Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/151

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No. 43]
Mr. Whitefield's Orphan-House
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and rode out to view the Land which Mr. Habersham had taken Care to provide against his coming, consisting of five hundred Acres, that he had taken Possession of in his own Name ; where Mr. Whitfield gave such Orders and Directions as he thought proper. . . .

Sunday. Mr. Whitfield's Name, which of late had made so much Noise in England, could not fail drawing all Sorts of People to Church, who professed Christianity, to hear what Doctrine it was that he preached : When both in the Morning and Afternoon, he made our Justification by Faith only, the Subject of his Discourse ; taking those Words in St. Matthew for his Text, :What think you of Christ?" Which he pressed home with great Energy, denouncing Anathema s on all such as taught otherwise. . . .

Tuesday. What I thought most worth present Observation, arose from the extraordinary Preparations making to build the Orphan-House, &c. wherein Mr. Whitfield indeed shewed himself much in earnest ; and it may be presumed, he expected it would be finished in few Months ; in order to which, there was hardly one Sawyer of any Value in Town, but all hired, and engaged by him to go over and work, where he meant to erect that Building : Most of our Carpenters, Bricklayers, &C. were likewise engaged by him, and a great Quantity of Scantling Timber, ready sawn, was coming (as I heard) for the more Expedition, from North-Carolina. The House that Mr. Bradley had lived in, being empty, Mr. Jones complimented the first Comers with the Use of, for the present ; and Mr. Whitfield chose, upon his Arrival, to carry those Friends that came with him thither also, as well as to be with them himself, leaving Mr. Norris in Possession of the Parsonage-House (which could not hold more than two or three) till he could conveniently move what he had there, and carry it with him to Frederica: But the great House not being finished within, and incommodious on many Accounts, especially by letting the Rain come through the Roof, which was flat; Mr. Whitfield agreed with David Douglass for the Use of his House (much the largest of any private Lot in Town) at the Rent of 20l. Sterling for half a Year only. . . .

Sunday. Mr. Whitfield did the Duties of the Day, with more than ordinary Diligence, by reading Prayers at Seven in the Morning ; at Ten again, with a Sermon after it ; at Three again, the same as at Ten ; and a Lecture at Seven in the Evening ; besides the Sacrament, which he administred to betwixt thirty and forty People after the second Morning Service : His Sermons both before Noon and after, in the same