The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-06

tion to the orphans. When informed of
a design some gentlemen of the island
had to help him discharge the arrears
ana support the house, he wrote in his
journal: Thanks be given to thy
name. o God Thou knowest all
tnlHgs' thou knowest that l want to
owe no man anything but love: and
provide for Bethesda after my decease.
Inou hast promised that thou wilt full
MI the desire of them that fear thee.
l oeheve; Lord help my unbelief, that
tnou wilt fulfill this desire of my soul"
Inc Bethesda of to-day is the answer
10 ms prayer. The desire of the soul
OF WHITEHEAD has been fulfilled.
Sacrifices for Bethesda.
Upwards of 100 pounds sterling was
Bermuda's gift to Bethesda. Return
ing to England after an absence of four
years, the indebtedness of the orphan
age confronted Whitefield still. All of
his household furniture he had sold to
help Bethesda. Despite the self-sacri-
nee and the assistance secured in his
travels, the obligations were far from
cancelled, the expenses of main
tenance being heavy and IN
creasing. But without his knowl-
edge the crisis in the affairs of the
home, had been really passed. Prior to
his arrival the Countess of Huntington
had instructed that he be brought to
her house at Chelsea as soon as he
came on shore. Among the illustri-
Gus characters of our time" says a
bfographer of the Countess, none
shone more conspicuous in the relig-
ious world" Another says of her,
Her chief characteristic vas heartfelt
and practical religion" At her house
Whitehead, whom she made her domes-
tic chaplain, reached the influential and
the wealthy. Here and at the chapels
erected by her, the most eminent of the
nobility heard him. "A current of
Christian influence was created says
one of his biographers, which affected
large portion of the aristocracy of
the land, and through them a count
less number of our people," But while
the skies seemed brighter they were
not without their dark disturbing
clouds. Visiting Scotland again, he
was brought to task in the synod OF
Glasgow, where motion was made to
prohibit or discourage ministers from
employing him. Among the objections
raised to him was "the chimerical
scheme of his orphan house, and want
of evidence that the money collected Is
rightly applied" the other grounds be-
ing largely ecclesiastical. In defending
him from these aspersions high trib-
utes were paid to Whitefield's charac-
ter and usefulness. Whether Mr..
Whitefields scheme of the orphan
house be prudent or not" said one of
his defenders, ut is demonstrable that
it was honestly meant The magis-
trates of Savannah published three
years ago, in the Philadelphia Gazette,
an affidavit that they had carefully ex-
amined Mr. Whitefelds receipts and
disbursements and found that what he
had collected in behalf of the orphans
had been honestly applied and that be-
sides he had given considerable to them
of his own property" The result of
the debate was the rejection of the mo-
ton by vote of AZ to Is. What was
inteded for his reproach," wrote
friend. turned out to his honor"
To tell of his experiences during this
period would be but to repeat the
story of his wonderful triumphs
throughout the land. "Multitudes
everywhere f1ocking like doves" is how
one writer described 1t. Persecution
had dwndled down into insignificance
except at few points. All parts of the
kingdom were visited. October, 1751,
brought him again to Savannah where
he found the orphanage in flourish
ing state. "A most excellent tract of
land is granted to me very
near the house, he wrote,
in his journal which in a few years
l hope will make sufficient provision
for it," Afflicted with fever, as he had
been, 1t was not considered prudent
for him to remain throughout the
summer and he returned to London
in the ensuing spring. Two years pass
ed before he saw Bethesda again. On
March 7, 1854. with twenty-five poor
children under his care, he embarked
again for Savannah. Placing them
with Ibis family which now con-
sisted of upwards of one hundred" he
made a two-thousand-mile tour to the
northward. HE who fed the multitude
in the wilderness can and will feed
the orphans in Georgia" was his char
acteristic view of the situation. At
Princeton, then in swaddling clothes,
the degree of A. NJ. was conferred up
on him. In February, 1855, he was
again in Savannah, remaining until
the latter part of March when he sail
ed for England to resume the itinerant
preaching that alone provided suffi-
cient scope for his matchless gifts.
Many people Of rank were now his