SCHEDULE of all the Lands possessed by, and belonging to the
late Reverend _George Whitefield_, in _Georgia_.
Lands granted by his Majesty to the late Reverend _George
Whitefield_, in trust for the Orphan-house, or for the
endowment of a College in _Georgia_.
A TRACT of 500 acres, called _Bethesda_, on which the
Orphan-house and additional buildings are
erected.
Another of 419 acres, called _Nazareth_.
Another of 400 acres, called _Ephrata_, on which are the
principal planting improvements.
────
1319 acres.
────
These lands are granted in trust to the
deceased, for the use of the Orphan-house, and
adjoin each other: the grants are dated 13th of
_April_, 1761.
Another of 500 acres, called _Huntingdon_, and adjoins on one
──── corner to _Ephrata_.――This grant is dated 13th
of _April_, 1761.
Another of 1000 These 3 tracts, amounting to 2000 acres are
Another of 500 contiguous, and are granted to the deceased
Another of 500 in trust for the endowment of a college. The
──── grants are dated 6th of _August_, 1765.
2000
Another of 1000 acres, left by the Reverend _Bartholomew
Zouberbuhler_, deceased, late minister of
_Savannah_, by Will, for the endowment of
a college, but conditionally.
The habendum of the three grants, amounting to 1319 acres of land,
for the use of the Orphan-house, run in the following words: “To have
and to hold the said tract of four hundred acres of land, and all and
singular other the premises hereby granted, with the appurtenances,
unto the said _George Whitefield_, his heirs and assigns for ever,
in free and common soccage:――_In trust nevertheless for the use and
benefit of the Orphan-House_,――he the said _George Whitefield_, his
heirs or assigns, yielding and paying, &c.”
And the three grants, together amounting to 2000 acres of land, for
the endowment of a college, are thus expressed: “To have and to hold
the said tract of one thousand acres of land, and all and singular
other the premises hereby granted, with the appurtenances, unto the
said _George Whitefield_, his heirs and assigns for ever, in free and
common soccage: _In trust for the endowment of a college in our said
province_,――he the said _George Whitefield_, his heirs and assigns,
yielding and paying, &c.”
So that it plainly appears, these lands cannot be aliened or
appropriated to any other use, than the purposes for which they
were granted.
Extract from an account of the state of the family
at the Orphan-house in _April_ 1770.
WHITES.
Managers and
carpenters 9
Boys 15
Girl 1
NEGROES.
Men 24 Of which 16 are young, and fit for any labor;
7 are old, but capable of some service, and
1 so old as to be useless.
Women 11 8 of these are capable of the usual labor, 2
are old and assist in the business of the
house, and 1 almost incapable of any service.
Children 15 Of whom, those that are capable are employed
about something useful, as far as their
strength and abilities will permit.
──
75
By an authentic account of the state of the family at the Orphan-house,
from the year 1739 to 1770,
140 Boys } have been clothed, educated, maintained and suitably
43 Girls } provided for.
───
183 Total.
_N. B._ The _Spanish_ war; the fluctuating state of the colony
for years; the long suspense in which Mr. _Whitefield_ was kept by
government at home, as to his intended plan of improvement at the
Orphan-house; and other particulars which are noticed, and may be
observed in his letters, prevented the accession of a greater number of
orphans; but to the honour and usefulness of the institution, it ought
to be remarked, that many poor children, besides what are numbered in
this list, were occasionally received, educated, and maintained at the
Orphan-house.
Copy of a paper, endorsed COLLEGE RULES, taken from the original
in Mr. _Whitefield_’s hand-writing, 1770.
MORNING prayer to begin constantly, every day in the year, at half
after five. The first bell to ring exactly at 5 o’clock. The form
as follows: A psalm or hymn; the general confession, introduced with
“Let us pray.” If any scholar of the house, or any other person not
in priest’s orders, doth officiate, then that collect, “O GOD, whose
nature and property, &c.” or that out of the commination-office, “O
LORD, we beseech thee mercifully hear our prayers, &c.” Then must
follow the Lord’s prayer, _Gloria Patri_, “O come let us sing unto
the LORD, &c.” or the _Te Deum_, or Song of the Three Children, or
_Benedictus_; then the second lesson for the day, with a few short
practical remarks; then a suitable prayer, with singing a short
doxology; and thus to conclude, “The grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST,
and the love of GOD, and fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us,
the Founder of this institution, the Master, Wardens, and all its
benefactors, and all mankind, now, henceforth, and for evermore.” If
no one is capable of using free prayer, then shall follow the apostles
creed, the collect for the week, the third collect for grace; the three
prayers for the king, royal family, and clergy, turned into one; “O GOD,
the creator;” the general thanksgiving, the prayer of St. _Chrysostom_,
and “Grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST,” as before.
The same order in the evening, only to repeat the _Magnificat_, &c.
before the reading of the second lesson.
On _Wednesday_ and _Friday_ morning, the hymn, the litany, the general
thanksgiving, prayer of St. _Chrysostom_, and concluding prayer.
On _Sunday_ morning, a short prayer with a psalm or hymn early in
the morning. Full prayers and sermon at ten: the same at three in the
afternoon. A short prayer, and a hymn, at half after six in the evening.
The first lesson to be read at dinner; the same at supper: a short hymn
at each meal. One of the orphans to read and give out the hymn, or any
other substituted by the master; and also to read the second lesson in
chapel.
Great care to be taken, that all read, write, speak, and behave
properly.
All the statutes to be in _English_, and read to every scholar or
student at admission, and thrice a year, at _Easter_, _Whitsuntide_,
and _Christmas_, publicly.
No cards, dice, or gaming of any kind to be allowed, on pain of
expulsion, or dismission, by masters, tutors, professors, students or
any officer or member of the college whatsoever. No music but divine
psalmody; such as _Butt’s Harmonia sacra_, _Knibb_’s and _Madan_’s
collection of tunes.
All are to be taught _Bland’s Manual Exercise_, by some deputed officer,
but not bound to attend on musters or other exercises, unless on
account of an alarm.
Nobody shall be suffered to run in arrears above half a year: some
caution money to be paid down.
All students to furnish their own rooms, but to lie on mattresses, and
the successors to pay thirds.
No one suffered to go to town without express leave from the master, or
persons deputed by him.
Breakfast at seven o’clock, dinner at twelve, supper at six, through
all the year; the utmost neatness to be observed and maintained in
every room.
All orphans and students shall be obliged to learn and repeat, and,
if capable, to translate into _Latin_ all the thirty-nine articles,
or those specified in the act of toleration. The homilies to be read
publicly, distinctly, frequently and carefully, every year, by the
students, deputed in rotation. All to be first thoroughly instructed
in the history of _Georgia_, and constitution of _England_, before they
are taught the history of _Greece_ and _Rome_. _Kimber_’s history of
_England_ is a good one for beginners, then may follow _Rapin_’s. The
young negro boys to be baptized and taught to read. The young negro
girls to be taught to work with the needle. The following divinity
books to be read, _Henry_’s _Comment_,――_Doddridge_ and _Guise_,
――♦_Burkitt_,――_Clark_’s _Bible_,――_Wilson_’s _Dictionary_,――Professor
_Franck_’s _Manuductio_, especially the preface _de Impedimentis Studii
Theologici_,――_Doddridge_’s _Rise and Progress_,――_Boston_’s _fourfold
State_,――ditto, _on the Covenant_,――_Jenks, on the righteousness
of Christ_, and his _Meditations_,――_Hervey_’s _Meditations_, and
_Theron_ and _Aspasio_,――Bishop _Hall_’s _Contemplations_, and other
works,――_Edwards_’s _Preacher_,――_Trapp on the old and new Testament_,
――_Poole_’s _Annotations_,――_Warner_’s _Tracts_,――Bishop _Leighton_’s
_Comment on St. Peter_’s _1st Epistle_,――Bishop _Pearson on the
Creed_,――_Edwards_’s _Veritas redux_,――_Owen_ and _Bunyan_’s works.
♦ “Burkit” replaced with “Burkitt” for consistency
Copy of a paper, intitled, “Subjects for Annual Prizes at the
Orphan-house, _Bethesda_ College,” in the hand-writing of Mr.
_Whitefield_, inclosed with and referred to in his Will¹.
¹ “Whatever profits may arise from the sale of my books,
or any manuscripts, that I may leave behind, I give and
bequeath ―――― towards paying off my arrears that may be due
on the account of the Orphan-house academy, or for _Annual
Prizes_, as a reward for the best three Orations that shall
be made in _English_, on the subjects mentioned in a paper
annexed to this Will.”
Subjects for Annual Prizes at the Orphan-house,
_Bethesda_ College.
ON every 27th of _December_, the Founder’s birth-day,――an Oration on
the Mercy of GOD, in preparing Habitations and Places of Education for
poor Orphans, “In thee the fatherless find mercy,” by an Orphan.
Another on our LORD’s Nativity,――by an Orphan.
On the Anniversary, _March 25_,――Orations on the benefit of erecting,
founding, and contributing towards Seminaries of sound Learning,
and religious Education.――On the Benefit of an Union between _Great
Britain_ and her Colonies.――The Rise and Progress of the Colony of
_Georgia_.――The Rise and Progress of Commerce and Religion in the other
_American_ Colonies,――by Orphans or Students.
On the 5th of _November_,――an Oration on the glorious Revolution, and
the infinite Mercy of GOD, in delivering _Great Britain_ from Popish
Tyranny and arbitrary Power, by Orphan or Student.
On _Easter Monday_,――an Oration on the Resurrection,――by Orphan or
Student.
On _Whitsunday_,――an Oration on the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the
Apostles,――by Orphan or Student.
All the Exercises to be closed with an Application, Exhortation, and
Prayer, by the Master of the College.
The following Speech was also found in Mr. WHITEFIELD’s own
Writing, delivered by an Orphan after Mr. WHITEFIELD’s Sermon
preached before the Governor, &c. &c. _January 28, 1770_¹.
¹ For the Sermon, the Reader is referred to the last volume
of this work.
WHEN I consider where I stand, and before whom I am about to speak, no
wonder that previous to my rising, a trembling seized my limbs; and now,
when risen, a throbbing seizes my heart, and as a consequence of both,
shame and confusion cover my face. For what am I? (a poor _unlettered
orphan_, unlearned almost in the very rudiments of my mother tongue,
and totally unskilled in the persuasive arts of speaking) that I should
be called to speak before such a venerable, august assembly, as is this
day convened under _Bethesda_’s roof. But when I reflect, that I stand
up at your command, Reverend Sir, to whom, under GOD, I owe my little
all, and when I further reflect on the well-known candour of those
that compose this venerable, august assembly, my trembling begins to
abate, my throbbing ceases, and a gleam of hope breaks in, that the
tongue of the stammerer will in some degree be able to speak plain.
But where shall I begin, and how shall I express the various emotions,
that within the space of the last hour have alternately agitated and
affected my soul? If the eye, as I have been taught to think, is the
looking-glass of the soul; and if the outward gestures, and earnest
attention, are indications and expressive of the inward commotions and
dispositions of the human heart, then a heart-felt complacency and joy
hath possessed the souls of many in this assembly, whilst the reverend
Founder hath been giving from the pulpit such a clear, succinct,
and yet withal affecting account of the rise and progress of this
Orphan-house academy, and of the low estate of this now flourishing
colony, when the first brick of this edifice was laid. All hail that
happy day! which we now commemorate, when about thirty-two years ago,
in faith and fervent prayer, the first brick of this edifice was laid.
Many destitute orphans were soon taken in, and without any visible
fund, in the dearest part of his Majesty’s dominions, more than fifty
labourers were employed, and honourably paid, and a large orphan-family,
for these many years, hath been supported, cloathed, and brought up in
the nurture and admonition of the LORD. O could these walls speak!
could every chamber, every corner of this fabric speak! what agonizing
supplications, what inwrought energetic prayers would they tell us they
had been witness to, and also of the blessed fruits, of which we are
now partakers. Behold! a once infant, deserted, despised colony, not
only lifting up its drooping head, and in some degree over-topping, at
least for trade, and increase and extent of commerce, vying with some
of its neighbouring provinces. Behold the once despised institution!
(the very existence of which was for many years denied) through the
indefatigable industry, unparalleled disinterestedness, and unwearied
perseverance of its reverend Founder, expanding and stretching its
wings, not only to receive a larger number of helpless orphans like
myself, but to nurse and cherish many of the present rising generation,
training them up to be ornaments both in church and state. For ever
adored be that Providence, that power and goodness, which hath brought
matters to such a desirable and long expected issue! Thanks, thanks
be rendered to _your Excellency_, for the countenance you have always
given to this beneficial plan, for laying the first brick of yonder
wings this time twelvemonth, and for the favour of your company on
this our anniversary. Thanks to you, _Mr. President_¹, who have long
been a fellow-helper in this important work, and have now the pleasure
of seeing the fruit of all your labours. Thanks to the _Gentlemen of
his Majesty’s Honourable Council_, and to the _Members of the General
Assembly_, who so warmly recommended the utility of this institution.
Thanks to you, Sir, who first opened it by preaching. Thanks to you,
who left your native country, and without fee and reward have for many
years laboured and watched over us in the LORD. Thanks to all who have
this day honoured us with your presence. And above all, thanks, more
than an orphan tongue can utter, or orphan hearts conceive, be, under
GOD, rendered unto you, most honoured Sir, who have been so happily
instrumental, in the hands of a never-failing GOD, in spreading his
ever-lasting gospel.
¹ The Honourable _James Habersham_, President of his Majesty’s
council, and Mr. _Whitefield_’s Executor in _Georgia_.
SAVANNAH, _March 27, 1771_.
MONDAY last being the anniversary of laying the foundation of the
Orphan-house, the new and very decent chapel lately erected there was
opened. On this solemnity his Excellency the Governor, many of the
Gentlemen of the Council, and a very great number of the principal
inhabitants of the province, were present. The company being seated
in the chapel, and the orphan children having sung a short hymn,
the following address, with great propriety, and to the universal
satisfaction of the audience, was delivered by _Peter Edwards_, one
of the orphans:
“_May it please your Excellency,
Reverend Gentlemen,
Gentlemen and Ladies_,
In obedience to the commands of my superiors, and relying also on
the candour and benevolence of your Excellency and this polite and
respectable company, I beg leave, with all humility, to make this
public address. It may not be improper to mention, that on this
day, thirty-two years ago, the foundation of this house was laid by
the reverend Founder, whose death _we orphans in particular_ cannot
sufficiently lament; that also on this day, two years past, your
Excellency honoured this place with your presence, and condescended to
lay the foundation of the two wings, superadded to the Orphan-house,
for the accommodation of young gentlemen intended to be educated in
academical learning, to enable them to move in a superior sphere of
life; and we are now met to open and solemnly dedicate this new and
convenient chapel to the service of our God and Saviour JESUS CHRIST.
The many and great advantages accruing from the establishment of
public schools in every government, is obvious, and in a young
province, as this is, it must be of the highest importance to its
future prosperity and welfare, which is the professed design of this
charitable institution; an institution evidently calculated to promote
the happiness of society, by providing for, and instructing such poor
children, as would otherwise, in all appearance, be brought up in
ignorance, and become of little use and value to mankind. They are
_here_ early taught their duty to GOD, and their country, and the
respect they owe to those in authority over them. GOD has various,
and to us unthought-of ways, which we poor short-sighted beings cannot
fathom, to effect his purposes; but I hope I may be allowed to say,
that, in all human probability, great might have been the blessing
to this noble undertaking, had it pleased divine Providence to have
prolonged the valuable life of the deceased Founder: but he is now no
more. We have, however, no doubt of the great Father of the fatherless
supplying his loss; and that your Excellency, and all well-disposed
persons, especially the good people of this province, will espouse
our cause, and promote our welfare. Agreeable to the plan of our
deceased Benefactor, an Academy is now _begun_ to be superadded to the
Orphan-house, and gentlemen of this province will have an opportunity
of educating their sons under their immediate inspection, and will
not be under the necessity of sending them at a great distance for
that purpose, or be constantly labouring under the painful anxiety
of knowing of their health and welfare, besides being probably at a
greater and more uncertain expence.
The utility of this, it is humbly presumed, wants no recommendation:
it is natural to love the place where we received our education, and
passed our first years. If parents would therefore have the pleasure
of seeing the daily progress their children make in knowledge; if they
desire they should love and revere them, and have a peculiar regard
for the place of their nativity; if they would preserve them from the
improper liberties they may take, when removed from their authority;
it surely must be most eligible to let them spend their early years
under the shadow of their wings, and within the reach of their parental
admonitions.
_May it please your Excellency_,
I have now in charge to return your Excellency, with all deference and
humility, our most grateful acknowledgments for your kind patronage
and countenance; and to assure your Excellency, that we do and will
constantly pray for your happiness, wherever Providence may please to
place you, unfeignedly wishing, that your Excellency may continually
experience that heart-felt satisfaction which can only dwell in the
breast of the humane and benevolent; and we are persuaded, when you
return to your native country, our cause will not be forgotten by your
Excellency.
_Honourable Sir_,¹
We should be highly wanting in gratitude, if, on this occasion, we
omitted to acknowledge your unwearied and unabating attention to
serve this institution from its first foundation; and we are happy
that GOD has been pleased to preserve _your life_ to succeed our kind
Founder, and carry into execution his truly generous intentions. Your
disinterested regard to promote our real welfare is well known, and
therefore I shall forbear to add, only that for your happiness, and
long continuance amongst us, we daily pray.
¹ The Honourable _James Habersham_.
_Reverend Gentlemen,
Gentlemen and Ladies_,
Permit me to return you our best thanks for the very kind regard you
have shewn us, and to assure you, that we will endeavour to deserve the
continuance of your friendship and favour.
_Sir, and Gentlemen_,¹
We cannot, we must not, Sir, omit to give our public testimony of your
unwearied diligence and attention to cultivate and improve our minds
in solid learning and useful knowledge; and, Gentlemen, it would be
unjust, if we did not make the same acknowledgment for your constant
care to make our situation, in regard to our bodies, easy, comfortable,
and every way convenient, and as we have nothing to repay you, but
our prayers for your welfare, both in time and eternity, and our best
thanks, we hope you will kindly accept this tribute of our grateful
hearts.
¹ The Tutor and the Managers.
_Young Gentlemen_, (the Boarders.)
You are happy in having parents, who have both inclination and means
to pay for your education. I have none. But to you, Gentlemen, I must
own my obligation for having the opportunity of an education I could
not, from my situation, have expected, had not your parents enabled our
worthy Executor to employ so able a Tutor, as we now have, to instruct
us, and I hope we shall shew, that his assiduity, care and pains, will
have the desired effect.
_My fellow Orphans_,
What shall I say to excite your gratitude? I hope the memory of our
late Benefactor, who has laboured incessantly for me, for you, and many
others, who have partaken of the benefit of this institution, since its
first foundation, will be deeply engraven in our hearts, and remembered
with the greatest reverence and gratitude. This is all we have in our
power, in return for such unmerited favours, and if this, our small
tribute, should be wanting, we must, we shall be justly deemed the most
ungrateful to our deceased Benefactor, who encountered innumerable,
uncommon, and unknown difficulties, in carrying on this institution,
notwithstanding he was maligned, traduced, and persecuted, with
unrelenting virulence, as a cheat, an impostor, a public robber, and
as one, who, under the specious pretence of promoting a charitable
design, was amassing great wealth to himself; all which he bore with an
uncommon degree of patience. Let me add, that GOD has been graciously
pleased to provide for you, and for me, beyond many, very many in our
circumstances. We are _here_ daily taught the great and fundamental
truths of the gospel of the Son of GOD, have plenty of the necessaries
of life, and are carefully educated to qualify us to get a comfortable
subsistence, and make us useful members of society. Let us therefore
make a proper improvement of these mercies, and let us, my dear fellow
Orphans, be thankful to GOD, the Father of all, for them, not only
with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to his service,
and by walking before him in holiness and righteousness all our days,
through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.
_May it please your Excellency,
Reverend Gentlemen,
Gentlemen and Ladies_,
I fear I have trespassed on your patience, and humbly entreat you to
pardon the poor attempt of a youth unaccustomed to speak before so
respectable an audience.”
After this the Rev. Mr. _Edward Ellington_, minister of the parish of
_St. Bartholomew_, in _South Carolina_, read prayers, and preached a
sermon very suitable to the occasion, from _Matthew_ xviii. 20. Divine
service being ended, the young gentlemen of the academy repeated
several passages taken from some of the most approved _English_ authors,
in such a manner as appeared agreeably to engage the attention and
to meet with the entire approbation of the company. Then Mr. _Edward
Langworthy_, their Tutor, addressed the company as follows:
“_May it please your Excellency,
Gentlemen and Ladies_,
Having observed the attention of your Excellency to the exercises of
this morning, and the marks of pleasure and approbation so visible in
all the Gentlemen and Ladies now present, I think it my duty, with the
warmest gratitude, to acknowledge the honour your Excellency and this
respectable audience have conferred on this institution. The young
gentlemen that just now spoke before your Excellency, have not been
long under my tuition; they are indeed _young_, and scarce initiated
in the first principles of literature; however, I flatter myself that
these feeble attempts will be favourably received, and that hereafter
they will be enabled to exhibit something more worthy of your attention
and approbation.
It affords me the highest satisfaction, when I reflect, that divine
providence hath honoured me with the care and direction of them, and
I cannot but make a tender of my sincere and best respects to you,
our worthy Executor, and to their worthy parents and friends, for the
great confidence reposed in me. Duly sensible of the important trust
committed to every preceptor, I shall, in the fear of GOD, do my utmost
to form their tender minds, and to impress on them such principles
as may tend to advance their happiness in private, as well as in
public life: and I hope, from their proficiency, the Gentlemen of this
province will be induced to promote with all their influence the growth
and prosperity of our present undertaking.
The strict and virtuous education of youth is a point of great
consequence in every country, and those that are employed therein
do certainly merit the attention and encouragement of the public in
proportion to their faithfulness; for my part, I do most chearfully
dedicate my whole time to this laborious work, and am determined to
pursue it with the greatest assiduity and diligence, being convinced
that I can in no other way do more good to the true interest of my
fellow beings, or do more service to the province.
It is undoubtedly the indispensible obligation of every one entrusted
with the business of education, to satisfy the public with respect
to their abilities and intentions, and therefore I hope to convince
you that no pains will be spared, and no time lost, and that whatever
is useful in the sciences, or ornamental in life, will _here_ be
inculcated both by precept and example. Authors in the several
branches of knowledge will be regularly read, and the sacred scriptures
constantly explained: these can bestow understanding upon all men;
they are the universal logic, since none can read them without either
acquiring a greater exactness of thought, or being invited to contract
a greater rectitude of manners.
Our time being so far elapsed, permit me, in the behalf of these poor
Orphans, and in the name of every member concerned in this Seminary,
most heartily to thank your Excellency, and all the Gentlemen and
Ladies now before me, for their kind attendance on this solemnity. With
sentiments of the most unfeigned gratitude we would express our sense
of it, and hope for the continuance of your esteem and friendship.
And I should be greatly wanting in respect and duty to you, Reverend
Sir, and indeed justly incur the displeasure of all concerned in
the management of this institution, if I did not now embrace the
opportunity of returning you their and my humblest thanks for your
kind and friendly assistance.
May what you and others have done on this Anniversary, terminate in the
glory of the great Head of the church, who is GOD over all, blessed for
evermore.”
Between the exercises of the day, the Orphan children sung several
short hymns adapted to the occasion, with one of which the solemnity
was closed. The company were afterward entertained with a plain and
plentiful dinner in the Great Hall, and unanimously expressed their
satisfaction of the proceedings of the day, and especially of the
decency and order with which the whole was conducted.