My Ben Franklin Moment

Below, Benjamin Franklin recounts his first encounter with the preaching marvel of the First Great Awakening in the British North American Colonies: the Reverend Mr. George Whitefield. Franklin, unchurched and a self-proclaimed non-Christian, attended Whitefield's Philadelphia sermon out of curiosity. By his own account below, Franklin listened to Whitefield and found himself emptying his pockets of all of his money when the offering basket was passed. Earlier today, I went to The Hopester's Web site and like Ben Franklin, I made an onilne contribution to The Hopester's campaign. The Hopester's elegant site provides a message-generator to send a message to The Hillster. I thanked The Hillster for what she had done and was doing for the United States of America. I didn't say something, however, that needs to be said. The Hillster needs to call the meanest divorce lawyer in NYC on Monday. She needs to give The Slickster his walking papers. Forget "Stand By Your Man" and go for Tammy Wynette's other anthem to women: "D-I-V-O-R-C-E." The Slickster has been a baaaaad boy. More bimbo eruptions. How much sleaze can anyone endure? If The Hillster would lose nearly 200 ugly pounds (her loser husband), she would be free of her greatest liability. Divorce The Slickster, Senator Clinton. Make yourself available for the Dream Team. If this is a (fair & balanced) petitionary prayer, so be it.

[x The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin]
Chapter Ten

In 1739 arrived among us from Ireland the Reverend 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 matter of speculation to me, who was one of the number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers, and bow much they admir'd and respected him, notwithstanding his common abuse of them, by assuring them that they were naturally half beasts and half devils.

It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners 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.

And it being found inconvenient to assemble in the open air, subject to its inclemencies, the building of a house to meet in was no sooner propos'd, and persons appointed to receive contributions, but sufficient sums were soon receiv'd to procure the ground and erect the building, which was one hundred feet long and seventy broad, about the size of Westminster Hall; and the work was carried on with such spirit as to be finished in a much shorter time than could have been expected.

Both house and ground were vested in trustees, expressly for the use of any preacher of any religious persuasion who might desire to say something to the people at Philadelphia; the design in building not being to accommodate any particular sect, but the inhabitants in general; so that even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach Mohammedanism to us, he would find a pulpit at his service.

Mr. Whitefield, in leaving us, went preaching all the way thro' the colonies to Georgia. The settlement of that province had lately been begun, but, instead of being made with hardy, industrious husbandmen, accustomed to labor, the only people fit for such an enterprise, it was with families of broken shop-keepers and other insolvent debtors, many of indolent and idle habits, taken out of the jails, who, being set down in the woods, unqualified for clearing land, and unable to endure the hardships of a new settlement, perished in numbers, leaving many helpless children unprovided for.

The sight of their miserable situation inspir'd the benevolent heart of Mr. Whitefield with the idea of building an Orphan House there, in which they might be supported and educated. Returning northward, he preach'd up this charity, and made large collections, for his eloquence had a wonderful power over the hearts and purses of his hearers, of which I myself was an instance.

I did not disapprove of the design, but, as Georgia was then destitute of materials and workmen, and it was proposed to send them from Philadelphia at a great expense, I thought it would have been better to have built the house here, and brought the children to it. This I advis'd; but he was resolute in his first project, rejected my counsel, and I therefore refus'd to contribute.

I happened soon after to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me, I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me asham'd of that, and determin'd me to give the silver; and he finish'd so admirably, that I empty'd my pocket wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all....

[Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a statesman, an author, a scientist, and an inventor. He was the most talented of the men of his age. His autobiography was published — by his direction — after his death in 1791 in France; the U.S. edition was published in 1818.

George Whitefield (1714-1770) was the greatest evangelist in the English-speaking world. Whitefield was follower of John and Charles Wesley and made seven missionary voyages to the North American Colonies between 1738 and 1748. Whitefield preached in Philadelphia in 1739 when Franklin heard Whitefield's message.]

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