The Life of Benjamin Franklin, Illustrated by Tales, Sketches, and Anecdotes

by Samuel G. Goodrich

Reform of the City Watch. Fire Companies. Rev. Mr. Whitefield. Effects of his Preaching. His Project of building an Orphan House in Georgia. Anecdotes. Franklin's Opinion of him. Franklin's Prosperity. Military Defence of the Province. Formation of Companies.

1. Franklin now began to turn his attention to public affairs. One of his first efforts in this way was to reform the city watch. This was managed in the different wards by the constables, who assembled a certain number of housekeepers to attend them for the night. Those who did not choose to attend paid six shillings a year to be excused. This made the constableship an office of profit: for, instead of spending the money thus received in hiring other watchmen, it was spent in liquors, by which the constables were able to get a parcel of ragamuffins about them, instead of decent and orderly men.

2. These fellows seldom went the rounds of the watch, but spent most of the night in tippling. In the course of a few years, by the exertions of Franklin and his friends, an entire alteration was produced in the laws upon this subject. About the same time that he began to converse at the Junto on the abuses of the watch, he wrote a paper on the different accidents by which houses were set on fire, and means proposed of avoiding them.

3. This gave rise to a project, which soon followed, of forming a company to assist, with readiness, at fires. Thirty persons were immediately found, willing to join in the scheme. Their articles of agreement obliged every member to keep, always in order and fit for use, a certain number of leathern buckets, with strong bags and baskets for packing and carrying goods, which were to be brought at every fire. They also held a monthly meeting, to converse upon the subject of fires, and communicate such ideas as might be useful in their conduct on such occasions.

4. This company proved so useful, that another was soon formed; and thus went on, one new company after another, till they included most of the inhabitants who were men of property. The club first formed was called the Union Fire Company, and, we believe, still exists. These institutions have been exceedingly useful in extinguishing fires and preserving property.

5. In 1739, the Reverend Mr. Whitefield arrived in Philadelphia, from Ireland. This man had made himself very remarkable as a preacher, going about the country and discoursing, sometimes in churches, sometimes in the fields, to crowds of people, with great effect. He was, at first, permitted to preach in some of the churches in Philadelphia, but the clergy soon took a dislike to him, and refused him their pulpits. This obliged him again to discourse in the streets and open fields.

6. Large multitudes collected to hear his sermons. "It was wonderful," says Franklin, "to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk through the town in an evening, without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street. And it being found inconvenient to assemble in the open air, subject to its inclemencies, the building of a house to meet in was no sooner proposed, and persons appointed to receive contributions, but sufficient sums were soon received to procure the ground and erect the building, which was one hundred feet long and seventy broad; and the work was carried on with such spirit, as to be finished in a much shorter time than could be expected."

7. On leaving Philadelphia, Mr. Whitefield went preaching all the way through the colonies to Georgia. The settlement of that province had then been recently commenced, and was made with people entirely unfit for such a service. They were unable to endure hardships, and perished in great numbers, leaving many helpless children, with nothing to feed or shelter them.

8. "The sight of their miserable situation," says Franklin, "inspired the benevolent heart of Mr. Whitefield with the idea of building an orphan house there, in which they might be supported and educated. Returning northward, he preached up this charity, and made large collections; for his eloquence had a wonderful power over the hearts and purses of his hearers, of which I myself was an instance.

9. "I did not disapprove of the design, but as Georgia was then destitute of materials and workmen, and it was proposed to send them from Philadelphia, at a great expense, I thought it would have been better to have built the house at Philadelphia, and brought the children to it. This I advised, but he was resolute in his first project, rejected my counsel, and I, therefore, refused to contribute.