When I had received the kind information, in January 1855, respecting the donation of 5700l., which should be paid to me by several Christian friends, of which I was at liberty to take such portion for the Building Fund as I might deem desirable, I judged that, though I had not such an amount of means in hand as I considered necessary before being warranted to begin to build, yet that I might make inquiries respecting land. Accordingly, I applied in the beginning of February for the purchase of two fields which join the land on which the New Orphan-House is built. On these two fields I had had my eye for years, and had purposed to endeavour to purchase them, whenever I might be in such a position as to means for the Building Fund, that it would be suitable to do so. I found, however, that, according to the will of the late owner of these fields, they could not be sold now. Thus my prospects were blighted. When I obtained this information, though naturally tried by it and disappointed, I said, by God's grace, to myself: "The Lord has something better to give me, instead of these two fields;" and thus my heart was kept in peace. But when now the matter was fully decided that I could not obtain those fields, which had appeared to me so desirable for the object, the question arose, what I was to do for the obtaining of land. Under these circumstances some of my Christian friends again asked, as they had done before, why I did not build on the ground which we have around the New Orphan-House? My reply was, as before, that it could not be done:--1. Because it would throw the New Orphan-House for nearly two years into disorder on account of the building going on round about it. 2. There would not be sufficient room without shutting in the present house to a great extent. 3. That, as the New Orphan-House stands in the centre of our ground, there would not be sufficient room on any of the sides for the erection of a building so large as would be required.--I was, however, led to consider whether there was any way whereby we could accomplish the building on the ground belonging to the New Orphan-House. In doing so, I found that--1. By having a high temporary boundary made of old boards, the building ground could be entirely distinct from the present establishment. 2. By building on an entirely different plan from that of the present house, we should not only have room enough; but that also, 3. The present house would not be so enclosed that the health of the inmates of the establishment would thereby be injured.
But there was in connexion with this another point, which now came under consideration in addition to the particulars already mentioned: it was this. Though for four years past I had never had a doubt as to its being the will of God that I should build accommodation for 700 more Orphans; yet, at the same time, I had for a long time seen the desirableness of having two houses, instead of one, for the 700 Orphans. This previously formed judgment of having two houses for 350 Orphans in each, or 400 in the one, and 300 in the other, led me now to see whether there could be another house built on each side of the present New Orphan-House, and I judged, from measuring the ground, that there was no objection to this plan. I then called in the aid of architects, to survey the ground, and to make a rough plan of two houses, one on each side, and it was found that it could be accomplished. Having arrived thus far, I soon saw, that we should not only save expense by this plan in various ways, but especially that thus the direction, and inspection of the whole establishment would be much more easy and simple, as the buildings would be so near together. This, indeed, on being further considered, soon appeared to be a matter of such importance, that, even if land could be had but a quarter of a mile off, the difficulties would be greatly increased thereby. At the same time I found, that we still should retain so much land for cultivation by the spade, as would furnish some out-door employment for many boys, and would produce such vegetables as are the most important for young children, to have fresh out of the ground; or that we could easily rent a piece of ground near for that purpose, though it could not be bought.
The result, then, at which I have arrived at present is this, that, having seen what could be accomplished on the ground which we have already, I decided to build, without any further delay than was necessary for preparing the plans, at the South side of the New Orphan-House, another house for 400 children. The plans are now ready, and in a very short time, God willing, i.e. as soon as all tine necessary preliminary arrangements can be made, the building will commence, which I think will be in the early part of July of the present year, (i.e. 1855). Indeed, the first actual steps are already taken, since, on May 29th, the sinking of four wells for the new house was commenced.