George Müller Books: Which to Read First, and All Free to Read

BiographyPrayer

George Müller wrote one great book, and he kept writing it most of his life. It was his journal of the Lord's dealings with him: how he came to Christ, how he gave up a salary, and how money and food came in for the orphans, day by day, in answer to prayer. He published it in parts over many years, and others later condensed it, edited it and wrote about it. That is why there are so many Müller books, and why it can be hard to know where to start.

Here is every Müller title in TheWay Library, what each one is, and which to read first. All of them are free to read online.

The short answer

• If you want Müller's own story, start with the Autobiography of George Müller. It is his own words from start to finish, condensed by a later leader of his work into one volume.
• If you want a faster start, read The Life of Trust. It is a shorter edition of the same journal, cleanly edited for American readers.
• If you want a biography, read A. T. Pierson's George Müller of Bristol. It tells the whole life in a readable way and explains what Müller taught.

Müller's own writing

Autobiography of George Müller

This is the fullest single-volume form of Müller's journal. It was compiled after his death by G. Fred Bergin, who later shared the direction of the orphan work. It runs from his birth in Prussia in 1805 to his death in 1898, and closes with a chapter on how the work went on after him. A. T. Pierson wrote its short preface:

No life written by any other hand can displace the Life Story that came from the pen of Mr. Müller himself.

Autobiography of George Müller, Preface

It is long, about 32 hours of reading, because much of it is the day-by-day record of gifts and needs. That record is the point. Read a chapter at a time. The best places to begin are chapter I, his early days, chapter V, the beginning of the orphan work, and chapter VI, the severe trials of 1838 to 1843. Chapter XVII covers the preaching tours of his old age.

The Life of Trust

The Life of Trust was published in America in 1861, while Müller was still living. The editor, H. Lincoln Wayland, condensed Müller's Narrative into twenty-four chapters with plain titles like "Trial," "Deliverance" and "Asking and Receiving." It covers the years up to the late 1850s, so it ends before the last Ashley Down houses and the world tours. It is well proofread and easy to read. If the Autobiography feels too big, start here.

A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings with George Müller

These are the early parts of the original Narrative, published by Müller himself in installments. TheWay Library has three parts:

• Part 1: his life to the founding of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution and the first orphan houses, with his statement of the Institution's principles.
• Part 2: the years 1837 to 1840, with his yearly reviews.
• Part 3: the years 1841 and 1842.

Read these if you want Müller's journal in its original fuller form, close to the time the events happened. Müller explains in his first preface who he wrote for:

For the poor among the brethren this Narrative is especially intended, and to their prayers I commend it in particular.

A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings with George Müller, First Edition of the First Part

How God Answers Prayer

How God Answers Prayer is a short collection, about two hours of reading, drawn from Müller's writings and published around 1900. It covers the beginning of the orphan work, the building on Ashley Down, his five conditions of prevailing prayer, his counsel on Bible reading and early rising, and his will. It makes a good sampler, or a short book to give a friend.

Books about Müller

George Müller of Bristol, by A. T. Pierson

George Müller of Bristol is the standard biography. Pierson, an American pastor and writer, heard Müller preach in his last years and drew on his Narrative and the yearly Reports. The book came out in 1899, the year after Müller died. The book is organized by stages of the life and also draws out the lessons: chapters on the Word of God and prayer, trials of faith, the new orphan houses, and the world-wide preaching tours. The appendices are a treasure. Appendix N collects "The Wise Sayings of George Müller," and Appendix A lists the Scripture texts that shaped him. About 11 hours of reading.

If you only read one book about Müller, read this one. If you read two, read this and the Autobiography.

The Preaching Tours and Missionary Labours of George Müller

From 1875 to 1892, between the ages of seventy and eighty-seven, Müller traveled the world to preach. His second wife, Susannah Grace Müller, went with him and wrote this account of the tours, published in 1889. It follows them through Europe, America, the Middle East, India, Australia and East Asia. Read it for the last chapter of his ministry, which the shorter books leave out.

The Work of Faith Through George Müller

The Work of Faith Through George Müller, edited by Abbie C. Morrow and published in America in 1899, is an abridgment of Müller's life meant for readers who could not afford the larger volumes. It follows the same story through the orphan houses, then adds chapters on the missionary tours and on conversations with Müller late in life. It takes about four hours.

George Müller and Andrew Reed, by E. R. Pitman

George Müller and Andrew Reed is a pair of short lives from 1885. The first half tells Müller's story. The second tells the life of Andrew Reed, a London minister who founded orphanages and homes for people with disabilities. It is a quick read, about two hours.

Other books with Müller in them

J. Gilchrist Lawson's Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians has a chapter on Müller alongside many other believers. D. W. Whittle's The Wonders of Prayer is a collection of answered-prayer accounts that includes material on Müller.

A simple reading plan

1. Read Pierson's George Müller of Bristol, one chapter a day, for the shape of the whole life.
2. Then read the Autobiography of George Müller slowly, starting with chapters I through VI.
3. Keep How God Answers Prayer close for a short refresher.

Before you start, our article Who was George Müller? gives the life in a few pages. George Müller on prayer and faith explains what he taught, the George Müller orphanage tells the story of Ashley Down, and George Müller quotes collects his best-known sayings. You can also browse the George Müller author page and the Biography topic.