Originally Posted by Semper Fidelis

Apt user name considering Whitefiled was considered to be the leader of the Methodists while Wesley was in a failed mission work in Georgia and then handed the reins over to Wesley when he departed to preach during the Great Awakening.

Ben Franklin records his skepticism that Whitefield could really be heard by 30,000+ people in an open field until he actually paced it out once and found that it was true. He also recorded that Whitefield was such a persuasive speaker that he gave money even when he had absolutely resolved he would not.

Sad that he did not have the prescience to give the Methodist movement to a man with greater integrity than Wesley. Wesley had agreed not to speak against Calvinism and then, while Whitefield was away, published and re-published articles excoriating the doctrines. Whitefield loved Wesley too much to ever treat Wesley in kind.