From "The christian Treasury". (1860)
It is stated that George Whitefield stopped for several days at the house of a General, at Providence, Rhode Island. The General, his wife, his son, and three daughters, were serious, but not decidedly religious.
Whitefield departed from his usual custom, which was to address the residents in the house where he stayed, individually, concerning the welfare of their souls. The last evening came, and the last night he was to spend here he retired to rest; but the Spirit of God came to him in the night, saying, “O man of God! If these people perish, their blood be on thy head.” He listened, but the flesh said, “Do not speak to these people. They are so good, and so kind, that you could not say a harsh word to them.” He rose and prayed. The sweat ran down his brow. He was in fear and anxiety.
At last a happy thought struck him. He took his diamond ring from his finger, went up to the window, and wrote these words upon the glass: “One thing thou lackest.” He could not summon courage to say a word to the inmates, but went his way. No sooner was he gone than the General, who had a great veneration for him, went into the room he had occupied, and the first thing that struck his attention was the sentence upon the window - “One thing thou lackest.” That was exactly his case, and the Spirit of God blessed it to his heart.
A grand-daughter of his family has now in her possession the pane of glass, with the monitory inscription