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

July 16th. From a Christian dressmaker in Ireland £1 3s. 3d., being twopence on each dress she makes. From New South Wales £15. From Somersetshire anonymously fifteen £20 Railway Bonds, which wore sold out at £233 12s. 6d. Just look, esteemed reader, at these three last donations, and see in what a variety of ways the Lord supplies me. Here is this Christian dressmaker, working hard; but God put it into her heart to lay aside twopence out of the payment for each dress for the benefit of the Orphans. This gentleman in New South Wales, an entire stranger to me, as is also the Christian dressmaker, sends £15 from that great distance, to help me in this work. And lastly this kind anonymous donor who sent these bonds.—August 10th. To-day I had the great joy of receiving a letter from California, from a young man, one of the former Orphans, who, after giving sorrow and pain to us for a considerable time, now is brought to the knowledge of the Lord. Thus our prayers regarding him have been turned into praises.

August 19th. Anonymously, in a registered parcel, Turkish Bonds for £700, and 10 shares of the "Italian Irrigation Canal Company." This donation obviously came from the same kind unknown donor who sent the Railway Bonds. See how God helps! The work is great and becoming greater and greater, and therefore the expenses also increase more and more; but God is able to keep pace with our necessities, in sending supplies. And this we experienced during no period more than during the last twelve months. Received £100 as the legacy of the late J. S., Esq., of Exeter, through his widow. This lady needed not to have paid this legacy, as it only actually fell due after her death; but she very kindly paid it to the Institution, as she had the means so to do.

October 18th. Received £4 7s., with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"At the close of December last, I was staying one Sunday at the Castle Hotel, ——, and after dinner took up one of your Reports, which was lying on the table, and read portions of it. I was struck by the number of cases in which persons had been led to practise acts of self-denial, so that the Orphans might be benefited. I at once thought whether there was not some way in which, by exercising a little self-denial, I might contribute to the Orphans' support. After a little reflection I determined that I would discontinue to conform to the usual rule in the commercial-room, that of taking wine with dinner, and give the amount saved to the Funds of the Orphan Institution. I have only taken an occasional short journey in Wales, and circumstances have occurred to terminate my engagement with the firm I travelled for. I was fifty-eight days travelling on business in Wales, since I made the determination, and I think 1s. 6d. per day will be about the average amount saved. I therefore have great pleasure in enclosing Post Office Order for £4 7s., and am thankful that I was led, by God's Holy Spirit, to make the determination I did. If I should ever travel again, and use the commercial-room, I intend to act in the same way."

November 16th. From London £62 10s. for the support of five Orphans for one year, with £10 for myself. The kind donor supports as many Orphans as he has children of his own, and has increased the number of Orphans for support as the Lord has been pleased to increase the number of his own children. See, esteemed reader, in what a variety of ways God works for the Orphans. Have Him on your side, and you are provided for. You would naturally say, the greater the number of our children, the less one can afford to support Orphans; but here it is the reverse. Thus I have found it many, many times, that God helps in the most unlooked-for way.

December 7th. Received from a wholesale house, 40 half boxes of Valencias.—December 8th. From a wholesale house 7 barrels of flour, 12 boxes of Valencias, and 1 barrel of currants, for Christmas puddings for the Orphans. It is a little item, to make one or two Christmas puddings in a family; but very different this little item, when about two thousand persons are to be considered, and, especially, as it is my aim, while it is to be kept before these dear children that they will have to work for their bread hereafter, yet that they should have as happy and pleasant a recollection of the home of their childhood as their position in life allows. Whenever the very smallest treat is given, it always involves an outlay of a considerable sum, as so many hundreds are to be treated; for we desire to do nothing by partiality.—December 21st. Received anonymously from "A mechanic," in Gloucestershire, £4, with the following letter:—

Sir,

"After reading your Report, I felt inclined to try to save a little money myself, towards the support of the children; so I considered what way I could do it, and I suggested to myself, if I have done with a pint of beer a day, it would amount to something in a year; so, by God's help, I have been enabled to save £4, for which sum I have enclosed a Post Office Order. If you would be kind enough to accept it towards some pudding for the Orphans on Christmas Day, I should feel obliged.

"From your sincere well-wisher, A Mechanic."

December 31st. From a builder at a great distance £10, being £1 for every house he sold during the past year. In the previous year he had sent £6, being likewise £1 for each house he had then sold.—There came in altogether this last day of the year for the support of the Orphans £367.

January 2nd. Received £50 from the North of England, £60 from one of the Midland Counties.—January 31st. A Christian lady sent me 2s. 6d. from a very poor woman, with the following letter:—

My dear Christian Friend,

"A very suffering and much tried poor woman, whom I have loved for 9½ years, came to see me in my affliction, and I found she wanted to tell me of the deep exercise of her mind. She had felt how very gracious the Lord had been to her soul, her dear afflicted husband's, and at least to two of her living children, as well as to several now with the Lord; and the question arose, what can I do for Him? She wanted to prove her love; He had proved His. As to money, her husband had not been able to earn one shilling for more than three years, suffering from consumption and asthma, and she was obliged to give up going out as a charwoman, etc., through his illness. The Parish allows him 3s. 6d. a week, and her 1s. 6d. as his nurse; this is all, except what the Lord's people contribute. She told me, she felt she must give a little of their little to the Lord (they have one delicate child to support). What ought she to give? She thought, a halfpenny of every shilling she had given her, and believed the Lord could bless 11½d. and make it go as far as 1s. Satan strove hard to dissuade her, but, by prayer she triumphed. Then the words, 'First fruits of all thy increase' came with power. What? Of the weekly Parish money? Could she, ought she? Such a struggle followed, she had not any sleep that night; but she was made more than conqueror, for she felt she would do so and with assurance of the Lord's acceptance. She named it to her husband, and he was quite willing; so last evening she gave me with delight 2s. 6d., which she had asked me to send to 'dear Mr. Müller' for the Lord's service. The contest, as she described it, seemed so real with the enemy, and the victory was so triumphant, that the 2s. 6d. seems like spoil won in battle. Etc."

March 15th. From Liverpool, from a Christian gentleman and lady, who had it laid upon them to give up their jewellery, a gold breastpin, set with a carbuncle and a diamond, a large gold brooch, 8 other brooches, a gold chain, 2 gold Albert chains, 2 gold lockets, a gold watch-key, 4 gold rings, 2 gold studs, 2 gold pencil-cases, 2 silver ditto, a pair of links, a watch-hook, a silver vinaigrette, a silver fruitknife and 3 jet ornaments. Will this gentleman and lady be losers by giving up these articles? Will they have scriptural cause to regret having done so? Verily not. If all the gold and silver articles, the diamonds and other precious stones, which are now in the possession of the disciples of the Lord Jesus, were laid down at His feet, how many hundreds of thousands of pounds would thus at once be furnished for the work of God, or for the poor disciples of our Lord!

April 8th. "A cobbling shoemaker long desired to send something for the support of the Orphans; his work, however, was very slack, and he cried earnestly to God for 1,000 pairs of shoes to repair, within twelve months, promising to send a farthing per pair for the Orphans. His prayer was answered, and he has much joy in sending the £1 0s. 10d." Received on the same day from one of the Midland Counties £60, and from Sussex £100.

May 17th. Legacy of the late J. A., Esq., £5,000, with £196 13s. 4d., being the interest at 4 per cent., for one year, less property tax. Thus, in one sum, I received £5,196 13s. 4d. as a legacy. The receipt of this amount I felt especially gracious of the Lord; for the expenses of late have been extremely great. During the past week I had paid out altogether for the various Objects of the Institution about £1,500. The kind testator I had never seen, though he had many times sent me £10 at a time.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1870, to May 26th, 1871, was £22,660 16s. 5d.]

June 9th. Received £60 from one of the Midland Counties. From Kent £50.—June 19th. From a gentleman at Liverpool £20, "Saved by not smoking cigars last year."

July 8th. The following letter was received from a young man, a former Orphan, who had honourably served out his time as an apprentice, and to whom, therefore, his indentures were sent, on the receipt of which he wrote:—

Dear and honoured Sir,

"It is my delight and privilege once more to write the expression of my most grateful thanks to you, my kind benefactor, for having placed another helpless Orphan in the way of procuring for himself an honest livelihood, and of being a respectable and useful member of society. I am one, dear Sir, among the hundreds, who will have to praise God, through the countless ages of eternity, for the wondrous way in which He has used your most useful and beneficial life. May your life, dear Sir, be still long spared, that many more of the helpless Orphans of Great Britain may be placed in the way of finding a way through the rugged paths of life; but, above all, of finding One who will guard them and guide them. Since I have been at C——, I have joined the Church, where about forty years ago you preached a sermon. I have been taught by your life, dear Sir, that there is something truly noble and grand for u man to live for; there is nought more noble than the cause for which you have spent and are still spending your valuable life, and for which cause I hope to spend mine, namely the cause of Christ. Believe me, dear Sir,

"Yours most gratefully, ——."

The writer had been nineteen months a believer, before he was apprenticed. This letter shows that the work of God, begun in his heart at the Orphan House, had been carried on.—July 29th. Several months since, there was given to me, for the benefit of the Orphans, by deed of gift, during the lifetime of the owner, some property at West Malvern. This property was disposed of for £500, and to-day the payment received.

November 1st. From a gentleman residing in London £250.—November 14th. By sale of diamonds, gold and silver articles, dentist gold, coins, etc., £152 10s.—November 15th. From near London £290, with £10 for myself.

January 1st. The New Year on which the Lord has allowed us to enter has brought new blessings and help from the Lord. Of the donations, which came in this day, I only mention the following: From a working party at Newton Abbot £38. From Clifton £150, with £5 for myself.—January 3rd. From a house of business, in which it was decided to do business only on the ready-money system from January 1st, £58 19s. 4d., being the takings of the first day.

March 8th. A gentleman and lady at a considerable distance, personally unknown to me, whose property had been increased, kindly sent me £450 for the Orphans and £50 for myself.

May 11th. From Lancashire £20, "Saved by not smoking any cigars during the last year." Received 5s., with the following letter, from an Orphan formerly under our care:—

Dear and respected Sir,

"It is with heartfelt gratitude I write this letter to you, and thank you for all your kindness to us children. Five of us have been under your fatherly care, and are now scattered in different parts of England."

In connection with this letter I would state, what may not be known to all the readers, that we do not receive merely one Orphan out of a family, but two, three, four, five, six, or seven. We have repeatedly, as in the case of the writer of this letter, received five children from the same family, and delight in being able to do so, in order that the children of the same parents may yet remain near each other, and that there may not be one only in an Orphan Home and the others in Unions.

While I am writing this, I have, during the last three days, paid out for the Orphans alone more than £1,000, whilst the income for them was altogether £44 in these three days. And such a difference between the income and the outgoings is not a rare occurrence. How would the reader feel, with more than 2,000 guests at the table, day by day, under such circumstances?

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1871, to May 26th, 1872, was £24,188 14s. 8½d.]

May 26th, 1872, to May 26th, 1873

June 12th. From Scotland £500. When this donation arrived, we were not only in heavy trial on account of smallpox among the children, whereby also our expenses were considerably increased; but the income also had been comparatively small for several days. Thus the Lord greatly refreshed us. June 19th. Received £1 from a former Orphan, with the following letter:—

Dear and honoured Sir,

"Most probably my name and person will be equally strange to you, but not so yours to me; for, when my parents were taken from me in 1858, you opened your benevolent heart, and your home received and maintained and protected me, till in March, 1867, my eldest brother, having grown up, sent for me, and relieved you of the burden of me, as he was by that time able to provide for me. Having since then my education carried on, first in England and afterwards in France, I am now able to maintain myself, and am doing so as a governess in the family of a minister. From my first earnings I wish to offer something, towards the Funds of the Home which sheltered me when I had no other. Will you therefore be pleased to accept my mite, as a very trifling expression of the deep gratitude and love I owe and feel towards your noble cause."

October 22nd. Received £5, with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"As the father of a large family, I hand you for the Orphans £5 as a thankoffering to my Heavenly Father for His goodness in sparing the life of my beloved wife."

October 25th. From London £39 5s. 6d., with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"I observed in your last published Report, that some gentlemen contribute to the support of the Orphans in the New Orphan Houses under your care according to the number of their own children. This appears to me a very reasonable mode of acknowledging God's goodness, and I wish to imitate it. I accordingly have the pleasure of sending £39 5s. 6d. for the support of three Orphans for one year."

November 1st. From a baronet in Somersetshire £80, with £20 for myself. From a baronet in Essex £50.—November 6th. By sale of a diamond ring, dentist gold, plate, and gold and silver jewellery, £102 10s. During this year, as from the beginning, a large quantity of jewellery, gold and silver coins, plate, gold and silver watches, etc., was sent to be sold for the benefit of the Orphans. Likewise a great variety of new and worn clothes, material for children's clothes, articles of food, etc. During this year alone we realized by sale of articles sent to be sold, £801 7s. 6d., and from the beginning of the Institution £16,362 14s. 4¾d. For the articles sent for sale we have a large room fitted up at the Bible and Tract Warehouse, 78, Park Street, Bristol.

January 1st. Through the year 1872, also, as through many previous years, the Lord carried us in His faithful love, always supplying us, in every way, according to our need; and now, in the opening of this year, He has begun to supply bountifully our need with regard to pecuniary necessities.—From Clifton £150, with £5 for myself.—January 13th. Received from Reading £100, anonymously.—January 14th. From Devonshire £104 4s. 11d.—February 1st. The legacy of the late R. C., Esq., £500.

Receives a Thousand Pounds Anonymously

March 15th. Received to-day the following anonymous letter by post, dated March 12th, 1873:—

Dear Sir,

"The sum of £1,000 is placed at your credit at the West of England Bank, Bristol, for and on behalf of your Orphanage, Please acknowledge in the London Times of Wednesday or Thursday next, that you have received this sum, and as from 'A Friend of the Orphan.' "—The £1,000 was received at once at the bank. I thank this and all the kind anonymous donors, who have contributed. I cannot describe the spiritual refreshment this donation was to me. The expenses had been for several weeks £1,000, or even £1,500 a week, and the income not nearly as much, though we had enough, on account of what the Lord kindly had sent in before. Now, however, both on March 14th, and on March 15th, the Lord was pleased to give bountifully.

May 1st. Received £1 as "First offering from two of God's children at the beginning of their married life."—May 2nd. "From J. W. A., in memoriam of W. J. A.," £100.

During this year, after much consideration and prayer, we decided on training the schoolmasters for our own schools, from among converted, and in other respects suitable boys, letting them be, for live years pupil teachers, and, if they give, by their deportment, progress in their education, and otherwise satisfaction, we, purpose to appoint them as assistant-masters in the Orphan Houses, and, after further trial in this capacity, to make them either regular masters at the Orphan Houses, or give to them one of those many Day Schools now connected with the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad. This plan has now been for about fifteen months in operation, and has given to us, up to the present, great satisfaction and comfort. On May 15th, 1873, I received from the pupil teachers of the New Orphan House No. 4 the following letter:—

Dear and honoured Sir,

"Please to accept our warmest, thanks for your kindness in placing us in the position of pupil teachers. We hope, by the help of God, to be able to maintain our position, and also, by steady perseverance, to rise in our calling. We thank you very much for your kindness in allowing us sixpence weekly. We all like our present occupation, and hope, as time proceeds, to like it more and more; and we also hope to grow in the grace and knowledge of God our Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have found the word of the Psalmist fulfilled to the letter, when he said, 'When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will, take me up.' The Lord has indeed taken us up, and placed us under your fatherly care and protection, and has also given us advantages above the ordinary run of Orphan boys. But in one sense we are not Orphans; for we have a Father in heaven, whose tender care and protection will shield us from all the fiery darts of the wicked. Please to accept our kindest wishes, that God would yet spare your life many years, to carry on His own work.

"We remain, dear Sir, yours respectfully,

"The Pupil Teachers of No. 4.".

We reckon this arrangement to be of great importance, not only as regards the good of the Orphan work generally, and that of the boys who are trained to become masters in particular, but especially with regard to the rising generation generally, to seek to provide a considerable number of truly godly and able teachers.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1872, to May 26th, 1873, was £24,332 10s. 3d.]

May 26th, 1873, to May 26th, 1874

October 30th. The legacy of the late Miss J. K. £180.—November 12th. Anonymously from Clifton a gold watch and £95, with £5 for myself.—November 22nd. From Darlington £10. November 29th. Received £500 by the sale of two houses, which had been given to me to be sold for the benefit of the Orphans, by a Christian donor, whom I have never seen.—December 1st. From a donor who was thirty-nine years ago a pupil in the first Day School for boys of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, £10 10s.—December 19th. From X. Y. Z., instead of going to a public dinner, £3 3s.—December 20th. From the neighbourhood of London, £290, with £10 for myself.—December 31st. From Clifton £150, with £5 for myself.

January 3rd. From Ireland £50.—January 14th. From Yorkshire £300.—February 4th. From London £100.—February 20th. "From Poor Richard" £50.—March 3rd. From Wolverhampton £50.

March 17th. For about eight days the income for the Orphan work had been very little, in comparison with the outgoings, which generally of late had been about £100 per day. I therefore gave myself especially to prayer with my dear wife, praying two or three times a day together, besides our usual season for prayer, that the Lord would be pleased to send us more means. Yesterday, however, came but very little, about £10. Now this morning we prayed again, before opening the letters of the first delivery, and the first letter contained a cheque for £300 from London, from a kind donor whom I have never seen, but who has several times sent £200 or £300 at a time.

April 11th. Legacy of the late Miss M. B. £60 11s. 1d. The testatrix had left £200, but her personal effects not having been properly considered, and certain defects found in the Will as expressed, only £60 11s. 1d. came to the Institution.—April 21st. Legacy of the late T. W. H., Esq., £100. From one of the Midland Counties £60. From the neighbourhood of Manchester £50. From the neighbourhood of Weymouth £50.—April 24th. Five tons of potatoes. From Maidstone £43 9s. 5d.—May 26th. From Dorsetshire £50.

[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1873, to May 26th, 1874, was £24,186 0s. 9½d.]