Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport
Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport Historic Sign
Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport Interior
Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport Pipe Organ
Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport Piano
Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport George Whitefield Memorial
Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport George Whitefield Tomb Marker
Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport George Whitefield Tomb
Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport Paul Revere Bell
View from the Old South First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport
After Whitfield’s death, devoted Protestant followers behaved like Medieval Roman Catholics. Military officers leading an expedition to Quebec stopped in Newburyport, took Whitfield’s collar and wristbands from his body, cut them into small pieces, and distributed them to the soldiers as if they were holy relics. One visitor from England stole Whitfield’s right arm bone, which he later mailed back. Harvard Medical School has one of Whitfield’s ribs, and the Methodist Archives at Drew University has a finger bone. One visitor to this church even made a cast of Whitfield’s skull, and sold replicas!
Fascinating! They certainly didn’t mention any of that when I visited Newbury port last year!