A Last Interview

CHARLIE H. GOOTE gives an account of his

interview with George H. Müller, just before his death. He says, in a tract published at Richmond, Virginia:

Four years ago, while reading Mr. Müller’s “Life of

Trust,” a great desire possessed me to do a similar work,

and I made it a subject of prayer. Later I was encouraged to pray that God would grant me a trip across the Atlantic to see him. While waiting on God, the words, “Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass” (Psalm xxxvii, 4), came to my heart. Months passed, and to all human appearance it seemed impossible for me to go. I had no money, and was in debt. But true faith knows the God who knows no impossibilities. My expectation was from Him, and He began to revive within me last summer (1897) the desire to go and see Mr. Müller. Fearing lest I desired the pleasure of the trip more than the glory of God, I was led to examine my motives more severely, and in Baltimore, in August, asked God to grant me a token that I might be sure the trip and call to establish a home for fatherless children was of Him. The tcken was granted that day. A little boy, about eight years old, stopped me in the street and asked me to give him some dinner. I said:

“Son, why don’t you run home, and ask your mother to give you some dinner?”

“She is not at home, sir; and we don’t have any dinner. Mamma goes out to wash every day, and she only makes enough to pay for a supper and breakfast.”

“Then, why don’t you find your father, and tell him to give you some dinner?” for I did not care to encourage the child to beg.

“My father died of consumption three months ago.”

I took the little fellow to a lunch-room, and gave him something to eat. Soon he was through and gone. Then the thought of my prayer flashed across my mind. I had prayed for a token, and God had sent me a little,

fatherless child, hungry and helpless, in the streets of a

large city. Could there have been a better answer to my prayer? Then the Spirit reminded me that I had money given to me without asking for it, which, with my tithe, was enough to pay my passage across the ocean; and I was impressed to go at once.

It was a beautiful September day when I left New York on board the St. Paul. We had an “easy” séa and, after seven days, landed in Southampton, England, safe, because God had preserved us and the ship. At one o’clock the same day we reached London and spent some days in that great city. We visited the orphanage Charles Spurgeon founded for the fatherless. Every appointment is grand, and the comfort, happiness, and welfare of the canto is written plainly upon everything.

From London to Bristol is one hundred and twenty miles. After seeing much of London, and meeting many lovely Christians, I took the train and went to visit Mr. Müller, and was told that I would be unable to meet him until the day following, as, the day before (September 27), he had celebrated his ninety-second birthday and was too much spent to see any one.

The next day I met Mr. Müller and introduced myself. He lovingly received me and, though 1 was now in the private apartments of one of the greatest men of all times, I felt perfectly free and at home.

I said, “Mr. Müller, a gentleman told me in America that you had said that your prolonged life was granted you to await the coming of the Lord.”

“There ’s not a word of truth in the report,” he said.

“May I ask you some questions? Are you tried in faith as in the early days of your work?”

“Just as much. My faith is always tried.”

“I was told at the depot, on my arrival at Bristol, that your work had recently suffered by some money being sent to General Booth, when it ought to have come to you.”

“Not a word of it is true. Satan has opposed this work from the beginning, and when I began to prepare for the building of No. 4, he circulated the report that I had thirty thousand pounds when I was without money; but I have never denied any report or any lies that he has started, by denying them through the newspaper, only telling my Heavenly Father, and He has triumphed, and not Satan.”

“Mr. Müller, you have been a great traveler.”

“Ves, I have traveled more than any person I ever heard of. Several times around the world, and preached the-gospel in forty-two countries, not States. I paid, at one time, $1,200 passage money for myself and wife to Australia. I have received, by prayer and faith, about $8,000,000.”

“Is it true that in all your travels, and before the many congregations to whom you preached, you never made known the needs of your work?”

“Never have I asked a living,human being for a penny, nor allowed a helper to make the needs known to any one.”

“Do you think any one could be used of God as you are?” i

He answered with a smile of joy lighting up his beautiful, benevolent, peaceful countenance: “God is not limited.”

“God is a precious God,” said I, for I felt so glad in my soul and spirit.

“Yes, He is.”

“In your travels going abroad, did you have engagements ahead, or did you trust God to open the doors?”

“I trusted God for open doors. For forty years I have been known all over the world. When in the United States I spoke to five thousand people, both morning and evening, at Dr. Talmage’s church.”

“How did you begin the work?”

“Little by little.”

“Did you go ahead and build, or wait for God to send the money, and then build?”

“I waited for God to send the money; then went ahead and built.”

As I arose to go, he said, “I will give ee some books that you may give your friends in America.”

As I took his hand to say good-bye, I said, “I will never see you again in this world, Mr. Miller, but I shall hunt you up when I get to heaven;” and I left this great man of faith in the living God, determined to act

`< more faith in my gracious God, and in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to receive destitute, fatherless children in my own beautiful land, America; ‘to clothe them, educate them, teach them the way of eternal life, and feed them, all in His name, and for His glory, and by simple faith in Him, without asking any one but the God of Heaven, who is the “Father of the fatherless.”