A Narrative of some of the Lord's Dealings with George Muller Volume IV Part 24

5d., so that I had more than enough with the balance left in hand, to meet all the expenses.

July 1. Paid an account to a Christian brother, and received 10l. back from him for the Orphans. More than 3l. came in besides.

July 2. Received 170l., of which I took 80l. for the Orphans, the rest for the other objects. 17l. 10s. 1d. came in besides.

On Aug. 16th I had purposed to leave Bristol for a time, having been for two years and four months uninterruptedly there, in the midst of more work than I had ever had before. I went, not because I was quite unfit for work, but in order that, labouring for a little while in a different air, I might, with the blessing of G.o.d, keep off illness. On the 13th, when going to take lodgings in the country, a Christian, residing at a distance, whom I met, by G.o.d's ordering, no doubt, gave me at the Railway station, just before starting, 50l., of which I took half for the Orphans and half for missionary purposes. On the 15th I received 110l., of which 100l. was intended for missions, and 10l. for the Orphans; and also on the same day 120l. Both donations were from considerable distances. Besides this I received several small donations, so that within three days, from the 13th to the 16th, came in about 300l. While absent from the work, from Aug. 16th to Sept. 13th, I was able to help by my prayers. This was the heaviest month in the way of current expenses. During no month, all the sixteen years and five months previously, had there been so much expended for current expenses, as in August, 1850; but, by what was in hand on August 1, by what came in, as just related, and by all the many smaller donations, we were most comfortably helped through. While absent I was also enabled to wait upon G.o.d for means for the work, besides seeking His blessing in other respects. That this was not in vain, was most evident; for not only did many donations come in while I was away, but, on my return, G.o.d so abundantly poured in the means, that, within thirteen days after, I received altogether about One Thousand Pounds; for on the very morning after my return, Sept. 14th, came in 190l., on Sept 19th 400l., on Sept.

17th 31l. 18s. 3d., on Sept. 25th 50l., on Sept. 27th 200l., besides many donations of smaller amounts. Truly I do not wait on the Lord in vain! One thing more I must add here. For several years I had not been so poor, with regard to means for myself, as when going away for change of air. But seeing it to be the will of G.o.d that I should go, I was sure that He would help me. Thus it was. On Aug. 13th my dear wife received from a sister in the Lord 5l. for change of air; and from a Christian lady near Bridgewater was sent to me for my own personal expenses 1l., from Cork 2l., and from a brother in Bristol 1l. On Aug. 15th was sent for myself from a considerable distance 18l. 11s. 3d. On Aug. 21st from Glasgow 1l. On Aug. 24th from Sunderland 1s., from Cork 1l., and from Liverpool 10l. Thus the Lord sent me for my own personal expenses such an abundance, that from Aug. 13th to Sept. 13th, 1850, I received altogether 61l. 13s. 6d. Truly I serve a good master, and this I delight to show. Not only with regard to the obtaining of means for the work, in which I am engaged, have I found simple trust in the Lord alone the easiest, the happiest, and the best way; but also in the obtaining of supplies for my own personal necessities.

Nov. 27. For seven weeks the income has been very small, in comparison with what has been expended, both for the Orphans and for the various other objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution. There has come in for the Orphans 187l. 16s. 2 d., and for the other objects 62l. 11s.

1d.; and the expenditure has been for the Orphans during these seven weeks 477l. 2s. 11d., and for the various other objects 394l. 9s. 8d.

Therefore altogether 871l. 12s. 7d. has been expended, whilst the income altogether has been only 250l. 7s. 3 d. Of course, we have not gone into debt, as we never order anything, except we have the means in hand for it. Nor has there been even the least difficulty experienced with regard to means, as the Lord in His kindness had sent in considerable sums just before this season commenced. About 330 persons now sit down to their meals in the New Orphan House, day by day, and the expenses for the Orphans alone are about Ten Pounds daily, and those for the other parts of the work are also about Ten Pounds daily, so that I need to receive after the rate of 20l. a day, in order to go on with the work; but during these forty-nine days there has been only one single day that I have received about 20l., and for the greater part of the time only a few pounds daily, and sometimes even only a few s.h.i.+llings. But what was to be done under these circ.u.mstances? I gave myself to prayer. G.o.d, whom I have now been enabled to make my refuge, and my only refuge for more than twenty years, I have besought day by day. And when now day by day I still have received only small sums, and sometimes nothing or scarcely anything at all: the only effect that it has had upon me has been, to pray the more earnestly. My confidence in G.o.d is not at all shaken. I have never had a thought that He would not help me; nor have I even once been allowed to look upon these seven weeks in any other way than that the Lord, for the trial of my faith, has ordered it thus that only so little should come in. I am sure that, when He has tried me sufficiently, there will come in again larger sums. In the mean time, how good has the Lord been, not only to have given all I have needed, but I have even now money in hand! And as to our stores in the New Orphan-House, they are as full as usual. We have at least 150 sacks of potatoes in the house, 20 sacks of flour, 33 barrels of oatmeal, each containing about 200 lbs., about 300 pairs of new shoes (besides about 900 pairs in use), about ten tons of coal, a large quant.i.ty of soap and rice; and so all other parts of the stores in proportion. Indeed while there has been little coming in, I have just ordered articles in the wholesale way as formerly, when our income was perhaps four or five times as much during the same period. My judgment is, that it will now soon please the Lord again to send in larger sums, as He has been pleased to exercise my faith for some time in this way. Let me see the result!

Nov. 28. This morning the Lord has given me a fresh proof, that I had not waited on Him in vain, and that my confidence in Him, as recorded last evening, has not been confounded. I received early this morning a donation of 200l., of which I took one half for the Orphans and the other half for the other objects.

Nov. 30. Evening. I am brought to the close of another month. Great have been the expenses, as I have paid out above 400l. for the Orphans, and above 200l. for the other objects; but I have always had the means to meet every payment.

Jan. 4, 1851. Besides a donation of 1l. from Newton Ferrers, 1l. 8s.

from Keswick, 4l. 6s. 9d. from the neighbourhood of Bath, I received also this morning anonymously from Torquay 5s. worth of postages, with these words: "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." I am doing this.

I expect much, very much indeed, in every way. I also expect much in the way of means. Evening. This very day the Lord has given me a most precious proof, that He delights in our having large expectations from Him. "My mouth has been filled," according to the portion of Holy Scripture sent to me this morning. I have received this evening the sum of Three Thousand Pounds, being the largest donation which I have had as yet. I have had very many donations of 100l. and of 200l., several of 300l., one of 400l., several of 500l., some from 600l. to 900l., four of l000l., two of 2000l. and one of 2050l. But I never had more than this given to me at one time; yet I have expected more than 2050l. in one donation, and, accordingly, it has pleased the Lord to give me 3000l.

this evening. I now write again that I expect far larger Sums still, in order that it may be yet more and more manifest, that there is no happier, no easier, and no better way of obtaining pecuniary means for the work of the Lord, than the one in which I have been led. How great my joy in G.o.d is, on account of this donation, cannot be described; but it is not in the least coupled with excitement. I take this donation out of the hands of the living G.o.d; I continually look for His help, and am perfectly a.s.sured that I shall have it, and therefore is my soul calm and peaceful, without any excitement, though the donation is so large.

This donation is, however, like a voice from heaven, speaking to me concerning a most deeply important matter respecting which I am seeking guidance from the Lord, the building of another Orphan-House. For several years, while the Orphans were living in rented houses in Wilson Street, Bristol, it pleased the Lord to manifest His power by helping us from day to day, and sometimes even from meal to meal; but of late years He has more especially been pleased to show His power by sending us abundant supplies. Should it please Him, however, hereafter to cause us again to be similarly situated, He will surely help; and, by His grace, we will then trust in Him as heretofore. Moreover, though we have not been so low with regard to means, yet my faith has not been without trial even in this particular; but especially in other respects it has pleased G.o.d continually to keep my faith in exercise. This sum of 3000l.

was entirely left at my disposal, and it was therefore portioned out thus: 1500l. for the Orphans, 500l. for foreign labourers in the Gospel, 500l. for home labourers in the Gospel, 200l. for the circulation of Gospel Tracts, 100l. for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and 200l. for the support of Day Schools, Adult Schools, and Sunday Schools.

As an instance to show in what a variety of ways the Lord is pleased to help me with means, I insert here the following kind but anonymous letter, which was left at my house on January 27th, 1851.

"Dear Mr. Muller,

" I left at Mr. W?'s last week a donation of 1l. 1s. towards the Orphan-Houses, which I hope you received safely. It is indeed encouraging and strengthening to read the account of the many indubitable answers you have had to prayer, and I pray G.o.d, dear sir, to strengthen your hands, and prolong your life, if it be His will, that both the servants of Christ and of Satan, the former to their comfort, the latter to their confusion if not to their conversion, may see that G.o.d alone reigns, and that the hearts of all are in His hand. I now inclose you some coins (there are 18), which may be disposed of for the Orphan-Houses. Truly we wish you good luck in the name of the Lord.

"Believe me, dear sir,

"To remain your unknown but true Friend,

"A Minister of the Church of England."

"N.B. I earnestly solicit an interest in your prayers."

The letter contained a two-guinea piece, a small Portuguese gold coin, 15 silver coins, and a copper coin.

March. 7. Very great have been the expenses for the Orphans of late.

During the short month of February alone I spent 386l. for them. For nearly eight weeks, since Jan. 11th, the expenses have been nearly four times as great as the income, which, however, I have been able amply to meet, on account of the previous abundance which the Lord had been pleased to send in. Now, however, after much prayer for means, the Lord has been pleased to refresh my heart by a donation of 200l., referred to under this date in the account of the income for the other objects. I took of this sum 90l. for the Orphans. I received also this day 4l.

10s., being the bequest of a Swiss brother in the Lord, who fell asleep in Devons.h.i.+re, and who desired that what he left should be sold for the benefit of the Orphans.

April 30. At the morning exposition of the Holy Scriptures at the New Orphan-House, I was led particularly to dwell upon the blessedness of the believer having to do with the living G.o.d, and referred, in the way of ill.u.s.tration, to His care in supporting the Orphan Work. Immediately after the exposition was over, I received a donation of 12l. 12s. for the Orphans, another of 200l. (which I took half for the Orphans and half for the other objects), and in the afternoon came in still further through the boxes in the New Orphan-House 2l. 14s. 4 d. Concerning the donation of 12l. 12s. the hand of the Lord is the more manifest, in that it came from a place whence. I had never received any donation, as far as I know, and towards it a vicar, an archdeacon, and one of the Queen's chaplains contributed, gentlemen entirely unknown to me, and yet they felt thus kindly disposed towards this work.

May 26. I am brought to the close of this period. The work is more and more enlarging. During the last month I have paid out for the Orphans more than 450l., and for the other objects more than 500l., being nearly One Thousand Pounds during one month; and yet I have a greater balance left in hand, through the Lord's kindness, than at the close of any of the previous periods.

Of the several hundreds of donations, large and small, received during this period, I have thus taken a few, to show in what way it pleased the Lord to supply me with means for the Orphan Work.

Miscellaneous Points respecting the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution for Home and Abroad, with reference to the period from May 26, 1850 to May 26, 1851.

1. There were during this period four Day Schools in Bristol, with 286 children in them, entirely supported by the funds of the Inst.i.tution, and three others in Devons.h.i.+re, Gloucesters.h.i.+re, and Norfolk, with 180 children in them, were a.s.sisted.--Further, one Sunday School in Bristol, with 184 children, was entirely supported, and two others, in Devons.h.i.+re and Gloucesters.h.i.+re, with 213 children, were a.s.sisted.-- Lastly, an Adult School in Bristol, with 90 persons in it, was entirely supported.--The expenses connected with all these various Schools were, during this period, 379l. 17s.--From the formation of the Inst.i.tution, on March 5, 1834, up to May 26, 1851, there were 5,343 children in the various Day Schools in Bristol alone, 2,379 in the Sunday School, and 1,896 persons in the Adult Schools, besides the thousands in the Schools out of Bristol, which were a.s.sisted.

2. During this period I sought again especially to supply very poor persons, whose character was known by their being visited, with copies of the Holy Scriptures; and also to put copies which are printed with large type in to the hands of aged persons, which seems to me of especial need, as such Bibles are still expensive, considering the means of the poor. There was expended during this period, out of the funds of the Inst.i.tution, on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, 150l. 16s.

5d. There were 345 Bibles sold and 899 given away; and 30 New Testaments sold, and 413 given away, during this period. From March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1851, there were circulated 7,709 Bibles and 4,442 New Testaments.

3. During this year was spent of the Funds of the Inst.i.tution for Missionary objects the sum of 2000l. 11s. 1d. By this sum, forty-five labourers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, were to a greater or less degree a.s.sisted. The amount sent to each of these servants of Christ was as follows.

To No. 1. Labouring in British Guiana 91l. 10s.

To No. 2. Ditto 82l.

To No. 3. Ditto 80l. 10s.

To No. 4. Ditto 55l.

To No. 5. Ditto 55l.

To No. 6. Ditto 30l.

To No. 7. Ditto 20l.

To No. 8. Ditto 10l.

To No. 9. Labouring in the East Indies 100l.

To No. 10. Ditto 40l.

To No. 11. Ditto 40l.

To No. 12. Ditto 20l.

To No. 13 Ditto 14l.

To No. 14 Labouring in Canada 20l.

To No. 15 Ditto 20l.

To No. 16 Labouring in the United States 30l.

To No. 17 Labouring in France 60l.

To No. 18. Labouring in Switzerland 50l.

To No. 19. Ditto 10l.

To No. 20. Ditto 10l.

To No. 21. Labouring in Germany 10l.