George Whitefield and his Ministry

The following biography on George Whitefield (1714-1770) was originally delivered in a lecture by J. C. Ryle in 1852 and later published with ten other biographies in “Christian Leaders of the 18th Century.” This material is in the public domain.

 

Chapter 1: The Life of George Whitefield

Summary: Importance of historical inquiry— Gloucester—Whitefield’s Birth-place and Parentage—Educated at Gloucester Grammar School—Enters Pembroke College, Oxford—Season of Spiritual Conflict—Books which were made useful to him—Ordained by Bishop Benson—First Sermon—Preaches in London—Curate of Dummer, Hants—Goes to America—Returns in a Year—Preaches in the open air—Is excluded from most London Pulpits—Extent of his Labours for thirty-one years—extensive travels—his weekly schedule when in London—Dies at Newbury Port, America, in 1770—Interesting circumstances of his death.

Chapter 2: The Preaching of George Whitefield

Summary: Estimate of good that Whitefield did—Testimonies to his direct usefulness—Indirect good that he did—Peculiar character of his preaching—Witnesses to his real power as a preacher—Analysis of his seventy-five published Sermons—Simplicity, directness, power of description, earnestness, pathos, action, voice, and fluency, his leading excellences—Inner life, humility, love to Christ, laboriousness, self-denial, disinterestedness, cheerfulness, catholicity—specimen of his preaching.