George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

248 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
One symptom began to show itself on his return, which was
premonitory of sad mischief. When he went into Scotland,
and began to preach, he suffered from a very severe hoarseness,
and when he reached Topcliff, on his way back, he wrote to a
friend :
' Though
I do not preach, yet I hope I am preparing
for it. Reading, prayer, and meditation are the three necessary
ingredients for it. Riding and getting proper rest have
recruited me ; but I am apt to believe I have strained myself
inwardly. I feel sensible pain in my breath. But no matter
it is for a good Master, who bore inexpressible pain for me.'
That pain was to become a grievous burden through many
years of incredible labour. It was too late now to take the|
prudential measures which he felt were necessary even before
he started for Scotland.
As soon as he reached London, November ioth, Lady
Huntingdon came to town, and made arrangements for him to
preach in her house to 'the great and noble.' As her name
and his become inseparably associated from this time forward
to the end of his life, it is time to indicate her religious position.
Lady Selina Shirley was born on August 24, 1707—seven
years before Whitefield—and was married to Theophilus,
ninth Earl of Huntingdon, on June 3, 1728. She entered
heartily into the pleasures and duties of her high station, was
often at Court, took a lively interest in politics, and cared for
the poor on her husband's estate. She determined to win the
favour of the Almighty and everlasting life simply by her
attention to moral maxims, without any reference to our Lord
Jesus Christ, in whom alone is life. It happened, however,
that Lady Margaret Hastings, one of her husband's sisters,
came under the influence of those new doctrines which were
winning such remarkable triumphs ; and not only so, she
became an earnest and affectionate teacher of them to her
family and friends. Among other things she one day made a