A Narrative of some of the Lord's Dealings with George Muller Volume IV Part 15

Nov. 14. By sale of articles 12s.--This evening I received a small morocco case, containing a gold chain, a pair of gold ear-rings, and a gold brooch (being a set), with the following letter enclosed:

"Beloved Brother in Jesus,

The contents of the accompanying casket being in my unconverted days a wedding gift from a very dear husband, has, as you may suppose, been hither-to preserved as beyond price. But since G.o.d, in His great mercy revealed to my soul His exceeding riches in Christ, and gave to it more (Oh, how much more!) than He has taken away, they seemed as the Babylonish garment or wedge of gold, which ought not to be in the Israelites' possession. I therefore give up that which the flesh would fain keep, and still prize; but which the spirit rejects, as unworthy a follower of Jesus. Accept then, dear Brother, those toys, once the pride of life, and the food of folly; and use them for the building of the Orphan-House, in which I feel it a privilege to lay one stone; and may the Lord recompense you a hundred fold, yea, a thousand fold, in this your great labour of love, is the prayer of yours affectionately in the best of bonds.

----November 1846. A Sister and a Widow."

The gift was precious to me as a proof of the continued readiness of my Heavenly Father to help me in this work; but doubly so, on account of the circ.u.mstances under which it was given, and on account of the state of mind in which the anonymous donor had given these ornaments.

Nov. 19. I am now led more and more to importune the Lord to send me the means, which are requisite in order that I may be able to commence the building. Because 1, It has been for some time past publicly stated in print, that I allow it is not without ground that some of the inhabitants of Wilson Street consider themselves inconvenienced by the Orphan-Houses being in that street, and I long therefore to be able to remove the Orphans from thence as soon as possible. 2, I become more and more convinced, that it would be greatly for the benefit of the children, both physically and morally, with G.o.d's blessing, to be in such a position as they are intended to occupy, when the New Orphan-House shall have been built. And 3, because the number of very poor and dest.i.tute Orphans, that are waiting for admission, is so great, and there are constantly fresh applications made.--Now whilst, by G.o.d's grace, I would not wish the building to be begun one single day sooner than is His will; and whilst I firmly believe, that He will give me, in His own time every shilling which I need; yet I also know, that He delights in being earnestly entreated, and that He takes pleasure in.

the continuance in prayer, and in the importuning Him, which so clearly is to be seen from the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. Luke xviii. 1-8. For these reasons I gave myself again particularly to prayer last evening, that the Lord would send further means, being also especially led to do so, in addition to the above reasons, because there had come in but little comparatively, since the 29th of last month. This morning, between five and six o'clock I prayed again, among other points, about the Building Fund, and then had a long season for the reading of the word of G.o.d. In the course of my reading I came to Mark xi. 24, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." The importance of the truth contained in this portion I have often felt and spoken about; but this morning I felt it again most particularly, and, applying it to the New Orphan-House, said to the Lord: "Lord I believe that Thou wilt give me all I need for this work. I am sure that I shall have all, because I believe that I receive in answer to my prayer." Thus, with the heart full of peace concerning this work, I went on to the other part of the chapter, and to the next chapter. After family prayer I had again my usual season for prayer with regard to all the many parts of the work, and the various necessities thereof, asking also blessings upon my fellow-labourers, upon the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, and upon the precious souls in the Adult School, the Sunday Schools, the Six Day Schools, and the four Orphan-Houses. Amidst all the many things I again made my requests about means for the Building. And now observe: About five minutes, after I had risen from my knees, there was given to me a registered letter, containing a check for 300l., of which 280l. are for the Building Fund, 10l. for my own personal expenses, and 10l. for Brother Craik. The Lord's holy name be praised for this precious encouragement, by which the Building Fund is now increased to more than six thousand pounds.

Dec. 9. It is now Four Hundred Days, since day after day, I have been waiting upon G.o.d for help with regard to the building of the Orphan-House; but as yet He keeps me still in the trial of faith and patience. He is still saying as it were, "Mine hour is not yet come."

Yet He does sustain me in continuing to wait upon Him. By His grace my faith is not in the least shaken; but I am quite sure that He, in His own time, will give me everything which I need concerning this work. How I shall be supplied with the means which are yet requisite, and when, I know not; but I am sure that G.o.d will help me in His own time and way.

In the mean time I have abundant reason to praise G.o.d, that I am not waiting on Him in vain; for since this day twelvemonth He has given me in answer to prayer, a most suitable piece of ground, and 6,304l. for the Building Fund, and about 2,700l. for present use for the work, so that altogether I have received, since this day twelvemonth, solely in answer to prayer, the sum of Nine Thousand Pounds. Surely, I am not waiting upon the Lord in vain! By His help, then, I am resolved to continue this course unto the end.

Dec. 22. Today I have again a precious proof that continuing to wait upon the Lord is not in vain. During this month, comparatively little had come in for the Building Fund; yet, by G.o.d's grace, I have been enabled, as before; yea, even with more earnestness perhaps than before to make known my requests unto G.o.d, being more and more convinced that I ought to seek by earnest prayer soon to be able to begin the building.

In addition to this I had also especially besought the Lord to give me means for missionary brethren, and also for brethren who labour in the word in various parts of England and Ireland; as all my means for them were now gone. I had also been waiting upon G.o.d for means to order a fresh stock of tracts. I had lastly again and again besought the Lord to give me means for the poor saints in Bristol, of whom there are many, and whose need is now particularly great. Now today the Lord has granted me precious answers to my requests concerning these various objects, for I received this morning one Thousand Pounds with these words: "I send you some money, part of which you can apply to the Orphans and the other objects of your Inst.i.tution, according to their need, and the rest you can put to the Building Fund. At the present price of provisions your expenses must be large for the Orphans. Please also take 25l. for your own need." As I have about 80l. in hand for the Orphans, I took nothing for present use for them, but took 175l. for the other objects, in order thus to be able to send some help to Home and Foreign labourers, and to order a fresh stock of tracts; and 800l. I took for the Building Fund. I should have taken less for the Building Fund, and more for present use, did it not appear to me the will of G.o.d, that with my might I ought to give myself to this part of the work.

Jan. 5, 1847. We have just now much sickness in the four Orphan-Houses, on account of which we are much tried for want of room, and for want of proper ventilation, the houses having been originally built for private families. This has again most practically shown me the desirableness of having the Orphans, as soon as possible, removed to a house built on purpose for them and my heart says, "Lord, how long?" and importunes Him the more, yet, by His grace, without being impatient, but willing to wait His time, which in the end is always found to be the best.

Jan. 9. From a professional Christian gentleman 10l., which I received from him in paying him his account today.

Jan. 10. From a brother in the Lord 80l.--From C. C. 8s. 2 d.

Jan. 11. From a lady at Bedminster 3l. 10s.

Jan. 25. The season of the year is now approaching, when building may be begun. Therefore with increased earnestness I have given myself unto prayer, importuning the Lord that He would be pleased to appear on our behalf, and speedily send the remainder of the amount which is required, and I have increasingly, of late, felt that the time is drawing near, when the Lord will give me all that which is requisite for commencing the Building. All the various arguments which I have often brought before G.o.d, I brought also again this morning before Him. It is now 14 months and 3 weeks since day by day I have uttered my pet.i.tions to G.o.d on behalf of this work. I rose from my knees this morning in full confidence, not only that G.o.d could, but also would, send the means, and that soon. Never, during all these 14 months and 3 weeks, have I had the least doubt, that I should have all that which is requisite.--And now, dear believing reader, rejoice and praise with me. About an hour, after I had prayed thus, there was given to me the sum of Two Thousand Pounds for the Building Fund. Thus I have received altogether 9,285l.

3s. 9 d. towards this work.--I cannot describe the joy I had in G.o.d when I received this donation. It must be known from experience, in order to be felt. 447 days I have had day by day to wait upon G.o.d, before the sum reached the above amount. How great is the blessing which the soul obtains by trusting in G.o.d, and by waiting patiently. Is it not manifest how precious it is to carry on G.o.d's work in this way, even with regard to the obtaining of means? From December 10, 1845, to January 25, 1847, being thirteen months and a half, I have received solely in answer to prayer, Nine Thousand Two Hundred and Eighty-five Pounds. Add to this what came in during that time for present use for the various objects of the Inst.i.tution, and the total is about Twelve Thousand and Five Hundred Pounds, entirely the fruit of prayer to G.o.d.

Can it be said, therefore, with good ground, that this way of carrying on the work of G.o.d may do very well in a limited and small way, but it would not do on a large scale? The fact brought out here contradicts such statements.

June 23. This day the Lord in His great goodness, by a donation of One Thousand Pounds for the Building Fund, has again encouraged my heart abundantly to trust in Him for all that which I shall yet need, to meet the remainder of the expenses connected with the fitting up and furnishing the New Orphan-House, &c.

Jan. 23, 1848. Today I received 350l., concerning which the donor expressed it as his especial wish that I should take 50l. for myself, 50l. should be for brother Craik, 50l., for the Employment Fund, and the remaining 200l. as I pleased. I put this 200l. to the Building Fund, as the donor had not given to this object before, having been prevented through circ.u.mstances, and I knew he would like to contribute towards it.

Jan. 30. I received from D. D. 35l., of which 30l. are intended for the Building Fund, and 5l. for the School?, Bible?, Tract and Missionary Fund.

March 19. From Scotland 10l.

March 21. From the neighbourhood of Dudley 9s. 8d.

March 28. "A thank-offering to the Lord from the Church a.s.sembling at Bethesda Free Chapel, Sunderland, for Church mercies during the past year." The amount is 21l. 10s. 10d.

April 29. From Cornwall 50l., from a most unexpected quarter, whereby the hand of G.o.d is the more abundantly made manifest.

In the Report, published in 1848, the following account was given respecting the New Orphan-House, which, except a few verbal alterations, is here reprinted.

1, The total amount, which I have received for the Building Fund, amounts to 11,062l. 4s. 11 d. This sum enables me to meet all the expenses connected with the purchase of the piece of land and with the erection of the house. I stated before that I did not mean to commence the Building until I had all the means requisite for it, and this intention was carried out. It was not until there was a sufficient amount of means to meet all the sums required for the various contractors, that a single thing was done; but when I once had as much as was required for them, I did not consider it right to delay any longer, though I saw then clearly, and have since seen still more clearly, that a considerable sum would yet be needed to complete the work. For whilst in every respect the Building will be most plain and inexpensive, yet it being intended to be the abode of Three Hundred Orphans, with all their teachers and overseers, it necessarily must be a very large Building, and was therefore found to be even somewhat more expensive than I had thought, as the whole (including fittings and furniture) cannot be accomplished for less than Fourteen Thousand Five Hundred Pounds, towards which the Lord has already given me, as stated, Eleven Thousand and Sixty-two Pounds Four Shillings and Eleven Pence Halfpenny. The sum still needed is required for all the ordinary fittings, the heating apparatus, the gas fittings, the furnishing the whole house, making three large playgrounds and a small road, and for some additional work which could not be brought into the contracts. I did not think it needful to delay commencing the Building, though several thousand pounds more would be required, as all these expenses needed not to be met till many months after the beginning of the Building.

2, The work of the Building commenced on July 5, 1847, and has been going on steadily ever since, with the manifest blessing and help of G.o.d.--Six hundred and seven days I sought the help of G.o.d day by day, before we came so far as to be able to commence the Building; yet at last He gave me the desire of my heart.--The work is now so far advanced, with the blessing of G.o.d, that a considerable part of the Buildings has been already roofed in, and the remainder will be ready for being roofed in a few weeks, that is, in July, 1848.

3, The New Orphan-House has been placed in the hands of eleven trustees, brethren in the Lord well known to me, whom I have chosen, that they might watch over the work and care for it, should the Lord Jesus tarry and take me to Himself. The deeds have been enrolled in Chancery.

4, The New Orphan-House is intended to accommodate 140 Orphan Girls above seven years, 80 Orphan Boys above seven years, and 80 male and female Orphans from their earliest days, till they are seven or eight years of age, together with all the overseers, teachers and a.s.sistants that may be needed. The Infants, after having pa.s.sed the age of seven or eight years, will be removed into the different departments for older boys and girls.

Miscellaneous points respecting the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution for Home and Abroad, with reference to the period from May 26, 1846 to May 26, 1848.

1, During the whole of this period six Day Schools, with 330 children, were supported by the funds of the Inst.i.tution; two Sunday Schools were entirely supported by it, and a third was occasionally a.s.sisted. Again four from among the Sunday School children were during these two years received into Church Fellowship. The total number of the children who received instruction in the Day Schools of the Inst.i.tution, from its commencement up to May 26, 1848, amounted to 4519. The number of the Adult Scholars, who were instructed during this period in the Adult School, which was supported by the funds of the Inst.i.tution, amounted to 292; and the total number of adults who had instruction from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1848, was 1438. The total of the expenses connected with all these schools, during these two years, amounted to 886l. 1s. 11 d.

2, During this period were circulated 649 Bibles and 232 New Testaments.

There were circulated from March 5, 1834 up to May 26, 1848, 5746 Bibles and 3760 New Testaments. 74l. 9s. 10d. was expended of the Funds of the Inst.i.tution, during this period, on this object.

3, From May 26, 1846 to May 26, 1848 was expended of the Funds of the Inst.i.tution on Missionary objects, 1559l. 1l. 6d., whereby 43 labourers in the Gospel, at Rome and Abroad, were a.s.sisted.

4, During this period 64,021 Tracts were circulated, and the sum of 63l.

1s. 5d. was expended on this object of the funds of the Inst.i.tution. The total number of Tracts circulated from Nov. 19, 1840 to May 26, 1848, amounted to 163,668.

5, There were received into the four Orphan-Houses, from May 26, 1846, to May 26, 1848, Fifty-one Orphans, who, together with those who were in the four Houses on May 26, 18413, made up 172 in all. Of these: 1. Five children died, two as decided believers, one not without some hope, and two as infants. This was the greatest number of deaths we had had for many years; and yet how small is even the number five out of 172 within two years, if it be remembered that we received children as young as two years old; and if it be further remembered that the very fact of such young children being bereaved of BOTH parents is, generally, a plain proof that their parents were very sickly and unhealthy persons, as indeed has generally been the case, since the greater part of the parents of these children died in consumption, which I learn from the certificates of their death. 2. One of the Orphans, who had been above ten years in the house, left the Inst.i.tution without leave, and went to her friends for two or three days; and for an example to the other children was not taken back again, when her friends wished her to return. 3. Three of the elder girls, who had been several years in the house, were taken back to their relatives and not suffered to remain any longer, because of improper behaviour towards their teacher. All three, however, were of an age to go to service, and would have been shortly placed out, had they behaved better. 4. Four of the children were dismissed because of malignant skin or other diseases, remedies having failed: and in these cases, for the sake of the other children, we were obliged to send them back to their relatives till they might be cured.

5. Seven children were taken back by their relatives, who by that time were able to provide for them, after they had been for several years in the Orphan-Houses. Some of them were able to earn their own bread by that time, and were of use to their relatives. I always act on the principle of at once giving up the Orphans, to their relatives, if they say that they are able to provide for them; having continually a considerable number of very dest.i.tute Orphans waiting for admission. 6.

Nine boys were apprenticed. 7. Twenty-one girls were sent out to service, eight of whom had been for some time believers.

There were on May 26, 1848, One Hundred and Twenty-two Orphans in the Four Houses. The number of the Orphans who were under our care from April 1836, to May 26, 1848, was 264. The total amount of expenditure in connexion with the support of the Orphans from May 26, 1846, to May 26, 1848, was 3228l. 5s. 11d.

I notice further the following points in connexion with the Orphan-Houses.

1. Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me, the sum of 24,771l. 19s. 8 d. was given to me as the result of prayer to G.o.d from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1848. This sum includes the 11,062l. 4s. 11 1/2 d, which up to May 26, 1848 had been given towards the Building Fund. (It may be 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, 1848, was 7,060l. 14s. 1 d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and Tracts, and by the payment of the children in the day-schools, amounted to 2,373l. 3s. 7 d.) 2. Besides this, also a great variety and number of articles of clothing, furniture, provisions, &c. were given for the use of the Orphans.

Matters connected with my own personal affairs, or the work of the Lord in my hands, not immediately connected with the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution, from May 26, 1846 to May 26, 1848.

July 21, 1846, In very great need respecting my own personal expenses, and immediately after I had prayed respecting it, I received from a Christian gentleman of Torquay 1l.

July 23. Immediately after prayer for my own personal expenses, being in need, I received from the neighbourhood of Leeds 2l.

July 25. While I was on my knees in prayer, asking the Lord for means for myself, 1l. came to me from Bath.

Aug. 5. Being still much in need, and having asked the Lord for means, I received yesterday evening 1l. 0s. 3d., being some money due to me, and today from Teignmouth 1l. as a present.

Dec. 31, 1846. During this year there have been received into Fellowship 66.

The Lord has been pleased to give me during this year

1, Through the boxes. . . . 165 15 1

2, Through believers in Bristol, not anonymously . . . . 81 13 1

3, Through believers not residing in Bristol . . . . . 136 14 8

4, Through presents in articles, worth at least . . . . 15 0 0