Tottenham-Court, October 16, 1767.
May it please your Grace,
AFTER earnest application to the Father of mercies for direction, I have endeavoured as in his presence, duly to consider and weigh the contents of the L—— P——t’s letter, which your Grace was so condescending as to transmit for my perusal. His L——p therein, is pleased to inform your Grace, “That he observes, that the second draught of Mr. Whitefield’s charter, differs from that of New-York; in not requiring the head of the College to be a member of the church of England, which his Lordship thinks so material a qualification, that for one, he should not be for dispensing with it. And his L——p is also of opinion, that the public prayers should not be extempore ones, but the liturgy of the church, or some part thereof, or some other settled and established form.” Thus far his L——p. And, as I profess myself to be a presbyter of the same communion with his L——p, I cannot but applaud his L——p’s zeal for, and watchfulness over, the honour of the established church. But if his L——p would be so good as to take a particular view of the point of light in which I stand, I cannot help flattering myself, but that his L——p will be so far from thinking, that being a member of the church of England is a qualification not to be dispensed with in the head of the intended College; that on the contrary, it ought not so much as to be mentioned, or insisted upon in the charter at all. For not to trouble your Grace with a repetition of the reasons urged against such a restraining clause, in my letter of June 17; I would beg leave further to observe to your Grace, that by far the greatest part of the Orphan-house collections and contributions came from Dissenters, not only in New-England, New-York, Pensylvania, South-Carolina, and Scotland, but in all probability here in England also. Most of these places I have visited since the several audits of the Orphan-house accompts, and acquainted with the design of turning it into a College; and likewise the address of the Council and Assembly of the province of Georgia, with his Excellency Governor Wright’s answer, highly approving and recommending the design, have been published. Being frequently asked, “Upon what bottom the intended College was to be founded;” I not only most readily and repeatedly answered, “Undoubtedly upon a broad bottom;” but likewise, in most of the above-mentioned places, have solemnly declared from the pulpit, that it should be upon a broad bottom, and no other. This, I judged, I was sufficiently warranted to do, from the known, long established, mild, and uncoercive genius of the English government; also from your Grace’s moderation towards protestant Dissenters; from the unconquerable attachment of the Americans to toleration principles, as well as from the avowed habitual feelings and sentiments of my own heart. This being the case, may it please your Grace, I would humbly appeal to his L——p, whether I can answer it to my God, my conscience, my king, my country, my constituents, and Orphan-house benefactors and contributors, both at home and abroad, to betray my trust, forfeit my word, act contrary to my own convictions, and greatly retard and prejudice the growth and progress of the intended institution, by narrowing its foundation, and thereby letting it fall upon such a bottom, as I am persuaded will give a general disgust, and most justly open the mouths of persons of all denominations against me. This, as I acquainted your Grace, in the same letter referred to above, is what I dare not do. And therefore, as your Grace by your silence seems to be like-minded with the L——d P——t; and as your Grace’s and his L——p’s influence will undoubtedly extend itself to others of his Majesty’s most Honourable Privy-Council, I would beg leave, after returning all due acknowledgments, to inform your Grace, that I intend troubling your Grace and his Lordship no more about this so long depending concern. As it hath pleased the great Head of the church in some degree to renew my bodily strength, I purpose now to renew my feeble efforts, and turn the charity into a more generous, and consequently into a more extensively useful channel. If I know any thing of my own heart, I have no ambition to be looked upon at present, or remembered for the future, as a founder of a college; but I would fain, may it please your Grace, act the part of an honest man, a disinterested minister of Jesus Christ, and a truly catholic, moderate presbyter of the church of England. In this way, and in this only, can I hope for a continued heart-felt enjoyment of that peace of God, which passeth all understanding, whilst here on earth, and be thereby prepared to stand with humble boldness before the awful, impartial tribunal of the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls at the great day. That your Grace may shine as a star of the first magnitude in that day, is the sincere prayer of, may it please your Grace,
Your Grace’s most dutiful obliged son and servant,
G. W.
Mr. Whitefield to the Archbishop.
Tottenham-Court, November 11, 1767.
May it please your Grace,
THE bearer is my humble friend; one who hath been with me several years, and been my companion in travel through the continent of America. If your Grace would be so good as to send by him the plans and papers relating to the Orphan-house, it would much oblige, may it please your Grace,
Your Grace’s most dutiful humble servant,