Refusing the Offer.

Whitefield, in writing from America to a friend in England, says, "They came to me lately, assuring me that if I'll consent they will erect in a few weeks' time the outside of the largest place of worship that was ever seen in America." They wished him to become their settled Pastor. Whitefield says, "I thanked them, but at the same time begged leave to refuse their kind offer," and adds, "You know that ceiled houses were never my aim." To many a clergyman the offer would have been a powerful temptation, and would have been accepted with joy.

The Repeated Story.

A

Whitefield's descriptive powers were great, and he could relate a story with capital grace. minister states that he once related to him an affecting occurrence, but did it with great brevity, and in common conversation. Some time afterward he heard Whitefield, in preaching, relate this same story, and he did it with such pathos and power that the clergyman, to whom the story was perfectly familiar, found himself weeping like a child at its recital.

No Sneaking Off.

Whitefield's large heart and noble soul prompted him to take collections for all charitable objects.

A fire having occurred in Boston, he took up collections for the sufferers, as he did also for the benefit of the inhabitants of an obscure village in Germany which had been burned. After a most touching and powerful appeal for the poor Germans, he said, "We will now sing a hymn, during which those who do not choose to give their mite on this occasion, and for an object so deserving, may sneak off." Not a solitary person moved. Whitefield then came down from the pulpit, ordered all the doors to be shut but one, at which he took his stand, and held the plate himself. The collection amounted to six hundred pounds. What a striking illustration of his persuasive eloquence, and of his power over the pockets of the people!

Whitefield and the Trifling Young Men.

Whitefield had a commanding look as well as a commanding voice. He was once preaching in a grave-yard, among the tombs, when two young men, forgetting the solemnities of the place and the hour, behaved in the most thoughtless and trifling manner. They continued their sport for some time, until Mr. Whitefield, fixing his eyes upon them, gave them a look that almost transfixed them, and with a voice resembling thunder, so authoritative was its tone, he cried out, "Come down, ye rebels!" They both instantly fell to the ground, neither being inclined to again come in contact with such a look, or again hear such a voice.

Whitefield, the Sailor, and the Collection.

Whitefield once preached in a chapel in New England when, after the sermon, a collection was to be taken. A British seaman, who had strolled into the meeting-house, observed some persons take plates and place themselves at the door; upon which he laid hold of one, and, taking his station, received a considerable sum from the congregation as they departed, which he very deliberately put into his trousers' pocket. This being told to Whitefield he applied to the sailor for the money, saying it was collected for charitable purposes, and it must be given to him. "Avast there," said Jack, "it was given to me, and I shall keep it." "You will be condemned," said Whitefield, "if you don't return it.” "I'll be condemned if I do," replied Jack as he sheered off with his prize.

Dirtied his Coat for Nothing.

There are some people who always make a great time on great occasions, when great men are present, even if they are compelled to act the hypocrite. They are clouds without water, trees without fruit, shadows without substance. A man of this sort once went several miles to hear Whitefield preach. During the sermon he was thrilled, delighted, captivated, and so powerfully wrought upon that he was exhausted and overcome, and fell to the earth. When the sermon was over, and he had recovered

from its powerful effects, he said to a gentleman standing by, "What a great sermon Whitefield preached to-day!" To which the gentleman replied, "We were disappointed to-day; Mr. Whitefield failed to come, and another reverend gentleman has just preached in his place." The man looked exceedingly disappointed, and exclaimed, "That wasn't Mr. Whitefield! then," said he, as he brushed off the dirt occasioned by his falling to the ground, "I have dirtied my new coat for nothing."

Whitefield and his Convert.

Some people are very religious when they are drunk; then they are remarkably spiritual. Whitefield had just finished one of his sermons, when a man came reeling up to him and said, "How do you do, Mr. Whitefield?" Whitefield replied, "I don't know you, sir." "Don't know me! why you converted me so many years ago in such a place." "I should not wonder," replied Mr. Whitefield, "you look like one of my converts, for if the Lord had converted you you would have been a sober man."

Wonderful Results.

Great effects proceed from small causes. "Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.” Mr. Jay* preached a sermon in London, which, be

*See anecdote of Jay on page 294.

ing heard by a young man of splendid talents, resulted in his conversion, and he became a flaming herald of the cross. While this young minister was preaching in Reading, a wild young man, a speculative and practical infidel, listened to him, and God blessed that sermon to his salvation, and he also was called to the great work of the ministry, and became a workman that needed not to be ashamed. This young man was the gifted and accomplished Rev. Thomas East. While Mr. East was preaching in the Tabernacle, a young man of gay habits and fine natural talents, who was going to spend the evening at a tavern with. some of his dissipated companions, was induced to enter, heard the sermon delivered by Mr. East, felt its power, and gave his heart to the Saviour. He also became an able minister of the New Testament. His name was John Williams, the celebrated missionary to the South Sea Islands.

Mr. East was also the means of the conversion from the error of his way of a gentleman of wealth. This gentleman and Mr. East were one day walking in the garden, when, wishing to show his gratitude, he told Mr. East that he would give him such an estate if he would tell him what he could do with it. Mr. East paused a moment, and then said, "We will found a college with it for the education of young men for the ministry. For this object the gentleman and his sister gave estates worth twenty thousand pounds, and he in addition gave twenty thousand pounds in money. So the whole thing was arranged, and the "school of the prophets"