SELINA, COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON, Nothing interfered with her ever-burning zeal in the service of God. When, in 1753 and 1756, Whitfield was building his Tabernacle in Moorfields and that in Tottenham Court Road, she took the deepest interest in them. He desired to place the latter under her protection, but was informed at Doctors' Commons that "no nobleman can license a chapel, or in any way have one, but in his dwelling-house." His ministry at both places of worship was followed by wonderful effects. The crowd was such that hundreds would be obliged to go away, unable to obtain entrance, and sometimes people of rank would find a difficulty in obtaining sittings ; so that some one, who fancied himself a wit, called the chapels Whitfield's soul-traps, which was uttering truth in jest. Lady Huntingdon still opened her drawing-room twice a week ; and on the week days her kitchen was filled with the poor of the flock, for whom she provided religious instruction. In the autumn of 1757, the serious illness of her younger son, the Hon. Henry Hastings, who was then eighteen, led her to Brighton for the sake of sea-bathing. There, a singular adventure occurred. Three years previously, " a certain gentlewoman" had dreamed that a tall lady, whose dress she par- ticularly noticed, would come to the town, and be an instrument of doing much good. Upon Lady Huntingdon's arrival, she chanced to meet her in the street, and immediately exclaimed, ".0, madam, you are come !" The Countess, perplexed at so 24
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