Life and Times of George Whitefield

There can be few Christians who changed the life of nations only to be as little remembered as George Whitefield. In part this was because he left no denomination. Except for the short biography by the Scotsman, John Gillies (published two years after his death), Whitefield’s memory was left largely in the hands of those who wished to attribute his influence to ‘theatrical talent’ and fanaticism. The tide of unfavorable opinion did not change until the publication of Robert Philip’s volume in 1837. By 1852 J.C. Ryle was among those popularizing the belief that ‘Whitefield was one of the most powerful and extraordinary preachers the world has ever seen.’ Later and more definitive biographies were to confirm this opinion, notably the two volumes of Luke Tyerman 1876-1877 and of Arnold Dallimore in 1970 and 1980.