George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

3 io GEORGE WHITEFIELD
Lord Jesus Christ, and to King George, not to his having
spoken against Popery.
To escape the danger of open-air preaching was to encounter
the danger of ministering in two large chapels all the winter
through; and in the winter 1757-58 Whitefield suffered so
much that he was put upon ' the short allowance,' as he called
it, of preaching but once a day, and thrice on a Sunday. With
so little to do, he began to examine things that were near him ;
and finding that round his chapel there was a most beautiful
spot of ground, he designed a plan for building twelve alms-
houses upon it. Some other ' good folks ' agreed with him,
and soon one hundred pounds of the necessary four hundred
were in his hand. The houses were to be for godly widows,
who were to have half a crown a week from the sacrament
money. The cost of building them was defrayed by private
subscriptions, the public being kept in ignorance of the
scheme until the whole sum was promised. In June, 1758,
the houses received their first inmates, and stood as ' a monu-
ment that the Methodists were not against good works.'
The summer travels of 1758 were begun at Gloucester, and
continued into Wales ; and it is grievous to mark the increasing-
difficulties under which they were undertaken. No trifle ever
hindered this willing traveller, but, although he is only forty-
four, he is compelled to say to a friend :
' This tabernacle makes me to groan. The one-horse chaise will not do
for me ; as it will not quarter, I am shaken to pieces. Driving likewise
wearies me, and prevents my reading ; and if the road be bad my servant
that rides the fore-horse is dirtied exceedingly. I have therefore sent to
Mr. S 's about the postchaise, and desired him to beg the favour of you,
my dear sir, to look at it, and let me know your thoughts. This is giving
you trouble, but you are my friend.'
Possibly the weakness of the body added to the fervour of the
spirit, and increased the interest of the congregations.