Twenty-five Years of Increasing Supplies for the Orphan Fund, 1849–1874 (part 3 of 4)

"I have the pleasure of enclosing £25 3s. 6d., £5 of which please to appropriate to your own use, and the remainder to the maintenance of the dear Orphans. This money is the first received by me as Director's fees of a public company with which I am connected; and I thought I could not do better than consecrate it to such a purpose. Wishing you every success in your holy work,

"I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully, ——."

January 10th. "Saved in farthings through the past year, 3s." What a variety of ways God uses to supply me with means! January 30th. From a commercial gentleman £500.

May 3rd. Anonymously from R. E. I. 13s. 6d., with these lines: "It was my idea, that when a man had sufficient for his own wants, he ought then to supply the wants of others, and consequently I never had sufficient. I now clearly see, that God expects us to give of what we have, and not of what we have not; and to leave the rest to Him. I therefore give in faith and love, knowing that, if I first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all other things will be added unto me."—May 9th. From Hinckley 10s. 7d., being "Weekly subscriptions of a halfpenny and a penny from very poor women."

May 26th. At the close of the period I find that the total expenditure for all the various Objects was £24,700 16s. 4d., or £67 13s. 5¾d. per day, all the year round. During the coming year I expect the expenses to be considerably greater. But God, who has helped me these many years, will, I believe, help me in future also.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1860, to May 26th, 1861, was £8,022 7s. 10d.]

You see, esteemed reader, how the Lord, in His faithful love, helped us year after year. With every year the expenses increased, because the operations of the Institution were further enlarged; but He never failed us. You may say, however, "What would you do, if He should fail in helping you?" My reply is, That cannot be, as long as we trust in Him and do not live in sin. But if we were to forsake Him, the fountain of living waters, and to hew out to ourselves broken cisterns, which cannot hold water, by trusting in an arm of flesh; or if we were to live in sin, we should then have to call upon Him in vain, even though we professed still to trust in Him, according to that word: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18). Hitherto, by God's grace, I have been enabled to continue to trust in Him alone; and hitherto, though failing and weak in many ways, yet, by God's grace, I have been enabled to walk uprightly, hating sin and loving holiness, and longing after increased conformity to the Lord Jesus.

May 26th, 1861, to May 26th, 1862

June 5th. Legacy of the late Mrs. J. £200. This lady I never saw; yet God inclined her heart to leave this amount in her Will for the support of the Orphans.

A former Orphan in a College

August 13th. The following is a letter from an Orphan who was the first received into the New Orphan House No. 1, was converted whilst there, walked consistently as a believer about a year before he left, and was on May 24th, 1852, sent out to be apprenticed. Since then, as far as I know, he has uniformly walked as a believer, and at last, having a great desire either to labour as a Missionary abroad, or as a preacher of the gospel at home, he went to a newly-established College, chiefly for the sake of studying Hebrew and Greek, to be able to understand the Holy Scriptures in the original languages. After having been at this College for some time, I saw him, and on his return there I received this letter:—

My dear Mr. Müller,

"You will be pleased to hear, that I have returned to my duties at College, with an earnest desire more than ever to devote myself to the service of my beloved Saviour. I met with very great encouragement during the latter part of my vacation. Instances of usefulness seemed to multiply around me, and not unfrequently did I find that my labours had been crowned with the divine blessing in those places where I had least expected it. Whilst travelling by rail to an appointment, I met with a person who had heard me preach at—, nearly two years ago, and whom I had never seen from that time to this; but the Word then proclaimed was made a great blessing to his soul. I distinctly remembered the service, for I had preached that evening under great embarrassment of mind. Was not this pleasing? Need I say, that I thanked God and took courage? Whilst preaching lately, I had the pleasure of seeing among the congregation one of the Orphan girls, whom I afterwards had an interview with, and was pleased to find her a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. I often think of the valuable advice you gave me during our last interview, and thank you most heartily for it. If it were possible, I should much like to be nearer to you, that I might often have the pleasure of listening to your paternal counsels. But my days in the Orphan House have passed away; I am now moving in a different sphere, preparing for a great and noble work.

"My dear Sir, may I venture to hope that sometimes at the throne of grace you will remember your Orphan child, your 'son in the gospel.' I am anxious to become a good minister of Jesus Christ—the means of turning many to righteousness. I long to be honoured by my Lord in the ministry of His Word, that, when He shall appear, I may receive from Him a crown of honoured usefulness. I remember four years ago beginning to pray that God would bless me, by granting me to know that one soul was brought to the knowledge of the Saviour through my instrumentality. That prayer being answered, I prayed for two. That too being granted, I have doubled the number, and I hope that I shall see many, yea hundreds, saved through my labours. I am asking to be made largely useful, knowing that it is for my Saviour's glory. He can make feeble instruments the means of doing great good.—I was preaching yesterday at ——, and, on speaking to some friends about the Orphan House, they expressed a great desire to have the first part of your Life, which I shall feel obliged if you will kindly send me by post for them, at your earliest convenience. I enclose stamps for the amount. You will be pleased to hear that two persons, to whom I have lent the copy you kindly gave me on leaving the Orphan House, have been converted through its perusal, and are now consistent members of a Christian Church.

"Accept the expression of my gratitude and affection, and with many prayers for the prosperity of the work of God in your hands, believe me to remain,

"Yours affectionately in Christ Jesus, ——."

A Poor Curate's Letter

December 6th. Received £1, with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"Having just received part of my stipend, I have great pleasure in sending you £1 towards the support of the Orphans. I am only a poor curate, without any personal property, or I would gladly give more to so noble an Institution, having read your Narrative and Reports with the deepest interest. May God still more abundantly bless and prosper you in all endeavours to promote His glory and the increase of true religion.

"I remain, dear Sir, with much respect and esteem,

"Yours truly, ——."

January 1st. The Old Year has ended in the midst of many mercies, and on the last day many donations had come in. The New Year commenced again with much help, especially in the reception of donations. Before daylight I found in the letter-box at my house a letter, containing £15, from a Bristol donor; also a sovereign with these words: "An Old Year's thankoffering for the Orphans." From Clifton £150, with £5 for myself.—January 2nd. From Birmingham £28 8s., with the kind promise to repeat this donation every month during this year.—January 8th. From a commercial gentleman £750.

March 12th. From a Scotch donor £50. On this day, March 12th (the day of the opening of the New Orphan House No. 3, on which the expenses of the Orphan work were increased about £5,000 annually), came in altogether £71 9s. 5d., as if God would say, I will meet the increased expenses, and I give the earnest in what I send this day.

April 15th. The number of inmates in the three Houses exceeds already 800, and above 400 more are expected. The expenses, therefore, are great, and becoming larger and larger. This morning came in £100.—April 22nd. From Kent £100.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1861, to May 26th, 1862, was £9,148 10s. 9d.]

At the close of the year I find that, the total expenditure for the whole year having been £26,029 16s. 7½d., the average expenses for each of the 365 days was £71 6s. 3½d.

May 26th, 1862, to May 26th, 1863

July 10th. This day has furnished another proof that the Lord is both able and willing to help me in meeting the expenses for the Orphans. Last evening I received the following information from a Bristol bank: "We beg to inform you that we have been directed by a gentleman to pay £368 to the Orphan Asylum on Ashley Down, as 'part of the tenth of an unexpected legacy,' and that the sum awaits your order at our bank." Accordingly there was paid to me to-day £368.—July 11th. From his Highness Prince—, £10.

October 1st. From a naval officer £6 15s. 6d., with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"I beg to enclose a Post Office Order for the sum of £6 15s. 6d., being a donation from me to the Orphan Schools, in the following way: Towards the expense of the Orphans, being part of the tenth of a legacy lately received, £5. Cost of 20 Reports, lately sent to me, 10s. Fire insurance of my house furniture, which I prefer paying in this manner, £1 5s. 6d. With many of your donors, I have felt the full power of those words, that 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' For some time past I have given a tenth of my income to the Lord, and can truly say that, where I formerly gave to one object, I can now give to twenty, without any difficulty or effort, and with a degree of pleasure that I never felt before. The more I give, the more I seem to get. Thus, temporally and spiritually, we receive a twofold blessing. If more could be induced to take this step, how many beaming countenances we should witness, and how flourishing would be the condition of many of our Societies and Institutions. May God indeed bless you in your noble work, and ever believe me, dear Sir,

"Yours very faithfully, ——."

November 15th. The outgoings of to-day, for the various Objects, are £632 12s. 1d., but the income for them had been only £3 15s. 6d. Under such circumstances it is necessary to keep the eye steadfastly fixed upon God; then, though the outgoings are great, we are helped, and shall not be confounded; for faith lays hold on God, and draws out of His inexhaustible fulness. November 17th. Received £1 11s. 6d., with the following letter:—

My dear Sir,

"Having been invited to attend one of the—Dinners on Thursday last, and not feeling free to do so, I prefer sending you the enclosed for the use of the Orphans.

"Yours truly, Y. Z."

Here, by refraining from going to a grand dinner, one guinea and a half was saved, sufficient to provide a dinner for more than one hundred Orphans. What may not be accomplished by self-denial! But this is not all. Such public dinner parties bring great damage to the soul, if not to the body. I leave out purposely what dinner party it was, because I do not wish these remarks to be of a personal character, but simply desire the good of the reader.

December 1st. From Hampstead £50.—December 12th. This morning's post brought 2s. 6d. for the Building Fund, but nothing else for any of the other Objects, while I had before me the outgoings of £146 11s. for the current expenses for the Orphans alone. Moreover, for many days and weeks, the income has not been nearly equal to the expenses, so that the balance that we had in hand has been considerably reduced. Under these circumstances I found great comfort in Isaiah 26:3, 4, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." When I left the Orphan Houses this evening, I found that the expenses of the day had been altogether £151 18s. 8d., and the income 12s. 6d. But I hope in God. I expect again larger sums.—December 15th. The following letter was received from a dear Christian girl, who had been recently sent out:—

Respected and beloved Sir,

"May I be allowed the great privilege of writing a few lines to express, in some feeble measure, my deep heartfelt gratitude to you for all the unceasing love and kindness shown me for so many years, whilst in the dear Orphan House. I shall throughout time and eternity have cause to praise the Lord, for having put it into your heart to have such a place built; for there my Saviour made known to me the preciousness of His blood, as the only sacrifice for my sins. Though now with my relations, I feel what a miserable creature I should be, if I had not Jesus for my Helper and Guide in every temptation and difficulty. I feel, dear Sir, that the debt of gratitude I owe you can never be repaid by any one but the Lord Himself. May He give you a crown of rejoicing, and lengthen out your days, so that through your instrumentality many more may be gathered into the fold of Christ, before His coming.

"I remain, dear Sir,

"Yours most respectfully and gratefully, ——."

This dear girl, who is now with the Lord, had been 12 years and 8 months under our care. She was on November 28th, 1862, sent out, fitted for service, but was first sent to her aunt in Dublin, to have thorough change of air, on account of her health, according to the judgment of our medical adviser. She had known the Lord 3 years and 5 months, before she left, and walked consistently. Some time after her arrival in Dublin, she was taken very ill, and never recovered. A Christian lady, who visited her in her illness, wrote to me, that she glorified God in her sickness and death.

December 22nd. From the son of a baronet 19s. 9d., who had "earned the money on purpose to give to the Orphanage, by giving up butter and eggs for six weeks; also by catching mice and rats, and getting good marks for lessons."—December 27th. The total of the income this morning had been £6, for the various Objects of the Institution. My heart, however, remembered yet again Isaiah 26:3, 4, and was comforted by it. No more came in, in the course of the day, until I arrived at home nearly 9 o'clock in the evening, when I found £1 from the Cape of Good Hope, 16s. from Greenock, £10 from Belfast, £10 from a Bristol donor, and £700 from a commercial gentleman. How true again, therefore, the word: "For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength" (Isaiah 26:4).

January 1st. Long before daylight I found in the letter-box of my house £10, with £5 for the Building Fund; also "From the dying year 1862 "30s., with 10s. for myself, anonymously. From an Orphan box £5. From Clifton £150, with £5 for myself.

February 10th. From an aged merchant, as a thankoffering to the Lord, for the many mercies received from Him, £520. This aged merchant was an entire stranger to me, till he came to the Orphan Houses to bring me this money.

I have repeatedly stated how, day after day and week after week, the expenses were greater than the income, so that, had the Lord not previously remembered us, and sent more than we needed, the income would not have sufficed. He, however, knew all about our need, and acted accordingly. The reader will also remember how, under these circumstances, my mind was kept in peace because I stayed myself on the Word of God, and was assured that He would again send larger sums. As I had expected, so it was, and I give therefore the weekly income of the last eight weeks previous to February 18th, 1863:—

From December 25th to December 31st, 1862, £957 5s. 11½d.

From December 31st, 1862, to January 7th, 1863, £741 3s. 3d.

From January 7th to January 14th, 1863, £508 1s. 4¼d.

From January 14th to January 21st, £446 2s. 9½d.

From January 21st to January 28th, £1,494 16s. 6d.

From January 28th to February 4th, £488 12s. 7d.

From February 4th to February 11th, £1,668 7s. 2½d.

From February 11th to February 18th, £488 10s. 6¾d.

Be, then, dear Christian reader, encouraged by this. If difficulties arise, they will not last for ever; if your faith is greatly tried, it will not be always so; therefore continue to trust in the Lord, and He will help you in His own time and way.

February 28th. Legacy of the Dowager Lady R., £50 in money, and 4 silver side dishes (valued £50 10s.).

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1862, to May 26th, 1863, was £11,194 4s. 7½d.]

June 25th. Received 12s. 7½d. and 7s. 4½d., with this letter: "You will be gratified to know that the sum of 12s. 7½d. has been collected by poor E. saving a farthing out of every shilling she has earned by crochet work for the last ten months, and by which she supported herself with her poor crippled fingers; they are quite bent from rheumatism, from which afflictive cause she has lost the use of her limbs and cannot walk."

July 25th. From a Scotch donor £100.—July 30th. Legacy of the late Mrs. M., of Streatham, £100. Though this Christian lady has repeatedly sent me donations for the work, I never saw her.—August 25th. From the neighbourhood of Agra, East Indies, £100.

December 11th. From Herts £11, "A thankoffering to my Heavenly Father for deliverance from a great temporal trouble."

Notice again, the variety of means which it pleases God to use in order to supply me with the means. It has often happened, that twenty or even thirty donations have been received in a day, the total of which, however, was only £12 or £15, while the outgoings were £100, £200, or even £500 a day and more. Now what means do we use, under such circumstances, to keep the vessel from sinking entirely? None other than we always use. We pray and believe; we believe and pray. More prayer, more patience, more exercise of faith, always in the end brings the needed help. Thus we have gone on for forty years, and, by God's help, we purpose to go on thus to the end; for I have joyfully dedicated my life to this way of carrying on the work of God; and of having thus my own temporal necessities, and those of my family, provided for, if by any means I may be helpful in leading my fellow Christians increasingly to trust in God for everything.

December 24th, Evening. The total income to-day had been £23 for all the various Objects; but the expenses had been £67 15s. 3d. Late in the evening I went home, trusting in God, and assured that though about three times as much had been expended as received (as often of late had been the case), He could easily supply the deficiency. I found at home £750 from a mercantile gentleman, for the support of the Orphans. See how abundantly God helped me. Let such an instance comfort the tried reader, and let it lead him to look to God in believing and expecting prayer.—December 26th. From a Scotch gentleman a valuable donation of 500 stones of oatmeal. I just mention here that we consume now above seven thousand stones of oatmeal yearly.

January 6th. From Devonshire £100.—January 8th. From Cambridge £100.—On November 26th, 1863, our balance in hand, for the support of the Orphans, had been reduced to £1,102 below what it had been on that day six months. Afterwards it decreased still more; for on December 23rd, 1683, it was £1,171 less than on May 26th. This did not arise from the fact that we had received little; for during no period had the income been better, in the same space of time; but simply because our expenses had been greater than ever during the first seven months of this period, on account of the greater number of Orphans under our care. Under these circumstances my comfort was, that God was well acquainted with our expenses, and that He could again easily increase our balance. And thus it has been; for during the last sixteen days He has bountifully sent in the supplies, that not only the decrease of £1,171 has been made up, but we have to-day actually £269 more than we had on May 26th, 1863, though we have expended since then £6,895 12s. 2d. for the support of the Orphans. I refer to this for the profit of my fellow-believers, that they may not look at things after the outward appearance in times of darkness, but trust in God.

February 3rd. Received £500 as the legacy of the late Miss L., of Frome. I never had seen the testatrix, nor did I know her by name; but God influenced her mind, in answer to our daily prayers, to help us thus.

February 13th. To-day I had information concerning the death of Frederick Bunn, an apprentice, who was sent out on May 11th, 1860. The Christian master, who has still three of our boys in his house, writes of this fourth one: "He died this morning (February 12th, 1864), very, very happy, like a person going to sleep. I feel it a pleasure to tell that he was a boy of prayer."—In referring to the book in which the entries are made of the Orphans who leave the Institution, I find this statement: "Frederick Bunn, having been eight years under our care, was, on May 11th, 1860, apprenticed to Mr. G. He has been for several months a believer and walked consistently."

April 16th. Payment of the legacy of £225 left by the late Mr. R. T., of Bristol, an entire stranger to me.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1863, to May 26th, 1864, was £11,948 16s. 4d.]

May 26th, 1864, to May 26th, 1865

August 9th. From a friend in India £100.—August 25th. Received £800 as part of the legacy of the late Mr. T. D. The testator was personally unknown to me. During no former year had so much come in by legacies as during this year, and in almost every case from testators whom I had not known, to make the hand of God more manifest. I say this, for I desire to see His hand and to honour Him in connection with every legacy and donation which comes in for the work.

October 13th. Received £101 17s. 9d. as a further payment of the legacy of the late Mr. T. D.

November 10th. Received a half-sovereign, sent by the widow of an officer, whose husband fell in the Crimean War. This half-sovereign was found in his purse, and had been hitherto treasured up by the lady, who now thought it would be better spent for the Lord's work.—November 15th. One barrel of currants and five boxes of raisins, for the Christmas puddings for the Orphans. November 16th. From a poor servant of the Lord Jesus, labouring in the gospel in Honduras, who, year by year, for several years, had sent me £1, the following letter was received, with a large Mexican gold coin, worth 16 dollars:

Dear Brother Müller,

"I have just received from the hand of the Lord this donation, which I forward to you. I have been all this year asking the Lord to give me means, saying in childlike simplicity, 'Father, I have nothing this year to send to Brother Müller.' I felt confident that the Lord would give in His own time. I would have sent it in July, but my prayer-hearing Father in heaven thought it otherwise; He gives in September instead of July, and gives me more than I asked for; He raises up another friend, who begs me to forward his donation. I send sixteen dollars, five for myself and eleven for him."

January 26th. Received £42 12s. 5d., being a legacy of 500 dollars left by the widow of the late Admiral R., of Philadelphia, U.S. From a donor in one of the Midland Counties £100.

March 2nd. From Ireland £100.—March 4th. From Kent £100.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1864, to May 26th, 1865, was £11,839 12s. 2d.]

May 26th, 1865, to May 26th, 1866

October 23rd. Received "£10 for ferns." A Christian physician in Scotland has for the last three years cultivated ferns, which he sells in various parts of Scotland and England, and the money obtained for them he sends for the benefit of the Orphans. I refer to this as one of the many hundred different ways in which the Lord is pleased to supply us with means.—December 20th. Payment of the legacy of the late Mrs. J. de G. P., £249 14s. 10d—December 29th. From a commercial gentleman £200.

January 19th. From a Christian lady, a widow, £25, with the following letter:—

My dear Mr. Müller,

"With a heart overflowing with love and gratitude to my Heavenly Father for His providential care over me and mine—more especially since I became a widow, and my dear children fatherless—and in humble testimony to the faithfulness and truth of His blessed Word, in which He has caused me to put my trust, I now send a cheque for £25 for the support and maintenance of two Orphans for one year. —'Jehovah Jireh' has been my motto and anchor for more than seventeen years, and I am not disappointed of my hope. He who putteth his trust in the Lord shall not be destitute. Accept my Christian love, and believe me,

"Yours affectionately in the Lord, ——."

April 3rd. This day commenced with the receipt of only £26. However, I thanked the Lord for this, and asked Him for more; and my hope was in Him, that He would send us more. Accordingly, about 11 o'clock I received £10. I thanked God for this further donation and asked for more; about 2 o'clock £14 more came in. After having thanked the Lord again for this, I received about 3 o'clock £20 more. I further thanked the Lord, and asked for fresh supplies, when shortly after I received £6. Yet again I thanked the Lord, and asked for more, when another £5 was left at my house, from H. B., of Clifton. I again thanked the Lord for this, and about 7 o'clock in the evening received £16 more. Between 7 and 8 o'clock, after having once more thanked the Lord for the last amount, I said to my dear wife that He even then could send us more than we had had all the day. About 8 o'clock a pen-box arrived, well-packed and sealed. When I had opened it, I found that it contained an anonymous donation from Clifton, of £100 in Bank Notes, with the words, "£100 for the New Orphan House, Matt. 6:3." Thus the day, which began with £26, ended with about £200.—April 14th. Received a bill for £100 anonymously from India, with the following statement: "For the Orphans. In humble acknowledgment of special mercies vouchsafed by Almighty God to the donor, five other officers, several servants and camp-followers, at Mhotoor, in Central India, in April, 1865."

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1865, to May 26th, 1866, was £12,520 3s. 8d.]

July 7th. Received £1,000, with the following communication:—"I have enclosed a cheque for £1,000 for the benefit of the Orphans. It was what I intended leaving them by Will, but now, having money, I prefer giving it in my lifetime."

August 2nd. From a baronet £50, "As a thankoffering for the preservation of his animal; from the cattle plague." As the legacy of the late Mrs. E. M. £511 9s. 6d. From Ireland £200.

October 24th. From Ireland £600. The kind donor of this sum had many times, during the last fifteen or twenty years, given £5 or £10 at a time; and now ho is led by God, who sees the greatness of our expenses, and the very heavy increase of them, through the high price of provisions, the city taxes being put on, etc., to send us so much at once. Thus we have invariably found, in answer to our prayers, that, as our necessities increase, so also the help, which the Lord gives, does not fail. "From a member of the Society of Friends," £100.

November 8th. From a London gentleman £105. "To fill the empty meal barrels." They were not quite empty, though getting low; and as the oatmeal this year is much dearer than for several years past, it was indeed kind of the Lord to send me this donation.—November 30th. This morning we had only received for the benefit of the Orphans £10 16s. 6d., and for the Building Fund £19 2s. 6d. We gave thanks to the Lord for this, and asked for more. In the afternoon came in further £6 13s. 3d. In the evening, when my dear wife and I were giving thanks for this, there came in, while we were in prayer, £5 5s. We again gave thanks for this, when presently, while we were yet in prayer, there came in £2 1s. 9d., and 7s. 6d. We further praised the Lord for this, and told Him in prayer, that even this very evening He could send us more than He had done all the day, when a few minutes after there was a knock at the door, and a letter containing £300 was handed in, which a gentleman had just sent. In prayer we had especially spoken to the Lord about the high price of provisions, etc., and asked Him for large supplies on that account.

January 1st. From Clifton £150, with £5 for myself.

February 20th. This morning I received from Kent £300, with the following communication:—

"Permit a stranger to trouble you with the enclosed for the benefit of yourself or your Orphans, as you may most require. Having the charge of Orphans myself, I can fully sympathize with you in the awful responsibility and anxiety. Your efforts have hitherto been most wonderfully blessed. May the same blessing still attend them, and may the enclosed arrive at some moment when your heart needs cheering. Etc." In connection with the last sentence I now mention for the information of the reader, and also for the information of the kind donor, that the expenses of the previous week had been for the support of the Orphans alone, from February 12th to February 19th, about £700, and the income had been only about £120.

March 2nd. From New Zealand £6 8s. 9d., with the following letter: —

"We have great pleasure in forwarding you the proceeds of one shilling from every account received during the past year, which amounts to £3 19s.; also 7s. 3d. from our little girl, part of her pocket-money, and part from the sale of eggs from a hen, which she had set apart for the Orphans. Etc."

March 6th. "From a poor dressmaker, the first earnings of a sewingmachine, with which she had been presented," £1 4s.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th. 1866, to May 26th, 1867, was £13,456 17s. 4d.]

May 26th, 1867, to May 26th, 1868

June 15th. From Kampti, India, £100.—June 27th. Legacy of the late Miss C., of Exeter, £600. This lady I never saw, nor even knew by name.

October 2nd. Received the following letter, with £50:—

"Instead of feasting our eyes on the beauties of Scotland, my dear husband and I have sent you £50 to support four Orphans for one year. Etc."—October 25th. Received anonymously 2s. 6d., with the following letter:—

"The writer some years ago, when at school, was tempted to take a half-crown from a schoolfellow. I have many times since felt unhappy about it, and as I know that the one it was taken from does not need it, and would not be likely to remember the circumstance, were it mentioned, as she thought little of it at the time, supposing she must in some way have lost it herself, I have long determined to send it to you for the Orphans, as soon as I could afford it, small sum though it is, feeling sure that the lady from whom it was taken would like you to have it, as she is a Christian; and trusting that God will approve the way I have taken of making restitution."

This money could not be taken for the Institution; for it is not money that I seek, but money obtained in God's way. If £2,500 were sent to me under such circumstances it would equally be declined. To make restitution, under such circumstances, is our duty. The faith of one who has wronged another may be so weak that he cannot bear to own his guilt, because it may involve the risk of character or situation. Under such circumstances, nevertheless, though the faith should be weak, restitution is to be made, and that to the full, as soon as possible; but rather than not do it at all, for fear of losing the character or situation, it should be done secretly.

December 16th. From one of the Orphans, in service, £1 10s., with the following letter:—

Dear Mr. Müller,

"I hear you still give your children a treat at Christmas; if so, will you please take the enclosed £1 10s. towards it. I have been putting it aside for some time, to send it to you for that purpose. I do not forget the pleasure Christmas time was to us, when I was in the Orphan House. Etc."

The writer of this letter was one of the earliest Orphans, received 38 years since, was converted about 33 years ago, and has walked ever since in the ways of God.

December 21st. From the North of England £100.—December 24th. From "M. W." £100.—December 31st. From the neighbourhood of London £190, with £10 for myself.

January 1st. In peace of soul, looking to the Lord for help in every way, I entered upon this most eventful year, with the prospect before me of opening in the course of this year the New Orphan Houses No. 4 and No. 5, and thus so greatly enlarging the work, being, however, fully assured that my never failing Friend and Helper in heaven would not leave me nor forsake me. I received among many other donations to-day, from Clifton £150, with £5 for myself. From Manchester £50.—January 7th. From believers meeting at the Sand Area Chapel, Kendal, £34 0s. 6d.

February 6th. Received £5 0s. 4d. more from two gentlemen (who had previously sent £5), with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"Enclosed please find £5 more. We, when leaving America, were desirous to ship, for our own use, a favourite horse. After applying in vain to the insurance companies to insure the said horse, covering all risks (they only wishing to insure in part), we declined insuring him at all in said companies. We put the horse into the Lord's hands, and promised, if He would deliver him safe in England, we would pay to His cause £10. We have now fulfilled our promise.

"Respectfully yours, ——."

March 4th. From a clergyman £2, with the following letter:—

Dear Brother in the Lord,

"I again send you a Post Office Order for £2 for the Lord's work in your hands. I offer it to you, instead of sending this amount to insure myself against fire, desiring to believe that I am thus in greater security than otherwise.

"I am, yours very truly, ——."

May 19th. From a labourer in the gospel £100.—May 20th. From a gentleman £120, with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"My late poor deceased wife, a few weeks before her death, desired me to sell her little jewellery, and send you the proceeds towards your Orphan Schools. We had often talked of coming down to see them, but something always interfered; but I hope myself, God willing, to do so at some early period. Proceeds of sale of her jewels for the Orphans £100, from myself for the same purpose £10, and for your own use £10."

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1867, to May 26th, 1868, was £13,754 4s. 5d.]

May 26th, 1868, to May 26th, 1869

June 17th. A servant of the Lord Jesus, having had a legacy left to him, sent me £100 out of it for the Orphans.—August 17th. In April, 1868, I received the following letter:—

"Adelaide Hospital, Peter Street, Dublin, April 1st, 1868.

Dear Sir,

"I am unable to write, but have requested ——, the incumbent of ——, Dublin, to do so for me. I am a stranger to you, and am in a hospital in this city, lying, I believe, on my death-bed. I beg to say that I have left to you by Will all that I possess, together with two boxes, one of books, the other of clothes—I was born a Roman Catholic, but could never believe the doctrines of the Church of Rome. I married a Greek gentleman, and was unfortunately thrown into deistical society in Paris; and thus my faith was destroyed. I believed that Protestants had no religion; and seeing no alternative between Roman Catholicism and infidelity, I became an infidel. I am thankful to say, I have since met some Protestants who have convinced me that they have a religion, but you were the first person by whose example I learned that there are some men who live by faith. And now, dear Sir, when you receive this, I shall be no more. I feel, therefore, you will be anxious to know something of my present state of mind. Well, I can only say, my heart draws me to Christ, though my intellect is not satisfied. My earnest prayer and wish is to believe, and I ventured to ask to have these lines inscribed on my tomb:—

'She died, for Adam sinned:

She lives, for Christ has died,'

humbly hoping, that, like the woman in the gospel, I may find life by touching the hem of His garment, though it be with a trembling hand.

"Yours most faithfully, ——."

A short time after the reception of this letter, I received the box of books and box of clothes, above referred to, and learned also, through Christian friends, that this lady, the testatrix, had died as a believer in the Lord Jesus; and on August 17th, 1868, I received the amount of the legacy, being £40 16s. 3d. I have gladly given all these particulars, in order to furnish another proof as to the variety of ways in which it pleases God to supply the means for this Institution; and also to prove how this work is used, in showing to persons, and even infidels, the reality of the things of God.

September 16th. From Sussex £200.—October 14th. Legacy of the late Mrs. B. £449.

November 5th. This day the New Orphan House No. 4 was opened, and thus the answer to thousands of prayers was granted. November 9th. Received from the neighbourhood of Philadelphia £1, with the following letter from one of the Orphans, who twenty-three years since was apprenticed. He has been a Christian for a long time, and is in business on his own account:—

My dear Sir,

"It was with great pleasure that we received your last Report. When I think of the great work which you are carrying on through the goodness of the Lord, and that you still remember me, it makes me feel happy. It is with feelings of gratitude I look back to the happy days when I was under your care; but the same faithful God that watched over me in England, has watched over me and my family in America. My dear Sir, when I received your letter, I said to my wife, 'Well, now, the first pair of boots that I sell, I will send £1 to Mr. Müller.' In two days or so I sold a pair of men's boots for eight dollars, and now I send you an order for £1. With kindest love,

"I remain, your affectionate Orphan, ——."

November 18th. Legacy of the late Miss B., £300 Consols.—November 19th. From Tobago, "the proceeds of 1,000 cocoanuts, in remembrance of a visit to the Orphan Houses," £5.—November 20th. Anonymously from Glasgow £100.—November 23rd. Received 2s., with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"Please to accept 2s. for the dear Orphans. Three months ago I was reading your Report, and I thought I should like to give something toward the support of the Orphans, and I resolved, by God's grace, to give one halfpenny out of every shilling I earn by washing. I have not told any one about it, save my husband, and he wanted me to send it without a name, but I said you would like to have the name, so for this reason I give it."

Three months later, on February 22nd, 1869, I received from the same donor 2s. 2½d., with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"I am glad to send you the quarter's money, one halfpenny out of every shilling obtained by washing, which has amounted to 2s. 2½d., as I keep account of what I earn every week. I would just say, that the Lord has sent me £1 10s. 7d. more in the last six months than in the former six months. Please to take it for the Orphans."

Notice how the Lord gave to this poor person £1 10s. 7d. more during the latter than during the former six months, so that her 4s. 2½d. was repaid more than sevenfold.

November 24th. Legacy of the late J. D., Esq., £225.—December 11th. An old five-guinea piece from New Zealand.

January 1st. As the past year had ended with abundant help, so the New Year brought the Lord's abundant provisions also. Out of the very many donations received this day, I only notice £150 from Clifton, with £5 for myself. From Manchester £50. From a working party at Newton Abbot £18.—January 21st. From a medical gentleman £18 19s., "being the amount of the first seven days of the New Year, in his profession."

February 19th. When I came home last evening, I found a cheque for £500 from the neighbourhood of London. Thus, while the expenses are very great, the Lord is also pleased largely to send in the means. This has never been more blessedly realized than during the past year, so that, while the outgoings were by far greater than ever for the current expenses, the income was also greater than ever. How blessed, then, to have the living God Himself as our never-failing Friend and Helper!

February 20th. Received from a military officer of high rank, a dressing-case containing 3 diamond rings, a ring set with 2 rubies and small diamonds, a pearl ring, 2 other gold rings, 2 gold bracelets, a vinaigrette, a gold necklace with locket, another necklace, a pearl brooch, 4 other brooches, etc.

April 5th. From Scotland £1, from "The Orphans' Bee-Hive." A Bee- Hive is set apart for the benefit of the Orphans, and the yearly produce sent. Thus hens, cows, sheep, pear-trees, apple-trees, cherry-trees, peach-trees, small pieces of land, etc., have been again and again set apart by kind Christian friends, who take an interest in this work. From Staffordshire £1 10s., "Instead of champagne for the wedding breakfast." It is scarcely necessary to comment on this. Truly, if any step in life ought to be taken in the fear of God, according to His mind, and in the greatest sobriety, it is when persons enter upon the conjugal life. The not having champagne at the wedding breakfast would provide 200 Orphans with a breakfast.

May 25th. Received £5 from one of the Orphans, who 14 years since was sent out as an apprentice to a printer.—May 26th. "From a Willing Giver" £60, with £10 for myself.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1868, to May 26th, 1869, was £16,657 5s. 5d.]

May 26th, 1869, to May 26th, 1870

During this year we had 1,886 Orphans under our care, and therefore several thousand pounds more still were required than during the previous year. The Orphan work alone was now already grown to such a magnitude, as that the current expenses for this one year amounted to more than £20,000. Yet we lacked nothing. The Lord was pleased to supply us during that year also bountifully. I refer now again to a very few donations out of the thousands received during the year.

May 27th. On the very first day of the new financial year I received an anonymous donation of £5 from Malta.—May 31st. Anonymously £14 put into the letter-box at my house, without stating for what Object. They were taken for the Orphans.

June 15th. This morning and last evening had only come in altogether about £4. How little for all the various branches of this work, as our expenses are now above £100 daily! However, my dear wife and I thanked the Lord together for this little, and asked Him to be pleased to send us more. In the course of the day came in altogether £62 more, and anonymously were left at my house, a diamond ring, 8 gold rings, 9 gold brooches, 3 other brooches, 3 gold lockets, 2 gold seals, a gold clasp, a gilt, ditto, 2 watch hooks, a gold pencil-case, 3 coral necklaces, 2 coral bracelets, 10 other bracelets, etc. The articles were intended half for Missions in Spain, and half for the Orphans.—August 5th. From Tahiti, South Seas, £5.

September 23rd. Four £50 notes, from a London donor. The kind donor came to see the Orphan Houses, and to see me, to ask various questions about the work; but being engaged at the time, one of my assistants saw him. He expressed himself especially pleased with the way in which the means were obtained for the support of the Institution. Thus, without my ever having seen him, he gave the £200; and on March 26th, 1870, he sent another donation of £300.

October 20th. From E. B. £500, "In acknowledgment of the particular mercy of God to the donor." A gentleman called on me, unknown to me up to that moment, stating that a friend wished to give me £500, but desired entirely to remain unknown; and this gentleman engaged to convey the money to me. See, esteemed reader, how God is pleased to help me. On this same day I received £333 12s. as a payment of the legacy of the late Miss M. C.—October 22nd. From Grand Hotel, Vevey, Switzerland, £15, with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"I enclose you my cheque for £15, the result of the accidental perusal yesterday, a very wet day, in the reading-saloon of this hotel, of the Thirtieth Report of the New Orphan Houses on Ashley Down."

November 3rd. This morning a visitor in Bristol, who delights in the saying of our Lord Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than to receive," brought me £1,000 for the Orphans and £10 for myself. The Christian donor, who was up to this time an entire stranger to me, had intended to buy and furnish a house with this money; but the Lord directed him to give the money to me instead; to which he joyfully replied: "Lord, all I have and am is Thine. I will gladly take this money to dear brother Müller." You have in this, dear reader, another precious proof how God is pleased to delight in providing us with means, and how unbounded His resources are. Is it not well, then, to trust in Him to the full? Verily it is, and we are, by His grace, purposed to do so yet more and more for everything.

December 31st. On this last day of the year I received about 80 donations, amounting altogether to more than £200.

January 1st. As the Old Year had closed under the manifest help of God, so the New was made to open by the Lord with abundant help and blessing in the way of pecuniary supplies. In the course of the day I received 133 donations, amounting altogether to £660.—January 6th. This is the long-looked-for day, and the long-prayed-for day, when the last house also, the New Orphan House No. 5 could be opened.

February 4th. Received £500 as the legacy of the late J. S., Esq.—February 14th. Received £200 as "A gift from a friend in Hastings."—February 16th. From Clevedon £40, as the proceeds of a Christmas Tree.—February 26th. From the neighbourhood of London £290, with £10 for myself.

April 13th. From one of the former Orphans, now for about twenty years in service, £1. I think she has sent perhaps fifty donations, since she left our care.

May 17th. Legacy of the late Mrs. S., of Edinburgh, £100, with £10 for myself.—May 21st. From Scotland £50.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1869, to May 26th, 1870, was £20,197 14s. 9½d.]

June 25th. Received £1,000 as the legacy of the late W. R., Esq. This gentleman was an entire stranger to me. I had not heard even his name, during his lifetime; but after his death it was found that he had left £1,000 for the benefit of the Orphans on Ashley Down. How blessed, to have God on our side, who has the hearts of all in His hands.