_London, January 14, 1743._
_Bethesda, December 23, 1741._
THE following sheets, to the best of my knowledge, contain a faithful account of what money I have received, as also how I have disbursed it, for the use of the Orphan-House in _Georgia_.
I think, with a full assurance of faith I may affirm, the LORD put it into my heart to build that house. It has prospered beyond expectation. It has already, and I hope will more and more answer its name, _Bethesda_, and be a House of Mercy to the souls and bodies of many people, both old and young.
When I left _England_, I proposed to take in only twenty children; but when I arrived at _Georgia_, I found so many objects of charity, besides the orphans, among poor people’s children, that I resolved in this, as well as in all other respects, to imitate Professor _Franck_, and make a provision for _their_ maintenance also.
Two of the orphan boys were put out apprentices just before I last left _Savannah_; one to a bricklayer, the other was bound to a carpenter; a third is to be bound to the surgeon belonging to the Orphan-House; one weaves in a loom at home; two I have put to a taylor I brought over, and the rest are now fitting themselves to be useful to the commonwealth. Whoever among them appear to be sanctified, and have a good natural capacity, these, under GOD, I intend for the ministry.
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.