tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3803578829768178829.post695713708714455909..comments2011-09-23T09:57:35.203-05:00Comments on American Religious History: "He had a loud and clear voice...": Preaching, Performance, and Early American ReligionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3803578829768178829.post-1879594111752698432008-07-15T11:59:00.000-05:002008-07-15T11:59:00.000-05:00I believe Franklin's decision to contribute to Whi...I believe Franklin's decision to contribute to Whitefield's cause was more of decision to support an excellent orator rather than a religious decision. He was so impressed with Whitefield's ability to project his voice that it probably did not matter what was being said. Franklin knew that Whitefield was a great man and anything that had to do with greatness, Franklin wanted to be a part of. Unlike Franklin, Wheatley looked upon Whitefield as almost godlike. She could not refrain from calling him a prophet and truly believed in his message as did so many others. She credits Whitefield with helping her relationship with the Lord. She truly believed that without Whitefield's sermons her spiritual relationship with God would not have existed.brandiwilliamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09048055727408802832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3803578829768178829.post-43368835114938287642008-07-14T21:31:00.000-05:002008-07-14T21:31:00.000-05:00I believe Franklin’s decision to contribute to Whi...I believe Franklin’s decision to contribute to Whitefield’s cause had more to do with the potency of his ministry “performances” and less to do with Franklin’s religious beliefs. This is made clear throughout Franklin’s entire statement regarding Whitefield’s seemingly innate ability to project his voice to farther distances than could expected by any one individual. Nowhere throughout the passage does Franklin mention Whitefield’s religion or does he attempt to imply his own assessment of Methodism. Wheatley, on the other hand, seems to view Whitefield as a prophet: “Behold the prophet in his towering flight!”. Both figures greatly admire Whitefield for his ministerial abilities, but Wheatley supplements her adoration with the apparent belief of Whitefield as being a significant person both in her own life and as someone who directly or indirectly contributed to Wheatley’s relationship with God. Wheatley later states: “New England deeply feels, the orphans mourn, their more than father will no more return”. With this statement, Wheatley comments on how Whitefield’s missions throughout America greatly impacted the rise and spread of Methodism and in the process, Whitefield managed to affect the lives of countless orphans. But, also, it should be noted that in George Whitefield’s biography by Harry S. Tout, the author makes it clear that though Whitefield did eventually own slaves himself, he continued to condemn the mistreatment of slaves by slaveholders and maintained that African Americans required the teachings of the New Birth as well. While Franklin was concerned with Whitefield’s power and ability to command respect and admiration from his audiences through the innovative usage of both voice and gesture, two characteristics which Whitefield greatly lacked, while at school in Oxford, Wheatley esteemed Whitefield not only for his valuable religious teachings but also for his obvious paternal instincts.<BR/><BR/>JaymesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com