Introduction

IT is desirable that the reader should be informed of the reasons which led me to conclude that it was the will of God that I should publish this book. Over thirty years ago I was laid aside for some weeks through an accident. I then read for the first time the "Narrative of the Lord's Dealings with George Müller." The blessing I received through reading it I could not describe; and I now see it was an instrument in the hand of God for training me for the work to which He knew He would subsequently call me. I had been a believer for ten years, the greater part of these having been spent in the Lord's service. The blessed reality that God is indeed the living God, who delights to be trusted by His children about all the matters of daily living, and the blessing which follows literal obedience to our Lord's command, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth … but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven," deeply impressed me.

There are heights and depths of joy that are not realized and cannot be known by those who do not obey this command of our Lord. Some are hindered from obedience thereto by what they consider prudential reasons; others by modes of interpreting the words of our Lord that result in setting this command aside as not intended for believers at this present time: others again, who are convinced that none of these reasons are according to the mind of God, yet from lack of full confidence in their Heavenly Father, refrain from obedience, and so do not experience the joy which arises from simple confiding subjection to their Lord. I have known some who have been brought by the Lord through circumstances which they could not control into having nothing, and then taking such circumstances out of the hand of their Lord, they have experienced such joys as they had not hitherto known—but even such as these know not the fulness of joy that is the portion of those who voluntarily surrender all at their Lord's command.

The happy illustration of these truths afforded by Mr. Müller in his Narrative gave a mighty impulse to my Christian life. Having myself proved for many years the blessedness of such a life of faith, I desire with all my heart to commend this Autobiography to my fellowbelievers, young and old.

Perhaps no diary has ever been more widely read or more largely used by God. During the last half century many prominent Christian workers have had their whole lives profoundly influenced by Mr. Müller's writings.

Not long after I joined Mr. Wright in the work at Ashley Down in 1898, the thought pressed itself on my mind that the Narrative needed a supplement giving information concerning the thirteen years that succeeded Mr. Müller's publication of Vol. 4, thus continuing it up to his death. I prepared the materials for a fifth volume, but did not publish it. Later on, my mind became exercised about a condensation of all this matter into one volume. For two years past I occupied my spare time in this process of condensation, and had made considerable progress in it at the time of Mr. Wright's death. Within a month of that, the premises of the printers of Mr. Müller's works were destroyed by fire, and sheets of many copies of the Narrative were consumed.

The question of reprinting it was thus brought before me, and the more I thought and prayed about it, the more I became convinced that the work I had done in the matter of condensing was of God, and that this was the best form in which to re-issue the Narrative.

While thus occupied, I received a letter from India in which the writer says:—

"I have been constrained to write to draw attention to the fact that the Centenary of the birth of G. Müller will take place this year, on September 27th, and suggest that a suitable commemoration might be undertaken by those in sympathy with this object, and one that might do much to perpetuate his memory in a way that he himself would not have objected to, viz., the free distribution of 100,000 copies of the 'Narrative' to all public libraries, schools, C.E. Societies, Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., and to every Missionary throughout the world. I feel that I have been marvellously helped in my Christian life by this Narrative, that next to the Holy Scriptures I cannot recommend a better book to either old or young, saint or sinner. I trust, therefore, you may be in accord with the suggestion."

This combination of circumstances led me to think that it would be a suitable way, and a way well pleasing to the Lord, to commemorate the Centenary of Mr. Müller's birth, by publishing in one volume this condensation of his four volumes and of the later materials; thus giving, in his own words, a Narrative of the Lord's dealings with him from his birth in 1805 to his death in 1898.

I then consulted Dr. A. T. Pierson, the author of the book "George Müller of Bristol," and he warmly approved of the proposal, and consented to add a concluding chapter.

The lack of time for such a work presented a serious obstacle in my way, for now that Mr. Wright had been taken home it was impossible for me to attempt to bring to completion what I had begun. At this stage my son, Dr. George F. Bergin, who was invalided home from Medical Missionary work in China, offered to help me. He has bestowed much labour upon it, and brought it to a successful completion.

The first volume has been retained in its diary form; no change could be made without marring its beauty and usefulness; the other three volumes have been entirely re-cast, and are now divided up in such a way as to bring the various important points of the Narrative prominently before the reader. This work of re-editing the materials contained in these three volumes in the form in which they appear, has necessitated taking the reader back again and again to earlier dates, for example—all Mr. Müller's account of his exercise of mind in the forties about building an Orphan House, and the subsequent building of it, and of the other four Houses, are given in one chapter extending from 1845 to 1870; then the next chapter goes back to 1849. The difficulty thus created is, however, lessened as far as possible, by the insertion of the date, at the beginning of each year, on a separate line, in addition to the dates at the commencement of each chapter, and at the top of each page.

The book up to the time of Mr. Müller's death is entirely in his own words, no alterations having been made save verbal ones, many of which were rendered necessary by the omission of various parts. Where a sentence has been added, it is enclosed in square brackets. After Mr. Müller's death, there are several pages from the pen of Mr. Wright. The account of the funeral services, etc., was taken from various papers published at the time. The concluding chapter, by Dr. Pierson, tells of how the Lord continued Mr. Müller's testimony after his death, by means of the wide distribution of the book, "George Müller of Bristol." The frequent applications for Mr. Müller's own Narrative, which Mr. Wright and I have had from readers of that book, show how the Lord has fulfilled the hope of Dr. Pierson and ourselves, that the publication of his book would tend to create a desire for the original work. This Autobiography will supply that demand in a more readable and attractive form, at loss than half the cost of the four volumes.

The idea of a gratuitous distribution, as above suggested, commends itself to me, and to the extent which the Lord indicates His will in the matter of supplying the means, I shall be delighted to carry it out.

Amongst all the dealings of the Lord with His servant, perhaps none are more remarkable than those in his advanced years, even to old age. In 1882, after the abundant supplies for all departments of the work up to then, he was brought into such trials of faith that he interpreted them to mean that the Lord wished him to close many of the Day Schools, both at home and abroad, and he without hesitation carried out what he judged to be the Lord's will. Again, in 1892, the trial is renewed, and then after much exercise of heart another lesson is learned, and the space of laud in front of No. 4 and No. 5 New Orphan Houses is sold, and the pressing need is thus met.

Yet again trials of faith were sent by the Lord to His servant after he had passed ninety years of age, and they lasted to the end of his course, as his own words in the Reports for 1897 and 1898 tell. Yet his confidence in God was unshaken.

"His bow abode in strength,

And the arms of his hands were made strong

By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob."

Thus the Lord fulfilled His promises upon which His servant had for so many years unhesitatingly rested, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age," and "Even to hoar hairs will I carry you." Thus was he enabled of God to tread in the footsteps of Abraham, "the friend of God" of whom the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul writes, "And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yea looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised He was able also to perform."

The hand of God was graciously and remarkably seen in these trials under which Mr. Müller ended his course. Had there been abounding funds up to the time of his death, and then a period of trial, many would have thought that it was Mr. Müller's death which caused funds to decrease, whereas just the reverse was the case, for soon after his death the financial pressure was relieved.

Our hope is that the Lord will graciously use this testimony to Him as the living God and to His Word as being living Oracles, in this twentieth century, as He used the four volumes to the blessing of many in the nineteenth century. A flood of unbelief is spreading over this land—yea, over the world, and is carrying away many of our youth from God and His Word. To help in the feeblest measure any who are being thus led away, is my great desire in publishing this volume; and my prayer to God, and that of not a few others, is, that He will graciously deign to use it for this purpose, and for strengthening the faith of His children. To Him we commend the book and its readers; and ask the believing reader to join in prayer for God's blessing on it, and on myself, and those who with me are seeking in much feebleness to carry on the work of which this volume speaks, so that God may be glorified thereby through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For permission to reproduce photographs (some of which are copyright) in this book, I am indebted to Mr. Frank Holmes, of Clifton, Mr. Garratt, of Ashley Down, Mr. Percival, of Ilfracombe, and others. Several blocks have been kindly lent by Dr. Pierson. None of the pictures should be reproduced without permission.

G. FRED. BERGIN.

New Orphan House, No. 3,

Ashley Down,

Bristol, Sept. 11th, 1905.