Heavy Trials in the Orphan Work During the Last Thirteen Years of Mr. Müller’s Life, 1885-1898
May 26th, 1885, to May 26th, 1886.
UR balance in hand on May 27th, 1885, was £3,947 12s. Odd., which was only enough to last seven weeks and a half, according to the previous year, for the support of the Orphans. May 27th. From Northampton £20. — May 29th. From Servia £100, with £5 for my dear wife and myself.
June Ist. From Henbury £32. From the Isle of Wight £50. June 6th. From a Bristol donor 381 lbs. of fresh fish. To ordinary families, even the largest, such a present would be much too large a gilt; but in our case it was not even enough for one meal for all the Orphans and our helpers. — June 10th. Received the following letter from one of the former Orphans, now a trained nurse of the sick : —
Honoured Sir,
“I feel it my duty, as well as my privilege, to write you. Iam one of the many who owe to you (through Almighty God) so much temporally; but now, by His grace, I have to tell you, that you have been the means in His hands of convincing me, that I ama child of God. I have been reading again, with much interest, the volume of your life, which I have often done before; but have never before been struck with the simplicity of its truths until last Friday I became convinced, while reading pages 148 to 154, that, unworthy though I am, I am a child of God. I adore the goodness of God, that He has given me grace to take Him at His word, to believe that it was for me our blessed Saviour died. Oh! how foolish and blind have I been these long years. I have thanked God many times for raising you up to care for my temporal wants for fourteen years and three months, and now in His love, after I have left your kind care for fourteen years and two months, He has made you the instrument in His hands of convincing me of what an unworthy sinner I am, and yet by the death of Jesus for me, through faith in Him, Iam a child of God. Oh! magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
Will you, dear Sir, accept the humble affection of “Your grateful Orphan, * * * *.” -
June 16th. Legacy of the late Miss J. S. £470 11s — June 19th. Received £4 from Wales, with the following letter : —
OrpHan Bapries Our or Doors.
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“Dear Mr. Müller,
““About a year ago I purchased a pony for our business. Soon after, every one said, it would be of no use. I read an old Report of yours, in which it was stated that one of the items received by you was £3 as ‘insurance for a horse,’ very similarly purchased. So I resolved to do likewise, and enclosed you will receive the £3, as the pony has turned out, up to this day, a perfect success.”
June 20th. Legacy of the late D. F. N., Esq., of Wales, £2,000. The Lord in His kindness gave me this legacy from a gentleman whose name even I had never heard before; but God, who knows our need, and who listens to my daily prayers for help, put it into the heart of this gentleman to leave me this legacy.
July ist. Legacy of the late Mrs. R. £180. — July 2nd. Legacy of the late Mrs. P. £500. — July yd. Legacy of the late Mr. W. 8. £180. — July 4th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100, with £10 for myself. — July 16th. From “G.,” Preston, £98 5s, 11d.
August 13th. From Brislington £85 3s. 6d. From August 8th to August 15th, there came in for all the Objects of the Institution only £415 10s. 11$d., while the expenditure for the same week amounted to £1,576 15s. 6d. Such occasions are special opportunities for trusting in God, who knows perfectly our circumstances and careth for us. — August 20th. From Reigate £100. — August 21st. From Winchmore Hill £200. — August 26th. From Birmingham £200.
September 2nd. Legacy of the late Miss M. 8. £400. — September 15th. Ten tons of coal — September 23rd. Legacy of the late G. CG. H., Esq., £100. — September 28th. From the Orphans of a little Orphanage near Berne, Switzerland, £1 11s. 7d — October yd. From a Peterborough donor £50. — October 5th. Received the following letter from an hotel proprietor at Plymouth : —
“Dear Siz,
‘Enclosed please to find a cheque for £1 15s. 4d., being a penny a night for each visitor who has occupied a bed here during the past quarter.”
October 8th. Left at the New Orphan-Houses three pieces of artificial teeth set in gold — — October 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. — October 27th. Received from Highbury the following letter : —
Dear Sir,
“As my little daughter will attain her fourth birthday, if spared until to-morrow, I have now the pleasure of sending you a cheque (for the support of one Orphan for one year) for £14 9s. 3d. Trusting you may be enabled to remember my little girl at the throne of grace, I remain, with Christian love,
“Yours sincerely, * * * *.”
November 5th. From a friend £150. Legacy of the late Mr. J. L. £125 10s. — December 2nd. Anonymously fifteen bags of flour. — December 7th. From a lady near Northampton £100, “In compliance with the wish of her late sister.” — December 12th. From Rochford, U.S.A., £80. From Wales £175, with £25 for my beloved wife and myself — December 16th. “A thank-offerimg” of £500. — December 18th. From Berkshire £90 for the support of six Orphans for one year. From Sevenoaks £100. From near London £90, with £10 for Mrs. Miller and myself. — December 19th. Legacy of the late T. W. G., Hsq., £1,000. — December 30th. From Maidstone £78 5s. and a set of artificial teeth set in gold. During the past year, a considerable quantity of artificial teeth set in gold has again been sent to be sold for the benefit of the Orphans, through which a large sum has been obtained by the sale of the gold.
January Ist. From one of the former Orphans £5. — January 2nd. From a painter in Wales £4 12s. 6d., “Being 6d. per room, on 186 rooms, papered during the year 1885.” — January 6th. From Wales £1 4s. Od., ““The result of labour with two cabs on New Year’s Day. January 9th. From Winchmore Hill £200, — January 12th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. — January 13th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100. — January 22nd. Legacy of the late J. C. H., Esq., £500. The reader will have noticed how many legacies have again been paid to me during the past year. Almost all these have come from individuals, who were entire strangers to me, but God is my Helper and Friend. To Him are my eyes directed day by day; to Him alone I look for help, and were it otherwise, this Orphan Institution would soon be in. the greatest distress. I do wish in my inmost soul, that the Church of God at large knew more the power of prayer and faith, in these our unbelieving and sceptical days. — January 30th. From Cork £50.
February 9th. From Neuchatel, Switzerland, £20. — February 17th. From Paris £100. — February 19th. Legacy of the late Mrs. EH. T. £100. — March 2nd. From Weston-super-Mare £60. March 4th. From Worcestershire £230, being part of a sum which the donor had intended to leave in her Will, but paid in her lifetime to save legacy duty. — March 6th. From the Isle of Wight £53 18s. for the support of four Orphans for one year. — March 10th. From Philadelphia, U.S.A., £50. — March 15th. From Bristol £90 for the support of Orphan girls, and £50 for the support of Orphan boys. — March 29th. Legacy of the late Mrs. A. E. £298 6s. 10d.
April 9th. From L. G., a former Orphan, who, having some money left her, gave for the Orphans £6. — April 14th. From Cheltenham £70. — April 16th. From Gloucestershire £100. — April 22nd. By sale of old clothes and rags £7 16s. 10yd. — April 23th. Legacy of the late Mrs. 8. D. £120. — May 4th. From Clifton £50. — May 13th. From Stoke £35, with £2 for myself. —
May 20th. Legacy of the late Mr. J. P. £135. — May 25th. From Teddington £22.
During the past year the average expenses for fifty-one Orphans were contributed by donors paying for one, two, three, four, and in one instance even for six Orphans. Thus out of the 2,070 Orphans who were under our care during the year, fifty-one were provided for.
May 26th, 1886, to May 26th, 1887.
Our balance in hand on May 27th, 1886, was £1,848 9s. 6d., which was only enough to last four weeks. There was therefore again much need to stay ourselves upon God, in order that our hearts might be in peace. This, however, by His grace, we were able to do.
May 28th. From Philadelphia £40. Thus the Lord has begun to help us.
June 5th. Legacy of the late Miss F. M. L. £300. — June llth. From Edinburgh £791 15s., ‘“The moiety of residue of the estate of the late Mrs. A. A.” This lady, like almost all our donors, was a stranger to me. — June 17th. Received £10, “As a thank-offering to God for giving me a good and pious wife. I have just married her.’’ — June 24th. From Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, £28 18s. 6d. for the support of two Orphans for one year, and £6 1s. 6d for Mrs. Müller and myself. Notice, esteemed reader, how God speaks to His steward in Brazil, to be mindful of the Orphans on Ashley Down; and how He also leads this donor to care for him who cares for the Orphans. — June 28th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus in St. Petersburg £10. — June 30th. From Cannes, France, £30. From Bromsgrove eight guinea pieces, and six half-guinea pieces.
July 6th. From an aged servant of Christ, who has no property nor stated salary nor other regular income, and who sends for the Orphans the fifth part of what the Lord gives to him in answer to prayer, £7. — July 10th. From Brighton 4s. 4d., “Being a penny a week that my husband and I each put by for the Orphans.” There are some of God’s stewards who send us hundreds of pounds; and there are some who can only each afford a penny a week. We are grateful for the one and grateful for the other, and take both out of the hand of God, and as the result of our looking alone to Him for help, in answer to believing prayer. — July 14th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100. — July 17th. From ‘“G.,” Preston, £97 17s. 6d. — July 19th. Legacy of the late 8. A., Hsq., £500, less legacy duty. From New South Wales £25. — July 21st. From J. B. B., “On leaving England,” £26 for the support of two Orphans for one year. — July 23rd. From Birmingham £200. — July 29th. From a Dublin donor £50. — July 31st. From Bath £1, as “A thank-offering for sleep.”
August 13th. From Lombard Street, London, £100. August 14th. Received £13 12s. 10d., with the following letter : — “Dear Sir,
“It has pleased the Almighty, in His infinite grace, to spare my dear little Bessie to see the second anniversary of the day of her birth; and I therefore enclose cheque to pay for the support of one Orphan for one year, and remain,
“Yours sincerely, * * * *.”
This Christian gentleman has sent to me, year after year, on the anniversary of the birth of each of his children, the yearly average expense for one Orphan for one year. — August 25th. Received £10, with the following letter : —
‘** Dear Sir,
“I was glad to receive your Reports to-day. On or near this my wedding day, I have four times had the pleasure of sending you a thank-offering as enclosed. As usual, an overpowering sense of the bounty and mercy of our Father is present to me. With respect to dedicated money (of which this does not form a part) I can add my testimony to the many that you must have received in respect of it. In the first year, in which I set apart a fixed proportion of my income as a first charge thereon, a heavy expense gave me anxiety; but later in the year an investment, that I thought a dead loss, suddenly revived, and paid double its normal return; just paying me back what I had lent to the Lord, with a good margin of interest.”
Will the reader please to ponder this very profitable letter? August 26th. The balance of £1,848 9s. 64d., with which we began this present year on May 27th for the support of the Orphans, is not only entirely gone, but £4,260 17s. 24d. which we received during the past three months likewise; and this day we have nothing at all left. Think of our position, dear Christian reader, whilst we seek no help from any human being, but from our Heavenly Father only. But though we were now so poor, God helped us again; and I give some instances of how we were assisted.
August 27th. From Philadelphia £20. — August 30th. From Manchester £61. The donor of the £61, without knowing of course the least about our circumstances, sent to us this time about three times as much as he had usually sent before. The hand of God was apparent in this.
September Ist. From Brislington £60 19s. 6d. — September 2nd. From London £13 1s., with the following letter to me : — “Dear Sir,
“As God in His all-wise providence has given me another daughter, born this afternoon, I hasten to hand you cheque for £13 1s. for the support of one Orphan for one year. Hoping you may be able to pray for me and mine,
“I remain yours in Christ Jesus, our living Head, * * * *,”
September yd. From Leamington £25. — Legacy of the late Mrs. M. P. R. £100, less legacy duty. — September 4th.
From Finsbury, Park, London, £200. — September 7th. As a further portion of the legacy of the late Mr. W. C. £388 Is. 6d. September 8th. From Westmoreland £100. From the Punjab £10. Will the reader observe how, when nothing was left in hand for the support of the large Orphan Family, the Lord, in answer to our habitual waiting on Him, remembered us again and helped us, even as He had done for more than fifty-two years before. From Wiltshire £1 1s., with the following letter : — “Dear Sir,
“My daughter, about eight years of age, was out visiting the other day, and fell through a trap door of a cellar, eleven feet deep. She appears none the worse for the fall. I enclose a cheque for £1 Is. as a thank-offering to God for saving her limbs and life.’
September 18th. From the neighbourhood of Portsmouth £1 10s. 6d., as ‘‘ Our usual yearly contribution of the daily penny for the Orphans.” The reader sees from this, not only how even those who possess little may yet contribute to the Lord’s work, but even how much may be done, if done systematically. — September 27th. This is the anniversary of my birthday, when I received from each of the sixteen departments of the five Orphan-Houses a letter, containing the kind wishes of the Orphans, many of them also enclosing presents in money from the children. — September 29th. From Kent £100, as “A thank-offering from a gentleman who had been restored from a dangerous illness.” From a friend £50.
October Ist. Received £5, with the following letter : —
* Dear Mr. Müller,
“Will you please to receive for the Orphan Fund the enclosed cheque for £5, in grateful acknowledgment of the Lord’s goodness, in preserving house and shops from fire during another year? Since I gave up both life and fire insurances, twenty years ago, in order that I might have the pleasure of helping a little in your work for the Lord, I have not had a single fire on my premises. On two occasions smoulderings were discovered, which, in a short time after, would have burst into flame; and, during the past twelve months, an actual fire occurred in a cellar under my office and showroom; but it was extinguished, by the fire brigade, before affecting the floors above. In former years also I have had fires on the adjoining premises, on both the right hand and left of my place, which have done great damage; but not more than the smell of fire came into my place. Indeed the premises and all else are the Lord’s; and not only for protection, but for the faith itself, by which I am enabled to trust Him fully, I praise His name who blessedly keeps in peace that which in true faith is committed to Him.”
October 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £80. From the neighbourhood of Eltham £26 5s. Received £25 for the
Orphans, with £5 for myself, with these words: “As a thank-offering. ‘In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God, and my cry came before Him’ (Psalm xviii. 60).”’ — October 25th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100.
To-day, October 26th, our balance in hand for the Orphans is £37 1s. 34d., viz., a very little more than half of the average expenses of one day. Seek to enter into it, esteemed reader. We do not make known our need under such circumstances to our friends and former donors; nor to any human being, but to God; and He helps us, and has done this now, in all our necessities, more than fifty-three years.
October 27th. From the commander of a merchant vessel, a former Christian Orphan £10, as “A thank-offering for having obtained employment again, after having for months been without it.”
November Ist. From Scotland £25. — November 5th. Received £99 16s. 6d., with the following letter : —
“My dear Sir,
“It affords me pleasure, for the twenty-eighth year, to send you my cheque for the work of the Lord in your hands. I leave it entirely with you, to place it where most you require help; and may the blessing of our Heavenly Father continue to rest on the labour of owr hands.”
On account of the great need of funds for the support of the Orphans, the whole amount was taken for them. When this donor first began to help me with means for the Institution, he sent about £4, but purposed to send more, as God might prosper him in a certain branch of his business. His donations have increased more and more, year by year, till now, notwithstanding all the difficulties the kind donor has had in his business, on account of the general depression in mercantile affairs, he is able to send this sum. — November 9th. Legacy of the late Mrs. L. W. £200. — November 12th. From Staffordshire £2 2s., with the following letter : —
* Dear Sir,
“A short time since I gave a person, who was an entire stranger to me, a sovereign in mistake for a shilling, in the dark, and I promised that I would send you a tenth, if the Lord would restore me the difference, which, I am thankful to say, He did, through the post, about a week afterwards; I therefore enclose a Postal order for 2s. As I am about to be married, I do not think that I can do better than celebrate the event by giving you £2 for the Lord’s use, as you see most fit (but I should like £1 to be used for the Orphans) as a thank-offering to Him for His
many and great mercies vouchsafed unto me during my single life.”
November 16th. From Jamaica £10. — November 22nd.
From Adelaide £20. — November 23rd. From London £45 3s. Received £5, with the following letter : —
“* Dear Mr. Müller,
“My dear wife and I have great pleasure in enclosing £5 for your Orphans. Please enter it ‘Haven of Peace.’ If we are spared to see to-morrow, it will be our wedding-day; we present the enclosed as a small tribute of thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father for His great goodness to us through another year. Wishing you much of the smile and blessing of God in your important work, Believe me,
“Yours faithfully, * * * *.”
Shall we ponder this letter? Is our married life to be compared to “The haven of peace?” If not, why not? And, if it is, are we grateful for it to God, and do we by action show our gratitude?
November 25th. A friend from Burnley £50. — November 26th. We are now very poor. There is nothing at all in hand for the support of our large Orphan family. Some Christian friends think, that indeed in former years, we were greatly tried for want of means; but that, as the work has now existed for more than half a century, and as it is so well known, we are never now in difficulty in regard to pecuniary supplies. This is a great mistake. Year after year, even in this respect, the greatest exercise of faith has been required; and, during the past year, the looking to the Lord, and the constant confiding in Him only, could keep the heart at all in peace, in the midst of need, and having no natural prospect whatever to have it supplied. But God did help. Again and again His loving hand supplied us when all was gone. We have not been confounded. The Institution exists, and though our faith has been severely tried, we have been supplied with all we really needed. November 27th. From Scotland £20 Os. 6d. — November 29th. From Duffield £10. From Tyndall’s Park, Bristol, £15. — November 30th. From Reading £10.
December Ist. From Clifton £15. — December 2nd. From Dundee £50. Help indeed, in time of need! From Clifton £12. From San Remo, Italy, £10, with £10 for Mrs. Müller and myself. December yd. From C. C. T. £10 — December 4th. From Taunton £36 16s.4d. From Wimbledon £13 Is., “For the support of one Orphan for one year.’ — December 6th. From the North of Ireland £50. This donation came in most seasonably, and was a great help to us. Thus also £25 from Glasgow, with £5 for Mrs. Müller and myself on the same day. — December 7th. From the neighbourhood of Leicester £10 10s. — December 9th. For the support of six Orphans for one year £90. This sum came in most seasonably, and when help was greatly needed. December 11th. From six helpers in the Orphan-Houses £11. From Glasgow £15. — December 13th. From J. T. 8. for the support of two Orphan boys for one year £25. — December 14th. From Tring £10. — December 15th. From Clifton £50. Also from Clifton £13 1s., for the support of one Orphan for one year. Both these donations were a great help to us. — December 18th. From Canada 10s., with the following letter: —
* Dear Mr. Miller,
“Please to use the enclosed ‘ Widow’s mite’ as a thank-offering to the Lord for His mercy in bringing my only child, and her three little children, with a lady friend and myself, through great peril on the ‘ Prairie,’ on our way to our new home (in this part of the world). We had lost the track, and, in turning about to find it, the carriage nearly overturned, and we all had to get out. I kneeled down to put my arms round my little ones, who were crying with cold and fear, and told my Lord I would send 10s. to His Home for Orphans, if He would mercifully send us home safely. In less than ten minutes the answer came. We heard the cheering voice of a friend, calling to us. We were then about eight miles from home, and it had suddenly become very dark. He came to seek us, fearing what had really happened; and thus, after great peril, we reached our new home in safety.”
From Clifton £10. From Manchester £50. The Lord’s great kindness helped us by these two donations greatly. The Manchester donor often, very often, has sent us help in time of great need, when he little supposed how greatly we needed help. December 19th. A day of the greatest poverty and need of help. Heavy expenses to be met, and there were no means to meet them. Trust in God, coupled with believing and expecting prayer, were again the remedy. — December 20th. From Geneva we received £20, and from Wotton-under-Edge £100. Thus the Lord, in His great kindness, has helped us in our great, great need. The kind donor of Wotton-under-Hdge has been again and again, during the last few years, used as God’s instrument in helping us when in great need, though I do not know him personally. There came in about £50 more in the course of the day, £175 altogether — December 21st. From Maidstone £20. From Birmingham £9 12s., and £1. Thus we are still further helped — December 23rd. From near London £90, with £10 for Mrs. Müller and myself — December 24th. From Westmoreland £100.
December 26th. Though since November 26th about £1,600 has been received for the support of the Orphans, yet we are still again, as a month ago, without any balance in hand, as our expenses for this large family are so great. But we hope in God for further help. — December 27th. From the neighbourhood of Taunton £5 14s. 6d, “Being 6d. each on 205 lambs, and Is. each on twelve calves, for the present year.” — December 28th. From Reading £29 12s. 5d. — December 30th. From a poor
man at Birmingham, who keeps a few fowls and sells the eggs for our Orphans, 10s. 1887.
Of the donations which came in on January Ist, I only mention the following. From Liverpool £20. From a former Orphan, now in London in a situation, £1 6s. From New Wimbledon £13 7s. 6d. From Redland, from a former Orphan, £5, and through her £1. From Bristol £25. From Tokyo, Japan, 7 Mexican dollars. — January yd. From London £25. From M. 4 sets of artificial teeth, 2 of them set in gold — January 4th. From Sussex £53 lls. 2d. From the neighbourhood of Stourbridge £50. From Wales £3 Is., ‘‘ For 122 rooms papered in 1886 at 6d. per room.” — January 18th. From Salem, Virginia, 100 dollars and 10 dollars — January 20th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100. — January 25th. The fund for the Orphans was again very low; and, in addition to the heavy current expenses, there was the prospect of a large sum being required in a little more than two weeks to meet a heavy quarterly charge. Under these circumstances there came in this morning, as the result of constant, believing, persevering, and expecting prayer, in the name of the Lord Jesus, in about twenty-five donations, £65, in the afternoon £45 more, and in the evening £900, in payment of a legacy. Several donors, who have usually given at this time of the year, have not done so; but this only helped to look more directly to the Lord.
January 28th. From Philadelphia £20 17s. — January 29th. Legacy of the late A. L., Esq., £500. — January 31st. From a former Orphan, now in Canada, £5. — February 1st. From one of the Midland Counties £70. From Wimbledon £26. — February 4th. From Redland £13 for the support of one Orphan for one year. From “B. W.” £20. — February 9th. From readers of The Christian, per Messrs. Morgan and Scott, £42 2s. 6d.
Revival among the Orphan Boys.
The following communication was sent to me from our School Inspector, Mr. Horne: “February 9th, 1887. On January 15th, two boys came to one of the masters of No. 4, and asked, if they might have a prayer-meeting. This request was granted. Several others met the same day, and on the next day (Sunday), the master on duty, seeing this desire for united prayer thus showing itself, told the boys, that he would not take them in class in the afternoon as usual, but that they might meet for prayer. About 150 thus met of their own accord for two hours. It is a frequent thing now for many, sometimes more than 100, to meet for prayer, after their evening meal, till school-time at seven. The work is mainly amongst the elder and more intelligent boys. One master says, they do their work better, their manners are softened, and some do not sulk, as they did before. There has been a disposition to talk more, when at work; and, on enquiry, it has been found that the conversation was respecting some boy’s character or condition, or whether this or that was right or wrong. Sometimes a few boys have banded together and prayed for particular companions, making lists of such. They wished to meet by themselves for prayer, and others, who met in the usual way, had a separate meeting. Some boys, concerned about their souls, have come to a master and asked for help and instruction. Two came and said, ‘ Please Sir, to make us Christians.’ Another said, ‘My father, on his death-bed, made me promise to meet him in heaven, and I am not ready.’ Last Sunday, all the boys above fourteen years, and who will be fourteen this year, were had by themselves and spoken to. There were about fifty-five, and of these, from thirty-five to forty professed faith in Christ; and there is nothing in their conduct to contradict their profession. Several boys have, of course, attended the meetings from curiosity only, and prayers were offered by the boys specially for such. A very marked feature in many boys is, an earnest concern for the salvation of others. The whole tone of the school is changed.”
February 12th. From London, a stud set with diamonds, and a pin set with diamonds. — February 16th. From Paris £40. February 17th. Legacy of the late S. M., Hsq., £128 Os. 4d. February 19th. From Cork £50. — February 22nd. From Birmingham £200. — February 24th. From Sevenoaks £100. eed 25th. ‘‘The remainder of the legacy of the late
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ee expenses have been so heavy during this month, that again we have nothing at all left. But our eyes are up unto the Lord, who will help further, as He has done for fifty-three years.
March 2nd. As the legacy of the late Miss M. J. R. £90. — March 4th. From the Isle of Wight £53 18s. for the support of four Orphans for one year. — March 7th. By sale of dentist gold £18 5s. 7d. During the past year again, as for many years SEE a great number of artificial teeth, set in gold, have been sent for the benefit of the Orphans; and, by the sale of this dentist gold, a considerable sum has been obtained. — March 8th. From the neighbourhood of Manchester £200. — March 16th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100. — March 25th. Legacy of the late H. B. R., Esq. £90. From M. H. £25. — March 26th. We
have been enabled to meet the heavy expenses of another month for the Orphans, and have £121 11s. 81d. in hand, viz. the average expenses for two days.
March 28th. Legacy of the late Mrs. J. W. £221 Ils.
A former Christian master writes in reference to one of his Orphan apprentices: “W. R. sailed for New Zealand as a missionary on the 26th ultimo, in the S.S. Arawa. He leaves behind him a splendid reputation.” W. R. left the Orphan-Houses as a Christian lad, when he was apprenticed; during
the whole of his apprenticeship for five years, he lived to the glory of God in his position, and grew more and more in grace and knowledge. Some years after his apprenticeship had expired, he became a minister, and has now given himself to missionary work.
April 2nd. Legacy of Sir J. W. £500. — April 5th. From Brislington £110 Os. 9d. From Manchester £41 11s. 4d. from a donor who many, many times has sent help to us, when we were in great need. — April 14th. From A. B., Gloucestershire, £500. One donor after the other, who contributed long and much, is taken from us; thus it has been particularly during the past year. Others are still living, but their money is required for, or directed to, other work, and again, others lose their means for contributing. But God remains to us. He is ever able and ever willing to aid those who confide in Him; this we do, and so it comes that we are still helped, by new donors being raised up, and even such as help us considerably in our great work. The last donation referred to comes from a Christian gentleman to whom of late years God has spoken again and again to help us. — April 26th. The Lord has graciously of late refreshed our hearts, by sending the means more bountifully. We have to-day a balance of £1,493 17s. 24d. in hand. — April 29th. From Lancaster County, U.S.A., £40.
May 7th. Part payment of the legacy of the late T. M., Esq., with interest, £784. — May 18th. From California £52 for the support of four Orphans for one year. — May 24th. From a Bristol donor £100. From Trowbridge £13 for the support of one Orphan for one year. During the past year, out of the 2,067 Orphans who were under our care, forty-eight have been paid for by donors, providing for one, two, three, four, and in one case even for six children — May 25th. From Bath £90, with £10 for Mrs. Müller and myself.
May 26th, 1887, to May 26th, 1888.
Our balance in hand on May 27th, 1887, was £1,078 10s. 34d.
May 28th. From Maidstone £74 1s. 4d. This donor has very kindly helped us yearly for a long time, as the Lord has prospered him. — June 4th. As ‘A thank-offering for eight years of happy married life £1.” — June 7th. As “A thank-offering out of the first month’s money of my husband’s wages, after his being out of employment over one year, £1.” — June 10th. From one of the former Orphans £5, with the following letter : —
“Dear and honoured Sir,
“‘T have just come into a little property. Will you please to accept the enclosed as a small token of gratitude for the benefit I derived, while an inmate of your loved Home? Hoping you still enjoy good health,
“Believe me to remain, your grateful Orphan, * * * *.”
June 23rd. Legacy of the late Miss M. M. £500. — July 4th. Legacy of the late Mrs. A. T. £178 19s. — July 9th. The legacy of the late Mrs. M. A. 8. £500. — July 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. From Lombard Street, London £200.
August yd. From St. Mary Church £50. — August 4th. From Cotham Road, Bristol, £65 for Orphan girls, and £40 for Orphan boys. — August 9th. From two servants of Christ, who constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £300. — August 11th. From Manchester £60. From Leamington £25. — August 12th. With 2 Corinthians ix. 15, £100. — August 15th. From Plymouth £12. This day nearly a thousand pounds has been expended, and we were enabled to meet the heavy expenses by the large donations which came in within the last week — August 18th. From Manchester £83. This donor has kindly helped us many times, and very many times his donations have come to hand when we were in great need. I further observe, that only on the 11th of this month he had sent us £60, when having very heavy payments before us we were thus helped; and now, when little was left, having paid out more than £1,000 for the Orphans within the last three days, he sent us this £83, thus greatly helping us. Lastly, this kind donor had generally sent us £20 at a time; but now £60 and £83. How came all this? God knew our need, and, in answer to our prayers, put it into his heart thus to help us. God be magnified for this His kindness! — August 24th. From Manchester £20, ‘‘ Given on the anniversary of the donor’s birthday.” From a Bristol donor £50. This donor has kindly given us for many years past an annual donation for the Orphans, but never the fourth part as much as in the present instance. — August 26th. Our balance for the Orphans is to-day £316 13s. 5d., viz., not nearly enough for one week’s current expenses. But we trust in God, we really trust in God, and do not merely say 80, and therefore our hearts are in peace. — August 31st. From Birmingham £200, from a donor who has repeatedly helped us im our time of need; and thusitis again this time. From Edinburgh £1 is., with the following letter: —
“Dear Sir,
““I have been truly converted through reading your Narrative published many years ago, and have prayed for you every day, since my conversion, fifteen months ago. I am seeking to do now the will of God; and, as He told me to send to you £1, Jam doing it. The 1s. is for Reports.
“VOUrsESINCenelyaaruet cnt
September yd. From Westmoreland £100. — September 5th. From Belfast £2 13s., ‘‘ Being one penny for every umbrella sold for nine months.’ — September 13th. From Redditch 13,000 needles and two gross of knitting-pins. — September 15th. From Capt. J. V. §., a former Christian Orphan, £20. — September 19th.
‘AUGSUON GHL NI sardvg NvHaug
Pica w) Wi
TR ae
From ten friends at Darjeeling, India, £5. — September 26th. Our balance for the Orphan work was now very low. We had £98 12s. 104d. in hand. How little this is, the reader will more particularly see, when it is remembered that the average expenses for one day, for the Orphans alone, amount to £66. — September 27th. Received £2, with the following letter to Mr. Wright : — “Dear Brother in Christ,
“Herewith I enclose a cheque for £2. I had the privilege of accompanying Mr. Müller on board the steamer at Liverpool for America, in August, 1877, and it is marvellous to think, how God has strengthened him for his Missionary labours in the ten years that have intervened. I think that, after the Bible, I owe more to reading “The Lord’s Dealings with George Müller” than to any other book. I first read it twenty-four years ago at Oxford. I was then an undergraduate. I fear that many, who have been greatly helped by the example of God’s faithfulness to Mr. Müller, and also by his teaching, forget to contribute to the support of his work, through the multiplicity of new sources of interest: so I have been the last year or two much in prayer for the Orphans and all the work under his care. May the Lord give you all grace and wisdom for the work He has called you to. It is indeed a great honour.
“Yours in Him, * * * *.”
Legacy of the late Mr. H. E. £90. Observe the Lord’s kindness in causing this legacy just now to be paid, when our balance was so very low. May the donors also, who gave on September 27th, or the following days, see, how seasonably their kind donations came in.
October 5th. From France, from one of the Orphans, who left our care thirty years since, was received the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Miller,
“1 thank you very much for the last Report. It is so very interesting! I have written to my sister to send you £1 10s. Please to send me the fourth volume of your Narrative, also your Missionary Labours, by Mrs. Müller, and the rest is for the Orphans. Many years have passed away since I left, but I can never forget the kindness I received, when under your care. 1 do sincerely thank you, above all, for the religious instruction given to me. I thank God for the life of faith set before me, which seems to follow me all my life. I know from experience, God is true. I have had many answers to prayer. I know how He delights to hear us for Jesus’ sake. Great peace and joy this has brought to my soul. I wish all the world could know it. Happy are they who thus know God. I often think of dear Miss What a good Christian she was. I have still in my possession a small Testament I found she had put in my box, praying that the blessing of the Lord might accompany me. What a blessed thing truly godly example is for children! I am glad, dear Sir, your health continues good. That you may live many years to come, as the Orphans’ friend, is the prayer of
‘Your grateful Orphan, * * * *.”
October 11th. From Ootacamund, India, £10. — October 15th. From Smyrna 19s. 11d. — October 17th. From one of the Midland Counties, from a Christian gentleman, who, for about forty years has helped with his means, £70. Legacy of the late Miss M. L. £90. — October 26th. Hvening. Our balance in hand for the Orphans is now £152 15s. 52d., viz., enough for two days, but God, who has helped greatly for more than half a century, will further help: and to Him we look.
November Ist. The following letter was received : —
* Dear Sir,
“Since writing to you, my dear father has told me to send you for the Lord’s work the enclosed Buenos Ayres 5 per cent Railway Bond for £100, with coupons attached, with his dying love to you. He says it is a glorious work, and the last he shall be able to do for it here.”
On account of the legacy of the late A. A., Hsq., £100. The reader sees how the Lord sent help, when our funds were brought low. — November 2nd. From Havre, France, £3 0s. 1d. From a friend in Elgin £50. — November 8th. From a former Orphan £50, as “A thank-offering to the Lord on the occasion of the final settlement of some property, to which she was entitled.” — November 9th. We had now before us the payment of more than £1,000 in a few days, and there was as yet scarcely anything in hand towards this, when to-day the remainder of the legacy of the late T. M., Hsq., came in, in answer to many prayers, being (with £91 5s. 2d. interest) £4,791 5s.2d. How graciously has the Lord again helped us thus, and how precious is it, at all times, to trust in Him! This legacy was left several years since, but only now was paid. The reader will observe, how, during this year, in our need, the Lord has been pleased particularly to help us by means of legacies; but all these kind friends, who left legacies to us, were personally strangers to me, which makes the hand of God to be the more manifest — November 10th. From Cambridgeshire £100 15s. 10d. When the donor of this amount, nearly thirty years ago, first began to help me, he sent about £4, and then purposed to give a percentage on an article he sold in his business. The Lord was pleased to prosper him, notwithstanding mercantile difficulties. His contributions increased more and more; and now he is able to send £100 15s. 10d., instead of £4. — November 12th. From the British Museum Natural History Department, London, the following letter : —
“Dear Sir, “The Rev. W. H. T., now residing at Mombasa, East Africa,
has been sending us plants from that region, for which we owe him £16 10s. This he has asked us to send to you. Accordingly T enclose a cheque for the amount.”
Will the reader please to observe the hand of God in this donation, how He is so graciously pleased to watch over this work, and in the greatest variety of ways to supply it with means, sending them from all parts of the earth, and generally from entire strangers, as in this instance ? — November 21st. From Calcutta £12 12s. 2d. From Christian friends of Flienders Street Baptist Church, Adelaide, £10 2s — November 24th. Legacy of the late Miss A. C. £185 5s. 10d — November 25th. Received £1 as “A thank-offering to God for safe deliverance out of a severe and dangerous illness.”
December yd. From Cornwall 100 pheasants. — December 6th. From an Engine Driver 10s., as “A thank-offering, for life spared in a serious collision.” — December 10th. From the neighbourhood of Taunton £5 10s. 6d., being ‘5s. a year from my little fouryears-old daughter, 6d. each for 155 lambs, and Is. each for thirteen calves.” — December 13th. From Ale County, U.S.A., £10. — December 15th. From one of the former Christian Orphans, who has been twenty years in the same situation, to which I sent her, 10s., and from her mistress £1. — December 17th. From Bristol donors who, year after year, have thus kindly remembered the Orphans, twelve bags of flour, sixteen boxes of raisins, and five packages of currants. — December 19th. From Wellington, New Zealand, £5. From Basle £20. — December 21st. From Wotton-under-Edge £100. Legacy of the late J. M., Hsq., £642 15s. 2d. — December 28th. From Westmoreland £100. — December 31st. From New Wimbledon £13 10s. for the support of one Orphan, for one year. We were now brought to the close of another year, during which the Lord’s kindness to us had been very great, in a variety of ways.
January 2nd. On the first business day of the New Year were received many donations, of which I only refer to the following. From Manchester £50. From Penarth £30. From Reading £33 16s. 8d. From Bristol 112 lbs. of meat. — January yd. Legacy of the late Mrs. M. P. £100. — January 6th. From “Nemo” 30 turkeys. — January 7th. Legacy of the late H. H. G., Esq., £900. — January 11th. Believers’ meeting at the Sand Area Chapel, Kendal, £35 8s. — January 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £60. — January 17th. From London a brooch, and two pairs of ear-rings, with a letter, in which the donor writes : —
“I married and went to India, and now away from home influence my still unrenewed heart was able to gratify itself with the things of the world. Never shall I forget my delight when these ear-rings were given to me, the first 1 ever possessed. Willingly I went to have my ears pierced in order that I might wear them. But God in mercy would not have it so; the ears would not heal, and the ear-rings gave me constant pain. I had to give them up. Some years later, with health quite broken down, I left India, never to return. The Father sought His child. I found in Jesus what the world could not give — it was joy unutterable. He gave me health. He called me to His blessed service, in which I have been engaged for twelve years now.”
January 28th. The legacy of the late Mrs. EH. £900. — February 2nd. From Havre £4. From a Bristol donor £100. — February 9th. From Manchester a £100 railroad bond. — March 2nd. Krom Manchester £50. From Neuchatel, Switzerland, £6 5s. 7d. — March 7th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £105 12s. 7d. — March 12th. Legacy of the late Miss H. H. £250. March 16th. From Birmingham £200. From Rio de Janeiro £30, with £5 for myself — March 22nd. From Hampstead £50, “Tn leu of legacy,” with the following weighty letter :- —
“Dear Mr. Müller,: “Please accept of the enclosed cheque in hew of legacy. Iam endeavouring, as far as possible, instead of making bequests, to give in my lifetime, thus preventing delay, risk, and also saving the heavy expense of Government duty. The sooner the money is employed in the Lord’s service the better. It is a solemn thought, the heaps upon heaps of hoarded riches which the Lord, at His coming, will find lying dormant, and which might have been used for the glory of His dear name. Yes! — ‘‘ laid wp” — in direct opposition to His express command. Matt. vi. 19.
Earnestly begging your prayers, “‘T remain, dear Mr. Müller, Yours in our Lord, * * * *,”
From the Isle of Wight £54 for the support of four Orphans for one year — March 28th. From a Bristol donor £65 for the support of Orphan girls, and £40 for the support of Orphan boys. — April yd. From Weston-super-Mare £60. From South Australia £11 Os. 6d. from thirty-three donors. — April 7th. From Bromley £50. — April 9th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £15, with £5 for Mr. Wright, and £5 for myself. From Taunton £45. — April 10th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. From Ruabon 8s. 3d., being one penny for every dozen eggs, and threepence for every couple of fowls sold in the last three months. — April 11th. From Upperthorpe £1 as a thank-offering for spiritual blessing received through reading one of my books. This donor had bequeathed £100 in her Will, but through the failure of the undertaking in which her property was invested it was all lost. — April 14th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. This kind donor sent the same amount only four days before. How little ground therefore was there, humanly speaking,
to expect help from that quarter so soon again; but the Lord, to whom we look and on whom we wait, is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. From Worthing one gold bracelet, three silver bracelets, a gold scarf-pin set with small pearls, a gold ring set with garnets, a gold ring set with turquoises, a gold locket with chain, and a small gold locket. From Manchester a £100 railroad bond. — April 28th. Received £100, with the following letter : —
‘““My dear Brother,
“A friend of mine in Ireland is dying, and wishing so far to be his own executor, he put £100 for your Orphan work into my hands, and asked me to send it to you in the name of the Lord without mentioning his name. I enclose cheque accordingly with great pleasure.”
May 4th. From Los Angeles City, California, £40 15s. 7d. May 5th. Legacy of the late J. G. M., Esq. £450. — May 7th. From Neweastle-on-Tyne £50. From Henbury one gold pin set with brilliants, one gold ring, and one pair of gold ear-rings. — May 8th. Received £20 from a dear child of twelve years old (whose parents reside in South Wales), whose young heart the Lord stirred up to care for the Orphans, with the following letter : —
“My dear Mr. Miller,
““I wanted to get a little money to send you for the dear Orphans, and I sent to many of our friends at a distance and to those in the town belonging to our meeting, and they gave me a nice lot of things which we sold at our house last Tuesday. I send you a cheque for £20, and am so glad, as it is much more than I expected. I am twelve years old this month. Papa and Mamma send their kind love to you and dear Mrs. Müller.
“Your little friend, * * * *.”
Anonymously by post, from Malvern, one gold necklet with seven shell pendants, one coral necklace, two silver bracelets, one silver-lined tortoiseshell bracelet, one gold brooch, one silver ditto, one gold pendant, and three silver lockets. From a Plymouth lady an antique china dish — May 9th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £50, with £2 for myself — May 16th. From Clifton £15. Legacy of the late Miss M. M. £97 7s. — May 21st. From Norfolk £50. — May 26th. From Clifton £50. From St. Clears £9 18s.
May 26th, 1888, to May 26th, 1889.
Our balance in hand on May 27th was £2,505 5s. 13d.
May 29th. From Manchester fifteen interest coupons of a railway bond. — May 31st. From the same donor a £100 1ailway bond. The same kind donor has very many times been God’s instrument to help us when in great need.
June 22nd. From Norfolk £50, from a donor who has often helped us. — June 23rd. From Maidstone £75, from a donor who has often sent us help when we were in need, of which, of course, he knew nothing. From Alpes Maritimes £30 from a Christian brother, who, for more than forty years, has been a friend of the Institution — June 27th. We began our financial year of the Institution this day a month ago, with a balance of £2,505 5s. 13d. in hand; but to-day it is nearly a thousand pounds less, notwithstanding all the many donations during the past month.
July yd. From one of the Midland Counties £70, from a Christian gentleman, who has for about forty years taken a deep interest in this Institution — July 9th. Received £12 12s. 11d., with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“It having pleased God, in His infinite mercy, to spare my dear little boy another year, I now enclose cheque for £12 12s. 11d., being the amount for the support of an Orphan for one year.
“Yours sincerely, * * * *,”
July 11th. Received £25, with the following letter : —
“Dear Servant of the Lord Jesus,
“I have given to the Orphans, what my Heavenly Father has given me, £25. Your faith has often strengthened me when suffering from the temptations of the flesh. My dear sister and self continue to remember you, yours, and your large family, at the throne of grace. We watch to hear of hundreds of the dear children having given their hearts to Jesus.
“My time is short, being 78 years of age, and sister 76, both longing to be called home.
«Yours in the Lord Jesus, * * * =?
July 18th. From a poor widow £4. We receive hundreds and thousands of pounds at once, from those whom God has made stewards over much. We are grateful for such donations, and take them as coming direct from the hand of our Heavenly Father, as the result of our daily believing prayers; but, in like manner, we not only value the smallest donations of the poor, but take them also out of God’s hands, as the result of our trust in Him. July 25th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who for many years has taken a deep interest in this Orphan Institution, and who sends to us the fifth part of all that God gives him in answer to prayer, £7. He has himself no salary nor fixed income, but waits on God for all he needs. — July 27th. The comparatively large balance, with which we began the financial year of the Orphan Institution, has yet further been reduced during the past month several hundred pounds, great though our income was, because our expenses were still greater — July 30th. From one of the School-Masters, who, from early days, had been educated in the Orphan Institution, trained to be a teacher, and who fills now the position of a master, £10 10s., with a grateful letter. —
July 31st. Received on account of a large legacy, left by the late J. W. D., Esq., £2,000. As usual, the kind testator was an entire stranger to me; yet this gentleman was induced to leave to me, for the benefit of the Orphans, a large legacy, which may lead to the payment of more than £8,000 altogether. How soon is God able, in answer to prayer, to increase the balance, as He has been so graciously doing in our case. How true that word, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.”
August yd. From a hard-working, dying man, lately having found rest in Jesus, £10. — August 7th. Moiety of the net residue of the personal estate of the late E. G. £105 14s. 4d. — August 8th. From one of the Midland Counties £100. — August 9th. Legacy of the late Mrs. M. E. £500. — August 10th. From the neighbourhood of Torquay £60. From Birmingham £200. — August 13th. From the residuary legatees of the late Sir J. W. £850. — August 18th. From Lombard Street £100. From Wales £80. From a Bristol donor £50. — August 27th. Received the following letter, with a set of studs and a picnic knife : —
“‘TDear Mr. Müller,
“When in Bristol in 1867, I visited the Orphan-Houses, and purchased vol. I of your Narrative. The reading being ‘ too dry,’ I put it away amongst other books, where it remained hidden and forgotten. In 1884 I was led to know Jesus as my Saviour. Your volume then became most interesting, and tended very much to strengthen my faith in a prayer-hearing God. I have now your four volumes, and from them I am able to lead others to Jesus, encouraging them to put God’s promises to the proof. When in 1885 I had lost everything, I was enabled to rest upon Matthew vi. 25-34, refusing to be anxious, therefore slept soundly. Psalm lxviii. 19, 20 (Revised Version), I am finding true to the letter. Now that all my debts are paid, and earnings are only sufficient to pay necessary expenses, I have a desire practically to thank God for His comfort during the past three years. Presents which I have received, a set of studs and a picnic knife, I have this morning sent to you by post, which please receive for the Orphans. All that I am and have are the Lord’s, Rom. xii. 1; I therefore look to Him, by His Spirit, to make me what He would have me to be.
Yours faithfully; * * *1*.”
August 28th. From Manchester a £100 railway bond. The Christian gentleman who sent us this bond has, during a period of many years, helped us again and again.
September 4th. From Dublin £100, with the following letter : — “My dear Sir,
“Enclosed you will find first half notes for £100 for the support of the Orphans under your care. Only once before had I the privilege of sending so large a sum; but this is a far more prosperous year than we have had for a long time; and, besides, having enough capital to carry on my business, and my children being provided for, I have determined not to lay up any more treasure on the earth, but to give all I make in the year (over and above what I require for household and personal expenses and the education of my children) to the Lord’s work. I believe the money would do me no good to hoard it, and I am sure, when I give it to you, it is put to good use in supporting an Institution that is doing good temporally and spiritually to the children under your care.
“TJ am, dear sir, yours faithfully, * * * *.”
September 26th. Legacy of the late Miss HE. L. £500.
Four months of our new financial year have elapsed, and our expenses for the Orphans alone have amounted, during those four months, to £7,414 1s. 23d.; yet our balance of £2,505 5s. 1id., with which we began the year, having been greatly reduced after the first month, and still more so after the second month, the Lord has been pleased so to increase as that this day, September 27th, we have £3,851 6s. 103d. What is not God able and willing to do for all who really trust in Him?
October 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. — October 19th. Legacy of the late Miss L. McK. £100. Legacy of the late J. R., Esq., £225. — October 20th. From Brislington £61 3s. 2d. — October 30th. From Havre, France, £4. “Instead of fire insurance £3.”
November Ist. Received £2,000 as a further portion of a legacy of the late J. W. D., Esq. — November 5th. The legacy of the late E. B., Esq., £5,000. As is generally the case, so in this instance also, the kind testator was not at all known to me, not even by name. But God, in answer to my daily believing and expecting prayers, put it into his heart to leave me this considerable sum, duty free. See, Christian reader, how blessed it is to trust in God!
Perhaps one or the other of my readers may be inclined to say, It is an easy matter to carry on such an Institution, whilst the income is so large. As recently as on November Ist, £2,000 was received as part of a legacy, and now on the 5th, £5,000.
My reply is: (1) How do we obtain these large donations Do we ask for them? J. W. D., Esq., who left above £8,000, was not known to me by name even, nor E. B., Esq., who left the £5,000.
(2) We never apply to one single individual for help, and have acted thus for more than half a century; but ask God alone. We should not consider it unscriptural, far less sinful, to apply to Christian persons for help for the work of God; but we refrain from it, and I have acted thus for fifty-five years, that, by this mode of carrying on the work of God, I might be instrumental in strengthening the hands of my fellow-believers, by showing to them practically the power of prayer and of faith, and by showing also how much, in the nineteenth century even, can thus be accomplished.
(3) But how do we act when no such large donations come in; when week after week the income is small, when it does not exceed £300 a week, instead of £700, our weekly average expenditure? While I am writing this, for many weeks past our income has been only about one-half of our expenditure. Under such circumstances we do not send out special appeals to the public; we do not make known our wants even to Christian friends; for it is now fifty-three years since I requested all my helpers and fellow-labourers never to speak to any one but God about our need; we do nothing but pray under such circumstances. And what is the result? We may be brought low, very low; it may come even to the last sovereign; but we are always helped in the end.
(4) But it may be said, Suppose you were not helped? My reply is, Whilst we are trusting in God, and do not live in sin, such a thing cannot be, as our work is the work of God, and we are asking in the name of the Lord Jesus.
(5) Still, it is said, Your work is a very easy one, for you publish every year a Report, and thus you obtain these vast sums. My reply is: (a) I publish these Reports, to give an account of my stewardship. (b) All Societies, or public Institutions, publish Reports; but the complaint on their part is, that they are not read. (c) These Reports which I have written might be read, yet no donations be sent. Only yesterday I had passing through my hands a small donation, accompanied by a letter from the donor, in which he states that he has for many years read the Reports with great interest, as he is a Christian; but that only now he sends his first donation. God must influence the minds of the readers of the Reports, to send us help; and, if He does not do so, thousands of Reports, read even with interest, might not bring one donation. In every way I depend upon God, and so it comes to pass, and only thus, that we are helped; for were I to depend upon Reports, while stating that I trust in God, He would soon confound me, and would make it manifest that my profession was not sincere.
(6) Now, seeing the blessedness of this way of acting, in that those persons who trust in God shall never be confounded, and that they are above war, famine, mercantile depression, etc., will not my beloved fellow-believers more and more depend upon God in their family difficulties, in their business, in their earthly profession, in their labour for the Lord, and in all other matters
- when in need of any kind; for what God is doing for us, He is willing to do for all His children? The writer has found Him invariably faithful to His promises for very many years; and is fully assured that he will find Him thus to the end of his earthly pilgrimage.
November 15th. From Cambridgeshire £94 10s. 6d. — November 23rd. “As restitution for petty frauds, committed by the sender when a child, £2 10s.”, — November 29th. A third payment of £2,000, on account of a legacy of above £8,000 left by the late J. W. D., Esq.
December 18th. From a Missionary in China £2 5s., with the following letter : —
“My dear Mr. Müller,
“It being now twenty-one years since my beloved wife and I were married and left home for China, we desire to send a small thank-offering to God for the Orphans on Ashley Down, in gratitude for all our Father’s loving-kindness to us these years. Our health is better than in years past; we are happy in His love and grace, and thankful for souls whom He is saving around us. Rte.”
January Ist. With the New Year our Heavenly Father sent us again many donations. — January 8th. From Sussex £51 10s. from a kind friend who has many times helped us. — January 9th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. — January 27th. Our balance during the past month is increased still further, having this day £11,027 9s. 0yd. in hand for the Orphans. January 29th. From Downend £1 from a laundress, who puts aside for the Orphans a halfpenny per week, out of each family’s washing. Notice this donation, and observe the great variety of ways in which our Heavenly Father is pleased to help us, in answer to our prayers. — January 30th. From a clergyman and his wife £50.
February 2nd. From Scotland, a gold ring set with diamonds, a gold ring set with two pearls and a sapphire, two silver bracelets, a gold ditto, and a gold necklet with pendant. “The donor’s heart is now filled with riches, which shall never fade away, and which are inexhaustible.’ — February 4th. From Christian friends in. North Adelaide £12 5s. 6d — February 6th. From Coimbatore £2. — February 22nd. From Weston-super-Mare £60, from a gentleman who has thus kindly helped us for many years. — February 27th. A monthsago our balance in hand was £11,027 9s. Old. To-day it is only £9,136 Os. 103d. Thus we have £1,891 8s. 1d. less than we had a month ago.
March 27th. From Manchester, from a friend to the Orphans, £50. From the Isle of Wight £54 for the support of four Orphans for one year. — March 28th. From Canton Zurich, Switzerland, £14 14s.
April Ist. Received £2 from Oamaru, New Zealand, with the following letter : —
* Dear Mr. Müller,
“Do you remember, when passing through New Zealand this month a year ago, spending a Sunday in Oamaru? Perhaps you may also call to mind a lady calling upon you at the Hotel where you were staying. I was at that time passing through a severe
trial of faith, on account of long continued pecuniary difficulties. It was a time of severe temptation, and the words of kind Christian counsel and sympathy, which you gave me, were indeed a blessing to me. I seemed to take a fresh lease of faith in God, and began, like Jehoshaphat, to praise for deliverance, before tt came. I now desire to record God’s faithfulness, in answering our prayers above what we asked or thought. Psalm exxvi. exactly expresses my feelings. I enclose a share, of what we are spending for God, for your Orphans; and delight in thus testifying to God’s goodness in sending deliverance to His tried ones. God is as good as His Word. “Yours in Christian love, * * * *,”
I have inserted this letter for the encouragement of any who may be in similar circumstances, while they are reading this. May they seek afresh to confide in God!
April 2nd. Legacy of the late Miss E. H., £225. Legacy of the late Miss M. H., £160 12s. 11d. — April 6th. From one of the Midland Counties £100. This was the last donation from a Christian gentleman, who for a very long time had been a friend of the Institution, and who had very many times contributed to its funds. During the past fifty-five years many thousands of the donors, some of whom had sent hundreds or even thousands of pounds, have either fallen asleep, or they have lost the ability to contribute as before, though they are still alive, or their donations have been directed into other channels; and thus we have not received, from one cause or the other, considerable sums which once we received. But God has not altered. To His honour and glory I founded the Institution; to Him alone I looked for help and support regarding everything; Him I declared to be the Patron of the Institution: and He has never failed me. On Him and on Him alone I have relied these fifty-five years, and I have never been confounded. From Alloa, Scotland, £100. z
May 2nd. ‘The final payment in respect of the legacy of the late J. W. D., Esq., £2,780 16s. ld.; making, together with the sums previously received, a total of £8,780 16s. ld — May 7th. From Birmingham, from a kind donor who has again and again thus helped us, £200. — May 25th. From Norfolk £50.
May 26th, 1889, to May 26th, 1890.
When the financial year of the Institution commenced, we had a balance of £9,551 8s. 103d. in hand for the support of the Orphans, a balance so great, that we had had only a few times as much in hand, since the Orphan work first commenced.
May 31st. From Manchester £200, from a Christian gentleman who for many years has again and again very kindly helped us, and who especially had done so during the previous year.
July Ist. Received £1, “Being one halfpenny saved out of
628 HEAVY TRIALS OF LAST 13 YHARS — ORPHANS. [1889 each family’s washing for some time.” Will the reader observe how even the very poor are moved in heart by God to do something for His work, in which we are engaged — July 11th. From Lombard Street, London, £200. — July 12th. From the Beaver Falls, United States, £2 9s. 1d. From New North Road, London, £5 “for my insurance.” — July 16th. From “G.,” Preston, £98 14s. 4d — July 20th. From Reading £40. From Clifton £100. — July 24th. From a Bristol donor £150, From Mombasa, Bast Africa, £5 10s — July 27th. During the past month our large balance, with which we began our financial year on May 27th, has yet further been decreased £631 4s, 8yd., notwithstanding the income of £1,297 9s. 6d. during the month. Many of the readers of the Reports, in seeing a large balance in hand, consider it unintentionally even greater than it is, and think that there is no need of helping; and, I have actually been told, “You have so good a balance, that you do not require to be helped by me;” thus, were we depending upon donors, and not upon God Himself, we should soon have nothing in hand at all; but, as we do not trust in donors, but in God, we are helped, whether we begin with a large or an exceedingly small balance.
August 13th. From Birmingham £200 from a donor who has kindly helped us again and again with a similar sum. — August 29th. Received £5 5s. 6d., with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“Four or five years ago, I was led to befriend one who had been an Orphan under your care. This led to his offering to lend me the first volume of Mr. Müller’s Narrative. Through reading this book, I was stirred up to pray that I might be able to carry on my business free of all debt, by paying at once for all I bought, and resolving in my heart that, when the answer came, I would give a tenth, of all I obtained, to the Lord. For many years the thought of what I was owing pressed heavily upon me, though I was always able to meet my bills. Now, I am thankful to say, Tam able to pay ready money for all I need, and therefore joyfully carry out what I resolved before the Lord. The enclosed cheque for £5 5s. 6d. is part of the tenth. It is intended for the Orphans.”
September 12th. ‘‘ On the donor’s eighty-first birthday £5.” — September 14th. From Clifton £100. — October 18th. From Dehra Doon, India, £1 13s. 4d., £2, and 13s. 4d. — October 23rd. Received 3s., with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“I hope you will receive this small token of help to your noble work. Having heard many times of it, I longed to do a little. Through reading your Report, lent to me, I read how many had given up things, to be able to give something towards it; I resolved, therefore, to give up a monthly paper, at threepence per month, for one year. I hope the Lord will bless you still in
your good works and labour of love. Iam only a poor girl myself, without father or mother, or brother or sister; but I have many friends. God has cared for me.”
October 24th. Legacy of the late Miss EH. A. W., £100. — October 25th. From a Bristol donor, who has long aided the work, £50. — November 6th. From Watford £10, with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“I had thought of sending you for the Orphans five pounds, but feel disposed to send you a cheque for ten pounds. Please to use it for the Orphans. May the Lord bless your work abundantly!”
How did it come that this donor, who purposed to send five pounds for the Orphans, is made to double the amount? It was the result of prayer. My dear wife and myself in India, and my dear fellow-labourers in Bristol, were waiting on God for help being continued to us for the support of the Orphans, as each month about £2,000 is needed for them, irrespective of the other branches of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad; and thus it came that this kind donor at Watford was moved to alter his mind, and to send us £10, instead of £5, as he had intended to do.
November 20th. From friends in Coonoor Church, India, £5 7s. 3d. From St. Petersburg £104 14s. 3d., with the same amount for Mrs. Miller and myself. From Manchester £50. — November 21st. From Cambridgeshire £90 Os. 2d., a percentage for the Orphans on a certain article, sold by the donor in his business. — December 2nd. Legacy of the late Miss H. W., £200. From Dundee £5, as “Portion of the first profit made of a new patent.” — December yd. Legacy of the late Mrs. EH. C., £300. — December 14th. From the neighbourhood of Fort William, Scotland, £50. ‘“‘In memory of a dear Father and Mother,” £100. — December 17th. From Manchester £50. — December 18th. Legacy of the late Mr. W. B., £100. — December 20th. From a father, mother, and children, £16 5s. 4d.
Christmas Presents.
December 21st. From a Bristol house of business 5 cases of oranges. — December 23rd. From another house 20 boxes of oranges, 16 half boxes of Valencias, and 6 cases of currants. From Cornwall 150 pheasants. This donation gives an idea to the reader of the magnitude of the Orphan Institution. Even a vERY large family could not consume such presents, before the greater part would be spoiled; we, however, can, without the least difficulty, consume such an amount, and even were it twice as much. — December 31st. From the pupils at a school in Clifton, being the result of a sale of work, £13.
January Ist. From the neighbourhood of Ware £52 10s. From Penarth £30, with the following letter : —
“My dear Mr. Müller,
“At the close of another year, I send you, as usual, a cheque for £30 for your Orphans. I think for the last fifteen years I have had this pleasure, with a heart full of gratitude to God for all His mercies and blessings.”
From Dublin £100, with the following letter : —
Dear Sir,
“I again have pleasure in enclosing you £100 for the Orphans under your care. I give to other Institutions; but yours holds the first place in my heart. I think I told you last year, I have been led of the Lord ‘ to cease to lay up treasure on the earth, in order to lay up treasure in heaven.’ I now give all I make in the year, over and above what I require for household expenses and the education of my children, to the Lord’s work. I am only
an ordinary, very ordinary, business man, and in my everyday life fall very far short of witnessing for the Master. This service I do, not letting my left hand know what my right hand doeth. But I can truly say, it is a blessed service; for before, I used to fret and worry; but now, recognizing I am only a steward, I say I have no cause to fret, that my Master is rich, and He can, as He sees fit, make this or that to prosper; and so I cast all care on Him. But Ido ask your prayers, that I may be more out and out for Him. Wishing you still some years to go on, witnessing to God’s faithfulness,
“I am, Dear Sir, yours very truly, * * * *.”
Will the readers read this letter a second and third time and ponder its contents?
January 2nd. From a London physician £25., — January yd. From Manchester £50. — On January 8th the following letter was received from Scotland : —
“Dear Sir,
“Having a larger balance in my bank book than I care to have just now, and expecting to have, for a year at least, tewer expenses, on account of having broken up the establishment after the decease of my beloved mother; bemg now myself left quite alone, and having, for my only certain hope, the sustaining power and presence of the Lord Jesus Christ; it occurs to me to think of God’s Orphans, who are under your charge, and I am encouraged to do so the more, by the knowledge of the fact that you do not publish names or addresses. Will you, therefore, be so good as to write to me to the above address, where I am staying for a time, and to inform me where to direct a cheque?”
The result was, this lady sent £500 for the benefit of the Orphans. How came this? What made this lady, an entire stranger to me,
send this amount? God hears our prayers. In India the prayer of my dear wife and myself, day by day, was brought before the Lord, and generally repeatedly; my beloved helpers on Ashley Down and elsewhere waited on God, and He, in answer to our believing supplications, inclined the heart of this lady to send £500. Did all my beloved brethren in Christ, who do not act on these principles, know the blessedness of trusting in God for everything, their peace and joy in the Lord would mcrease more and more.
January 21st. From a Bristol donor £5, “A gift in loving remembrance of dear Mrs. Wright, now happy with the Lord.” [See page 557.]| — January 22nd. From a gentleman in London £100, with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“I beg to enclose cheque for £100 towards the funds of your Orphanage, which I send in gratitude for the safe recovery of one of my children from a severe attack of typhoid fever.”
January 25th. From Christian friends at Brimscombe £24. From Ireland £100, with the following letter : —
“My dear Friend,
“I have much pleasure in enclosing draft, value £100, for the funds of the Orphans. Having had very heavy demands to meet this time last year, I could not well send my contribution to you as usual; but now I send this year’s and last year’s donations together; for our Heavenly Father has been very gracious to me and mine. He has helped me over my anxieties and difficulties. Let us, my dear Friend, thank God for this, and trust Him more for the future.”
Because we look to the Lord alone for the needed means, and not to our friends, nor to those who have helped us before, at times, when donations have formerly been sent, we never remind our former donors of this, nor have we ever done so in one single instance for fifty-six years and eleven weeks, viz., ever since the Institution has been in existence.
January 29th. Received a gold ring, set with diamonds, and a gold locket. — February 8th. From Manchester £50 from the same kind donor, who many times has helped us considerably. To-day we also received a cheque for £200, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“Please find enclosed a cheque for £200, made payable by my endorsement to your order. This amount comes as a spontaneous gift from the same lady from whom on the 30th May last I sent, with her consent, a like amount, which she then wished to pay me for services rendered, but which, at my request, she consented should be sent to you for the Orphans. The amount now sent, is a gift entirely spontaneous on her part, and quite unexpected on mine.”
February 28th. From Weston-super-Mare £60, from a gentleman who, year after year, for a long period, kindly has contributed this sum towards the support of the Orphans. — March 12th. Legacy of the late Mrs. R. W., Bristol, £300. — March 17th. From London, $.W., £50. — March 29th. From Moseley, Birmingham, £150 from a donor who kindly has often helped us.
April 7th. “As a thank-offering from two former Orphans on the marriage of their eldest son,” £5. — April llth. From Norfolk £50. — April 12th. From Taunton £45. While I am writing this, and go through the list of the contributions sent during the past year, I find one donor after the other missing; because the Lord took them to Himself, since I wrote the last Report; but He ever’lives to help us, and has never failed us, and has been again, during another year, in a special manner, our Helper. — April 23rd. From Leicester £5. The donor states, in his letter, that ever since he has been in the habit of giving the tenth of what the Lord had given to him, he appeared to himself like the Israelites in the wilderness, whose clothes did not wax old, and that his provisions lasted like the oil in the cruse of the widow. — April 27th. We have now entered on the last month of the financial year of the Institution. Much, very much will yet be needed during this last month. For all the various Objects of the Institution, there will be required at least £4,500 during the last month before us. — April 30th. From Manchester £50.
May yd. From Stoke Bishop £53, with £2 for myself. — May 15th. Legacy of the late Miss C. U., £142 7s. 7d. — May 17th. Legacy of the late W. L., Esq., £2,207 3s. 3d. This legacy had been about five years in Chancery; but day by day, whether in the six Australian Colonies, or in Ceylon, or in India, or on the sea going to Australia, or on the sea returning from India, to England, asked God to hasten the money to us, and to get it out of the High Court. Our faith was, however, long tried, as it often had been in similar cases. But I expected the answer, as I had had an answer to prayer under similar circumstances more than twenty times regarding legacies in Chancery. I never despair of getting an answer, being assured that the answer will come at last. I notice further, in connection with this sum, that for about four months our income had been very small, except on three or four occasions; but now the Lord has begun again more abundantly to help us. If we do the work of God, in God’s way, trust in Him, and bring our case in believing prayer before Him, we need never to be cast down; for in God’s own time the help will surely come; but we must do God’s work in God’s way, bring our case in believing prayer before Him, and not indulge in things contrary to His mind. — May 20th. From General and Mrs. £2, with the following letter: —
“Dear Sir,
“Would you kindly accept £2 from Mrs. and myself
towards the Orphan Homes on Ashley Down, with our best
wishes for the temporal and eternal good of the inmates. It is now more than thirty years since I read the first Report of Mr. Müller’s work, and from it I learnt to pray for all the little things of daily life, and to expect answers from our Heavenly Father; and I learnt, too, what systematic giving means, and what a pleasure there is in giving back to the Lord His own; and now I am learning more about the fulness of the Spirit and the life of faith. Many thanks for all the lessons you have taught me. “With kindest regards, I remain, “Yours very faithfully, * * * *.”
May 26th. From Carmarthenshire £9 18s. Thus we are brought to the close of another year, during which for the Orphans alone we had to expend £23,605 14s. 5jd., and yet, after having been enabled to accomplish this, had left a balance of £5,183 11s. 84d. in hand.
May 26th, 1890, to May 26th, 1891.
May 27th. On the first day of the financial year we received from the Cape of Good Hope £1. Also, from New Zealand £3 10s. These donations, from so great a distance, were like an earnest from God, that during this year also He would provide everything for the Orphans that would be needed by them. — May 28th. From J. 8., Edinburgh, £15. From Thetford £50.
June 4th. Legacy of the late Miss A. M. F., £3,640 7s. 7d.; a remarkable legacy, indeed, for, although this donor lived in Bristol, I never received even the smallest gift from her in her lifetime, nor did I ever see her that I know of, nor had I ever even heard her name. Yet the Lord constrained her to leave to me almost the whole of her property for the Orphans.
July Ist. The legacy of the late Mrs. Col. 8., £180. — July yd. I received £1, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Miller, ‘My mother is 90jyears of age to-day, and wishes to celebrate her birthday as usual, by sending £1 for your Orphans. * Yours sincerely, * * * *.”
July 18th. From “G.,” Preston, £98 14s. 4d. Our income having been small of late, and our expenses great, in praying for means yesterday, I mentioned this donor by name, asking God to lead him to send us help; and this morning the answer to prayer came. — July 22nd. From Clifton £100. — August 9th. From Finsbury Park £200. — August 13th. From Moseley £150 from a Christian donor, who has assisted us many times. From a poor widow, 73 years of age, 3s., cheerfully given by her, though her income for her own support is only 3s. per week. — August 20th. From the Nilgiri Hills, India, “£25, as a thank-offering for many mercies.” — August 22nd. From the Vicar at A., £5, with the following letter : —
“My dear Sir,
“I enclose a cheque for £5 on behalf of your Orphanage, in great thankfulness for the witness borne by you to the power of believing prayer.
“Yours very truly, * * * *,”
August 27th. It is now three months since our new financial year for the Institution commenced, and during these three months we have expended, for the Orphans alone, £6,193 Os. 104d. Received £5, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“The other day, at a friend’s house, I took up your Report, began to read some of it, and I read a letter there [see page 630] from a person in Dublin, who, in sending you a donation, said, that using his money for the Lord is a blessed service; for, before doing so, he used to fret and worry about things, but now, recognizing himself to be only a steward, he has no cause to fret. In your Report, you ask your readers to ponder over the contents of that letter; [I have done so, and now am induced to send you a small donation of £5. In doing so, I would just say, that I often fret and worry about things which make me very miserable, and in order to be free from such worries, I ask your prayers on my behali.
“Tam, Dear Mr. Müller,
“Yours faithtully, * * * *?
October 17th. From Harrogate £100. — November 14th. For the Orphans, the legacy of the late Miss C. L., £500. This lady was an entire stranger to me, but the Lord led her to leave this legacy, as the result of constant waiting upon Him.
November 19th. Received 5s., with the following letter from one of the Orphan girls now in service : —
“Dear and honoured Sir,
“I send you this trifle with much pleasure. Again I thank you very much indeed for the kind care that was bestowed upon me for twelve years. My dear brother and sister were under your kind care nearly as long, and I know that they would like me to thank you for them. We are getting on nicely in our places, and all three of us belong to Jesus, thanks to your carelul teaching day by day. Kindly give my love to the dear Teachers at No. 5, and believe me, dear Sir,
“Your obedient Orphan, * * * *,”
Will the reader observe, that here are three Orphans from one family, who were received at the Orphan-Houses on Ashley Down. These three Orphans were about twelve years in the Orphan-Houses, though the average time for keeping them there is, generally, only ten years; but sometimes I have had them for fifteen, sixteen, and in a few instances even for seventeen years under my care, because the children frequently are received
whilst very young. Lastly, all three were brought to a true knowledge of the Lord whilst on Ashley Down, showing that our labour on behalf of the Orphans is not in vain. — November 20th. From Cambridgeshire £80 0s. 10d. from a Christian friend in business, who, for very many years, has helped this Institution with means, as the Lord has prospered him in his business. Thus in the midst of many difficulties through which I have had to pass during the past fifty-seven years, in connection with this Institution, the Lord has given me many kind helpers and friends, through whom He has cheered and refreshed my heart. Month after month large sums are expended; we ask no human being for anything, but look to the Living God, and to Him alone for help. On June 27th we had £9,307 6s. 63d. in hand; but since then, notwithstanding the large income we have had month after month, our balance has decreased, so that on November 27th we had only £3,195 14s. 11d. in hand. Nothing but real trust in God can keep the heart in peace. — December 29th. From Halifax 10s., with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“I have again much pleasure in sending you a Postal order for 10s. for the Orphans. I think it my duty to tell you that I received great good from reading your little book on malulie privilege and blessedness of giving,’ about three or four years ago. I then set apart five per cent of my income, and during the past few months have increased it to ten per cent, for the Lord, though my wages as a timekeeper are only 30s. per week.
“I am, Yours respectiully, * * * *.”
December 30th. From the workmen and boys at the Messrs. J. S. F. and Sons, Bristol, £7 7s.
January Ist. From Leamington £50, with £1 for myself. — January 8th. Legacy of the late J. J., Esq., £100. — January 20th. From Howth, County Dublin, £100. — January 21st. From Stapleton Road £50. — January 30th. From Cork £50. — February 4th. Received £13, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Wright,
“TI have now the privilege of sending £13 for the Orphans, being £1 added each year of my pilgrim life, since I gave my small income to my Lord and my God. I find the sweetness of doing this, now in my old age, as I am more than eighty years old. Iam just waiting for the call, and almost hear it sometimes. I still pray for you all, generally twice a day. Believe me,
“Your fellow helper in prayer, * * * *.”
We are very grateful for the assistance of persons who thus help the Institution by their prayers.
March 6th. Legacy of the late Mrs. E. T., £175 18s. 9d. — March 20th. Legacy of the late Mrs. A. F., £508 19s. 6d. —
March 26th. Legacy of the late Mr. J. L., £100. — March 31st. From Weston-super-Mare £60. — April 20th. From Cardiff £25. Legacy of the late Mrs. M. K., £200.:
May 27th. From Edgbaston £150 from a donor who kindly often and considerably has helped us. This donation arrived whilst we were in the greatest need — May 9th. From Stoke Bishop £58, with £2 for Mrs. Müller and myself. Day after day we are now very poor, and have continually to look for fresh supplies to the Lord who hitherto has mercifully helped us; but the trial of our faith is great — May 25th. From Ireland £100.
May 26th, 1891, to May 26th, 1892.
When this financial year commenced, we had a balance of £225 14s. 73d. in hand, for the Orphans; an amount so small, that, according to the average expenses, it was not enough for the need of half a week. We were therefore particularly directed, even by the smallness of our balance, to trust in the Living God, as we had been doing, by His grace, all the previous fifty-seven years of the existence of the Institution. This was the way, and the only way, whereby the heart could be kept in peace.
May 28th. From Taranaki, New Zealand, £7. — May 29th. Legacy of the late Miss E. R. £50. — June lst. Legacy of the late Miss A. F. T. £50. From Clifton £50. From Maidstone £50, from a donor who kindly has helped us for many years, from time to time. — June 9th. From Birmingham 10s., with the following letter : —
“Dear Brother in the Lord,
“Please to accept 10s. for the Orphans. I wrote to you some years ago, to ask prayer for a dear Christian mother, in great suffering; the restoration to communion with the Lord of my husband; and for the conversion of my four sons and four daughters. I now ask for praise. The dear mother is asleep in Jesus; my husband brought back to the Lord; and one son and three daughters have confessed the Lord Jesus and are seeking to follow Him. I still ask prayer, especially for two sons, one in America.
“Yours in Jesus, * * * *,”
This letter should be an encouragement to the reader.
June 15th. From Dunedin, New Zealand, £5. From Stroud £100. — June 22nd. From Reading £50. From Alpes Maritimes, France, £10. — July 4th. On account of the legacy of the late Mr. KH. F., £1,500. — July 9th. From Highbury £14 ls. 6d. for the support of one Orphan for one year, with the following letter :- —
“Dear Mr. Miller, “God having graciously spared my dear boy for another year in health and strength, I have much pleasure in sending you a
cheque for £14 1s. 6d. for the support of one Orphan for one year.”
July 21st. From Clifton £100. — August Ist. Received on account of the legacy of the late Mr. E. F., £793 14s. 2d — August 18th. From Devon, from a donor who kindly has helped us from time to time for more than forty-five years, £60 19s. 10d.
August 20th. From Edgbaston £150 from a donor who has kindly helped us again and again; generally these donations have come to hand when we were in great need, and thus it was this time, for when the money arrived we had nothing at all in hand. — August 21st. From “St. Paul’s”’ £100, when in the greatest need. — August 27th. We have been enabled to expend for the Orphans during the past three months £6,472 4s. 74d., but have nothing left in hand. Received £5, with the following letter : —
““My dear Sir,
“Two of your Reports came this week, addressed to our precious child, I. I. R., who for a few years past took much interest in the Orphan Homes under your guidance. The line of faith and entire dependance upon God, upon which the work is conducted, appealed very strikingly to her heart and conscience; and the record of God’s faithfulness, of which the Orphanage is a monument, was to her real spiritual help. The Lord took her home last April, and in remembrance of her interest, as well as in expression of our own, we hope to continue a little yearly help to the Orphan-Houses.”
September 18th. As the residue of the legacy of the late Mr. EK. F. £250. From Selby £100. — September 19th. From the neighbourhood of Torquay £50. From Redland £50. Both donations came to hand when we were in great need. — September 21st. From Dublin £50. — September 24th. From believers, meeting at Manver’s Hall, Bath, £13. — September 27th. During the past four months, from May 27th to September 27th, we have expended for the Orphans £8,046 13s. 04d., and have now again nothing in hand. — September 28th. From Mount Gambier, South Australia, £2.
October Ist. In addition to many small donations, received since September 27th, we obtained to-day, on account of the legacy of the late Mr. R. W. J., £550. Thus the Lord has again graciously helped us. — October 8th. Received £5 from a working man. — October 23rd. From Clevedon 1,469 apples and 1,814 pears. — October 24th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £100. — October 27th. During the past five months we have expended for the Orphans £9,814 8s. 114d., but much as our income has been, comparatively, yet all is expended, and with nothing in hand we begin another month. Received £5, with the following letter : —
* Dear Sir,
““I send you a cheque for £5, some money that was left in the Savings Bank, when a little boy of ours was taken from us. I am induced to send it to you, as we have in our service a much valued nurse who received her early training and instruction at the Orphanage in Bristol. She was in extremely bad health when I first met her, ten years ago. I took her for a month; she has been with us ever since, and is now a faithful, trustworthy, and much respected nurse. I am pleased to tell you this, as I think it will interest all those who are labouring in the Orphanage. With all Christian good wishes, believe me,
“Yours very sincerely, * * * *.7
November 4th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £100. — November 12th. In the greatest need of means, we received from Scotland £100, with £5 for Mrs. Miller and myself. From Lanarkshire £50, and also £100 with the following letter from a Christian gentleman who could know nothing about our financial circumstances : —
“My dear Mr. Wright,
“I was not thinking specially of you when I retired to rest last night, but awoke this morning with the following words ringing in my ear, ‘Send Mr. Wright £100 to-day, I will repay you.’ cannot run the risk of allowing this to be an unheeded voice from my heavenly Partner in business, and therefore have much pleasure in enclosing you a cheque for £100 (£20 for your own use, £20 for Mr. Müller, and £60 for the work).
“With Christian love, Yours most truly, * * * *.”
See, esteemed reader, how God helps us. At a time of the greatest need, this money was received. Notice also, what led the donor to send the money. He was influenced by the Lord to send us this help. Notice also, particularly, what this gentleman says about his heavenly Partner. He is in business, but seeks to carry on his business in the fear of God and to the glory of His name. Under these circumstances he is in fellowship or partnership with the Lord Jesus in his business. May all Christians, who are in business, seek in fellowship or partnership with the Lord Jesus to carry on their business ! — November 16th. Legacy of the late Miss M. H., £176 6s. 8d. — November 21st. Legacy of the late Mrs. M. R., £89 9s. 6d. Will the reader be pleased to observe how many legacies the Lord has caused to be paid during the past year. This has been one special means whereby we have been so many times helped.cNovember 26th, Again we have nothing in hand. — November 30th. The Lord has again helped us in our great need. There was paid to-day £507 6s. 3d. as the legacy of the late Mrs. F. K. How kind of the Lord, to cause just now this legacy to be paid!
December 5th. Received £10, with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir, “The Lord is persuading me, to send you £10 for the Orphans.
Please accept that amount.
So Mourspraribiullyag tage
Notice this. See how God works for us. The donor resides in a far-off town. God knows the greatness of the work and the greatness of our need, and He is pleased to speak for us. See, dear reader, how blessed it is, to have God for our Friend and to trust in Him! — December 15th. For the Christmas puddings for the Orphans, from a Bristol house of business, 12 bags of flour, 16 half-boxes of raisins, and 3 cases of currants. December 3lst. From Demerara £5. From the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, India, £2. We were now brought to the last day of the year 1891, during which our faith and patience have been greatly tried.
January Ist. With the New Year the Lord was pleased to send us means. We received from Paddington for the Orphans £50. From the neighbourhood of Melksham £30. From Penarth £30, from a donor whose first cheque in the year was for the Orphans, and who has long helped us. From a Bristol donor and his wife £20; and fifty-eight smaller donations besides. The appearance is, that with such an income, we could never be in difficulty; but our expenses are so vast, that £200 or even £500 goes but a little way. — January 2nd. From New Wimbledon, Surrey, £14 17s. 6d., for the support of one Orphan for one year, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“I send you once again for the support of one Orphan for one year, £14 17s. 6d., and also 2s. 6d. from Mrs. G., of Hastings, making together £15. Being now very ill and my time of departure not far off, I wish to bear testimony to the faithfulness and love of my Heavenly Father, through all the way by which He has led me. Your Annual Reports, etc., have been precious and profitable to me. I thank you for them, and pray that you may still be made a blessing. With Christian regards to Mr. Wright and yourself,
“TI remain, yours gratefully, * * * *,”
January 22nd. Letter to Mr. Wright, with £1 from a Missionary to the natives in New Zealand : —
“Dear Sir,
“IT send herewith a Post Office order for £1 for the Orphanage, being part of ‘a tenth to the Lord.’ My stipend is now £20 a year, as a Missionary to the Maoris. Failing health compels me to reside at one settlement, instead of travelling, as I used to do, hence the smallness of my income; but it is like the barrel of meal, of which I send the dear Orphans a little. May the Lord bless them and those who have charge of them.
“IT am yours, in our risen Lord, * * * *,”
January 23rd. During the past eight months, our expenses for the Orphans alone have been £14,352 14s. 54d. We have again nothing in hand. — January 27th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £250.
February 5th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £250. — February 9th. From Sussex £20. From the children of the Barcelona Sunday School £2 7s. 6d. — February 13th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £200. February 18th. legacy of the late Miss M. H., £236 5s. 10d. February 27th. The expenses for the Orphans, during the past nine months, have amounted to £16,437 7s. 14d.; but we have nothing in hand. There came in to-day £29 1s. 8d.
March Ist. Legacy of the late A. A., Esq., £76 12s. 3d. — From a widow near Glasgow 2s. ld. She writes: “I can give little, to help the Orphans, but I pray for them.” We value greatly the prayers of such poor donors. — March 4th. Legacy of the late Miss E. G. £179 10s. — March 5th. From a donor in Cork, who with real delight seems to send us help, £50. — March 14th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £50. — March 17th. Legacy of the late Mr. T. M., £135. — March 18th. From Ireland £3, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“I have the pleasure of enclosing you my bank cheque for £3 for your Ashley Down Orphanage — a gratification which is enhanced by the recollection of your abstaining from the ordinary mode of application, because you rely on God’s answer to your prayers. While constant appeals are made on behalf of various Christian work, I do not believe that your Institution suffers any pecuniary loss by your depending on Divine grace as the source of your needful supphes. May God grant you a continuance of such faith and practice. With best wishes,
“Believe me, very sincerely yours, * * * *.”
March 23rd. From Tiverton a gold chain, a gold ring set with turquoises, a gold locket, 2 breast pins, 2 rings, and several pieces of gold, with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“Please accept these articles of jewellery in aid of the support of the,Orphans. I willingly devote them to the Master’s work, and rejoice that He has delivered me from the bondage of
wearing such articles of personal adornment. May multitudes of Christians be led into increased self-denial, for the sake of Christ! One smaller result ‘of this would be, the increased funds of Christian Institutions; and the larger one, the happy freedom of many lives delivered from self, and owned, and individually blessed and used of the Master.”
March 25th. From London £20, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
‘A day or two ago the Master bid me send you a cheque, and told me what tts value should be. It was never mine. I am deeply interested in the Report to hand, by this morning’s post. Asking no thanks, but an interest in your prayers for myself and young people, four of whom are not yet converted (their precious father has been nearly four years with Jesus),
“Tam, yours faithfully, * = * +”
See how the Lord speaks for us! — March 26th. From China £5 5s. — March 31st. From the neighbourhood of Weston-super-Mare £50. From the Isle of Wight £54 for the support of four Orphans for one year.
April 2nd. From Dalston £105, a donation which came to hand in great need. — April 5th. Received £100, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Miller,
“I enclose cheque for £100 for the support of your Orphans, wishing every blessing may attend your work. I ask an interest in your prayers, being a great sufferer and a confirmed invalid, through a spinal injury; but nothing is too hard for the Lord. He can heal when all else fails.:
“Tam, yours faithfully, * * * *.”
“P.S. — Please enter my gift as a thank-offering for God’s continued mercies and blessings from C. H. Not my name.” The money came as a great help from God. — April 9th. From the late H. G. H., Esq. £40. This late donor was a kind friend, of the Institution; but though one after the other of earthly friends has been removed, our never-failing Friend, the Living God, remains to us. From Norfolk £50. This kind donor has helped us from time to time, for thirty years — — April 13th. From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150, from a donor who has often helped us, and whose donations have frequently come to hand, when we have been in the greatest need, as is the case at the present time — — April 22nd. One-third of the residue of the estate of the late Mr. T. M. £100 19s. 8d. — April 23rd. Legacy of the late Mr. H. L., £90. From Norwich £1, with the following letter : — ‘I enclose you a cheque for £1 for the Orphans. The Lord has commissioned me to send you the above, because for several days your work has been in my thoughts, and I can but feel that this is in answer to your prayers. May He bless and prosper your work.”
God does indeed listen to our prayers, and speaks to the hearts of His stewards; for hear how God further helped. A small heavy packet, directed to Mr. George Miller, Orphan-Houses, Ashley Down, Bristol, was sent to Mr. Wright. As we have often had such heavy little parcels sent-from a donor, who puts aside all the farthings he receives in his business, for the benefit of the Orphans, this parcel was given to one of our assistants, to count the coppers which the packet was supposed to contain. He soon found that £200 in gold was enclosed therein. This anonymous donation, left at 78, Park Street, was taken for the Orphans in our time of great need, and thus a plain proof was afforded, that God has not forgotten us, though our faith and patience are greatly tried — May 13th. By sale of dentist gold £13 17s. 6d — May 25th. From Basingstoke £20. By sale of jewellery £8. By sale of a diamond ring £27.
Ttesident helpers share in the trial of faith.
On the previous pages reference has been repeatedly made to the want of funds for the support of the Orphans. At the end of the account of the income for them, I have now to state that £1,951 7s. 14d. more was expended for them, than had been received; and there was likewise due to matrons, teachers, and other helpers, in the Orphan work, in part, or altogether, the salaries for the last three-quarters of a year, amounting to £1,712, in addition to the £1,951 7s. 14d. just mentioned. Those who were not needing money either to help relatives or for other purposes, had either no salaries at all paid to them last November, February, and May, or received only part of what was due to them. All these dear fellow-labourers, however, bore the trial patiently without the least complaint; and several of them contributed to the funds, according to their ability. All the servants of the Institutions were paid to the full, and also nearly all the assistants, who do not reside in the five Orphan-Houses.
This is, within the past fifty-eight years, the second time only, that the income was not equal to the expenses. In the year 1881-2, the expenses for the Orphans exceeded the income £488 6s. 9$d., which amount was carried to the next year’s account; but at that time, in less than one month, after the commencement of the new financial year of the Institution, by the payment of legacies, an amount was received which was three times greater than the deficiency; and, adding the donations which came in, te the payment of the legacies received, we had about six times as much as the deficiency; and all this took place before an account was published in the Report, that the expenses had been greater than the income. We had drawn on the Bank then, in consequence of many legacies, which had long been left, and of which some large ones were overdue, but had not been paid; and in like manner, on the 26th of May, 1892, sixteen legacies which had
been left were due, and might any day be paid to us, amounting to £3,435 altogether. There have been besides also forty-five other legacies left to the Institution, amounting altogether to £25,983; which legacies however depend, as to payment, on the death of relatives of the testators, and in most instances on the decease of widows. I simply refer to this to show, that we did not draw on the Bank at the end of this last financial year of the Institution, whilst we had no prospect of being able to meet the account. Besides this, there are the five large Orphan-Houses, erected and furnished at a cost of £115,000; and these Houses are entirely unencumbered. Further, we have about nineteen acres of Building Land, which might be sold for many thousands of pounds.
Though this is only the second time, since March 5th, 1834 (when I founded the Institution), that we have been in such a position; and though, as I have just shown, we have an abundance to meet in the end all the payments that are due, we do not feel happy in appearing even to be in debt. The Lord’s dealings with us during the last year indicate that it is His will we should contract our operations, and we are waiting upon Him for directions as to how, and to what extent, this should be done; for we have but one single object in connection with this Institution, viz., the glory of God. When I founded it, one of the principles stated was, “‘ That there would be no enlargement of the work, by going into debt;”’ and, in like manner, we cannot go on with that, which already exists, if we have not sufficient means coming in, to meet the current expenses. I have further to state that, by the grace of God, our trust in Him is, as before, unshaken; and we doubt not in the least, either His power or His willingness to help us in His own time; and we believe also that only for blessing He has been pleased thus greatly to try our faith and patience.
Now, though we are not tired of having our faith and patience thus tried, as we do not wish to give the appearance even, of carrying on the work of God, whilst going into debt, we must decrease our operations, unless the income for the Institution should in future be more abundant. Here I have to make one remark more. The reader must have noticed, how it has pleased the Lord to help us, during the past twelve months, very many times (and even of late repeatedly) in a most remarkable way, and He has sent us large sums of money very unexpectedly, either by the payment of legacies or by donations; a plain proof, that it is only for the trial of our faith and patience, that our funds have been comparatively low, and that God has not in the way of chastisement forsaken us.
May 26th, 1892, to May 26th, 1893. At the beginning of the next financial year our trial of faith continued week after week and month after month; but
Mr. Wright and I, and our many helpers, looked, with unshaken confidence, to the Lord, fully assured that, in His own time, He would again more abundantly help, and-deliver us out of our difficulties. I state now in the following pages how the Lord was pleased to deal with us.
On May 28th we received from Norfolk £50. — June 13th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £80, with £10 for myself and £10 for Mr. Wright. — June 14th. Legacy of the late Mrs. M. A. H., £270. — June 18th. Legacy of the late Mr. G. C. P., £161 Os. 11d — June 22nd. Legacy of the late Mrs. EH. B., £320. Another legacy left to me by an entire stranger, and thus another proof that the hearts of all are in the hand of the Lord, and that He is ready to influence them, in answer to our prayers. — June 26th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay wp treasure in heaven, £250. Thus, during the first month of our new financial year, we received in answer to our prayers, generally repeated many times day after day, £1,651 11s. 74d. for the support of the Orphans.
July 12th. From Kidderminster £50. About three years since, a donor wrote to me that he was greatly tried in his business; hearing from him recently, I asked how it was going on now, as I had very many times asked the Lord to prosper him again. The following is his reply: —
“My dear Sir,
“One word in reply to your kind letter. I feel that your prayers for the improvement of my business have been answered; for I have been much helped and favoured. My business has been a prosperous one, and especially so since (now many years ago) I commenced to set apart a definite portion of my income as a gift fund. I have had constant proofs of the interposition of a kind providence in my affairs, and the value of prayer is very strongly impressed upon me by my experience. May God’s choicest blessing continue to attend you.:
“Very sincerely yours, * * * *.”
The reader has in this letter another proof of the deep importance and the real blessing of attending to systematic giving to the poor and to the Lord’s work, as God is pleased to prosper us.
July 16th. From “G.,” Preston, £99 9s. Ob! that all who trust in the Lord Jesus for the salvation of their souls might practically enter more into the reality of the power of believing prayer. — July 19th. From County Dublin £100. Another instance of a friend to the Institution, in Ireland, who is an entire stranger to me. From Carmarthenshire 5s. This kind donor sends me every Tuesday a similar sum, and has done so for years. He is in business, and probably gives a penny, or twopence, or threepence, out of every pound he takes, so that I receive thus, week after week, from 4s. to 8s. for the Orphans. These are small donations, but they amount in the course of the year to
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much, and I doubt not bring blessing to the soul and business of the giver, as well as benefit to the Orphans. — July 21st. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £150, again the result of believing prayer, from a gentleman whom I never saw. — July 23rd. By sale of waste-paper 5s. 3d. We feel it our duty to turn everything to account, and not to allow waste, as the many hundreds of Orphans under our care have to be trained to live carefully and economically.
August yd. From Devon £82 5s. from a Christian gentleman, who, for more than forty-five years, has from time to time helped us, though I have never seen him. — August 4th. From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150. This donation also comes from a lady whom I have never seen, but whom the Lord has moved to send us repeatedly a similar gift — August 11th. From Surrey £80 (towards the payment of unpaid salaries of teachers in the Orphan-Houses), with £10 for myself, and £10 for Mr. Wright. Received from Bournemouth the following letter, with £10 Is. 6d. :- —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“With gratitude to our Father in Heaven, and very much pleasure, 1 enclose £10 1s. 6d.; £5 for the Orphans, £5 please accept for yourself, and 1s. 6d. for Reports. God’s dealings with you in the past year, and the marvellous way He has sustained you through such deep trials of faith and patience, are a great encouragement to me, and doubtless will be to hundreds of God’s children. May not this be one reason why He thus permits your faith to be so greatly tested? I entreat that Jehovah may be greatly magnified by His wondrous dealings with you and your dear fellow-labourers. I have been asked by a dear sister, who does not wish her name mentioned, to send you the accompanying gold locket, one silver locket and chain, and two gold rings. Praising the Lord for the help He has graciously given me through you, and praying that He may be pleased to spare your life yet for many years, and even yet more abundantly use your testimony to the Church and to the world at large, for the glory of His Holy Name,
“Yours gratefully in the Lord Jesus, * * * *.”
I fully agree with the writer of this letter, that one of the reasons why it pleases the Lord to try our faith and patience so greatly is, that believers in the Lord Jesus, who read of this, may thus be spiritually benefited. This has been the case in numberless instances during the past fifty-eight years, and is, no doubt, being done now. — August 15th. Five casks of vinegar. A firm kindly supplies all the vinegar needed by the Institution. Received £5 from a former Orphan, with the following letter : —
“Dear and honoured Sir, “It is with great pleasure that I send you the sum of £5 for the Orphan Work. I had been reading your last Report, and the
Lord greatly blessed it to my soul. I was also led by the Lord to look at the advice given by you at the end of the first volume [Chapter VIIT.] of the Lord’s dealings with you. I searched out all the passages of Scripture referred to there, and prayed earnestly that the Lord would give me simple faith to cast all my care upon Him, in sickness or in health, and that IT might not be hoarding up money for sickness, but be laying up treasure in heaven. ‘ Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you’ (Matthew vi. 33). The Lord was pleased to answer my prayer, and He has given me that simple trust in Him. I have for years been putting a little money in the bank, in case of sickness or want of employment; but the Lord has shown me how greatly I have dishonoured Him by this mode of action, and has given me grace to take it out, to be used as He shall direct me. I told the Lord I was willing to send you something for the work on Ashley Down, and the third day the answer came, ‘ Send five pounds.’ ‘ My times are in Thy hand. May this be your experience in the future as in the past; and may the Lord abundantly fulfil the godly desire of your heart, that your last days may be your best.
“I remain, Yours in Christ,
“One of your former Children on Ashley Down.”
From a London physician £20. — August 18th. Legacy of the late Miss A. L., £460. The lady who left this legacy was an entire stranger tome. Received the following letter from Hssex: “Dear Mr. Müller,
“Thank you very much for the Reports, more interesting and helpful than ever, because of the great trials of faith and patience, and the wonderful deliverances recorded. If for the further establishment of the great faith given to you such trials were needed, surely it must have been much more for our help and
encouragement!”
August 29th. Received £10, with the following letter : — “Dear Sir,
“I have much pleasure in sending you a small donation for your Homes. Please use it for whatever branch you may think best. I wish it were 100 times as much. May God abundantly bless you, and cause that the present temporary (only temporary) straitness may show forth His praise, in some unlooked-for and especiall manner! Our Sovereign God makes no mistakes. Philip. iv. 19. Yours affectionately (though unknown to you),
“Tn the Master’s service, * * * *,”
Two points in this letter were spoken out of my own heart: “That the trial would be only temporary, and would tend to the praise of God.” Will the readers be pleased to bear this in mind while reading ? — August 30th. From Hereford £7 10s. towards the support of one Orphan for one year, and £10 towards paying the arrears of the salaries of the teachers. From
the neighbourhood of Taunton £50. This evening, whilst reading in the Psalms, I came to Psalm lxxxi. 10, and remembered the work of the Holy Spirit in my heart, when reading this verse on December 5th, 1835, and the effect which this had, not only on leading me to found the Orphan Institution, but I thought also of the blessing which has thus been brought to tens of thousands of believers and unbelievers all over the world. Putting aside the Bible, therefore, I fell on my knees and asked God that He would graciously be pleased to repeat His former loving-kindness, and to supply me again more abundantly with means. Accordingly, in less than half an hour, I received £50 from a Bristol donor, and from Redland a large quantity of fish, in addition to £97 already received to-day as the result of much prayer. By the last delivery, at 9 p.m., I received £5 more also, and had thus £152 in all, this day, as the result of prayer.
September 2nd. From Westmoreland £100. To-day our income altogether was about £300, a plain proof that we do not wait on the Lord in vain; for every donation we receive is a direct answer to prayer. — September yd. Received £25 and the following letter from London : —
“My dear Mr. Müller,
“It is with very deep regret and sorrow, that I learn there has lately been a deficit in the necessary means for the support of the Orphans that are committed by the Lord to your care. It would seem to be a time of great trial for all who are witnesses for the truth of the Scripture. The enemy is for a time triumphant, but the Lord knoweth all your need, and will in due time supply it. My dear wife joins with me in deep sympathy with you in this time of trouble.
“Believe me, very truly yours, * * * *.”
Very many such kind sympathizing letters were received during the past year, and the Lord made use of them for our comfort and encouragement. It will be seen, as we go further on, to what extent the wishes of the writer of this letter were verified. A Christian brother, retired from business, brought £60 in gold. Thus, to-day, the income for the Orphans has been £149 19s. 10d., as the result of our waiting on God. — September 6th. More than £160, and valuable articles came in to-day for the various Objects of the Institution. Surely we do not wait upon the Lord in vain, though our trial of faith still continues, and though we still have to pray for larger sums. — September 14th. From Walsall £50. — September 15th. From Harrogate £100. — September 23rd. From Sunderland I received the following letter : —
‘“* Dear Sir,
“The record of vour trial of faith during the last year has been helpful to me, for it has been a most trying year to me, and the adversary has often tempted me to think that my difficulties and disappointments were tokens of my Father’s wrath, rather than the testing and chastening of His Love. Perhaps it may be His will that many, reading this year’s Report, may be encouraged by seeing that the same trials of faith are accomplished, even in those whose labours in His cause the Lord has so abundantly acknowledged. May His grace still be sufficient for jae
“Yours very sincerely, * * * *.”
September 24th. From the neighbourhood of Torquay £50. From the neighbourhood of Rugeley £50. — September 26th. From a Bristol donor £50. From Christian Friends at Union Chapel, Portishead, £10.
October 6th. From a Bristol donor £50. — October 7th. From London £50. — October 10th. Received from Cheltenham £200, with the following letter : —
* Dear Sir,
“My brother has requested me to forward to you the enclosed cheque for £200 for the Orphanage under your care. His late wife, some years ago, expressed a wish that he should provide by Will, that the amount mentioned should be paid over to you for the Institution, when he should himself have passed away to our Father’s house; but as he is now advanced in age, being in his 88th year, he is anxious to get the matter settled at once. He will, therefore, I think, feel all the happier for having anticipated the time of payment, and carried out his wife’s wishes during his own lifetime.”
Observe, esteemed reader, the hand of God, how He helps us in answer to our constant waiting on Him in believing prayer. Thus we have not only received it sooner, but in our time of great need, and the legacy duty has been saved also. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £200. — October 13th. Teceived from a servant of the Lord Jesus the following letter : —
“Beloved and esteemed Brother in Christ,
““I have much pleasure in sending you the enclosed cheque for 57 shillings on my 57th birthday, as a thank-offering to the Lord, to be used on behalf of the Orphans under your care. ‘ He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold’ (Job xxii. 10). With Christian love to yourself, Mrs. Miller, and Mr. Wright,
“I am, yours in Him whose name is ‘ Jehovah-Jireh, * * * *.”
The Lord sends such loving words as these, in order that we may be further encouraged to wait patiently His time for full deliverance from our trial, and that we may confidently expect still more abundant supplies. — October 18th. From one of the former Orphans £10, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Miller, “I beg you will accept the enclosed cheque, with my very grateful thanks for all the care and kindness I received while in
the dear Orphan-House No. 2; it is now seven and a half years since I left. God has cared for and protected me ever since. I look to Him at all times for support, and He has never failed me. Iam about to enter a Nurse’s Training-School in Liverpool, and I beg your prayers, that my good health may continue, also that I may prove an efficient nurse. I visited Bristol last month, and was staying at the Lodge of Orphan-House No. 4. Eiverything about the dear old Home seems sacred to me. Though the faces there were mostly changed, yet the teachers at No. 2 knew me, and kindly looked after my comfort. I do not forget you, dear Mr. Miller, and pray that you may be spared many years, to preside over the great work you have undertaken. With very much love and gratitude, “I am, your grateful Orphan, * * * *.”
Will the reader please to notice (1) that £10 was sent by one of the former Orphans, for the benefit of the Orphan Institution. (2) Notice the real affection with which the home of childhood continues to be looked on and revisited. This has been seen in many hundreds of instances, and often even twenty or thirty years after the Orphans have left. (3) But above all, we have the joy of knowing that thousands of former Orphans are now with the Lord, and thousands, we have reason to consider, are believers at the present time, walking in various parts of the world, to the honour of the Lord, whilst a great number have brought up their own children in the fear of God, and are living even as godly grandparents. (4) Not a few have become Preachers or Missionaries; and though this is only a small part of the fruit of our labours, in comparison with what the Lord will allow us to see in the day of Christ’s appearing, nevertheless He has lengthened out my life in such a manner as to allow me in mental and physical vigour to see a goodly measure of the precious fruit of my labours among the Orphans during the past fifty-seven years and six months. — October 26th. The total income for the various branches of the Institution during the last week was only £200 4s. 53d., viz., about one-third only of our average expenses. Thus our trial continues; but the Lord sustains our faith and enables us, by His grace, without the least wavering, to look to Him and to expect full deliverance. In the midst of it all, He also refreshes our hearts, for during this week a legacy of £1,000, free of duty, was announced.
November Ist. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £300. Part of the legacy of the late Mr. W. C., of Newcastle, New South Wales, £450. This legacy was left more than two years since, but month after month the payment of it was delayed, and prayers by the score were brought before the Lord. All appeared, however, to be useless; but it only seemed to be in vain. I believed that our prayers would prevail, and now came the greater part of this legacy, left to me by a Christian man
whose name I had never even heard, and who resided between 11,000 and 12,000 miles from Bristol. See, Christian reader, what it is to trust in God; really to depend on Him; and if you have never done so before, begin this blessed life at once, this unspeakably blessed life, of rolling all your burdens upon God, and of leaving them there. I have known the blessedness of this life, for many a long year, and even whilst yet in the body, it has brought the joys of heaven into my soul — November yd. From Sussex £50. — November 8th. I received during the week £200 from a donor, who for many years had contributed about £10 per annum, and who is now very ill; this being probably his last contribution. Thus one after the other of our friends passes away, and not a few who contributed thousands, even many thousands, are gone to their eternal home; but the Lord, our never failing Friend, remains. In Him we trust, to Him alone we look, at all times; and thus our hearts are kept in peace, even in the darkest hours. — November llth. From Scotland £100, with £5 for Mrs. Müller and myself. Received the following letter: —
“My dear Mr. Müller,
“The incident connected with my sending £100 to dear Mr. Wright in your absence, this time last year, has come very vividly to my memory this morning, and I feel led to send you a like sum to-day. Please to appropriate £60 as you see fit to the work of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and accept £20 for your own use, and £20 for Mr. Wright. I am also daily seeking to be your helper by prayer.
“With Christian love, yours most truly, * * * *.”
There came in to-day, by the first two deliveries, only about £8, but the Lord increased the income to more than £200 this day. 1 am never discouraged by very little only coming in, but say to myself, and also to my dear helpers, “‘ More prayer, more patience, and more exercise of faith will bring greater blessing”; for thus I have invariably found it, since October, 1830, now sixty-three years ago, when I first began this life of entire dependance upon God for everything.
November 18th. Yesterday the income was very small. To-day the first three postal deliveries brought only £4 14s. 6d., though our daily average expenses are about £90. The reader will in consequence see that the heart can be kept in peace by real trust in God alone, and thus we have peace habitually; and even joy in God, for we expect brighter days of full deliverance from our present trials. In the middle of the day we received 200 pheasants, as a proof that God had not forgotten us in our time of need. — November 22nd. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £10. During the: last five days the income had“been¥very little, in-comparison-with our heavy expenses. To-day very little had come in by the first two deliveries; but
my eyes continued looking to the Lord, and prayer was repeated again and again. At last God sent help. By the delivery at noon £500 was received, on account of the legacy of the late Mrs. H. U., £400 for the Orphans, and £100 for Missions. — November 23rd. Legacy of the late Mr. W. B., £85 4s. 9d. During the week ending to-day £624 4s. 0yd. had come in for the support of the Orphans, and £105 8s. 4d. for the other Objects, £729 12s. 44d. in all. A remarkable week. ‘Two legacies were paid, in answer to thany, many, many prayers. — November 30th. The income for the week ending this day is £100 17s. 114d. for the Orphans, and £15 6s. 53d. for the other Objects, total £116 4s. 5jd. Day by day, during the past week, the income has been very small, and faith has thus again been greatly tried; but, by the grace of God, we are looking for deliverance to Him; and if it pleases the Lord to exercise our faith and patience longer, we desire grace to glorify Him by patient waiting, for more abundant supplies will surely come at last.
December Ist. From two China Inland Missionaries £10, with these words: “Although having a large family and heavy expenses, we are enabled, by God’s grace, to continue the systematic laying by in store of the Lord’s portion, which we seek wisely to administer as His stewards.” — December 7th. Legacy of the late Mr. T. P. G., £300. During this week again our trial of faith had been great, as day by day only little came in, but at noon to-day the Lord at last was graciously pleased to refresh our hearts by sending us the payment of this legacy for £300. — December 15th. Received the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“I enclose Postal order for £1 for the Orphans. It is thirty years since I first read your books and Reports; and having begun ¢o record in a book the dates and number of my special prayers at that time, as you advise, I see that very many gracious answers have been granted to me. Besides praying hundreds of times without entering the prayers, I find the number entered amounts to 11,105. A number of prayers agreed on with friends are in other books, not counted in the above. God bless you. fer you have been a great blessing to me.
“Tams yours truly, i tame maus
December 20th. Received from Warwick the following
letter :- —
“My dear Brother in Christ,
“The Lord impressed upon me last night to send you £5 for the Orphans, and this morning He has refreshed my memory. I hasten therefore in the path of obedience to comply with His wish. He tells me it is for the Orphans. I pray that yourself, your assistants, and your work may be more than ever sustained, and maintained in perfect efficiency, for Jesus’ sake.”
Notice the contents of this letter, esteemed reader. Ist, The Lord, who has the hearts of all His stewards in His hands, impressed it one night on the donor to send me £5. 2nd. In the morning He reminded him of this; yd. He tells him that the donation is for the benefit of the Orphans. But how did this happen? Because we pray continually that God would help us. We do not ask our fellow men for assistance, but continually appeal to our Heavenly Father for help, and we do not wait upon the Lord in vain. Notice, too, the last part of the letter: “I pray that yourself, your assistants, and your work may be more than ever sustained, and maintained in perfect efficiency.”” We have long prayed in the same way, and it will yet be seen that neither this kind anonymous donor, nor we, have prayed in vain.
December 21st. The income for the week ending to-day was £398 11s. 34d. for the Orphans, and £8 18s. 10d. for the other Objects. Our trial of faith and patience in looking for larger sums, even for thousands of pounds, has continued during this week also. — December 23rd. From Westmoreland £100. — December 24th. From a Bristol donor 29 boxes, containing sweets and Christmas cards for the Orphans. This donor for several years past has kindly sent a similar present for each of our Orphan boys and girls. — December 26th. Legacy of the late W. T., Esq., £1,000. Notice, lst. The amount was left to me by an entire stranger. 2nd. It was left duty free, whereby £100 was saved. yd. The testator died only a short time since, and the legacy was paid so very soon. All this was the ordering of the Lord, who, in answer to our constant waiting upon Him, appointed it thus. Received on the same day £50 from a Missilonary in India, with these words: “For the blessed work of our dear Brother in Christ, George Müller, laid at the Lord’s feet by C. M. T., Missionary.”” — December 31st. Thus ended the memorable year, 1892, in which our faith had been so greatly tried, but in which also the hand of the Lord had been stretched out again and again on our behalf.
On January 2nd we received from the neighbourhood of Melksham £35. From London £25. From Worcester £25, — January yd. From Geneva, Switzerland, £9 17s. 7d. From Leamington £20. — January 4th. From Westmoreland £40, with £10 for Mrs. Miller and myself. During the week ending to-day, the Lord was pleased to send us, as the result of our constant waiting upon Him, £721 19s. 113d. for the Orphans, and £152 5s. for the other Objects of the Institution — January 24th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in Heaven, £100. — January 30th. From Edinburgh I received the following letter :- —
“Dear and honoured Sir, “I have much pleasure in sending herein a draft for £200 in aid
of the Orphans under your charge on Ashley Down. I began about thirty years ago to send you annually £1; latterly, I have been enabled to increase it to £5; and now, by the ‘ good hand of God upon me,’ I have the honour of sending you this sum instead of leaving it in my Will. I think it better and more scriptural to send it now, and thus to be my own executor.”
February Ist. From “H. B. M. P.” £50, with £1 for myself. From London, N.W., £10, with the words: “‘ Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” So we do, and that keeps our hearts in perfect peace. — February 2nd. From New Zealand £10, with these words : —
“Dear Sir, I beg to send you £10, as the Lord directs me.”
Do you notice, esteemed reader, the reality of prayer? Here is an entire stranger to me, who resides between 11,000 and 12,000 miles from Bristol, directed by the Lord to send £10. How does this come? Will you ascribe it to anything else than to the power of prayer? I hope you will not. — February 11th. A letter to Mr. Wright, from Kent, with £52 : —
“Dear Sir,
“Please find cheque for £52. The £2 is my fee (meeting of the company), the £50 is in answer to prayer that I might be able to let some house, in order to send you £50 for the Orphans, in thankfulness to God.”
See, dear reader, here is a house let, a circumstance which brings £50 to the Institution.
Monday morning, February 13th. By the first two deliveries came in only 2s. 6d. from England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, and £10 from the United States. Yesterday, being Sunday, we took in no letters; so this was the income for two days. See how faith continues to be exercised, for we need about £90 daily, on an average; therefore £180 should have been received. Under such circumstances, nothing but unshaken confidence in the power and love of God can keep the heart in peace. We cling to the Lord, go on praying ten or more times a day for further help, and confidently expect it. There came in afterwards, in the course of the day, £5 8s. 5d. But all was only little, in comparison with our need. — February 14th. The income to-day was £67 16s. 8d. — February 16th. To-day we received altogether £88. — February 17th. The first two deliveries of letters brought only £4, There is, therefore, again special exercise of faith; but, by the grace of God, we look with unshaken confidence to Him for help. In the course of the day came in about £12 more, £7 being received with 2 Cor. ix. 15. — February 18th. To-day came in from Wales £100. — February 19th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £50. — March Ist. The income during this week, ending to-day, was £92 8s. 8?d. for the Orphans, and
£9 Lis. 2d. for the other Objects, being about the sixth part of our weekly expenses; but now the great trial of our faith was nearly brought to a close, as will presently be seen.
March 2nd. From Berkshire was received, in coupons and by a dividend warrant, £149 18s. 2d., and by various other donations our income altogether to-day amounted to £186.
Land Sold.
March 4th. This very day God begins to answer our prayers, as we have received a very good offer for the land we have to sell, even £1,000 per acre. The beginning of the day was darker as to outward appearances than ever: but we trusted in God for help. The first three deliveries of letters brought us only £4, and the remaining three brought us so little, that the whole day’s income was only £8 instead of £90, the amount we require every day to meet all our expenses. But God has now helped us. We have been able this evening to sell ten acres of land and two-fifths of an acre at £1,000 per acre, and shall receive £10,405 altogether for the whole of one field. The contract was signed at 8 o’clock this evening. — March 25th. Legacy of the late Mrs. M. A. C. £100. March 28th. There was paid £5,811 on account of the purchase of the land which was sold (£1,000 having been paid on the 7th), leaving £3,594 more to be paid on March 25th, 1894. Now the Lord has helped for the present to the full, as He did assist me in former days, when many times I received £5,000 at once, also £8,100 at one time, £9,000 at once, and even as much as £11,100 at one time. Thus, after much trial of faith and patience, the answer has come at last, and, by the grace of God, our faith and patience were sustained without wavering to the end. From a Bristol donor I received the same day £200. — April 5th. From the Isle of Wight £54, for the support of four Orphans for one year. — April 7th. Legacy of the late Mr. J. T. £190 9s. 4d.
May 2nd. A voluntary offering from a Men’s Bible-Class, being the result of a week’s self-denial, £22 12s. 0$d. — May yd. During the week ending to-day £777 16s. 7$d. came in for the support of the Orphans, and for the other Objects of the Institution £471 12s, 2d.; amounting to £1,249 8s. 9d. altogether. From Leyton £100. — May 9th. From a new donor £300. — May 10th. From a donor in the neighbourhood of Bristol £62 for the Orphans, with £2 for myself — May 12th. From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150. — May 19th. From Dewsbury £100. — May 20th. From Basle £30, from readers of The V olksbote — — May 26th. During this last week of our financial year of the Institution, we received for the support of the Orphans £343 10s. 14d., and for the other Objects £435 8s. 24d., in all £778 18s. 4d.
May 26th, 1893, to May 26th, 1894.
When the financial year of the Institution commenced, we had a balance of £2,386 19s. 8d. in hand.
June 6th. Legacy of the late Miss M. B., £100. — June 8th. Received the following letter from a former Matron at one of the Orphan-Houses : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“A week ago I had a letter from the first girl who was sent from New Orphan-House No. 2 as a servant (thirty-four years since), and who has only lived in two places since she was sent out. In her last place she nursed her mistress through a painful illness before she died, and her master followed his wife some months after, leaving to H. H. £40 a year. His daughter wished her to live near, and furnished some comfortable rooms from the old home for her. I could not but wish that other girls might be encouraged to discharge their duties and have as good a reward as well as the approval of the Divine Master.”
When I received E. H. into the Orphan-Houses, it was simply relying upon God for help; for, humanly speaking, I saw nothing but trial before me regarding her; but, as it was a case of the greatest misery, I took her. Now, see! She gave me no trial at all, behaved well all the time she was at the Orphan-Houses, sent me perhaps thirty or forty donations for the Orphans after she had left; spent thirty-four years in two situations only, and ended her time of service as just stated. May this instance greatly encourage labourers for the Lord, and make them trust in Him, instead of looking at things after the outward appearance; for had J done so, E. H. would never had been received by me.
June 14th. The total of the income during this week for the various Objects of the Institution was only £110 5s. 34d., viz., only one-sixth of the average expenses for one week; but we continue to pray and hope in God. — June 21st. Day by day, during the whole week, the income has been very little; but the Lord lives, and He will help again more abundantly in His own time. For many years the income has not been so small. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £100. — June 28th. During the week, ending this day, it was found that the total income for the various Objects of the Institution had been £189 3s. 44d. only, viz., not the third part of its average expenses; but our hope is in God. Our balance in hand on May 27th has been decreased during the one past month £1,000 16s. 43d.
July 10th. From a former Orphan, now a commercial traveller for a very large house of business, £10, with the following letter : —
“My dear Sir,
“Enclosed please find £10 as a thank-offering for our Heavenly Father’s great goodness to me for another year. Kindly use the money as you may think best. Trusting you are quite well, and with best love,
“TI remain, your ever grateful former Orphan, * * * *,”
July 13th. Legacy of the late Mr. J. H. £45. — July 18th. Week after week the income has been very small up to yesterday, when the Lord began to answer prayer. ‘To-day was received from “G.,” Preston, £99 4s. 94. — July 20th. From Yorkshire £40. — July 21st. From Kendal £25. — July 24th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £150. — July 25th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £500. — July 27th. From Sevenoaks £50. — July 29th. From a Lancashire donor £100.;
August 2nd. Received £10 from a donor who has, “in the course of fifty years, given away more than £100,000 among God’s devoted servants, in order to strengthen their hands in His work.”
August yd. From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150 from a donor who has kindly helped us again and again. — August 10th. I received £30 left by A. 8. for the Orphans, and £10 for my own personal expenses. She was a former Orphan, was a believer in the Lord Jesus, and walked very consistently for about filty years, to the end of her life — August 17th. Received 10s., with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“I have pleasure in forwarding you my annual contribution of 10s. for your Orphan Institution, and am thankful that the Lord has spared your life for so many years. Iam also glad that He has sustained you amidst the numerous, and sometimes, I should think, very severe trials of your faith and patience, and made you a living witness in the 19th century to the Church, and even to all the world, that the God of the ancient Israelites, who supplied their needs for forty years in the wilderness, is still the living and true God.
“I believe your example led my friend and brother, Hudson Taylor, who is a native of this town, and whom I have known for nearly fifty years, to venture to China, trusting in the Lord alone for support, and has made him such a blessing to that vast country. I believe he and his coadjutors are laying the foundations of a widespread Christian Church in that Empire, and you have contributed largely towards it, for you have assisted them from time to time. Mr. James Meadows, who is, next to Mr. Taylor, the oldest Missionary of the China Inland Mission, was introduced to him by me, and both the wives of Mr. Meadows were members of my class, and are now in heaven. The Lord has graciously spared him in that trying climate for thirty years. I count it one of the greatest honours of my life to have been associated with such a work, even in the humblest capacity. I thank you for having dared to set such an example of faith in God, which has already produced such splendid results, and the extent of its influence none but God can fully understand.
“Yours very truly, in Christ Jesus, * * * *.”
August 19th. From Reading £20. From a London physician £20. — August 24th. Received the following letter, with a cheque for £50, when there was again but little money in hand, and when we were day by day waiting on the Lord for more : —
“My dear Mr. Müller,
“I was so delighted, on reading your Report, to find that the cheque sent last year came just as you were pleading the promises. It was remarkable how it was laid on my heart to send it. I gave thanks to Him, whose steward I am, for thus so graciously directing me. Through His abundant goodness I am enabled to send the enclosed, which please to accept for the Orphan work with my wife’s and my own best love.
August 27th. Week after week our income has been small, in comparison with the greatness of our expenses. Under these circumstances I fell again on my knees, asking for various blessings, and among others that even to-day, the Lord’s-day, when we take in no letters, He would be pleased to give me means for the Institution. And now, see what followed. After the meeting at Stokes Croft Chapel, a gentleman, an entire stranger, came to me, with whom I conversed for a few minutes, and then he put a letter into my hand, saying it was for the Orphans. The letter contained these words : —
Dear Sir,
“Will you please apply the enclosed for the maintenance of
the Orphans in your Homes?
“Yours respectfully,
“A Pilgrim.”
The letter contained a £100 Bank of England note. See, esteemed reader, the power of prayer and faith. Verily, as often it has been stated before, we do not wait upon the Lord in vain. Thousands of times I have found this within the past sixty-four years, and I expect to find it thus to the end of my earthly pilgrimage. And all, who are reconciled to God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, will find it thus, more or less like myself, just as there is real trust in Him, and patient believing prayer. — August 31st. Received £1, with the following Jetter : —
“My dear Mr. Müller,
““| was very glad indeed to get the new Report; for like many other persons, I felt much concerned when I read in the last one that God’s dealings with you were leading you to consider whether it might not be His will that your work for Him should be curtailed. I thought, Can this be for the honour of God, who has sustained His own work, under your care, for all this long series of years, and made it to be an object lesson to thousands, and a source of blessing, probably, to hundreds of thousands? Praise be to God for this glorious fact! for it seems now, that the trial of your faith was intended for blessing, in order to show how * Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity,’ and for the strengthening of the faith of many real Christians who watch with interest His dealings with you. You certainly were not in debt, so long as you held valuable assets and had many unpaid legacies to look to. I rejoice, therefore, that God has enabled you to realize some of the property, and to obtain for it a satisfactory price. For many years I conscientiously gave a tenth of my income to the work of God, but now all that I have is His, and I give as He leads me. I am laying nothing by for sickness or old age, for I expect the speedy return of the Lord Jesus, and desire to lay up treasure in heaven. If He should delay His coming, I may not see old age; but, even if I do, the Lord will provide. I believe God is greatly honoured by a life of fudl trust in Him, and I see this more and more the older I grow. Etc.”
September 7th. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £500. Through a remarkable providence of God these donors came into the possession of £3,000, a short time since, and gave the whole of this amount in six donations of £500 each to the Institution, whereby for many weeks we were supplied with sufficient means for the Orphans, otherwise the income would not nearly have been sufficient for us. Thus God, in one way or another, continually helps us, and often in the most remarkable manner as to human appearance. — September 13th. Received from Birmingham 1s. from a minister, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“Please accept Is. for the Orphans. I wish it were much more, but I am very poor at present. Reading your Report just received, has opened my eyes to my error, and even sin, of not laying aside a proportion of my income for the Lord.”
September 27th. Received 10s. from one of the former Orphans, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“As to-morrow will be the anniversary of your birthday, I thought I should like to jom the many hundreds of Orphans who will have the pleasure of asking you to accept their best wishes for that day. We may not be able to express all that we would wish for you, but the Lord knows all, and we can ask Him to pour out His blessings upon you and your work, and what He gives will be sure to be good and right: so we can leave our desires with Him and know that all will be well. Please accept many thanks for the Reports. It was cheering to find that the prospects were brighter than last year. Dark days are often needful, even for God’s dear children, for they lead them nearer to Himself. Please to accept the enclosed 10s. as my mite towards the work. Fanny desires to join with me in grateful love and very best wishes for the anniversary of your birthday. Allow me to remain, dear Mr. Müller,
“Ever your grateful and affectionate Orphan, * * * *.”
These two Christian Orphans have now been for more than twenty-seven years in the same situation to which they were sent; both have continued in the ways of God, and were sent out as believers from the Orphan-Houses.
October 4th. Legacy of the late Mr. T. W. W., £270. The testator was entirely unknown to me; but God spoke to him for us, and inclined him to leave me this legacy. — October J1th. To-day a girl was sent out to service who had been seventeen years, two months, and two days in the Orphan-Houses: for she was received when seven months old. The reader has to keep in mind, that we have the Orphans not for a few months only under our care, but, on an average, for eight or nine years; often, very often, for twelve or fifteen years, and as in this case for even more than seventeen years, because we receive these children from their earliest days. — October 19th. I saw yesterday the first Orphan whom I received fifty-seven years and seven months since. She is now a widow, and seventy-one years of age.
An Orphanage in Japan.
Received to-day the following letter : —
““Dear Mr. Müller,
“Having had the pleasure of meeting you in Japan, in which country I have been living for the last seven years, I should like to see you again, and tell you something about the Orphanage, which Mr. Ishii is now carrying on in Okayama, which is really one of the results of your visit, and of the accounts which you gave, while you were in Tokyo, of the wonderful way God has provided for your own Orphans in Bristol. Ete.”
Mr. Ishii, a Christian Japanese, acts now on the same principles as those on which I labour myself in the Orphan work; he has about 150 children under his care, and waits daily upon God for their support.
October 27th. To-day £500 was given by two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven. This donation came in when there was only £86 5s. 11d. in hand for the Orphans.
November Ist. From London 10s., as “A small thank-offering to God for innumerable mercies received during 48 years of a happy married life.” From Omaha, U.S.A., £25. — November 4th. The income for the Orphans this day was £2 18s. ld., instead of about twenty-five times as much. — November 6th. The income of to-day (Monday) showd have been about £180 (as we did not take in any letters yesterday); but instead of £180, the first two deliveries brought in 5s. only. The reader will see from this how nothing but reat trust in God can keep the heart in peace. In Him, however, we Do trust, and rely wpon Him alone for help, whilst in the meantime we continue in prayer. — November I1th. From London £60. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £500. From Fort William £25. — November 13th. Received from Scotland £50, with the following letter from a City Missionary and his wife : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“We have much pleasure in sending you £50 for the Orphans, or for Foreign Missions. For nearly forty years I have been a City Missionary. Our income has never been large, and we have always given much more than a tenth to the Lord’s work; yet our little capital has increased to more than we think it right to possess, and Hebrews xii. 5, 6, has lately much impressed us, to trust altogether in the Lord, and not in money laid by. Thanking God for your long and blessed life, and praying that He may bless you still,
“Yours in His love and service, * * * *,”
Will the reader be pleased to ponder this letter. Here is a poor City Missionary, giving £50 at once. How much more, how very much more could be accomplished by the Church of God, if the disciples of the Lord Jesus were like this godly City Missionary! The money was taken for the Orphans, for it was needed ON THAT VERY DAY, and thus the hand of God was the more manifestly seen. — November 24th. Received £500 from two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven — November 25th. From one of the former Orphans £5. Received from the United States of America, ten dollars, with this letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“Please accept the enclosed as a widow’s mite, to be used in the work you are doing for the Lord. I feel prompted by the Spirit to send it this morning, and, as I want to obey God in all things, I hope it will be accepted as coming from Him.
Yours in @hnist, teeta
How came it that the donor was prompted to send us the money Because the Living God is our Friend; to Him we go in our need, and He speaks for us in answer to our prayers. It is particularly to be noticed, likewise, that the income to-day was very small, and that this donation, therefore, came in very acceptably.
December 9th. All our money is gone — — December 11th. Monday. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £500. — December 15th. Received £300 on account of the residue of the legacy of the late Mrs. H — December 16th. From a Bristol Manufacturer £25 — — December 18th. From a father, mother, and daughter, £18 15s. — December 20th. From Tyndall’s Park, from a former Orphan, £5. — December 21st. From Clifton £25. From Cardiff (in memoriam) £30. From Cambridge, from an old friend of the Institution, £52 18s — December 29th. From the neighbourhood of Kendal £40, with £10 for Mrs. Müller and myself.
January Ist. Sixty donations for the Orphans were received to-day, of which I only mention £35 from the neighbourhood of Melksham: from Clifton £20; and from Biarritz, France, £10, with £10 for myself — January 19th. Received from a widow in Liverpool £5, and a box containing 94 pairs of boots and shoes. She writes: ‘‘ I should Jove to do more for your glorious work, but last year has been a financially bad one, and I cannot do what my heart would like to do for you. I have, however, done what I could.” This widow, entering on business, trusted in God, and gave to the work of the Lord as He was pleased to prosper her; and so it came that she did as well as she did. May widows be encouraged by her example. — January 20th. From Chippenham £50. As “A thank-offering for the remarkable preservation of a dear daughter from a railway accident,” 10s. 6d — January 22nd. Received £100 from the Trustees of the late G. W., Esq. January 24th. From Yorkshire £1,000. — January 25th. On account of the legacy of the late Miss D. W., £550. — January 27th. From London £40.
February 5th. Received £2,235 18s. as the share of the residue of the estate of the late J. C., Esq., for the Orphans on Ashley Down. The late J. C., Hsq., died four years ago last December. He had ordered in his Will that four years after his decease the residue of his property should be divided between five different Institutions. Now see, esteemed reader, how God so ordered it, that just now, in this our great need, this considerable sum should come to us. — February 6th. Legacy of the late Mr. R. R., £523 8s. 1d. — February 8th. Balance of the residue of the legacy of the late Miss E. H., £187 6s. 8d. — February 18th. Received the following letter from Scotland : —
“Dear Sir,
“I received your Report a few days ago, and have been reading it with intense pleasure. You know not the blessing resulting from reading these Reports. Your financial difficulties and your peace of mind, during those trying times, have doubtless been blessed to other persons in similar circumstances, and your unwavering faith in God, accompanied by peace unbroken, what untold good the reading of your Narrative fas been, and will be, to multitudes of people, He only knows. I have been brought into great and awful trials, partly because I would not, at the request of a partner, publish what I believed to be a lie; and other worldly things in business I declined to assent to. It is a fearful thing for a child of God to get into partnership with a man of the world. Do pray for me.
SONG aypnes) way (Olrumtsyy se Se Fae
February 22nd. Received the following letter : —
“I feel constrained to send you a cheque to-night, and therefore forward the same, for £2 2s., for the Orphans. Trade is generally bad throughout the country, and I wonder if you are feeling the effects of this very much. May the good Lord incline many persons to help you who are able to do so. “Yours faithfully, * * * *.”
Notice, that the donor felt himself constrained to send this cheque. How came this? Because we pray to our Heavenly Father, and He speaks, accordingly, to the hearts of His stewards to help us. The donor writes further, also : — ‘‘ Trade is generally bad throughout the country, and I wonder if you are feeling the effects of this very much.” For forty years and upwards we have not had so few donations as for some time past; and yet we have been supplied, bountifully supplied, in answer to our constant believing supplications; for God has so ordered it in His providence that legacies (some left a considerable time since) have now been paid; and thus He has been pleased abundantly to make up the lack of donations. It is unspeakably blessed, to have in God a neyer-failing Helper and Friend.
March 2nd. Received the following letter from one of the former Orphans : —
“Dear Sir,
“I am writing to you on behalf of two children, who, within the last week, have been left Orphans, by the death of their mother. Their father died about four years ago. They are in truly needy circumstances, and fit objects for your valuable and happy Homes. I speak thus of them from experience, as I was for eleven years a happy child at No. 1, and have left the Orphan Home now for thirty-three years. During that time, in God’s good providence, I have become a happy wife, a mother, and recently a grandmother; but everything is as fresh in my mind as on the day I left, for I owe much, very much of my happiness to the wise training of those who were then my teachers.
“* Believe me, Dear Sir, Yours in Christ, * * * *.”
An Orphan Boy leads his Sister to Christ.
March 7th. Received the following letter : — “Dear Sir,
“Pardon the liberty I am taking in writing to you. I feel I must thank you for your loving and fatherly care of my brother — —; and I cannot help thanking you, too, for teaching him to love the Saviour. Perhaps you will be pleased to hear, that four years ago he was the instrument in God’s hand of leading me, his only sister, from darkness to light; and since then I have enjoyed God’s salvation. Therefore, I am sure, you can understand the love there is between us. As he is nearly old enough to leave your care, if you would find him a place in Bristol as an apprentice, how grateful I shall be, because I am sure we should both feel being separated from each other exceedingly.
“I remain, dear Sir, ever yours in Christ, * * * *.”
March 16th. Legacy of the late A. A., Hsq., £79 2s. 10d. From Kidderminster £30. — March 22nd. Paid on account of balance of purchase money for a field for building £800, and £177 14s. 7d. paid for interest on balance of purchase-money for land up to March 21st — March 27th. Legacy of the late W.S. L., Esq., £100.
April yd. Received £2,794 as balance of purchase-money for land, and £4 11s. 10d. as interest on ditto from March 21st to April yd. — April 21st. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £193 1s. Od. — April 25th. Balance of the legacy of the late Miss D. W., £196 15s. 1ld. — April 28th. Legacy of the late Mrs. J. H., £89 5s. 10d. Will the reader please to observe how, after a season of great trial of faith and patience, which lasted more or less for several years, the Lord is now again supplying us bountifully with means. The appearance during those years of trial was many times, as if God had forsaken us, and as if He would never care any more about this Institution; but this was only the appearance, for He was as mindful of it as ever. It was only in order that our faith might be yet further strengthened that these trials were permitted; that by meekly enduring the affliction we might glorify God; and that tens of thousands of persons, by reading about all these things, might be benefited. During the time of our great trial my fellow-helpers and I sought the Lord day by day continually thanking Him for what He had been doing for us, and telling Him that we further confided in Him for help; and, in addition to all this, I constantly prayed in secret that the Lord would further supply our wants, and give us all the pecuniary means we need for this great Institution. — April 30th. Received £1,000 on account of the residue of the legacy of the late Miss E. A. D. I call once more upon the reader to notice how abundantly God of late has helped us through legacies while the income through donations has been comparatively small. Will the reader also remember what I have noticed before, that almost in every case these testators were entire strangers to me; for the names even of most of them I had never heard.
May 2nd. From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150, from a donor who has kindly helped us again and again. — May yd. From an aged Christian £100, instead of leaving the amount as a legacy, whereby we save the legacy duty. — May 18th. From Taranaki, New Zealand, £5. — May 25th. From Yorkshire £125 for Foreign Missions and £125 for the Orphans. From two servants of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £500, namely, £250 for the School, Bible, and Foreign Mission Fund, and £250 for the Orphans.
May 26th, 1894, to May 26th, 1895.
When the financial year of the Institution commenced, we had a balance of £4,871 12s. 94d. in hand. May 29th. From Carmarthenshire 6s. 8d. from a house of (64 HEAVY TRIALS OF LAST 13 YHARS — ORPH ANS. [1894
business, from which week alter week a donation has been sent, as the business has been prospered during the past week. — -June Ist. Legacy of the late Miss W. C., of Dublin, £500. — June 6th. Legacy of the late Miss E. U., £452 9s. 7d. The lady who kindly left this legacy, and the Dublin lady who left the £500, were both entire strangers to me, which makes the hand of God, in influencing them, the more manifest — June 13th. From the neighbourhood of Market Drayton 10s., with this letter :- — “Dear Mr. Müller,
“Please accept the enclosed 10s. for the dear Orphans under your care. Last Wednesday I lost my purse, containing £1 11s. Tasked the Lord to restore it, and I would give 10s. to Mr. Müller. This morning it was brought tome. Etc.”
June 21st. From two former Orphans £3 12s. 6d. for the support of one Orphan for three months. These two former Orphans, who are united in marriage, and who were both converted more than thirty years ago, have thus, for many years, supported an Orphan, sending their contribution quarterly for this purpose. All their own children are converted, two of them are engaged in setting forth the truth, and one of them is a Missionary among the heathen. See, dear reader, how God has blessed this work. This is just one instance out of thousands. — July 12th. Tsegacy of the late Miss M. A. M. B. H., £272 Os. 6d. ‘Phe testatrix was an entire stranger to me. — July 17th. From “G.,” Preston, £98 16s. 3d. The kind donor has repeatedly thus helped us, and often when we were in great need. — July 18th. Legacy of the late Mr. W. L. H., £93 4s. 6d. — July 20th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £150. — July 28th. Day after day the trial of faith and patience regarding the income for the Institution continues. ‘The last four deliveries of letters have brought one single donation of 10s. The new Report has been issued, hundreds of them have been sent to the donors, and yet so little is received. I mention this, because persons think that the Reports must surely bring us money. It is God, and God alone, who helps us, and not the Reports. “They that know Thy name, wil put their trust in Thee” (Psalm ix. 10). We know Him, and we will still put our trust in Him, though this trial of faith and patience should continue further.
August Ist. From Dundee £50 — August 2nd. On account of Miss EH. A. D.’s legacy was paid £1,000. — August 6th. On account of the legacy of the late Miss E. A. D., £558 14s 8d. The reader will observe how, after for some time comparatively little had been coming in, the Lord makes up for this, by sending now again larger sums. — August 17th. TLegacy of the late Mrs. M. A. T., £360. Anonymously from Plymouth, eight Bank of England notes, £40. — August 25rd. Received the following letter from one of the former Orphans, enclosing £20 2s., from Brooklyn, U.S.A. :- —
Dear Mr. Miller,
“‘ Enclosed please find £20 2s. for the Orphans, from one who left No. 3 Wilson Street, Bristol, more than fifty years ago; and, although I may never have the happiness of seeing you again on earth, may that be my blessed privilege in that better land, which is the sincere prayer of a most grateful Orphan, who desires your prayers.”
September 4th. Received £50, with the following letter : —
““Honoured and loved Mr. Müller,
“Having read the greater part of your Report of 1894, I write to express to you, that my too feeble and much tried faith is encouraged by it. For many years the remarkable answers to your prayers, and the prosperity in temporal as well as spiritual things, granted to you, was very striking, and was an evidence to many, whom other evidences failed to satisfy. And now, that you faithfully record diminished income, but not diminished seeking and expecting help from God, it appeals to me more, probably, in my circumstances, than a record of former prosperity would have done. Faith, when God seems to forsake, differs much from that in the light of His countenance; and I have long thought that Psalm xxii. 3 (following verses 1 and 2) is the highest praise in the Scriptures. Jam thankful to be able to send you the enclosed £50, which please to apply as you think best.
“Yours with affectionate regard, by unsearchable mercy in our Lord Jesus Christ to a chief sinner, * * * *.”
From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150, from a donor who has very kindly helped us repeatedly in a similar way, and often when in great need. — September 7th. Received a gold Albert chain, with this letter : —
“* Dear Sir,
“I herewith enclose a gold Albert chain. I wore it mysellt, until the Lord drew me nearer to Himself, then the wants of poor Orphans and the now languishing and suffering works of Christ appeared before me: so I offer this 2dol unto Him, who claims my whole heart. Htc.”
September 13th. Legacy of the late Mr. W. G., New Zealand, £185 13s. 8d.September 26th. Legacy of the late Mrs. H., £1,000. This lady I never saw; but our Heavenly Father, by His Holy Spirit, influenced her in favour of the Orphan Work, to leave to us this legacy. — September 29th. From Taunton £50. From Kidderminster £20.
October Ist. Legacy of the late Mr. G. G., £100. — October 17th. “From a steward” £200. This kind donor has helped us again and again; and if all the disciples of the Lord Jesus would consider themselves stewards for Him, as to their time, their talents, their physical and mental powers, their trade, their business, their profession, and their money and possessions, it would be seen that there is an abundance of means for the work of God in every department, even in the so-called poor Church of God. — November 8th. From “A friend, Longhope,” £50. — November 13th. Received from Ramsgate 5s., with these lines: “‘ There is that scattereth and yet increaseth. There is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to poverty.” A true word of Scripture, which I have in both respects seen verified very many times. — November 20th. To-day was received a letter containing £1, in which the donor writes: “The Lord has prompted me to send it.” We speak to our Heavenly Father in prayer, about the need of our Work; and He speaks for us to His stewards. — November 22nd. From Huntly £5, with these words, “A thank-offering for the Orphans. ‘Jy God shall supply all your need.’” Thus I have found it within the past sixty-nine years and six months. — November 28th. Legacy of the late F. E. G., Esq., £200.
December 4th. From the neighbourhood of Pontypridd, £100. — December 21st. Legacy of the late Mr. G. H.8., £500. As share of the residue of the late Miss E. 8., £97 16s. 8d. — December 26th. Received £100, with £50 for Missions. From a former Orphan at Newport, Monmouthshire, £5. — As ‘A thank-offering on a golden wedding,” £5. — December 29th. Received from a Dublin donor £100, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“Once again I have the pleasure of sending you my annual donation towards the support of the Orphans under your care, and I cannot let the opportunity pass, without again thanking you that, through the reading of your Reports many years ago, I was led to become a systematic giver to the Lord’s work. Beginning, as some of your donors had said they had done, by setting apart a fixed proportion of my income, even though in a small way; only, as recommended, by system. After a little while T saw I could increase, and so T went on, year by year increasing, till now I am enabled, by God’s grace, to set apart all I make (after providing for the maintenance of my household) for this purpose. I used to think, that any one who thus acted, must of necessity stand head and shoulders above other Christians, and that ordinary mortals could not attain to such an experience; but I see now, it is a position that may be attained by any one who simply gives heed to the Lord’s explicit command: ‘ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth; but lay wp for yourselves treasures in heaven.’ I am a very plain, ordinary business man, with no qualifications to engage in active Christian work as others do, but making a few hundreds a year more than I require, to spend on self and family (though I live as well as any one in my station), and seeing that such work as yours, and Mission work in general, cannot be carried on without money, I thank God for entrusting me with the means, to help on such work in the world; and I am sure, I have much more pleasure than those who are scraping, and heap up money to
leave it to their children, which, in nine cases out of ten, proves a curse and not a blessing to them. With very much Christian regard, «J am, dear Mr. Müller, Pa OUISmUnULy Sm tat etak
I advise the readers to read this letter once more, and then attend to the few remarks I make in connection with it.
(1) You have again brought before you the blessing, temporally and spiritually, connected with systematic giving to the poor or the Lord’s work.
(2) The writer, as he says, began in a small way, then he gave more. Here is a donation of £100 at a time; and this is not the only time that I have received from this donor £100. How came it, that the donor was able to give more, and considerably more? Because any one, who is a believer in the Lord Jesus, and who, constrained by the love of Christ, becomes a systematic giver, as God prospers him in his business, in his profession, or otherwise, is not only blessed in his inner man spiritually, but also temporally. This I have seen within the last sixty-five years in many instances, so that £5,000, £7,000, £8,000, could be given at one time by persons, who had been comparatively poor, when they began to act according to these principles; I also know, from my own experience, within the past sixty-five years, the effect of systematic giving.
(3) The writer says, “Now I am enabled, by God’s grace, to set apart ail I make (after providing for the maintenance of my household) for the Lord’s work.” See, in this, the precious result of acting according to the Word of God. If all the disciples of the Lord Jesus were to act according to this way, which is the scriptural way, then, though the Church of God is poor, in comparison with the world, it would be found that at least ten times more could be done for the poor or the work of God, than now is done.
(4) The writer says, “I am sure I have much more pleasure than those who are scraping, and heap up money to leave to their children, which in nine cases out of ten may prove a curse and not a blessing to them.” ‘To give, to communicate, of that which the Lord has entrusted to us, invariably brings more or less blessing to the soul. If this were really believed, it would encourage the systematic giving, on account of the increase of happiness. Observe also the only too frequent result of seeking to leave large possessions to children.
January lst. Of the sixty-four donations, which came in to-day for the Orphans, I refer only to the following. From Melksham £35. — January 9th. From Maidstone £50. — January 24th. From lTondon, E.C., £40. — January 25th. Received from Ireland £102 10s., with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“I have much pleasure in enclosing bank draft for the funds of the Orphanage, as a thank-offering to our Heavenly Father for His numerous mercies and blessings received during the past two years. I was unable to send the usual gift this time last year, and in treu have added one year’s interest, to make up for the time. May the Lord’s blessing rest upon you and your work, my dear Brother, is the prayer of
“Your unworthy Brother in Christ, * * * *,”
January 26th. legacy of the late Captain G. B., £3,288 Os. 3d. More than twenty-three years ago the testator came to me, an entire stranger, and asked me to become his executor. My reply was: “You had better consider this further.” I never heard a word more from the testator, nor saw him even once during the past twenty-three years, though Mr. Wright tells me that from time to time during my absence on Missionary Tours he brought a donation for the Orphans. But in last November I was informed that he had died, that he had made his Will immediately after he had spoken to me twenty-three years ago, that he had made me his executor, and that, after his funeral expenses, his debts, and five legacies had been paid, the residue should go to the Orphan Fund. Will the reader please to notice the hand of God in this legacy. (1) An entire stranger to me, because he has confidence in me, makes me his executor. (2) For twenty-three years he remains of the same mind, without once seeing me on the subject, nor letting me know he had made me his executor. And (3) how comes all this? Oh! beloved reader, see the hand and the heart of God. What cannot He do for those who confide in Him; and what is not He willing to do for all such 2 — January 30th. lTiegacy of the late Miss A. M., £500. From Wales £420 12s. for the Orphans, with £46 14s. 6d. for myself.
February 7th. On account of the legacy of the late Mr. W. C., £190 14s. 3d. — February 12th. Balance of the legacy of the late Mr. R. W. 1., £146 9s. 4d — February 14th. From Yarmouth £40. — February 15th. From Chippenham £50. — February 19th. From Liverpool £40. — February 26th. As this morning only £4 ds. 1d. had come in, instead of about £90, the average daily expenses, I fell again on my knees, and asked the Lord for more. The next delivery brought £7 10s. more, and information in a letter from Edinburgh that in a registered letter a £10 note would follow. Lalso received to-day £5, with the following statement: “Enclosed you have cheque for £5, which I have been IMPRESSED to give to your work.”
March Ist. The first two deliveries brought only £13 8s. 6d. I therefore bowed again my knees before the Lord twice and also a third and fourth time, asking the Lord, that He would graciously be pleased to send more. The third delivery brought 7s. 6d., and also from Thetford a banker’s draft for £31. By
3 o’clock delivery £1 1s. more came in. I thanked God for this and prayed for more. By 6 o’clock delivery was received 9s. 3d., also from Clifton £10, and from New Zealand £3. Also from Manchester £1, and for myself 10s. I thanked God for this and asked still more, when, by the last delivery at 9 p.m., I received £5 from Westbury-on-Trym. Thus the £13 8s. was increased to £65 6s. 3d. — March 2nd. The income this morning by the first two deliveries was only £4 2s. I thanked God for this, though only so little for our great requirements, and asked Him for more; then came in further in coupons, £142 7s. 4d., also £2, also 10s. By 3 o’clock delivery, after further prayer and praise, I received from Scotland £5, and from Ireland 1s. 10d. By 6 o’clock delivery 10s. more was received. — March 13th. The total of the income, since March 6th, for the whole week, for all the various Objects of the Institution, has been £76 14s. 9d., viz. about the ninth part of what is needed. Under such circumstances. the heart is to be fixed on the power and love of God, without, wavering in the least — March 26th. From Reading £51 1s. 9d. The donor of this sum puts by regularly and systematically as the Lord prospers him in his business. He has done so for several years, and I have observed, how his donations have increased more and more, and now his gift is £51 Is. 9d.
April 4th. From the neighbourhood of Manchester I received the following letter : — :
Dear Sir and Brother,
“I enclose Post Office order for £10, as a thank-offering to God for a breakdown in health, by means of which the Lord has taught me much needed lessons. I desire to praise God for rich blessing I have had in re-perusing ‘ The Lord’s Dealings with George Miiller.’ Many of its precious lessons have come to me with greater clearness and force than ever. I have, by God’s grace, been enabled to enter into the peace of REALLY trusting Him and putting into action the course commended by God in Philippians iv. 6,7. Will you pray, that God may speedily vouchsafe restored health and strength, that I may be able once more to engage in active work.
“Very faithfully yours, * * * *.”
Will the reader particularly observe, that here is a thank-offering of £10 for broken-down health, on account of the special blessing which God has bestowed thus. — April 6th. From Kidderminster £30. — April 15th. Legacy of the late Mrs. A. A., £400. — April 18th. From a tobacco abstainer £1 2s. — April 20th. Legacy of the late Mrs. 8. H. B., £450. — April 26th. Received £500 from a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven. — April 27th. From Coventry £4 4s., a thank-offering on the eighty-fourth anniversary of the birthday of the donor, with £1 for myself. From Ramsgate £25. — April 30th. From Clifton £50.
May 7th. From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150 from a donor who very kindly has helped us again and again in a similar way, and often when we were in great need. — May 9th. Legacy of the late Mr. W. S., £450. — May 14th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £268 17s. 7d — May 16th. From Scotland £500 in memory of a beloved husband, the late Mr. C. K. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £64, with £2 for myself. — May 17th. Received 10s. as “‘ The first fee of a young physician, as a thank-offering to God.”
May 26th, 1895, to May 26th, 1896.
When the financial year of the Institution commenced we had a balance of £5,081 13s. 93d. in hand.
June 19th. From Leamington £100, with £1 for myself. From “a Steward” £100. — June 21st. From North Devon £10, instead of leaving it by Will, which was considered a better way. — June 22nd. Legacy of the late Miss 8. N., £432 7s. 7d. Legacy of the late Miss E. M., £180. In the case of both these legacies, the testatrixes were entire strangers to me, which is almost always the case. — June 26th. Legacy of the late Miss M. A., £50.
July 16th. Legacy of the late Miss M. H., £900. The lady was an entire stranger to me. — July 17th. From “G.,” Preston, £100. From Highbury for the support of three Orphans for one year £42 11s. The Christian gentleman who sent this money pays the average expenses for as many Orphans as he has children.
August 2nd. From Crewe 1s., with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“Kindly accept for. your Homes my small offering to God, for His love and mercy to me. It is not much, but all I have. I am only a boy and am not allowed much for myself, and it has taken me a month to save this; but I am thankful to be able to give it, and hoping to be able to give more when I am a man. I pray that God will bless you, the Homes, and Orphans. I am so thankful that God is answering your prayers through
Will the reader please to notice the great variety of donations we recelve. — August 5th. Legacy of the late Mr. J. N., £100. — August 7th. From Dundee £50. — August 9th. Legacy of the late Mrs. L., £200. — August 13th. The expenses during the last thirteen days have been £1,950, and the income £400. Under such circumstances we do nothing but to continue in believing prayer, patiently expecting the Lord’s help.
September yd. From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150, from a donor who laindly has helped us again and again, and repeatedly when we were in great need. — September 9th.
BARE
vy pod) ‘7: 7” &
A~? 7
Portrait oF Mr. MiULLerR TAKEN on His 90TH BrirTHDAY.
Received the following letter, with 10s., from one of the former Orphans : — “Dear and honoured Sir,
“I received your Report last week. I thank you much for it. Iam glad to let you know, I have benefited greatly by its perusal. I am so glad to see a number of Orphans remember the dear old Home, in which they spent their happiest days; for truly there have been none happier to me, than those spent in the dear Orphan-House No. 3. How happy we were in our own little world, brought up in such holy atmosphere! We have plenty of evil to find out when we leave its shelter; but blessed be God, He watches over us and keeps us from ten thousand snares, that are set for our feet. Well, dear Sir, I humbly send my mite, to join other larger sums, wishing it were more. Believe me,
“Your grateful and affectionate Orphan, * * * *.”
September 10th. Final residue of the legacy of the late Miss E. A. D., £407 19s. 6d — September 23rd, Monday. The income for two days, this morning, by two posts, was £9 13s. 8d. only, instead of £180, and thus it has been for many days, that but very little has come in.
Ninetieth Birthday.
September 27th. This is the anniversary of my birthday. I enter to-day on my 91st year, and, as usual, I have again received very many letters both from Orphans who were once in the Institution on Ashley Down, or who are still there. Of these letters, I give to the readers one. It is from the boys’ department No. 4; one writes in the name of the rest.
“Dear and honoured Siz,
“We think it one of our greatest pleasures to be able on the anniversary of this your 90th birthday, to wish you as many happy returns of your birthday, as God may, in His goodness, be pleased to grant you. We, the boys of No. 4, hope they may be many, and that the necessary health and strength of body, mind, and spirit, may be given you. We are all very grateful to the Lord, who has spared and used you for these many years in His service; and, more especially, for that part which has been, under His guidance, the founding and establishing these happy Homes for Orphans. To a number of us, we find them doubly happy, as we have here learnt to know that ‘ There is a Home Eternal’ awaiting us hereafter. Some of us have lately known a little of the joy of putting our trust in God for His salvation. May we, as a token of love and esteem, ask you to please accept the sum of £1 13s. 6d. as a small birthday present from us? That God’s blessing may ever rest upon you and dear Mr. Wright is the hearty, united, and loving wish of
“Yours respectiully,
“The boys of No. 4.”
The £1 13s. 6d. from these dear boys is sent, instead of buying little presents for me, as they know not what might be suitable: thus leaving the choice to myself. They wish me “the necessary health and strength of body.” Here I have to remind my readers, that when I was twenty-two and twenty-three years of age, 1 was exceedingly weak, and considered by high medical authority to have a tendency to consumption; and when I was twenty-five years old, it appeared to me, that I should not live seven years longer. But the Lord has condescended to lengthen out my life since then more than nine times seven years. These dear Orphans wish me also strength of mind. Regarding this I have likewise abundant reason to thank the Lord, for my mind is as clear and as capable of work, as when I passed my examination for the University in March, 1825 (seventy-one years since). Then the beloved Orphans wish me also spiritual health and strength. This I myself desire above all, so that my last days may be the happiest, the holiest, and the most useful of my whole life.
October 4th. Legacy of the late Mrs. 8. W., £371 6s. 7d. — October 7th. Legacy of the late Miss A. H. A., £240 19s. 3d. Will the esteemed reader kindly notice the legacies which were paid during the past year? This was one great means, whereby our heavy expenses were met. — October 30th. Received £260 on account of the legacy of the late Mrs. C.
Gifts of Provisions, and of two live Oxen.
November 5th. The readers may be interested in learning what a very large quantity of bread has been given during the past year. In addition to this, from a very large number of Harvest Thank Offerings in Bristol and the neighbourhood, a large quantity of bread has been sent, and from these Harvest Thank Offerings has also been sent, and from other quarters, a large quantity of apples, pears, tea, plums, etc. I will, therefore, state here some of these and other articles which have been sent to us for the benefit of the Orphans during the past year: 9,455 quarterns of bread, whereby 100 sacks of flour have been saved, 141 lbs. of butter, 13 very large cheeses and 24 lbs., 15 tons and 16 cwts. of coal, 59 lbs. of tea, 239 lbs. of bacon, 709 lbs. of meat, 20 boxes of soap, 29 large pots of jam, 72,648 apples, 7,037 pears, 240 lbs. of cherries, 3,362 plums, 4,174 buns, 22 cases of oranges, a large quantity of potatoes, carrots, turnips, flour. There were also two living oxen sent to be killed for meat for the Institution — November 8th. Legacy of the late Miss D. M. A. £240 19s. 3d. — November 13th. From Maidstone, from a donor who kindly has helped us repeatedly, and often the donation arrived when we were in great need, £50. — November 14th. Received £3 3s. from Gloucestershire, to make restitution for “‘ mean, dishonest, and contemptible acts, although none but the transgressor lives. I do remember my faults and sins this
day both with sorrow and shame.’ The sins were committed nearly seventy years since; but the donor felt it right, according to the Scripture, to make restitution — November 15th. Anonymously given to me in the street in Cardiff £10; I took it for the Orphans. — November 20th. Legacy of the late J. H., Esq., £500. — November 27th. The late Mr. R. J. B., a former Orphan, £20.
December 16th.. Received £20 5s. -6d., ‘“‘ As a result of one year’s work, from a father, mother and daughter.” From “M. H.” £20, with £20 for myself — December 21st. Received £100 from Dublin. — December 31st. From Westmoreland £40, with £10 for myself.
January Ist. Out of the sixty-six donations received for the benefit of the Orphans, I will only refer to the following. From the neighbourhood of Melksham £35. From Clifton £15. From Clifton £20. Legacy of the late 8. J., Esq., £1,000. — January yd. From Westmoreland £50. From London, 8.W., ls. 74d., saved in farthings. Observe, esteemed reader, the great variety of our donations. On January Ist we received £1,000 in one donation, and now Is. 7$d. saved in farthings — January 17th. I dismissed this afternoon three boys, to go out as apprentices; they have all three been believers in the Lord Jesus for a considerable time. We have had for some time the joy of seeing almost all our boys leaving us for apprenticeship as converted boys. During the past year seventy went out, of whom fifty-eight were converted, and most of them had known the Lord for a considerable time and given comfort to the masters by their deportment. — January 18th. From Stroud £100. — January 23rd. Letter after letter, of the first two deliveries, contained either no money at all, or only 2s. 6d., 5s., or 10s.; but I continued yet to expect an answer to prayer for a larger sum. It had now come almost to the last letter, when, taking up a letter I said in prayer, “Lord, let me now have the answer,” and I found in it a cheque for £230, a quite unexpected payment of another part of a legacy, paid in 1878, therefore more than seventeen years since. How deeply important is it to go on expecting answers to prayer!
February 6th. Day after day, and week after week, the income has been exceedingly small. To-day again, the first two deliveries, which are the principal ones, though there were fifty-three letters of business of various kinds, contained only £4 1s. Thus faith and patience are tried day by day; but patient, persevering, believing, waiting upon God, brings at last blessing. Thus we have found it for sixty-two years — February 7th. Legacy of the late Mr. R. B., £50... Received 5s., with this letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,; “Please to accept the enclosed Postal order for 5s., as coming
from the rich King, who prompts this His weak child in the flesh to send in aid of the Orphanages. “I am, yours in His service, W. H. L.”
Here is sent, by the prompting of the Lord, 5s.; but in like manner we receive the cheques for £100, £5,000; and thus, in like manner, comes to us the legacy for £5,000, £8,000, and £11,000. All, all comes to us in answer to prayer, from the Living God, who now, at the last part of the nineteenth century, is as able and as willing to give in answer to prayer as 4,000 years since. We believe this, and act accordingly; and so it comes that we have the thousands of answers of prayer — February 8th. “Could you tell me how faith is developed?” I was asked in a letter. My reply was: “Faith is developed (or increased) by clinging to the Word of God, looking for its fulfilment in the time of need, expecting the answer to prayer, and doing this in spite of all contrary appearances.”’ — February 12th. From Chippenham £50. — February 15th. From London £40,
The income from February 12th to February 19th, for all the various Objects of the Institution, was £212, and the expenses were above £1,200. Prayer and ‘faith are needed under such circumstances. — February 29th. Remainder of the legacy of the late Mrs. M. C., £350.
March 2nd. From Leamington £100, with £1 for myself. — March 7th. Legacy of the late Sir J. D. W., £250. — March 24th. The following letter was received from one of the former Orphans, who left nearly forty years since, and who had been for years a consistent believer, before she left, and who ever since has walked in the ways of the Lord.
“Dear and beloved Sir,
“Will you please accept this small donation, £2 4s. (two shillings was given me by a friend), as a thank-offering to the Lord for mercies and blessings received, though so unworthy. He has indeed crowned my life with them. With deep gratitude I look back to the Home of my childhood, for the wise and kind training I had whilst under your care for nearly thirteen years. The power of faith and prayer, exercised by you in God, has an enduring influence with me. With great pleasure I read the account of the meeting held at Bethesda Chapel, on the anniversary of your ninetieth birthday. How much I should like to have been there! I do praise the Lord for sparing your valuable life to His Church and the world, so many years!
“I remain, Your ever grateful Orphan, * * * *.”
March 25th. The total income during the week, for all the various branches of the Institution, was £151 10s. 11$d., viz., not the fourth part of our average expenses. But we continue in prayer for more help, and exercise faith; for our universal remedy for all our difficulties is, “Prayer, faith, and patience.”
April 13th. Day after day, and week after week, the income
has been very, very small, and our faith has been greatly tried; but, by the grace of God, Mr. Wright and I have been clinging to the Lord, and holding fast our entire trust in Him. Now the time was come, when the Lord saw it well to refresh us again spiritually. This morning I received a cheque from a distance for £250, with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“I thank God that He has entrusted me with the means, and also that He has put it into my heart to forward you a portion of the same. I herewith send you a cheque, value £250, for the benefit of the dear children whom He has entrusted to your care. I do sincerely hope and trust that our Heavenly Father will bless you with health and strength, so that you may be enabled to carry on the noble work, in which you are so devotedly engaged, for many years yet to come. With kindest Christian regards,
‘ “Tam, dear Sir, yours sincerely, * * * *.”
In the course of the day it pleased the Lord to send us a few other donations, and in the evening, between 9 and 10 o’clock, from “A Friend,” a cheque for £1,000 for the support of the Orphans, so that the income of this one day amounted to £1,260. This has been a precious answer to many prayers, after a long season of little income, and our balance in hand having been almost entirely spent. Neither the donor of £250 nor the one of £1,000 are personally known to us, which makes the hand of God the more manifest. Will the esteemed reader especially remember, that under such trials of faith, for the benefit of the Church of God at large, we do nothing but continue in prayer, trusting alone inGod? We do not advertise for money, nor make our need. known directly or indirectly; yea, our assistants have been solemnly requested not to speak of the need of the Institution, while it lasts; in order that the hand of God may be clearly seen and that thus the faith of the children of God may be strengthened, and that the unconverted may see the reality of the things of God. — April 18th. From Bradford, Yorks, a gold ring, set with diamonds. — April 23rd. Received from the widow of one of our beloved former Orphans, the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Wright,
‘““My dear husband, whom you will no doubt remember, passed away to be with the Lord, on February 22nd. While he was very ill he expressed a wish that I should send 30s. to Mr. Müller for the Orphans. May I trouble you to give it him.”
April 27th. Received £5 as “A thank-offering for 79 years’ mercies.”
May 4th. Legacy of the late Miss G. 8. 8., £400 10s. 9d. I again invite the kind reader to observe how many legacies it pleased the Lord to cause to be paid, whereby we were so considerably helped to meet our expenses. I again state, that not one of the twenty individuals who left us legacies were personally known to us, which makes the hand of God the more manifest. May 8th. From the neighbourhood of Birmingham £150, from a donor who has kindly repeatedly helped us, and often when we happened to be in great need of help — May 19th. Legacy of the late Miss 8. B., £100. Legacy of the late Mr. J. T., £100.
May 26th, 1896, to May 26th, 1897.
When the financial year of the Institution commenced, we had a balance of £276 5s. 10yd. in hand; a balance so small, that very frequently we have paid out two or three times as much in one day. We trusted, however, in God for help, and He helped us.
The magnitude of the Expenses.
Our requirements are great, and many, and varied; and regarding them all we have our eyes directed towards the Lord; and He is ever mindful of us, though sometimes faith and patience are considerably exercised before the needed help comes. The reader will kindly place himself in our position during the year, with nearly two thousand persons day by day sitting down to their meals. The expense of this alone, as every one can suppose, is great, during one year only. But the Orphans have not only to be fed, but clothed; their clothes have to be washed and repaired. This costs many hundred pounds in one year. The one single article of shoes and boots alone, think of it, as we require about six thousand pairs; both the supplies of new and repairs; how many hundred pounds it takes!
Hundreds of fresh Orphans are received year by year, and the new comers are to be fitted out; hundreds of boys and girls go out as apprentices, servants, or pupil teachers, and they are to be provided with an outfit at the expense of the Institution. The considerable number of boys who are sent out as apprentices, year by year, have every one of them a premium of £13 paid for them to their masters, which is about equal to another year’s support. Then come the heavy expenses connected with keeping in repair these five large houses, in which there are more than 1,700 large windows and 500 rooms. This is only mentioned to give to the reader who has not seen the houses, an idea of their magnitude. It may, therefore, easily be supposed how much the mere painting, whitewashing, colouring, repairs, etc., must cost, year by year.
Then consider the many thousands of articles of table linen, bed linen, towels, etc.; all have to be keptup. The thousands of articles of furniture in these 500 rooms have to be kept in repair, or to be replaced by new articles, which continually becomes more or less needful. ‘The children get ill, or one or the other dies; all the extra expenses have to be met. The Orphans leave as apprentices, or as domestic servants,
or pupil teachers; the travelling expenses have to be paid. Further, remember the large staff of overseers of one kind or another, such as school inspector, matrons, masters, female teachers, medical officers, assistants helping the directors, ete.; all their salaries have to be obtained from the Lord. All the nurses in the infirmary in each of the five houses, the nurses of the little infants, the laundresses and other servants (though the last are but few, as the Orphans do the work); all this costs very much, and for all this we look to the Lord. There are also heavy taxes to be paid, and there are, over and above, year by year, heavy extra expenses not here referred to, occasioned by extraordinary circumstances; for all of which we look to the Lord. May this suffice to give to the reader a faint idea as to our position with regard to the Orphan Work alone, and he will readily see, that it not only requires the purse of a nobleman; but that, at least nine out of ten of our nobility would be unable to meet these expenses year by year, and that only a very few of the most wealthy could do so; but we have nothing of their wealth, and yet we are able, with as much ease, if not greater ease, than very rich noblemen, to accomplish this, by looking to the infinitely rich One for everything.
May 27th. On this very first day of the new financial year of the Institution, we received £10 from Edinburgh, and also £100 as the payment of the legacy of J. P. S., Esq. — May 29th. Received on account of the legacy of the late Mrs. K. C., £900.
June 10th. The income for the whole of this week, for all the various Objects of the Institution, was £154 7s. 10d., about the fifth part of the average expenses. — June llth. Legacy of the late W. H. P., Esq., £100. — June 18th. Legacy of the late Mrs. S. R. C. L. T., £564 5s., which was received at a time of great need. — June 22nd. This is Monday, when the letters for two days are received. The income this morning, in all the letters of the first two deliveries from the North and West, was lls. 6d., instead of £180, the average expenses for two days. Notice, esteemed reader, 11s. 6d. See what patient continuing in looking to the Lord, and really trusting in Him, is required under such circumstances — -June 26th. From “A Steward” £100. — June 29th. Received a pair of gold ear-rings, two gold rings, a breast-pin, set with a pearl, a gold brooch, a silver brooch, a gold watch, with the following letter : —
“Please accept the enclosed to be sold for the benefit of the Orphans in the Lord’s Orphan-Homes. It is He Himself that has prompted me to send it to you.
“From a Sister in the Lord.”
Notice: “It is He Himself that has prompted me to send it to you.’ We pray to the Lord for money, such articles, etc., and He speaks for us to the hearts of His children.
July 11th. Received £20, with the following letter: — “Dear Mr. Müller,
“I enclose a cheque for £20. Please accept £5 for yourself, and the remaining £15 for the Orphans. This is a thank-offering for special preservation this morning. I had only left my bathroom about five minutes, when the ceiling fell, owing to a leakage in one of the tanks. Had I been there at the time it happened the result must have been serious. I have such a distinct prompting, ‘Send £20 to Mr. Miiller,’ so 1 hope it is a message from God. With Christian regards,
Yours! truly, * tke
A message indeed from God, in answer to very long-continued constant prayer, on account of the very small income for the Institution, and the constant application to my own purse for help. This morning, again, while opening the letters, two most distressing applications for help; and I am thus able to send some help. — July 15th. The total income during the past week was £129 6s. 10d., instead of £630, the average expenses for one week. Will the reader please to seek to enter into our position, as thus it has been going on for a considerable time. — July 17th. From “G.,” Preston, £100. Very, very seasonable help. — July 18th. From Bournemouth £100. When the £100 from Bournemouth came to hand, we were in very great need of help, as for a long time the income had been so very small. Legacy of the late Miss 8. C. M. B., £200. — July 19th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £50. — July 20th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £150. — July 30th. The income by the first two deliveries was £1 10s. Thousands of copies of the new Report have recently been sent to the donors, and people say, that the Reports bring the money. See what would become of us if we trusted in the Reports! We are just now in great need of means, having before us very heavy expenses, and thus our faith is tried; but with unshaken confidence we look to the Lord, who has never failed us, and not in the least degree to the Reports.
August Ist. Received £10, with the following letter : —
Dear Sir,
“Please to receive for benefit of Orphans from my wife and self the enclosed £10, on our son’s coming of age, and for countless other mercies.”
August 5rd. From Dundee £45, with £5 for myself. — August 11th. From Birmingham £150 from a kind donor who has often helped us, and almost invariably her help has come to us in great need; and so it is again this time. — August 12th. With 2 Cor. ix. 15, £20. — August 15th. During the last two weeks our expenses have been very great; but, in answer to very much prayer and the exercise of faith, God has helped us through them. This week £1,051 has been expended, and as yet a little is left m hand. Precious answers of prayer we have had ! — August 26th. Week after week the income has been very little;
but we continued waiting upon God. Now see, this very evening, when the whole weekly income had been only £228 9s. 2d., instead of £630, by the last delivery I received £300 as the legacy of the late Mrs. H. G.
September 10th. From Bristol 5s., “Instead of buying a wreath for her husband’s grave.” — September 14th. From ee Bar £30. — September 15th. Received the following etter : —
“Dear Mr. Miller,
“Please accept the enclosed ‘ widow’s mite’ of ten shillings for the dear Orphans. Please also accept my grateful thanks for your kind remembrance of my dear son in Africa. I always feel his being there as a Missionary, is the fruit of your faith and constant trust in God. For thirty-six years your example has helped and encouraged me, to trust and not to be afraid. When staying at Teignmouth in 1860, you’ gave me a copy of your Narrative. I was a young wife then, earnestly seeking truth, and the help and comfort it was to me God only knows. He has led me through deep waters since then, and often, when discouraged and almost in despair, the thought of your faith has enabled me to wait for God’s deliverance, and so I was enabled to let my sons go to Africa as Missionaries, knowing that God is true to His promises. ‘ Zhey shall not be ashamed that wait for Me? ‘I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.’
“With kind regards, I remain, dear Mr. Müller,
Savoursesincerely,, hs es
September 19th. On account of the legacy of the late Mrs. A. B., £2,000. This was a great help to us, as the income for the last three months had been unusually small. — September 27th. This is the anniversary of my birthday, completing my ninety-first year. Through the Lord’s kindness I am very well, able to work every day and all the day, as seventy years since, and that with ease, so that generally 1 am in the evening as fresh and vigorous as in the morning. In addition to all this, I am able to preach four, five, yea sometimes even six or seven times weekly. What abundant cause have I for gratitude, to be able to accomplish all this in my advanced years! And as to preaching, with a voice that 3,000, yea 4,000 and more, can hear me with ease. On this day I received from each of the sixteen different departments of the Orphan-Houses, one letter from each department, written in the name of all the Orphans in each department.
September 29th. From Blagdon £10. From Lausanne,
Switzerland, £4 and articles.
October Ist. Received £13 15s. for the support of one Orphan for one year, and £68 15s. for the support of five Orphans for one year. Both donations were accompanied by this letter: — “Dear Mr. Müller,
“My eldest girl’s birthday will be this month, so I enclose cheque for £13 15s. for one Orphan for one year. Something also seems to constrain me to send payment for 1897 in advance, so I enclose cheque for £68 15s. for five Orphans for one year.”
This gentleman has five children, and he sends yearly the average expenses for as many Orphans as he has children. What was it that constrained him to pay the money a year in advance 2 We were very poor, had had very little coming in; but we prayed continually for help, and the Lord put it into the heart of this Christian gentleman, thus to help us — — October yd. Received from two poor boys 4s., with the following letter : —
“Dear Sir,
“Will you please to accept this small donation for Jesus’ sake, for the little boys and girls you care for. I and my brother have saved up mother’s rags and bones and sold them, and the enclosed, except a few coppers, is what we received for them.”
Will the readers please to notice how the Lord is pleased to send us help also through the very poor. — October 7th. From Leigh Woods £50. — October 8th. Balance of legacy of the late Mr. A. B., £215 3s. 3d. — October 9th. From a little girl, saved in farthings, 5s.
October 15th. The following letter was received from Ireland: * Dear Sir,
“Something has been saying to me during the last few days, that I should send you a small sum for your Orphan-Houses. I sincerely trust it is the voice of God Himself, and that the enclosed small cheque (£1) may be found of use. With best wishes and prayers for your good work,
“Yours sincerely, * * * *,”
How came this voice? It was the result of our continual waiting on God in our need. — October 20th. From a lady in the Canton de Vaud, Switzerland, £7 9s. Anonymously given to me at Cardiff £5. — October 21st. Legacy of the late Dr. J. C. K., £100. — October 26th. “A Friend, per J. R. C.,” £20. — October 27th. When the monthly balance was taken this morning, it was found that all the money for the Orphans was expended. We have 45 sacks of flour, 20 bags of rice, about 100 sacks of potatoes, and a large quantity of oatmeal in stock; but no money. In the course of the day came in £15 for the various Objects of the Institution. Thus the reader can see our position and the exercise of our faith — October 28th. God has helped again; in answer to our many prayers there came in £450 as a further payment on account of the legacy of the late Mrs. K. C. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £64. See how graciously the Lord has helped. Three hours after the £450 and
the £64 had been received, came a telegram that a lady, who had left me all her property and appointed me as her sole executor, had died. See, how gloriously prayer was answered. Will not the reader be encouraged by this?
November yd. From a donor, then at Mambury, near Bideford, £30. — November 4th. From Leeds £25. — November 10th. The legacy of the late Miss E. M., £500. — November 13th. Legacy of the late M. D., Esq., £100. — November 21st. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £69 7s. 9d., and two gold watches, a gold chain, and a pair of silver sugar tongs, left to him.
December 2nd. From London £21. — December yd. From Leeds £20. — December 5th. From eleven donors in Exeter £14. — December 7th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £1,950 17s. 8d., which had been left to him as a legacy. December 15th. From a Bristol manufacturer £50. — December 18th. From Sevenoaks £100, with the following letter : —
“Dear Mr. Müller,
“It came into my mind last night, when in bed, that I would send you £100 for the Orphans; and now, by daylight, being of the same mind, I am forwarding a cheque to you for the amount, and hope it is ‘of the Lord.’ I trust you are keeping well.
“Yours very smcerely, * * * 4.7
It was indeed “of the Lord,” for we were very poor and very much needed help. — December 30th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £50 6s. 3d.
January Ist. From Melksham £35. From “Mother” £25 4s. January 2nd. From Kendal £50. From London £25. — January 5th. From Kendal £40, with £10 for myself. — January 11th. From Kendal £20, with £10 for myself. From Scotland £40, with £10 for myself — January 15th. From Christian friends at Sand Area Chapel, Kendal, £39 18s. 7d. as a thank-offering. — January 16th. From London £40. — January 19th. Received the following letter from a widow, 73 years of age :- —
“Dear Sir,
“I am pleased that I am able to send you the enclosed sum of 5s. JI delight in your work and the way in which you carry it on, even in faith. Your faith has done me good for many years, when I was left a widow, with four children, without anything to depend on. After reading your Report in distress as I was then, I was enabled to look to the Lord for help. From that day I was strengthened, till my faith grew strong enough to advise others to apply for the same remedy, to trust in the
Lord, instead of in the arm of flesh, and conscientiously to return one-tenth of what we earn, to glorify His Holy name. Though my bodily eyes have never seen you, yet I can assure you, there is not a day going by without you and your grand work being remembered in prayer. May the everlasting arms support and cheer you in your old age, shall be the prayer of:
“Your well-wisher, * *
From Bournemouth £30, with £5 for Mr. Wright, and £5 for myself. — January 29th. From Paignton £25. — January 30th. Legacy of the late W. E. Y., Esq., £200.
February 12th. The first two deliveries did not bring one single penny in all the many letters I had. During this week we have to expend more than £1,000, and our income is exceedingly small and has been so for some time. I do not remember one single day, for more than forty years, when the first two deliveries of letters brought nothing at all. We have now arranged to have, from this day, six united prayer meetings for the helpers, instead of three a week, as for years past; for we expect that more united prayer, more exercise of faith, and more patience, will bring more help. There have been many legacies left, and some are long overdue, but they remain unpaid — February 17th. From Leamington £100, with £1 for myself. Received four vests, with the following letter : — .
“Dear Christian Friend,
“Please accept the enclosed vests for the use of two of your little ones. The coarser ones are the first ripe fruit of a knitting machine, which you were the means of my getting possession of. This is the story. I am in a small way of business, and often feel sorely tried, having a desire to ‘provide things honest in the sight of all men,’ but find it hard work. I have often thought, whether a knitting machine might be a help; and sent for a price list; but the figures were too high. I therefore thought, I must think no more about it, but found I could not shake off the thought. Weeks and months passed, when on Wednesday, November 11th, I read a slip cut from a newspaper, headed ‘ Seventy-one years of prayer.’ It was an extract of an address, given by yourself, at a Union of Y.M.C.A. ‘The wonderful efficacy of prayer.’ While reading this, such a spirit of prayer rose within me, as I have not often experienced, and a desire to ask for something. It must be almost an impossibility to make it more marked; for I felt sure I should obtain whatever I asked for. Then a ‘ Knitting Machine’ came to my mind, just the thing; and, as I did not know whether to choose a round or a long one, I asked the Lord to choose for me. He did so; for on Friday following I saw it advertised, a long one, £3 10s. I wrote for it, and in due course the machine came, and the Lord is teaching me to use it. Some said, ‘She cannot learn without a teacher;’ but I have had no help, except ‘The Instruction Book;’ and am getting on all
oR 2?
right. We shall speak face to face of this another day, to the glory of His grace. Amen.”
February 26th. Legacy of the late Miss EH. B., £100. Legacy of the late Mr. G. B., £400. — March 4th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £49 10s — March 6th. To-day we have begun the sixty-fourth year of the institution, and our trial of faith is as great or greater, than it was during the eleven years from 1838 to 1849. Five deliveries of letters have brought us to-day £9, viz., just the tenth part of the daily average expenses, which are £90. We continue, with unshaken confidence, to look to the Lord. His time to help us more abundantly is not yet come; but it will come. With every delivery of letters, I look for an answer to prayer. There came in by the sixth, the last delivery, 7s. 6d.; so that the whole day’s income was £9 7s. 6d. — March 9th. With 2 Cor. ix. 15, £45. — March 10th. The income for this week is £211 6s. 43d., one-third of the average expenses. We meet six times a week for prayer. This evening fifty-three helpers were present, the others were engaged, and at work. The trial of faith becomes greater and greater, with every day. — March 13th. From Cotham £50 as a birthday thank-offering. — March 15th. From Sunderland £20. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £29 8s. 6d. — March 18th. In the greatest need of help, a kind donor, of the neighbourhood of Birmingham, sent £150. — March 19th. From readers of The Christian, per Messrs. Morgan and Scott, £57 15s. Christian Friends at Manvers Hall, Bath, £14. From Berkshire £120 8s. This donation, and the two previous ones, came in the time of greatest need. — March 22nd. Krom C. R. 8. £100. — March 25th. From Langnau, Switzerland, 1,045 francs, 100 franes, and 5 francs. — March 29th. From New Zealand £100.
April 5th. Received the following letter from Tasmania: —
‘** Dear Mr. Müller,
“Some time ago I took out a policy in the ‘ Widow’s Life Assurance Society’ for £250, payable at sixty-five. I have always had my doubts about the matter. It appeared to me in this way. You can trust God for spiritual blessing, can you not trust Him for temporal? You can trust God with your immortal soul, can you not trust Him to feed your body, and care for your wife and child if you should be called home? I have been greatly exercised about the matter. To-day I took up your Narrative of Facts, and read how God feeds your big family of 2,000 children. All is done by looking to the infinitely rich One. I said at once, Lord I will trust Thee to feed me in my old age, if I should live to see it, and I will trust Thee with my wife and dear little boy, if I should be taken away. Thou art better to me than a Life Policy. I then resolved to send you the quarterly premium, viz., £3 14s.
You may possibly remember me. I took part in a service with you in Ballarat, and you preached in my church in Maryborough, Victoria. I am now in Tasmania. Pray for me, that I may be enabled to trust our Heavenly Father for everything, and that He would use me in winning souls and in the upbuilding of saints. “Yours in our wealthy Boaz, * * * *,”
The reader may be benefited by reading this letter a second time. — April 14th. Legacy of the late A. P., Esq., £100. From a former Orphan £5. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £14. — April 15th. In very great need, from Colorado, U.S., America, £100. For the support of one Orphan for one year £13. — April 24th. From Scotland £100, with £5 for myself. For very many weeks now has our trial of faith continued. To-day God seems to begin to help us. There came in about £140, and information of a legacy of £100 being left to the Institution, also a legacy for £220, and in the evening by the last delivery I had information of a third legacy for £200. — April 26th. Monday, further great help. Information was sent that a legacy for £2,000, which has been in Chancery for three years, is now on the point of being paid. God be praised for the answer to many hundreds of prayers! By sale of gold and silver articles £18 2s. 2d — April 29th. Received the legacy of the late Miss M. G. £500. Most precious answer to many, many prayers!
May 8th. The trial of our faith continues and becomes greater and greater. This morning the first two deliveries brought many letters, requesting grants of Tracts, applications for servants or apprentices, requests from poor persons for help, receipts, bills, etc,; but not one penny in the way of donations for the Institution. — May 10th. Legacy of Mrs. M. D. £90. I request the reader to notice the payment of the many legacies; but for this, the work could not have gone on during the past year. God knew all beforehand, and ordered all these legacies to be left, and, in the time of our greatest need, to be paid — May 15th. From the late A: P., Esq., £68, with £2 for myself — May 26th. The expenditure on account of the Orphans has exceeded the income actually to hand by £2,428 1s. 34d.; but, on the other hand, there are several large legacies, amounting altogether to over £6,780, the payment of which is much overdue. The receipt of these legacies will far more than counterbalance the apparent deficiency. The actua! receipt of these moneys is delayed only until certain legal formalities have been complied with.
*May 26th, 1897, to May 26th, 1898. On this, the first day of the new financial year, the total sum received on account of the Orphans was only £11 7s.; a very small proportion of the amount of the daily average expenditure.
* The remainder of this chapter was written by Mr Wright.
May 31st. From Edinburgh £65. The donor writes : — ‘‘ I have again the pleasure of sending you rather earlier in the year than usual.” The Lord who knew our deep need at this time enabled this kind donor to send her gift earlier than usual.
June Ist. Legacy of the late Colonel H. P., £100. — June 2nd. Legacy of the late Miss M. A. R., £190 3s. 10d. — June 4th. Legacy of the late Mrs. 8. E. B., £614 4s. 10d. Day by day we supplicate our gracious God and Father to cause the legacies, the payment of which is overdue, and in some cases long overdue, to be paid, and see, dear reader, we do not call wpon our God in vain ! — June llth. Legacy of the late Mr. A. R., £250. — June 16th. From the Mayor of Bristol £50, a sum allotted to this Institution out of the City Jubilee Fund, “for the purpose of providing treats for the Orphans, in commemoration of the sixtieth year of the happy and prosperous reign of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen.” This handsome present from our Civic Authorities enabled us to give the many hundreds of Orphans in our five Houses a treat they greatly enjoyed, viz., a visit to the Clifton Zoological Gardens. Arrangements were made for the admission of the children and their teachers, in detachments, on successive days. Besides
- inspecting the interesting and instructive collection of animals, the children were supplied with tea and an abundance of suitable provisions. The balance of the sum referred to helped towards a provision of special treats in the Houses for the very youngest infant children who were not able to undertake the walk to Clifton.
July Ist. “From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in Heaven,” £5 8s. 9d. July 13th. Legacy of the late Mrs. G. E., £1,126 19s. 7d. After five weeks, during which the income had been far short of what is required to meet the current expenditure, our gracious Heavenly Father was pleased to answer our cries for help by sending us this large sum — July 20th. From Stoke Bishop £150. From Preston £100. Thus, after a trial of faith and patience, from day to day, for weeks, the Lord is again pouring in more bountifully — July 23rd. From near Bristol £60, with £20 for Mr. Müller and £20 for Mr. Wright. — July 31st. Day after day, again, the ncome is very little. The whole amount received for the Orphans during the last three days being under £20! Nota tenth part of what is required to meet the average expenditure. But we go on praying and expecting the Lord’s deliverance in His own time.
August 4th. From Dundee £45, with £5 for Mr. Müller. — August 7th. From Bournemouth £52 10s., with £10 for Mr. Müller. — August 11th. From Clifton £50. — August 12th. From Highbury a railway bond, which produced £85 11s. 6d., of which £68 was sent for the support of five Orphans for one year, and £17 Ils. 6d. for Mr. Müller. — August 14th. From Clifton £50. From Hertfordshire £250, with £5 for Mr. Müller. From Bristol £75, with £25 for Mr. Müller — August 23rd. From near Spean
Bridge £50. — August 24th. From Wales £100. Legacy of the late Miss HE. C. £200.
September Ist. From near Abingdon £118 18s., from a kind donor who has helped us largely for more than twenty years. September 2nd. “From a saved engine lad, for Jesus’ sake,” 3s. September yd. From Hdgbaston £100. From Totnes, from the widow of a former Orphan, £5. — September 6th. From near Greenock £50. — September 14th. From “A Steward” £100. The word which this kind donor desired should be connected with her donation is very suggestive: The Child of God is not his own but one “bought with a price,” even with “the precious blood of Christ.” His body, his mind, his whole being, and all his possessions, including his money, belong in the truest sense to his Lord. His use of all should therefore be looked upon as a stewardship, for the faithful discharge of which he is sure to obtain the reward of grace, partly in this present life, but most abundantly in the day of the Lorp.September 23rd. Residue of the legacy of the late G. J., Hsq., £2,679 18s. 7d. This sum was received when we were in the deepest need; and after it had pleased the Lord to allow a very protracted trial of faith and patience; but see, beloved reader, He did not disappoint or forsake us, as He never does those who really trust in Him. The joy of such a deliverance cannot be tasted without the experience of the previous trial. — September 27th. From Budleigh Salterton £100.
October 2nd. From a donor who resides in Colorado, U.S.A.., £100. He was just leaving England for America, but wrote that he “felt constrained to send this before leaving England.” The Lord who knew our need thus constrained His servant to aid in supplying it. From Coimbatore, §. India, £8. — October 6th. From St. Albans 10s., and 10s. with the following letter : —
Dear Mr. Müller,
“I thank you most sincerely for answering my letter when I was in perplexity about giving a portion of our money to the Lord’s work. I have most carefully followed out your kind. directions. They were exactly what I expected you to say, and what my heart and conscience told me. We have since then most carefully taken out every week a proportion of our takings, and you will not be surprised to hear that the Lord has most wonderfully blessed us in our worldly affairs. The unexpected has happened, and we are enabled to build an addition to a little Mission House we are both interested in. Surely it is the Lord’s doing and it is marvellous in our eyes. Will you accept as a small thank-offering from me on my fifty-first birthday 10s., and 10s. from my aged widowed mother to be used as you think best.”
October 19th. From North Finchley £10. The donor wrote : — “I have had a presentiment for the last few days that you were just now very short of funds. I therefore enclose you a cheque value £10 now, which I should have otherwise sent you later on in the year.” Again, dear reader, see the hand of God. We did
not directly or indirectly acquaint this kind donor of our financial position, but God impressed him in the way he described, and, in consequence, we received this most timely help. — October 19th. From Bristol, with 2 Cor. ix. 15, £25. — October 21st. Legacy of the late Mrs. S. A. R., £100. — October 28th. From Taunton £50. — October 30th. From EH. C. C. 10s. The donor wrote : —
“Dear Sir, “I enclose 10s. for your Orphan-Homes, and I believe that it is the Lord Himself that is constraining me to send it to you.”
November 1st. When in the greatest need, we received, from Tayport, £15, with £5 for Mr. Müller, with the following words: —
* My dear Sir, “I have had it laid on my heart to send you £20, £15 to be used for the Orphans and £5 for your own use.”
November 2nd. From Truro £5. The donor wrote : — ‘“About ten this morning the Lord told me to send it.” It came to hand when we were in the greatest need — November 4th. From H.P. £50. In our deep poverty we received to-day altogether £103 17s. 1?d. We also, to-day, received five more Orphans. — November 6th. From Jarrow £200. In our great need, the Lord, in His compassion, has sent us to-day altogether £246 6s. 5d. November 8th. Monday. The income to-day, for two days, has been only £8 5s. 1?d., not a twentieth part of our average expenses for two days ! — November 17th. Our income for the whole. week ending to-day has been only £240 14s. 14d., scarcely half of what is needed for the Orphans alone. We have, however, to notice the Lord’s goodness in sending us from time to time many valuable donations of articles for use or consumption in the Institution — November 26th. From readers of The Christian, per Messrs. Morgan & Scott, £115 5s — November 30th. From “A Widow in Surrey” 10s. This dear widow was, two or three years ago, suddenly bereaved of her husband. She was left with nine children, mostly young, but God has been good to her, she says, “beyond her expectations,” so she sent this as a thank-offering. Received the following letter from an Orphan lad just about to be apprenticed : —
* Dear and honoured Sir,
“As it has come to my turn to leave this Institution to be apprenticed to a plumber and gasfitter, I write to thank you for the care you have taken of me while I have been in this Home. I am glad to tell you that I leave as a Christian boy, and I will try to lead others to Christ as well. I will try to serve my master as I have been taught to do here, and will try by God’s help to keep away from bad companions and strong drink. I will not forget your kindness to me as long as I live, and I will ask God to preserve you to us ‘still longer to carry on His work.
“I remain, Your grateful Orphan, * * * *,”
Another dear lad just going out thus closes his letter : — ‘‘ I will never touch strong drink and I will never smoke.”
December Ist. The total income for the week ending to-day has been only £280 2s. 74d. The Lord is pleased still to keep us very dow in funds, but, though “cast down”? we are “not destroyed.” We remember that the low place is the meeting-place with God, for it is written, “I was brought low and He helped me.” We shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. — December 8th. The income for the past week for all the Objects of the Institution has been only £231 10s. Tid., again only a little more than a third part of the current expenses. — December 9th. Now, at the last, after long patience, came to-day a most precious token for good in the gift of £300 for the support of the Orphans; a most seasonable supply! — December 10th. By sale of gold watches, dentist gold, and jewellery, £44 7s. 7d — December 11th. From Tangier, Morocco, £5. Thus, even from Africa, the Lord sends help! — December 14th. From Bristol £20 10s., “the result of work lovingly done for the benefit of the Orphans by the three members of one family.” — December 15th. In consequence of the considerable sums received, as above stated. on the 10th inst., the total income for the week ending this day has been £800 3s. 74d. To God be the praise! — December 16th. From Cork £75, with £25 for Mr. Müller — December 17th. From near Havant £30, for the support of two Orphans for one year.
December 23rd. From Stockwell £1; the donor writes : — “I wish to tell you, dear Sir, for your encouragement, that your practical faith was used of God in helping to convince my brother of the truth of Christianity, when he was a sceptic and almost an infidel. He read your Report when he would not read the Bible; but thank God he has just lately taken Christ as his Saviour. ... I was glad when he asked me last year to lend him your Report. Thank Ged, he will now read the Bible for himself, and let me read it to him every night and pray with him.” From Monmouthshire £300. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £65 16s. 93d. From Bristol, with 2 Cor. ix. 15, £75. — December 24th. From one engaged in the work £5. From another engaged in the work £5. — December 27th. Through a bookseller in Bristol we received to-day from “Mother” £25 4s., and from “Star” £10. — December 3lst. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £41 10s.
L898.
January Ist. From Melksham £35. From Glamorganshire £180, with £20 for Mr. Müller — January yd. From Kendal £50. — January 4th. From Kendal £40, with £10 for Mr. Müller. January 6th. From Norfolk £100. — January 19th. From a
servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £19 5s. — January 20th. From a postman, being half of what he received in Christmas boxes, £1 16s. 4d — January 21st. From Edinburgh £8, and a breast-pin. The donor wrote, ‘“The Spirit of God has been working on me for some time to ‘Sell all and give to the poor,’ and happening to see your Report, I decided to send the above, and may God’s blessing rest on such a work.’ — January 24th. From Dalkeith £5, with the following letter : —
“I find on looking over my account with you that I am due £5, for which sum a bank draft is enclosed, and I feel that I have clipt the wings of that sum by sending it to you. My stock always keeps healthy, and I never fall in with any disagreeable labourers, and these are two things for which I am thankful.”
May I commend this letter to the attention of the reader 2 The writer has learned an important secret, viz., that “riches make to themselves wings and flee away,” and that the best way to retain their value is to use them for God. — January 31st. From Scotland £100, with £5 for Mr. Müller.
February 7th. From Belfast £1. The donor’s wife was very ill, and he promised the Lord that, if she was spared, he would give this sum as a thank-offering. The Lord, however, took her to Himself, and the bereaved husband sent the gift now as a thank-offering for her triumphant death! Dear reader, pause for a moment and consider what the Holy Spirit can effect in a child of God, even while he is in the body, and thereby subject to infirmities and to be tempted to indulge unbelief. The heart can be brought into such harmony with the Father’s will, that it can gwe thanks for that which is most intensely “grievous” to nature: and how greatly God is glorified when His child is thus satisfied with Him. — February 10th. From Bristol £60, with £20 for Mr. Miller, and £20 for Mr. Wright. — February 18th. From Honiton £90. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £139 Is. February 23rd. From Herts £100. — February 26th. The following entry, under this date, is in Mr. Müller’s own handwriting: “The income to-day, by the first two deliveries, was £7 15s. lld. Day by day our great trial of faith and patience continues, and thus it has been, more or less, now, for twenty-one months, yet, by Thy grace, we are sustained.” — February 28th. Monday. The income for two days has been only £14 9s. 6d.
Mr. Müller’s latest entries.
March Ist. The following, again, is from a memorandum in Mr. Müller’s own hand-writing, under this date: ‘ For about twenty-one months with scarcely the least intermission the trial of our faith and patience has continued. To-day, the Lord has refreshed our hearts. This afternoon came in, for the Lord’s work, £1,427 1s. 7d. as part payment of a legacy of the late Mrs.
E.C. 8. For three years and ten months this money had been in the Irish Chancery Court. Hundreds of petitions have been brought before the Lord regarding it, and now, at last, this portion of the total legacy has been received.” Thus far is in the hand-writing of my beloved father-in-law. He speaks of the amount under one total, £1,427 1s. 7d. But this total included two separate sums, of £1,001 3s. 10d. and £425 17s. 9d. respectively. The latter of these was part of a legacy bequeathed by the testatrix to Mr. Müller, personally, for his own use; but, as was very often his practice, he placed it to the funds of the Institution, as his own donation. A Secret disclosed.
Now that that happy servant is with his Lord, I feel free to make known, thus publicly, the fact that the large donations to the funds of this Institution, which, for many years, have appeared in the Reports coupled with these words ‘‘ From a servant (or from servants) of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven,” were all his own donations which he gave, joytully, to the work so dear to his heart, and to the Lord whom he so deeply loved. By papers which have come into my hands, as his executor, I find that, by acting habitually, through his long Christian course, on the principles of systematic giving as God was pleased to entrust him with means for his personal use, he was enabled to give away up to March Ist, 1898, £81,490 18s. 8d., of which about £64,500 was put to the funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and about £17,000 to the poor, and to relatives when in need. ‘The beloved departed one left a letter, accompanying his Will, in which he expressed his desire that “all who labour in the Word would point out to the dear children of God, the great importance of systematic giving as God is pleased to prosper them in earthly things;” the reader will surely acknowledge that one who, by the grace of God, did what the above mentioned figures show he did, has no little claim to be listened to on this very important part of Christian duty and privilege. May he “being dead yet speak”? to many of his fellow-servants.
March 10th. [Mr. Miller fell asleep early in the morning of this day.] Legacy of the late Mrs. E. B., Alleghany Co., U.S.A., £19 3s. 11d. On this, the first day of our new experience, as bereft of our long-loved earthly head, it pleased the Lord to send in a total of £26 19s. 33d. for the work. — March 12th. From Reading £10. The donor wrote: “I wish to be one of the first to send a cheque (£10) after your accepting the great responsibilities now devolving upon you. We will all remember that the real Head and Manager of the Institution still lives, ‘ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever?”
March 15th. From Ontario £30. From Basingstoke £23.
From Stoke Newington £1 1s. The donor wrote: “I was
influenced in a dream, this morning, to send this to you.” To-day a letter was received by one of the teachers from an Orphan girl, testifying to her personal acceptance of Christ as her Saviour, and tracing her decision to impressions produced by the removal of Mr. Müller. She added that “many of the dear girls” in her department “‘ have been convicted of sin and are longing to be Christians.” God is thus already answering many prayers, that our sore bereavement might be the means of bringing many to eternal life — — March 17th. From Taunton £1 1s., “Instead of a memorial wreath.” In the public announcement of Mr. Müller’s decease it was requested that no flowers might be sent; hence the words accompanying this donation. Several other donations with similar remarks came subsequently to hand. Received as the result of a collection taken at a United Communion Service, in connection with the meetings of the Free Church Congress Meetings, held in Bristol, on Thursday, the 10th instant, the day of Mr. Müller’s decease, £20 6s. 10d., which, by the desire of the Assembly, was handed to us for the Orphans. From Weston-super-Mare 10s., with the following letter: —
Dear and honoured Sir,
“I was so grieved to hear of the death of our dear and honoured father and benefactor. We (the Orphans), especially those at present in the Homes, will feel that there is a blank and void that can never be refilled in exactly the same way as dear Mr. Müller filled it. We, perhaps, will never know what we have been saved from, or all that has been wrought for us in the past, present or future, through our benefactor’s life; but God knows, and He who watches over and tenderly cares for the little soulless birds will surely note and abundantly reward the love and care shown to the Orphan children so untiringly for so many years. I do feel, Sir, so thankful to God that He has spared you, whose whole heart is in the work, to carry it on; and I do pray that God will abundantly bless you for all that you have done for us, and that He will strengthen your hands for the great work that still, we hope, lies before you. We know that, in this time of deep trial, God has been to you and will be a very present help, according to His Word.
“From Yours very respectfully, * * * *,”
March 22nd. From Dunedin £100. The total income of the Institution for week ending March 23rd, has been £1,054 13s. 23d. To God be the praise ! — March 30th. Anonymously £1. “In grateful remembrance, from a bereaved and sorrowing Orphan (instead of flowers on the 14th), to be used for the dear Home that I left in 1867.” — March 31st. From a Japanese visitor to the Orphan-Houses £1.
April 2nd. From Glasgow £12, with £3 for myself. — April 4th. From Bristol, with 2 Cor. ix. 15, £10 — April 7th. Legacy of the late Mrs. A. P., £100. — April 23rd. Legacy of the late ae RRS os cael a
Miss H. G., £1,099 7s. 6d., and balance of dividend on the Government Stock which produced this sum, £2 3s. 5d. During the last three or four weeks, in the increased income our faithful God and Father has been answering, in a marked way, the many prayers that had gone up from our hearts in the name of Jesus, and now, the payment of this legacy, bequeathed some twelve years ago, is another precious token that we do not wait upon Him
m vain ! — April 27th. The total income of the Institution for; the week ending this day has been £1,391 5s. 4d. — ‘‘ Jé is the ES Lorps doing!” — April 29th. From Kidderminster, ‘‘ From two oe
of the old Girls” £10, “As a little token of gratitude.” There are not a few trials connected with a work like this, but this is a specimen of the many cups of cordial, which our loving Father hands to us, in the deep affection towards the Homes and the Helpers shown by so many of the dear Orphans after they leave; and, as in this case, after they have left us for a long time. From New York £2. May 2nd. From Bristol, with 2 Cor. ix. 15, £50. From
Clifton £50 — May 11th. From Birmingham £150. The total
- income of the Institution for the week ending to-day has been £554 4s. 33d. — May 13th. Legacies of the late Miss M. T., and @53 the late Miss E. T., £181 10s — May 16th. From Ramsgate £50. ere This kind donor was led, on this occasion, to send us a much: larger donation than usual. How much more precious was this to us, as a purely spontaneous act, than it would have been, if it came asa kind response from an urgent appeal from ourselves. I do not even know this kind friend, personally; but, in answer to our believing prayers, our Heavenly Father moves his heart, ia thus greatly to aid us. From Chester £25 — May 17th. From - the “Thomas Porter’s Equipment Fund” £60, to be expended
in the outfit or equipment of Orphans.
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Brief Summary of the Statistics of Orphan, and Bible, School, Missionary, and Tract Work done during Mr. Müller’s life.
From the Report for 1898.
(I) Income. — Without any one having been personally applied to for anything, £988,829 Os. 103d. was given for the Orphans as the result of prayer to God from the commencement of the work up to May 26th, 1898.
The total amount voluntarily given for the School, Bible, Missionary and Tract funds from the commencement of the work, was £392,341 18s. 7d.
The total of the above voluntary contributions amounted to one million, three hundred and eighty-one thousand, one hundred and seventy pounds, nineteen shillings and fivepence halfpenni (£1,381,170 19s. 5$d.), given solely as the result of prayer to God.
In addition to the above there came in from the commencement by the sale of Bibles, £22,123 1s. 34d.; by the sale of Tracts, £25,474 4s. 4d.; and by the payment of the children in the Day Schools, £24,745 8s. 2d.
Thus the total income of the Institution from its commencement up to the year in which Mr. Miler died amounted to one million, four hundred and fifty-three thousand, five hundred and thirteen pounds, thirteen shillings, and threepence (£1,453,513 13s. 3d.).
(II) Number of Orphans cared for — From April, 1836, to May 26th, 1898, ten thousand and twenty-four Orphans were cared for in the Homes.
(IM) Bibles, etc., circulated — There were circulated between March, 1834, and May, 1898, 285,407 Bibles; 1,459,506 New Testaments; 21,365 copies of the Book of Psalms; and 222,986 other portions of the Word of God in several languages. The total amount expended on this Object from March, 1834, was £41,090 13s. 34d.
(IV) Missionary Funds. — There was expended from the commencement of the Institution £261,859 7s. 4d. on this Object.
(V) Tracts circulated — The sum total expended on this Object amounted to £47,188 11s. 10d.