he of
course could not express any gratitude for that which is, to the
Christian, the crowning act even of divine love. This Saviour, to
millions who cannot be counted, has proved, even if the comfort be a
delusion, in temptation, disappointment, and death, more precious than
it is in the power of words to declare.

One article from Franklin's newspaper, published in the year 1740,
gives an idea of the extraordinary interest which the preaching of
Whitefield excited.

"On Thursday last the Reverend Mr. Whitefield left this city,
and was accompanied to Chester by about one hundred and
fifty horse; and preached there to about seven thousand
people. On Friday he preached twice at Willings Town to about
five thousand. On Saturday, at Newcastle, to about two
thousand five hundred; and the same evening at Christiana
Bridge to about three thousand; on Sunday at White Clay
Creek, he preached twice, resting about half an hour between
the sermons, to eight thousand, of whom three thousand, it is
computed, came on horseback. It rained most of the time, and
yet they stood in the open air."

The keenness of the scrutiny with which Franklin watched all the
operations of nature, led him to the discovery of the before unknown
fact that the fierce north-east storms which sweep our Atlantic coast
invariably begin in the south-west, and move backwards, diminishing in
violence as they go. He also, about this time, invented the Franklin
stove, which in the day when wood was the only fuel consumed has
invested so many firesides with a rare aspect of cheerfulness. He
wrote a very ingenious pamphlet, elucidating the philosophy of
house-warming.

There is great moral power in prosperity, when wisely accepted and
enjoyed. Franklin was now a prosperous man. His income was constantly
increasing. His virtues, and they were great ones, proved in all
respects promotive of his worldly welfare. His journal was the
leading paper, certainly in all that region, and had not its superior
in any of the colonies. His renowned almanac, Poor Richard, attained
an unexampled sale. The work executed in his printing office was so
excellent as to bring in to him many orders even from the other
provinces. The various books and pamphlets he had published had all
been successful. Philadelphia had already become the chief town of the
Colonies.

Notwithstanding Franklin's devotion to books, to business, and t