None of the girls are put out as yet, but are taught such things as may make them serviceable whenever they go abroad. Two or three of them spin very well. Some of them knit, wash, clean the house, get up the linen, and are taught house-wifery. All that are capable, are taught to sew. And the little girls, as well as the boys, are employed in picking cotton. I think I have no less than three hundred and eighty-two yards of cloth already in the house, and as much yarn spun as will make near the same quantity; a thing not known before in Georgia.
I have now forty-nine children under my care, twenty-three English, ten Scots, four Dutch, five French, seven Americans. Twenty-two of these are fatherless and motherless, sixteen of them boys, and six girls. The others are some fatherless, and some without mothers; all objects of charity except three, whose friends recompense the Orphan-House for their maintenance. One of the orphans is an infant; I pay four shillings per week for nursing it. Since December last, we have had above eighteen more children that have been maintained occasionally, to assist their parents, but were dismissed when they were wanted at home.
The account which I find Mr. Seward has given of our œconomy, has in a great measure prevented my doing it as I intended. Let it suffice to inform our benefactors, that though the children are taught to labour for the meat which perisheth, yet they are continually reminded to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then to depend upon God’s blessing on their honest endeavours, for having food and raiment added unto them. This precept of our Lord, I intend, when the house is finished, to have written over against the entrance in at the great door.
As my design in founding the Orphan-House was to build up souls for God, I endeavour to preach chiefly to the children’s hearts. But that they may be able to give a reason of the hope that is in them, I constantly instruct them by the Church of England’s Articles, which I turn into catechetical questions. I am often pleased to hear how judiciously some will answer the questions put to them. The power of God has been frequently visible among the children. Many of the girls seem to be tender-hearted; several of the boys have been under strong convictions. And though it sometimes seems buried, yet I cannot but think the seed of grace is sown in some of their hearts.
We are now all removed to Bethesda. We live in the out-houses at present; but in less than two months, the great house will be finished so as to receive the whole family.
It is now weather-boarded and shingled, and a piazza of ten feet wide built all around it: which will be wonderfully convenient in the heat of summer. One part of the house would have been entirely finished, had not the Spaniards lately taken from us a schooner loaded with ten thousands bricks, and a great deal of provision, with one of our family. And therefore, I could not till very lately procure another boat to fetch brick from Charles-Town.
Notwithstanding this, and many other hindrances, the work has been carried on with great success and speed. There are no less than four framed houses, a large stable and cart-house, beside the great house. In that there will be sixteen commodious rooms, besides a large cellar of sixty feet long and forty wide. Near twenty acres of land are cleared round about it, and a large road is made from Savannah to the Orphan-house, twelve miles in length: a thing, ever since the province has been settled, without a precedent.
None but those upon the spot can tell the expence, as well as inconvenience that attends building in Georgia. Most of the bricks already used, cost 40s. sterling per thousand, when landed at the plantation. Common labourers, besides their provisions, have 25s. sterling a month. And, after all, [♦]the produce of the land cultivated by white servants, will scarcely furnish them with ordinary food and raiment, exclusive of the expences of sickness and wages. I cannot see how it is possible for the Colony to subsist on its present footing. And in a late memorial given in to the Honourable Trustees, unknown to me, the people have declared, that if it were not for the money that has been expended on account of the Orphan-house, the poor inhabitants of the northern parts of the colony must have been obliged to move to some other place. Never did a country stand more in need of a charity-school.
[♦] removed duplicate word “the”
We have often been in some difficulties, but the Lord as often hath relieved us out of them. When the schooner was lost, a person lately converted, sent us eleven barrels of rice, and five barrels of beef. And in my absence, when my family had little or no provisions, the Indians brought in plenty of deer, till they were supplied with food some other way. The contributions in Charles-Town, New-England, New-York, and Pensilvania, I think have been extraordinary.