Faithful origins found in our nation's first hospital Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was responsible for many innovative and clever developments that improved the quality of life in early America. Among them was the founding of the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia on May 11, 1751. Working with his close friend, Dr. Richard Bond, Franklin lent his support to the effort, thereby creating enough momentum for the idea of a hospital to be accepted by the skeptical public. The goal was to provide a place that would care for the sick, poor and insane who wandered the streets of Philadelphia. Writing about the founding of the hospital, Ben Franklin recognized the manner in which God raised up physicians who were called to the task of medical care in this hospital and acknowledged their reliance on God's help to bless the mission of the hospital: "It would be a neglect of that justice which is due to the physicians and surgeons of this hospital, not to acknowledge that their care and skill, and their punctual and regular attendance, under the Divine Blessing, has been a principal means of advancing this charity to the flourishing state in which we have now the pleasure to view it. Relying on the continuance of the Favour of Heaven, upon the future endeavors of all who may be concerned in the management of the institution, for its further advancement, we close this account with the abstract of a sermon, preached before the Governors..." A further reliance on God and His Word was evidenced in Franklin and Bond's choice to model their mission after the story of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10. They placed these words from the Scriptures on the official seal of the hospital, "Take Care of Him and I Will Repay Thee." The development of the hospital brought about a new attitude of Christian compassion and social responsibility to colonial life. If any information is not found to be public domail, please let me know immediately so that I may remove it.  Most of the information has been received by emails and articles from students and friends.