MR. WHITEFIELD’S DEFENSE

It happened one Saturday morning that some ladies paid a visit to Lady Huntingdon, of whom she enquired during the course of conversation, if they had ever heard Mr. Whitefield preach. On their answering they had not, she informed them where he was to preach on the following evening, and advised them to attend services. They atended, and on Monday morning her ladyship enquired of them how they liked Mr. Whitefield. “Oh, not at all!” was the prompt reply; “of all the preachers we ever heard, he is the most strange and unaccountable. Among other preposterous things — would your ladyship believe it? — he declared that Jesus Christ was so willing to receive sinners, that He did not object to receive even the devil’s castaways. Now, my lady, did you ever hear of such a thing since you were born?” “There is something I acknowledge,” replied Lady Huntingdon “a little singular in the invitation, and I do not recollect to have ever met with it before, but as Mr. Whitefield is below in the parlour, we will have him up and let him answer for himself.” He was called accordingly, and on entering the drawing room Lady Huntingdon thus addressed him: “Mr. White-field, these ladies have been preferring a very heavy charge against you, and I thought it best that you should come up and defend yourself. They say that in your sermon, you expressed yourself in the following terms: “So ready is Christ to receive sinners who come to Him, that He is ready to receive the devil’s castaways.” To this he replied: “I certainly, my lady, must plead guilty to the charge; whether I did right or otherwise, your ladyship shall judge from the following circumstance — Did your ladyship notice about half an hour ago, a very modest single rap at the door? It was given by a poor miserable-looking, aged female who requested to speak with me. I desired her to be shown into the parlour, when she accosted me in the following manner. ‘I believe, sir, you preached last evening at such a chapel?’ ‘Yes, I did.’ ‘Ah, sir, I was accidentally passing the door of that chapel, and hearing the voice of someone preaching, I did what I never have been in the habit of doing— I went in; and one of the first things I heard you say was, that Jesus Chirst was so willing to receive sinners, that He did not object to receive the devil’s castaways. Now sir, I am so worn out in his service that I may with truth be called one of the devil’s castaways. Do you think, sir, that Jesus Christ would receive me?’ I assured her, there was no doubt of it, if she was but willing to go to Him.” Such was Whitefield’s ready and homely reply, to which no answer could be made. It is only necessary to add, respecting the poor enquiring castaway, that she gave every evidence of being received indeed, by becoming a penitent, lowly and devoted Christian.

— From the Life of George Whitefield

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