George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

28 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
case on behalf of his staying with them :
John
and Charles
Wesley had sailed to Savannah to act as chaplains to a new
colony there, and to attempt the conversion of the Creek
Indians; the prisoners in the gaol needed some one to supply
their lack of service ; Whitefield had been as useful at Oxford
as at Gloucester ; Oxford was one of the schools of the prophets,
and every student converted was a parish gained. To remove
any objection of a pecuniary nature which might have been
urged, application for money aid was made to Sir John Philips,
who was a great friend of Methodists, and who at once said that
Whitefield should have twenty pounds a year from him, even if
he did not stay at Oxford, but thirty pounds if he did. Oxford
prevailed over Gloucester, but its triumph was not for long ; all
English-speaking people came and claimed their right in him
and his large, brave heart was not slow to respond. Wesley
uttered the fine saying, 'The world is my parish ; ' Whitefield,
the most nearly of any man, made the saying a simple state-
ment of fact.
Meanwhile devout and conscientious preparation was made
for the approaching ordination, which was to be on Trinity
Sunday. The preceding day was spent by Whitefield in
abstinence and prayer.
' In the evening,' he says, ' I retired to a hill near the town, and prayed
fervently for about two hours, in behalf of myself and those who were to
be ordained with me. On Sunday morning I rose early, and prayed over
St. Paul's Epistle to Timothy, and more particularly over that precept,
"Let no one despise thy youth;" and when the bishop laid his hands
upon my head, if my vile heart doth not deceive me, I offered up my
whole spirit, soul, and body to the service of God's sanctuary ; and after-
wards sealed the good confession I had made before many witnesses, by
partaking of the holy sacrament of our Lord's most blessed body and blood.'
Elsewhere he says
'
'This is a day (June 20, 1736) ' much to be remembered, O my soul!
for, about noon, I was solemnly admitted by good Bishop Benson, before