George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

272 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
crop, if it answers expectation. ' Pray let one barrel ol rice
be reserved for them.'
Something now induced him to offer to preach in Wesley's
chapel. His friendly advance was kindly met ; and he
preached four or five times to large congregations, and
administered the sacrament twice. Wesley also came to the
Tabernacle, and preached for Whitefield, and administered
the sacrament to twelve hundred communicants.
His work among the nobility,, which was in a fair measure
satisfying even to him, with his spiritual conceptions of the
work of God, was now the subject of conversation at Court,
as well as in private circles. The following anecdote, which he
communicated to the Countess, will show how his friends
were observed. He says :
' His Majesty seems to have been acquainted with some things about
us, by what passed in his discourse with Lady Chesterfield. The
particulars are these : her ladyship had a -suit of clothes-on, with a brown
ground and silver flowers, which was brought from abroad. His Majesty
coming round to her, first smiled, and then laughed right out. Her
ladyship could not imagine what was the matter. At length his Majesty
said : " I know who chose that gown for you—Mr. Whitefield ; and I hear
that you have attended on him this year and a half." Her ladyship
answered : "Yes, I have, and I like him very well ; " but after she came
to her chair was grieved she had not said more ; so that I find her ladyship
is not ashamed.'
Early in 1750 London was several times shaken with earth-
quakes ; and the state of excitement into which it and other
causes threw the people, gave Whitefield a grand opportunity
for displaying the fulness of his love and the strength of his faith
in God. The first shocks were felt on the 8th of February,
and on the 8th of March there came another, at a quarter
past five in the morning. There was no more harm done
than the rocking of the houses and the tumbling down of
some chimneys; but men's hearts failed them for fear. There