When Whitefield had recovered so as to commence his labors, he remarked that every part bore the aspect of an infant colony; that, besides preaching twice a day, and four times on the Lord’s day, he visited from house to house, and was in general cordially received, and always respectfully; “but from time to time found that caelum non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt.  ’Those who cross the seas, change their climate, but not their disposition.’” Though lowered in their circumstances, a sense of what they formerly were in their native country remained.  It was plainly to be seen that coming over was not so much a matter of choice as of restraint; choosing rather to be poor in an unknown country abroad, than to live among those who knew them in more affluent circumstances at home.[1]

[Footnote 1:  Gillies’ Memoirs of Whitefield, p. 27.]

The state of the children affected him deeply.  The idea of an Orphan-House in Georgia had been suggested to him by Charles Wesley, before he himself had any thought of going abroad; and now that he saw the condition of the Colonists, he said, “nothing but an orphan-house can effect the education of the children.”  From this moment he set his heart upon founding one, as soon as he could raise funds.  In the meantime, he did what he could.  He opened a school at Highgate and Hampstead, and one for girls at Savannah.  He then visited the Saltzburgers’ orphan-house at Ebenezer; and, if any thing was wanting to perfect his own design, or to inflame his zeal, he found it there.  The Saltzburgers themselves were exiles for conscience’ sake, and eminent for piety and industry.  Their ministers, Gronau and Bolzius, were truly evangelical.  Their asylum, which they had been enabled to found by English benevolence for widows and orphans, was flourishing.  Whitefield was so delighted with the order and harmony of Ebenezer that he gave a share of his own “Poor’s store” to Bolzius for his orphans.  Then came the scene which completed his purpose.  Bolzius called all the children before him, and catechized them, and exhorted them to give God thanks for his good providence towards them.  Then prayed with them, and made them pray after him.  Then sung a psalm.  Afterwards, says Whitefield “the little lambs came and shook me by the hand, one by one, and so we parted.”  From this moment Whitefield made his purpose his fate.[1]

[Footnote 1:  PHILLIPS’ Life and Times of Whitefield, p. 73.]

As opportunity offered he visited Frederica, and the adjacent settlements; and says that he often admired that, considering the circumstances and disposition of the first settlers, so much was really done.  He remarks that “the first settlers were chiefly broken and decayed tradesmen from London and other parts of England; and several Scotch adventurers, (Highlanders) who had a worthy minister named Macleod; a few Moravians, and the Saltzburgers, who were by far the most industrious of the whole;” and he adds, that he would cheerfully have remained with them, had he not felt obliged to return to England to receive priest’s orders, and make a beginning towards laying a foundation of the orphan-house, which he saw was much wanted.