Keswick, Nov. 25, 1847.Dear Mr. Müller:The tender and Almighty care of our loving Father was never more overyou, and indeed over all of us, than in your stay at Mrs. ——’s. Mr. —— was quite deranged for two or three days before you left. Without any control, he had been walking about his room for the last two days and nights, with loaded pistols in his hands. Furthermore, he had taken into his head that you were going to kill him. How gracious of God that he spread his wings over you, and over dear Mrs. Müller, so that Satan could not break through the fence, to hurt even a hair of your heads. Speaking after the manner of men, there was nothing to have hindered him coming into the room, where we were all at tea,[19]and of firing amongst us; but the Lord was our refuge and fortress, and preserved us from danger, which we knew not of. He shot himself in the neck and breast, but is not dead. He has a strait-waistcoat on. I assisted in cutting his clothes off, and in other little offices needed at such a time, and told him of Christ’s love in dying for poor sinners. “I know it,” he said. He shot himself the first time about three o’clock in the morning, and again about seven. What a scene his room presented; pistols lying in gore; bloody knives, lancets, and razors strewed about the floor, etc.
Keswick, Nov. 25, 1847.
Dear Mr. Müller:
The tender and Almighty care of our loving Father was never more overyou, and indeed over all of us, than in your stay at Mrs. ——’s. Mr. —— was quite deranged for two or three days before you left. Without any control, he had been walking about his room for the last two days and nights, with loaded pistols in his hands. Furthermore, he had taken into his head that you were going to kill him. How gracious of God that he spread his wings over you, and over dear Mrs. Müller, so that Satan could not break through the fence, to hurt even a hair of your heads. Speaking after the manner of men, there was nothing to have hindered him coming into the room, where we were all at tea,[19]and of firing amongst us; but the Lord was our refuge and fortress, and preserved us from danger, which we knew not of. He shot himself in the neck and breast, but is not dead. He has a strait-waistcoat on. I assisted in cutting his clothes off, and in other little offices needed at such a time, and told him of Christ’s love in dying for poor sinners. “I know it,” he said. He shot himself the first time about three o’clock in the morning, and again about seven. What a scene his room presented; pistols lying in gore; bloody knives, lancets, and razors strewed about the floor, etc.
I add an extract from a second letter, written by the same Christian brother, because it shows still further how very merciful the Lord was to us at that time, in protecting us.
Mr. —— is still alive, and has been removed by his friends into Yorkshire. It appears, insanity is in his family, his father being at this time in an asylum. It is evident that he had the pistols in his pockets, but of this no one knew until after the occurrence took place. I do not know what time of night you went to bed, but I judge it was about ten. If so, it was at ten o’clock Mr. —— came down from his bedroom, after having been there six hours. Itwas a mercy you did not meet him, as it is plain that he had loaded pistols on his person.
Mr. —— is still alive, and has been removed by his friends into Yorkshire. It appears, insanity is in his family, his father being at this time in an asylum. It is evident that he had the pistols in his pockets, but of this no one knew until after the occurrence took place. I do not know what time of night you went to bed, but I judge it was about ten. If so, it was at ten o’clock Mr. —— came down from his bedroom, after having been there six hours. Itwas a mercy you did not meet him, as it is plain that he had loaded pistols on his person.
Dec. 31, 1847. There have been received into fellowship, during this year, 39; and altogether, since Mr. Craik and I began laboring in Bristol, 1,157, besides the 68 whom we found in fellowship. During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me £412, 18s. 8½d. To this is again to be added the free education of my dear daughter, at a boarding school, worth to us at least fifty pounds.
In April, 1848, I was enabled, by the help of the Lord, to complete all the arrangements for the publication of the Narrative of the Lord’s dealings with me, in the French language; and about September of the same year the book appeared, under the following title: “Exposé de quelques-unes des dispensations de Dieu envers Georges Müller. Paris, librairie Protestante, Rue Tronchet, 2.”
FOOTNOTES:[19]The evening before my departure I had invited a number of believers to tea, to spend some time together in prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures, and in intercourse on spiritual subjects.
[19]The evening before my departure I had invited a number of believers to tea, to spend some time together in prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures, and in intercourse on spiritual subjects.
[19]The evening before my departure I had invited a number of believers to tea, to spend some time together in prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures, and in intercourse on spiritual subjects.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS—DEVISING LIBERAL THINGS—THE ORPHANS PROVIDED FOR—A MEMORABLE DAY—MONEY “AT INTEREST”—MEANS FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE—THE PROGRESS OF THE NEW ORPHAN HOUSE—MEANS PROVIDED FOR ITS COMPLETION—INEXPRESSIBLE DELIGHT IN GOD—REVIEW OF THE TWO YEARS PAST.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS—DEVISING LIBERAL THINGS—THE ORPHANS PROVIDED FOR—A MEMORABLE DAY—MONEY “AT INTEREST”—MEANS FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE—THE PROGRESS OF THE NEW ORPHAN HOUSE—MEANS PROVIDED FOR ITS COMPLETION—INEXPRESSIBLE DELIGHT IN GOD—REVIEW OF THE TWO YEARS PAST.
On the 26th of May, 1848, I had on hand for the Bible, tract, missionary, and school funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, five pounds nineteen shillings sevenpence one farthing; a sum so small, that, without the help of God, I could not have gone on even for a few days; for during this period our average expenditure for one single day, merely for this part of the work, was as much as the whole balance left in hand. Now see how God carried me through, in meeting the expenditure of the thousands of pounds which were laid out for these objects, irrespective of the orphan work, from May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1850.
On the very next day, after the accounts were closed, May 27, 1848, I received from Westmoreland five pounds, being the first donation during this period towards this part of the work, of which sum one half was intended by the donor for the current expenses of the orphans, andthe other half for these objects. On the following day, May 28, was anonymously put into the chapel boxes for missions one shilling sixpence, and twopence. Now it happened so that all the expenses, connected with these objects, during the first two days amounted only to about three pounds, which I was able to meet by what had come in and the balance left in hand; and on May 29 I received one hundred pounds. As the application of this sum was left to me, I took one half of it for the orphans, and the other half for these objects. Thus I was supplied with means to meet the expenses which came on me the following day, May 30, when I had to pay the weekly salaries of the teachers in the day schools.
June 9. Great has been my desire, and many have been my prayers to God, that he would be pleased to condescend to use me still further, in allowing me the privilege of helping brethren who labor in the word and doctrine, at home and abroad, without any salary, as I have been able to do but very little for them comparatively during the last four months. Now at last, in answer to my prayers, I have received this morning one hundred and sixty pounds for home and foreign laborers. The Lord may see it needful, for the trial of our faith, to seem for a season not to regard our supplications; yet, if we patiently and believingly continue to wait upon him, it will be manifest, in his own time and way, that we did not call upon him in vain.
July 12. My soul has been longing for further supplies for home and foreign laborers, to whom I have sent of late all I could. Almost all the letters which I have received from the brethren, to whom I have sent money, have shown to me their great need. Some were in the greatest necessity when my remittances were received by them. Under these circumstances a donation of one hundred and seventeen pounds two shillings sevenpence came in this morning, of which I took fifty pounds for these objects, and sixty-seven pounds two shillings sevenpence for the orphans.
Nov. 9. Only a few shillings were left in my hands on Tuesday evening, the 7th instant, towards the weekly salaries of the teachers, for the coming week. Also, almost all the tracts are again gone, and it is nearly four weeks since I paid out the last money I had in hand for missionary objects. As to this latter point, my heart had been especially longing to be able to send again help to home and foreign laborers, knowing how very great the need of many is. Thus I was situated with regard to means, when I received to-day one thousand pounds.
Since March 5, 1834, I have received above forty-four thousand pounds altogether [up to May 26, 1850, only]; and so has the Lord enlarged the work and helped me that during the last three years I have had the privilege of paying away in his service, in connection with this work, about twenty-five thousand pounds; nor have I had during this period, in any one instance, to meet a payment without being previously provided by the Lord with means for it. If it pleased the Lord to condescend to use me further in this way, he could so order it that even a still larger field of labor were intrusted to me, which would require still greater sums. Truly, it must be manifest to all simple-hearted children of God, who will carefully read the accounts respecting this Institution, that he is most willing to attend to the supplications of his children who in their need cry to him; and to make this manifest is the great object I aim at, through the means of this Institution.
Jan. 2, 1850. The new year commences, even as to this part of the work, with new mercies. There was given to me one hundred and sixty pounds, to be used as might be most needed.
Jan. 30. During this month I had been especially led to send much assistance to home and foreign laborers. Also in other respects the expenses fortheseobjects had been considerable. On this account the funds for them had been reduced to about eighty pounds when I received this evening four hundred and fifty pounds, of which the donor kindly wished me to take fifty pounds for my own personal expenses, to give to brother Craik fifty pounds, and to use the other as might be most needed.
May 3. The work is now large, the outgoings great. During the month were again expended about five hundred pounds for the various objects of the Institution, nor have I any prospect that the expenses will decrease; yea,I have no desire that they should. I have as great satisfaction, as much joy, in writing checks for large amounts upon my bankers, as I have joy in paying over to them checks, or bank orders, or large notes, which I receive from the living God, by means of donors, for this work. For the money is of no more value to me than as I can use it for God; and the more I can pay out for the work of God, the more prospect I have of being again supplied by him; and the larger the sum is which I can obtain from him, in answer to prayer only, the greater the proof of the blessedness and the reality of this mode of dealing directly with the living God for what I need; therefore, I say, I have as much joy in giving out as in receiving. I have been devoting myself, for instance, with all my might, and expending much exertion both of body and mind, but especially by laboring in spirit to have the Orphan House filled with children, not only that thus three hundred destitute orphans, none of whom have either father or mother, might be lodged, boarded, clothed, instructed, and in every way cared for, bodily, mentally, and spiritually;but also in order that thus large sums might be needed and expended, and I might have a greatercall than ever to draw largely upon the inexhaustible treasures of God. That I do not mean, in thus speaking, to say that money so obtained by prayer may be wasted, will scarcely need to be noticed; for if any one would obtain means from God by prayer only, and then waste them, he would soon find that he was not able to pray in faith for further supplies.
When the accounts were closed, on May 26, 1848, I had on hand for the orphans a balance of one pound ten shillings three and three-fourths pence. With this amount then we began, whilst day by day above one hundred and thirty persons were to be provided for in the four Orphan Houses in Wilson Street.
On the very next day, after the accounts were closed, May 27, 1848, I received from Westmoreland five pounds, half of which sum was intended by the donor for the orphans, and half for the other objects. This donation I took as an earnest out of the hands of the living God, that during the whole of this period also he would provide for these many orphans, as he had done in former years.
Nov. 9. Up to date the wants of the orphans have been supplied as heretofore. Yesterday, only five shillings sixpence came in. To-morrow more money will be needed for housekeeping. In this our poverty I received this morning one thousand pounds. The money being left to my disposal as it might be most needed, I took of it six hundred pounds for the building fund, three hundred pounds for missionary purposes and the circulation of Bibles and tracts, and one hundred pounds for present use for the orphans. I have thus the means which are yet needed for this week’s housekeeping expenses, besides being able to meet other heavy expenses which are before me next week.
Feb. 20, 1849. For three months and ten days, since Nov. 9, 1848, the donations had always come in so that weabounded during the whole period, there having been always fresh donations received before all the money in hand was disbursed. The total amount that came in during this period was four hundred and sixty-nine pounds fourteen shillings tenpence. Now to-day there was no money in hand for advancing the amount needed for the next week’s housekeeping. All the money in hand was due for rent, and therefore unavailable, as I never go into debt for anything. In this our need there was given to me this afternoon the sum of two hundred pounds, which was left to my disposal for fitting up the new Orphan House, or for any of the objects in connection with the Scriptural Knowledge Institution that might be in need. As, however, I have all the means for fitting up and furnishing the new Orphan House, as far as I know, and as there is no money in hand for the present use of the orphans, I took one hundred pounds for that object.
March 9. The new Orphan House is now nearly ready. On this account we have to get in large supplies for the children’s clothes. Within the last few days I have ordered thousands of yards of material for this purpose, and thousands more will need to be ordered, besides providing a stock of many other things. For this large sums are needed. Under these circumstances I received to-day a donation of three hundred pounds, to be used for the building fund, or the current expenses of the various objects, just as it might be most required. As I judge that we have all that is needed for the fitting up and furnishing of the house, and as there is more in hand than usual for the missionary objects, the circulation of Bibles and tracts, and for the various schools, and as we have only about sixty pounds for present use for the orphans, towards meeting all the heavy expenses before us, I took the whole of this donation for the orphans, as the donor has kindly left the disposal of the money entirely to me.This donation coming in just now has been an exceedingly great refreshment to my spirit; for it is at the commencement of the great increase of our expenses, in connection with the three hundred orphans, instead of one hundred and twenty, like an earnest from God that he will supply us also with means when the demands for the three hundred will be more than twice as great as they are now. Through this donation I have means to meet all the expense which will be incurred in getting in for the new establishment the stores of provisions, soap, material for clothes, haberdashery, and of the many other articles of which it would be desirable to buy our supplies on wholesale terms. The Lord be praised for his kindness!
June 18. To-day, as the fruit of the prayers of three years and seven months, the children began to be moved from the four Orphan Houses in Wilson Street, Bristol, into the new Orphan House.
June 23. Saturday Evening. This has been indeed a week of great and many and peculiar mercies. All the orphans with their teachers and overseers have been moved into the new Orphan House during Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; so that there are now about one hundred and forty persons under one roof. The Lord has most signally helped. As I had for more than three years sought the help of God concerning all matters connected with the new Orphan House, I did expect his help in this particular also; but he has done beyond my expectations. Though only the day before yesterday the last children were moved in, there is already such a measure of order established in the house, by the help of God, as that things can be done by the minute hands of the timepieces. His name is to be praised for this, and my soul does magnify him for his goodness! Also with regard to temporal supplies for the dear orphans, the Lord has been exceedingly kind. On the secondday of receiving the children, there was sent twenty pounds. On the third day, an individual who walked with me through part of the house said, “These children must consume a great deal of provisions,” and, whilst saying it, took out of his pocket a roll of Bank of England notes to the amount of one hundred pounds, and gave them to me for the orphans. On the same evening I had also sent for the orphans a very large cask of treacle, and for their teachers and overseers six loaves of sugar. Also a cooper made gratuitously two large new casks for treacle. On the next day I received information that about one thousand pounds of rice had been purchased for the orphans, which should be sent. Besides this, several small donations have come in. So bountifully has the Lord been pleased to help of late, that I have not only been able to meet all the extraordinary heavy expenses connected with moving the orphans from Wilson Street into the new Orphan House, filling the stores of the new Orphan House, etc.; but I have more than five hundred pounds in hand to begin housekeeping in the new Orphan House. How true that word that those that trust in the Lord shall not be confounded! After all the many and long-continued seasons of great trial of faith within these thirteen years and two months, during which the orphans were in Wilson Street, the Lord dismisses us from thence in comparative abundance. His holy name be praised for it!
Aug. 30. Received a fifty-pound note with these words: “I send you herewith a fifty-pound note, half for the missions, half for the orphans, unless you are in any personal need; if so, take five pounds for yourself. This will be the last large sum I shall be able to transmit to you. Almost all the rest is alreadyout at interest.” I took half of this fifty pounds for the orphans, and half for missionaries. The writer sold some time since his only earthly possession, and sent me at different times sums of one hundred and twentypounds, of one hundred pounds, of fifty-five pounds, of fifty pounds, and of twenty pounds for the work of the Lord in my hands. When he says, therefore, “the rest is already outat interest,” he means that he has given it away for the Lord, which indeed both for time and eternity is the very best way of using the means with which the Lord may be pleased to intrust us, in so far as, considering in the fear of God all our various claims and duties and relationships, we may do so. As this is written for the spiritual profit of the reader, I cannot but add to this extract from my journal under Aug. 30, 1849, that since that time I have received other donations from the same donor, and much larger still. He used for God the means with which he was pleased to intrust him, and, contrary to this brother’s expectation, the above fifty pounds was not the last large donation; for it pleased God soon after to intrust him with another considerable sum, which he again used for the Lord. This did not at all surprise me; for it is the Lord’s order that, in whatever way he is pleased to make us his stewards, whether as to temporal or spiritual things, if we are indeed acting asstewards, and not asowners, he will make us stewards overmore.
Jan. 9, 1850. To-day was sent to me from the Committee of the Cholera Fund in Bristol, twenty pounds, which the gentlemen constituting it had voted for the benefit of the twenty children who had lost their parents in the cholera, and whom I had received into the new Orphan House.
I had not applied either directly or indirectly for this money; indeed, I was reluctant even to give information as to the number of cholera orphans whom I had received, lest there should be even the appearance as if after all I asked for money, instead of solely trusting in the living God. But some of the gentlemen on the committee, I understand, knowing the fact that I had received manyorphans, made such by means of the cholera, proposed that there should be paid to the Institution a sovereign on account of each such child whom I had received. This sum was especially remarkable to me as a fresh proof of the numberless ways which God has at his command for providing me with means.
I also cannot help noticing the remarkable coincidence that, at the time that God visited this land with the cholera, in 1849, I had so much room for the reception of orphans. The Lord was pleased to allow me the joy and sweet privilege of receiving altogether twenty-six children, from ten months old and upward, who lost their parents in the choleraat that time, and many besides, since then, who were bereaved of their parents through this fearful malady.
At the time when I last referred to theprogressof the new Orphan House, it was being built. A part of it was already roofed in, and the remainder was to be roofed not many weeks afterwards. But how much did there yet remain to be done in other respects! A building so considerable as to contain about three hundred large windows would require, even after it was finished, an immense amount of labor to be fitted up and furnished for three hundred and thirty persons. Then, after this was done, the settling in of the orphans and their teachers, and other overseers, needed still more abundant help. Further, the obtaining of suitable helpers for this part of the work was indeed no small matter. Lastly, though the Lord had been pleased to give me already above eleven thousand pounds for the new Orphan House, yet I needed several thousand pounds more, in order to bring the whole into such a state as might render the building fit for the reception of the orphans. And now, in looking back, and finding that I not only was helped inallthese matters, but alsoin every one of themfar beyond my largest expectations, does it not become me to say to those who love the Lord Jesus, and into whose hands this account may fall: “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” Each one of the foregoing difficulties which still existed on the 26th of May, 1848, was so great, that if only one of them had remained, and I had not been helped, what would have been the result? But while the prospect before me would have been overwhelming had I looked at itnaturally, I was never, even for once, permitted to question what would be the end. For as, from the beginning, I was surethat it was the will of Godthat I should go to the work of building for him this large Orphan House, so also, from the beginning, I was as certain that the whole would be finished as if the building had been already before my natural eyes, and as if the house had been already filled with three hundred destitute orphans. I was therefore of good courage in the midst of an overwhelming pressure of work yet to be done, and very many difficulties yet to be overcome, and thousands of pounds yet needed; and I gave myself still further to prayer, and sought still further to exercise faith on the promises of God. And now the work is done, the difficulties are overcome, all the money that was needed has been obtained, and even more than I needed; and, as to helpers in the work, I have obtained even beyond my expectations and prayers. Nearly seven years have passed away (1856) since the new Orphan House was opened, and about three hundred and thirty persons sit down in it day by day to their meals.
Up to May 26, 1848, I had received altogether towards meeting the expenses connected with the building of the new Orphan House the sum of eleven thousand and sixty-two pounds four shillings elevenpence halfpenny.
Aug. 19. It is this day a twelvemonth since the foundation stone of the new Orphan House was laid, and now the building is up, and almost entirely roofed in. Also part of the inside plastering is already done. How can my soul sufficiently magnify the Lord for all the help which he has been pleased to give since this day twelvemonth! As we are now so far advanced, I have been increasingly entreating God that he would be pleased to give me the means which are yet requisite for fitting up and furnishing the house; for even now I am completely depending upon him for considerable sums to accomplish this. But while much is still needed, I have never had, by God’s grace, the least misgiving as to his willingness to give me all I need; on the contrary, I have been assured that, when I actually required the money for the fittings and the furniture, it would come. And now this day the Lord has again proved to me how willing he is to act according to my faith; for there was given to me this morning eight hundred and eighty-seven pounds, under the kind condition that I should take of it twenty pounds for my own personal expenses, and the rest might be used for the building fund, or the present need of the various objects of the Institution, as it appeared best to me.
Nov. 9. To-day the Lord has helped still more abundantly. I have received a donation of one thousand pounds, to be used for the building fund and the present necessities of the work generally, as the various objects of the Institution might require it.
Jan. 17, 1849. The time is now near when further steps are to be taken to fit up and furnish the house, as more than two thirds of the rooms are all but ready. Under these circumstances I have prayed the more earnestly, day by day, that the Lord would be pleased to give me the means which are yet needed; and as my heart has been assured from the beginning, and all through these three years and two months, since I first began to prayabout this subject, that God would in every way help me in this work, so I have also been particularly satisfied that he would be pleased to provide the means which may be required to meet all the heavy expenses which yet remain to be met. Now, to-day I have had again a precious answer to my daily supplications with reference to this work; for I received this evening six hundred pounds, concerning which it was desired that brother Craik and myself should each take of it fifty pounds for ourselves; the remaining five hundred pounds was left entirely to my disposal; yet an especial reference was made to the heavy expenses connected with fitting up and furnishing the new Orphan House, towards which I might, either in part or entirely, take this sum.
Feb. 12. The new Orphan House is now almost entirely finished. In six weeks, with the help of God, all will be completed. On this account I have been during the last fortnight much occupied in making the necessary arrangements for fitting it up and furnishing it; but the more I have been occupied about this, the more I have seen how large a sum the whole of the fittings and the furniture will require; and this consideration has led me still more earnestly of late to entreat the Lord that he would be pleased to give me the means which may yet be needed for the completion of the whole. Under these circumstances a brother in the Lord came to me this morning, and after a few minutes’ conversation gave me two thousand pounds, concerning which sum he kindly gave me permission to use it for the fitting up and furnishing of the new Orphan House, or for anything else needed in connection with the orphans. I have placed the whole of this sum, at least for the present, to the building fund. Now, dear reader, place yourself in my position. Eleven hundred and ninety-five days it is since I began asking the Lord for means for the building and fitting up of anOrphan House. Day by day have I, by his grace, since that time, continued to bring this matter before him. Without one moment’s doubt, or misgiving, or wavering, have I been enabled to trust in God for the means. From the beginning, after I had once ascertained the will of God concerning this work, have I been assured that he would bring it about; yea, as sure have I been from the beginning that he would do so, as if I had already had all the means in hand for it, or as if the house had been actually before me, occupied by the children. But though to faith even three years ago the whole work was accomplished, to sight there remained many and great difficulties to be overcome. And even at the commencement of this day there remained many difficulties in the way of means, as well as in other respects; and therefore I was on the point of giving myself again especially to prayer, at the very moment when I was informed that the donor of the above-mentioned two thousand pounds had called to see me. Now I have the means, as far as I can see, which will enable me to meet all the expenses; and in all probability I shall have even several hundred pounds more than are needed. Thus the Lord shows that he can and will not only giveas much as is absolutely neededfor his work, but also that he can and will giveabundantly. It is impossible to describe the real joy I had in God when I received this sum. I was calm, not in the least excited, able to go on immediately with other work that came upon me at once after I had received the donation; but inexpressible was the delight which I had in God, who had thus given me the full answer to my thousands of prayers, during these eleven hundred and ninety-five days.
I have thus given a few out of the hundreds of donations, varying from one farthing to two thousand pounds, as specimens, to show how the Lord was pleased to furnish me with the means. The total amount which came in forthe building fund was fifteen thousand seven hundred and eighty-four pounds eighteen shillings tenpence.
After all the expenses had been met for the purchase of the land, the conveyance of the same, the enrolment of the trust-deeds in chancery, the building, fitting up, and furnishing of the new Orphan House, there remained a balance of seven hundred and seventy-six pounds fourteen shillings threepence three farthings, affording a manifest proof that the Lord cannot only supply us with all we need in his service, simply in answer to prayer, but that he can also give us even more than we need.
During the whole of the two years ending May 26, 1850, five day schools, with 329 children in them, were entirely supported by the funds of this Institution; and some pecuniary assistance was rendered to four other day schools. Also a Sunday school, with 168 children, was entirely supported, and another was occasionally assisted. Lastly, an adult school, with 106 adult scholars, was supported during this period. There was expended on these various schools £851, 1s. 5½d., during these two years. The number of all the children that were taught in the day schools, through the medium of this Institution, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1850, amounted to 5,114; the number of those in the Sunday schools amounted to 2,200; and the number of the persons in the adult school to 1,737. In all, 9,051.
From May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1850, were circulated 719 Bibles, and 239 New Testaments. There was expended on this object, during this period, of the funds of the Institution, £104, 15s. 11d. There were circulated altogether from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1850, 6,465 Bibles, and 3,999 New Testaments.
From May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1850, were spent £2,574, 16s. 6d. of the funds of the Institution for missionary objects, whereby forty preachers of the gospel in British Guiana, the East Indies, Switzerland, France, Germany, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, and England, were assisted.
The reader will notice how greatly this object of the Institution was increased during the last four years previous to May 26, 1850. This arose from the fact that, in the early part of 1846, the need of certain brethren who labored in the word and doctrine came before me, and God laid them on my heart to labor for them in prayer, in order that I might obtain means from him for such brethren to a greater extent than I had done before. Ever since then the Lord has been pleased increasingly to use me in this way. For from May 26, 1846, to May 26, 1848, there was spent for that object nearly three times as much as during any former period of the same length; and during the period from May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1850, I was not only allowed to do as much as before, but to expend even £1,016, 5s. more than during the former period, notwithstanding all the many heavy additional expenses for the various other objects of the Institution.
It is my sweet privilege to state that the labors of many of these forty servants of the Lord, whom I assisted, were especially owned of God during these two years. There took place very many conversions through their instrumentality.
From May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1850, the sum of £184, 9s. 4½d. was expended on the circulation of tracts. There were circulated during this period 130,464 tracts. The total number which was circulated from Nov. 19, 1840, up to May 26, 1850, amounted to 294,128.
From July 24, 1849, up to May 26, 1850, altogether 170 orphans were received, from ten months old and upwards. On May 26, 1850, there were, therefore, 275 orphans in the new Orphan House; and with the teachers, overseers,nurses, and in-door and out-door servants, etc., the whole number of persons connected with the establishment was 308. The total number of orphans who were under our care from April, 1836, up to May 26, 1850, was 443.
Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me, the sum of £33,868, 11s. 1¼d. was given to me for the orphans,as the result of prayer to God, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1850. It may be also interesting to the reader to know that the total amount which was given as free contributions, for the other objects, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1850, amounted to £10,531, 3s. 3¾d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and tracts, and by the payments of the children in the schools, up to May 26, 1850, amounted to £2,707, 9s. 3½d.
The total of the current expenses for the orphans from May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1849, was £1,559, 6s. 9d., and the total of the current expenses for them from May 26, 1849, to May 26, 1850, was only £2,665, 13s. 2¾d.,i. e.only about £1,100 more than the previous year.
As to matters connected with my own personal affairs, from May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1850:—
Dec. 31, 1848. During this year the Lord was pleased to give me £474, 17s. 7d. To this is again to be added, for this year also, as before stated, the free education of my daughter at a boarding-school, worth at least £50.
Dec. 31, 1849. The Lord sent me, during the past year, £413, 2s. 4d.
PAST MERCIES AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO NEW UNDERTAKINGS—A HOUSE FOR SEVEN HUNDRED ORPHANS PROPOSED—WALKING BY FAITH—COUNSEL SOUGHT FROM GOD—THE PURPOSE FORMED—DELIGHT IN THE MAGNITUDE AND DIFFICULTY OF THE DESIGN.
PAST MERCIES AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO NEW UNDERTAKINGS—A HOUSE FOR SEVEN HUNDRED ORPHANS PROPOSED—WALKING BY FAITH—COUNSEL SOUGHT FROM GOD—THE PURPOSE FORMED—DELIGHT IN THE MAGNITUDE AND DIFFICULTY OF THE DESIGN.
December 5, 1850. It is now sixteen years and nine months this evening since I began the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad. This Institution was in its beginning exceedingly small. Now it is so large that I have not only disbursed, since its commencement, about fifty thousand pounds sterling, but that also the current expenses, after the rate of the last months, amount to above six thousand pounds a year. I did “open my mouth wide,” this very evening fifteen years ago, and the Lord has filled it. The new Orphan House is now inhabited by three hundred orphans; and there are altogether three hundred and thirty-five persons connected with it. My labor is abundant. The separation from my dear wife and child is great, on account of my being the greater part of the day at the new Orphan House; sometimes also by night. But notwithstanding all this, I have again and again thought about laboring more than ever in serving poor orphans. Within the last tendays this matter has much occupied my mind, and for the last five days I have had much prayer about it. It has passed through my mind to build another Orphan House, large enough for seven hundred orphans, so that I might be able to care for one thousand altogether. The points which have led me to this thought are: 1. The many distressing cases of children, bereaved ofbothparents, who have no helper. I have received two hundred and seven orphans within the last sixteen months, and have now seventy-eight waiting for admission, without having vacancies for any. I had about sixty children waiting for admission about sixteen months since, so about two hundred and thirty children have been applied for within these sixteen months. But, humanly speaking, for the next sixteen months the number of applications will be far greater, as the work is now so much more widely known; except it be that persons may hear that the new Orphan House is quite full, and on that account may consider it useless to apply. 2. The constitution of most other charitable institutions for orphans makes the admission of a really destitute orphan,i. e.a child bereaved ofbothparents, andwithout an influential friend, very difficult, if not hopeless; for the admission by means of the votes of the donors precludesreally poorpersons from having, in most instances, the benefit of these institutions, as they cannot give the time nor expend the money necessary for obtaining such votes. I have myself seen that certain candidates had several thousand votes. The necessity of this arrangement being continued may be much regretted by many who are connected with such institutions, but they have no power to alter it. In our case, nothing is needed but application to me; and thevery poorest person, without influence, without friends, without any expense, no matter where he lives, or of whatever religious denomination, who applies for children born in lawful wedlock,bereaved ofbothparents, and in destitute circumstances, may procure their admission. Now, as the new poor-law is against giving relief to relatives for orphan children out of the poor-houses; and as there is such a difficulty for really poor people to get their orphan relatives admitted into ordinary orphan establishments; I feel myself particularly called upon to be the friend of the orphan, by making an easy way for admission,provided it is really a destitute case. 3. The confidence which God has caused thousands of his children to repose in me calls upon me to make use of it to the utmost of my power, and to seek yet more largely to be their almoner. 4. The experience which I have had in this service now for fifteen years, during which time I have gone from the smallest commencement of the work to the having at present three hundred orphans under my care, calls upon me to make use of this my experience to the utmost of my power. No member of a committee, no president of a society, could possibly have the same experience, except he himself had practically been engaged in such a work for a number of years, as I have been. 5. This very experience makes things light to me, under God’s help, which were difficult to me formerly, and which would be very difficult now to many: might I not therefore proceed still further? 6. If seven hundred more young souls could be brought under regular godly training (and their number would be renewed from time to time), what blessed service for the kingdom of Christ, and what profitable expenditure of labor, too, with the blessing of God, even for this realm, in a civil and moral point of view! 7. But that which outweighs every one of these six reasons is, lastly, this: I began this orphan work fifteen years ago for the very purpose of illustrating to the world and to the church that there is verily a God in heaven who hears prayer; that God is the living God. Now, this last object is more andmore fully accomplished the larger the work is, provided I am helped in obtaining the means simply through prayer and faith.
But whilst such like thoughts have passed through my mind, there are others of another character. For instance: 1. I have already an abundance of work. 2. My dear wife has already an abundance of work. Her whole time, with little intermission (except for prayer and reading of the Word of God), is occupied, directly or indirectly, about the orphans. 3. Am I not undertaking too much for my bodily strength and my mental powers, by thinking about another Orphan House? 4. Am I not going beyond the measure of my faith in thinking about enlarging the work so as to double or treble it? 5. Is not this a delusion of Satan, an attempt to cast me down altogether from my sphere of usefulness, by making me to go beyond my measure? 6. Is it not also, perhaps, a snare to puff me up, in attempting to build a very large Orphan House?
Under these circumstances I can only pray that the Lord in his tender mercy would not allow Satan to gain an advantage over me. By the grace of God my heart says,—Lord, if I could be sure that it is thy will that I should go forward in this matter, I would do so cheerfully; and, on the other hand, if I could be sure that these are vain, foolish, proud thoughts, that they are not from thee, I would, by thy grace, hate them, and entirely put them aside.
My hope is in God; he will help me and teach me. Judging, however, from his former dealings with me, it would not be a strange thing to me, nor surprising, if he called me to labor yet still more largely in this way.
The thoughts about enlarging the orphan work have not arisen on account of an abundance of money having lately come in; for I have had of late to wait for about seven weeks upon God, whilst little, very little comparatively, came in,i. e.about four times as much was going out as came in; and, had not the Lord previously sent me large sums, we should have been distressed indeed.
Lord, how can thy servant know thy will in this matter? Wilt thou be pleased to teach him?
Dec. 11. During the last six days, since writing the above, I have been, day after day, waiting upon God concerning this matter. It has generally been more or less all the day on my heart. When I have been awaking at night, it has not been far from my thoughts. Yet all this without the least excitement. I am perfectly calm and quiet respecting it. My soul would be rejoiced to go forward in this service, could I be sure that the Lord would have me to do so; for then, notwithstanding the numberless difficulties, all would be well, and his name would be magnified.
On the other hand, were I assured that the Lord would have me to be satisfied with my present sphere of service, and that I should not pray about enlarging the work, by his grace I could,without an effort, cheerfully yield to it; for he has brought me into such a state of heart that I only desire to please him in this matter. Moreover, hitherto I have not spoken about this thing even to my beloved wife, the sharer of my joys and sorrows and labors for more than twenty years; nor is it likely that I shall do so for some time to come; for I prefer quietly waiting on the Lord, without conversing on this subject, in order that thus I may be kept the more easily, by his blessing, from being influenced by things from without. The burden of my prayer concerning this matter is, that the Lord would not allow me to make a mistake, and that he would teach me his will. As to outward things, I have had nothing to encourage me during these six days, but the very reverse; for the income for the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroadhas been unusually small, only six pounds fourteen shillings altogether, while the outgoings have been one hundred and thirty-three pounds eleven shillings sevenpence. But all this would not weigh the least with me, could I be quite sure that the Lord would have me to go forward.
The especial burden of my prayer, therefore, is, that God would be pleased to teach me his will. My mind has also been especially pondering how I could know his will satisfactorily concerning this particular. Sure I am that I shall be taught. I therefore desire to patiently wait for the Lord’s time, when he shall be pleased to shine on my path concerning this point.
Dec. 26. Fifteen days have elapsed since I wrote the preceding paragraph. Every day since then I have continued to pray about this matter, and that with a goodly measure of earnestness, by the help of God. There has passed away scarcely an hour during these days in which, whilst awake, this matter has not been more or less before me; but all without even a shadow of excitement. I converse with no one about it. Hitherto have I not even done so with my dear wife. From this I refrain still, and deal with God alone about the matter, in order that no outward influence and no outward excitement may keep me from attaining unto a clear discovery of his will. I have the fullest and most peaceful assurance that he will clearly show me his will. This evening I have had again an especial solemn season for prayer, to seek to know the will of God. But whilst I continue to entreat and beseech the Lord that he would not allow me to be deluded in this business, I may say that I have scarcely any doubt remaining on my mind as to what will be the issue, even that I should go forward in this matter. As this, however, is one of the most momentous steps that I have ever taken, I judge that I cannot go about this matter with too much caution, prayerfulness, and deliberation. I am in no hurryabout it. I could wait for years, by God’s grace, were this his will, before even taking one single step towards this thing, or even speaking to any one about it; and, on the other hand, I would set to work to-morrow, were the Lord to bid me do so. This calmness of mind, this having no will of my own in the matter, this only wishing to please my heavenly Father in it, this only seeking his and not my honor in it; this state of heart, I say, is the fullest assurance to me that my heart is not under a fleshly excitement, and that if I am helped thus to go on I shall know the will of God to the full. But, while I write thus, I cannot but add, at the same time, that I do crave the honor and the glorious privilege to be more and more used by the Lord. I have served Satan much in my younger years, and I desire now with all my might to serve God during the remaining days of my earthly pilgrimage. I am forty-five years and three months old. Every day decreases the number of days that I have to stay on earth. I therefore desire with all my might to work. There are vast multitudes of orphans to be provided for. About five years ago a brother in the Lord told me that he had seen, in an official report, that there were at that time six thousand young orphans in the prisons of England. My heart longs to be instrumental in preventing such young orphans from having to go to prison. I desire to be used by the Lord as an instrument in providing all the necessary temporal supplies, not only for the three hundred now under my care, but for seven hundred more. I desire to alleviate yet further the sufferings of poor dying widows, when looking on their helpless orphans about to be left behind. I desire yet further to assist poor persons to whom destitute orphans are left, and who are unable to provide for them. I desire to be allowed to provide scriptural instruction for a thousand orphans, instead of doing so for three hundred. I desire to expound the Holy Scriptures regularly to athousand orphans, instead of doing so to three hundred. I desire that thus it may be yet more abundantly manifest that God is still the hearer and answerer of prayer, and that he is the living God now, as he ever was and ever will be, when he shall, simply in answer to prayer, have condescended to provide me with a house for seven hundred orphans, and with means to support them. This last consideration is the most important point in my mind. The Lord’s honor is the principal point with me in this whole matter; and just because that is the case, if he would be more glorified by my not going forward in this business, I should, by his grace, be perfectly content to give up all thoughts about another Orphan House. Surely, in such a state of mind, obtained by thy Holy Spirit, thou, O my heavenly Father, wilt not suffer thy child to be mistaken, much less to be deluded! By the help of God I shall continue further, day by day, to wait upon him in prayer concerning this thing till he shall bid me act.
January 2, 1851. A week ago I wrote the preceding paragraph. During this week I have still been helped, day by day, and more than once every day, to seek the guidance of the Lord about another Orphan House. The burden of my prayer has still been, that he in his great mercy would keep me from making a mistake. During the last week the Book of Proverbs has come in the course of my Scripture reading, and my heart has been refreshed, in reference to this subject, by the following passages: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Prov. iii. 5, 6. By the grace of God I do acknowledge the Lord in my ways, and in this thing in particular; I have therefore the comfortable assurance that he will direct my paths concerning this part of my service, as to whether I shall be occupied in it or not. Further: “The integrity of theupright shall preserve them; but the perverseness of fools shall destroy them.” Prov. xi. 3. By the grace of God I am upright in this business. My honest purpose is to get glory to God. Therefore I expect to be guided aright. Further: “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Prov. xvi. 3. I do commit my works unto the Lord; I therefore expect that my thoughts will be established. My heart is more and more coming to a calm, quiet, and settled assurance that the end will be that the Lord will condescend to use me yet further in the orphan work. Here, Lord, is thy servant!
Jan. 14. Twelve days have passed away since I wrote the last paragraph. I have still day by day been enabled to wait upon the Lord with reference to my enlarging the orphan work. I have been during the whole of this period also in perfect peace, which is the result of seeking in this thing only the Lord’s honor and the temporal and spiritual benefit of my fellow-men. Without an effort could I, by his grace, put aside all thoughts about this whole affair, could I be only assured that it is the will of God that I should do so; and, on the other hand, at once would I go forward, if he would have it to be so. I have still kept this matter entirely to myself. Though it is now about seven weeks since day by day, more or less, my mind has been exercised about it, and since I have daily prayed concerning it, yet not one human being knows of it. As yet I have not mentioned it even to my dear wife, in order that thus, by quietly waiting upon the Lord, I might not be influenced by what might be said to me on the subject. This evening I have particularly set apart for prayer, beseeching the Lord once more not to allow me to be mistaken in this thing, and much less to be deluded by the devil. I have also sought to let all the reasonsagainstbuilding another Orphan House, and all the reasonsfordoing so, pass before my mind; and I now, for the sake of clearness and definiteness, write them down.
Reasonsagainstestablishing another Orphan House for Seven Hundred Orphans.—1. Would not this be going beyond my measurespiritually? according to that word: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Rom. xii. 3. Answer: If the Lord were to leave me to myself, the tenth part of the difficulties and trials which befall me now in connection with the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad would be enough to overwhelm me; but, whilst he is pleased to sustain me, I am able day by day to pass on peacefully, and am carried through one difficulty after the other: and thus, by God’s help, even with my present measure of faith, if continued to me, I should be enabled to bear up under other difficulties and trials; but I look for an increase of faith with every fresh difficulty through which the Lord is pleased to help me.
2. Would it not be going beyond my measurenaturally, with reference to mental and bodily strength? Answer: Of all the objections against establishing another Orphan House, there is none that weighs more with me than this one; I might say, it is the only real difficulty. This, however, too, I am enabled to put aside and to overcome thus: By husbanding my strength, by great order, by regular habits, by lightening the work as much as possible, by using every help that I can, I have been enabled to get through a vast quantity of work. My immense correspondence of about three thousand letters a year I have been enabled to accomplish without a secretary. The whole management and direction and the whole vast correspondence of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution has devolved uponmyself alone these sixteen years and ten months, and I have been thinking that, by seeking for an efficient secretary, and an efficient clerk, and an inspector of the schools, I might, with God’s help, accomplish yet more, though much of what I have been doing hitherto would need to be done by others. There have been several other arrangements brought before my mind, since I have been exercised about this matter, whereby, with the blessing of God, the work might be lightened. I should certainly need efficient helpers to carry out the plans before me; but with such, I, as director, might be enabled, by God’s help, to accomplish yet more.
3. There must be a limit to my work and service. Answer: That is true, and if I were quite sure that the present state of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution were to be the limit, I would at once lay aside this thing; but I am not sure that I am come as yet to God’s limit. All these sixteen years and ten months the work has been constantly progressing, and the Lord has helped me continually; and now my mind is just in the same way exercised as when, fifteen years ago, I began the orphan work, and as when, thirteen years ago, I enlarged the orphan work, and as when, seven years and nine months since, I still further enlarged the orphan work, and as when, five years and two months since, I was led to decide on building the new Orphan House. Under these circumstances, having been helped through all these difficulties, and seeing such a vast field of usefulness before me, and as I have so many applications for the admission of very destitute orphans, I long to be used still further, and cannot say that as yet the Lord has brought me to his limit.
4. Is it not like “tempting God,” to think of building another Orphan House for seven hundred more orphans? Answer: “Tempting God” means, according to the HolyScriptures, to limit him in any of his attributes; I, by his grace, do not wish to limit his power or his willingness to give to me, his poor servant, simply in answer to prayer, all the means and every other help and blessing which I shall need to build another large Orphan House.
5. You will not get the means for building and fitting up so large an Orphan House; and, even if you did, how will you,at the same time, get the means for carrying on the work which already exists? Answer: Looking at the matternaturally, this is indeed a weighty objection.
The new Orphan House, with its three hundred orphans only, cost about fifteen thousand pounds to build and to fit up and furnish, and still the expenses are not all met even now. It will, in all probability, cost several hundred pounds yet. And this large sum was needed, though the style of the building is most simple, and though the field in which it was built was comparatively cheap. After this rate, a building to accommodate seven hundred orphans, with the necessary ground attached to it for the cultivation of the vegetables used in the Institution, could not be less than thirty-five thousand pounds. Now, looking at it naturally, where is this great sum to come from? Though I looked at all my friends who have given hitherto, and several have done so very liberally, yet I should have no natural prospect whatever that I should receive this amount; especially if it be kept in mind that I should need six or seven thousand pounds besides, every year, for carrying onthat which is already in existence. I might, therefore, well tremble, looking at the matter naturally, and say, I shall never have the money for this intended Orphan House for seven hundred children; for where is this large sum of thirty-five thousand pounds to come from? And even if I were to get the money, will not persons, in giving means for such a building fund, take it away from what they might have given me for carrying on the work which exists already?But whilst thus,naturally, I have no hope of succeeding, I am not in the least discouragedspiritually; for by faith in the living God I say this: He has the power to give me this thirty-five thousand pounds, and much more were it needed; and he has the power, in the mean time, to give me also all the large sums required, week after week, for meeting the current expenses for the present state of the work. Moreover, I delight in the greatness of the difficulty as it respects the large sum needed for building and fitting up such an establishment; for I desire to be most fully assured, from the very outset, that I go forward in this matter according to the Lord’s bidding. If so, he will give me the means; if not, I shall not have them. Nor do I mean to apply to any one personally for pecuniary help, but purpose to give myself to prayer for means, as heretofore.
6. Suppose, now, you were even to succeed in getting this large Orphan House built, how will you be able to provide for seven hundred other orphans? Answer: There is much weight in this objection, looking at itnaturally. I am too much a man of business, and too much a person of calm, quiet, cool calculation, not to feel its force. And indeed, were I only to look at the thingnaturally, I should at once be ready to own that I am going too far; for the increase of expenditure for the support of these seven hundred other orphans could not be less than eight thousand pounds a year more, so that the current expenses of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, reckoning its present state, and including those eight thousand pounds, would be about fifteen thousand pounds a year. Now I am free to own that I have no human prospect of obtaining such a sum year by year. But while matters stand thus, looking at themnaturally, I see no difficulty at all in themspiritually. If according to the will of God I am enabled to go about this intended secondOrphan House; and if, under his help, I shall be enabled to finish it; he will surely provide for those who are gathered together in it as long as he shall be pleased to enable me to trust in him for supplies. And here I look back upon the way in which the Lord has led me and dealt with me. When, about seventeen years ago, I took up, in dependence upon the living God for means, two charity schools, with which the Scriptural Knowledge Institution commenced (and this involved an expense of less than one hundred pounds a year), I had no certain prospect of being able to meet even that small sum; but God so helped me that I had shortlysixcharity schools. He helped me then, also, and enabled me to meet all their expenses. When, fifteen years ago, I began the orphan work, which was connected with far heavier expenses, I had still less prospect, according to natural reason, of being able to meetthem; but I trusted in God, and he helped me, and he not only enabled me to meet the current expenses of thirty orphans in the first house rented for them, but enabled me also soon to open another for thirty-six more, and I was also enabled to meet all those expenses; for as I had begun in faith in the living God, and not in putting my trust in my brethren in Christ, so I was not confounded. After I had gone on some time with these orphans in the two rented houses, about thirteen years ago the Lord was pleased greatly to encourage me and to increase my faith by a donation of five hundred pounds for the orphans; for up to that period I had never received more than one hundred pounds at once. But this kind donor, a stranger to me up to that time, suggested to me the propriety of investing this sum and using only the interest of it, as I could not expect to have the orphans supported for a continuance in the way they had been till then; for that such institutions must depend upon regular subscriptions or funded property, otherwise they could notgo on. As, however, this was only a friendly hint, and no condition under which the money was given, I took this five hundred pounds towards fitting up a third house, for the reception of thirty more orphans. From that time the work has been increasing more and more, till it has come to what it is at present. Now, suppose I had said, seventeen years ago, looking at matters according to natural reason, “The two charity schools are enough, I must not go any further;” then the work would have stopped there. Or, if I had had a little more trust in my exertions or my friends, I might have taken at the utmost one or two steps further. Instead of this, however, I looked in no degree whatever at things according to my natural fallen reason, and I trusted not in the circle of my Christian friends, but in the living God; and the result has been that there have been since 1834 ten thousand souls under our instruction in the various day schools, Sunday schools, and adult schools; several hundred orphans have been brought up, and many of them from their very tenderest infancy; several hundred thousand tracts and many thousand copies of the Word of God have been circulated; about forty preachers of the gospel at home and abroad have been, for several years, assisted in connection with the Scriptural Knowledge Institution; and a house has been built and fitted up for the accommodation of three hundred destitute orphans, each of whom has neither father nor mother. How blessed therefore is it to trust in God, and in him alone, and not in circumstances nor friends! There is, however, one thing which I must record here, because it has taken place since I last wrote in my journal on this subject, on January 2. It is this. During these twelve days I have received for the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, in smaller donations, sixty-four pounds fifteen shillings sixpence two farthings, also a donation of one hundred and fifty pounds, and one of threethousand pounds. Is not this a plain proof that God is both able and willing to help simply in answer to prayer? Is not human reason confounded by such instances? When I first began to write these exercises of my mind about another Orphan House, I knew not that on January 4, I should receive a donation of three thousand pounds; yet I was fully assured that God was able to support one thousand orphans as easily as he did the thirty whom I first received in a rented house. Does he not, however, tell me by all this, Go forward, my servant, and I will help thee?
7. But, it might be said, suppose you were able by prayer to obtain this large sum for building a house for seven hundred other orphans; and suppose you were able to provide for them during your lifetime,—what would become of this Institution after your death? Answer: I am quite familiar with this objection. I have heard it many times as a reason against the way of obtaining the means for the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, simply by trusting in God, without any funded property, and without looking to regular subscribers; but my reply is this. My business is, with all my might to serve my own generation; in doing so I shall best serve the next generation, should the Lord Jesus tarry. Soon he may come again; but, if he tarry, and I have to fall asleep before his return, I shall not have been altogether without profit to the generation to come, were the Lord only to enable me to serve my own generation. Suppose this objection were a sound one, I ought never to have commenced the orphan work at all, for fear of what might become of it after my death, and thus all the hundreds of destitute children without father and mother, whom the Lord has allowed me to care for during the last fifteen years, would not have been taken up by me. The same argument was again and again used to Franké, my esteemed countryman, who at Hallé, in Prussia, commenced, abouta. d.1696, the largest charitable establishment for poor children that, as far as I know, exists in the world. He trusted in God alone. He went on trusting in God alone. And God helped him throughout abundantly. Simply by trust in the living God, the Institutions, resembling a large street rather than a house, were erected, and about two thousand children instructed in them. For about thirty years all was going on under his own eye, until 1727, when it pleased God to take his servant to himself. At his death these Institutions were directed by his truly pious son-in-law. It is true that, at the latter part of the last century, and during the first part of the present, there was little real vital godliness in these Institutions; still, they were a temporal blessing to many tens of thousands of young persons even then. So then for several tens of years they were carried on in a truly godly way, after Franké’s death, and when afterwards there was but little real, vital godliness found in these schools, yet tens of thousands of children were benefited at least for this life. Now these Institutions have existed already one hundred and fifty years, and are in existence still; and, if the Lord Jesus tarry, are likely, humanly speaking, to exist hereafter, as they have existed hitherto. Suppose, then, that dear man of God, A. H. Franké, had listened to the suggestions of unbelief, and said, I must not undertake this work, for what will become of it after my death?—then all the blessing which spiritually resulted from it to thousands, and all the temporal benefits which have resulted from it to hundreds of thousands, would have been lost. I add, however, this. The new Orphan House has been placed in the hands of eleven trustees, and has been properly enrolled in chancery, and so also, should God condescend to honor me further in building for him this intended house for seven hundred orphans, it would likewise be placed in the hands of trustees and enrolled in chancery. I say oneword in conclusion on this subject: let every one take heed lest, in caring about what will become of the next generation, he forget to serve his own generation. The latter, each one should seek to do with his might, and thus it should be with each succeeding generation; then, though we be dead, yet should we be speaking. A. H. Franké is long since gone to his rest, but he spoke to my soul in 1826, and he is speaking to my soul now; and to his example I am greatly indebted in having been stirred up to care about poor children in general, and about poor orphans in particular.
8. The last objection which has occurred to my own mind is, that, by building another Orphan House, I should be in danger of being lifted up. Answer: I should be in danger of it indeed; and so I am in great danger, even were I not in the least degree to go forward. Yea, the tenth part of the honor which the Lord has condescended to bestow upon me, and the tenth part of service with which he has been pleased to intrust me, would be enough, if I were left to myself, exceedingly to puff me up. I cannot say that hitherto the Lord has kept me humble; but I can say that hitherto he has given me a hearty desire to give to him all the glory, and to consider it a great condescension on his part that he has been pleased to use me as an instrument in his service. I do not see, therefore, that fear of being lifted up ought to keep me from going forward in this work; but that I have rather to beseech the Lord that he would be pleased to give me a lowly mind, and never suffer me to rob him of the glory which is due to him alone.
Reasonsforestablishing another Orphan House for Seven Hundred Orphans.—1. The many applications for the admission of destitute orphans which continue to be made, I consider as a call from God upon me to do all that is in my power to provide a home and scripturaleducation for a still greater number of orphans. Nothing but positive inability to go forward ought to keep me standing still, whilst I have almost daily fresh entreaties to receive orphans. Since I began writing on this subject in my journal, thirty more orphans have been applied for, from two years old and upward. I cannot refuse to help, as long as I see a door open, and opened by God, as I consider, to help them.
2. The moral state of the poor-houses greatly influences me to go forward. I have heard it again and again, from good authority, that children, placed at the Unions, are corrupted, on account of the children of vagrants, and other very bad young people, who are in such places; so that many poor relatives of orphans, though unable to provide for them, cannot bear the idea of their going there, lest they should be corrupted. I therefore judge that, even for the sake of keeping orphans of poor yet respectable people from being obliged to mix with the children of vagabonds, I ought to do, to my utmost power, all I can to help them. For this reason, then, I purpose, in dependence upon the living God, to go forward and to establish another Orphan House for seven hundred destitute children, who are bereaved of both parents. When I write thus about the poor-houses, I do not wish to be understood in the way of reproof: for I know not how these matters could be altered; but I simply state the fact that thus it is.
3. In this my purpose I am the more confirmed, since I know it to be a fact that the Orphan Houses already in existence in the kingdom are by no means sufficient to admiteven the most deserving and distressing cases, and far less all that it would be well to provide for. Moreover, there is great difficulty connected with the admission of an orphan into most of the ordinary orphan establishments, on account of the votes which must be obtained, so thatreallyneedy persons have neither time nor money to obtain them. Does not the fact that there were six thousand young orphans in the prisons of England about five years ago call aloud for an extension of orphan institutions? By God’s help I will try to do what I can to keep poor orphans from prison.
4. In this purpose I am still further encouraged by the great help which the Lord has hitherto given me in this blessed service. When I look at the small beginning, and consider how the Lord has helped me now for more than fifteen years in the orphan work; and when I consider how he has been pleased to help me through one great difficulty after another; and when I consider, especially, how, as with an unseen hand, I might say almost against my will and former desires and thoughts, he has led me on from one step to another, and has enlarged the work more and more,—I say, when I review all this, and compare with it my present exercise of mind, I find the great help, the uninterrupted help which the Lord has given me for more than fifteen years, a great reason for going forward in this work. And this, trusting in him, I am resolved to do.
5. A further reason for going forward in this service I see in the experience which I have had in it. From the smallest commencement up to the present state of the establishment, with its three hundred orphans, all has gone through my own hands. In the work itself I obtained the experience.Ithas grownwith the work. I have been the sole director of the work, under God, from its smallest commencement. Now this is not an every-day case. No committee member of a society, no president or vice-president of an institution, except they had been situated as myself, could have this experience. Coupled with this is the measure of gift which the Lord has been pleased to give me for such work, and for the exercise of which I amresponsible to him. These things, in connection with the former reasons, it appears to me, are a call from God to go forward in a greater degree than ever in this work.
6. The spiritual benefit of still more orphans is another especial reason with me why I feel called to go forward. The orphans who have been under my care hitherto were almost all the children of parents who were naturally weak in body, if not consumptive. The very fact of a child being deprived ofbothparents when four, five, six, or seven years old, shows that, except the parents lost their lives by casualty, they were constitutionally weak. On this account young orphans, generally speaking, require particular care as to their health. In this respect I desire to care for them; but there is more than that to be attended to. I further heartily desire to keep them from the corrupting and demoralizing effect of the lowest sort of children in the streets and courts and Unions. But I desire more for them than mere decency and morality; I desire that they should be useful members of society, and that the prisons of the United Kingdom should not be filled with poor, destitute, and homeless orphans; and we bring them up therefore in habits of industry, and seek to instruct them in those things which are useful for the life that now is. But I desire more than this for the orphans. I cannot be satisfied with anything concerning them short of this, that their souls be won for the Lord. For this reason I long to have them from their early days, yea, the younger the better, under my care, that thus, under the care of godly nurses and teachers, they may be brought up from their earliest days in the fear of the Lord. Now, as this is the chief and primary aim concerning the dear orphans, even the salvation of their souls through faith in the Lord Jesus, I long to be more extensively used than hitherto, even that I may have a thousand of them instead of three hundred under my care.