George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

296 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
hatred of the same thing will make enemies wondrous kind for
a season. The Seven Years' War was also raging, and feeling
ran high. Some religious people, apparently the Dissenters,
had built a chapel, called Long Acre Chapel, near the play-
houses. It was an unconsecrated building, duly licensed for
preaching ; its minister was the Rev. John Barnard, an In-
dependent, one of Whitefield's converts. Mr. Barnard asked
Whitefield to preach in his chapel twice a week, and Whitefield
consented to do so on the understanding that he might use
the liturgy if he thought proper ; for he judged that he might
' innocently preach the love of a crucified Redeemer, without
giving any just offence to Jew or Gentile, much less to any
;
bishop or overseer of the Church of God.
Every one was not
of his mind. A band of roughs were hired to disturb him
while he preached, by making a noise with a copper furnace,
bells, drum, &c, at the chapel door. Part of their pay came
from some gentlemen of the vestry of the Bishop of Bangor
and Dean of Westminster, Dr. Zachary Pearce ; and they did
their work to perfection. They used more dangerous means
of silencing the obnoxious preacher than drums ; they threw
stones through the windows at him, and always missed him,
though some one else suffered ; they rioted at the door, and
abused him and his congregation as they were leaving the
chapel. Things were serious, though Whitefield with his
strong sense of humour called their behaviour 'a serenading
from the sons of Jubal and Cain.' An appeal made by him
to a magistrate procured protection for a time. An appeal to
Dr. Pearce was less successful ; that prelate forbade his
preaching in the chapel again ; but his inhibition was use-
less. Whitefield continued his work. The bishop's vestry
now revived the persecution by the mob ; and Whitefield
made repeated appeals to this exemplary overseer to stay
the violence, and he appealed in vain ! Several persons