A Narrative of some of the Lord's Dealings with George Muller Volume IV Part 40

C. As soon as my path is made plain, G.o.d willing, the other house for 300 Orphans will also be commenced; but I cannot state, at present, any further particulars respecting this.

Supplies for the School?, Bible?, Missionary and Tract Fund, sent in answer to prayer, from May 26, 1855, to May 26, 1856.

On May 26, 1855, when the accounts were closed, there was in hand 41l.

6s. 11 d. for these objects. On June 5, 1855, therefore only a few days after the commencement of the new period, when only 1l. 0s. 6d.

altogether had come in for these objects, in 8 different donations, I received 211l. 9s. 5d., of which the donor kindly wished me to retain 11l. 9s. 5d. for my own expenses, and to use the 200l. for the work of the Lord, as might be needed. I took, therefore, 100l. for the support of the Orphans, and 100l. for these objects, and had thus some means, to go on with the work. This donation was a great refreshment and encouragement to me, at the commencement of this new period.

July 12. Since June 5th little only, comparatively, has come in. All the donations for these objects were under 5l. Today, however, the Lord, in answer to many prayers, has sent me 200l., to be used as needed. I took of this donation 100l. for the Orphans, and 100l. for these objects, and have thus the means of being able to send some help to brethren who labour in the Gospel.

Aug. 9. Having had heavy expenses the last ten days, in order to help foreign labourers in the Gospel, and to procure supplies of Bibles, Testaments, and Tracts, our means for these objects were now reduced to 7l. 7s. 10 d. Yet I desired far more to help brethren who labour in the Word, as the greater party of them had not yet been supplied. I therefore besought the Lord, that He would be pleased to send in means.

When I came home this evening from the New Orphan House, I found the following letter, from the same believing farmer, whom the Lord has several times used in previous years, to help me when in need.

"* * * * Aug. 8, 1855.

"Dear Brother in Christ,

"I feel stirred up to help you in the work in which you are engaged, and therefore beg your acceptance of the enclosed Twenty Pounds, to be used in any way you please, trusting G.o.d will direct you.

Yours affectionately in Christ,

I took the whole amount for Missionary objects and the circulation of Bibles and Tracts.

Aug. 25. The outgoings from these objects have been great, during this month, and the income comparatively small. On this account the means for these objects were reduced today to a few s.h.i.+llings. As the opportunities for the gratuitous circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Gospel Tracts, however, continued to be great, and as I had been only able to send out about the third part as much to labourers in the Gospel, as I could have desired, my prayer during this week had been especially for means for this object. Now the Lord has somewhat helped us. I have received today a donation of 203l. 14s., the whole of which I took for these objects, as the application of it was left with me. The Lord be magnified for this precious help! I shall be able to send at least 150l. of this sum to labourers in the Gospel.-- About 3 hours, before this donation was received, I had been asking the Lord, if He would not condescend to use me as an instrument, at this time, in helping these brethren, He would kindly in some other way supply them with means.

Sept. 1. From Dublin 5l. for missions.

Sept. 11. From C. W. 20l. for foreign labourers in the Gospel. A precious help in answer to many prayers.

Sept. 20. Received 190l., of which I took 100l. for these objects, in order to be able to send some help to brethren who labour in the Word, and to have means for going on with the circulation of Bibles and Tracts; and the remaining 90l. I took for the support of the Orphans.

Precious help, the fruit of many prayers!

Sept. 30. From Clerkenwell for missions 10l.

Oct. 13. 20l. from Austin Friars, London. I had been praying again and again for more means for these objects, and had sent out 100l. within the last few days to brethren who labour in the Word, but desired to send out more.

Oct. 23. From London 20l.

Nov. 6th. Since Oct. 16th I had not been able to send any further help to brethren who labour in the Word, much as I desired to do so, having only means enough to meet the necessary demands for the Schools, and the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, which amounted, from that time, to about 120l. But I prayed daily for means for missionary objects and the circulation of Bibles and Tracts. Today I received 180l., the whole of which I have taken for these objects, as the disposal of it was left to me, having great reason to believe that many labourers in the Gospel are in need of help, and having still so many openings for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts. The Lord be magnified for this precious answer to prayer!

Dec. 13. During November I was enabled to send 200l. to brethren who labour in the Gospel at Home and Abroad, and also 197l. in October; but during this month I have as yet been only able to send out 12l. My often repeated prayer has been, that the Lord would give me the joy and privilege of sending out a considerable sum during this month also. This prayer was again repeated, when I rose this morning, and saw the windows covered with ice; for I thought then of the needy brethren in this cold weather, connected with the high price of provisions. It was not long after, when I received 153l., to be used in the Lord's service, as most needed. I took of this, 100l. for brethren labouring in the Gospel at Home and Abroad, and 53l. for the support of the Orphans, and thus have the joy of being able to send at least 100l. at once, waiting upon the Lord for more.

Jan. 31, 1850. As the fruit of very many prayers, I have received today 100l., the whole of which I have put to these funds, the application of the money being left with me; as there was nothing at all left now for the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, and the various Schools, and as I had often asked the Lord to allow me further the joy of sending help to brethren who labour in the Word, to whom since Dec. 14th I had been able to send scarcely anything.

From this time there were no further difficulty experienced with regard to means, for these objects, as on Feb. 19th there was received the donation of 3000l., and on March 18th the donation of 4000l., of each of which, as stated before, I took 1000l. for the School?, Bible?, Missionary?and Tract objects, whereby, together with what came in besides, I was not only carried to the close of this period, but was enabled to expend more on Missionary objects, and the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, than during any previous year, since the Inst.i.tution commenced in March, 1834. Let it be especially observed by the G.o.dly reader, that not only does this work continue to exist, after more than 22 years, carried on solely through the power of prayer and faith in the Living G.o.d; but also year by year its operations have been extended. Unbelief is thus put to shame. It is plainly proved that the work of G.o.d can be carried on simply by trust in G.o.d. If our work is indeed the work of G.o.d, faith and prayer will be found efficient agents; and if they are not efficient, we may well question, whether we do indeed make use of them; or, if we do, whether the work, in which we are occupied, is truly the work of G.o.d.

Notice here also, that not only was I enabled, simply through prayer and faith, to procure means for a greater amount of operations than during any year since March 1834; but, over and above all this, I was able to add to the Building Fund during this year 6238l. 1s. 3 d., whilst the income for the support of the Orphans was 4070l. 18s. 1 d., and the income for the other objects 4279l. 6s. 6 d. The total amount, therefore, which the Lord was pleased to send in during the past year, was 14,588l. 5s. 10 d. Behold, dear Reader, how effectual this way is for the obtaining of means; for the amount is large. Behold too, how pleasant a way it is; for I have not to encounter unpleasant refusals, in applying for money. Behold how cheap a way; for it involves none of the heavy expenses, usually attendant on the collection of contributions; for all I do is, to make known the work in which we are engaged, by means of the Reports, which are for the most part sold for the benefit of the Orphans, and they actually brought in during this year, as the audited accounts show, a little more than they cost.

But, perhaps, you say, Yes, it is just these Reports, why there is nothing at all remarkable in the matter. Our reply is: We do not pretend to miracles. We have no desire even, that the work, in which we are engaged, should be considered an extraordinary one, or even a remarkable one. We are truly sorry that many persons, inconsiderately, look upon it almost as a miraculous one. The principles on which we are acting are as old as the Holy Scriptures. But they are forgotten by many; and they are not held in living faith by others; and by some they are not known at all; nay, they are denied even to be Scriptural by not a few, and are considered as wild and fanatical. It is ascribed to my being a foreigner that I succeed so well, or to the novelty of the thing, or to some secret treasure to which I have access; but when all will not account for the progress of the work, it is said, the Reports produce it all. My reply to these different objections is: My being a foreigner, looked at naturally, would be much more likely to hinder my being intrusted with such large sums, than to induce donors to give. As to the novelty procuring the money, the time is long gone by for novelty, for this is June 1856, and the work commenced in March 1834. As to the secret treasure to which I have access, there is more in this supposition than the objectors are aware of; for surely G.o.d's treasury is inexhaustible, and I have that (though that alone) to go to, and have indeed drawn out of it, simply by prayer and faith, more than 113,000l.

since the beginning of the work. But now as to the last objection, that the Reports are the means by which all the money is obtained: let us consider this a little, for I do heartily desire that the Reader may not lose the blessing, which this Inst.i.tution is intended to convey to his soul. My reply is: There is nothing unusual in writing Reports. This is done by public Inst.i.tutions generally, but the constant complaint is, that Reports are not read. Our Reports are not extraordinary as to the power of language, or as to striking appeals to feelings. They are simple statements of facts. These Reports are not accompanied by personal application for means; but they are simply sent to the donors, or to any other individuals who wish to have or purchase them. If they produce results, which Reports generally do not, I can only ascribe it to the Lord.

I do not mean to say that G.o.d does not use the Reports as instruments in procuring us means. They are written in order that I may thus give an account of my stewards.h.i.+p, but particularly, in order that, by these printed accounts of the work, the chief end of this Inst.i.tution may be answered, which is to raise another public testimony to an unbelieving world, that in these last days the Living G.o.d is still the Living G.o.d, listening to the prayers of His children, and helping those who put their trust in Him; and in order that believers generally may be benefited and especially be encouraged to trust in G.o.d for everything they may need, and be stirred up to deal in greater simplicity with G.o.d respecting everything connected with their own particular position and circ.u.mstances; in short, that the children of G.o.d maybe brought to the practical use of the Holy Scriptures, as the word of the Living G.o.d.-- But while these are the primary reasons for publis.h.i.+ng these Reports, we doubt not that the Lord has again and again used them as instruments in leading persons to help us with their means. For as we continually stand in need of considerable sums, and as even hundreds of pounds go but a very little way, I entreat the Lord day by day, and generally several times every day, to supply me with means, to speak to the hearts of His dear children, and to constrain them by the love of Christ to help me out of the means, with which He has intrusted them; and so it comes to pa.s.s, I doubt not, that the Lord again and again works by His Spirit in the hearts of those who have read or heard the Reports. But whether we are supplied with means through the Reports or irrespective of them; in either case it is G.o.d, who is working for us, and it is to this I wish to direct the mind of the Reader.

Means for the support of the 300 Orphans already under my care, sent in answer to Prayer, from May 26, 1855, to May 26, 1856.

When this period commenced, I had 116l. 17s. 8 d. in hand for the support of the Orphans, an amount so small, looking at it naturally, that one would be ready to say, there would be soon nothing in hand.

Thus indeed it would have been, had the Lord not been pleased further to send in means; but He, in His fatherly care, never ceased to remember our need and to provide for its supply. The expenses were very heavy, month after month, not only because of the greatness of the Establishment, but in particular also on account of the high price of provisions, which prevailed during the whole of last year; yet, notwithstanding this, there was not a single year, since the Orphan work commenced, in which I went on with greater ease regarding means, than during the last period. At the close of the first month, June 26th, though the expenses had been great, there remained 192l. 9s. 11 d. in hand. At the close of the second month, July 26th, there was a balance left of 259l. 4s. At the close of the third month, Aug. 26th, there was left a balance of 291l. 19s. 2d. And in like manner the Lord was pleased to supply me with means, month after month, so that when He was pleased to give me on Feb. 19th the donation of 3000l., above referred to, I had still 160l. in hand for the support of the Orphans. It is particularly worthy of notice, that the income for the support of the Orphans was not supplied by some very large donations, previous to the one of 3000l.; for there was no period for about ten years, when I received fewer large donations for the support of the Orphans, than during the last. It was supplied by many donations of 1l., 2l., 5l., 10l., 20l. and upwards, but not exceeding 100l., except one of 117l. 10s. 0d. received on May 3rd, and the 300l. which I took for the Orphans out of the 3000l. And again it is remarkable, that while up to Feb. 19th we had always abounded, and were never brought low, but generally had had about 200l in hand; almost immediately after the reception of the 3000l., out of which I took 300l.

for the support of the Orphans, the balance, before in hand, was all expended, and more money required; so that I had soon to use a part of the 300l., whereby the hand of G.o.d in that large donation was so much the more made manifest; and yet, again, this 300l., with what the Lord was pleased to send in besides between Feb. 19th and May 26th, not only met all the remaining heavy expenses, but left in hand a balance of 167l. 18s. 11 d.

Observe, dear Reader, while we were in rented houses in Wilson Street, we had our faith greatly tried, year after year, though the expenses were only about one-third as much, as during the past year. And thus also it has been again and again, since the New Orphan House was opened in 1849; but during the past year we were entirely free from trial of faith regarding means for the support of the Orphans, though not without many trials of faith and patience on other accounts. The Lord takes His own way, and therefore He allows this year to stand by itself, in this particular. On this I delight to dwell; for I desire that the hand of G.o.d may be recognised in this work, whether it be by His power being manifested in sustaining us in our poverty from day to day, or by His causing us to go on easily with regard to means for a day, or a month, or a year. You see, then, that while there was but like "a handful of flour in the barrel," at the commencement of the period, the Lord was pleased to make it last for a whole year, and yet, at the end of the year, there was more than at the beginning; and during the whole year all these hundreds had been fed, clothed, and provided with everything needful; apprentices had been placed out and premiums paid for them, and their outfit and that of the young women going out to service had been provided at the expense of the Orphan Establishment. What an answer does all this furnish to unbelief which said, when I was going to build the New Orphan House, How will you find the means for the support of these 300 Orphans? Or, when unbelief said, How will you be able to support a thousand Orphans?

I will now out of the very many donations, received during this year, single out a few, and make here and there remarks, as the subjects may call for it.

June 1, 1855. The balance left when the accounts were closed, was only enough to supply the average expenses of ten days for the support of the Orphans, and there had only been received during the last 5 days 14l.

13s. 7d. How kind therefore of the Lord, to send me today 50l. from Liverpool, 1l. from Preston, and 10s. from Milton Abbot!

June 5. 5l. from Lincolns.h.i.+re "As a thank-offering to the Lord for preserving the only child of a widow from the path of the destroyer."

June 8. A gold chain, some books for sale, and 15l.

June 19. 5l. as "A thank-offering to the Lord for preservation when thrown out of a gig."

July 10. From Worcesters.h.i.+re 25l.

July 12. Received from a great distance 200l., of which I took 100l. for the support of the Orphans, and 100l. for the other objects. There has also come in today 20l. from Norwich, 1l. from Bath, 4s. from Chepstow, 7s. 6d. from Mallow, 1l. from Dublin, a gold seal and sixpence, and 13s.

and 6s. 9d. besides. The Lord's kindness is great in this, as a fresh supply of oatmeal, flour, &c., will need to be paid for, other heavy expenses have to be met, and there is not much in hand.

July 14. An Israelitish gentleman, an entire stranger, brought to my house this morning 5l. for the support of the Orphans. See in what a variety of ways the Lord is pleased to supply us with means, and all unsolicited, simply in answer to prayer!

Aug. 17. From Messrs. * * * 7l. 10s. 0d., being a portion of the money received for showing the "British Empire" before she left Bristol.

Observe again, esteemed Reader, what a variety of ways the Lord uses to supply me with means; for I had not before even heard of the name of this vessel, nor did I know her owners, even by name; yet G.o.d inclines the heart of these gentlemen to send me this 7l. 10s. 0d. towards the support of the 300 Orphans.--Anonymously from Wilton 4s., as "A thank-offering to G.o.d for His mercies on a journey."

Aug. 21. From Worcesters.h.i.+re 30l.

Sept. 6. From the Bombay Presidency 25l.

On Sept. 12, were sent by the donor who gave so valuable a donation of jewellery on July 26, 1854, the following articles of jewellery, etc., being the last she possessed, and which the love of Christ led her to give up: A valuable dressing case, 2 little boxes, 2 pomatum pots, a gold thimble, a large gold brooch set with a ruby and 2 brilliants, a gold star necklace set with a brilliant, a gold bracelet, a gold watchguard, a gold cross, 2 rings set with pearls, a ring set with pearls and small rubies, a ring set with 2 brilliants, a ring set with 3 rubies and 2 brilliants, a pair of gold earrings and brooch set with pearls, a large ivory brooch, a silver brooch set with pearls, a silver pencil case, a paste brooch, 5 loose crystals, and some small carved ornaments.

Sept. 26. Received a large cask containing the wearing apparel of the late Mrs. H. at J. in the county of Leicester, which this lady, by her will, had bequeathed to me for the benefit of the Orphans.

Oct. 3. Received the following letter.

"* * *, Oct. 8, 1855.

Dear Mr. Muller,

The enclosed check for 8l. 1s. 4d. is chiefly the product of a sale for the Orphans, which we held on our sister's wedding-day, and hoping it will be acceptable,