George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

1 88 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
parish, praying the minister to set up a weekly lecture, and
ninety heads of families signed it. The day which was most
convenient for the temporal interests of the parish was Thurs-
day, and on Thursday a lecture was given. Then wounded
souls began to call at the manse to ask for counsel and com-
fort, and at last, after one of the Thursday lectures, fifty of
them went ; and all that night the faithful pastor was engaged
in his good work. Next came a daily sermon, followed by
private teaching, exhortation, and prayer ; and before White-
field got there to increase the intense feeling and honest con-
viction which were abroad, three hundred souls, according to
the computation of Mr. McCulloch, ' had been awakened and
convinced of their perishing condition without a Saviour, more
than two hundred of whom were, he believed, hopefully
converted and brought home to God.' The congregations on
the hillside had also increased to nine or ten thousand. All
the work of preaching and teaching did not devolve upon one
man ; ministers from far and near came to see and wonder and
help. Great care was taken by them all to hinder hypocrisy
and delusion from spreading ; and indeed the work, as examined
by faithful men, presented every appearance of a work of the
Holy Ghost. It embraced all classes, all ages, and all moral
conditions. Cursing, swearing, and drunkenness were given up
by those who had been guilty of these sins, and who had come
under its power. It kindled remorse for acts of injustice. It
compelled restitution for fraud. It won forgiveness from the
revengeful. It imparted patience and love to endure the
injuries of enemies. It bound pastors and people together
with a stronger bond of sympathy. It raised an altar in the
household, or kindled afresh the extinguished fire of domestic
religion. It made men students of the word of God, and
brought them in thought and purpose and effort into com-
munion with their Father in heaven. True, there was chaff