Personal Matters, from 1844 to 1885 (part 2 of 3)

(2) We had the blessing of having an abundance of work to do, and we did that work; by God's grace we gave ourselves to it; and this abundance of work greatly tended, instrumentally, to the increase of our happiness. Our mornings never began with the uncertainty of how to spend the day, and what to do; for as the day began, we had always an abundance of work. I reckon this a special blessing, and it greatly increased our happiness, and sweetened exceedingly the little while we had for rest in each other's society. Many, even true Christians, make the mistake of aiming after a position in which they may be free from work, and have all their time on hand. They know not that they wish for some very great evil, instead of some very great blessing. They forget that they desire a time, when, for want of regular occupation, they will be particularly exposed to temptation.

(3) But great as habitually our occupation was, we never allowed this to interfere with the care about our own souls. Before we went to work, we had, as an habitual practice, our seasons for prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures. Should the children of God neglect this, and let their work, or service for God, interfere with caring about their own souls, they cannot, for any length of time, be happy in God; and their conjugal happiness must also suffer on account of it.

(4) Lastly and most of all to be noticed is this: we had for many years past, whether twenty or thirty years or more I do not know, besides our seasons for private prayer and family prayer, also habitually our seasons for praying together. For many years my precious wife and I had, immediately after family prayer, in the morning, a short time for prayer together, when the most important points for thanksgiving, or the most important points for prayer, with regard to the day, were brought before God. Should very heavy trials press on us, or should our need of any kind be particularly great, we prayed again after dinner, when I visited her in her room, as stated before; and this, at times of extraordinary difficulties or necessities, might be repeated once or twice more in the afternoon; yet very rarely was this the case. Then in the evening, during the last hour of our stay at the Orphan Houses, though our work was never so much, it was an habitually understood thing, that this hour was for prayer. My beloved wife came then to my room, and now our prayer, and supplication, and intercession, mingled with thanksgiving, lasted generally forty minutes, fifty minutes, and sometimes the whole hour. At these seasons we brought perhaps fifty or more different points, or persons, or circumstances before God. The burden of our prayer was generally of the same character, except when prayers were turned into praises, or when fresh points were added, or when peculiar mercies or blessings, or peculiar difficulties and trials, led, during a part of the time, to a variation. We never thus met for prayer without having, on various accounts, cause for thanksgiving; but, at the same time, our seasons for prayer never arrived without our having abundant cause for casting our burden upon the Lord. These seasons for united prayer, I mean in addition to the family prayer, I particularly commend to all Christian husbands and wives. I judge that it was in our own history the great secret for the continuation not only of conjugal happiness, but of the love to each other, which was even more abundantly fresh and warm than it had been during the first year, though we were then exceedingly fond of each other.

I now pass on to the second part of our precious text:—

II. The Lord was good, and doing good, in so long leaving to me my precious wife.

I will now endeavour to show that God's hand was most distinctly seen in leaving her to me as a companion in joy, and sorrow, and service, for thirty-nine years and four months. I have stated before that we were married on October 7th, 1830. In August, 1831, my beloved wife was in suffering of the severest kind. Her life had been in the greatest danger, humanly speaking, and remained in the greatest danger for several weeks, so that two medical gentlemen visited her daily, or even two or three times a day. That she did not sink at that time, but was raised up again, and given back to me for thirty-eight years and six months more, was of God, and was, I believe, the result of my most earnestly crying to God for this blessing. But my dearest wife never was fully again in health and strength what she had been before.

The second time when her life was again, humanly speaking, in the greatest danger, was four months after our arrival in Bristol, on September 16th, 1832. She was in the greatest danger. I was the whole night in prayer. But God had mercy on me, and not only spared my precious wife to me, but made her also the living mother of a living child. Our beloved daughter was given to us on September 17th, 1832.

In 1835 she was staying in the house of a Christian friend at Stoke Bishop, and, while out walking, suddenly a carriage drove up and turned speedily round, and my beloved wife was all but killed; but God in a marked way preserved her life, though she was somewhat bruised by falling whilst she sought to save her life.

On June 12th, 1838, my beloved wife was taken ill. She continued in most severe sufferings from a little after nine until midnight. Thus hour after hour passed away, until eleven the next morning. Another medical gentleman was then called in at the desire of the one who attended her. The whole of the night I was in prayer, as far as my strength allowed me. I cried at last for MERCY, and God heard me. For more than a fortnight her two medical attendants came twice or three times daily. Her life was in the greatest danger, humanly speaking. But this time also He who "is good, and doeth good" gave her back to me, to leave her yet thirty-one years and six months longer to me, and to make her more useful to me, and in the Orphan work, than ever.

In 1845 my beloved wife accompanied me the second time to Germany. Soon after our arrival in Stuttgart she was taken very ill; but God restored her then also, and gave her back to me.

In the summer of 1859 she complained about the weakness of her left arm, which increased after a time more and more: and towards the end of October, being exposed to a draught, this weak left arm became exceedingly painful, and, after a day or two, swelled greatly, and especially her hand became greatly enlarged. Now that very ring, which at the wedding on October 7th, 1830, I had put on her finger, needed to be broken off. Her arm and hand became worse, and continued thus week after week. That room, in which I had been in the habit of paying those happy visits to my beloved wife after dinner and at other times, was now, week after week, for a long time without her. But this was the state of my heart at that time. When this most heavy affliction began, I said to myself, Twenty-nine years the Lord has given me this precious wife with comparatively little illness, and shall I now be dissatisfied, because He has been pleased to afflict her thus, in the thirtieth year of our conjugal union? Nay, it becomes me rather to be very grateful for having had her so long in comparatively good health, and fully to submit myself to the will of the Lord. This my soul was enabled to do. Keenly as I felt her absence from the Orphan work for almost nine months, with the exception of a very few times when she drove up to give various directions, yet, as I saw the hand of God in the whole, and was enabled to take the whole out of His hand, my soul was kept in peace, whilst day by day we were able still to have our precious seasons for prayer, and whilst day by day also we entreated God, that, if it might be, He would graciously be pleased yet to restore that feeble arm and hand again, and spare her longer to me for service.

At last, in April, 1860, my dearest wife was brought so far, that our kind and most attentive medical attendant could recommend her to go to Clevedon and use the warm sea-baths for the benefit of her arm and hand. I therefore took her to Clevedon, our daughter remaining with her, and I went down as often as I could. The warm sea-baths seemed to agree with her well, and progress appeared to be made, when, one day, returning from the bath, she slipped as she was stepping out of the road on the footpath near her lodgings, fell against the wall with her head, and on her weak arm, which she carried in a sling, and which had made her so helpless in not being able to break the fall. She seemed as dead, and our dear daughter ran to the lodgings to get help. But when she returned, her dear mother, who had been stunned by the fall, had revived, and could be moved to her bed. All now seemed gloomy and dark indeed. The prospect of removal of the rheumatism from the arm and hand appeared entirely gone, and my precious wife was worse than ever. I now went down evening after evening to Clevedon. after the day's work on Ashley Down, to wait on her by night. Her suffering was very great for some time; but gradually this wore off, and she was brought back to the state in which she had been when she first went to Clevedon, and, after a stay of more than three months at Clevedon, there had been granted considerable improvement.

She now returned to Bristol, spent about six weeks at home, and I then took her and my daughter to Teignmouth for a month, that she might have further change of air, and further, the use of warm seabaths.

By the time we returned from Teignmouth, my dearest wife was so far restored as to the use of her arm and hand, that she could take her work again at the Orphan Houses, and her dear hand was so far reduced in size, that her wedding ring, being put together again by a jeweller, could be put on again. How good was the Lord in sparing to me my dearest wife in this illness in 1859! How good to me, in that she was not killed on the spot, when she had that heavy fall at Clevedon! I magnify Him for it! He "is good, and doeth good."

But I cannot dismiss this part, without noticing one point in particular. My dearest wife had worked so hard in 1856, 1857, 1858, and 1859, when, through the opening of the New Orphan House No. 2, and the prospect of the opening of the New Orphan House No. 3, there was such an abundance of work, that her health had been brought into a very low state, and her strength had been greatly reduced. I begged her not to work so much, but it was in vain; she loved work; she never could bear to be idle. And thus it came, on account of her very low state of health, that the rheumatism had so much effect on her. But now see how the Lord worked. This very illness, most painful though it was to her, and most trying as it was to me, became God's precious instrument in sparing to the Orphans their true friend, and to her own dear sisters a sister, to her own daughter a mother, and to her poor husband a precious wife for ten years more. This very illness obliged her to rest, beyond what she otherwise would have done. She was also medically ordered to take more nourishment than otherwise she would have taken; and by October, 1860, she was in a far better state of health than she had been for years. How true that word, therefore, in this instance: "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28). We have seen now how good the Lord was to me in sparing my dearest wife to me thirty-nine years and four months, as she might have been removed from me far sooner. It now lastly remains to show—

III. That the Lord is good and was doing good in the removal of the desire of my eyes.

Perhaps all Christians who have heard me, will have no difficulty in giving their hearty assent that the Lord was good, and doing good, in giving me such a wife; and they will also, probably, most readily admit that He was good, and doing good, in leaving her to me so long; but I ask these dear Christian friends to go further with me, and to say from their hearts, the Lord was good, and doing good, in the removal of that useful, lovely, excellent wife from her husband, and that at the very time when, humanly speaking, he needed her more than ever. While I am saying this, I feel the void in my heart. That lovely one is no more with me, to share my joys and sorrows. Every day I miss her more and more. Every day I see more and more how great her loss to the Orphans. Yet, without an effort, my inmost soul habitually joys in the joy of that loved departed one. Her happiness gives joy to me. My dear daughter and I would not have her back, were it possible to produce it by the turn of the hand. God Himself has done it; we are satisfied with Him.

During the last two or three years it was most obvious to my loving heart and eye, that my precious companion for so many years was again failing in her health. She did not only considerably lose flesh, but evidently seemed much more worn than she used to be. I begged her to work less, and to take more nourishment; but I could neither prevail as to the one, nor the other. When I expressed my sorrow, that she lay awake at night for two hours or more, she would say, "My dear, I am getting old, and old persons do not need so much sleep." When I brought before her that I feared that her health would be again reduced, as in 1859, and that I feared the worst, she would say. "My darling, I think the Lord will allow me to see the New Orphan Houses, No. 4 and No. 5, furnished and opened, and then I may go home*; but most of all I wish that the Lord Jesus would come, and that we might all go together."

Thus her dear mind and hands would be at work, and as there was such an abundance of work in such a great variety of ways to be done, she was generally all the day at work at the Orphan Houses. Under these circumstances she caught cold in the early part of January, which brought on a most distressing cough. With difficulty only I could prevail on her to allow me to send for our dear medical friend; for she ever made little of her own illnesses, whilst most solicitous about the health of others, especially myself and daughter and her sisters. I now pressed affectionately upon her to drive to and from the Orphan Houses, also to lie down a little on her couch after dinner, which had been advised by our kind medical friend. Still my precious wife would not allow that there was much the matter with her. Through the medical means, the entirely avoiding night air, going to and fro in a fly, when she went to the Orphan Houses, the use of a more generous and somewhat altered diet, and resting a little more than usual, the distressing cough was so entirely removed, that scarcely the least trace of it remained, and my beloved one was again able to go out to public worship in a fly on the mornings of the Lord's days, January 23rd and 30th, but stayed at home in the evenings, to avoid a return of the cough.

On Sunday, January 30th, there was an additional reason for not going out in the evening, because she felt a pain across the lower part of her back, and in her right arm. This pain was rather worse on Monday, January 31st, and we considered it better to send for our dear medical friend, to call and see her, if possible before we started for the Orphan Houses; but as he was already from home, visiting his patients, my dear wife set off in a fly for the Orphan Houses, our daughter accompanying her mother, to work for her under her direction, as it was feared her pain would prevent her doing anything actively herself. The day passed tolerably, though the pain increased. At tea time she drove home with her sister, Miss Groves, who also had been for weeks in a very feeble state of health, and with my daughter; I remained, to go in the evening to our usual public prayer meeting. When I came home, I found our dear medical friend had been and ordered my dearest wife to bed, and to remain in bed, and to have a fire lighted in her bedroom, stating that it was rheumatic fever. She suffered much pain during the following night, but the next day, and the night from Tuesday to Wednesday especially, the pain was still more severe, and her limbs became one by one so painful, that she could neither move them, nor bear them to be touched, except the arm and hand which had been so weak ten years before.

When I heard what the doctor's judgment was, viz., that the malady was rheumatic fever, I naturally expected the worst as to the issue; but though my heart was nigh to be broken, on account of the depth of my affection, I said to myself, "The Lord is good, and doeth good," all will be according to His own blessed character. Nothing but that, which is good, like Himself, can proceed from Him. If He pleases to take my dearest wife, it will be good, like Himself. What I have to do, as His child. is to be satisfied with what my Father does, that I may glorify Him. After this my soul not only aimed at, but this, my soul, by God's grace, attained to. I was satisfied with God.

On Tuesday, February 1st, I was alone in the room of my precious wife at the Orphan Houses. She was at home in bed, a thing which had not been the case for more than nine years. There were hanging in her room a number of precious texts from the Holy Scriptures, printed in large type, arranged for each day in the month, called "The Silent Comforter." The sheet then turned up, contained these words, "I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" (Ps. 119:75). I read this again and again, and each time my inmost soul responded, "Yes, Lord, Thy judgments are right, I am satisfied with them. Thou knowest the depth of the affection of Thy poor child for his beloved wife, yet I am satisfied with Thy judgments; and my inmost soul says, that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. All this is according to that love, with which Thou hast loved me in Christ Jesus, and whatever the issue, all will be well." There was also written on that sheet of "The Silent Comforter," "My times are in Thy hand" (Ps. 31:15). My heart responded, in reading these words, "Yes, my Father, the times of my darling wife are in Thy hands. Thou wilt do the very best thing for her and for me, whether life or death. If it may be, raise up yet again my precious wife—Thou art able to do it, though she is so ill; but howsoever Thou dealest with me, only help me to continue to be perfectly satisfied with Thy holy will." During the whole week, whilst my beloved wife was lying on her death-bed, these lines of the precious hymn—"One there is above all others—O how He loves!" were ever present with me:

"Best of Blessings He'll provide us,

Nought but good shall e'er betide us,

Safe to glory He will guide us,

Oh how He loves!"

My heart continually responded—"Nought but good shall e'er betide us." My inmost soul was assured, that however my loving Father acted with His poor child, it would be for his good.

On Wednesday, February 2nd, my beloved wife being comparatively free from pain, I read to her, before I went to the Orphan Houses, this verse out of the eighty-fourth Psalm—"The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." Having read the verse, I said, "My darling, we have both received grace, and we shall therefore receive glory; and as, by God's grace, we walk uprightly, nothing that is good for us will He withhold from us." She evidently was blessed through this verse, for she spoke about it to our daughter in the course of the day. To my own heart the verse was a great support, for I said to myself again and again, "I walk uprightly, and therefore my Father will withhold nothing from me, that is good for me; if therefore the restoration of my dearest wife is good for me, it will be surely given; if otherwise, I have to seek to glorify God by most perfect submission to His holy will."

On Thursday, I saw how grave the doctor considered the case to be. On Friday evening he said, that it would be a comfort to him for another medical man to see Mrs. Müller, as the case was a very grave one. I told him, that I was perfectly satisfied with his treatment, but if it would at all be a comfort to himself, to make an appointment for a consultation. This, however, could not be till Sunday, the 6th of February, as the consultant would be out of town on Saturday. Saturday morning I stayed home till nearly dinner-time, to be with the dear invalid as long as I possibly could; and when at last I left her, I said, "My darling, I am sorry to have to leave you, but I shall return as soon as I can." She sweetly replied, "You leave me with Jesus." When I came home, she was about the same as when I had left her; but during that night, her pains and sufferings exceeded the pains she had had before. I was almost the whole of the night seeking in one shape or other to alleviate her suffering, and the trial she now had, that she had not the use of one of her limbs. At last, from two to four in the morning, she was easier; but the sufferings of that night brought her soon to the close of her earthly pilgrimage.

About ten in the morning all hope of recovery was gone. I felt it now my duty to tell my precious wife, that the Lord Jesus was coming for her. Her reply was, "He will soon come." By this I believe, she meant to indicate the Lord will soon return, and we shall be re-united. As there was yet life, I felt it my duty to do, to the last, everything that medical skill could devise, and that love on my part could do. At 1.30 p.m., when I gave her the medicine, and a little later a spoonful of wine in water, she had difficulty in swallowing, and a few minutes later she could not distinctly articulate. She tried to make me to understand, but I could not. I sat quietly before her, and about a quarter of an hour later I observed that her dear bright eyes were set. I now called my dear daughter and her aunt, Miss Groves, stating that the loved one was dying. They at once came to the bedroom, and we were presently joined by Mrs. Mannering, another sister of my dearest wife. We all four sat quietly for about two hours and a half, watching the last moments of that much loved one, when about twenty minutes after four in the afternoon of Lord's day, February 6th, 1870, she fell asleep in Jesus. I then fell on my knees and thanked God for her release, and for having taken her to Himself, and asked the Lord to help and support us.

My soul was so sustained, and so peaceful, that if I had had physical strength, and had I not had plain home duties, I could have preached immediately after; and the portion on which I should have preached would have been the one which forms the text of this sermon.

Two years ago, my daughter had seen the following, written by her dear mother, in one of her pocket books, kept at the Orphan Houses, of which I knew nothing, but which precious jewel my dear daughter pointed out to me two days after the death of her dear mother, and which is now before me. The words written are these—"Should it please the Lord, to remove M. M. (Mary Müller) by a sudden dismissal, let none of the beloved survivors consider that it is in the way of judgment, either to her or to them. She has so often, when enjoying conscious nearness to the Lord, felt how sweet it would be, now to depart and to be for ever with Jesus, that nothing but the shock it would be to her beloved husband and child, etc., has checked in her the longing desire, that thus her happy spirit might take its flight. Precious Jesus! Thy will in this as in everything else, and not hers, be done." With such words before me, and knowing besides, as I do, the deep personal attachment my dearest wife had to that Blessed One who hung for us on the cross, can it be otherwise than that my inmost soul should rejoice in the joy which my loved one has now, in being with the Lord Jesus for ever? The depth of my love for her is rejoicing in her joy. Remember that word of our Lord, "If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father" (John 14:28). As a husband, I feel more and more every day, that I am without this pleasant, useful, loving companion. As the Director of the Orphan Houses, I miss her in numberless ways, and shall miss her yet more and more. But as a child of God, and as a servant of the Lord Jesus, I bow, I am satisfied with the will of my Heavenly Father, I seek by perfect submission to His holy will to glorify Him, I kiss continually the hand that has thus afflicted me; but I also say, I shall meet her again, to spend a happy eternity with her. Will all who hear me now meet my precious wife? Only those will who have passed sentence upon themselves as guilty sinners, and who have put their trust alone in the Lord Jesus for the salvation of their souls. He came into the world to save sinners, and all who believe in Him will be saved; but without faith in the Lord Jesus, we cannot be saved. Let all those, who are as yet not reconciled to God, by faith in the Lord Jesus, be in earnestness about their souls, lest suddenly a fever should lay them low and find them unprepared, or lest suddenly the Lord Jesus should return again, before they are prepared to meet Him. May the Lord in mercy grant that this may not be the case. Amen.

The reader has seen, from the Sermon, how much I was sustained, when thus bereaved, and now (1874) I would say, to the praise of God, that without one moment's exception, I was enabled most fully to bow under the hand of God, and to be to the full satisfied with His holy pleasure. But while thus enabled to glorify God by perfect submission to His will, I, at the same time, felt myself deeply bereaved. In Jesus I found, as in my never failing Friend, my repose and solace; my soul was unspeakably blessed through this bereavement; but my earthly joy was all but gone, with the exception that I had left a most beloved, a most affectionate daughter, who for twenty-four years as a believer had been to her parents all they could wish. When now, between eight and nine o'clock in the evenings, I went home from the Orphan Houses, instead of in company with my beloved wife, as for so many years past (for she was always with me), I said to myself, "I shall not meet my beloved wife at home, but I shall meet the Lord Jesus, my precious Friend; He will comfort me;" and I thanked God, that He had left to me my beloved daughter, who always watched for my arrival, to greet me, and did all she could to soothe my bereaved heart. But the loss was great, the wound was deep, and, as weeks and months passed on, while continuing habitually not only to be satisfied with God, but also to praise Him, for what He had done in thus bereaving me, the wound seemed to deepen instead of being healed, and the bereavement to be felt more and more.

December 31st. During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me £2,067 9s. 9d.

Miss Müller married to Mr. Wright

August 4th. To-day Mr. Wright, my principal helper in the work of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, asked for the hand of my beloved daughter. This request was as unlooked for on my part as anything could have been, while, at the same time I knew no one to whom I could so willingly entrust this, my choicest earthly treasure. My beloved daughter had the greatest conflict in her mind for about two weeks, before she accepted this offer, her only and great difficulty being because of having to leave me. It was only on my beseeching her not to let this stand in the way, and pointing out to her how great my comfort and joy would be in seeing her united to such a husband, that she at last decided to accept the offer. They were united in marriage on November 16th.

Mr. Müller Marries again

The engagement of my beloved daughter, together with a variety of reasons, finally led me to the decision to marry again; as not only from the time of my bereavement I greatly missed my beloved departed wife, in my position, but judged, that now, in the prospect of my beloved daughter's marriage, it would be the best for me. This decision, as one of the deepest importance, was come to in the fear of God, and in the full assurance that I had the sanction and approval of my Heavenly Father. I married, on November 30th, 1871, Miss Susannah Grace Sangar, whom I had known for more than twentyfive years as a consistent Christian, and regarding whom I had every reason to believe that she would prove a great helper to me in my various services.

December 31st. During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me £2,171 17s. 1d.

Mr. Wright appointed Co-Director

May 26th. For more than twenty years it had been stated to me again and again, by many different individuals, "What, Mr. Müller, will become of the Orphan Houses when you are removed?" My reply was invariably, "The Orphan Houses and the land belonging to them are vested in the hands of eleven trustees, and therefore the Institution stands on the same footing in this particular, as other charitable institutions." Then I heard it said, in reply, again and again, "But where will you find the man who will carry on the work in the same spirit in which you do, trusting only in God for everything that in any way is needed in connection with the work?" My answer to this was always something like this: "When the Lord shall have been pleased to remove me from my post, He will prove that He was not dependent on me, and that He could easily raise up another servant of His, to act on the same principles on which I have sought to carry out this work." It was also stated to me again and again, by Christian friends, that I ought to pray that God would raise up a successor to me in the work. To this I generally replied, that I did so; and I have now the joy of announcing to the reader, that God has been pleased to give me the desire of my heart. In my son-in-law, Mr. James Wright, I have found what I had longed for, and prayed for, even a helper in assisting me in the direction of the Institution, and, in the event of my removal, a successor.

But lest any, who neither know me nor him, should suppose that, because Mr. Wright is my son-in-law, I have chosen him for this post, I state the following particulars. Mr. Wright was known to me for thirty-one years as a consistent Christian. From his boyhood, when he was brought to the knowledge of the Lord, I have known him; and for above twenty years I had especially good opportunity of watching his most consistent, godly deportment. During thirteen years, previous to May, 1872, he had been one of my most valuable helpers in the work of the Institution, I may say my right hand, in all the most important matters. As long as twelve years before May, 1872, my beloved departed wife and I began to pray regarding him, that God would fit him more and more to become my successor. This prayer was repeated hundreds of times during the lifetime of my late beloved wife, and both of us became more and more assured, that, in Mr. Wright, God had given to us what we desired regarding this point.

In February, 1870, my beloved wife was taken, and about ten days after I became very unwell. During this time it was, when the late Mrs. Wright was in her usual health, and when there was therefore not as much as a shadow of appearance that Mr. Wright would ever become my son-in-law, I sent for him and opened my mind to him, that I considered it to be the will of God that he should become my successor. His great humility, however, found a number of reasons, why he considered himself unfit for it, none of which I could allow to stand in the way as a hindrance, as I knew him so well with regard to his fitness. A second difficulty was this, his excellent Christian wife considered that he would be greatly burdened by accepting my proposal, and therefore sought to induce him not to accept it. After some weeks, however, her mind was altered on the subject, and she yielded her objections, if he saw it to be the will of God. Mr. Wright then, after long hesitation, came to the conclusion that it would not be his duty any longer to refuse.

It was eighteen months after I had spoken to him on the subject, that he asked for the hand of my daughter, a thing of which I had not the faintest thought, though so intimate with him. I have been so minute in all this, that there may not remain in the mind of any of the readers the slightest thought that the relationship in which Mr. Wright now stands to me has had anything to do with my uniting him with me in the direction of the Institution, and appointing him as my successor.

By the Lord's kindness I am able to work as heretofore, I may say with little hindrance through illness; yet I cannot conceal from myself, that it is of great importance for the work that I should obtain a measure of relief. This relief, however, can be really only given to me by one who stands in a similar position to the work, and who, when I am away, or when I may feel it desirable to have real rest, could do all I ordinarily do in directing. On this account, therefore, I not only appointed Mr. Wright as my successor, in the event of my death, but from May 26th, 1872, associated him also with me in the direction of the Institution, which year by year increases in extent; and I cannot describe my joy, in having found in him a successor, in the event of my death.

1872 and 1873

December 31st, 1872. During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me £2,240 17s. 5d.

December 31st, 1873. During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me £2,770 8s. 1½d.

Mr. Müller's influence in the Irish Revival

In very many instances the reading of the Reports of the Institution, or the "Narrative of the Lord's Dealings" with me, has been blessed by God to the conversion of those who knew not our Lord Jesus. In many thousands of instances, likewise, believers have been benefited through them, being thereby comforted, encouraged, led more simply to the Holy Scriptures, led more fully to trust in God for everything, in a word, led, in a greater or less degree, to walk in the same path of faith in which the writer, by the help of God, is walking. The many thousands of instances of blessing which have been brought before me during the past thirty-six years (for almost daily I have heard of fresh cases), have only still further led me to earnestness in prayer, that the Lord would condescend to use these publications still more, and make them a blessing to many tens of thousands of His children, and to many tens of thousands of the unconverted. And now the reader will rejoice with me, when he reads what follows. I am led to relate the following, that the godly reader more than ever may be encouraged to prayer, and also, that an accurate statement may be given of this fact, which has been referred to in many public places in connection with Revival meetings, and which, likewise, has been several times stated in print.

In November, 1856, a young Irishman, Mr. James McQuilkin, was brought to the knowledge of the Lord. Soon after his conversion he saw the first two volumes of my Narrative advertised. He had a great desire to read it, and procured it accordingly about January, 1857. God blessed it greatly to his soul, especially in showing to him what could be obtained by prayer. He said to himself something like this: "See what Mr. Müller obtains simply by prayer. Thus I may obtain blessing by prayer."

He now set himself to pray, that the Lord would give him a spiritual companion, one who knew the Lord. Soon after he became acquainted with a young man who was a believer. These two began a prayer meeting in one of the Sunday Schools in the parish of Connor. Having his prayer answered in obtaining a spiritual companion, Mr. James McQuilkin asked the Lord to lead him to become acquainted with some more of His hidden ones. Soon after the Lord gave him two more young men, who were believers previously, as far as he could judge.

In Autumn, 1857, Mr. James McQuilkin stated to these three young men, given him in answer to believing prayer, what blessing he had derived from my Narrative, how it had led him to see the power of believing prayer; and he proposed that they should meet for prayer to seek the Lord's blessing upon their various labours in the Sunday Schools, prayer meetings, and preaching of the gospel. Accordingly in Autumn, 1857, these four young men met together for prayer in a small school-house near the village of Kells, in the parish of Connor, every Friday evening. By this time the great and mighty working of the Spirit in 1857, in the United States, had become known, and Mr. James McQuilkin said to himself, "Why may we not have such a blessed work here, seeing that God did such great things for Mr. Müller, simply in answer to prayer?"

On January 1st, 1858, the Lord gave them the first remarkable answer to prayer in the conversion of a farm servant. He was taken into the number, and thus there were five who gave themselves to prayer. Shortly after, another young man, about twenty years old, was converted; there were now six. This greatly encouraged the other three who first had met with Mr. James McQuilkin. Others now were converted, who were also taken into the number; but only believers were admitted to these fellowship meetings, in which they read, prayed, and offered to each other a few thoughts from the Scriptures. These meetings and others for the preaching of the gospel were held in the parish of Connor, Antrim, Ireland. Up to this time all was going on most quietly, though many souls were converted. There were no physical prostrations, as afterwards. About Christmas, 1858, a young man from Ahoghill, who had come to live at Connor, and who had been converted through this little company of believers, went to see his friends at Ahoghill, and spoke to them about their souls, and the work of God at Connor. His friends desired to see some of these converts. Accordingly Mr. James McQuilkin, with two of the first who met for prayer, went on February 2nd, 1859, and held a meeting at Ahoghill in one of the Presbyterian Churches. Some believed, some mocked, and others thought there was a great deal of presumption in these young converts; yet many wished to have another meeting. This was held by the same three young men on February 16th, 1859; and now the Spirit of God began to work, and to work mightily. Souls were converted, and from that time conversions multiplied rapidly. Some of these converts went to other places, and carried the spiritual fire, so to speak, with them. The blessed work of the Spirit of God spread in many places.

On April 5th, 1859, Mr. James McQuilkin went to Ballymena, held a meeting there in one of the Presbyterian Churches; and on April 11th held another meeting in another of the Presbyterian Churches. Several were convinced of sin, and the work of the Spirit of God went forward in Ballymena. On May 28th, 1859, he went to Belfast. During the first week there were meetings held in five different Presbyterian Churches, and from that time the blessed work commenced at Belfast. In all these visits he was accompanied and helped by Mr. Jeremiah Meneely, one of the three young men who first met with him, after the reading of my Narrative. From this time the work of the Holy Ghost spread further and further; for the young converts were used by the Lord to carry the truth from one place to another.

Such was the beginning of that mighty work of the Holy Spirit, which has led to the conversion of hundreds of thousands; for some of my readers will remember how in 1859 this fire was kindled in England, Wales, and Scotland; how it spread through Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland; how the Continent of Europe was more or less partaking of this mighty working of the Holy Spirit; how it led thousands to give themselves to the work of Evangelists; and how, up to the year 1874, not only the effects of this work, first begun in Ireland, are felt, but that still more or less this blessed work is going on in Europe generally. It is almost needless to add, that in no degree the honour is due to the instruments, but to the Holy Spirit alone; yet these facts are stated in order that it may be seen, what delight God has in answering abundantly the believing prayer of His children.

Amounts given away each year from 1831 to 1885

May 29th. While I have often written, within the last thirty years, on "Stewardship," on "Systematic giving, as the Lord is pleased to prosper us," on "Not laying up treasure on earth," and the blessing, both temporal and spiritual, the sure fruit of acting on those principles, I have only alluded to myself with reference to these points, without stating in figures how I had acted. This I purpose now to do, from the time that I began to carry out these principles in my own life. It is not the praise of men that I seek, but the glory of God, and the real good and profit of my beloved fellow-disciples, hoping that they may be led to act on the same principles, if they have not done so already. The last few months of the year 1830 I omit, and begin with the year 1831. During this year it pleased the Lord to give to me, after I had given up my emolument in connection with my pastoral position in the Church at Teignmouth, £151 18s. 8d. Out of this £151 18s. 8d. we gave away during that year £50; I say we, for my beloved wife was altogether of one mind with me in these matters, and as willing to live simply, economically, and savingly for the Lord as I was.

In 1832 my income was £195 3s. You see how the Lord repaid us. The money we had spent for Him, He indeed repaid. He gave not only £50 in return, but nearly four times £50; this is His way. Thus I have found it for 44 years, only with successive years more and more so. During this year we gave away £70. The latter part of this year the Lord gave to us a beloved daughter; but this made no difference in our way of living, or acting. The only difference it did make, if any, was this, to be the more earnestly concerned to lay up treasure in heaven, that she too might partake of the benefit.

In 1833 my income was £267 15s. 8¼d. You perceive how the Lord had again repaid not only the £70 given to Him during the previous year; but how again nearly four times He was pleased to repay us; for He always sees to it that we shall be His debtors, but that He will not be in debt to us. Of this £267 15s. 8¼d. we gave away £110; for our lot was now cast in the city of Bristol, among many poor believers, and we counted it an honour and a privilege to give to them according to our ability. This £110 was, of course, not given at once, nor at ten or twenty different times only; but as it pleased the Lord to give to us the means, and as the cases of necessity were brought before us by Him, so we desired grace to give out of that with which He was pleased to entrust us.

In 1834 the Lord was pleased to give to me, altogether, in various forms, £288 0s. 8¼d., repaying thus again bountifully, and with very large interest, the £110 which had been given away in His work, or among His own poor, or among those who knew Him not, or to one or the other relative who might be in need. Out of this £288 0s. 8¼d., we gave away £120. We had now two children, the Lord having given to us a little son also, on March 19th, 1834; but this made no difference as to the principles on which we acted.

In 1835 the total of my income was £285 1s. 1¼d., out of which we gave away £120. You see, esteemed reader, we went on spending our means for the Lord, in the measure in which He was pleased to entrust us with them, and according to the calls which He was pleased in return to make upon us, as His stewards.

In 1836 the Lord was pleased to give to me £232 11s. 9d., out of which we gave away £80. Well, and how did we fare the next year? If we could spare that £80, it may be said, ought we not to have kept it for coming necessities, such as great sickness, falling off of income, loss of friends, etc, We never reckoned thus, but lived by the day, looking to the Lord, remembering the word of our adorable Lord Jesus, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34). We were not anxiously concerned as to what we should eat, what we should drink, or wherewithal we should be clothed; but we remembered that our Heavenly Father knoweth that we have need of all these things, and that if we sought first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things should be added to us. And just as our adorable Lord said, so have I literally found it to be, for fortyfour years.

How then, still the reader may ask, was it, in the next year, 1837? The answer is, my income was considerably more than during the previous year; it amounted now to £307 2s. 6½d.; thus the £80 given away during the previous year was again nearly four times repaid: and during this year now we gave away £140. You see, dear reader, not the twentieth part of what the Lord gave us, nor the tenth of what He was pleased to entrust us with, though if this were, carried out, much more would be given, than now generally is given, by believers; but, all we had was the Lord's, and again and again we stood with our all before the, Lord.

Well, you may say, this was a goodly sum, which you gave away in the year 1837, and how did you fare in 1838? Our Heavenly Father repaid us most bountifully. The Lord was pleased, during 1838, to give to me altogether £350 4s. 8d., out of which we gave away £166. By this time the necessities of the Orphan work began to call for our means, and very, very often, the necessities of the hour or the day had to be met out of that which the Lord was pleased to give me for myself; and in this state we continued for about five years, up to 1843, yea, more or less to the year 1848.

This £166 was again bountifully repaid by our Heavenly Father; for in 1839 my income was £313 2s. 5d., out of which we gave away £140.

Now observe the income, of 1840. It was altogether £242 8s. 11½d. The Lord varied His mode of dealing. There was not more than in the years 1837. 1838, and 1839, but considerably less. Thus often the Lord deals with His children, for the trial of their faith, to benefit them by His dealings, to teach them precious lessons, and to see how they will act under such circumstances. Well, and how did the writer and His beloved wife act? We did not say, the Lord has forsaken us, nor did we say, we must now save up the money, which we do not need. We gave still, as before, according to our ability, though it could not be as much as in the years 1837, 1838, and 1839. We did not say, that it was better to discontinue to act on these principles; but we held it fast, that our way of obedience to God is, to give as He is pleased to prosper us. In the year 1840 we gave away £80 out of our income of £242 8s. 11½d.