Correspondence

FROM AN APPRENTICE.

MOST BELovED Sir, — With feelings of gratitude and

thankfulness to you for all the kindness I experienced while under your care, and for apprenticing me to a suitable trade, whereby I am able to earn my living, I write you. I arrived at my destined abode in safety, and was kindly received by my master and mistress. I thank you for the education, food, clothing, and for every comfort, but above all for the instruction from God’s Word which I received in that happy Orphan House; for there I was brought to know Jesus as my Savior. I have Him as my Guide through all difficulties, temptations, and trials; and, having Him, I hope to prosper in my trade and thereby show my gratitude to you for your kindness. Please accept my thanks; and I hope you will be spared many years to care for poor, destitute children like me. I shall often look back with pleasure to the time I was in that happy home.

Yours gratefully, Reh tos

FROM A READER OF THE NARRATIVE.

My Dear BROTHER IN THE LorD Jesus CHRIST, —:

Will you accept an order for two pounds ten shillings sixpence for the orphans? Seven and a half years ago your - Narrative was put into my hands, which the Lord blessed to.my soul. Six years and eleven months ago I was enabled to cast myself, my wife, and family upon the Lord, and look to Him alone for the supply of our temporal necessities while laboring in His cause. From that 120

sis a Sela time to the present we havehad no claims upon any per-

‘son for a penny; nor have we made known our wants

or applied to any person for help, but to our Heavenly Father alone; and He has supplied our need, and not suffered us to be confounded. My wife and myself from the first had a strong desire to help you in your work of love and labor of faith; but, owing to the continued ill-health of my wife and the growing expenses of my family, we never seemed to have any money to spare; so all we did was to wish and talk about how happy we should be if the Lord would enable us to do so, At

“length we felt that we were acting wrong, and on the

8th of August we solemnly decided we would give the Lord a tenth of the money He was pleased to send us, though at that time we were in deeper poverty than ever before. The peace and joy we both felt I can not describe. The Lord has kept us firm since, and instead of having less for our own use, we have more; so, dear sir, this sum is the fruit of six months’ prayers.

Yours affectionately and respectfully, AR

FROM THE DANISH MASTER OF A COPENHAGEN VESSEL.

Coming up the Channel with a dirty southerly wind and a low barometer, falling rapidly, I was troubled about the safety of the ship. Sail was taken in after sail, till at last only the three lower topsails remained. The ship heeled over, and went through the swelling waters snorting, the rain pouring down, with a heavy blow. As my hope was strengthened in prayer that God -would help me to find the way, I promised to send you ten pounds. At 1.55 A. M. saw Dungeness light, and came through, thank God! This is the thank-offering to the Lord, with prayer for His further protection, and grace to confess His name where He thinks proper.

FROM A BIBLE-WOMAN SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES AWAY, AN ENTIRE STRANGER.

BELOVED Sir, — I send you nine pounds as a thank-offering unto the Lord for taking my beloved husband and child in one night to Himself, for giving to me the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness, and for compassing me about with songs of deliverance; for He will never suffer the righteous to be moved. Please use the amount in circulating the Holy Scriptures.

FROM WALES.

About a year ago I purchased a pony for our business. Every one said it would be of no tse. I read a report of yours, which stated that one of the items received was three pounds as insurance for a horse, similarly purchased. I resolved to do likewise, and inclose the three pounds, as the pony has turned out a perfect success. Yesterday we had a Sunday-school Centenary, when about three thousand children walked in procession. It looked much like rain, and we had a few drops, so I promised a certain sum in aid of the Lord’s work if a fine day should be granted. We had a most delightful day in answer to my fervent prayers after those few drops of rain. How I wish I could praise the Lord more for all His

mercies to us!
FROM ABERDEEN.

I have felt sorry that I omitted sending my yearly sum of ten shillings, so I inclose one pound for the orphans. The past year is the first I have missed since I began to send contributions for the orphans, and it was the first year I lost any money since I began to send

` donations for them. I see, therefore, how we shall not enrich ourselves by refraining from giving to God’s work.

FROM A TROUBLED BROTHER.

I send for the orphans a check for £11 12s. 6d., the amount of a claim I could not recover by legal process, and had repeatedly made application for without success. Seeing in your last Report the account of the recovery of £11 12s. 6d., I resolved to apply for the amount of my claim, with the secret intention of sending it to the orphans. I sent the particulars in writing under an envelope, addressed “private,” and without a word of application; and by the very next post I received a check for the amount, with the debtor’s compliments and a stamped envelope for my acknowledgment in return; so that the amount came without the loss of a single penny. The coincidence of the same amount, £11 12s. 6d., in each case appears extraordinary.

FROM NEW ZEALAND, WITH £5.

Last year we lived in Bristol, in sight of your Orphan Houses, and it was a constant renewal of our faith. I was eight months out of work, and only received seven shillings per week. Yet God never suffered us to want. When things looked blackest, the sight of all those windows lit up at night was, what my wife called, “a thousand promises,” and I add, “a thousand fulfillments!”

FROM PAISLEY.

Inclosed find a thank-offering to the Lord for answering prayer on behalf of a sick horse. The veterinary surgeon had given him up. I arranged, when laying the case before the Lord, that if the horse got well I would send ‘you two pounds.