George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

262 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
governor was wanted, he replied that he should be very shy to
ask favours, even if he had interest at Court, lest he should be
thought to preach for himself and not for Christ Jesus, his
Lord, and because he would fain convince all that he sought
not theirs, but them. Yet he would use his influence with
equal freedom in other quarters, and especially if it was for
any one in more than usually humble circumstances. Such a
worthy object came under his notice during this tour, an
obscure Dissenting minister, who had sold part of his library
to finish the meeting-house in which he preached, whose dress
was very mean—as well it might be, seeing he had but three
pounds per annum from a fund, and the same sum from his
people—who lived very low, but enjoyed much of God, and
who was something of a poet ; for Whitefield found that he had
as good an understanding of the figurative parts of Scripture as
any one that ' he knew of in the world.' How could he for-
bear using his interest with a rich and benevolent friend for
such a ' poor, despised, faithful minister of Christ ? ' So he hints
that four or five guineas might be bestowed on this Zachary,
who had also a faithful Elizabeth.
A hard task was it for him to inspire other hearts with asmuch
moral courage as always bore up his own. By word, as
well as by example, by reproach, and by loving persuasion, he
would try to free the fearful from the fear of man, which
hindered their full and self-denying consecration to the will of
Jesus Christ. One of the most difficult cases he ever had to
manage was that of Dr. Stonehouse, of Northampton, an
eminent physician, a friend of Doddridge, and a man of great
refinement. Many were the expostulations of the bold
evangelist before the shrinking man could be brought to a firm
stand, but at last it was done.
On the day of his arrival at Bristol after a month's circuit
he gives this account of his work :
—