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 contributors¹: 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.
¹ The accounts of particular receipts and disbursements are omitted, by reason of their vast length; and likewise, as the public have already examined them, and received full satisfaction.