By the contributions received during the year 1856-7, the whole amount on hand for the new buildings was raised to thirty-one thousand eight hundred seventeen pounds one shilling and elevenpence. For the Bible, tract, and missionary work, and for schools, Mr. M. had the pleasure of receiving and of expending eight hundred and twenty-nine pounds more than in the previous year. For the support of the orphans all means were so abundantly provided that at the end of the year there was on hand a balance of one thousand four hundred and eighty-nine pounds.The following incident illustrates the author’s reliance upon God for his own future support.
By the contributions received during the year 1856-7, the whole amount on hand for the new buildings was raised to thirty-one thousand eight hundred seventeen pounds one shilling and elevenpence. For the Bible, tract, and missionary work, and for schools, Mr. M. had the pleasure of receiving and of expending eight hundred and twenty-nine pounds more than in the previous year. For the support of the orphans all means were so abundantly provided that at the end of the year there was on hand a balance of one thousand four hundred and eighty-nine pounds.
The following incident illustrates the author’s reliance upon God for his own future support.
On Oct. 12, 1856, was sent to me a check for one hundred pounds, with the request of the donor to receive this for myself, as the beginning of raising a fund for my support when advanced in years, and for that of my family. This very kind and well-intended proposal by the donor, who since has died, appeared to me as a subtle temptation laid for me, though far from being intended so byhim, to depart from the principles on which I had been acting for twenty-six years previously, both regarding myself and the orphan work. I give the account of this circumstance fully, as it may be profitable to one or other of the readers.
* * * *Oct. 11, 1856.Dear Sir:—In admiration of the services which you have rendered to poor orphans and mankind in general, I think it right that some provision should be made for yourself. I think it right to send you one hundred pounds, as a beginning to form a fund, which I hope many good Christians will add to, * * * * for the maintenance of you and your family, if your own labors should be unequal to it, and I hope you will lay out this as a beginning accordingly. May God bless you and your labors, as he has hitherto done everything connected with your Institutions.I am, dear Sir,* * * *
* * * *Oct. 11, 1856.
Dear Sir:—
In admiration of the services which you have rendered to poor orphans and mankind in general, I think it right that some provision should be made for yourself. I think it right to send you one hundred pounds, as a beginning to form a fund, which I hope many good Christians will add to, * * * * for the maintenance of you and your family, if your own labors should be unequal to it, and I hope you will lay out this as a beginning accordingly. May God bless you and your labors, as he has hitherto done everything connected with your Institutions.
I am, dear Sir,* * * *
By God’s grace I had not a moment’s hesitation as to what to do. While I most fully appreciated the great kindness of the donor, I looked upon this as being permitted by God as a temptation to put my trust in something else than himself, and I therefore sent the following letter in reply:—
Bristol, Oct. 12, 1856.My dear Sir:—I hasten to thank you for your kind communication, and to inform you that your check for one hundred pounds has safely come to hand.I have no property whatever, nor has my dear wife; nor have I had one single shilling regular salary as minister of the gospel for the last twenty-six years, nor as the director of the Orphan House and the other objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad. When I am in need of anything, I fall on my knees, and ask God that he would be pleased to give me what I need; and he puts it into the heart of some one or other to help me. Thus all my wants have been amply supplied during the lasttwenty-six years, and I can say, to the praise of God, I have lacked nothing. My dear wife and my only child, a daughter of twenty-four years, are of the same mind with me. Of this blessed way of living none of us are tired, but become day by day more convinced of its blessedness.I have never thought it right to make provision for myself, or my dear wife and daughter, except in this way, that when I saw a case of need, such as an aged widow, or a sick person, or a helpless infant, I would use my means freely which God had given me, fully believing that if either myself, or my dear wife or daughter, at some time or other, should be in need of anything, God would richly repay what was given to the poor, considering it as lent to himself.Under these circumstances, I am unable to accept your kindness of the gift of one hundred poundstowards making a provision for myself and family; for so I understand your letter. Any gift given to me, unasked for, by those who have it in their heart to help me to supply my personal and family expenses, I thankfully accept; or any donation given to me for the work of God in which I am engaged, I also thankfully accept, as a steward for the orphans, etc.; but your kind gift seems to me especially given tomake a provision for myself, which I think would be displeasing to my heavenly Father, who has so bountifully given me my daily bread hitherto. But should I have misunderstood the meaning of your letter, be pleased to let me know it. I hold the check till I hear again from you.In the mean time, my dear sir, however you meant your letter, I am deeply sensible of your kindness, and daily pray that God would be pleased richly to recompense you for it, both temporally and spiritually.I am, dear Sir,Yours very gratefully,GEORGE MÜLLER.
Bristol, Oct. 12, 1856.
My dear Sir:—
I hasten to thank you for your kind communication, and to inform you that your check for one hundred pounds has safely come to hand.
I have no property whatever, nor has my dear wife; nor have I had one single shilling regular salary as minister of the gospel for the last twenty-six years, nor as the director of the Orphan House and the other objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad. When I am in need of anything, I fall on my knees, and ask God that he would be pleased to give me what I need; and he puts it into the heart of some one or other to help me. Thus all my wants have been amply supplied during the lasttwenty-six years, and I can say, to the praise of God, I have lacked nothing. My dear wife and my only child, a daughter of twenty-four years, are of the same mind with me. Of this blessed way of living none of us are tired, but become day by day more convinced of its blessedness.
I have never thought it right to make provision for myself, or my dear wife and daughter, except in this way, that when I saw a case of need, such as an aged widow, or a sick person, or a helpless infant, I would use my means freely which God had given me, fully believing that if either myself, or my dear wife or daughter, at some time or other, should be in need of anything, God would richly repay what was given to the poor, considering it as lent to himself.
Under these circumstances, I am unable to accept your kindness of the gift of one hundred poundstowards making a provision for myself and family; for so I understand your letter. Any gift given to me, unasked for, by those who have it in their heart to help me to supply my personal and family expenses, I thankfully accept; or any donation given to me for the work of God in which I am engaged, I also thankfully accept, as a steward for the orphans, etc.; but your kind gift seems to me especially given tomake a provision for myself, which I think would be displeasing to my heavenly Father, who has so bountifully given me my daily bread hitherto. But should I have misunderstood the meaning of your letter, be pleased to let me know it. I hold the check till I hear again from you.
In the mean time, my dear sir, however you meant your letter, I am deeply sensible of your kindness, and daily pray that God would be pleased richly to recompense you for it, both temporally and spiritually.
I am, dear Sir,Yours very gratefully,GEORGE MÜLLER.
Two days after I received a reply, in which the donor desired me to use the one hundred pounds for the support of the orphans, for which object I gladly accepted this sum. The day after that I received another one hundred pounds from the same donor, and four days after that onehundred pounds more, all for the support of the orphans, and all from an individual whom I have never seen.
In the following words is contained a useful lesson to persons engaged in business:—
In the following words is contained a useful lesson to persons engaged in business:—
Feb. 24, 1857. Received five pounds as a thank-offering to the Lord for preservation from making bad debts the past year. Has it ever occurred to the reader that the Lord only can preserve any one engaged in business from making bad debts? Has it also occurred to the reader that often the Lord is obliged, because we do not use for him, as good stewards, that with which he has been pleased to intrust us, to allow bad debts to be made? Consider these things, dear Christian reader, you who are engaged in business. If you were engaged in mercantile affairs, connected with hundreds of thousands of pounds, you may by the help of God, be preserved year after year from making bad debts, though several millions of pounds should be turned in the course of a few years, provided you keep before you that you are the Lord’s steward, and carry on business for him; whilst, on the other hand, thousands of pounds may be lost in one single year, out of only a comparatively small business, because he who carries it on “withholds more than is meet, and therefore it tends to poverty,” the Lord being obliged by bad debts (as they are called), which he uses as one of his rods, to deprive his servants of that which was not used aright.
The review of the year ending May, 1857, presents us with the following results:—
The review of the year ending May, 1857, presents us with the following results:—
There have been during this period four day schoolsentirely supportedby the funds of this Institution. There are at present in these four day schools 181 children.
In addition to the entire support of these four day schools, six schools were assisted with money, or books, or copies of the Holy Scriptures, or both money and books.
There was one Sunday school, in which there were 175 children,entirely supportedby the funds of this Institution; and six others wereassisted.
There has been, since the formation of the Institution, one adult school connected with it, the expenses of which have beenentirelyborne by the Institution, and in which, since March 5, 1834, altogether 2,699 adults have been instructed. The number at present on the books is 72.
There were also two other adult schoolsassistedduring the past year.
The total amount of means which has been expended during the last twenty-three years in connection with the schools, which have been either entirely or in part supported by the funds of this Institution, amounts to £7,938, 13s. 4d.
The number of Bibles, Testaments, and portions of the Holy Scriptures, which have been circulated since May 26, 1856, is as follows:—
Bibles sold, 601. Bibles given away, 1,476. Testaments sold, 829. Testaments given away, 393. Copies of the Psalms sold, 151. Other small portions of the Holy Scriptures sold, 316.
There have been circulated since March 5, 1834, through the medium of this Institution, 18,201 Bibles, 11,502 Testaments, 458 copies of the Psalms, and 1,260 other small portions of the Holy Scriptures.
The total amount of the funds of this Institution spent on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, since March 5, 1834, is £4,407, 7s. 2½d. The amount spent during the past year, £521, 7s. 1½d.
Some time since a brother in the Lord wrote to me that he had it in his heart to visit from house to house, in alarge manufacturing town in Yorkshire, and, if possible, to supply each house with a tract, and to seek out persons who were destitute of copies of the Holy Scriptures. I supplied him, therefore, with 10,000 gospel tracts and 30 Bibles, and subsequently with 127 more Bibles, and finally with 10,000 more tracts and 74 Bibles.
The third object of this Institution is, to aid missionary efforts.
During the past year has been spent of the funds of the Institution for this object, the sum of £3,177, 17s. 11½d. By this sum seventy-four laborers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, have been to a greater or less degree assisted.
The year before last, I had been enabled to spend on this part of the work more than during any previous year; but the last year I was, by God’s help, enabled not only to disburse for this object as much as during the previous year, but £676, 8s. 10½d. more. For this privilege I feel grateful; yet I long to be permitted by the Lord to do much more still. But whilst it has been a source of joy to me to be able to assist seventy-four servants of Christ in many parts of the world, that which was far more than this a cause of thankfulness, was, that almost week by week, and often repeatedly in the same week, I had refreshing intelligence from the brethren whom I sought to help.
The letters of these brethren exhibit the fact that the aid conveyed through Mr. M. was most timely, coming often in the hour of sore need. They also give assurance that their labors had been singularly blessed to the conversion of the heathen, and of the ignorant and deluded among whom they preached.
The letters of these brethren exhibit the fact that the aid conveyed through Mr. M. was most timely, coming often in the hour of sore need. They also give assurance that their labors had been singularly blessed to the conversion of the heathen, and of the ignorant and deluded among whom they preached.
The total amount of the funds of the Institution whichhas been spent on missionary operations, since March 5, 1834, is £21,794, 7s. 6d.
There has been laid out for tracts, from May 26, 1856, to May 26, 1857, the sum of £975, 18s. 7½d.; and there have been circulated within the last year 1,313,301 tracts and books. The sum total which has been expended on this object, since Nov. 19, 1840, amounts to £4,635, 15s. 2¾d.
The total number of all the tracts and books which have been circulated since Nov. 19, 1840, is 5,710,981.
Letters from those to whom tracts were sent for distribution, convey the intelligence that in very many instances the tracts were blessed to the conversion of sinners.
Letters from those to whom tracts were sent for distribution, convey the intelligence that in very many instances the tracts were blessed to the conversion of sinners.
At the commencement of the last period there were 299 orphans in the new Orphan House on Ashley Down, Bristol. During the past year there were admitted into it 30 orphans, making 329 in all. When the last Report was published, there were 847 orphans waiting for admission. Since then 231 more destitute orphans, bereaved of both parents by death, and some only a few weeks old, have been applied for to be admitted, making 1,078 in all. Of these 1,078 we were only able to receive 30, as has been stated, and 58 either died or were otherwise provided for, as their relatives or friends have informed us, so that there are still 990 waiting for admission. Christian reader, think of these 990 destitute orphans, bereaved of both parents! I have now, however, before me the most pleasant prospect, if the Lord permit, of being able to receive 400 of them in about three months, and also of being permitted to build the third house for 300 more.
Without any one having been personally applied to foranythingby me, the sum of £92,175, 4s. 2½d. has been given to me for the orphans,as the result of prayer to God, since the commencement of the work, which sum includes the £15,055, 3s. 2¼d. which was the cost of the building, fitting up, and furnishing of the present new Orphan House, and the £31,817, 1s. 11d., which had been received up to May 26, 1857, for the building fund, and the £1,489, 7s. 9d., the balance of the current expenses. It may also be interesting to the reader to know that the total amount which has been given for the other objects, since the commencement of the work, amounts to £33,293, 9s. 10¼d.; and that which has come in by the sale of Bibles, since the commencement, amounts to £2,080, 9s. 10½d.; by sale of tracts, £1,778, 2s. 5d.; and by the payments of the children in the day schools, from the commencement, £2,066, 13s. 4½d.
The Lord is pleased to continue to allow us to see fruit in connection with the orphan work, with reference to those who arenowunder our care, and we hear still again and again of cases in which those who wereformerlyunder our care, have been led to declare themselves openly for the Lord, besides those in whom we saw the work of grace manifestly begun before they left the Orphan House.
THE HOUSE FOR FOUR HUNDRED OPENED—PRAYER MORE THAN ANSWERED—THE RESORT IN TROUBLE—AN OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT ON THE ORPHANS—LAND FOR A NEW BUILDING PURCHASED—“BUT ONE LIFE TO SPEND FOR GOD”—“SCATTERING, YET INCREASING”—A MEMORABLE YEAR—THE GERM OF THE IRISH REVIVAL—LETTER FROM AN ORPHAN—THE FRUIT OF SIX MONTHS’ PRAYER—THE RESULTS OF THE WORK—REVIVAL AMONG THE ORPHANS.
THE HOUSE FOR FOUR HUNDRED OPENED—PRAYER MORE THAN ANSWERED—THE RESORT IN TROUBLE—AN OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT ON THE ORPHANS—LAND FOR A NEW BUILDING PURCHASED—“BUT ONE LIFE TO SPEND FOR GOD”—“SCATTERING, YET INCREASING”—A MEMORABLE YEAR—THE GERM OF THE IRISH REVIVAL—LETTER FROM AN ORPHAN—THE FRUIT OF SIX MONTHS’ PRAYER—THE RESULTS OF THE WORK—REVIVAL AMONG THE ORPHANS.
Under date of Nov. 12, 1857, Mr. M. writes:—
Under date of Nov. 12, 1857, Mr. M. writes:—
The long looked-for and long prayed-for day had now arrived when the desire of my heart was granted to me, to be able to open the house for four hundred additional orphans. Much had I labored in prayer and active engagements to accomplish what was to be done previously; and now things were so far advanced as that the new house was ready for use; and a few days after we began to receive the children into it. How precious this was to me, such will be able to enter into, who, having day by day prayed for a blessing for seven years, and often repeatedly on the same day, at last obtain the desire of their heart. Yet this blessing came not unexpectedly to me, but hadbeen looked for, and had, in the full assurance of faith, been expected to be obtained in God’s own time.
Feb. 17, 1858. As far as I am able to judge, I have now all I require in the way of pecuniary means for the third house also, so that I am able to accomplish the full enlargement of the orphan work to one thousand orphans.
By the conclusion of the year under consideration, Mr. M. had received, from all sources, thirty-five thousand three hundred and thirty-five pounds nine shillings threepence toward the new Orphan Houses, “being actually three hundred and thirty-five pounds nine shillings threepence more than I had been from the commencement praying for.”The following circumstance, connected with the maintenance and care of the orphans, exhibits the reliance placed upon prayer and faith for relief in every exigency:—
By the conclusion of the year under consideration, Mr. M. had received, from all sources, thirty-five thousand three hundred and thirty-five pounds nine shillings threepence toward the new Orphan Houses, “being actually three hundred and thirty-five pounds nine shillings threepence more than I had been from the commencement praying for.”
The following circumstance, connected with the maintenance and care of the orphans, exhibits the reliance placed upon prayer and faith for relief in every exigency:—
Towards the end of November, 1857, I was most unexpectedly informed that the boiler of our heating apparatus at the new Orphan House, No. 1, leaked very considerably, so that it was impossible to go through the winter with such a leak. Our heating apparatus consists of a large cylinder boiler, inside of which the fire is kept, and with which boiler the water pipes which warm the rooms are connected. Hot air is also connected with this apparatus. This now was my position. The boiler had been considered suited for the work of the winter; the having had ground to suspect its being worn out, and not to have done anything towards its being replaced by a new one, and to have said I will trust in God regarding it, would be careless presumption, but not faith in God. It would be the counterfeit of faith.
The boiler is entirely surrounded by brickwork; its state, therefore, could not be known without taking down the brickwork; this, if needless, would be rather injurious to the boiler than otherwise; and as, year after year, for eight winters, we had had no difficulty in this way, we had not anticipated it now. But suddenly and most unexpectedly, at the commencement of the winter, this difficulty occurred. What then was to be done? For the children, especially the younger infants, I felt deeply concerned that they might not suffer through want of warmth. But how were we to obtain warmth? The introduction of anewboiler would, in all probability, take many weeks. Therepairingof the boiler was a questionable matter, on account of the greatness of the leak; but, if not, nothing could be said of it, till the brick-chamber in which the boiler, with Hazard’s patent heating apparatus, is inclosed, was, at least in part, removed; but that would, at least as far as we could judge, take days, and what was to be done in the mean time to find warm rooms for three hundred children? It naturally occurred to me to introduce temporary gas stoves, but, on further weighing the matter, it was found that we should be unable to heat our very large rooms with gas except we had very many stoves, which we could not introduce, as we had not a sufficient quantity of gas to spare from our lighting apparatus. Moreover, for each of these stoves we needed a small chimney, to carry off the impure air. This mode of heating, therefore, though applicable to a hall, a staircase, or a shop, would not suit our purposes. I also thought of the temporary introduction of Arnott’s stoves; but they would be unsuitable, as we needed chimneys, long chimneys, for them, as they would have been of a temporary kind, and therefore must go out of the windows. On this account, the uncertainty of its answering in our case, the disfigurement of the rooms almost permanently, led me to see it needful to give up this plan also. But what was to be done? Gladly would I have paid one hundred pounds if thereby the difficulty could have been overcome, and the children not be exposed to suffer for many days from being in cold rooms. At last I determined on falling entirely into the hands of God, who is very merciful and of tender compassion, and I decided on having, at all events, the brick-chamber opened, to see the extent of the damage, and to see whether the boiler might be repaired, so as to carry us through the winter. The day was fixed when the workmen were to come, and all the necessary arrangements were made. The fire, of course, had to be let out while the repairs were going on. But now see. After the day was fixed for the repairs, a bleak north wind set in. It began to blow either on Thursday or Friday before the Wednesday afternoon when the fire was to be let out. Now came the first really cold weather which we had in the beginning of last winter, during the first days of December. What was to be done? The repairs could not be put off. I now asked the Lord for two things, viz. that he would be pleased to change the north wind into a south wind, and that he would give to the workmen “a mind to work;” for I remembered how much Nehemiah accomplished in fifty-two days, whilst building the walls of Jerusalem, because “the people had a mind to work.” Well, the memorable day came. The evening before, the bleak north wind blew still; but on the Wednesday the south wind blew: exactly as I had prayed. The weather was so mild that no fire was needed. The brickwork is removed, the leak is found out very soon, the boiler-makers begin to repair in good earnest. About half-past eight in the evening, when I was going to leave the new Orphan House for my home, I was informed at the lodge that theacting principal of the firm whence the boiler-makers came was arrived, to see how the work was going on, and whether he could in any way speed the matter. I went immediately into the cellar, therefore, to see him with the men, to seek to expedite the business. In speaking to the principal of this, he said in their hearing, “the men will work late this evening, and come very early again to-morrow.” “We would rather, sir,” said the leader, “work all night.” Then remembered I the second part of my prayer, that God would give the men “a mind to work.” Thus it was: by the morning the repair of the boiler was accomplished, the leak was stopped, though with great difficulty, and within about thirty hours the brickwork was up again and the fire in the boiler; and all the time the south wind blew so mildly that there was not the least need of a fire.
Here, then, is one of our difficulties which was overcome by prayer and faith.
For nearly three months all went on well; but at the end of February another leak appeared, which was worse than the previous one. But over this also we were helped through prayer, so that without any real inconvenience the repairs were accomplished within about thirty hours. From that time the Lord has not tried us any further in this way. While I am writing this it is fine warm weather, and I have ordered in both houses the fires to be discontinued in the heating apparatuses, and, the Lord willing, a new boiler will of course be substituted.
Feb. 2, 1858. “From Newton” one pound. To-day I took the first active steps towards the building of the third house, when immediately afterwards I was informed by letter that a lady in London, an entire stranger to me, had ordered her bankers to send me three hundred pounds for the support of the orphans. I was also further informed in the evening that in two weeks eight hundred pounds shall be paid to me for the work of the Lord.The three hundred pounds was sent the next day, and the eight hundred pounds a fortnight after. See how, with enlargement of the work, the Lord keeps pace with the expenses, helping when help is really needed, often also giving beforehand.
During the year 1857-8, twenty-four schools were supported or assisted out of the funds of the Institution, three thousand nine hundred and sixty-three Bibles and portions of Scripture were circulated, and three thousand five hundred and thirty-one pounds expended for the aid of eighty-two laborers in various parts of the world. From these men Mr. Müller received letters containing the delightful intelligence that their labor had been blessed of the Lord. After giving copious extracts from these letters, Mr. M. adds:—
During the year 1857-8, twenty-four schools were supported or assisted out of the funds of the Institution, three thousand nine hundred and sixty-three Bibles and portions of Scripture were circulated, and three thousand five hundred and thirty-one pounds expended for the aid of eighty-two laborers in various parts of the world. From these men Mr. Müller received letters containing the delightful intelligence that their labor had been blessed of the Lord. After giving copious extracts from these letters, Mr. M. adds:—
Such extracts might be greatly multiplied, and, as I said before, a large volume might easily be written; but space forbids me giving any more. I feel it, however, due to the Christian reader to state that there is good reason to believe that many hundreds of souls have been brought to the knowledge of the Lord through the instrumentality of these brethren within the last year; and may we not hope that even that which is known is not nearly all that the Lord has been pleased to accomplish through them? How seasonably, often, the help for which I had labored in prayer has come to these dear servants of Christ, the following extracts from letters may show, though hundreds of similar letters have been received by me within the last twenty years.
May 19, 1858. “I gratefully acknowledge the Lord’s goodness in the receipt of your check for ten pounds. Being brought low, my dear wife and myself, when specially waiting on him last evening, pleaded with the Lord that he would graciously send a supply this morning; and again we have the proof of his love by your letter and its contents. Bless the Lord, O my soul! With many thanks to you, in which my dear wife unites, I am,” etc.
Feb. 27, 1858. “O, how my heart goes out towards you for your affectionate remembrance of us in our low estate!Not a shillinghad we in the house, nor any human prospect of any money, when your remittance of five pounds reached us.”
A laborer on the Continent writes on Dec. 17, 1857: “We received yesterday your kind note inclosing eight pounds. The very day you sent your letter to the post-office, the 12th instant, was a day set apart for prayer, with fasting, to ask the Lord for means.”
There were also circulated during the year 1,334,791 tracts and books. Letters received from the persons who distributed them show that they were greatly blessed in awakening and converting souls.
There were also circulated during the year 1,334,791 tracts and books. Letters received from the persons who distributed them show that they were greatly blessed in awakening and converting souls.
At the commencement of the last period there were 299 orphans in the new Orphan House on Ashley Down, Bristol. During the past year there were admitted into it, and into the new house for 400, altogether 219 orphans. The total number of orphans who have been under our care since April 11, 1836, is 871.
The opening of the new house for 400 orphans, which is not a wing of the house that has been before in existence, but an entirely distinct establishment, and larger than the former, has made it needful to distinguish between these two houses in this way, that the house which was openedon June 18, 1849, is now called the new Orphan House No. 1, and the one which was opened on Nov. 12, 1857, is called the new Orphan House No. 2. The new Orphan House No. 1 is fitted up for the accommodation of 140 orphan girls above seven years of age, 80 orphan boys above seven years, and 80 male and female orphans from their earliest days, till they are about seven or eight years of age. The infants, after having passed the age of seven or eight years, are removed into the different departments for older boys and girls. The new Orphan House No. 2 is fitted up for 200 female infant orphans, and for 200 elder female orphans.
Without any one having been personally applied to for anythingby me, the sum of £102,714, 9s. 6d. has been given to me for the orphans,as the result of prayer to God, since the commencement of the work, which sum includes the amount received for the building fund for the houses already built and the one to be built. It may also be interesting to the reader to know that the total amount which has been given for the other objects, since the commencement of the work, amounts to £38,297, 12s. 11½d.; and that which has come in by the sale of Bibles since the commencement amounts to £2,222, 4s. 3½d.; by sale of tracts, £2,294, 6s. 11½d., and by the payments of children in the day schools, from the commencement, £2,138, 11s. 4¼d.
During the past twenty-two years the Spirit of God has been again and again working among the orphans who were under our care, so that very many of them have been brought to the knowledge of the Lord; but we never had so great a work, and at the same time one so satisfactory,within so short a time, as during the past year. I will enter somewhat into details for the benefit of the reader. There are one hundred and forty elder girls in the new Orphan House No. 1, of whom, at the beginning of the last period, ten were considered to be believers.
On May 26, 1857, the death of an orphan, Caroline Bailey, took place. The death of this beloved girl, who had known the Lord several months before she fell asleep, seems to have been used by the Lord as a means of answering in a goodly measure our daily prayers for the conversion of the orphans. It pleased God at the beginning of the last period mightily to work among the orphans, so that all at once, within a few days, without any apparent cause, except it be the peaceful end of the beloved Caroline Bailey, more than fifty of these girls were brought to be under concern about their souls, and some with deep conviction of sin accompanying it, so that they were exceedingly distressed. And how is it now? my readers may ask; for young persons are often apparently much concerned about the things of God, but these impressions pass away. True, dear reader, I have seen this myself, having had to do with many thousands of children and young persons within the last thirty years. Had, therefore, this work among the orphans begun within the last few days, or even weeks, I should have passed it over in silence; but more than a year has now elapsed since it commenced, and it will, therefore, give joy to the godly reader to hear that in addition to those ten who were previously believers, and of whom one has been sent to service, there are twenty-three girls respecting whom for several months there has been no doubt as to their being believers; two died in the faith within the year; and there are thirty-eight more who are awakened and under concern about their souls, but respecting whom we cannot speak as yet so decidedly. All this regards only one branch of the Orphan Establishment, the elder girls of the House No. 1. In addition to this, I am glad also to be able to state that among the other girls in the New House No. 2, and among the boys also, some are interested about the things of God; yea, our labors begin already tobe blessed to the hearts of some of the new received orphans.
Continuing the narrative of the progress of the new Orphan Houses, Mr. M. writes under date of Oct. 29, 1858:—
Continuing the narrative of the progress of the new Orphan Houses, Mr. M. writes under date of Oct. 29, 1858:—
In the last Report I stated that I was looking out for land for the third house. Regarding this, I waited day by day upon God. But for many months it pleased him to exercise my faith and patience. When, more than once I seemed to have obtained my desire, I again appeared further from it than ever. However, I continued to pray and to exercise faith, being fully assured that the Lord’s time was not yet come, and that, when it was, he would help. And so it proved. At last, in September, 1858, I obtained eleven and a half acres of land, quite close to the new Orphan Houses No. 1 and No. 2, and only separated from them by the road. On these eleven and a half acres of land a house is built. The price for house and land was three thousand six hundred and thirty-one pounds fifteen shillings, being more money than I should have seen it right to expend on the site, had it not been of the utmost importance that the third house should be quite near the other two, to facilitate the superintendence and direction of the establishment. Thus, at last, this prayer also was answered, concerning which I had been waiting upon God for so many months, and concerning which the difficulties as to sight and reason seemed so great, but respecting which my mind was continually at peace; for I was sure that, as I was doing God’s work, he would, in his own time, help me in this particular also. The longer I go on in this service, the more I find that prayer and faith can overcome every difficulty.
Having now obtained land, and so much, my desire wasto make the best use of it, and to build for four hundred orphans, instead of for three hundred, as I had previously purposed to do. After having had several meetings with the architects, and finding that it was possible to accommodate, with comparatively little more expense, four hundred and fifty orphans, instead of four hundred, I finally determined on that number, so as to have eventually one thousand one hundred and fifty orphans under my care, instead of one thousand, as for several years previously had been contemplated. The greatness of the number of destitute children bereaved of both parents by death,—together with the greatness of the Lord’s blessing, which has during all these many years rested upon my service in this way,—and the greatness of the Lord’s help in giving me assistants and helpers in the work as well as means,—and, above all, the deep realization that I have but one life to spend for God on earth, and that that one life is but a brief life;—these were the reasons which led me to this further enlargement. To this determination of a still further enlargementI came solely in dependence upon the living God for help, though the increase of expense for the building fund, on account of the purchase of the land, and accommodation to be built for the additional one hundred and fifty orphans more than had been from the beginning contemplated, would not be less than from six thousand to seven thousand five hundred poundsmorethan I had originally expected the total of the premises, which were to be erected, would cost; and though, in addition to this, the yearly additional expenditure for the maintenance of these one hundred and fifty orphans, beyond the intended number of one thousand, could not be less than one thousand eight hundred pounds a year. But none of these difficulties discouraged me.
Nov. 27. It is this day a twelvemonth since we began to receive fresh children into the new Orphan HouseNo. 2. Since then the mercies of the Lord have been very many, and his help has been very great. There have been received from Nov. 27, 1857, to Nov. 27, 1858, altogether three hundred and eight orphans. Such a year I never spent in this service,—one so full of help and blessing in every way.
Jan. 4, 1859. Received seven thousand pounds, which was entirely left at my disposal, as the work of God in which I am engaged might more especially require it. When I decided at the end of October, 1858, to build for four hundred and fifty orphans, instead of three hundred, I needed several thousand pounds more, and was fully assured that God would give me the required means, because in reliance upon him, and for the honor of his name, I had determined on this enlargement; and now see, esteemed reader, how the Lord honored this my faith in him!
Jan. 12. From Westerham, in eighty-eight small donations, £4, 8s. 6d. Without my knowledge these eighty-eight small donations had been contributed, and were sent to me.
May 26. During the year now closing, four thousand one hundred and forty-nine-pounds seventeen shillings fivepence was expended in aid of ninety-one brethren laboring in England, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Sardinia, Canada, Nova Scotia, East Indies, China, and British Guiana. Also, during the past year 1,885,401 tracts and books have been circulated.
At the commencement of the last period there were four hundred and ninety-nine orphans in the new Orphan Houses No. 1 and No. 2. On May 26, 1859, there were six hundred and seventy-two orphans in the two houses,i. e.in No. 1, 299, and in No. 2, 373. The total number of orphans who have been under our care since April 11, 1836, is 1,083.
Though during the past year we have not had so great and so sudden a work of the Spirit of God going on among the orphans as during the previous year, when, within a few days, above fifty out of one department of one hundred and forty girls were suddenly brought under deep concern about their souls; yet, the blessing of the Lord has not been withheld even spiritually. There are already many caring about the things of God among the four hundred and twenty-four orphans who were received within the last eighteen months, and who ask it, as a privilege, to be allowed, in the summer, to take their Bibles with them to bed, so that, should they awake in the morning before the bell is rung, they may be able to read it. Out of the thirteen girls who were sent to service, nine had been believers for some time before they left the establishment.
When I began the orphan work, one of the especial objects which I had in view was to benefit the church of Christ at large, by the accounts which I might be enabled to write in connection with this service; for I expected, from the beginning, to have many answers to prayer granted to me, and I confidently anticipated that the recording of them would be beneficial to believers, in leading them to look for answers to their own prayers, and in encouraging them to bring all their own necessities before God in prayer. I likewise firmly believed that many unconverted persons would, by means of such writings, be led to see the reality of the things of God. As I expected, so it has been. In very many instances the reading of the Reports of this Institution, or the “Narrative of the Lord’s Dealings” with me, has been blessed by God to the conversion of those who knew not our Lord Jesus. In thousands of instances, likewise, believers have been benefited through them, being thereby comforted, encouraged, led more simply to the Holy Scriptures, led more fully to trust in God for everything; in a word, led, in a greater or less degree, to walkin the same path of faith in which the writer, by the help of God, is walking. The thousands of instances of blessing which have been brought before me during the past twenty-four years (for almost daily I have heard of fresh cases, and often of several on the same day), have only still further led me to earnestness in prayer, that the Lord would condescend to use these publications still more, and make them a blessing to many tens of thousands of his children, and to many tens of thousands of the unconverted. And now the reader will rejoice with me, when he reads what follows. I am the more led to relate the following, that the godly reader more than ever may be encouraged to prayer, and, also, that anaccuratestatement may be given of this fact, which has been already referred to in many public places in connection with revival-meetings, and which likewise has been several times stated in print.
In November, 1856, a young Irishman, Mr. James McQuilkin, was brought to the knowledge of the Lord. Soon after his conversion he saw my Narrative advertised. He had a great desire to read it, and procured it accordingly, about January, 1857. God blessed it greatly to his soul, especially in showing to him what could be obtained by prayer. He said to himself something like this: See what Mr. Müller obtains simply by prayer. ThusImay obtain blessing by prayer. He now set himself to pray that the Lord would give him a spiritual companion, one who knew the Lord. Soon after, he became acquainted with a young man who knew the Lord. These two began a prayer meeting in one of the Sunday schools in the parish of Connor. Having his prayer answered in obtaining a spiritual companion, Mr. James McQuilkin asked the Lord to lead him to become acquainted with some more of his hidden ones. Soon after, the Lord gave him two more young men, who knew the Lord previously, as far as he could judge. In autumn, 1857, Mr. James McQuilkinstated to these three young men, given him in answer to believing prayer, what blessing he had derived from my Narrative,—how it had led him to see the power of believing prayer; and he proposed that they should meet for prayer, to seek the Lord’s blessing upon their various labors in the Sunday schools, prayer meetings, and preachings of the gospel. Accordingly, in autumn, 1857, these four young men met together for prayer in a small schoolhouse near the village of Kells, in the parish of Connor, every Friday evening. On January 1, 1858, the Lord gave them the first remarkable answer to prayer in the conversion of a farm servant. He was taken into the number, and thus there were five who gave themselves to prayer. Shortly after, another young man, about twenty years old, was converted; there were now six. This greatly encouraged the other three who first had met with Mr. James McQuilkin. Others now were converted, who were also taken into the number; but only believers were admitted to these fellowship meetings, in which they read, prayed, and offered to each other a few thoughts from the Scriptures. These meetings, and others for the preaching of the gospel, were held in the parish of Connor, Antrim, Ireland. Up to this time all was going on most quietly, though many souls were converted. There were no physical prostrations, as afterwards. About Christmas, 1858, a young man from Ahoghill, who had come to live at Connor, and who had been converted through this little company of believers, went to see his friends at Ahoghill, and spoke to them about their own souls and the work of God at Connor. His friends desired to see some of these converts. Accordingly, Mr. James McQuilkin, with two of the first who met for prayer, went, on February 2, 1859, and held a meeting at Ahoghill in one of the Presbyterian churches. Some believed, some mocked, and others thought there was a great deal of presumption in these young converts;yet many wished to have another meeting. This was held by the same three young men, on February 16, 1859; and now the Spirit of God began to work, and to work mightily. Souls were converted, and from that time conversions multiplied rapidly. Some of these converts went to other places, and carried the spiritual fire, so to speak, with them. The blessed work of the Spirit of God spread inmany places. On April 5, 1859, Mr. James McQuilkin went to Ballymena, held a meeting there in one of the Presbyterian churches, and on April 11 held another meeting in another of the Presbyterian churches. Several were convinced of sin, and the work of the Spirit of God went forward in Ballymena. On May 28, 1859, he went to Belfast. During the first week, there were meetings held in five different Presbyterian churches, and from that time the blessed work commenced at Belfast. In all these visits he was accompanied and helped by Mr. Jeremiah Meneely, one of the three young men who first met with him after the reading of my Narrative. From this time the work of the Holy Ghost spread further and further; for the young converts were used by the Lord to carry the truth from one place to another.
Such was thebeginningof that mighty work of the Holy Spirit, which has led to the conversion of many tens of thousands, and which is still going on even in Ireland, and the blessed results of which are still felt in Scotland, England, and other countries. It is almost needless to add, that in no degree the honor is due to the instruments, but to the Holy Spirit alone; yet these facts are stated in order that it may be seen what delight God has in answering abundantly the believing prayers of his children.
Seeing, then, how greatly he has condescended to own these records regarding his willingness to listen to prayer, made to him in the name of the Lord Jesus, I am delighted, at the close of another year, in connection with this Institution, to recount a few of the very many instances in which God has been pleased to answer our prayers, and to grant blessing to rest upon the various objects of this Institution; yea, blessing greater far than during any part of the past twenty-six years, while it has been in operation.
Up to May 26, 1860, Mr. M. received for the building fund the sum of £45,113, 14s. 4½d.
Up to May 26, 1860, Mr. M. received for the building fund the sum of £45,113, 14s. 4½d.
In May, 1859, I had in hand for the Bible, school, tract, and missionary funds, £2,009, 11s. 2½d., a balance far greater than I ever had had before. This arose not from the fact of unwillingness to spend the means which the Lord had been pleased to intrust me with, but chiefly from the fact that some large donations had come in during the last part of the previous year; and I had not, as a steward who desires to act in the fear of God, had opportunities brought before me to spend all. But much as the balance was, all the various schools, directly or indirectly connected with the Institution, required means; the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and tracts, which objects increase more and more, needed much, in order to enter every suitable open door; and lastly, and especially, the ninety-one preachers of the gospel in various parts of the world, on my list on May 26, 1859, required a large sum to aid them. All these various objects, therefore, needed so much, that the balance, large as it was, would have lasted but a short time, had not the living God, who has been my helper from the beginning, and to whom I have looked, and looked alone, opened, in answer to our prayers, his bountiful hands, and sent in more before the balance was expended; so that, though without any human probability of meeting even one half of the probable expenses in connection with these objects, not only have I been able to meet the whole, but also, so bountifully has God helped,that though the expenses were £1,584, 7s. 3¾d. more than during the preceding year, I had not only enough, but even a larger balance was left than at the end of the previous year.
Jan. 31, 1860. On this day I received a donation of three thousand pounds, of which I took for these objects two thousand pounds. Day by day, during this period also, I had been asking the Lord for means for these objects; and day by day I had been entreating him that he would be pleased to enable me to accomplish during this period as much as during the former one in the way of circulating the Holy Scriptures and tracts, and in aiding missionary operations, though I had no natural prospect whatever of being able to do so. My eyes were alone directed to the living God, who year after year for many years past had allowed me to increase the operations of these three objects, notwithstanding the continual increase of expense in connection with the orphan work; and thus I expected, fully expected, though all appearance was against it, that during this period also I should be again helped by God, the living God. Think, then, Christian reader, how great my spiritual refreshment, when, by this one donation in a great measure, I saw these my daily prayers being again answered. In like manner may you, in your sphere of service, in your family affairs, in your business, in your profession, in your various temporal or spiritual necessities, have your prayers answered.
Dec. 9, 1859. To-day it is twenty-four years since the orphan work commenced. What has God wrought! There have been received since then altogether 1,129 orphans, and during the last two years and two months alone 469, so greatly has the work increased of late. We have now 700 orphans under our care.
Dec. 10. The following letter was received to-day from an apprentice:—