Benjamin Franklin on George Whitefield

Benjamin Franklin was acquainted with George Whitefield. He heard him preach many times and even printed his sermons. I want to cite a few things Franklin wrote about Whitefield and make a few comments. The citations are taken from (here). 

Wrote Franklin in his journal (emphasis mine):

"In 1739 arriv’d among us from England the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant Preacher. He was at first permitted to preach in some of our Churches; but the Clergy taking a Dislike to him, soon refus’d him their Pulpits and he was oblig’d to preach in the Fields. The Multitudes of all Sects and Denominations that attended his Sermons were enormous and it was [a] matter of Speculation to me who was one of the Number, to observe the extraordinary Influence of his Oratory on his Hearers, and how much they admir’d and respected him, notwithstanding his common Abuse of them, by assuring them they were naturally half Beasts and half Devils. It was wonderful to see the Change soon made in the Manners [behavior] of our Inhabitants; from being thoughtless or indifferent about Religion, it seem’d as if all the World were growing Religious; so that one could not walk thro’ the Town in an Evening without Hearing Psalms sung in different Families of every Street."

This is how the "Great Awakening" began. It began with the preaching of the word of God, including preaching on the depravity of sinners. Franklin finds it remarkable how a preacher can tell sinners how evil they are and yet that message become the means of their salvation and Whitefield loved for it. What would Franklin rather have him do? Flatter them like the Sophist orators? Lie to them? I agree that it is remarkable to see how the gospel first brings conviction, by proclaiming the law and declaring man's guilt and depravity, as a means for drawing them to Christ for salvation. No one will ever seek a physician till he first sees that he is deathly sick and has need of one. So said our Lord - "they who are whole need not a physician but they who are sick." (Matt. 9: 12) All are sick and unrighteous, but all do not know it or confess the fact. It is only those who have come to see and feel that they are morally sick, unrighteous and evil, who come to see their need of a physician and savior. Those who think they are morally healthy and good people, who are deserving of divine gifts, will never find healing, righteousness and justification. The self righteous sees no need of a remedy for he sees himself as sound. 

Wrote Franklin:

"Some of Mr. Whitefield’s Enemies affected to suppose that he would apply these Collections (for an orphanage) to his own private Emolument [profit]; but I, who was intimately acquainted with him (being employ’d in printing his Sermons and Journals, etc.) never had the least Suspicion of his Integrity, but am to this day decidedly of Opinion that he was in all his Conduct a perfectly honest Man. And methinks my Testimony in his Favor ought to have the more Weight, as we had no religious Connection. He us’d indeed sometimes to pray for my Conversion, but never had the Satisfaction of believing that his Prayers were heard. Ours was a mere civil Friendship, sincere on both Sides, and lasted to his Death."

Franklin was a Deist like several of the founding fathers. Notice also how Whitefield, a Calvinist, believed in both the means of preaching the word and prayer for the salvation of others. He was no Antinomian Hyper Calvinist. He prayed for the salvation of Franklin, even though Franklin never converted to faith in Christ. God "has mercy on he will have mercy and whom he wills he hardens." (Rom. 9: 15) Or, we may say that God did not "give the increase" to the word that Franklin heard from Whitefield. (I Cor. 3: 6) I am sure that Franklin, now in Hell, wishes he had heeded and believed the preaching of Whitefield.

Wrote Franklin:

"He had a loud and clear Voice, and articulated his Words and Sentences so perfectly that he might be heard and understood at a great Distance, especially as his Auditors [audience], however numerous, observ’d the most exact Silence. He preach’d one Evening from the Top of the Court House Steps, which are in the middle of Market Street, and on the West Side of Second Street which crosses it at right angles. Both Streets were fill’d with his Hearers to a considerable Distance. Being among the hindmost in Market Street, I had the Curiosity to learn how far he could be heard, by retiring backwards down the Street towards the River; and I found his Voice distinct till I came near Front Street, when some Noise in that Street, obscur’d it. Imagining then a Semicircle, of which my Distance should be the Radius, and that it were fill’d with Auditors, to each of whom I allow’d two square feet, I computed that he might well be heard by more than Thirty Thousand. This reconcil’d me to the Newspaper Accounts of his having preach’d to 25,000 People in the Fields, and to the ancient Histories of Generals haranguing whole Armies, of which I had sometimes doubted."

Oh that we could see such a great awakening today! 

Wrote Franklin:

"By hearing him often, I came to distinguish easily between Sermons newly compos’d, and those which he had often preach’d in the Course of his Travels. His Delivery of the latter was so improv’d by frequent Repetitions that every Accent, every Emphasis, every Modulation of Voice, was so perfectly well turn’d and well plac’d, that without being interested in the Subject, one could not help being pleas’d with the Discourse, a Pleasure of much the same kind with that receiv’d from an excellent Piece of Music. This is an Advantage itinerant Preachers have over those who are stationary: as the latter cannot well improve their Delivery of a Sermon by so many Rehearsals." 

This journal entry shows that Franklin was well acquainted with the preaching of Whitefield. I am sure that Franklin, being a well read man, must have also read the bible at some point. Sad to say, he rejected it as the word of God.

I am sure that Whitefield did preach the same sermon many times, though to different congregations at different times. His basic sermon would have been designed for the ears of people who knew little or nothing about the bible or the gospel. So, the preaching must surely have stuck with the basic message of the gospel. Also, why change it if it is being used to save sinners?