Boltzius and his community established an orphanage in Ebenezer in 1738. It had six buildings and a
barn, and was modelled after the famous Orphanage House in Halle, Germany. They raised cattle. In
1738, there were 17 children and a widow housed there, but by 1744, it was decided it was best to
house the children with families instead, and the orphanage was no longer needed. However, after
preacher George Whitefield visited it in 1738, it served as his inspiration and the model for his new
Bethesda orphanage on a 500 acre land grant about 10 miles south of Savannah. Bethesda orphanage
housed 60 or so children at a time.
Rev. Whitefield was notorious for his fund-raising sermons and he working tirelessly for many years
to raise funds for the orphanage, preaching over 18,000 times. One sermon even induced frugal Ben
Franklin to donate to the orphanage. Whitefield's attitude that all children were inherently wicked was
typical of the day, and therefore the main regime at the orphanage was to instill discipline and reform
the waifs into useful citizens. It was not without criticism.
An unsigned report from 1740 written by an orphanage official describes the dreary daily routine:

"No time is allowed for idleness or play, which are Satan's darling hours to tempt children to all
manner of wickedness, as lying, cursing, swearing, uncleaness, etc. They rise about five o'clock, and
each is seen to kneel down by himself for a quarter of an hour, to offer up their private prayers from
their own hearts; during which time they are often exhorted what to pray for. At six all the family
goes to church, where a psalm is sung and the second lesson expounded by Mr. Whitefield. At our
return home about 7, we sing Bishop Ken's Morning Hymn; and whoever is president of the house
uses family prayer as the spirit gives him utterance. Between seven and eight we go to breakfast in
the same room with the children, who sometimes sing a hymn before, sometimes after and
sometimes both before and after every meal, as well as say graces. During breakfast the business of
the day is talked of and each appointed his station and perhaps some useful questions are asked the
children, or exhortations given them.

From eight to ten the children go to their respective employs, as carding, spinning, picking cotton or
wool, sewing, knitting. One serves the apothecary, who lives in the houses, others serve in the store
or kitchen; others clean the house, fetch water, or cut wood. Some are placed under the tailor, who
lives in the house; and we expect other tradesmen, as a shoemaker, carpenter &c., to which others
are to be bound. At ten they go to school, some to writing, some to reading. At present there are two
masters and one mistress, who in teaching them to read the scripture, at the same time explain it to
them, and sing and pray with them more or less as they think fit . At noon we go to dinner all in the
same room, and between that and two o'clock every one is employed in something useful.

From 2 'till 4 they go again to school, as in the morning, and 4 to 6 to work in their respective
stations as before mentioned. At six the children go to supper, when the master and mistresses attend
to help them, and sing with them, and watch over their words and actions. At seven the family all
goes to church, where is a psalm and exposition after the second lesson, as in the morning service.
And at our return about 8 many of the parishioners come in to hear Mr. Whitefield examine and
instruct the children by way of question and answer, which perhaps is an edifying to all present, as
any of his sermons or expositions. His main business is to ground the children in their belief of
original sin, and to make them sensible of their damnable state by nature. At nine o'clock we go to
supper, and the children up to their bedroom, where some person commonly sings and prays again
with them. Before they go to bed, each boy, as in the morning, is seen to kneel by his bedside, and
ordered to pray from his heart for a quarter of an hour, some person instructing them how to pray as
in the morning.

On the Lord's Day we all dine on cold meat, prepared the day before, because all may attend the
worship of God, which we have that day four times at church, which fills those hours employed at
work on the other day. And thus is our time all laid out in the service of God, the variety of which is
a sufficient relaxation to a well-disposed mind and obviates idle pretenses for what is called innocent
(though in reality damnable) recreations.

Source: General Oglethorpe's Georgia: Colonial Letters, 1733-1743
Whitefield unsuccessfully attempted to later turn Bethesda into a college. Upon his death, he
bequeathed Bethesda to the countess of Huntingdon, who had sponsored many of his activities in
England. She sent teachers and missionaries to Bethesda to care for the orphans, but a devastating
fire in 1773 destroyed the main house. The now smaller orphanage limped throughout the American
Revolution, and on the countess's death in 1791, the state of Georgia assumed control of Bethesda
and appointed trustees to manage it. It was damaged by fire again in 1805 and the trust was dissolved
in 1808, with the land on which Bethesda stood sold. The Union Society, a charitable organization
bought Bethesda in 1855 and rebuilt the orphan house, and it has offered residential care to orphan
boys ever since.
Orphanges ~ Boltzius and his community established an orphanage in Ebenezer in 1738