George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

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GEORGE WHITEFIELD
which Lady Betty Cobbe, daughter-in-law of the Archbishop
of Dublin, used to smuggle bishops, whom she had persuaded
to go and hear Whitefield, but who did not want to be seen in
such a place as an unconsecrated chapel. The curtained seats
just inside the door were both convenient and secret.
And how was the plan for a college at Bethesda prospering ?
First of all Whitefield waited a long time, to give the home
authorities the fullest opportunities for maturing their thoughts;
but by delay they intended hindrance, not help. He therefore
memorialised his Majesty, praying that since the colonists were
deeply interested in the scheme, and were impatiently waiting
for information, something might be done. Now came the
intricacies of 'red-tape.' The original memorial of Whitefield,
supported by the ' Address '
of the colonial Houses of
Assembly, was remitted to the Lords Commissioners for
Trade and Plantations, and they sent it to the Archbishop of
Canterbury, who effectually frustrated its intention by a bigoted
demand that the charter of the college, were one granted,
should contain a clause making it obligatory to appoint none
but a member of the Church of England to the office of head-
master. To this demand Whitefield offered respectful but
uncompromising opposition. He would have no exceptional
privilege for a Churchman ; he would not have the daily use
of the liturgy enjoined ; he would not have one doctrinal
article entered in the charter. His letter to the archbishop
stating and defending his views is as noble and catholic a
production as ever came from his pen, while its references to
himself and his toils are as pathetic as they are modest. Why
did he object to a compulsory clause respecting the master?
Was he opposed to the Church of England ? By no means
the majority of the wardens were sure to be of that communion,
and their choice would be sure to fall upon a master like them-
selves in belief; but choice and compulsion were very different