The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-06
and Plain
Figures.

this land, in saving timber, raising rice
for expectation, and corn, with all 9TH
er provisions for the family, Is about
thirty. The college will also be inn
mediately possessed of 1000 acres OF
land near Altamaha, which were
granted by the governor and Council
when / was last in Georgia, and 1000
acres more left, as I am informed, by
the late Rev. Mr.. Zububuhler (rector
at Savannah). BY laying out 1000
pounds in purchasing an additional
number of negroes, and allowing an
other 1000 pounds for repairing the
house and building the two intended
wings the present annual income may
easily and speedily be augmented to
1000 pounds"
EnIarging the Building.
Having decided to await a more IA
vorable opportunity to make another
application for charter on a more
liberal basis, Whitefield proposed that
the orphan house estate improvements
should be vigorously pushed so as to
maintain as many INDECENT orphans as
possible, the orphan house to be also
converted into a suitable academy for
opulent students" to be in
struced by masters sent from Eng
land to prepare them for academicaI
honors. Accordingly early in 1859 he
sent over workmen to erect the addi-
tions to the building for the proposed
academy. On the twenty-ninth ami
versary of the laying of the original
foundation the Governor laid the foun-
dalton of both the projected wings, be-
ing attended at the ceremony by the
Council, Rev. Samuel Frink, rector Of
Christ church, preaching the sermon.
Mr.. Wright was architect and builder
of the two wings. At this time, as for
some years previous and after, Thomas
Dixon was manager of the property In
September, 1869, Whitefleld babe fare
well forever to England and the loved
ones there. His health was badly
broken. Neither he nor his friends ex-
pected any long tenure of life for him
now. Contrary winds greatly delayed
the vessel. 1t was not until November
30 that anchor was dropped in Charles
ton harbor. Arriving at Bethesda, he
wrote on January IL, 1870, Everything
exceeds my most sanguine expecta-
tions. ! am almost tempted to say, 1t
is good for me to be here" and in an
other letter he wrote: The increase
or this colony is almost Incredible Two
wings are added to the orphan house
for the accommodation of students, of
which Governor Wright laid the foun-
dalton on March rs, 1862" On Sunday,
January 2S. the Assembly visited Be
thesda, and, according to the official
minutes Of that body for the following
day, were sensibly affected when they
saw the happy success which had at
tended Mr.. Whitefield's indefatigable
zeal for promoting the welfare Of the
province in general, and the orphan
house in particular" The Georgia
Gazette, Of January 81, said of the vis-
II: Last Sunday his Excellency, the
Governor, Council and Assembly, hav-
ing been invited by the Rev. Mr.. White
field, attended at divine service in the
chapel Of the orphan house academy,
where prayers were read by the Rev.
Mr. Ellington, and a very suitable SER
mon was preached by the Rev. Mr..
Whitefield. from Zachariah iv, 10, "For
who hath despised the day of small
things to the great satisfaction of the
auditory, in which he took occasion to
mention the many discouragements he
met with, well known to many there,
in carrying on the institution for up
wards Of thirty years past, and the
present promising prospect of its future
and more extensive usefulness. After
divine service the company were very
politely entertained with a handsome
and plentiful dinner and were greatly
pleased to see the useful improvements
made In the house, the two additional
wings for apartments for students, $50
feet in length, and other lesser
buildings, in so much forwardness, and
the whole executed with taste and In
so mastery a manner. and being sem
sible of the truly generous and disln-
terested benefactions derived to the
province through his means. they ex-
pressed their gratitude In the most re-
spectful terms" 1t was I'm his address
on this occasion that WHITEHEAD turned
TO Habersham and acknowledged his
indebtedness to him in this tribute:
You watched, prayed and wrought for
the family good. You were a witness
Of innumerable trials and were the
partner of my joys and griefs. For
this, no doubt, God has smiled upon
and blessed you, In a manner we could
! not expect. much less design"