For an example of his poetic powers let us take the hymn: "Lo! He comes, with clouds descending, Once for favored sinners slain; Swell the triumph of his train: God appears on earth to reign." The writer of a hymn of such beauty as this truly deserves that his name should, as it does, rank among the most noted of earth's sacred bards. His hymn "The God of Abram praise" is also one of inimitable beauty. James Montgomery, no mean poet himself, and an admirable judge, says concerning it, "There is not in our language a lyric of more majestic style, more elevated thought, or more glorious imagery." After a ministry of many years, this distinguished convert of Whitefield died suddenly March 7, 1799, and was buried in the tomb of Wesley, City Road Chapel, London. Mr. Whitefield and the Rev. Samuel Davies. These distinguished men were well acquainted with and much admired each other. Samuel Davies was converted in Virginia, through the influence of Mr. Whitefield. He has been called "the father of the Presbyterian Church in Virginia." He studied under Rev. Samuel Blair, a splendid scholar, and a minister of fine abilities, and afterward became one of the ablest preachers in America. Three volumes of his sermons, which were published, still have quite an extended circulation. He had a splendid imagination, and fine poetic talents. On hearing of the death of his former friend and instructor he felt very sad, and thus poetically expresses his great sorrow: "O Blair, whom all the tenderest names commend, While distance the sad privilege denies DAVIES AND PATRICK HENRY. Mr. Davies was an eloquent and very popular preacher. He lived in Hanover County, Virginia, the same county with Patrick Henry, the forestborn Demosthenes, from whose eloquence he caught much of his fire and pathos, and learned many valuable lessons in oratory, making Henry's elocution his model. Henry himself spake in terms of enthusiasm of Davies's eloquence, to which he often listened with intense delight. It is said his sermons frequently produced as powerful effects as those ascribed to the orations of Demosthenes. He always brought beaten oil into the sanctuary. He said, “It is a dreadful thing to talk nonsense in the name of the Lord." He was one of the most accomplished pulpit orators America ever produced. DAVIES AND WASHINGTON. After the defeat of General Braddock, and the heroic conduct of Washington at the battle of Monongahela, Davies preached a sermon in Virginia on "Religion and Patriotism, the Constituents of a Good Soldier," in which he spoke of "that heroic youth, Colonel Washington, whom I cannot but hope Providence has hitherto preserved in so signal a manner for some important service to his country." How prophetic! DAVIES AND THE LAYMAN. Mr. Davies was distinguished for dignity and solemnity in the pulpit. A distinguished layman said that he went to hear Mr. Davies preach, and the sight of the man and the mere utterance of his text, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needful," etc., made a deeper impression upon him than all the sermons he had ever heard before. MISSION TO ENGLAND. Mr. Whitefield invited Mr. Davies to come to England for the purpose of raising funds for Princeton College, promising to open the way for his success. Mr. Davies, having corresponded with John Wesley on the same subject, was thereupon, together with Gilbert Tennent, appointed by the Synod of New York to visit England for that purpose. They arrived in London on Christmas-day, 1753, and were cordially welcomed by Mr. Whitefield. Their visit proved a very successful one, for, while not expecting to be able to raise more than £300, they succeeded in collecting over £1,200. THE RECEPTION AND ITS EFFECT. Mr. Davies kept a diary, from which the following extract is made: "Wednesday, Dec. 26. Mr. Whitefield, having sent us an invitation to make his house our home during our stay here, we were perplexed what to do, lest we should blast the success of our mission among the Dissenters, who are generally disaffected to him. We at length concluded, with the advice of our friends and his, that a public intercourse with him would be imprudent in our present situation, and visited him privately this evening, and the kind reception he gave us revived dear Mr. Tennent. He spoke in the most encouraging manner of the success of our mission, and in all his conversation discovered so much zeal and candor that I could not but admire the man as the wonder of the age. When we returned Mr. Tennent's heart was all on fire, and after we had gone to bed he suggested that we should watch and pray, and we arose and prayed together till about three in the morning." WHITEFIELD'S SERMON. On the 1st of January, 1754, Davies and Tennent went to hear Mr. Whitefield preach in the Tabernacle, which was a large spacious building, and on this occasion was densely crowded. His theme was the barren fig-tree. Mr. Davies says: "And though the discourse was incoherent, yet it seemed to me better calculated to do good to mankind than all the accurate, languid dis courses I had ever heard. After the sermon I enjoyed his pleasing conversation at his house." WHITEFIELD'S SUGGESTIONS. On January 14 Davies and Tennent spent an hour with Mr. Whitefield. "He thinks," says Davies, "we have not taken the best method to keep in with all parties; but we should 'come out boldly,' as he expressed it, which would secure the affections of the pious people, from whom we might expect the most generous contributions." On the evening after this they dined with Whitefield at the house of a common friend. No one more rejoiced at the abundant success with which they afterward met from nearly all parties than did Mr. Whitefield. WHITEFIELD AND THE TRIFLING MINISTER. Mr. Davies says in his diary, January 25, 1754, "Mr. Tennent and myself dined with the Rev. Mr. Bradbury, who had been in the ministry fifty-seven years. He read us some letters that passed between Whitefield and himself in 1741. Whitefield had reproved Mr. Bradbury for singing a song at a tavern, in a large company, in praise of old English beef. The old gentleman then sang it for us, and we found it was partly composed by himself in the high-flying style of the days of Queen Anne. He is a man of singular turn, which would be offensive to the greater number of serious people; but for my part I could say, "I knew 'twas his peculiar whim, Nor took it ill as't came from him.'" |