable selfishness
shown by some of the people in the meeting-house, there was
a real desire to know the truth.
Neighbouring towns were not forgotten. One of his excur-
sions extended over one hundred and seventy-eight miles, and
had sixteen preachings, yet he returned to Boston without
being in the least fatigued. The students of Cambridge had
several visits from him, and his language to them was, accord-
ing to his after confession, made in the most public manner
both from the pulpit and the press, both harsh and uncharit-
able. He suffered himself to be guided too much by hearsay
and there are always plenty of alarmists who can find nothing
but heresy in tutors and worldliness in students.
One of his greatest pleasures was to meet with the many
aged, devout ministers who were in Boston and its neighbour-
hood. There was old Mr. Clap, of Rhode Island, a bachelor,
who gave away all his income to the poor and needy, and
stood the friend of children, servants, and slaves, through a
ministry of forty years. There was also old Mr. Walters, of
Roxburg, whose ministry, with that of his predecessor, Eliot,
the apostle of the Indians, had lasted in the Roxburg congre-