A Narrative of some of the Lord's Dealings with George Muller Volume IV Part 39

The total amount of means, expended on this object, from Nov. 19, 1840, to May 26, 1855, is 2868l. 15s. 6 d.

We desire to be truly thankful to the Lord, for having intrusted us with means, and given us open doors, for the circulation of so many copies of the Holy Scriptures, and so many thousands of Tracts; and for having enabled us to a.s.sist again to such an extent preachers of the unsearchable riches of Christ; but we do not rest in this. Our trust was in the Lord for His blessing upon our efforts. Nor has He allowed us to wait upon Him in vain, during this year. We had not only very many answers to our prayers with regard to the obtaining of means, but also many answers to prayer as it respects fruit resulting from our labours.

Thus also with reference to the circulation of Tracts. Again and again instances came before us in which souls were converted through the Tracts, which the Lord had allowed us to send out during the year. Among others, I would only mention, that an actor on the stage, to whom one of them was given, was brought to the knowledge of the Lord.

Tract distributors, who can afford to pay for Tracts, and who desire to procure Tracts from us, may obtain them for this purpose with a discount of one-half, or 50 per cent., from the retail price. I state this, as many be1ievers may not like to give away that which cost them nothing, and yet may, at the same time, wish to obtain as much as possible for their money. Applications for this should be made verbally or in writing to Mr. Stanley, at the Bible and Tract Warehouse, No. 34, Park-street, Bristol. To him, also, application may be made for specimen packets containing an a.s.sortment of the Tracts and small books which are kept.

By sending 3s., 5s., 7s., or 10s. in postages to Mr. Stanley, No. 34, Park Street, Bristol, packets will be sent to any part of England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Jersey, Guernsey, &c., post paid, containing specimens to the amount of the postages sent.

A catalogue of the various books and tracts, sold at the above Warehouse, with their prices, may be had there, by applying either personally or by letter to Mr. Stanley.

5. The fifth object of the Inst.i.tution is, to board, clothe, and Scripturally to educate dest.i.tute children who have lost both parents by death.

At the commencement of this period there were 298 Orphans in the New Orphan House on Ashley Down, Bristol. During the year there were admitted into it 39 Orphans, making 337 in all. Of these 337, two died during the year. Only two! We record this with particular grat.i.tude. And even these two died through water on the brain. G.o.d helping us, we desire to trace His hand in everything; at the same time, the longer I am engaged in the Orphan work, and see the effects which are produced by regular habits, cleanliness, nourishing food, proper clothing, good ventilation, a healthy locality, &c., the more I am convinced, that at least one-half of the children among the poorer cla.s.ses die for want of proper attention. I do not state this to find fault with them, but rather mention it in the way of pity and commiseration, to draw the attention of the public to the fact. If anywhere the mortality among children should be great, humanly speaking, it should be so among us, because we generally receive the children very young, and also, because the very fact of these children, while so young, having been bereaved of both parents by death, shows that their parents, generally speaking, were of a very sickly const.i.tution. Indeed the greater part of the Orphans whom we have received, lost one or both parents through consumption. And yet, though such is the case, we have seen again and again, how children who came to us in a most diseased state, have, through proper attention, by the blessing of G.o.d, been brought out of that state, and are now very healthy. But we often receive children whose countenances at once show that they have not had sufficient food, or were in other respects greatly neglected. It was only as late as April 26, 1855, that the turn of 4 children came, to be received, all of the same family, from 5 to 9 years old. When these children were brought, it was evident that they were in a most deplorable state of health from the want of proper food. This was now the painful difficulty in which we found ourselves; if we received them, it was not at all unlikely, humanly speaking, that we should have great trial with them on account of their health, as they had been so long neglected; and yet, if we did not take them, they would, we had great reason to fear, very shortly sink under their position. Trust in G.o.d decided the matter. We received all four, hoping that, by G.o.d's blessing, they would be thus rescued from sinking under their circ.u.mstances. The eldest of the four, a boy of above nine years old, was for the first evening or two so weak, that he could not walk up stairs to the dormitory without stopping. This disappeared, after he had had the food of the New Orphan House for a few days; and now all the four are so greatly improved, that they do not look at all like what they were on April 26th, 1855. I have so minutely entered into this one case out of very many of the kind, which have come before me in connexion with the Orphan work during the last 20 years, in order to show how deeply important it is to care for such dest.i.tute Orphans, to rescue them, humanly speaking, from misery or premature death, to say nothing now with reference to their spiritual welfare, which is paramount with us.

Besides the two who died out of the 387, we were obliged to expel one from the establishment. This boy was admitted on Oct. 4, 1849. He was then not quite eight years old; but though so young, it was soon found out that he was old in sin, for he was a confirmed liar, thief, &c. He gloried in it among the other boys, and told them that he had belonged to a juvenile gang of thieves, before he had been admitted into the Orphan House, that he had often stolen from the ships iron, bra.s.s, &c., and sold it. We thought at first that he spoke thus merely in the way of boasting, but it proved but too true, that he was experienced in such matters; for twice he ran away from the Orphan House, carrying off things belonging to the other children. Moreover, he could pick locks, &c. We received him back twice, after having run away, hoping that, by bearing with him, admonishing him, speaking to him privately, praying with him, and using a variety of other means, he might be reclaimed; but all in vain. At last, having borne with him, and tried him for five years and four months, he was solemnly, with prayer, before the whole establishment, expelled, if by any means this last painful remedy might be blessed to him. Yet we follow even this poor young sinner with our prayers, and hope that yet the Lord may show him his evil ways, and give us even now joy concerning him, as we have had before in a similar instance. This case afresh deeply impressed upon me the importance of caring for Orphans from their earliest days; for this poor boy, when but eight years old, was already greatly practiced in stealing.

One of the children, after having been five years and one month under our care, was taken back by the relatives who had placed him with us, as they were by that time able to provide for him. One of the girls was sent out to learn a business, one as a junior teacher in a school, and 13 to take situations; and 21 boys were apprenticed. These 40 vacancies thus occasioned, left at the end of the year only 297 children in the New Orphan House. The total number of Orphans, under our care from April 1836, to May 26, 1855, was 597.

I notice further the following points respecting the New Orphan House.

1. Persons who desire to make application for the admission of Orphans, are requested to write to me, and address the letter to my house, No.

23, Paul Street, Kingsdown, Bristol.

2. I again state, as it regards the funds, that the income for the Orphans is kept distinct from that for the other objects. Donors may therefore contribute for one or the other of the objects exclusively, or have their donations equally divided among them all, just as it may appear best to themselves. If any of the donors would wish to leave the application of their donations to my discretion, as the work of G.o.d in my hands more especially may call for it at the time, they are requested, kindly to say so, when sending their donations.

3. The expenses for the Orphans, during this year, were 4304l. 4s. 7 d.

4. Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me, the sum of 74132l. 6s. 10 d. was given to me for the Orphans, as the result of prayer to G.o.d, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1855, which sum includes the 15,055l 3s. 2 d. paid for the building, fitting up, and furnishing of the present New Orphan House, the 23,059l.

17s. 8 d., in hand on the 20th May, 1855, for the Building Fund, and the 116l. 17s. 8 d., the balance for the current expenses.--It may also be interesting to the reader to know that the total sum, given for the other objects, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1855, amounted to 25,239l. 8s. 10 d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and Tracts, and by the payment of the children in the Day Schools, from the commencement, amounted to 4531l. 12s. 10 d.-- Besides this, also a great variety and number of articles of clothing, furniture, provisions, &c., were given for the use of the Orphans.

5. I have the joy of being able to state that we have great cause for thankfulness, that, in the midst of many difficulties, our labours among the Orphans continue to be blessed, and that, especially, again and again instances now come before us in which those, who were formerly under our care, declare themselves on the Lord's side.

6. Besides being able to meet the expenses for the Orphans and the other Objects, amounting altogether to 7832l. 7s. 0 d. during this year, I was able to add to the Building Fund 5242l. 18s. 3d. The total income during the year was 13,054l. 14s. 4d.

7. The articles given for the benefit of the Orphans, are sold by Miss Stevens, on the first floor of the Bible and Tract Warehouse of the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution, No. 34, Park Street, Bristol.

Matters connected with my own personal affairs, or the work of the Lord in my hands, not immediately connected with the Scriptural Know/edge Inst.i.tution, from May 26, 1854, to May 26, 1855.

Dec. 31, 1854. During this year there have been received into fellowship 61.

The Lord has been pleased to give me during this year?

1. In provisions, clothes, etc., worth at least 8 14 0

2. In anonymous offerings in money, put up in paper and directed to me, and put into the boxes for the poor saints or the rent, at the chapels . . 191 1 11

3. In presents in money, from believers in Bristol, not given anonymously. . 143 12 10

4. In money, from believers not residing in Bristol . . . . . 854 2 7

697 11 5

Some of my readers may be ready to exclaim, 697l. 11s. 5d.! What a large sum! Not one out of a hundred ministers has such a large salary, nor one out of twenty clergymen such a good living! Should you, esteemed reader, say so, my reply is: Indeed mine is a happy way for the obtaining of my temporal supplies; but if any one desires to go this way, he must--

1. Not merely say that he trusts in G.o.d, but must really do so. Often individuals profess to trust in G.o.d, but they embrace every opportunity, directly or indirectly, to expose their need, and thus seek to induce persons to help them. I do not say it is wrong to make known our wants; but I do say it ill agrees with trust in G.o.d, to expose our wants for the sake of inducing persons to help us. G.o.d will take us at our word.

If we say we trust in Him, He will try whether we really do so, or only profess to do so; and if indeed we trust in Him, we are satisfied to stand with Him alone.

2. The individual who desires to go this way must be willing to be rich or poor, as the Lord pleases. He must be willing to know what it is to have an abundance or scarcely anything. He must be willing to leave this world without any possessions.

3. He must be willing to take the money in G.o.d's way, not merely in large sums but in small.--Again and again have I had a single shilling given or sent to me. To have refused such tokens of Christian love, would have been ungracious.

4. He must be willing to live as the Lord's steward.--If any one were to begin this way of living, and did not communicate out of that which the Lord gives to him, but h.o.a.rd it up; or, if he would live up to his income, as it is called, then the Lord, who influences the hearts of His children, to help him with means, would soon cause those channels to be dried up. How it came that my already good income still more increased, so as to come to what it is, has been stated in the early part of this volume; it was when I determined that, by G.o.d's help, His poor and His work should more than ever partake of my means. From that time the Lord was pleased more and more to intrust me with means for my own purse. I request the reader carefully to read over once more all I have said in the first volume of this Narrative, third part, from page 575 to 604, on Matthew 6, 19-21, on Matthew 6, 33, and on "Stewardship."

Various reasons might have kept me from publishing these accounts; but I have for my object in writing, the glory of G.o.d, and therefore delight in thus showing what a loving master I serve, and how bountifully He supplies my necessities; and I write for the comfort and encouragement of my fellow believers, that they may be led to trust in G.o.d more and more, and therefore I feel it due to them to state, how, even with regard to this life, I am amply provided for, though that is not what I seek after.

Further account respecting the intended Orphan Houses for Seven Hundred Poor Children, bereaved of both parents by death, from May 26, 1855, to May 26, 1856.

On May 20, 1855, I had in hand for this object 23,059l. 17s. 8 d., as stated in the last chapter on this subject. I now relate how the Lord was pleased to supply me further with means, but must confine myself, for the sake of brevity, to some of the more remarkable donations.

June. 20. A silver medal "given to the donor for being engaged in the taking of Java; but he desires to lay down his honour at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and to have this medal used to lay a stone in the new building."

Aug. 4. From S. S. 5l., with 5l. for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, 5l. for Missions, and 5l. and the following articles for the support of the Orphans: A pair of gold mounted bracelets, a pair of jet bracelets, an iron watch guard, a pair of iron bracelets and waist buckle, a small gold seal, a ring, 2 pencil cases, a gold brooch, a purse and some mock pearls and beads.

Aug. 22. From Devonshire 100l.

Nov. 21. From Ipswich 2l., "The property of a dear child now in heaven."

Nov. 23. From London 50l., with 5l. for the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, 5l. for the Schools, 10l. for Missions, 10l. for the Orphans, 10l. for Mr. Craik, and 10l. for my own expenses.

Dec. 5. This evening I had the kind offer, unsolicited, that all the gla.s.s required, for about 300 large windows in the new house, which is now being built, should be gratuitously supplied. It is worthy of notice that the gla.s.s was not contracted for, this time, as in the case of the house already built. This, no doubt, was under the ordering of our Heavenly Father, who knew beforehand that this offer would be made.

Jan. 10, 1850. From Liverpool: A ring set with a brilliant, a gold bracelet, a Maltese bracelet, a brooch, a Maltese silver clasp and belt, a garnet ring, a pair of gold ear-rings, a box of whist markers, and German cross and chain.

Feb. 19. Now at last the Lord has been pleased, in answer to many prayers, to give me today 3000l., which being left to my disposal for the work of the Lord, I took for the Building Fund 1700l., for the support of the Orphans 300l., and for Missionary objects, the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, and the support of the various Schools in connection with the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution 1000l. How I feel at such times cannot be described, when in answer to many prayers, the Lord is pleased to open His bountiful hands, and to prove so abundantly how willing He is to listen to the supplications of His children who put their trust in Him, though it may be needful, for their own good and that of others, that for a season He seem but little or not at all to regard their supplications.

March 18. Received 4000l., which was left at my disposal as the work of the Lord might require it. I took of this sum 3000l. for the Building Fund, and 1000l. for Missions, the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, and the various schools, supported by the Inst.i.tution.--This donation is the fruit of many prayers, and of much looking to the Lord for answers.

His holy name be magnified for it. I am thus drawing nearer and nearer the time when I shall have obtained from the Lord everything needed for this object. I have not had, from the beginning, by G.o.d's grace, one moment's doubt, that in His own time, He would give me all that is required.

May 26. By sale of a publication in French 3l.--By sale of a publication in English 69l. 1s. 10d.--To these donations is to be added 911l. 8s. 1d., received during this year for interest.

I add a few remarks.

A. Up to May 20, 1856, the total income for the Building Fund was 29,297l. 18s. 11 d., so that only about 5700l. more will be required, as far as I am able to see, in order to accomplish to the full my purpose respecting the accommodation for 700 more Orphans.

B. The house for 400 female Orphans, commenced in August, 1855, is expected, with G.o.d's blessing to be ready by about Midsummer 1857 for the reception of 400 Orphans.