George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

62 GEORGE WHITEFIELD
contribute towards it. May God, in His due time, stir up the wills of
His faithful people to be ready to distribute, and willing to communicate
on this commendable occasion.'
The following extract shows the need of the flock and the
tender-heartedness of the shepherd :
' Began to-day visiting
from house to house, and found the people in appearance
desirous of being fed with the sincere milk of the word, and
solicitous for my continuance amongst them. Poor creatures !
My heart ached for them, because I saw them and their/
children scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd.'
The first of these extracts points to the inference that the
idea of an orphan-house for the colony was Whitefield's own,
and many of his friends who helped him gave him the credit
of it ; but he was frank in undeceiving them, and in giving the
praise to Charles Wesley and the humane governor, General
Oglethorpe. Before he had thought of going abroad, they had
seen and felt the necessity of some provision being made for
the orphans, who must inevitably be thrown upon the colony
when their parents died and left them unprovided for. A
scheme somewhat like the one which was ultimately adopted
was devised, but, though the Wesleys made its practical
accomplishment impossible, yet the idea was not abandoned.
Whitefield was entreated by his friend Charles Wesley to
remember the orphans ; and such a call was never made in
vain upon him. He 'resolved, in the strength of God, to
prosecute the orphan-house design with all his might.' The
Trustees, acting no doubt at the suggestion of Oglethorpe,
favoured him.
When he reached his charge he found that the condition of
the orphans was deplorable, all the kindness of the Trustees
notwithstanding. Some were quartered here and there with
such families as had promised, for a money consideration,
to take them and rear them. Others were en^a^ed in service