George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

56
GEORGE WH1TEFIELD
added, the Church too ; for Dissenters and Churchmen, ' New
Lights' and 'Dark Lanthorns,' Jews and Roman Catholics,
were on the rock. The '
New
Lights ' were an interesting
company of soldiers, gathered into a society by a sergeant, who
for twelve years had been their leader. Their meetings were
first held in 'dens and mountains and caves of the rocks,' but
afterwards, on applying for leave to build a little sanctuary of
their own, the minister of the church and the governor wisely
and generously gave them the free use of the church.
A few days sufficed to make Whitefield as popular with the
soldiers as he had been with the sailors, with the townspeople
as he was with the garrison. Officers and soldiers crowded the
church when he preached ; and at the governor's table, where
he had dreaded being treated with more than sober hospitality,
' all the officers behaved with such a decent, innocent manner
that they pleased him very much. They were studious to
oblige him, and solicitous for him to stay ; but his face was set
to go to Georgia. Many of the inhabitants pressed him to
stay with them, and for his sake treated the friends who
journeyed with him with marked kindness.
None of this popularity was won at the expense of fidelity.
While all were crowding to hear him, he eagerly embraced the
opportunity of reproving them for the sin of drunkenness, the
sin of the place, and for profane swearing. His presence and
labours created so much excitement that even the chief of the
Jews came to hear him on the latter subject. Not knowing
this, Whitefield next day attended the synagogue, and was
astonished when the presiding elder came to him and con-
ducted him to a chief seat, as a mark of honour for his having
preached so well, according to Jewish ideas, against the sin of
profaning the Divine name. The Roman Catholic Church
was also visited ; but everything there was contrary to the
simplicity which the plain Methodist loved.