Mr. George Müller’s Will

FyaN the Fifty-ninth Report of the Scriptural 44 Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad, Mr. James Wright, the successor of Mr. Müller in the work, after giving the text of Mr. Müller’s last will, writes:

“For the glory of God, whose grace made Mr. Miller what he was, I record the fact that his Personal Estate was sworn at £160 gs. 4d. consisting of books and household furniture valued at £100 6s. and money in his possession on the day of his death £60 3s. 4d. During his life he received by the gifts of God’s children and by legacies for his own absolute use, tens of thousands of pounds, but he counted it his joyful privilege to regard the whole as committed to his stewardship, and hence he never laid up any pecuniary provision for the future, either for himself personally, or for any member of his family, but sought to “lay up treasure in heaven” by expending it in spreading in various ways the knowledge of God’s truth, or in ministering to the necessities of the poor, “especially to those of the household of faith.”

By papers which have come into my hands, as his executor, I find that, by acting habitually, through his long Christian course, on the principle of systematic giving as God was pleased to entrust him with means for his personal use, he was enabled to give away upto 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.

Accompanying the Will which was signed on March 16th, 1895, was a private letter to myself dated 14 months later, viz., May 13th, 1896, in which he desires me to make known his particular desire that those, who minister the word of God, may be led to bring before their hearers, the deep importance of systematic giving for the work of God, zx proportion to the amount with which He is pleased to entrust

His children.”

“—

tow to ascertain the Will of God.

SEEK at the beginning to get my heart
into such a state that it has no will of
its own in regard to a given matter.

Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally

is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are

overcome when our hearts are ready to do
the Lord’s will, whatever it may be. When

one is truly in this state, it is usually but a

little way to the knowledge of what His will is.

2. — Having done this, I do not leave the result V to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

3- — I seek the Will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. IfI look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.

4. — Next I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s Will in connection with His Word and Spirit.

5- — I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to

me aright.

:
’

6. — Thus, through prayer to God, the study of ’ the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more

petitions, 1 proceed accordingly. In trivial

matters, and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective.

GEORGE MULLER.

Schoo! -‘ “hzology

al Ciavernont