Appendix C: Encounters
The Meetings and Correspondence of George and Ben
November 1739: First meeting, presumably on publishing business.
November 1739–December 1740: Nearly every week Franklin publishes something in the Gazette on Whitefield’s American tour.
April 1740: Whitefield tells Franklin about the orphan house building project. This is possibly when Franklin, resistant at first, is moved to donate to orphanage.
May 8–16, 1740: No definite evidence of a meeting, but both were in Philadelphia.
November 1740: A probable meeting and a possible spiritual conversation.
November 26, 1740: Whitefield writes to Franklin: “I do not despair of your seeing the reasonableness of Christianity.”
September 6–19, 1745 (probably): Whitefield, invited to stay in the Franklin home, does.
April–May, 1746: Whitefield sends Franklin his financial accounts for publication.
Summer 1746: Whitefield ministers in Philadelphia, maybe stays with Franklin.
July 31, 1746: Franklin publishes “Appreciation of George Whitefield” editorial.
June 23, 1747: Whitefield thanks Franklin for help in fundraising for the orphan house.
Summer 1747: Whitefield ministers in Philadelphia, may stay with Franklin.
August 6, 1747: Franklin writes to brother John about Whitefield, “He is a good man.”
May 27, 1748: Whitefield writes a note to Franklin and a brief report from Bermuda.
June 1748: Franklin passes along to sister Jane a note from George to one of her friends.
July 6, 1749: Franklin writes to Whitefield, thanking him for some gifts and responding to George’s new activities preaching among the leaders of society.
[1749–50]: Franklin must have sent Whitefield plans for the new academy.
February 26, 1750: Whitefield writes to Franklin about the academy, insisting that there be more Christian curriculum.
1751: Franklin starts the academy.
1751–52: Whitefield takes his fourth voyage to America, a quick trip to Georgia, does not visit Franklin.
August 17, 1752: Whitefield commends Franklin on scientific fame, urges him to study Jesus.
1754–55: Whitefield in America for fifth trip. Possible connections with Franklin in Philadelphia and Boston.
September 2, 1754: John Franklin thanks Ben for the account Deborah sent about Whitefield.
January 17, 1755: Whitefield writes to Franklin from Virginia, inviting him to Bethesda. “Believe on Jesus, and get a feeling possession of God in your heart.”
July 2, 1756: Franklin writes to Whitefield with an idea to start a new colony together on the Ohio River.
1757–63: Both are in England, with trips to Scotland, Holland, and Ireland, but they probably don’t connect.
1763–65: Both are in America, missing connections at first.
November 28, 1763: Franklin sends a nice note, with a package, to Whitefield, after failing to connect in Philadelphia.
June 19, 1764: Franklin responds sweetly to Whitefield’s prayers and issues a sort of faith statement: “Can I doubt that [God] loves me?”
1765–69: Both are in England.
February 13, 1766: Franklin appears before Parliament, with Whitefield present.
February 27, 1766: Ben writes to Deborah, “Mr. Whitfield called today.”
March 1766: Whitefield writes letter to his network of supporters praising Ben’s Parliamentary testimony.
March 2, 1767: Franklin refers to Whitefield in a letter to sister Jane.
1767–68: Whitefield confers with Franklin about starting Bethesda College.
January 21, 1768: Whitefield writes to Franklin seeking another get-together. He also muses about death.
December 6, 1768: Franklin writes to Whitefield about the recommendation of a friend.
Sometime before September 2, 1769: Franklin writes to Whitefield warning about growing tensions in America.
1769–70: Whitefield’s final tour of America; he dies in New England, September 1770.
March 5, 1771: Franklin writes to Georgia legislature about Whitefield’s integrity.