I love this comment about George Whitefield.
“No one who saw him could ever doubt that he enjoyed his religion. Tried as he was in many ways through his ministry - slandered by some, despised by others, misrepresented by false brethren, opposed everywhere by the ignorant clergy of the time, worried by incessant controversy- his elasticity never failed him. He was eminently a rejoicing Christian, whose very demeanor recommended his Master’s service.
A venerable lady of New York after his death when speaking of the influences by which the Spirit won her heart to God use these remarkable words - ‘Mr Whitefield was so cheerful that it tempted me to become a Christian.”
I wonder if people met us if they would think the same. I wonder if they came into our worship services they would think the same.
As a side note, it’s interesting the author of this quote about Whitefield connects his cheerfulness with two other qualities.
1.) His “singleness of eye…” he seemed to “live only for two objects: the glory of God and the salvation of souls”
2.) And the fact that he was “a man of extraordinary charity, catholicity and liberality in his religion. He knew nothing of that narrow-minded feeling which makes some men fancy that everything must be barren outside their own camps and that their own part has got a complete monopoly on the truth.”
I say that’s interesting because when I stopped and thought about it, I’ve found that in my personal experience people who are most focused on God’s glory and other people’s good and people who are very generous in their attitude towards other Christians are also usually the people who are most obviously happy and joyful.
To put it another way, I’ve found that people who are the least generous, most critical and most “narrow-minded” (I think you know the type) are also generally the least cheerful and clearly happy.
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