THE MAN WHO DIED FIGHTING; OR, GOING OFF AS A SNUFF
“Live while you live,' the man of pleasure cries,
‘Live while you live,' the heart of man replies.
I am determined to die fighting, though it be on my stumps.”
“Pray for me as a dying man;
but oh pray that I may not go off as a snuff.
I WOULD FAIN DIE BLAZING—
NOT WITH HUMAN GLORY,
BUT WITH THE LOVE OF JESUS.”
IN September, 1769, Whitefield visited America for the seventh and last time. “I am brave as to my bodily health," he said, just before he started, "and I am persuaded that this voyage will be for the Redeemer's Glory, and for the welfare of precious and immortal souls. Oh to be a Christian and a minister of Jesus!”
Immediately after his arrival in America., he commenced a tour through the cities which he had formerly visited. It was fitting that his life should almost end in field preaching which had been his most successful form of service.
“He rose from his seat," said one who was present at this his last service, "and, stood erect. His appearance alone was a powerful sermon. The thinness of his visage, the paleness of his countenance, and the evident struggling of the heavenly truth in a decayed body for utterance, were all deeply interesting. He remained several minutes unable to speak, then he said, 'I will wait for the gracious assistance of God, for He will I am certain assist me once more to speak in His name.'
“Then he preached thus: I go, I go to a rest prepared; my sun has arisen, and by-and-bye from heaven it will give light to many; now it is about to set-no, it is to rise to the zenith of immortal glory. I have outlived many on earth, but they cannot outlive me in heaven. My body fails but my spirit expands. How willingly would I live forever to preach Christ! But I die to be with Him! How brief, comparatively brief, has been my life compared with the vast labors which I see before me yet to be accomplished; but if I leave now, while so few care about heavenly things, the God of peace will surely visit you. '”
“Sir, you are more fit to go to bed than to preach," said one friend to him.
“True." replied Whitefield, and he clasped his hands and said, "Lord Jesus, I am weary in Thy work. but not of Thy work. If I have not yet finished my course, let me go and speak for Thee once more in the fields, seal Thy truth, and then go home to die.”
That night he ate but little supper, and then retired to rest very early. In the night-time he awoke his man-servant and told him, "My asthma is coming on me again must have two or three days' rest." Then after a pause, he said, "It is now Sunday morning, put the window a little higher up for I cannot breathe. I hope that I shall be better by-and-bye, a good pulpit sweat will give me relief, I shall be better after preaching.”
“I wish that you would not preach so often.”
“It is better to wear out than to rust out," he replied.
Then he dropped off to sleep again, and about four o'clock in the morning he awoke again.
“I am almost suffocated," he said. "I can scarcely breathe; my asthma quite chokes me.”
Then he got out of bed, and went to the open window for air.
“Smith," he said, "I am dying! I am dying!" These were the last words he uttered upon the earth.
There was no need for such a man to give a dying testimony to the truth which he had preached. He had been a living witness of the truth of the Gospels and nothing more was required to make his testimony complete. Thus on the 30th of September, 1770, at the early age of fifty-six, George Whitefield closed one of the most remarkable careers that have ever blessed and benefited the Church and the world.
A funeral procession nearly a mile in length followed his body to its last resting place; but no outward expressions of sorrow could gauge the loss that the Church had sustained from his departure.
He had distinctly inaugurated a new era in Christian service, or rather he had revived the primitive practice of our Lord and His apostles, who were open-air and itinerant preachers.
The spirit of Christ in Whitefield was evidently in him an incessant earnestness, and a loving temper which all admired.
No adequate memorial or portrait of him exists, but he left the lineaments of his Redeemer deeply impressed in many immortal souls who are now his crown and rejoicing in the Lord.
It will not be permitted to all to enjoy Whitefield's success, but all servants of Whitefield's God should be no less earnest than he was, and no less delighted to live and to die for the love of Christ. This age requires work, and by work the Church of God will attain to the blessing which it longs for. Do thou accept Christ as thine own sufficient complete Savior, and then in season and out of season preach the word, rebuke, and console, but only in and by the gospel of Christ.