I read this book as I wanted to learn about a man "who defied the prejudices and constraints of his day" to lead thousands in England, Scotland and America to the Lord. The quote is from Archbishop Sentamu's Introduction to the book which curiously also said "he was no saint" a comment which shows a lack of understanding of how the Bible uses "saint". He was forced into open air preaching as the C of E prevented him from preaching in churches, but thereby reached thousands who would never enter a church. The parable of the sower is not "Here is the seed. Furrows come and get it." How the church needs to recover the need for absolute surrender to its Lord and to obey the Great Commission. Encouraging book.

Originally published in 1973, I enjoyed it then, I still have my copy, and thoroughly enjoyed re-reading it. John Pollock is an excellent story teller and George Whitefield comes alive as you read about his life. From a hostelry in Gloucester, he became a Servitor at Pembroke College, Oxford where he met John and Charles Wesley. He joined with their group, derided as the ‘Holy Club’ and ‘Methodists’ by the others in the University. George Whitefield had already received a strong impression that he should preach, and soon that is precisely what he did but first he tried all sorts of ways to prove his devotion to God, and took things to extreme till he read a book which changed his life. He was then convinced that ‘new birth was the point of all devotion’. This he preached for the rest of his life. Though ordained into the Church of England, he sought out any who would listen to his message of salvation. Inevitably his ‘enthusiasm’ antagonised some but the majority of listeners in Britain and in his beloved American Colonies welcomed him with exuberance. John Pollock details how this came about.