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Christian Unity (the book) - The Maranatha Community

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In view of all this, Charles Wesleys’ poem, written in <strong>the</strong> latter years of <strong>the</strong>Revival, comes to be seen as wistful ra<strong>the</strong>r than hopeful. <strong>The</strong> first two linesrun: ‘Come on my Whitefield (since <strong>the</strong> strife is past) and friends at first arefriends again at last’, but <strong>the</strong>re were few organic or visible evidences of <strong>the</strong>strife being over.<strong>The</strong> leaders came to honour and respect each o<strong>the</strong>r and Wesley gave a mostwarm commendation of Whitefield and his work when he gave <strong>the</strong> Memorialaddress for Whitefield at his own City Church in London in November 1770. Itseems he preached this same tribute twice more to congregations ofWhitefield’s followers and saw <strong>the</strong>se sermons as giving ‘a blow to that bigotrywhich had prevailed for many years.’ 88<strong>The</strong>re is no doubt that <strong>the</strong> Evangelical Revival did move some members of <strong>the</strong>Church of England to break down denominational barriers and be prepared toworship with Dissenters. By <strong>the</strong> time of <strong>the</strong> Revival <strong>the</strong>re is evidence that a fewDissenters were already mixing in <strong>the</strong> Religious Societies with Anglicans, sothat when <strong>the</strong>y began to share <strong>the</strong> common evangelical experience of being‘born again’ <strong>the</strong> bond of fellowship <strong>the</strong>y felt was streng<strong>the</strong>ned fur<strong>the</strong>r.Whitefield and his travelling companion, William Seward, addressed many of<strong>the</strong>se Societies as <strong>the</strong>y travelled throughout England, and in AmericaWhitefield preached in Dissenting meeting places.When Seward made his way alone across Sou<strong>the</strong>rn England into Wales in <strong>the</strong>summer of 1740 (Whitefield had sent him back to England from Savannah,Georgia, to gain more support for <strong>the</strong>ir projects in Negro education andorphan work), he found most support for his evangelical Gospel among <strong>the</strong>Dissenters, and wrote in his journal:‘I have been led by <strong>the</strong> Spirit of God to speak in a Quaker meeting, toexpound in several Baptist meetings, to pray and exhort in a field, inmarket place and Town Hall and yet I remain a member of <strong>the</strong> Church ofEngland; <strong>the</strong> gospel of Christ consisting not in any outward mode ofworship but in righteousness, peace and joy in <strong>the</strong> Holy Ghost.’ 8988Dallimore, Arnold, George Whitefield, <strong>the</strong> life and times of <strong>the</strong> great Evangelist of <strong>the</strong> 18 thCentury Revival, Vol ii, Banner of Truth Trust, 1980, p 511 footnote.89Manuscript Journal of William Seward, 15 Sep 1740, Chetham Ms MUN A2116.Page 118

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