Mrs. Graham, since the removal of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smith (her third daughter) to Virginia in 1803, had consented to reside permanently with Mr. and Mrs. Bethune. This brought the three benevolent spirits into constant and close communion, the results of which pious alliance have been seen in several important enterprises. Mrs. Graham's personal individual exertions for religion and charity are related in her Life, prepared by Mr. and Mrs. Bethune conjointly, and published after her death, a more full and carefully corrected edition of which was arranged, with the addition of much matter not in the first edition, the copyright of which was presented to the American Tract Society, and it was published by them with her full and entire approval and authentication.

CHAPTER XI.

THE ORPHAN ASYLUM.

Mrs. Bethune's Plans.-Life of Francke.—Mrs. Hoffman.—Mr. Bethune's Address.- Public Meeting. Society formed. The Fundamental Principle.-Power of Faith. -The first Home.Larger Accommodations.-The Asylum at Bloomingdale.-Mrs. Bethune's Agency, Service, and Resignation. -Action of the Board of Managers.

THE story of Mr. and Mrs. Bethune's large and intelligent philanthropy can not here be told; but, as each was individually active, their union rendered their usefulness vastly more than trebly efficient under the Divine blessing. Their evenings were spent in constructing and maturing plans for doing good; all the leisure of their days in executing them. The three discussed among themselves the question how the children of the deceased widows should be provided for, as the Widows' Society were not to be allowed to do any thing for them, though many were left without any means of support.

About this time a copy of a Life of Francke, with a history of his Orphan House at Halle, fell into the hands of Mrs. Bethune. It became a study for the three around their fireside, and was regarded as a means used by Providence to assist them in their benevolent difficulty. "I will remain with the wid

ows," said Mrs. Graham; "but you, my dear Joanna, are younger; do you leave the active direction of the Widows' Society, and devote yourself to your heavenly Father's children, the fatherless and the motherless." After careful and not hasty deliberation, their pious friends were called into council, especially Mrs. SARAH HOFFMAN, whose excellent judgment, strengthened by much experience in charity, and commanding social position, rendered it peculiarly desirable that the movement should be made under her auspices; and it was determined that an appeal should be made to the benevolent public of New York for the means and agencies necessary to the founding of an Orphan Asylum, which should receive under its protecting roof all legitimate children left orphans by the death of both parents. Mr. Bethune was requested to write a call for a public meeting of ladies for the purpose of organizing such an institution, which was published in the spring of 1806.

"The helpless condition of orphan children has often awakened the compassion of every feeling heart. The exertions of the Ladies' Society [for the Relief of Widows with Small Children] provided, in a great measure, for the children of widows; but there exists, at present, no society whose peculiar province it is to rescue from want, from danger, and from misery the ORPHAN CHILD. It is therefore proposed to establish a female society to provide an asylum for orphan children; and, as the funds of such an institution must come from the generosity of a benevolent

public, annual subscriptions are respectfully solicited from both ladies and gentlemen. As soon as a sufficient number of female subscribers are procured, a general meeting will be called to, form a Constitution and make other requisite arrangements.

"The friendless babe, whom want alarms,

Cast on life's desert wild,

To you extends its feeble arms—

Oh, save the orphan child.'"

Accordingly, on the 15th of March, 1806, a public meeting was held at the City Hotel (then occupying the block on the west side of Broadway, between Thames and Cedar Streets), and the New York Orphan Asylum Society was organized, Mrs. Sarah Hoffman being chosen First Directress; Mrs. General HAMILTON Second Directress, Mrs. Bethune Treasurer (Mrs. SARAH STARTIN some years afterward succeeding her, Mrs. Bethune's health at the time not being very strong), with ten other influential ladies, members of the Board of Managers.

At the very outset of their operations the Board adopted as a principle of their management that, relying upon God's own promise to be "the Father of the fatherless," they would never refuse an orphan child brought to them for protection, whether they had a dollar in the treasury or not. From this rule the Society, up to this hour, has never swerved, nor is it likely, after their rich experience of the Divine care, that they ever will. It was always Mrs. Bethune's opinion, as often expressed in her conversa

แ

tion respecting the conduct of charities, that any

skimping" (a Scotch term, having no synonym in English), especially in limiting the number of the truly necessitous objects, was a species of distrust in God; and the hoarding or putting away at interest money for which Providence asked a present use was an unbelief more likely to bring loss than secure future advantage. In several cases, during the early years of the Asylum, children were brought to its door when the funds were utterly expended; but they were gladly welcomed, and soon means came in to supply their wants. So, in cases of much larger expenditure, the only question in the mind of Mrs. Bethune and her associates would be, "Is the expenditure actually necessary for the welfare and comfort of the orphans?" This being decided in the affirmative, the expense was at once increased. Nor did the Lord ever fail to answer the trust of his handmaiden. I have often heard my mother say that, in any time of need, a few words stating that the funds. of the Society needed replenishing, thrown into a newspaper, was sure to bring in donations equal to the need; more frequently, the money came in before the appeal was made.

The ladies began their asylum in a hired two-storied frame house in the village of Greenwich (then the upper part of New York City), where a few chil dren were carefully sheltered and instructed, under the watch of a competent matron. It soon became manifest that much larger accommodations should be