On March 5, 1770, the famous traveling preacher George
Whitefield passed away at the age of 55. Perhaps more well-known than any other
man in the colonies at the time of his death, Whitefield, by virtue of his
impeccable oratorical skills he displayed during his sermons, was a seminal
figure of the period in American history known as the Great Awakening. Originally
born in Great Britain and also ordained there as a minster, Whitefield made
numerous trips to the colonies, where as a preacher he traveled up and down the
Atlantic coast, spreading the message of revival in as many places and to as
many people as he could. Often, Whitefield’s outdoor revivals were attended by thousands
of people at a time. By the time of his death in 1770, Whitefield had been delivering
sermons throughout the colonies for thirty years and in so doing had aided the
colonies in understanding the importance of upholding their natural rights.[1]
Throughout the course of his travels in the colonies,
Whitefield became close friends with Benjamin Franklin. In particular, Franklin
liked that Whitefield’s sermons imparted a strong message of living faithfully and
with virtue. While Franklin would never become the devout evangelical Christian
that Whitefield was, the founding father was impressed with the famous
preacher, and over the course of many years the two men became close friends.[2]
It should be noted that Whitefield was somewhat
unique in regard to his contributions during the Great Awakening revivals in
that he intentionally catered to people of all ages, social classes, and
denominations. This can be seen in a moving tribute of Whitefield that was written
in the form of a poem by a 17-year-old slave girl named Phillis Wheatley, shortly
after the preacher’s death. (In subsequent years Wheatley would be emancipated
by her owners, and gain national recognition for her writing.) Wheatley’s poem
is full of admiration for Whitefield and the great influence he had on the
nation. She wrote that now that Whitefield has passed away “We hear no more the
music of thy [Whitefield’s] tongue,” which “inflame[d] the soul, and
captivate[d] the mind.”[3] Wheatley further exclaimed that “When his [Whitefield’s]
Americans were burden’d sore” it was Whitefield who encouraged the masses to
find God, to air all grievances and “complaints in His kind bosom.”[4] Wheatley was so taken with Whitefield’s ability to
spread the word of God that she compared his efforts to that of Jesus Christ.
She proclaimed Whitefield “was no less than God’s co-equal son” for influencing
so many Americans to become more devout Christians.[5]
With this evident comparison to Jesus Christ, God’s son, Wheatley was certainly engaging in hyperbole. Nonetheless, she clearly wanted her audience to understand the power impact that the colonies’ most famous traveling preacher had on her. Moreover, it is clear that Wheatley’s laudatory poem about Whitefield was emblematic of the man’s unwavering commitment to following God’s true principles, and to using his talents of oratory to spread God’s word for all to hear.
Source List:
Kidd,
Thomas. God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution.
New York: Basic Books, 2010.
Morgan,
Edmund S. Ben Franklin. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002.
Phillis.
“An elegiac poem, on the death of that celebrated divine, and eminent servant
of Jesus Christ, the late reverend, and pious George Whitefield.” Boston: Sold
by Ezekiel Russell in Queen-Street, and John Byles, in Marlboro-Street, 1770.
Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CY0103367922/SABN?u=vic_liberty&sid=bookmark-SABN&xid=c79602f5&pg=1.
[1]
Thomas Kidd, God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution (New
York: Basic Books, 2010), 21, 33-34.
[2]
Edmund S. Morgan, Ben Franklin (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002),
59-60.
[3]
Phillis, “An elegiac poem, on the death of that celebrated divine, and eminent
servant of Jesus Christ, the late reverend, and pious George Whitefield,” (Boston:
Sold by Ezekiel Russell in Queen-Street, and John Byles, in Marlboro-Street, 1770),
Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CY0103367922/SABN?u=vic_liberty&sid=bookmark-SABN&xid=c79602f5&pg=1.
[4]
Ibid.
[5]
Ibid.
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