The Great Awakening P7

Last week I began talking about John Marrant, born as a free black in New York in 1755, meeting the Rev. George Whitefield at a gathering and the disruption of the gathering.

John Marrant's friend wanted to disrupt the gathering and dared John to take his French horn and “blow it among them.” Marrant accepted the challenge. While raising the horn to his lips and preparing to blow, Whitefield suddenly looked at John, pointed his finger at him, and announced, “Prepare to meet thy God O Israel.” (Amos 4:12) Marrant immediately fell prostrate, as though struck down, remaining motionless for almost half an hour.

After the meeting, Whitefield was brought to John and told him, “Jesus Christ has got thee at last?” Whitefield was leaving town the next day but told John he would send a minister to meet with him. Marrant was taken to his sister’s house, where he remained ill for three days. On the fourth day the minister arrived.

Seeing that John was afflicted, he took John’s hand in his hand and began to pray. After the prayer, he asked John how he felt. John told him, he felt worse, so the minister reasoned they should pray again. John felt even worse and wondered if the preacher was trying to kill him. The minister said they should pray a third prayer, and this time John became “well and happy.” For the next several days, the minister spiritually mentored John, encouraging him to read the Bible.

Content sourced from The American Story - The Beginnings By David Barton & Tim Barton