Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

254 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-IS86.
stance would have been noted in the diaiy of the journey. Just as
Whitefield was leaving the village, on horseback, the animal stumbled
on a defective bridge, and threw the brilliant revivalist over the
animal's head. AVhitefield said afterwards, " My mouth was full of
dust. I l)lew a little, but falling upon soft sand got not much damage.
After I had recovered myself and mounted my horse, God so filled
me with a sense of his sovereign, distinguishing k)ve and my own
unworthiness that my eyes gushed out with tears." His neglect to re-
flect upon the Springfield surve3'ors of highways did his forbearing
spirit great credit.
We think that Mr. Breck's objection to Mr. Whitefield was of a
later growth. Some j^ears afterwards Whitefield returned to America,
distinguished, portly, and richly dressed. The picture evidently did
not please Mr. Breck. In a Conuecticut minister's diary of 17(;4
is this: "Mr. Whitefield came along; People seemed ver}- fond
of gazing on him. He rode in liis chariot with a gentleman — had a
waiter to attend on him, and Sampson Occum, y*^ Indian preacher,
who rode on one of the horses, there being three to y" chariot.
Messrs. Breck and Whitney came and dined here. Mr. Breck said
he did not know but I was right in asking Mr. Whitefield to preach ;
however, he believed he would not have done it." Ellen D. Larned,
who wrote the History of Windham County, remarks after the above
quotation, " If Mr. Breck of Springfiehl, alwaj^s inclined to arminian-
ism and heterodoxy, could thus scruple, it may be seen that the cau-
tious pastor (Rev. James Cogswell) did indeed run some risk in
extending civilities to the great pulpit orator."
It was about the time of the second visit of Whitefield that Joseph
Ashley, a member of the Springfield church, charged Mr. Breck witli
a refusal to admit into his pulpit Whitefield, Wheelock, and Dewey.
The church ])romptly voted that Ashley had " manifested a censo-
rious and uncharitable Spt towards this Chh and the Pastor of it."
This, however, does not prove that Whitefield was actually excluded
at the time of his first visit.