Craig T. Owens

Yesterday I tweeted…

And that’s definitely true in the book J.C. Ryle wrote: A Sketch Of The Life And Labors Of George Whitefield. You can read my full book review by clicking here. Below are some of the quotes I highlighted in this interesting biography.

“Informing your opinion of the comparative merits of Christian men, never forget the old rule: ‘distinguish between times.’ Place yourself in each man’s position. Do not judge what was a right course of action in other times, by what seems a right course of action in your own.”

“In the thirty-four years of his ministry, it is reckoned that [Whitefield] preached publicly eighteen thousand times. … No preacher has ever retained his hold on his hearers so entirely as he did for thirty-four years.”

“He seemed to live for only two objects—the glory of God, and the salvation of immortal souls. He raised no party of followers who took his name. He established no system, like Wesley, of which his own writings should be cardinal elements. A frequent expression of his is most characteristic of the man: ‘Let the name of George Whitefield perish, so long as Christ only is exalted.’” 

“He was a man of extraordinary catholicity and liberality in his religion. He knew nothing of that narrow-minded policy which prompts a man to fancy that every thing must be barren outside his own camp, and that his party has got a monopoly of truth on heaven. He loved all who loved the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. He measured all by the measure which the angels of God use —‘Did they possess repentance towards God, faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, holiness of conversation?’ If they did, they were as his brethren. His soul was with such men, by whatever name they were called.”

“Whitefield preached a singularly pure gospel. Few men ever gave their hearers so much wheat and so little chaff. … This, you may be sure, is the corner-stone of all preaching that God honors. It must be predominantly a manifestation of truth.”

“To make easy things seem hard is easy, but to make hard things easy is the office of a great preacher.” —Archbishop Usher

“He is the best orator who can turn men’s ears into eyes.” —Arabian Proverb

“It was no uncommon thing with him to weep profusely in the pulpit. Cornelius Winter goes so far as to say that he hardly ever knew him to get through a sermon without tears.”

“Once become satisfied that a man loves you, and you will listen gladly to anything he has got to say. And this was just one grand secret of Whitefield’s success.”

“He founded no denomination among whom his name was embalmed, and his every act recorded, as did John Wesley. He headed know mighty movement against a Church which openly professed false doctrines, as Luther did against Rome. He wrote no books which were to be the religious classics of the millions, like John Bunyan. He was a simple, guileless man, who lived for one thing only, and that was to preach Christ. If he succeeded in doing that effectually, he cared for nothing else. He did nothing to preserve the memory of his usefulness. He left his work with the Lord.”

“The truth, I believe, is, that the direct good Whitefield did to immortal souls was enormous. I will go farther. I believe it is incalculable.”