A few miles from my home town of Colne is the world renowned village of Haworth.
It is situated on the bleak Yorkshire moors and is revered as the birthplace of the Bronte sisters.
A lesser known fact is that William Grimshaw preceded Reverend Bronte as the presiding minister of the Haworth Anglican church.
During his tenure Grimshaw invited George Whitfield the great evangelist to preach for him.
That Sunday the crowds were numbered in the thousands and overspread the surrounding moors. Standing on a husting Whitfield announced his text, Hebrews 9:27 "It is appointed unto man once to die and after death the judgement"
Immediately there was a cry from among the crowd. Someone had fallen down dead. The body was brought forward and laid before the pulpit. Whitfield began again with the same scripture and solemnly repeated the text. There was another scream and another man fell to the ground.
When Whitfield announced his text for the third time great fear had come over the congregation.
With distant thunder and dark clouds gathering on the horizon the evangelist preached his sermon.
It is recorded that a thousand souls found peace with God through Christ that day.
Don't you think it strange that among all the Bronte memorabilia that fill the vicarage and Haworth museum, this one startling piece of history is left unrecorded!
Another factoid from my English tour.
Ian
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