Shortly after his great success at Moorfields, Whitefield again visited Scotland. This time he travelled with his wife. He spent a lot of time on the voyage writing letters to various friends who had helped him in his work. To a friend in Wales he wrote, “To stir up the gift of God within is an apostolic command, and if we don’t keep on our guard we will fall into a false stillness. Our human nature loves the easy life, and we willingly yield to the temptation to do nothing, and our lukewarmness very often keeps us silent when we might profitably speak out.”
This time he began his work in Scotland at Cambuslang, a suburb of Glasgow. The pastor of the church in Cambuslang was Mr. William M’Culloch, a man of fervent piety. For several months before Whitefield’s arrival, both Mr. M’Culloch and his people had been earnestly wrestling for a working of the Holy Spirit in the church and city.
“I’m persuaded that the preaching here will have more power than anywhere I’ve been before,” said George Whitefield to the pastor.
He was not disappointed, as the outburst of hatred which came against Whitefield’s preaching was soon followed by great spiritual interest, and many responded well to the gospel messages that he preached. On the first day, Whitefield preached three times to huge congregations, which grew larger as people came from all the neighboring villages. The last service ended at eleven o’clock at night, but the people wouldn’t leave for their homes, so Mr. M’Culloch continued the service until past one o’clock in the morning.
“Did you ever see such a thing?” asked Whitefield after it was all over. “Thousands and thousands were standing on that bare hillside on a cold February night. For about an hour and a half many were crying, deeply concerned about their deep spiritual needs, and many even fell down to the ground in their grief like wounded soldiers on a battlefield. Everywhere I turned there were people who were either praising God for His mercy and salvation, which they had received, or who were crying out to God to save them in His mercy.”
“I’m sure there will be a lot of negative things said about the excitement and emotion of this revival,” sighed M’Culloch. “I don’t think you know how strongly some truly godly people dislike hearing of any work of God that doesn’t exactly follow the pattern they expect it should.”
“Don’t worry about opposition, as long as we have spoken the Word of God and it has been received by faith,” said Whitefield. “If I keep a humble, tender, truly broken heart, and remain leaning on Christ, I will be able to walk in the comfort of the Holy Ghost and will not be preoccupied with what others think.”
“Even for myself, though I really thank God for this wonderful revival, I must say that I wish that there had been more quiet and less noise,” said M’Culloch. “Their crying and falling to the ground disturbed even me a little, as that’s not exactly my idea of what a work of grace should be. The fruit of the Spirit is peace, and He gently leads the repentant soul to faith in Christ.”
“I understand your feelings, but we can’t limit the Holy Spirit,” replied Whitefield, “nor tell Him how He should work with souls. He who created the soul understands best what it needs and wants, and He’s able to adjust His methods as He pleases depending on each person and situation. The fact that He has used certain methods in the past in the conversion of souls doesn’t mean that He can’t work differently in different times. He leads some by quiet and gentle influences, and others He drives by terror into grace.”
“But wouldn’t you agree that there’s a regular progress by which souls are awakened, led to repentance, and then saved by faith in Christ?”
“I don’t know that there is any set process found in the Scriptures that’s always followed; each soul is unique and God works with each in His own way. All that’s essential is that the soul is convinced of its own sin and led to trust entirely in Christ for salvation. This is the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit alone, and He sovereignly varies His operations according to His pleasure. When He is at work, He will never do anything that disagrees with God’s Word.”
“Of course, you Englishmen don’t understand how we rational Scotch are shocked by excitement like this.”
“But you Scotch don’t mind excitement in politics, and you admire people that are fanatics about business. I don’t see then why the infinitely more important matters of the soul shouldn’t be equally interesting. It seems incredible to me that men can speak calmly about the eternal loss of the immortal soul and act as if nothing were wrong while the wrath of God is hanging over them. I must say I think that complacency requires far more apology than scriptural excitement in matters of eternal importance.”
And so we should think when we realize the great matters that are involved in the salvation of the soul. None of us should be content until we are discontent with ourselves, and as helpless sinners have trusted in Christ Jesus for salvation.
Sometimes Whitefield’s frank comments about sin stirred up such bitter hatred in unbelievers that they tried to kill him. After he left Scotland, for instance, he went on a preaching tour through England, coming after a while to Plymouth. While resting overnight, after a tiring day of preaching, Whitefield was told that a well-dressed gentleman wished to speak to him.
“Maybe he’s someone searching for the truth like Nicodemus,” said Whitefield, who was always ready to think the best of everyone. “I’m really tired, but I’d like to see him if I can do him any good. Please show him upstairs.”
The man came into the room, and walking up to the bedside, he sat down.
“Who are you, dear friend?” asked Whitefield. “I’m happy to see you. Have we ever met before?”
“My name is Cadogan. I’m a lieutenant on board a battleship. Do you know me?”
“I knew a Mr. Cadogan who was an officer in Georgia, and then I met with him again almost two weeks ago at Bristol,” replied Whitefield beginning to recognize his guest through the dim candlelight.
“You must make a lot of money preaching. About how much is your salary?”
“My pay is the reward of having done my duty as a servant of Jesus Christ, and the joy of seeing lost souls brought to trust in Him. Otherwise, other than enough to buy the cheapest food and clothing, I don’t earn anything else.”
“I’m disappointed that I haven’t been able to hear you preach yet. I hope to have the privilege someday.”
“The most important thing, dear friend, isn’t to worry about me, so much as to be earnest in seeking Christ and finding peace through Him. Dear friend, Jesus loves you and died in order that He could save your soul.”
“You dog! You scoundrel! You villain!” yelled Cadogan, rising from his seat, “I’ll kill you! How dare you scare people by calling them sinners and talking about hell? Take that! And that! And that!” he shouted, beating Mr. Whitefield mercilessly with his cane.
“Please don’t kill me. I never harmed you!” pleaded Whitefield, but his entreaties did not stop the beating.
At this time the hostess and her daughter rushed into the room and seized the would-be murderer by the collar. But he soon shook them off and continued beating Whitefield. The women shrieked “Murder!” which somewhat alarmed the attacker, who turned to run out the door. The women pushed him down the stairs, but an accomplice of his hurried up the stairs and they would certainly have soon killed Whitefield if the neighbors hadn’t rushed in. The two attackers managed to escape, and Whitefield refused to have them prosecuted.
“No, I have something else to do,” he explained. “This is my private quarrel that I can leave in God’s hands. My business is to preach the gospel, and if shedding my blood leads to the conversion of any soul, I will happily die for that cause. May God forgive the men as I have.”
Whitefield showed this forgiving spirit on many other similar occasions. For, while “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:1212Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12)), all who live boldly for Christ must expect special hatred from those who are opposed to the gospel. “The servant is not greater than his lord” (John 13:1616Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. (John 13:16)). The Lord Jesus, “when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:2323Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1 Peter 2:23)). But if there is suffering now, there is also glory coming in the future. “Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:1313But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:13)). “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:1010Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)).