great Discourses drew extraordinary audiences to hear them and see him, and of the necessity for a place suitable in size for their accommodation; for although his cure was in Savannah where he had made for himself a double duty in building up also an Orphanage, yet Philadelphia was the pivotal point of his great missionary tours, and this influential community drew more of his attention and labors than any other in the colonies outside of Savannah. As his adherents were not drawn from the upper classes, who merely tolerated if they did not oppose him, we find that the four of the former who took title in trust to the property on Fourth Street, were Edmund Woolly, carpenter, John Coats, brickmaker, John Howell, mariner, and William Price, carpenter. The purchase was made 15 September, 1740, from Jonathan Price and Wife, of the lot of ground, one hundred feet below Arch Street, with a front of one hundred and fifty feet on Fourth, opposite the old Friends Burying Ground, extending westward in depth one hundred and ninety-eight feet to the Burying Ground of Christ Church, which had been opened in 1719. On 14 November following these four made assignment of the property in trust to Rev. Mr. George White-field, of the province of Georgia, Clerk; William Seward, of London, Esquire; John Stephen Benezet, of Philadelphia, Merchant; Thomas Noble, of New York, Merchant; Samuel Hazard, of New York, Merchant; Robert Eastburn, of Philadelphia, Blacksmith; James Read, of Philadelphia, Gentleman; Edward Evans, of Philadelphia, Cordwainer; and Charles Brockden, of Philadelphia, Gentleman; for the purposes as expressed in the following Preamble:
Whereas, a considerable number of Persons of different denominations in Religion had united their endeavours to erect a large building upon the land above described intending that the same should be appointed to the use of a Charity School for the instruction of poor children gratis in useful literature and of the Christian religion, and also that the same should be used as a House of Publick Worship. And that it was agreed that the use of the said Building should be under the direction of certain Trustees * * * which Trustees before named and thereafter to be chosen were from time to time to appoint fit and able school masters and school mistresses for the service of the said school and introduce such Protestant
