Throughout the centuries there have been preachers who were eloquent, even exceptionally eloquent. They placed their gifts of eloquence in the service of the Gospel. One of them was George Whitefield.
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Who Was George Whitefield?
Anyone seeking an example of a powerful orator among the preachers of past centuries will certainly encounter the name of George Whitefield. His mother managed an inn in Gloucester. While helping in the inn, George discovered at an early age that he possessed dramatic talents. Yet Whitefield did not become an actor but a preacher of the Gospel. He became one of the leaders of the Evangelical Revival.
While studying at the University of Oxford, he joined the so-called Holy Club. The spiritual character of the Holy Club reflected the High Church and sacramental tradition within the Church of England. Remarkably, almost all its members eventually found themselves dissatisfied with High Church piety and became believers and preachers of the Gospel of free grace. Whitefield was the first among them to experience the light of the Gospel. One means used by God in this was his reading of the book The Life of God in the Soul of Man by the Scottish Episcopal theologian Henry Scougal. Not long afterward, on June 29, 1737, Martin Benson, Bishop of Gloucester, ordained him as a deacon. As a deacon, Whitefield received the authority to preach. It may be noted in passing that the office of deacon in the Anglican tradition differs significantly from its role in the Presbyterian tradition.
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The Impression Made by Whitefield’s Preaching
One week after his ordination as a deacon, Whitefield delivered his first sermon. Its title was The Nature and Necessity of Religious Society in General and of Religious Societies in Particular. In it, Whitefield emphasized that regeneration is necessary above all else, and that its fruit is a godly life. The sermon made a profound impression upon the large audience present. This was due not only to its content but undoubtedly also to Whitefield’s manner of delivery. Some listeners clearly disagreed with the sermon. They complained to Bishop Benson that fifteen people had been driven mad by it. Benson’s response was that he hoped the disorder would not be cured before the following Sunday.
On February 17, 1739, Whitefield preached in the open air for the first time at Kingswood, south of Bristol. There was no church building in this mining district. About two hundred miners, including their wives and children, gathered to hear him. During the sermon, tears could be seen streaming down the coal-blackened faces of the miners. This marked the beginning of the many open-air sermons Whitefield would preach.
Whitefield preached with great passion and often allowed his emotions to show freely. His preaching was highly vivid and accompanied by numerous gestures. Although he prepared his sermons thoroughly, he used no notes while delivering them. David Garrick, one of the most famous and gifted English actors of the eighteenth century, once remarked that he would gladly pay a fortune if he could pronounce the word “Oh!” as Whitefield did.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, listened to Whitefield whenever he had the opportunity, despite having no affinity with his message as a deist. Franklin observed:
“Every accent, every emphasis, every modulation of voice was so perfectly placed that even if one had no interest in the subject, one could not help listening with pleasure, much as one listens to an excellently performed piece of music.”
In a certain sense, one could say that Whitefield acted as a preacher, but only in order to impress upon his hearers the truth of the Gospel.
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Preaching Must Do Justice to the Reality of the Gospel
In a sermon on Enoch’s walk with God, Whitefield himself explains why he employed every gift and means of eloquence at his disposal in the preaching of the Gospel. He recounts an encounter in 1675 between Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas Betterton, a famous actor of that era. The archbishop asked him:
“Can you tell me, Mr. Betterton, how it is that you actors on the stage can move your audiences so deeply with matters that are imaginary, while we in the church speak of things that are real, and our listeners hear them as though they were imaginary?”
Betterton’s answer was highly significant, Whitefield remarks: “Well, my Lord Archbishop, the reason is very plain. We actors on the stage speak of imaginary things as though they were real, whereas you in the pulpit speak of real things as though they were imaginary.”
That accusation could certainly not be made against Whitefield. Not every emotional response produced under his preaching was the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As he grew older, Whitefield became increasingly aware of this. Nevertheless, it never diminished his conviction that he must continue to use his gifts of eloquence.
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The Content of His Preaching
From the very beginning, Whitefield emphasized both the necessity of regeneration and the call to repentance. Very soon, the message of justification by faith also assumed a central place in his preaching. A Christian’s acceptance before God is based not upon anything within him—not even upon the work of God’s Spirit within him—but upon the righteousness of Christ outside of him. This righteousness is freely offered in the Gospel and embraced by faith.
Whitefield preached that salvation is by grace alone. He knew that God chooses a sinner for salvation and not the other way around. The certainty that God never forsakes His own gave him great comfort. His preaching of God’s sovereignty was therefore always connected with the comfort it provides to the children of God. He also understood that this doctrine humbles believers.
In a sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:30 he remarked: “I cannot see how true humility can be attained without a knowledge of the doctrine of election.” In a letter to John Wesley he wrote: “Though I hold the doctrine of particular election, I freely offer Christ to everyone.” The manner in which he did so is evident from one passage in his sermons:
“O come, come, and see what it is to have eternal life. Do not refuse it. Sinner, make haste. May the grace of the Good Shepherd draw you. If you have never heard His voice, may God grant that you hear it now. O come, come, come to the Lord Jesus Christ. I commit you into His care.”
It is estimated that Whitefield preached approximately thirty thousand times. He died in America. The day before his death he preached twice. The first occasion was on Saturday afternoon, September 29, 1770, in Exeter, New Hampshire. Whitefield had not intended to preach, but thousands were waiting for him. A bystander remarked: “You seem fitter to go to bed than to preach.”
Whitefield agreed but replied, loud enough for all to hear: “Lord Jesus, I am worn out in Thy service, but not weary of Thy service. If I have not yet finished my course, let me go and speak once more in the open air for Thee, seal Thy truth, and then go home and die.”
He then traveled from Exeter to Newburyport, just across the Massachusetts border. A large crowd gathered outside the parsonage of Jonathan Parsons, where Whitefield was staying, and asked him to preach. Despite his great exhaustion, Whitefield could not refuse an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. Halfway up the staircase leading to the door of the parsonage, holding a candle in his hand, he preached Christ to the assembled crowd.
Early on the morning of Sunday, September 30, 1770, this great preacher died—a man who had but one desire: to use all his talents to lead sinners to Christ.
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