Twenty-five Years of Increasing Supplies for the Funds of the First Four Objects, 1 (part 2 of 3)

December 31st. Little only, comparatively, had come in for some time, either for these Objects or for the support of the Orphans, whilst very much had been going out. My hope in God was, that He would again cause the stream of His bounty to flow more abundantly, after having exercised my faith and patience. In the meantime, however, we had enough, yea, were amply provided for by what the Lord had been pleased to send in previously. The Funds for these Objects, however, had been reduced to about £80.

January 1st. This morning I received the following letter from a considerable distance:—

Dear Brother in the Lord Jesus,

"It has pleased the Lord to send me very unexpectedly £1,000, which He has led me to devote to His service. I am, therefore, happy to send it to you for the Lord's work in your hands, and should like it divided thus: £500 for the Orphans, £300 for Missionaries at home and abroad, £120 to be divided between the Schools and the circulation of the Scriptures and Tracts. Will you please to accept £40 for your own use, and give £40 to Mr. Craik?"

Large donations

On January 4th, receiving £7,000, I took for these Objects £2,000, as I desired to the utmost to do what I could for Missions and the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts.

February 1st. It has been already stated in writing about the Building Fund, that on this day I received a donation of £1,700, and another of £1,000; of these I took for these Objects £1,000 and £500. Thus I had obtained the full answer to my prayer, brought before the Lord more than a hundred times, that I might be enabled during this period to do as much for Missionary Objects, and the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, as during the last period. I had thus means even to a considerably greater extent than during the former period.

February 8th. Received the following letter, with £25, from a distance: "I enclose Bank Notes to the amount of £25 for your disposal in the blessed services that you are engaged in, also hoping, at the same time, that you will not hesitate to spend it upon yourself and yours, if you think fit. It is part of my little property which last year I dedicated to Him who has given me much blessing, and who has crowned me with many mercies in our blessed Lord and Saviour, leading me through a troubled and sinful youth into the peace of His children in Christ: so that for all these mercies, including increase of health after my coming of age last year, I wish to give some expression of my gratitude, as an earnest also that I feel all I have and all I am is His, who hath loved me and given Himself for me. Etc."

The letter of this young disciple refreshed my spirit. I took of this sum £15 for Missions, etc.—February 14th. This evening, about nine o'clock, there was put into my hand a little packet containing £75 in Bank Notes, 29 old guinea pieces, 10 old half-guinea pieces, and 3 old seven-shilling pieces, with the following lines, from an entire stranger, living at a considerable distance, whose name even was not given: "The enclosed is from a steward of the Lord, whose wish is, that Mr. Müller shall retain £10 for himself, and that the residue be equally divided for the support of the Orphans and for Missions." About half-an-hour after having received that valuable packet, when I came home, I found a letter from a distance of about 500 miles, enclosing an order for £300. Of this I took £250 for Missionary Objects, and £40 for the Bible and Tract Fund.

March 13th. Received £100, the legacy of the late P. C., Esq., of Clifton, left to the "Scriptural Knowledge Institution, together with its Orphan Establishment," free of legacy duty. I took £50 for these Objects. See, dear reader, in this legacy another instance of the way in which God helps me!

May 26th, 1859, to May 26th, 1860

May 31st. A visitor from Staffordshire, an entire stranger to me, went through the New Orphan House No. 2, and afterwards desired to see me. He gave me £100, the disposal of which he left to me. I took it for Missions.

August 8th. Received from Somersetshire £100, with these words, as to the application of the money: "£50 for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, £25 for Foreign Missionaries, the remainder either for your own expenditure, or for any Object most near your heart at present." I took of this latter £25 one half for the circulation of Tracts, and the other half for Foreign Missionaries

December 5th. Received £2, with this letter: "I have for some years past paid £2 per annum for insurance on my life, in case of accident; but, after reading your last Report, which I purchased at the Orphan Houses a short time since, I resolved to send you the premium, which I intend doing annually, believing that, by paying the premium to the Lord, He will, in His kind providence, protect me from accident. You will please to appropriate it to the Object you most require it for, etc."

December 7th. Received £1, with the following letter:—

"Having discontinued insuring my horse (feeling that it is good and right to trust in the Lord for all things), I enclose the amount, which I should have paid as premium for the ensuing year, as a thankoffering to Almighty God for His past mercies towards me; which you will please to take one half for the Orphans, and the other half for Missions, etc."

More large donations

January 31st. On this day I received a donation of £3,000, of which I took for these Objects £2,000. Day by day during this period also, I had been asking the Lord for means for these Objects; and day by day I had been entreating Him that He would be pleased to enable me to accomplish, during this period, as much as during the former one, in the way of circulating the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, and in aiding missionary operations, though I had no natural prospect whatever of being able to do so. My eyes were alone directed to the living God, who year after year, for many years past, had allowed me to increase the operations of these three Objects, notwithstanding the continual increase of expense in connection with the Orphan work; and thus I fully expected, though all appearance was against it, that during this period also we should be again helped by the living God. Think then, Christian reader, how great was my spiritual refreshment, when, by this one donation, in a great measure, I saw these my daily prayers being again answered.

May 22nd. Received £2,000 for these Objects, whereby the Lord allows me the great joy of entering upon a new period with a considerable balance in hand.

May 26th, 1860, to May 26th, 1861

June 18th. From the neighbourhood of London, from a Christian gentleman, £10, with £10 for the Orphans. The donor, when sending this donation, was in health; yet the last time that he used his pen was when he wrote to me. Before my acknowledgment reached him, he had entered into the presence of his Lord. Pause, dear reader. Are you prepared to be called hence so suddenly, so unexpectedly?

July 25th. Received a cheque for £58 9s., with the following statement: "Upon reading your Report last year, I determined, the Lord helping me, to dedicate a fixed portion, or rather a percentage, upon what the Lord blessed me with, to certain purposes, connected with His cause; your Orphan work and missionary work to receive a portion of the percentage. I have during the past year at three times sent you £30; the enclosed is your further portion, as I then determined."

August 2nd. From Scotland £100, "for the use of the Lord's servants, who labour in the gospel without charge."

August 18th. Had another precious answer to prayer for means for Missions, in particular, by the reception of the following information: "My Heavenly Father has been pleased again to send me unexpectedly £1,000, which He has given me the desire to give to His service. I am happy to send you £800 for the Lord's work in your hands. I have kept the £200 for the Lord's work in L——. Will you please to divide it thus: £300 for the Orphans, £300 for Missionaries, £120 to be divided between the Bible, Tract, and School Fund. Will you kindly accept £40 for your own use, and give £40 to Mr. C?"

February 26th. Received two donations of £500 and £700 from different donors, which, being left to my disposal, were taken for the School, Bible, Missionary, and Tract Fund. The total expenditure for these four Objects amounted during this year to £7,883 17s. 3d.

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

At the commencement of this period, I had left for these Objects a balance of £1,067 0s. 1¾d. This was the visible treasure to go to for meeting the necessities of the various Schools in connection with the Institution, for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, and for the missionary operations, which were assisted out of the Funds of the Institution. I needed therefore about seven times as much more, to be able to accomplish even as much as during the previous year, for which I had no natural prospect whatever. But, while the visible treasure was but small, comparatively, the invisible one, to be drawn from, through the instrumentality of prayer and faith, was, as ever, inexhaustible; and to this invisible treasure, in the possession of my never failing Almighty Friend and Helper, I looked, and to Him alone.

On this first day of the new period I have received from Cambridgeshire £5, as "The first fruits of a legacy;" and from Aska, in India, £24. This I take as God's earnest that during this year also He will be pleased to help me with means for these four Objects.

September 20th. From Adelaide, South Australia, £50.—October 23rd. From Holland a Dutch Bank Note for 200 florins (£16 13s. 4d.).—Day by day I am asking God for means for these Objects, and especially for means for labourers in the gospel, whom I seek to help. How refreshing, therefore, to receive means from all parts of the world. In the last-mentioned instance it came from a noble lady in Holland, whose heart God had moved to remember this work.

November 9th. Saturday evening. When this week commenced, I received only £3 19s. by the first delivery. Shortly after there came in the course of my reading through the Holy Scriptures, Isaiah 26:4, "Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."—I laid aside my Bible, fell on my knees, and prayed thus: I believe that there is everlasting strength in the Lord Jehovah, and I do trust in Him; help me, 0 Lord, for ever to trust in Thee. Be pleased to give me more means this day, and much this week, though only so little now has come in.—In the course of the week altogether £457 came in; thus Jehovah again proved that in Him is everlasting strength, and that He is worthy to be trusted—Dear believing reader, seek but in the same way to trust in the Lord, if you are not in the habit of doing so already, and you will find, as I have found thousands of times, how blessed it is.

January 14th. On this day I received a donation of £2,000 (already mentioned in connection with the income for the Building Fund), of which I took £1,200 for these Objects. This donation has been a great help to me with regard to them, and is the precious fruit of hundreds of prayers. The Lord be magnified for thus helping me, and bringing me in this way nearer the full answer to my prayers!—January 28th. Received £2,500, of which I took for these Objects £1,500, and thus I had the precious prospect of having the desire of my heart fully granted, as to the extension of the operations.

March 3rd. From Hong Kong, £20, "Not given out of the donor's abundance, but because he loves the work of the Lord, and desires now to live to His praise rather than to trust to any future ability." From a professional gentleman in London £15, with the following letter:—

My dear Brother in the Lord,

"Since I last wrote to you I have continued to set apart a fixed proportion of my income every month; but I find the claims around me so many, that a long time has elapsed since I have been able to send any portion of the sum to you, though your work certainly has a prior claim; for it was from one of your Reports that I first had the suggestion. I find the habit a most valuable one, serving to remind one continually of the responsibility that the possession of money brings, and so, in some measure, to arrest the tendency which I fear we all have, of setting the affections on the worthless treasures of this world, as they increase, instead of on those which are laid up for us in heaven."

March 8th. Received anonymously, £100 from Liverpool, with the following words: "For missionary purposes, as Mr. Müller may see good to apportion it."

May 4th. During the last two days there came in only about the twentieth part as much as had been expended. When I thought of the greatness of the outgoings, and the smallness of the amount which had come in, I remembered the words in Isaiah 26:4, "Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength;" and my heart responded: "In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, and in Him I will trust." A few minutes after, I received a letter from Canada, containing a Bank Order for £81 9s. as a thankoffering from believing parents, that their daughter was brought to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus in answer to prayer, when very ill, and was not removed before she knew the Lord. I took of this sum £50 for Missions, etc.—May 22nd. I had within the last two or three days gone over the whole list of the labourers in the gospel whom I seek to assist with means, and had portioned out £1,005 to be sent to them. This left but a small balance in hand for these Objects. This evening, before I left the Orphan Houses, I had begun sending out the money, and had also asked the Lord that He would be pleased to increase the balance. These two occupations had been among the last I was engaged in. When I came home, I found £200 had arrived from a very great distance, but the donor desires no reference to be made to the place whence the money comes, but simply to state that it is "From a friend." The whole of this £200 I took for these Objects, and thus our balance is already somewhat increased.

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

August 25th. From London £20.

September 3rd. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £35.

January 1st. As repeatedly, since May 27th, 1862, the Funds for these Objects had been exhausted, and the Lord then had kindly again sent means; so, when this day commenced, there was only £47 left. Now see how the Lord helped. I received to-day, from a distance of several hundred miles, £100 for Missions, £40 for the School, Bible, and Tract Fund, £20 for the Orphans, with £13 6s. 6d. for myself.

January 20th. From Whitby, a gold watch and seal, to be sold for Missions.

"A gold watch and seal, to be sold for Missions." Allow me, esteemed reader, to say a few words on this subject. There are on my list, now, 187 servants of the Lord Jesus, whom I seek to assist. These preachers of the gospel have no salary; they have (by far the greater part) no regular income at all; but are supported as our adorable Lord Jesus was, and as His apostles were, by the contributions of godly persons, voluntarily offered. Through the ordering of the Lord I have had these 187 labourers in the gospel brought before me, not only as such as do the work of God, and whose labours are owned by Him, but who also are in need of temporal supplies. When such brethren have been discovered by me, I have sought to help them; and, when means were exhausted, I have given myself to prayer on their behalf. But, as the number of these brethren amounts now to 187, the reader will see that £2,000, yea, £4,000, is soon spent, in order that each of these labourers may be supplied with a little only. Large sums, therefore, may be profitably expended in aiding these servants of the Lord Jesus, and large sums will I gladly expend on them, as God may be pleased to entrust me with them, though these brethren are not the Missionaries of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad, but the Lord's servants, and are only assisted by this Institution.

Will the Christian reader allow me, then, in connection with this subject, to ask him the question, whether caring for those who preach the gospel is laid on his heart, and whether, as the Lord gives him the ability, he seeks to aid them, both at home and abroad? In aiding them, we do the work of God, and become fellow-labourers with those who preach the gospel. Every one, according to his ability, should help on this blessed work; and, because these 187 brethren, here referred to, have no salary as preachers of the gospel, they are, on that account, not the less to be cared for; for they need the things connected with this life. Many of them, I know, have been often, like the apostles of old, in great straits and necessities; and not a few have written to me, that, were it not for the help they receive, through my instrumentality, they would, humanly speaking, be unsupplied and unable to go on. Ought we not to pray then for such servants of the Lord Jesus; and ought we not, also, according to our ability, to help them with our means? In what a variety of ways we may help, is shown by the last mentioned donation of the gold watch and seal, to be sold for Missions. If we consider what we can do for such preachers of the gospel, it may be found that we cannot give large donations in money, yet we may give perhaps small donations; or, should we have no money at all for this purpose, it may be found that we can spare some needless articles, which may be turned into money for such an object. A little, surely, every child of God can do; and if we do what we can, that is all the Lord looks for.

January 28th. Received £800.—Feb. 10th. Received £600.

May 22nd. The end of the year was now at hand, and in winding up the accounts, it was my earnest desire to do once more all I could in sending help to needy labourers in the gospel. I went therefore through the list, writing against the various names of those to whom I had not already recently sent, what amount it appeared desirable to send; and I found, when these sums were added together, the total was £476, but £280 was all I had in hand. I wrote, therefore, a cheque for £280, though I would have gladly sent £476, yet felt thankful, at the same time, that I had this amount in hand for these brethren. Having written the cheque, as the last occupation of the day, then came my usual season for prayer, for the many things which I daily, by the help of God, bring before Him; and then again, I brought also the case of these preachers of the gospel before the Lord, and besought Him that He would even now be pleased to give me yet a goodly sum for them, though there remained but three days to the close of our year. This being done, I went home about nine o'clock in the evening, and found there had arrived from a great distance £100 for Missions, with £100 left at my disposal, and £5 for myself. I took, therefore, the whole £200. for Missions, and thus had £480 in hand to meet the £476 which I desired for this Object. Those who know the blessedness of really trusting in God, and getting help from Him, as in this case, in answer to prayer, will be able to enter into the spiritual enjoyment I had in the reception of that donation, in which both the answer to prayer was granted, and with it the great enjoyment of gladdening the hearts of many devoted servants of Christ.

May 26th, 1863, to May 26th, 1864

May 27th. When, on this day, the new period of the Institution began, the balance in hand for these Objects was £3 11s. 9¼d. This was our visible treasure, but we had the invisible treasure of the living God to go to, and felt ourselves, therefore, as rich as if we had thousands of pounds in hand.

October 1st. There were left to-day at my house two £100 notes, with the following lines: "The donor leaves the disposal of the enclosed £200 to Mr. Müller, with the exception of begging him to accept £5 for himself, and give £5 to Mr. C." I received this when there was but little in hand for these Objects, and therefore took the whole £190 for them. Only half-an-hour before receiving it I had been again in prayer for means for them. October 3rd. One of the last things I was occupied about this evening at the Orphan Houses before leaving, was portioning out £280 to be sent to brethren who labour in the gospel, spending to the very last pound I had for this Object. Gladly would I have sent out more, had I had the means. When I came home, about nine o'clock, I found a letter from Glasgow with an order for £60, and the information that the amount was sent for "brethren labouring in the gospel at home and abroad." Thus I had my desire granted, and was able to send out more.

October 5th. From a Christian lady in Scotland £3, with the following deeply interesting letter:—

My dear Mr. Müller,

"A simple-hearted brother in the Lord (a fisherman) has lately had his mind a good deal exercised about giving of his substance to the cause of Missions; and during the herring season he resolved to give the proceeds of one night's fishing. So, before going out, he made it a matter of prayer, and that night he was more successful than he had been during the whole season, which he looked upon as a token of the Lord's approval. Out of the amount, he yesterday handed over £3 to be sent to you, in aid of Foreign Missions, which I have now the pleasure of enclosing. I am not at liberty to give his name."

November 24th. I was going now through the whole list of labourers in the gospel. This evening, in answer to my daily prayers, which especially had again been brought before God, when I had so little left, I found from Dublin a Bank Post Bill for £100 for Missions and Bibles.

See, esteemed reader, how again in this instance God sent further help in answer to prayer, and by it be encouraged for yourself. See, also, how I sent out to the last I had, without anxious reckoning as to the future; and how the Lord sent in more, and thus gave me still further the precious privilege of continuing to spend for Him in connection with Missions and the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts. And thus it has now been for sixty years [in 1895]. His help has never failed. The means may have been almost, or entirely, exhausted, but He has not failed us, but has proved Himself continually the self-same wise and unchangeable Friend and Helper. Make but trial of His readiness to help, and you will find Him to be the same to you.

January 1st. There came in on the first day of the year, for these Objects, 25 different donations, of which I will only refer to £2 from Huntley, instead of insuring the donor's life. From a Christian shipowner £115 for these Objects, and £15 for the Orphans, "Instead of insuring ships."

February 10th. Received £1,350. This donation was a precious answer to many prayers for more means for these Objects, whereby I was enabled to accomplish much which I had desired.—February 23rd. There came in £1,100. The Lord be magnified for this sum! It is the fruit of very many prayers.

March 1st. From London £100 for Foreign Missions.

March 2nd. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £148.—May 25th. As to-morrow will be the last day of our present year, I had within the last three days gone through the whole list of labourers in the gospel, portioning out all I could for them, £1,300. Our Missionary Fund being thus exhausted, my prayer was that the Lord would be pleased to give me more means for this Object. This prayer He has already begun to answer; for I received this morning from a ship-owner, who sends the amount instead of insuring his vessels, £100 for Missions, £50 for Bible, Tract, and School Fund, £50 for the Orphans, £10 for Mr. C., and £10 for myself.

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

May 26th. Thus we have been helped year after year, simply because we trusted in the living God for the needed means. This faith in Himself He has always honoured. For all we need we look to the Lord alone. He does, year after year, carry us through the expenses, without our ever going into debt, without our ever asking for anything, without directly or indirectly giving hints to donors in writing, to send us help; and all this we do, in order that it may be seen how much can be accomplished even in the second half of the 19th century, simply through the instrumentality of prayer and faith.

August 26th. Anonymously from P. B. £90, with £15 for myself.

October 5th. From Glasgow £90 for labourers in the gospel, with £6 for myself.

December 31st. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £80.

January 1st. With the commencement of the year came fresh supplies, of which I only mention £200 for Missions, from a shipowner, instead of insuring his vessels.—January 28th. From a shipowner, instead of insuring his vessels, £300.

February 8th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, and who, having received a present of £150, gave £148 for these Objects.

May 19th. From London, E.C., £50.—May 23rd. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £70.

Within the last few days I have sent out £608 to labourers in the gospel, and this evening, being now near the end of the period, I sat down with the list of 122 labourers in the gospel in various parts of the world, to portion out as much more as it appeared desirable to send to them. After having written under each name in pencil the amount I desired to send, on reckoning it up, I found that it altogether amounted to £466; but I had only £374 left; £92 more therefore was needed. I was not discouraged, however, but wrote down on a piece of paper: "£466 I desire to send out, at least, if it please the Lord, for which I pray still, and ask Him still to give me the full amount of means yet needed. George Müller, May 23rd, 1865." This matter was especially brought before the Lord that very evening before I went home. And now see, dear reader, how the Lord dealt with me. On reaching home, a little after nine o'clock, I found a £5 note had been left at my house from H. B., of Clifton, the disposal of which, being left to me, I took for this Object. On the next morning, May 24th, I received from London £100, which had been placed some time since by a Christian lady in the hands of a Christian gentleman for Missions, but was now, by the wish of that lady, sent to me, for that Object; and thus, as the fruit of earnest, believing, and expecting prayer, came to hand in answer to my prayers. I also received, as "A Birthday Memorial," £50, which being left at my disposal, I took for Missions. I had thus a precious answer to prayer, and the desire of my heart given to me, and was able to send out even a little more than I had written down, viz., £503 instead of £466.

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

On the very first day I received £150. Thus the Lord greatly increased our balance.

August 1st. From a Missionary £250 for Missions.

October 5th. From Ireland £3, with this statement of the donor: "The amount which I had intended paying for a game licence for the season, but think this way of spending it is more pleasing to the Master, whose steward I am."—November 28th. During the last few days I had sent £550 to missionary brethren, and paid also a considerable sum for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, and for the support of the Schools; so that there was only 7s. 11d. left for the School, Bible, Missionary, and Tract Fund. This lowness of the Funds only led me to more earnest prayer, and to look out the more expectingly for fresh supplies. Accordingly I received this morning, November 28th, from Clifton £10, and from the neighbourhood of Stroud £5. November 30th. From Dublin £100.

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

Dear Sir,

"Accept the enclosed for the Lord's work, from a mother and daughter who have put a farthing, half-penny, and penny from each article of their own make, that they sold during the year. May our Father long spare you for the glorious work He has given you to do."

Notice, how the poor have their goodly portion also in helping me! And learn, my poor brother and sister in Christ, from this, how you too, poor though you are, if there be only a willing mind, may have the sweet privilege of helping to circulate the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, and how you may aid in the support of Missionaries, and Schools established for the benefit of poor children.

January 1st. The New Year brought fresh and bountiful supplies for these Objects. There came in for them alone £303 19s. 6d.—January 18th. Received from Norfolk 1s. 8d. for Missions, with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"Will you be pleased to accept of this small mite as from the Lord. I have read your last five Reports and have been much blessed by them. I have had it in my heart to help you, but had not the means. Last year, however, I said to my husband, We will give to the Lord one of our young hens; and I now enclose you 1s. 8d. in postage stamps, the sale of her first eggs. We send it for the Mission Fund. I wish to tell you that my husband is a poor working man, with five children. ——."

There is a worldly proverb with which we are all familiar; it is this: "Where there is a will, there is a way." If this is the proverb of those who know not God, how much more should believers in the Lord Jesus, who have power with God, say: "Where there is a will, there is a way." Look at the case of the wife of this poor working man and their five children. Sovereigns she had not to send, nor half-crowns. But she dedicates to the Lord the eggs of one of their young hens, sells them, and sends the money for the Mission Fund. It is indeed only as a drop in a bucket. But these dear poor people do what they can, and the gift is as great and as precious, considering their circumstances, as if a large sum had been sent by one of the Lord's stewards, who had been set over much. It is accepted by Him, "According to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not" (2 Cor. 8:12).

February 5th. From W., Esq., £70, with £20 for the Orphans, and £10 for myself.—February 28th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £148 for Missions.

May 17th. From Leicestershire £184 6s. 6d. for Missions.

May 26th, 1866, to May 26th, 1867

We began the financial year with a balance of £163 10s. 8¼d. in hand for these Objects. The Lord, however, supplied us with more, before the means in hand were gone; and though, afterwards, a few times, almost all was expended, yet the Lord was pleased soon, in answer to prayer, to give us further supplies.

July 4th. From Worcestershire £185 for these Objects, with £100 for the Orphans, and £30 for myself.—July 20th. For Missions £100, as "The first dividend of a new investment."—July 30th. From a Bristol donor £300.

October 25th. From Scotland £100 for Missions to the heathen.

December 7th. Received £50 for Missions and £50 for the Orphans, with the words, "Only believe." Some of my readers may imagine, because I obtain so many answers to prayer, and am signally helped in so many ways, that I have no longer such trials as I used to have from 1838 to 1843, or at other times. This would be a great mistake. It is quite an exception that a day comes, which does not bring its difficulties and trials; and the only difference between the present time and former years is this, that my difficulties are now ten times greater than they were during the years referred to, because the work is now ten times greater than it was then.

January 1st. From Worcestershire £185 for these Objects, with £100 for the Orphans, and £30 for myself.

February 8th. The last work I did yesterday evening at the Orphan Houses was to go through the list of missionary brethren, whom I seek to assist, and portion out £439 for some of them, writing down to the last pound all I had left. After this, in my usual long season for prayer, I asked the Lord, among many other things, for more means for Missionary Objects. Now see how soon the prayer was answered. This morning I received from Devonshire a cheque for £200, which was left at my disposal, except that the donor kindly wished me to keep £25 for myself. I took £125 for Missions, £25 for the Bible Fund, and £25 for the Tract Fund.—February 26th. A servant of the Lord Jesus, having received a present of £150, and desiring to lay up treasure in heaven, gave £148 of it for Missions.

April 1st. From a donor, then in Devonshire, £200 for servants of God who labour among the heathen.—April 24th. Received £20, with the following letter:—

My dear Sir,

"As God gives me grace, I give to Him a fourth part of all money He gives to me. From this Satan tries hard to move me. Pray that he may not succeed. I have lately come into the possession of a little, of which the enclosed £20 is a portion. Please take it for Missions."

May 13th. Received 10s., with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"The enclosed 10s. is given by a very poor sister in the Lord for His work under your care, to be used as most needed. She gave it into my care by twopenny weekly instalments.

"I remain, Sir, Yours in Jesus, ——."

Notice, esteemed reader, this donation. Ten shillings made up by weekly instalments. It took this godly woman sixty weeks to give this amount; yet she goes on, steadily, week after week, giving to this brother in Christ her twopence, until this little sum was made up. She had not a ten-pound nor a five-pound note to send; nor had she the means of sending even ten shillings at one time; but she does what she can, she gives twopence per week. It is not the amount that the Lord looks at; but He looks at the spirit in which we give, and at the amount left in our hands, after we have given. By this the Lord judges of our gifts.—May 22nd. From Scotland for Missions £100.—May 23rd. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £148. By the donations for Missions during the last two days, with what was previously in hand, I had the great joy of being able to portion out, on May 23rd, the sum of £1,267 for brethren who labour in the gospel, whereby the total amount expended on this Object during the year amounted to £5,010 18s. 2d.

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

On May 28th, in ten donations, there came in £9 8s. 5d. One of these donations was from a Christian shopkeeper, who sent 3s. 5d., being one penny in the pound of the sum he had taken during the previous week. This donor has sent, week by week, about the same sum. One penny in the pound seems little, yet even this little amounted in the end to about £8 during the year. I refer to this to show how important it is to give as the Lord prospers us.—On May 31st, from Kent, £100.

July 3rd. From Worcestershire, £25 for the School Fund, £20 for the Bible Fund, £100 for Missions, £40 for the Tract Fund, £100 for the Orphans, and £30 for myself.

October 25th. From Devonshire £100 for Missions.

November 19th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £100.

January 1st. There was received to-day from a Scotch donor £129 7s. 2d. for these Funds, with £50 for the Building Fund. There came in also, from a donor in Worcestershire, £235, with £100 for the support of the Orphans, and £30 for myself.

February 11th. "By sale of canaries," from some young ladies, £1 14s. 3d.—February 21st. Received £20, with the following letter, from Lancashire:—

Dear Sir,

"I have much pleasure in fulfilling a vow made to the Lord, months ago, that, if He would kindly give me the means, and raise me in health, I would send you £20, to apply to whatever purpose you liked."

March 17th. A devoted evangelist, labouring for years as a preacher of the gospel in dependence upon the Lord for his temporal supplies, and who had at least fifty times sent to me donations of £1 or £2 at a time, sent me from his death bed 15s. for Missions, and 15s. for the Orphans. I have never seen this dear brother in Christ, but God laid this work on his heart to help me, according to his ability. His donations were chiefly for Foreign Missions.—March 18th. Received from an Irish servant three one-pound notes, with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"I have good news to tell you. There is another child born of the Spirit, even she who wrote to you the last time, saying "There is no peace to the wicked." God has chosen another base thing; He can polish it, and He has done it, and will do it more. And now I want to leave ALL and follow Jesus. I was left an Orphan as early as five or six years old, and all that time, up to now, He has provided me with food and clothes far better than most poor children. I have laid up a little treasure in an earthly bank, but I want to lend it to the Lord, and have taken it out, to send it to His cause. What I want to say is, if He supported me, when I was young and an unbeliever, shall He not much more than support me now that I am reconciled by the blood of Jesus?.… I had £2 18s. in the bank, the interest came to 1s., and I added another shilling, which makes it three pounds. You know best where it is wanted."

The money was taken for these Objects.

March 21st. To-day I received from Belgium £1 13s. for Missions, with 14s. 6d. for the Orphans. "Of this amount 18 francs 57 cs." (the Missionary who sends the money writes) "come from the box of our brother the tinker."

Donation promised during a storm at sea

May 4th. Received the following letter from Copenhagen, from a Christian Danish master of a vessel, with ten pounds:—

"Coming up the Channel with a dirty southerly wind the 19th of April, and a low barometer, falling rapidly—in fact so low, that I could not look at it any more—I was troubled about the safety of the ship. Sail was taken in after sail, till at last only the three lower topsails remained on. The ship heeled over and went through the swelling waters snorting, the rain pouring down, with a heavy blow. As my hope was strengthened in prayer, that God would help me to find the way, I promised to send £10. At 1.55 a.m. saw Dungeness light and came through, thank God! This is a thankoffering to the Lord, with prayer for His further protection and grace to confess His name, where He thinks proper. For yourself, £5, the rest as you desire, etc."

The £5 was taken for these Objects.—May 12th. From one of the former Orphans, who has for more than 25 years walked in the ways of God, and who is in service, 5s.—May 25th. From Madras, £87 16s. —May 26th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus (having received a present of £150, and who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven), £148.

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

We had, on entering upon this year, a balance of £375 2s. 10¼d. in hand.

August 5th. Received the following letter from Ireland:—

My dear Mr. Müller,

"I have been an invalid for some time, and am now nearing my happy home, where I shall be ever with the Lord. I have much pleasure in enclosing you a Bank Post Bill for £600, to be used in the various branches of the Lord's work in which you are so happily engaged. May the Lord abundantly crown all your labours with success.

"Yours affectionately in Jesus, ——."

This dear Christian lady I never saw, but she had for 20 years and upwards sent about £5 annually for the work. She was not rich, but laboured for her bread, and I should not be surprised to hear, that this £600 was the bulk of what she possessed. How able and willing God is, to provide us with means for His work! I took of this, £400 for these Objects.

September 5th. Received the following letter from Sweden:—

Dear Brother in the Lord,

"I have the pleasure of forwarding to you a draft for £5 9s. 7d. sterling (equal to Rix-dollars 100), being a donation of the late Mr. A. K., for your Missions to the heathen. In June last year, my brother G. P. had the pleasure of seeing you. He came back greatly refreshed and full of joy in the Lord, and took up his work again, when suddenly, on a Sunday morning, in the midst of his work, he was seized with a fatal attack of liver complaint. On Wednesday evening he fell asleep in Jesus. Through the profits of a Hymn Book, issued in partnership with myself, he obtained a little sum of money. On his way to England, last year, in a letter from Gothenburg, he expressed to me his wish, that, if he should not return, 5,000 Rix-dollars should be paid to 'Mr. George Müller's Mission to the heathen.' This wish he repeated on his death-bed. I should desire to send this sum now, but cannot get it out of my business this year. I hope next year to be able to send the greatest part, if not the whole, to be spent for the object my beloved brother desired.—Some years ago a copy of 'The Lord's Dealings with George Müller' fell into my hands, and I feel thankful to God for leading it, and have issued a compendium of it in Swedish."

November 5th. Received £54 8s. 8d., with this letter:—

My dear Sir,

"I have much pleasure in handing you a cheque for £54 8s. 8d., which I will thank you to dispose of as follows: Missions £25, Orphans £29 8s. 8d. You are aware that for the past few years I have given you an interest in my business, and that every year your share has been steadily increasing; but this year, I am very sorry to say, there has been a great falling off, arising from severe competition, so that your share I find to be only £29 8s. 8d., instead of over £50, the amount of last year. You have during past years pleaded with me at the throne of grace for the conversion of my only child. You will rejoice with me, when I tell you he took the Lord's supper with us for the first time last month. It has been my wish for some time past to send you a thankoffering on so joyful an occasion, and it affords me great pleasure to add to your sum £25 more."

December 2nd. While I am writing this, a lady from Germany, who is about to go through the Orphan Houses, called on me. She expressed her great surprise that I am supplied with means for so great a work, and especially when I told her that for several years our requirements have been at the rate of more than £100 a day. My reply to her was, that, though Elijah has been taken to heaven thousands of years since, the God of Elijah still lives. I told her, that I received all simply in answer to prayer. There were lying before me on my table, among many other letters, three, which I held up to her, saying: "This I received last evening from Paris, containing £205; this from Switzerland, containing £1 3s. 10d.; and this from the United States, containing £20 sterling." I added, "I have joyfully dedicated my whole life to the Lord, in order to prove to the world and to the Church of God at large, what may be accomplished, simply through the instrumentality of prayer and faith."—December 5th. From a Scotch donor £200, for Missions among the heathen.—December 7th. From "Gratitude," in Van Dieman's Land, five £1 notes.—December 28th. Received £12, with the following letter:—

Dear Sir,

"Please accept the enclosed £12, for the work in which you are engaged. I think it right to tell you, that about seven years since, we were induced, principally through reading your books, to set aside a certain portion of our income for God's cause. We were then in very straitened circumstances, and we made up our minds to give a tenth. The very next day our means were slightly increased, and went on doing so. We then gave a fourth. After a long time things seemed again to look dark. I say seemed to look dark; for the event proved, that we were not really any worse off than before; but, by God's help, we said, we will wait patiently, perhaps God is only trying us. We did not give any less to His cause. And now He has placed us in a position of prosperity that we have never enjoyed before, and are able to give a fourth of our income. It is indeed a blessed thing to trust in the Lord, and we are led to exclaim with the Psalmist, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.' "

December 30th. Received to-day from London a gold watch and chain, a diamond ring, 3 other gold rings, a gold necklet, 7 gold studs, 3 pairs of gold ear-rings, 2 gold breast-pins, 4 brooches, a gold cross, 2 lockets, 2 bracelets, 2 pairs of links, etc. These articles were sold for Missions. The letter announcing these articles contained this: "We have been praying the Lord to accept what His love has made of no value to us; and we pray Him abundantly to bless you and yours and your labour of love for His sake." Will this dear Christian couple from whom these articles came, be the poorer, or will they be the less adorned in the sight of the Lord? Verily not. I greatly delight in such donations. If all the disciples of the Lord Jesus acted in this way, what an abundance would thus at once flow into the treasury of the Lord; and if this were done from the love of Christ, what blessing would come to those who were thus enabled to give up their ornaments.—December 31st. Received £500 from Canada, of which, being left at my disposal, I took £300 for these Objects.

January 1st. From Scotland £100.—January 18th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, £100.—January 23rd. From one of the Midland Counties £235, with £100 for the Orphans, and £30 for myself.

February 4th. Received £50, with the following letter:—

My dear Mr. Müller,

"I beg to enclose you a cheque for £50 in aid of the Lord's work in your hands, which you are at liberty to dispose of as you think fit. I should like you to keep £10 of it for your own personal expenses. I have to express to you the benefit I have received in reading your works, leading me to realize more deeply my privileges and responsibilities as a Christian. I have seen the hand of the Lord in a marked manner in my business affairs lately. I determined, after serious consideration, to give up a certain portion of my business, that I felt led me into temptation; and also some customs, which, although I could not positively condemn in others, I could not happily pursue myself. Looking at it naturally, I expected my business to be much diminished, perhaps lost; but I had before determined, and had pursued for a short time the practice of devoting any money beyond that necessary for my own wants, received in income from business, to the Lord's work. Therefore I felt, if it were the Lord's will, and He intended me to be a steward of His, I should receive the money; and He enabled me thus to leave it in His hands. The result has been, I have had business placed in my hands where least expected. My income last year increased considerably, and I have been enabled to give away several hundred pounds. Etc."