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41 CHAPTER A Revolutionary Message IV As George Whitefield leaned on the rail of the ship watching the American coast grow larger, he could hardly wait to get to the people and begin preaching. He had learned a few things back in England about revivals and was ready to bring his message to America. It was into a prosperous, stable American land that George Whitefield introduced himself with his focus on the spiritual condition of people. In November of 1739, George Whitefield, now twenty-five, arrived in Philadelphia to begin his tour. His challenge was to reach as many colonists as possible and then hold their attention long enough to let his message sink in. In addition to printing sermons and journals, he aggressively took his message to the public with ample opportunities for colonists to hear him in person. On the tour, Whitefield preached over 350 times while traveling 2,000 miles on horseback and 3,000 miles by boat, visiting over 75 cities and towns. In his spare time he gave several hundred exhortations to smaller groups. He was constantly on the move, never staying put for more than a week. Under the impact of this tour, Americans were exposed to his message. A large number participated in a religious revival, if not led by Whitefield, then by one of the copycats who quickly followed, inspired by his successes. As Whitefield addressed each township, he attempted to lead them to the new birth as Charles Wesley had done for him. His message was consistent in every colony and town that he visited. For the first time in American history, a specific and powerful message spread throughout every colony, inviting everyone who heard it to adopt a new identity and join the community of believers The Accidental Revolutionary 42 IV who embraced the new birth. Just as he had in London, Whitefield found success in America at capturing and maintaining his people’s attention. The new birth and revival were the words of the day. * * * He arrived in Philadelphia in November of 1739 with an agenda and a message. In the first nine days, Whitefield preached at least eleven times in various places to crowds of up to eight thousand people and rubbed shoulders with every religious group in town. People from all churches attended his events. Whitefield’s outdoor events dissolved denominational walls and encouraged the development of an all-encompassing Christian community. In Philadelphia, as was likely in each colony, he met privately with several local ministers to discuss theology and even had dinner with the governor. The following account by Nathan Cole, a Connecticut farmer, vividly shows the excitement that surrounded Whitefield’s tour: Now it pleased God to send Mr. Whitefield into this land; and my hearing of his preaching at Philadelphia, like one of the Old apostles . . . I felt the Spirit of God drawing me by conviction ; I longed to see and hear him, and wished he would come this way. I heard he was come to New York and the Jerseys and . . . next I heard he was at long Island; then at Boston and next at Northampton. Then on a Sudden, in the morning about 8 or 9 of the Clock there came a messenger and said Mr. Whitfield preached at Hartford and Weathersfield yesterday and is to preach at Middletown this morning at ten of the Clock, I was in my field at Work, I dropt my tool that I had in my hand and ran home to my wife telling her to make ready quickly to go and hear Mr. Whitfield preach at Middletown, then run to my pasture for my horse with all my might; fearing that I should be too late; having my horse I with my wife soon mounted the horse and went forward as fast as I thought the horse could bear, and when my horse got much out of breath I would get down and put my wife on the Saddle and bid her ride as fast as she could and not Stop or Slack for me except I bade her and so I would run until I was much out of breath; and then mount my horse again, and so I did several times to favour my horse; we improved every moment to get along as if we were fleeing for our lives; all the while fearing we should be too late to hear the Sermon, for we had twelve miles to ride double in...

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