George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

So GEORGE WHITEFIELD
manner as he had never felt the like with any one before.
To his great joy a letter came to him from Whitefield soon
after his return from Georgia.
' My
' London, December, 173S.
dear Brother,—Though I am unknown to you in person, yet I
have long been united to you in spirit ; and have been rejoiced to hear how
the good pleasure of the Lord prospered in your hands. Go on, go on !
He that sent you will assist, comfort, and protect you, and make you more
than conqueror through His great love. I am a living monument of this
truth. I love you, and wish you may be the spiritual father of thousands,
and shine as the sun in the kingdom of your heavenly Father. Oh, how
shall I joy to meet you at the judgment-seat ! How you would honour me
if you would send a line to your affectionate though unworthy brother,
' George Whitefield.'
To this letter Harris replied the day after its reception,
assuring Whitefield of his profound love for him, telling him
some good news of the work of God in Wales, and saying:
' Were
you to come to Wales it would not be labour in vain.'
This devoted young Welshman had several times offered him-
self for holy orders, and been refused because he preached as
a layman, and so he was shut up to this way, or to silence.
We can see from these brief sketches what was the state of
things in the Church of England in Wales, and, to some
extent, in Nonconformity. The preaching of the godly clergy
was frowned upon by their own brethren, and welcomed and
supported by Nonconformists. The Spirit of the Lord was
moving in this land, as well as in America and in Scotland
and England. We can also understand why Whitefield broke
away for a few days from the thousands of Bristol and Kings-
wood. His soul and the soul of Harris leaped to each other
like flames of fire.
An incident of the short passage to Wales is much too
characteristic of the times to be omitted. Contrary winds
delayed Whitefield at the New Passage, and he says : ' At