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Phillis Wheatley - On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield, 1770
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AN ELEGIAC POEM, On the DEATH of that celebrated Divine, and eminent Servant of JESUS CHRIST, the late Reverend, and pious GEORGE WHITEFIELD, Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Countess of Huntingdon, &c &c. Who made his Exit from this transitory State, to dwell in the celestial Realms of Bliss, on LORD`S-DAY, 30th of September, 1770, when he was seiz`d with a Fit of the Asthma, at NEWBURY-PORT, near BOSTON, in NEW-ENGLAND. In which is a Condolatory Address to His truly noble Benefactress the worthy and pious Lady HUNTINGDON, — and the Orphan-Children in GEORGIA; who, with many Thousands, are left, by the Death of this great Man, to lament the Loss of a Father, Friend, and Benefactor. 

By PHILLIS, a Servant Girl of 17 Years of Age, belonging to Mr. J. WHEATLEY, of Boston: — And has been but 9 Years in this Country from Africa.


Hail, happy saint, on thine immortal throne,
To thee complaints of grievance are unknown;
We hear no more the music of thy tongue,
Thy wonted auditories cease to throng.
Thy sermons in unequall`d accents flow`d,
And ev`ry bosom with devotion glow`d;
Thou didst in strains of eloquence refin`d
Inflame the heart, and captivate the mind.
Unhappy we the setting sun deplore,
 
So glorious once, but ah! it shines no more.
   Behold the prophet in his tow`ring flight!
He leaves the earth for heav`n`s unmeasur`d height,
And worlds unknown receive him from our sight.
There Whitefield wings with rapid course his way,
And sails to Zion through vast seas of day.
Thy pray`rs, great saint, and thine incessant cries
Have pierc`d the bosom of thy native skies.
Thou moon hast seen, and all the stars of light,
How he has wrestled with his God by night.
 
He pray`d that grace in ev`ry heart might dwell,
He long`d to see America excell;
He charg`d its youth that ev`ry grace divine
Should with full lustre in their conduct shine;
That Saviour, which his soul did first receive,
The greatest gift that ev`n a God can give,
He freely offer`d to the num`rous throng,
That on his lips with list`ning pleasure hung.

   "Take him, ye wretched, for your only good,
"Take him ye starving sinners, for your food;
"Ye thirsty, come to this life-giving stream,
"Ye preachers, take him for your joyful theme;
"Take him my dear Americans, he said,
"Be your complaints on his kind bosom laid:
"Take him, ye Africans, he longs for you,
"Impartial Saviour is his title due:
"Wash`d in the fountain of redeeming blood,
"You shall be sons, and kings, and priests to God.

   Great Countess, we Americans revere
Thy name, and mingle in thy grief sincere;
New England deeply feels, the Orphans mourn,
Their more than father will no more return.

  But, though arrested by the hand of death,
Whitefield no more exerts his lab`ring breath,
Yet let us view him in th` eternal skies,
Let ev`ry heart to this bright vision rise;
While the tomb safe retains its sacred trust,
Till life divine re-animates his dust.
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