"The Orphan House has been the support of the northern parts of
the colony. It has been the means of bringing several children
out of a state little better than slavery. It has enabled many
a man to pay his debts. Above all, it has been the means, under
God, of bringing many a poor soul to the knowledge of the Lord
Jesus, which was my chief end in building it. Whilst I have this
single end in view, I fear neither Spaniards' swords, nor the
scourges of men's tongues. My motto is 'the Burning Bush.' You
know, that burnt, but was not consumed."
Such was a part of Whitefield's answer to Mr. Nesbit. At the end of
the year, he published "An Account of Money received and disbursed
for the Orphan House in Georgia" (8vo. 45 pp.), with a preface,
dated December 23, 1741. Extracts from this have been already given;
but, as a further refutation of Mr. Nesbit's allegations, the
following extract from a letter, written by a gentleman from Boston,
who had visited the Orphan House, will, it is hoped, interest the
reader. The letter is dated "Bethesda, January 1, 1742."
"The Orphan House is pleasantly situated, and, with the
buildings belonging to it, presents a much handsomer prospect
than is given by the draught annexed to the public accounts. The
great house is now almost finished; and nothing has hindered but
the want of glass, which they daily expect from Bristol, and
some bricks to carry up another stack of chimneys, which would
have been done before, if a vessel that was bringing bricks and
other stores had not been taken by the Spaniards. They have
cut a fine road to Savannah, through a thicket of woods; and,
that it might be passable, were obliged to make ten bridges and
crossways. They have also cleared forty acres of land, twenty of
which were planted the last year; the other twenty were for the
benefit of the air. They have also a large garden at the front
of the house, brought into pretty good order. If the colony be
allowed negroes, as it is thought it must and will be, they
can, with about twenty negroes to manure the plantation, which
contains five hundred acres, raise much more provision than a
larger family than this can expend. They have already a fine
live stock; and, in a few years, it is to be hoped, they will be
able to support themselves.
"The economy observed here is as follows: The bell rings in the
morning at sunrise, to wake the family. When the children arise,
they sing a short hymn, and pray by themselves. Then they go
down to wash, and, by the time they have done that, the bell
calls to public worship, when a portion of Scripture is read
and expounded, a psalm sung, and the exercise begun and ended
with prayer. Then they breakfast, and afterwards go, some to
their trades, and the rest to their prayers and schools. At
noon, they all dine in the same room, and have comfortable and
wholesome diet provided. A hymn is sung before and after dinner;
then, in about half an hour, to school again; an interval which
affords time enough for recreation. A little after sunset, the
bell calls to public duty again, which is performed in the same
manner as in the morning. After that they sup, and are attended
to bed by one of their masters, who then prays with them. On
the Sabbath day, they all dine on cold meat provided the day
before, that none may be kept from public worship, which is
attended four times a day in summer, and three in the winter.
The children are kept to reading between whiles. Many have
reported that the place is very unhealthy; but I believe it is
quite otherwise; a remarkable proof of which is, that not one
of the family has died, and but three or four in the hospital.
Many, who now think the erecting of the Orphan House a mad
scheme, would alter their sentiments were they here. Innumerable
difficulties have been overcome, and affairs now wear a pleasant
aspect. Upon the whole, I think the institution to be of God;
therefore, it doth and will prosper."
The reader has here as full a description of the Orphan House in
1741, as can well be given.
Nearly all the printed attacks on Whitefield, during the year
1741, have been already noticed; but it may be added, that, in
this year, the following tracts were published by his friend
Wesley, not exactly against Whitefield, but against the doctrines
he held:--1. "Serious Considerations on Absolute Predestination.
Extracted from a late Author."[505] (12mo. 24 pp.) 2. "The Scripture
Doctrine concerning Predestination, Election, and Reprobation.
Extracted from a late Author." (12mo. 16 pp.) 3. "A Dialogue between
a Predestinarian and his Friend." (12mo. 7 pp.) 4. "Christian
Perfection: a Sermon preached by John Wesley, M.A., Fellow of
Lincoln College, Oxford." (12mo. 12 pp.)
[505] The "late author" was Robert Barclay. Wesley says, "We
presented a thousand of Barclay to Mr. Whitefield's congregation on
Sunday, April 19, 1741." (Wesley's Works, xii., p. 102.)
The Bishop of London, also, in his Charge to the Clergy of his
Diocese, had a fling at the erratic evangelist, telling his reverend
brethren, that, Whitefield had slandered the Church and clergy;
for he had "publicly spread and avowed, in a very unworthy and
licentious manner, that the generality of the clergy of the Church
of England were shamefully remiss and negligent in the _pastoral_
office."
And once more: An anonymous author published an 8vo. pamphlet of
thirty-six pages, with the title, "The Controversy concerning
Free-will and Predestination, set in a _true light_, and brought to
a _short issue_. Recommended to Mr. Whitefield and his followers."
In his preface, the writer taunts Whitefield "as an oracle, most
_implicitly_ believing that he is _inspired_ by the Holy Ghost."
He continues: "With undaunted assurance, Mr. Whitefield takes upon
him to instil this abominable doctrine of Predestination into his
hearers and admirers--a doctrine which runs counter to revelation,
and to the blessed nature of God; which depreciates the merits
and satisfaction of Jesus Christ in the grand atonement; which
sets the Divine attributes out of harmony; which makes prayer
useless, and the command to pray an imposition; which makes God
partial, arbitrary, despotic, unjust, and cruel; and which makes
the Christian priesthood and sacraments, at least, insignificant.
Who can reasonably doubt, that there is a plot of Satan and his
emissaries, to promote infidelity by this; and, perhaps, to make way
for popery, on the principle, _Divide et impera_--divide and govern"?
The author dates his pamphlet, "November 24, 1741," and concludes it
with the following lines:--
"Why is this _wrangling world_ thus _toss'd_ and _torn_?
_Free-grace_, _free-will_, are both together born.
If God's _free-grace_ rule in and over me,
His _will_ is _mine_, and so my _will_ is _free_."
Whitefield closed the year 1741 in Bristol, and spent nearly the
whole of the first month of 1742 in the same city. He preached
twice every day; and was still ardently desiring holiness. At the
beginning of the year, he went to hear Charles Wesley preach; and he
also commenced the monthly meeting, which he had mentioned in his
letter to the Welsh evangelists. Hence the following to a friend, in
London:--
"BRISTOL, _January 2, 1742_.
"My soul is thirsting after the Redeemer's love. I care not how
the old man be crucified, and cut to pieces, so that I may put
on the new man, which is created after God in righteousness and
true holiness. Great, very great things has Jesus done for me,
a worthless worm; but I see infinitely greater things lying
before me. There is an inexhaustible fulness in Jesus Christ,
out of which I hope to draw to the endless ages of eternity. Oh
the meekness, the love, and purity in Jesus! Why should we be
dwarfs in holiness?
"Yesterday I went to hear Mr. Charles. I believe the Lord helped
him in some parts of his discourse. I would be free; I would
meet more than half-way; but we are all too shy. The Lord fill
his soul with more of the disinterested love of Jesus!
"To-night, I begin a general monthly meeting to read
corresponding letters. Pray, give thanks for the success of the
gospel in my unworthy hands."
Whitefield left Bristol on January 22, and on the same day preached
twice at Tockington, a small village in Gloucestershire. On the
23rd, he preached "to many thousands at Stroud, with wondrous
power." On the 25th, he reached Gloucester, where he remained a
fortnight, preaching twice, and sometimes oftener, every day. The
following are extracts from letters, written during this visit to
his native city. To John Cennick, in London, he wrote:--
"GLOUCESTER, _January 28, 1742_.
"Our congregations here are larger than at Bristol. The word
proves sharper than a two-edged sword. Every sermon is blessed.
I am just now going to Chalford. To-morrow, I expect my wife.
Sinless perfection, I fear, will be propagated in these parts.
The Lord, in His due time, will root out that pernicious weed.
God willing, I shall examine Hampton Society to-night. I think
to do the same in Wiltshire. I want to be in London as soon as
may be."