Beginnings of Work for the Destitute
George Müller
The first entry in Mr. Miillers journal relative to his special work for orphan and destitute children, is dated June 12, 1833, and runs thus: —
“I felt this morning that we might do something for the souls of these poor boys and girls, and grown-up or aged people, to whom we have daily given bread for some time past, in establishing a school for them, reading the Scriptures to them, and speaking to them about the Lord. As far as I see at present, it appears well to me to take a place in the midst of the poor streets near us, to collect the children in the morning about eight, giving them each a piece of bread for breakfast, and then to teach them to read, or to read the Scriptures to them, for about a hour and a-half.”
This plan was carried out for some time, but the beggars of the city, to the number of sixty or eighty each day, infested the street and caused such complaints to arise that the practice was dropped, and for some time Mr. Müller was led to pray about the right course to pursue. Ultimately he formed a new society for this and other objects, called “The Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad.”
This institution was different from most other religious and benevolent societies in many ways. Mr. Müller decided that it should have no patron but the Lord, no workers but believers, and that no debts should be contracted. The special objects of the institution were to assist day schools, Sunday schools, and adult schools; to circulate the Holy Scriptures; to aid missionary work; and to board, clothe, and educate scripturally destitute children who have been bereaved of both parents by death. This institution has been so successful, that from the time it was originated until the year 1884, it provided for the education of 95,143 children or grown persons in its schools; circulated over one million copies or portions of God’s Word; spent £1<^6fpii 12s. sd. on missionary work; and trained up 6,892 orphans at a cost of ;^66i,186 9s. 2d. All this was accomplished by prayerful waiting upon God, Not a single person had ever been asked for a penny; but He who owns the gold and silver of all the earth had inclined people to send donations from all parts of the world. It is remarkable that the largest donation ever given for the orphans was nine thousand one hundred pounds, and the smallest one farthing.
But this was the day of small things. Müller had neither a place wherein to house the children, nor a farthing to commence with. He prayed frequently over the matter, asking God to give them a suitable house, assistants for the work, and a thousand pounds in money, so that he might distinctly see the hand of God in the matter. The first donation he received was the sum of one shilling from a missionary who was staying with him. A few days later, a poor young needlewoman brought the large sum of ;f lOO wherewith to help forward the project. Mr. Müller at first declined to take it, feeling the sacrifice to be too great for her. After the donation was declined, however, she came again, and urged hitn to accept it Upon inquiry as to how she came by so large a sum, it appeared that this was part of a legacy left to her by her grandfather, and that she desired to devote this portion to the Lord. This young woman was very infirm, and sickly in body, and was unable to earn more than about three-and-sixpence weekly; but so charitable was she, that Mr. Müller records various other gifts besides this ;f ioo,|to poor and sick people out of her little fortune of £%o. Other contributions followed, together with articles of household furniture and wearing apparel, until he felt justified in believing that the Lord had answered his petitions, and was pleased at the thing which was in his heart to do. Among these early donations of furniture and useful articles we find named, a wardrobe, three dishes, twenty-eight plates, three basins, one jug, four mugs, three salt-stands, one grater, four knives and five forks. Just afterwards, another brought three dishes, twelve plates, one basin and one blanket; while a third individual unexpectedly sent ;f SO.
Mr. Müller felt convinced by this time that he should go forward, and establish a home for orphans, which should be a standing witness to the power of prayer and the faithfulness of God in answering prayer. He strictly adhered to his decision respecting solicitation for money or help, sternly setting his face against the practice, and preferring to test God’s promises in earnest continued supplication.
Writing at this time, he says, “All this money and all these articles have been given, and all these above-mentioned offers have been made, without my asking any individual for anything; moreover, almost all has been sent from individuals concerning whom I had naturally no reason to expect anything, and some of whom I never saw. Upon the consideration of these facts, therefore, I am clearly persuaded that it is the will of the Lord I should proceed in the work.” For Mliller to see a thing was to do it.
Accordingly, he laid his plans. He would commence by renting a house at about ;^So per annum, make it fit to accommodate thirty orphan girls, between the ages of seven and twelve years, and keep them in the house until they were old enough to go to service. This was the germ of the great Orphan Houses on Ashley Down — the beginning of a great enterprise.
A house of the requisite size and rent was secured in Wilson Street, two helpers volunteered their services, and then Mr. Müller appointed a time for interviews with any person desirous of recommending children for the benefits of the home. These interviews were to take place in the vestry of his chapel. Marvellous to say, however, after waiting two hours on the morning in question, no applicants appeared. Müller began to examine himself to see if he had been remiss on any point, and he found he had never prayed for children, taking it for granted that plenty of applications would be made, once the provision was known.
“So far as I remember,” says he, “I brought even the most minute circumstances concerning the orphan-house before the Lord in my petitions, being conscious of my own weakness and ignorance. There was, however, one point I had never prayed about, namely, that the Lord would send children, for I naturally took it for granted that there would be plenty of applications. The nearer, however, the day came which had been appointed for receiving applications, the more I had a secret consciousness that the Lord might disappoint my natural expectations, and show me that I could not prosper in one single thing without Him. The appointed time came, and not even one single application was made. I had before this even repeatedly tried whether I might not, after all, against the Lord’s mind have engaged in the work.”
He now made earnest prayer that God would manage even this part of the matter, and bring the project to nought, or send children, just as it seemed good to Him. The very next day an application was made, and this was followed by numerous other applications.
The house in Wilson Street became filled with motherless and fatherless orphans, the matrons were busily at work, and assistance came from all parts of the United Kingdom, and even from other countries. Some of the gifts and offers of help were of a curious character. One man offered to make a bedstead if anybody would give the wood; while his wife, a straw-bonnet maker, offered to make the girls’ bonnets gratuitously if any other friend would give the straw. Some sent necklaces and brooches to be sold for the good of the orphans; others sent articles of food, coal, clothing and furniture. As samples of the whole, the following gifts may be mentioned as having come to hand at the time of the opening of this first house J six yards of calico, one ton of coal, plates, cups and saucers, jugs, tin plates and dishes, two waiters, two candlesticks, a tin kettle, a fire-guard, a tea-pot, a grater, two saucepans, fifty-five thimbles, a clothes-horse, a coffee-pot, a washing-tub, a coffee-mill, two dozen bodkins, 300 needles, six pots of blacking, a pound of thread, a deal table, thirty-four yards of print, one dozen pocket-handkerchiefs, four pairs of stockings, twelve, yards of gingham from Switzerland, two large iron pots, ready-made garments of various sizes, and many donations in money.
The house was opened on April nth, 1836, and a few days afterward a special day was set apart for prayer and thanksgiving.
The applications increased in number until it became evident that a new home must be opened for younger children. Several applicants pressed claims of young children between the ages of four and seven, and Mr. Müller felt that it would be doubting the Lord if he refused them. He reasoned that infancy constituted the most tender age, that its vei helplessness created a stronger tie upon Christian philanthropists, and that if left to itself would almost certainly be a time wherein much evil could be communicated, and many bad habits learnt Beside this, there were at that date scarcely any institutions in the kingdom open to infant orphans; while, in addition, many friends had urged the claims of infant orphan boys. Looking at the matter all round, Mr. Muller resolved oh another bold venture of faith, not, however, without prayerful consideration, “Partly on account of these considerations,” he says, and partly because the Lord has done hitherto far above what I could have expected, I have at last, after repeated prayer, come to the conclusion in the name of the Lord, and in dependence upon Him alone for support, to propose the establishment of an infant orphan house/*
Mr. Muller looked about him for suitable premises and fitting helpers, two things without which it would have been useless to begin. He decided to receive into this home boys and girls from the earliest ages to the seventh year, when they would be eligible for the other orphan houses; for it is no secret that he contemplated the growth of this enterprise. Both the homes were to be open to any orphans living in any part of the United Kingdom, as far as the accommodation permitted.
This second orphan house was opened about eight months after the first. Another house was taken in Wilson Street, with a nice piece of playground attached. Mr. Muller says that had he laid out many hundred pounds in building a house, he could not have obtained better premises. Some of the elder and stronger girls belonging to the first orphan house were employed in the infant orphan house, under the direction of the matron and governess, thus inducting these girls into household and nursery work, and indirectly fitting them for service. In this way, Mr. Müller and his assistants had, in the two houses now occupied, sixty-six orphans under their care. So he proceeded until the whole of his money was expended.
Then was the time to put his God and Father to the test It became a struggle with him whether he should go on with the work to which he had voluntarily set his hand, or faint and grow despairing. But George Müller never knew defeat in the Lord’s work. He judged it impossible that God could fail of keeping His promises, provided His people were only earnest and persevering in prayer. Besides, he had received too many answers to prayer in the past to sit down despondently now, because of the apparent lack of means. His feeling was: —
Why should we ever weak or heartless be, Anxious, or troubled, when with us is prayer. And strength, and joy, and courage are with Thee?’’