BEING sensible of the many and false accounts industriously spread abroad concerning this house in many places, especially in New-England, by those who are enemies to its Founder, and the cause he is engaged in, which has certainly been a great hindrance to this worthy undertaking, as it has created even in its friends some prejudices, which has hindered their contributing with that pleasure and freedom they otherwise would have done; and as I am now upon the spot, I think a few moments will not be ill spent, in giving you a particular account of its present situation, which I shall endeavour to do in the most just and impartial manner, that you may have an opportunity of serving the interest in which your heart is so much engaged.
The Orphan-House is pleasantly situated, and, with the buildings belonging to it, presents a much handsomer prospect than is given by the draught annexed to the public accounts. The great house is now almost quite finished, and nothing has hindered but the want of glass, which they daily expect from Bristol, and some bricks that are already at Savannah, and are to carry up another stack of chimnies, which would have been done before, if a vessel that was bringing brick and other stores, had not been taken by the Spaniards, which was a great loss. It is surprizing to see in what forwardness things are, considering what hindrances they have had, and the scarcity of labourers in this province. They have cut a fine road to Savannah of twelve miles length, through a thicket of woods; and, that it might be passable, were obliged to make ten bridges and cross-ways; which was done at no little charge. They have also cleared forty acres of land, twenty of which were planted the last year, and brought them a tolerable crop: the other twenty was for the benefit of the air. They have also a large garden at the front of the house, brought into pretty good order.
The family now consists of eighty persons besides labourers, who all contradict the wicked and false accounts of their being starved and cruelly treated, by the lively and hearty countenances they shew. I have seldom seen such a goodly number of youths together. Twenty-three of them are orphans; others, that have lost one of their parents; one was born in the house; and the rest are fit objects for christian charity. There are in all thirty-nine boys, and [♦]fifteen girls. The number was larger some time past: but several of the boys, that were well instructed, have been put to such trades as they inclined to; and others, who were put here for their learning, are returned to their parents, who have handsomely paid the House for their education.
[♦] “fifteeen” replaced with “fifteen”
The care of this society at present is in the hands of a young gentleman from London, who manages the secular affairs thereof; and one from New-England, who has the care of souls as his particular charge. There are two school-masters, who instruct the boys in reading and writing: and those that appear serious, and of good capacities, are taught Latin, with a design of fitting them for the ministry, if they incline to it. Two school-mistresses, that teach the girls; a surgeon and nurse to attend the infirmary, in which many sick persons, from divers parts, have been received, and always been cured gratis. Here are also several tradesmen; a taylor, a joiner, a weaver, and a shoemaker. The taylor has three boys to instruct in his business. It is expected that Mr. Whitefield will increase the number of craftsmen, when he returns from England. The œconomy observed here is as follows: The bell rings in the morning at sun-rise, to wake the family. When the children arise, they sing a short hymn, and pray by themselves: then they go down and wash; and by the time they have done that, the bell calls to public worship, when a portion of scripture is read and expounded, a psalm sung, and the exercise begun and ended with prayer. Then they breakfast, and afterwards go some to their trades, and the rest to their prayers and schools. At noon, they all dine in the same room, and have comfortable and wholesome diet provided. A hymn is sung before and after dinner: then, in about half an hour, to school again; and between whiles find time enough for recreation. A little after sun-set the bell calls to public duty again, which is performed in the same manner as in the morning. After that they sup, and are attended to bed by one of their masters, who then pray with them, as they often do privately. On the sabbath-day they all dine on cold meat provided the day before, that none may be kept from public worship, which is attended four times a day in summer, and three in the winter. The children are kept to reading between whiles. Many have reported, that the place is very unhealthy: which I believe is quite otherwise, considering it is a new settlement: a remarkable proof of which is, that not one have died out of the family, (into which many sick and almost starved children have been received, who have in a short time recovered) and but three or four out of the hospital, where many miserable objects have been taken in. I believe many, who now think the erecting an Orphan-house in that colony a mad scheme, would alter their sentiments were they here. Innumerable difficulties have certainly been overcome; but their affairs now look with a pleasant aspect. If the colony is allowed negroes, as it is thought it must and will be, they can, with about twenty negroes to manure the plantation, which contains five hundred acres of land, raise much more provision than a larger family than this can expend, having already a fine live stock, which is daily increasing; so that in a few years, it is to be hoped, they will be able to support themselves. As to the state of religion here, particularly among the children, the power of God has, at times, been visible among them; and many of them have been brought under conviction, which seems lasting in some of the boys, and several of the girls: but most of the grown folks appear to be truly converted; and many, who have come as visitors, have been met with by the sovereign grace of God, and not sent empty away: may God grant I may make one of that number! Upon the whole, I think the institution to be of God: therefore it doth and will prosper.
Since this came to my hand, I have received more letters from Georgia, dated in May and June last, which also give me an account of the continuation of God’s goodness to my dear family.
The Reverend Dr. Colman, in a letter he sent to a minister near Glasgow, part of which I find printed in a pamphlet entituled, The State of Religion in New-England, writes thus:
“Mr. Whitefield visited us in the right time, and found large contributions here: I doubt not but he will faithfully apply what he collected for his Orphan-house: but I have said to him, It will appear to me a greater wonder, if his faith is answered in that foundation, than that of Monsieur Franck’s, at Hall, in Prussia, was: the one being in the midst of Europe, the other on the confines of America. But the order and piety of the house is admirable, and so the progress of the settlement, alone as it is in the world, by the report of all that have visited it: but how it can subsist and flourish, and answer the Founder’s end, is the enquiry here, and will be a marvel in the providence of God, if it do so.”
The Reader may see, by this, the Doctor’s opinion of the Orphan-house, and the testimony given concerning it by persons who have visited it, and who therefore cannot be unacquainted with its situation. They profess, “The order of the house is admirable, and so the progress of the settlement, alone as it is in the world.” How it can subsist and flourish for the future, I am not solicitous about: God can help us in Georgia, as well as he helped Professor Franck in Germany. The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. I acknowledge him to be the founder of that house: he put it into my heart to build it: it has in a great measure already answered the end of its institution, and I am persuaded will do so more and more. The greatest outward difficulties, I humbly hope, are now surmounted. The workmen are all discharged, having fulfilled their contract, and carried on the work so far as to make every part of the house habitable. Our stock of cattle is pretty considerable, and appear to be in a flourishing condition. And, when once I am clear from all arrears, the Orphan-house will be supported at a very easy expence. The last parliament resolved to support the colony of Georgia: they have altered the constitution in two material points; they have allowed the importation of rum, and free titles to the lands. And if they should see good hereafter to grant a limited use of negroes, it must certainly, in all outward appearance, be as flourishing a colony as South-Carolina. Not that we are without hopes, as Mr. Habersham writes me word in his last letter, of making a tolerable shift with white servants: the Saltzburghers do so already. There is a fresh body of them lately gone over, and some fresh troops to guard the frontiers of the colony. Not that I put any confidence in man, knowing that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but Providence ruleth all things: but, at the same time, I would act with the greatest caution and circumspection, and not tempt God by presuming on him without a cause. His having helped me and mine so often, encourages me to trust him again. He has put it into the hearts of some dear friends to give Mr. Habersham credit for cash during my absence; and his Excellency General Oglethorpe has been very friendly, having lent Mr. Habersham fifty pounds, and given the orphans nine barrels of flour: the Lord return him, and their other benefactors, ten thousand fold into their bosom!
But all this while, some will say, you give us no account of your collections in Scotland and elsewhere for near this year and an half. I will now do that to the best of my power, and likewise add an account of my disbursements; I say, my disbursements: for, having had no particular account of what Mr. Habersham has expended and borrowed since I have been from Georgia, I cannot possibly give an exact account of the whole; but I shall do it, God willing, immediately after my arrival at the Orphan-house, beginning where the former account left off. From that it appears, I was then upwards of eight hundred pounds upon arrears. Since that I have been absent near two years: and considering a family of eighty persons, or upwards, have been maintained, an infirmary kept up, the expence of further work done to the house, &c. it will not appear unreasonable that I should be still upwards of six hundred pounds on arrears; as I judge I am, from Mr. Habersham’s general intimations of cash he had borrowed in America, and what I have still to pay in England. But this will appear clear in the next account. In the mean while, the following accounts, I believe, will be satisfying to all the contributors[¹]: as for others, I do not think myself obliged to give them any account at all, any further than that I am commanded to provide things honest in the sight of all men. Neither do I believe, that this, or any account I can give, will satisfy captious men that are resolved to find fault: our Saviour himself could not please such. And if even good men can be so far prejudiced as to say, “The late glorious work at Cambuslang, is all delusion, and a work of the devil,” I do not wonder if some of his professed children speak all manner of evil of this undertaking: neither should I wonder after this, if they should affirm there was no such thing as an Orphan-house in being, though it was built but a few miles off them.