The Life of Trust Part 26

Bibles sold, 693. Bibles given away, 890. Testaments sold, 950.

Testaments given away, 748. Copies of the Psalms sold, 82. Other small portions of the Holy Scriptures sold, 136.

There were circulated from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, through the medium of this Inst.i.tution, 13,949 Bibles, 9,047 New Testaments, 188 copies of the Psalms, and 789 other small portions of the Holy Scriptures.

The total amount of the funds of this Inst.i.tution spent on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, is 3,389, 10s. 1d. The amount spent during this year, 476, 12s. 3d.

During this year there was spent of the funds of the Inst.i.tution, for missionary objects, the sum of 2,081, 3s. 2d. By this sum fifty-seven laborers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, were to a greater or less degree a.s.sisted.

The total amount of the funds of the Inst.i.tution spent on missionary operations, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, was 16,115, 0s. 5d.

There was laid out for tracts, from May 26, 1854, to May 26, 1855, the sum of 624, 8s. 4d.; and there were circulated within this year 895,034 tracts and books.

The total number of all the tracts and books which were circulated from the beginning up to May 26, 1855, was 3,584,710.

The total amount of means expended on this object, from Nov. 19, 1840, to May 26, 1855, was 2,868, 15s. 6d.

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.

The expenses for the orphans during this year were 4,304, 4s. 7d.

_Without any one having been personally applied to for anything_ by me, the sum of 74,132, 6s. 10d. 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 15,055, 3s. 2d., which was the cost of the building, fitting up and furnishing of the present new Orphan House, and the 23,059, 17s. 8d., which was in hand on the 26th May, 1855, for the building fund, and the 116, 17s. 8d., the balance for the current expenses. It may also be interesting to the reader to know that the total sum which was given for the other objects, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1855, amounted to 25,239, 8s. 10d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and tracts, and by the payments of the children in the day schools, from the commencement, amounted to 4,531, 12s. 10d. Besides this also a great variety and number of articles of clothing, furniture, provisions, etc., were given _for the use_ of the orphans.

I have the joy of being able to state that we have great cause for thankfulness in that in the midst of many difficulties our labors 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.

Besides being able to meet the expenses for the orphans and the other objects, amounting altogether to 7,832, 7s. 0d., during this year I was able to add to the building fund 5,242, 18s. 3d. The total income during the year was 13,054, 14s. 4d.

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

The Lord has been pleased to give me during this year 697, 11s. 5d.

One or the other of my readers may be ready to exclaim, six hundred and ninety-seven pounds eleven shillings fivepence! 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 where they may directly or indirectly be able 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, I have 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.

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 I 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.

Up to May 26, 1856, the total income for the building fund was 29,297, 18s. 11d., so that only about 5,700 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.

During the year 1855-1856, the wants of the orphans, as well as the demands of the missionary, Bible, tract, and school work, were supplied more amply than ever before, and a blessing rested upon all these departments of labor, as will appear from the following statement:--

During this year four day schools, with 203 children, were _entirely supported_ by the funds of the Inst.i.tution; and nine day schools were a.s.sisted with copies of the Holy Scriptures. Further, one Sunday school, with 158 children, was _entirely supported_, and eight others were _a.s.sisted_. Lastly, one adult school, with 158 adult scholars, was _entirely supported_, and two other adult schools, in Kent and Norfolk, were _a.s.sisted_ with books. The amount which was spent during this year, in connection with these schools, was 348, 5s. 11d.; and the sum total expended during the last twenty-two years, in connection with the schools which were either entirely or in part supported by the funds of this Inst.i.tution, amounts to 7,552, 18s. 7d. The number of all the children who were under our care, merely in the schools which were _entirely_ supported by this Inst.i.tution, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1856, was 6,104 in the day schools, 2,911 in the Sunday schools, and 2,611 persons in the adult school. Thus, without reckoning the orphans, 11,626 have been brought under habitual instruction in the things of G.o.d in these various schools; besides the many thousands in the schools in various parts of England, Ireland, Scotland, British Guiana, the East Indies, etc., which have been to a greater or less degree a.s.sisted.

During this year was expended on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, of the funds of this Inst.i.tution, 496; 10s. There were circulated during this year 2,175 Bibles, 1,233 New Testaments, 119 copies of the Psalms, and 155 other small portions of the Holy Scriptures. There have been circulated since March 5, 1834, through the medium of this Inst.i.tution, 16,124 Bibles, 10,280 New Testaments, 307 copies of the Psalms, and 944 other small portions of the Holy Scriptures. The sum total spent on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, since March 5, 1834, is 3,886, 0s. 1d.

During this year there was spent, of the funds of the Inst.i.tution, for missionary objects, 2,501, 9s. 1d. By this sum sixty-one laborers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, were to a greater or less degree a.s.sisted.

The sum total which has been expended on missionary operations, of the funds of the Inst.i.tution, since March 5, 1834, is 18,616, 9s. 6d.

There was laid out for the circulation of tracts, from May 26, 1855, to May 26, 1856, the sum of 791, 1s. 0d., and there were circulated 812,970 tracts and books. The sum total which has been expended on this object since Nov. 19, 1840, amounts to 3,659, 16s. 7d. The total number of all the tracts and books which have been circulated since Nov.

19, 1840, is 4,397,680.

At the beginning of this period there were 297 orphans in the new Orphan House. During the past year there have been admitted into it 25 orphans.

The total number of orphans who have been under our care since April, 1836, is 622.

_Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me_, the sum of 84,441, 6s. 3d. has been given to me for the orphans, _as the result of prayer to G.o.d_, since the commencement of the work, which sum includes the 15,055, 3s. 2d. which was the cost of the building, fitting up, and furnishing of the present new Orphan House, and the 29,297, 18s. 11d. received up to May 26, 1856, for the building fund, and the 167, 18s. 11d., the balance of the current expenses. The total sum which has been given for the other objects since the commencement of the work amounts to 28,904, 11s. 3d.; and that which has come in by the sale of Bibles and tracts, and by the payments of the children in the day schools, from the commencement up to May 26, 1856, amounts to 5,145, 17s.

Dec. 31, 1855. During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me 726, 16s. 2d.

May 26, 1856. Yesterday evening it was twenty-four years since I came to labor in Bristol. In looking back upon this period, as it regards the Lord's goodness to my family and myself, the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution, and the saints among whom I seek to serve him, I exclaim, What has G.o.d wrought! I marvel at his kindness, and yet I do not; for such is his manner; and, if it please him that I remain longer on earth, I expect, not fewer manifestations of his love, but more and more.

Since my beloved friend and fellow-laborer and I first came to Bristol, 1,586 believers have been received into fellowship, which number, with the 68 we found in communion, makes 1,654. But out of that number 252 have fallen asleep, 53 have been separated from fellowship, 145 have left us, some, however, merely through circ.u.mstances and in love, and 510 have left Bristol; so that there are only 694 remaining in communion.

By the contributions received during the year 1856-7, the whole amount on hand for the new buildings was raised to thirty-one thousand eight hundred seventeen pounds one shilling and elevenpence. For the Bible, tract, and missionary work, and for schools, Mr. M. had the pleasure of receiving and of expending eight hundred and twenty-nine pounds more than in the previous year. For the support of the orphans all means were so abundantly provided that at the end of the year there was on hand a balance of one thousand four hundred and eighty-nine pounds.

The following incident ill.u.s.trates the author's reliance upon G.o.d for his own future support.

On Oct. 12, 1856, was sent to me a check for one hundred pounds, with the request of the donor to receive this for myself, as the beginning of raising a fund for my support when advanced in years, and for that of my family. This very kind and well-intended proposal by the donor, who since has died, appeared to me as a subtle temptation laid for me, though far from being intended so by him, to depart from the principles on which I had been acting for twenty-six years previously, both regarding myself and the orphan work. I give the account of this circ.u.mstance fully, as it may be profitable to one or other of the readers.

* * * * OCT. 11, 1856.

DEAR SIR:--

In admiration of the services which you have rendered to poor orphans and mankind in general, I think it right that some provision should be made for yourself. I think it right to send you one hundred pounds, as a beginning to form a fund, which I hope many good Christians will add to, * * * * for the maintenance of you and your family, if your own labors should be unequal to it, and I hope you will lay out this as a beginning accordingly. May G.o.d bless you and your labors, as he has. .h.i.therto done everything connected with your Inst.i.tutions.

I am, dear Sir, * * * *

By G.o.d's grace I had not a moment's hesitation as to what to do. While I most fully appreciated the great kindness of the donor, I looked upon this as being permitted by G.o.d as a temptation to put my trust in something else than himself, and I therefore sent the following letter in reply:--

BRISTOL, OCT. 12, 1856.

MY DEAR SIR:--

I hasten to thank you for your kind communication, and to inform you that your check for one hundred pounds has safely come to hand.

I have no property whatever, nor has my dear wife; nor have I had one single shilling regular salary as minister of the gospel for the last twenty-six years, nor as the director of the Orphan House and the other objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution for Home and Abroad. When I am in need of anything, I fall on my knees, and ask G.o.d that he would be pleased to give me what I need; and he puts it into the heart of some one or other to help me. Thus all my wants have been amply supplied during the last twenty-six years, and I can say, to the praise of G.o.d, I have lacked nothing. My dear wife and my only child, a daughter of twenty-four years, are of the same mind with me. Of this blessed way of living none of us are tired, but become day by day more convinced of its blessedness.

I have never thought it right to make provision for myself, or my dear wife and daughter, except in this way, that when I saw a case of need, such as an aged widow, or a sick person, or a helpless infant, I would use my means freely which G.o.d had given me, fully believing that if either myself, or my dear wife or daughter, at some time or other, should be in need of anything, G.o.d would richly repay what was given to the poor, considering it as lent to himself.

Under these circ.u.mstances, I am unable to accept your kindness of the gift of one hundred pounds _towards making a provision for myself and family_; for so I understand your letter. Any gift given to me, unasked for, by those who have it in their heart to help me to supply my personal and family expenses, I thankfully accept; or any donation given to me for the work of G.o.d in which I am engaged, I also thankfully accept, as a steward for the orphans, etc.; but your kind gift seems to me especially given to _make a provision for myself_, which I think would be displeasing to my heavenly Father, who has so bountifully given me my daily bread hitherto. But should I have misunderstood the meaning of your letter, be pleased to let me know it. I hold the check till I hear again from you.

In the mean time, my dear sir, however you meant your letter, I am deeply sensible of your kindness, and daily pray that G.o.d would be pleased richly to recompense you for it, both temporally and spiritually.