Marked Deliverances in Connection with the Funds for the First Four Objects, 1844–18
CHAPTER IX
MARKED DELIVERANCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE FUNDS FOR THE FIRST FOUR OBJECTS, 1844–1849
July 14th, 1844, to May 26th, 1846
AUGUST 10th, 1844. In the greatest need, when not one penny was in hand, I received £5 from a brother at Hackney. I took half of this sum for these Objects, and half for the Orphans.
October 1st. This evening I received a Bank Order for £70, to be used as the Lord might direct me. This money came in most seasonably, as I am thus able to pay to the six teachers who labour in the six Day Schools, their salaries. I took £30 of the £70 for these Objects, and £40 for the Orphans.
January 13th. When there was nothing in hand towards our many necessities for these Objects, I received to-day the following valuable donation: Three forty-franc pieces, two twenty-franc pieces, six fivefranc pieces, seven two-franc pieces, eleven one-franc pieces, fourteen half-franc pieces, twenty-one quarter-of-a-franc pieces, and fifty-two other small Italian and French silver coins.
From May 6th, 1845, to May 26th, 1846, we experienced no difficulty at all as to means, the Lord having always seasonably sent in the supplies, so that, without any one exception, I was always able not only to meet all the demands connected with the Day Schools, the Sunday School, and the Adult Schools, but I was also able to do more, as far as regards means, in aiding the circulation of Tracts, and helping missionary efforts, than at any previous period of the same length.—June 23rd. With Philip. 4:6, for circulation of Tracts and Bibles in foreign lands, or as needed, £60.—October 12th. There came in £150.
February 26th. I received £200, of which £100 was to be used for missionary work in foreign lands, and £100 for brethren who labour in England, in the Word and doctrine without any stated salary.
Before I received this donation, I had been especially led to ask the Lord that He would be pleased to condescend to use me more largely in helping missionary brethren.
May 26th, 1846, to May 26th, 1848
During no period, from the commencement of the operations of this Institution, was I entrusted by the Lord with such large sums, as during the period from 1846 to 1848. I had never had more need of pecuniary supplies than during those two years, on account of the many pressing calls; but, at the same time, I had the exceeding great joy and privilege of being able to respond to them in such a way as I had never before been allowed to do.
It has often struck me, that one special reason why, on the whole, I was allowed to have so little trial with regard to means for the work during those two years, in comparison with former times, may have been, that thereby the Lord would say that He was willing to give what would be needed when once the New Orphan House* should be built, though the expenses would be about two thousand five hundred pounds a year more than they were before. Another reason also may have been, because in many other ways trials of faith and patience came upon me in connection with the Institution during those two years, that therefore the Lord may not have exercised me so much by the want of pecuniary means as before. But especially also one reason, why the Lord generally gave me so great an abundance during those two years, seems to me this, that it might be seen, not only how He can help us day by day when we are poor, but also how able and willing He is to cause us to abound, when this is for His honour and for our profit.
June 4th. To-day was given to me, just when I rose from my knees, after having asked the Lord for more means, especially for missionary purposes, the sum of £150–£50 for the Orphans, £50 for labourers in England, and £50 for labourers abroad.
September 4th. To-day there was given to me £305 17s. 3d. for home and foreign labourers, for present use for the Orphans, and for the other parts of the work. Thus I have again the desire of my heart given to me in being able to assist a number of dear brethren at home and abroad, to whom I desired to send help. Of this sum I took £205 17s. 3d. for these Objects.
October 22nd. This morning's post had brought no means. Whilst walking in my little garden for meditation and prayer, I said to myself—"Though the post has brought no means, yet the Lord can send even this day rich supplies." It was not two minutes after this, when a letter was handed to me, which had been brought that moment, containing two fifty-pound notes and these words: "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Thus I had a fresh answer to my prayers, which had been again brought before the Lord this morning, that He would enable me still more to help the dear brethren who labour at home and abroad in dependence upon Him for supplies.
December 22nd. I received £175 more for these Funds, which I took as a further precious answer to my supplication to God, for help for home and foreign labourers, and for means to procure a fresh stock of Tracts.
March 7th. Often of late have I besought the Lord that He would be pleased to give me more means for these Objects. For more than nine months we have on the whole abounded more than at any time during the thirteen years since this work first began; but now there was only £15 left for the support of six Day Schools, two Sunday Schools, an Adult School, and the circulation of Bibles and Tracts. Often also of late had I entreated the Lord that He would be pleased to condescend to use me still further as a steward, in allowing me to send help to the many dear brethren whom I know labouring at home and abroad without any salary, the need of many of whom I knew. Under these circumstances I received this morning £150.
April 5th. I have been praying day by day, ever since I was able during the last month to send about £130 to home and foreign labourers, that the Lord would be pleased soon again to give me means for them, on account of their great need; indeed, all our means were so exhausted, that I had only just enough, for to-morrow evening, to meet the weekly expenses connected with the six Day Schools, when this morning I received £125 for these Objects. What a precious help! How is my heart refreshed by this seasonable answer to prayer!
On June 8th there was given £100 for missionary purposes.
August 25th. Great had been my desire to send fresh supplies to the home and foreign labourers. Day by day had I been again praying for means for them since July 16th. Now also I had nothing in hand for the Bible and Tract Fund; and as to the Schools, there was not nearly enough to pay the weekly salaries to the teachers next Tuesday evening, when I received this evening £120 for these Objects.
October 12th. The very great need of some of the dear brethren who labour in the Word, and whom I seek to assist, had led me again day by day to bring their cases before God. I also needed help for the School, Bible, and Tract Fund. Now this evening the Lord has once more helped me by a donation of £180, of which I took £40 for the Orphans, £100 for home and foreign labourers, and £40 for the School, Bible, and Tract Fund. How seasonable and how precious this help! How precious to me as the fruit of many prayers, and how seasonable to many who are in need, and who will be thus assisted! Moreover, I am just now in deep sorrow and great trial, the cause of which I will not mention here; and thus God Himself cheers and refreshes my heart, and tells me, by this fresh precious and manifest answer to prayer, that He is mindful of His poor unworthy servant, and of the work in which he is engaged.
February 10th. There came in about £65 more for missionary purposes during the month of January, and to-day was given to me a donation of £100, the disposal of which being left to me, I took half of it for these Objects, and half for the Orphans, and thus I am able, after much waiting upon God for it, to send a little more help to brethren who labour in the Word.
April 13th. This is only the second time since May 26th, 1846, that the means for these Objects have been completely exhausted. Under these circumstances prayer and faith were again resorted to. For my universal remedy in need of any kind is, to make known my requests unto God, and then I seek to believe that God has heard me for His dear Son's sake, and I look out for answers to my petitions, and fully expect them. I had also particularly requested four brethren, masters of the Boys' Day Schools, to help me with their prayers, as I should not be able to pay them their weekly salary, next week, unless the Lord were pleased to send in means.—Thus situated, I received this morning, as the fruit of many supplications, the sum of £90, which was a great refreshment to my spirit.
May 26th. By the Lord's faithful love I have been enabled to meet all the heavy expenses connected with these Objects during the last two years, amounting to nearly £2,600, and at the same time owe no one anything, and have a balance of £5 19s. 7¼d. left in hand.
May 26th, 1848, to May 26th, 1850
June 9th. Great has been my desire, and many have been my prayers to God, that He would be pleased to condescend to use me still further, in allowing me the privilege of helping brethren who labour in the Word and doctrine, at home and abroad, without any salary, as I have been able to do but very little for them comparatively during the last four months. Now at last, in answer to my prayers, I have received this morning £160 for home and foreign labourers.—The Lord may see it needful, for the trial of our faith, to seem for a season not to regard our supplications; yet, if we patiently and believingly continue to wait upon Him, it will be manifest in His own time, and way, that we did not call upon Him in vain.
August 19th. To-day, when all the means for home and foreign labourers were again gone, there came in £267. Thus my heart is made glad, for I am able to send help to many brethren in these days of peculiar distress.
November 9th. Only a few shillings were left in my hands on Tuesday evening, the 7th instant, towards the weekly salaries of the teachers, for the coming week. Also almost all the Tracts are again gone, and it is nearly four weeks since I paid out the last money in hand for missionary Objects. As to this latter point, my heart had been especially longing to be able to send again help to home and foreign labourers, knowing how very great the need of many is. Thus I was situated with regard to means when I received to-day £1,000, of which sum I took £300 for these Objects. The Lord be praised for this most precious help, which is doubly precious on account of the seasonable time in which it comes!
January 15th. The means for the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, and for all the various Schools, and for helping missionary efforts, had now been reduced to £15. It had been during the last days especially my prayer, that the Lord would be pleased to give me fresh supplies for brethren who labour in the Word and doctrine. Now the Lord has again given me a precious answer to prayer. I received this morning a donation of £200, to be used as any of the Objects might need help. The donor, however, kindly wished me to take £25 for myself. I took this £175 for these Objects.
January 17th. To-day I received £125 for these Objects. How manifest it is by all these sums, large and small, received from God in answer to prayer, that He does not allow me to call upon Him in vain!
February 19th. A brother in the Lord, who had sold his earthly possessions, for the purpose of spending the proceeds of them for the Lord, sent me £120, of which he wished me to use £100 for Missions.
February 20th. To-day I have received £200, of which I took £100 for these Objects, as the disposal of this sum was entirely left to me. —I do especially rejoice in all these considerable donations, partly, because they enable me to assist so many faithful servants of Jesus Christ, who labour for Him in dependence upon Him for their temporal supplies; and, partly, because they prove that the work of God may be carried on in dependence upon Him alone for pecuniary means, not merely on a small but also on a large scale. See! dear Christian reader, without making any effort whatever, simply in answer to prayer, without personal application to any one, all these sums come in. If it pleased the Lord to condescend to use me further in this way, He could so order that even a still larger field of labour were entrusted to me, which would require still greater sums. Truly, it must be manifest to all simple-hearted children of God, who will carefully read the accounts respecting this Institution, that He is most willing to attend to the supplications of His children.
April 18th. Received £250, which, being entirely left at my disposal, I took £150 for these Objects.
May 23rd. Received £360, of which the kind donor wished me to take £10 for my own personal expenses, and the £35 were left to my disposal. I took therefore one half for these Objects.