Heavy Trials in the Orphan Work During the Last Thirteen Years of Mr. Müller's Life (part 1 of 5)
CHAPTER XIX
HEAVY TRIALS IN ORPHAN WORK DURING THE LAST THIRTEEN YEARS OF MR. MÜLLER'S LIFE*
1885 to 1898
May 26th, 1885, to May 26th, 1886
OUR balance in hand on May 27th, 1885, was £3,947 12s. 0½d., which was only enough to last seven weeks and a half, according to the previous year, for the support of the Orphans.
May 29th. From Servia £100, with £5 for my dear wife and self.
June 1st. From Henbury £32. From the Isle of Wight £50. June 6th. From a Bristol donor 381 lbs. of fresh fish. To ordinary families, even the largest, such a present would be much too large a gift; but in our case it was not even enough for one meal for all the Orphans and our helpers.—June 10th. Received the following letter from one of the former Orphans, now a trained nurse of the sick:—
Honoured Sir,
"I feel it my duty, as well as my privilege, to write you. I am one of the many who owe to you (through Almighty God) so much temporally; but now, by His grace, I have to tell you, that you have been the means in His hands of convincing me, that I am a child of God. I have been reading again, with much interest, the volume of your life, which I have often done before; but have never before been struck with the simplicity of its truths until last Friday I became convinced, while reading pages 148 to 154, that, unworthy though I am, I am a child of God. I adore the goodness of God, that He has given me grace to take Him at His word, to believe that it was for me our blessed Saviour died. Oh! how foolish and blind have I been these long years. I have thanked God many times for raising you up to care for my temporal wants for fourteen years and three months, and now in His love, after I have left your kind care for fourteen years and two months, He has made you the instrument in His hands of convincing me of what an unworthy sinner I am, and yet by the death of Jesus for me, through faith in Him, I am a child of God. Oh! magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
"Will you, dear Sir, accept the humble affection of
"Your grateful Orphan, ——."
June 16th. Legacy of the late Miss J. S. £470 11s.—June 19th. Received £4 from Wales, with the following letter:—
Dear Mr. Müller,
"About a year ago I purchased a pony for our business. Soon after, every one said, it would be of no use. I read an old Report of yours, in which it was stated that one of the items received by you was £3 as 'insurance for a horse,' very similarly purchased. So I resolved to do likewise, and enclosed you will find the £3, as the pony has turned out, up to this day, a perfect success."
June 20th. Legacy of the late D. F. N., Esq., of Wales, £2,000. The Lord in His kindness gave me this legacy from a gentleman whose name even I had never heard before; but God, who knows our need, and who listens to my daily prayers for help, put it into the heart of this gentleman to leave me this legacy.
July 1st. Legacy of the late Mrs. R. £180.—July 2nd. Legacy of the late Mrs. P. £500.—July 3rd. Legacy of the late Mr. W. S. £180.—July 4th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100, with £10 for myself.—July 16th. From "G.," Preston, £98 5s. 11d.
August 13th. From Brislington £85 3s. 6d. From August 8th to August 15th, there came in for all the Objects of the Institution only £415 10s. 11½d., while the expenditure for the same week amounted to £1,576 15s. 6d. Such occasions are special opportunities for trusting in God, who knows perfectly our circumstances and careth for us.—August 20th. From Reigate £100.—August 21st. From Winchmore Hill £200.—August 26th. From Birmingham £200.
September 2nd. Legacy of the late Miss M. S. £400.—September 15th. Ten tons of coal.—September 23rd. Legacy of the late G. C. H., Esq., £100.—September 28th. From the Orphans of a little Orphanage near Berne, Switzerland, £1 11s. 7d.—October 3rd. From a Peterborough donor £50.—October 5th. Received the following letter from an hotel proprietor at Plymouth:—
Dear Sir,
"Enclosed please to find a cheque for £1 15s. 4d., being a penny a night for each visitor who has occupied a bed hero during the past quarter."
October 8th. Left at the New Orphan Houses three pieces of artificial teeth set in gold.—October 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £70.—October 27th. Received from Highbury the following letter:—
Dear Sir,
As my little daughter will attain her fourth birthday, if spared until to-morrow, I have now the pleasure of sending you a cheque (for the support of one Orphan for one year) for £14 9s. 3d. Trusting you may be enabled to remember my little girl at the throne of grace, I remain, with Christian love,
"Yours sincerely, ——."
November 5th. From a friend £150. Legacy of the late Mr. J. L. £125 10s.—December 2nd. Anonymously fifteen bags of flour.—December 7th. From a lady near Northampton £100, "In compliance with the wish of her late sister."—December 12th. From Rochford, U.S.A., £80. From Wales £175, with £25 for my beloved wife and myself.—December 16th. "A thankoffering" of £500.—December 18th. From Berkshire £90 for the support of six Orphans for one year. From Sevenoaks £100. From near London £90, with £10 for Mrs. Müller and myself.—December 19th. Legacy of the late T. W. G., Esq., £1,000.—December 30th. From Maidstone £78 5s. and a set of artificial teeth set in gold. During the past year, a considerable quantity of artificial teeth set in gold has again been sent to be sold for the benefit of the Orphans, through which a large sum has been obtained by the sale of the gold.
January 1st. From one of the former Orphans £5.—January 2nd. From a painter in Wales £4 12s. 6d., "Being 6d. per room, on 186 rooms, papered during the year 1885."—January 6th. From Wales £1 4s. 0d., "The result of labour with two cabs on New Year's Day."—January 9th. From Winchmore Hill £200.—January 12th. From one of the Midland Counties £70.—January 13th. From Wotton-under- Edge £100.—January 22nd. Legacy of the late J. C. H., Esq., £500. The reader will have noticed how many legacies have again been paid to me during the past year. Almost all these have come from individuals, who were entire strangers to me, but God is my Helper and Friend. To Him are my eyes directed day by day; to Him alone I look for help, and were it otherwise, this Orphan Institution would soon be in the greatest distress. I do wish in my inmost soul, that the Church of God at large knew more the power of prayer and faith, in these our unbelieving and sceptical days.—January, 10th. From Cork £50.
February 9th. From Neuchâtel, Switzerland, £20.—February 17th. From Paris £100.—February 19th. Legacy of the late Mrs. E. T. £100. —March 2nd. From Weston-super-Mare £60. March 4th. From Worcestershire £230, being part of a sum which the donor had intended to leave in her Will, but paid in her lifetime to save legacy duty.—March 6th. From the Isle of Wight £53 18s. for the support of four Orphans for one year.—March 10th. From Philadelphia, U.S.A., £50.—March 15th. From Bristol £90 for the support of Orphan girls, and £50 for the support of Orphan boys.—March 29th. Legacy of the late Mrs. A. E. £298 6s. 10d.
April 9th. From L. G., a former Orphan, who, having some money left her, gave for the Orphans £6.—April 14th. From Cheltenham £70.—April 16th. From Gloucestershire £100.—April 22nd. By sale of old clothes and rags £7 16s. 10½d.—April 28th. Legacy of the late Mrs. S. D. £120.—May 4th. From Clifton £50.—May 13th. From Stoke £3, with £2 for myself.—May 20th. Legacy of the late Mr. J. P. £135.
During the past year the average expenses for fifty-one Orphans were contributed by donors paying for one, two, three, four, and in one instance even for six Orphans. Thus out of the 2,070 Orphans who were under our care during the year, fifty-one were provided for.
[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1885, to May 26th, 1886, was £23,943 12s. 1¾d.]
May 26th, 1886, to May 26th, 1887
Our balance in hand on May 27th, 1886, was £1,848 9s. 6½d., which was only enough to last four weeks. There was therefore again much need to stay ourselves upon God, in order that our hearts might be in peace. This, however, by His grace, we were able to do.
May 28th. From Philadelphia £40. Thus the Lord has begun to help us.
June 5th. Legacy of the late Miss F. M. L. £300.—June 11th. From Edinburgh £791 15s., "The moiety of residue of the estate of the late Mrs A. A." This lady, like almost all our donors, was a stranger to me. —June 17th. Received £10, "As a thankoffering to God for giving me a good and pious wife. I have just married her."—June 24th. From Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, £28 18s. 6d. for the support of two Orphans for one year, and £6 1s. 6d. for Mrs. Müller and myself. Notice, esteemed reader, how God speaks to his steward in Brazil, to be mindful of the Orphans on Ashley Down; and how He also leads this donor to care for him who cares for the Orphans.—June 28th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus in St. Petersburg £10.—June 30th. From Cannes, France, £30.
July 6th. From an aged servant of Christ, who has no property nor stated salary nor other regular income, and who sends for the Orphans the fifth part of what the Lord gives to him in answer to prayer, £7.—July 10th. From Brighton 4s. 4d., "Being a penny a week that my husband and I each put by for the Orphans." There are some of God's stewards who send us hundreds of pounds; and there are some who can only each afford a penny a week. We are grateful for the one and grateful for the other, and take both out of the hand of God, and as the result of our looking alone to Him for help, in answer to believing prayer.—July 14th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100.—July 17th. From "G.," Preston, £97 17s. 6d.—July 19th. Legacy of the late S. A., Esq., £500, less legacy duty. From New South Wales £25. —July 21st. From J. B. B., "On leaving England," £26 for the support of two Orphans for one year.—July 23rd. From Birmingham £200.—July 29th. From a Dublin donor £50.—July 31st. From Bath £1, as "A thankoffering for sleep."
August 13th. From Lombard Street, London, £100. August 14th. Received £13 12s. 10d., with the following letter:—
Dear Sir,
"It has pleased the Almighty, in His infinite grace, to spare my dear little Bessie to see the second anniversary of the day of her birth; and I therefore enclose cheque to pay for the support of one Orphan for one year, and remain,
"Yours sincerely, ——."
This Christian gentleman has sent to me, year after year, on the anniversary of the birth of each of his children, the yearly average expense for one Orphan for one year.—August 25th. Received £10, with the following letter:—
Dear Sir,
"I was glad to receive your Reports to-day. On or near this my wedding day, I have four times had the pleasure of sending you a thankoffering as enclosed. As usual, an over-powering sense of the bounty and mercy of our Father is present to me. With respect to dedicated money (of which this does not form a part) I can add my testimony to the many that you must have received in respect of it. In the first year, in which I set apart a fixed proportion of my income as a first charge thereon, a heavy expense gave me anxiety; but later in the year an investment, that I thought a dead loss, suddenly revived, and paid double its normal return; just paying me back what I had lent to the Lord, with a good margin of interest."
Will the reader please to ponder this very profitable letter? August 26th. The balance of £1,848 9s. 6½d., with which we began this present year on May 27th for the support of the Orphans, is not only entirely gone, but £4,260 17s. 2½d. which we received during the past three months likewise; and this day we have nothing at all left. Think of our position, dear Christian reader, whilst we seek no help from any human being, but from our Heavenly Father only. But though we were now so poor, God helped us again; and I give some instances of how we were assisted.
August 27th. From Philadelphia £20.—August 30th. From Manchester £61. The donor of the £61, without knowing of course the least about our circumstances, sent to us this time about three times as much as he had usually sent before. The hand of God was apparent in this.
September 1st. From Brislington £60 19s. 6d.—September 2nd. From London £13 ls., with the following letter to me:—
Dear Sir,
"As God in His all-wise providence has given me another daughter, born this afternoon, I hasten to hand you cheque for £13 1s. for the support of one Orphan for one year. Hoping you may be able to pray for me and mine.
"I remain yours in Christ Jesus, our living Head, ——."
September 3rd. From Leamington £25.—Legacy of the late Mrs. M. P. R. £100, less legacy duty.—September 4th. From Finsbury Park, London, £200.—September 7th. As a further portion of the legacy of the late Mr. W. C. £388 1s. 6d. September 8th. From Westmoreland £100. From the Punjab £10. Will the reader observe how, when nothing was left in hand for the support of the large Orphan family, the Lord, in answer to our habitual waiting on Him, remembered us again and helped us, even as He had done for more than fifty-two years before. From Wiltshire £1 Is., with the following letter:—
Dear Sir,
"My daughter, about eight years of age, was out visiting the other day, and fell through a trap door of a cellar, eleven feet deep. She appears none the worse for the fall. I enclose a cheque for £1 1s. as a thankoffering to God for saving her limbs and life."
September 18th. From the neighbourhood of Portsmouth £1 10s. 6d., as "Our usual yearly contribution of the daily penny for the Orphans." The reader sees from this, not only how even those who possess little may yet contribute to the Lord's work, but even how much may be done, if done systematically.—September 27th. This is the anniversary of my birthday, when I received from each of the sixteen departments of the five Orphan Houses a letter, containing the kind wishes of the Orphans, many of them also enclosing presents in money from the children.—September 29th. From Kent £100, as "A thankoffering from a gentleman who had been restored from a dangerous illness." From a friend £50.
October 1st. Received £5, with the following letter:—
Dear Mr. Müller,
"Will you please to receive for the Orphan Fund the enclosed cheque for £5, in grateful acknowledgment of the Lord's goodness, in preserving house and shops from lire during another year? Since I gave up both life and fire insurances, twenty years ago, in order that I might have the pleasure of helping a little in your work for the Lord, I have not had a single fire on my premises. On two occasions smoulderings were discovered, which, in a short time after, would have burst into flame; and, during the past twelve months, an actual fire occurred in a cellar under my office and showroom; but it was extinguished, by the fire brigade, before affecting the floors above. In former years also I have had fires on the adjoining premises, on both the right hand and left of my place, which have done great damage; but not more than the smell of fire came into my place. Indeed the premises and all else are the Lord's; and not only for protection, but for the faith itself, by which I am enabled to trust Him fully, I praise His name who blessedly keeps in peace that which in true faith is committed to Him."
October 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £80. From the neighbourhood of Eltham £26 5s. Received £25 for the Orphans, with £5 for myself, with these words: "As a thankoffering. 'In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God, and my cry came before Him' (Psalm 18:6)."—October 25th. From Wottonunder-Edge £100.
To-day, October 26th, our balance in hand for the Orphans is £37 1s. 3½d., viz., a very little more than half of the average expenses of one day. Seek to enter into it, esteemed reader. We do not make known our need under such circumstances to our friends and former donors; nor to any human being, but to God; and He helps us, and has done this now, in all our necessities, more than fifty-three years.
October 27th. From the commander of a merchant vessel, a former Christian Orphan, £10, as "A thankoffering for having obtained employment again, after having for months been without it."
November 1st. From Scotland £25.—November 5th. Received £99 16s. 6d., with the following letter:—
My dear Sir,
"It affords me pleasure, for the twenty-eighth year, to send you my cheque for the work of the Lord in your hands. I leave it entirely with you, to place it where most you require help; and may the blessing of our Heavenly Father continue to rest on the labour of our hands."
On account of the great need of funds for the support of the Orphans, the whole amount was taken for them. When this donor first began to help me with means for the Institution, he sent about £4, but purposed to send more, as God might prosper him in a certain branch of his business. His donations have increased more and more, year by year, till now, notwithstanding all the difficulties the kind donor has had in his business, on account of the general depression in mercantile affairs, he is able to send this sum.—November 9th. Legacy of the late Mrs. L. W. £200.—November 12th. From Staffordshire £2 2s., with the following letter:—
Dear Sir,
"A short time since I gave a person, who was an entire stranger to me, a sovereign in mistake for a shilling, in the dark, and I promised that I would send you a tenth, if the Lord would restore me the difference, which, I am thankful to say, He did, through the post, about a week afterwards; I therefore enclose a Postal Order for 2s. As I am about to be married, I do not think that I can do better than celebrate the event by giving you £2 for the Lord's use, as you see most fit (but I should like £1 to be used for the Orphans) as a thankoffering to Him for His many and great mercies vouchsafed unto me during my single life."
November 16th. From Jamaica £10.—November 22nd. From Adelaide £20.—November 23rd. From London £45 3s. Received £5, with the following letter:—
Dear Mr. Müller,
"My dear wife and I have great pleasure in enclosing £5 for your Orphans. Please enter it 'Haven of Peace.' If we are spared to see tomorrow, it will be our wedding-day; we present the enclosed as a small tribute of thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father for His great goodness to us through another year, Wishing you much of the smile and blessing of God in yow important work,
Believe me,
"Yours faithfully, ——."
Shall we ponder this letter? Is our married life to be compared to "The haven of peace"? If not, why not? And, if it is, are we grateful for it to God, and do we by action show our gratitude?
November 25th. A friend from Burnley £50.—November 26th. We are now very poor. There is nothing at all in hand for the support of our large Orphan family. Some Christian friends think, that indeed in former years, we were greatly tried for want of means; but that, as the work has now existed for more than half a century, and as it is so well known, we are never now in difficulty in regard to pecuniary supplies. This is a great mistake. Year after year, even in this respect, the greatest exercise of faith has been required; and, during the past year, the looking to the Lord, and the constant confiding in Him only, could keep the heart at all in peace, in the midst of need, and having no natural prospect whatever to have it supplied. But God did help. Again and again His loving hand supplied us when all was gone. We have not been confounded. The Institution exists, and though our faith has been severely tried, we have been supplied with all we really needed.—November 27th. From Scotland £20 0s. 6d—November 29th. From Duffield £10. From Tyndall's Park, Bristol, £15.—November 30th. From Reading £10.
December 1st. From Clifton £15.—December 2nd. From Dundee £50. Help indeed, in time of need! From Clifton £12. From San Remo, Italy, £10, with £10 for Mrs. Müller and myself. December 3rd. From C. C. T. £10.—December 4th. From Taunton £36 16s. 4d. From Wimbledon £13 Is., "For the support of one Orphan for one year."—December 6th. From the North of Ireland £50. This donation came in most seasonably, and was a great help to us. Thus also £25 from Glasgow, with £5 for Mrs. Müller and myself on the same day.—December 7th. From the neighbourhood of Leicester £10 10s.—December 9th. For the support of six Orphans for one year £90. This sum came in most seasonably, and when help was greatly needed. December 11th. From six helpers in the Orphan Houses £11. From Glasgow £15.—December 13th. From J. T. S. for the support of two Orphan boys for one year £25.—December 14th. From Tring £10.—December 15th. From Clifton £50. Also from Clifton £13 1s., for the support of one Orphan for one year. Both these donations were a great help to us.—December 18th. From Canada 10s., with the following letter:—
Dear Mr. Müller,
"Please to use the enclosed 'Widow's mite' as a thankoffering to the Lord for His mercy in bringing my only child, and her three little children, with a lady friend and myself, through great peril on the 'Prairie,' on our way to our new home (in this part of the world). We had lost the track, and, in turning about to find it, the carriage nearly overturned, and we all had to get out. I kneeled down to put my arms round my little ones, who were crying with cold and fear, and told my Lord I would send 10s. to His Home for Orphans, if He would mercifully send us home safely. In less than ten minutes the answer came. We heard the cheering voice of a friend, calling to us. We were then about eight miles from home, and it had suddenly become very dark. He came to seek us, fearing what had really happened; and thus, after great peril, we reached our new home in safety."
From Clifton £10. From Manchester £50. The Lord's great kindness helped us by these two donations greatly. The Manchester donor often, very often, has sent us help in time of great need, when he little supposed how greatly we needed help. December 19th. A day of the greatest poverty and need of help. Heavy expenses to be met, and there were no means to meet them. Trust in God, coupled with believing and expecting prayer, were again the remedy.—December 20th. From Geneva we received £20, and from Wotton-under-Edge £100. Thus the Lord, in His great kindness, has helped us in our great, great need. The kind donor of Wotton-under-Edge has been again and again, during the last few years, used as God's instrument in helping us when in great need, though I do not know him personally. There came in about £50 more in the course of the day, £175 altogether.—December 21st. From Maidstone £20. From Birmingham £9 12s., and £1. Thus we are still further helped.—December 23rd. From near London £90, with £10 for Mrs. Müller and myself.—December 24th. From Westmoreland £100.
December 26th. Though since November 26th about £1,600 has been received for the support of the Orphans, yet we are still again, as a month ago, without any balance in hand, as our expenses for this large family are so great. But we hope in God for further help.—December 27th. From the neighbourhood of Taunton £5 14s. 6d, "Being 6d. each on 205 lambs, and 1s. each on twelve calves, for the present year."—December 28th. From Reading £29 12s. 5d.—December 30th. From a poor man at Birmingham, who keeps a few fowls and sells the eggs for our Orphans, 10s.
Of the donations which came in on January 1st, I only mention the following. From Liverpool £20. From a former Orphan, now in London in a situation, £1 6s. From New Wimbledon £13 7s. 6d. From Redland, from a former Orphan, £5, and through her £1. From Bristol £25. From Tokyo, Japan, 7 Mexican dollars.—January 3rd. From London £25. From M. 4 sets of artificial teeth, 2 of them set in gold.—January 4th. From Sussex £53 11s. 2d. From the neighbourhood of Stourbridge £50. From Wales £3 1s., "For 122 rooms papered in 1886 at 6d. per room."—January 18th. From Salem, Virginia, 100 dollars and 10 dollars.—January 20th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100.—January 25th. The fund for the Orphans was again very low; and, in addition to the heavy current expenses, there was the prospect of a large sum being required in a little more than two weeks to meet a heavy quarterly charge. Under these circumstances there came in this morning, as the result of constant, believing, persevering, and expecting prayer, in the name of the Lord Jesus, in about twenty-five donations, £65, in the afternoon £45 more, and in the evening £900, in payment of a legacy. Several donors, who have usually given at this time of the year, have not done so; but this only helped us to look more directly to the Lord.
January 28th. From Philadelphia £20 17s.—January 29th. Legacy of the late A. L., Esq., £500.—January 31st. From a former Orphan, now in Canada, £5.—February 1st. From one of the Midland Counties £70. From Wimbledon £26.—February 4th. From Redland £13 for the support of one Orphan for one year. From "B. W." £20.—February 9th. From readers of The Christian, per Messrs. Morgan and Scott, £42 2s. 6d.
Revival among the Orphan Boys
The following communication was sent to me from our School Inspector, Mr. Horne: "February 9th, 1887. On January 15th, two boys came to one of the masters of No. 4, and asked if they might have a prayer meeting. This request was granted. Several others met the same day, and on the next day (Sunday), the master on duty, seeing this desire for united prayer thus showing itself, told the boys, that he would not take them in class in the afternoon as usual, but that they might meet for prayer. About 150 thus met of their own accord for two hours. It is a frequent thing now for many, sometimes more than 100, to meet for prayer, after their evening meal, till school-time at seven. The work is mainly amongst the elder and more intelligent boys. One master says, they do their work better, their manners are softened, and some do not sulk, as they did before. There has been a disposition to talk more, when at work; and, on enquiry, it has been found that the conversation was respecting some boy's character or condition, or whether this or that was right or wrong. Sometimes a few boys have banded together and prayed for particular companions, making lists of such. They wished to meet by themselves for prayer, and others, who met in the usual way, had a separate meeting. Some boys, concerned about their souls, have come to a master and asked for help and instruction. Two came and said, 'Please Sir, to make us Christians.' Another said, 'My father, on his death-bed, made me promise to meet him in heaven, and I am not ready.' Last Sunday, all the boys above fourteen years, and who will be fourteen this year, were had by themselves and spoken to. There were about fifty-five, and of these, from thirty-five to forty professed faith in Christ; and there is nothing in their conduct to contradict their profession. Several boys have, of course, attended the meetings from curiosity only, and prayers were offered by the boys specially for such. A very marked feature in many boys is, an earnest concern for the salvation of others. The whole tone of the school is changed."
February 12th. From London, a stud set with diamonds, and a pin set with diamonds.—February 16th. From Paris £40. February 17th. Legacy of the late S. M., Esq., £128 0s. 4d. February 22nd. From Birmingham £200.—February 24th. From Sevenoaks £100.—February 25th. "The remainder of the legacy of the late Mr. W. S." £162 17s. 1d.
Our expenses have been so heavy during this month, that again we have nothing at all left. But our eyes are up unto the Lord, who will help further, as He has done for fifty-three years.
March 2nd. As the legacy of the late Miss M. J. R. £90.—March 4th. From the Isle of Wight £53 18s. for the support of four Orphans for one year.—March 7th. By sale of dentist gold £18 5s. 7d. During the past year again, as for many years past, a great number of artificial teeth, set in gold, have been sent for the benefit of the Orphans; and, by the sale of this dentist gold, a considerable sum has been obtained.—March 8th. From the neighbourhood of Manchester £200.—March 16th. From Wotton-under-Edge £100.—March 25th. Legacy of the late H. B. R., Esq. £90. From M. H. £25.—March 26th. We have been enabled to meet the heavy expenses of another month for the Orphans, and have £121 11s. 8¼d. in hand, viz. the average expenses for two days.
March 28th. Legacy of the late Mrs. J. W. £221 11s.
A former Christian master writes in reference to one of his Orphan apprentices: "W. R. sailed for New Zealand as a Missionary on the 26th ultimo, in the S.S. Arawa. He leaves behind him a splendid reputation." W. R. left the Orphan Houses as a Christian lad, when he was apprenticed; during the whole of his apprenticeship for five years, he lived to the glory of God in his position, and grew more and more in grace and knowledge. Some years after his apprenticeship had expired, he became a minister, and has now given himself to missionary work.
April 2nd. Legacy of Sir J. W. £500.—April 5th. From Brislington £110 0s. 9d. From Manchester £41 11s. 4d. from a donor who many, many times has sent help to us, when we were in great need.—April 14th. From A. B., Gloucestershire, £500. One donor after the other, who contributed long and much, is taken from us; thus it has been particularly during the past year. Others are still living, but their money is required for, or directed to, other work, and again, others lose their means for contributing. But God remains to us. He is ever able and ever willing to aid those who confide in Him; this we do, and so it comes that we are still helped, by new donors being raised up, and even such as help us considerably in our great work. The last donation referred to comes from a Christian gentleman to whom of late years God has spoken again and again to help us.—April 26th. The Lord has graciously of late refreshed our hearts, by sending the means more bountifully. We have to-day a balance of £1,493 17s. 2½d. in hand.
May 7th. Part payment of the legacy of the late T. M., Esq., with interest, £784.—May 18th. From California £52 for the support of four Orphans for one year.—May 24th. From a Bristol donor £100. From Trowbridge £13 for the support of one Orphan for one year. During the past year, out of the 2,067 Orphans who were under our care, forty-eight have been paid for by donors, providing for one, two, three, four, and in one case even for six children.—May 25th. From Bath £90, with £10 for Mrs. Müller and myself.
[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1886, to May 26th, 1887, was £23,190 10s. 4d.]
May 26th, 1887, to May 26th, 1888
Our balance in hand on May 27th, 1887, was £1,078 10s. 3½d.
May 28th. From Maidstone £74 1s. 4d. This donor has very kindly helped us yearly for a long time, as the Lord has prospered him.—June 4th. As "A thankoffering for eight years of happy married life," £1.—June 7th. As "A thankoffering out of the first month's money of my husband's wages, after his being out of employment over one year," £1.—June 10th. From one of the former Orphans £5, with the following letter:—
Dear and honoured Sir,
"I have just come into a little property. Will you please to accept the enclosed as a small token of gratitude for the benefit I derived, while an inmate of your loved Home? Hoping you still enjoy good health,
"Believe me to remain, your grateful Orphan, ——."
June 23rd. Legacy of the late Miss M. M. £500.—July 4th. Legacy of the late Mrs. A. T. £178 19s.—July 9th. The legacy of the late Mrs. M. A. S. £500.—July 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. From Lombard Street, London, £200.
August 3rd. From St. Mary Church £50.—August 4th. From Cotham Road, Bristol, £65 for Orphan girls, and £40 for Orphan boys.—August 9th. From two servants of Christ, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seek to lay up treasure in heaven, £300.—August 11th. From Manchester £60. From Leamington £25.—August 12th. With 2 Cor. 9:15, £100.—August 15th. From Plymouth £12. This day nearly a thousand pounds has been expended, and we were enabled to meet the heavy expenses by the large donations which came in within the last week.—August 18th. From Manchester £83. This donor has kindly helped us many times, and very many times his donations have come to hand when we were in great need. I further observe, that only on the 11th of this month he had sent us £60, when having very heavy payments before us we were thus helped; and now, when little was left, having paid out more than £1,000 for the Orphans within the last three days, he sent us this £83, thus greatly helping us. Lastly, this kind donor had generally sent us £20 at a time; but now £60 and £83. How came all this? God knew our need, and, in answer to our prayers, put it into his heart thus to help us. God be magnified for this His kindness!—August 24th. From Manchester £20, "Given on the anniversary of the donor's birthday." From a Bristol donor £50. This donor has kindly given us for many years past an annual donation for the Orphans, but never the fourth part as much as in the present instance.—August 26th. Our balance for the Orphans is to-day £316 13s. 5d., viz., not nearly enough for one week's current expenses. But we trust in God, we really trust in God, and do not merely say so, and therefore our hearts are in peace.—August 31st. From Birmingham £200, from a donor who has repeatedly helped us in our time of need; and thus it is again this time. From Edinburgh £1 1s., with the following letter:—
Dear Sir,
"I have been truly converted through reading your Narrative published many years ago, and have prayed for you every day, since my conversion, fifteen months ago. I am seeking to do now the will of God; and, as He told me to send to you £1, I am doing it. The 1s. is for Reports.
"Yours sincerely, ——."
September 3rd. From Westmoreland £100.—September 5th. From Belfast £2 13s., "Being one penny for every umbrella sold for nine months."—September 13th. From Redditch 13,000 needles and two gross of knitting-pins.—September 15th. From Capt. J. V. S., a former Christian Orphan, £20.—September 19th, From ten friends at Darjeeling, India, £5.—September 26th. Our balance for the Orphan work was now very low. We had £98 12s. 10½d. in hand. How little this is, the reader will more particularly see, when it is remembered that the average expenses for one day, for the Orphans alone, amount to £66.—September 27th. Received £2, with the following letter to Mr. Wright:—
Dear Brother in Christ,
"Herewith I enclose a cheque for £2. I had the privilege of accompanying Mr. Müller on board the steamer at Liverpool for America, in August, 1877, and it is marvellous to think, how God has strengthened him for his missionary labours in the ten years that have intervened. I think that, after the Bible, I owe more to reading 'The Lord's Dealings with George Müller' than to any other book. I first read it twenty-four years ago at Oxford. I was then an undergraduate. I fear that many, who have been greatly helped by the example of God's faithfulness to Mr. Müller, and also by his teaching, forget to contribute to the support of his work, through the multiplicity of new sources of interest: so I have been the last year or two much in prayer for the Orphans and all the work under his care. May the Lord give you all grace and wisdom for the work He has called you to. It is indeed a great honour.
"Yours in Him, ——."
Legacy of the late Mr. H. E. £90. Observe the Lord's kindness in causing this legacy just now to be paid, when our balance was so very low. May the donors also, who gave on September 27th, or the following days, see, how seasonably their kind donations came in.
October 5th. From France, from one of the Orphans, who left our care thirty years since, was received the following letter:—
Dear Mr. Müller,
"I thank you very much for the last Report. It is so very interesting! I have written to my sister to send you £1 10s. Please to send me the fourth volume of your Narrative, also your Missionary Labours, by Mrs. Müller, and the rest is for the Orphans. Many years have passed away since I left, but I can never forget the kindness I received, when under your care. I do sincerely thank you, above all, for the religious instruction given to me. I thank God for the life of faith set before me, which seems to follow me all my life. I know from experience, God is true. I have had many answers to prayer. I know how He delights to hear us for Jesus' sake. Great peace and joy this has brought to my soul. I wish all the world could know it. Happy are they who thus know God. I often think of dear Miss ——. What a good Christian she was. I have still in my possession a small Testament I found she had put in my box, praying that the blessing of the Lord might accompany me. What a blessed thing truly godly example is for children! I am glad, dear Sir, your health continues good. That you may live many years to come, as the Orphans' friend, is the prayer of
"Your grateful Orphan, ——."
October 11th. From Ootacamund, India, £10.—October 15th. From Smyrna 19s. 11d.—October 17th. From one of the Midland Counties, from a Christian gentleman, who, for about forty years has helped with his means, £70. Legacy of the late Miss M. L. £90.—October 26th. Evening. Our balance in hand for the Orphans is now £152 15s. 5¾d., viz., enough for two days, but God, who has helped greatly for more than half a century, will further help: and to Him we look.
November 1st. The following letter was received:—
Dear Sir,
"Since writing to you, my dear father has told me to send you for the Lord's work the enclosed Buenos Aires 5 per cent Railway Bond for £100, with coupons attached, with his dying love to you. He says it is a glorious work, and the last he shall be able to do for it here."
On account of the legacy of the late A. A., Esq., £100. The reader sees how the Lord sent help, when our funds were brought low.—November 2nd. From Havre, France, £3 0s. 1d. From a friend in Elgin £50.—November 8th. From a former Orphan £50, as "A thankoffering to the Lord on the occasion of the final settlement of some property, to which she was entitled."—November 9th. We had now before us the payment of more than £1,000 in a few days, and there was as yet scarcely anything in hand towards this, when to-day the remainder of the legacy of the late T. M., Esq., came in, in answer to many prayers, being (with £91 5s. 2d. interest) £4,791 5s. 2d. How graciously has the Lord again helped us thus, and how precious is it, at all times, to trust in Him! This legacy was left several years since, but only now was paid. The reader will observe, how, during this year, in our need, the Lord has been pleased particularly to help us by means of legacies; but all these kind friends, who left legacies to us, were personally strangers to me, which makes the hand of God to be the more manifest.—November 10th. From Cambridgeshire £100 15s. 10d. When the donor of this amount, nearly thirty years ago, first began to help me, he sent about £4, and then purposed to give a percentage on an article he sold in his business. The Lord was pleased to prosper him, notwithstanding mercantile difficulties. His contributions increased more and more; and now he is able to send £100 15s. 10d., instead of £4.—November 12th. From the British Museum Natural History Department, London, the following letter: —
Dear Sir,
"The Rev. W. E. T., now residing at Mombasa, East Africa, has been sending us plants from that region, for which we owe him £16 10s. This he has asked us to send to you. Accordingly I enclose a cheque for the amount."
Will the reader please to observe the hand of God in this donation, how He is so graciously pleased to watch over this work, and in the greatest variety of ways to supply it with means, sending them from all parts of the earth, and generally from entire strangers, as in this instance?—November 21st. From Calcutta £12 12s. 2d. From Christian friends of Flienders Street Baptist Church. Adelaide, £10 2s.—November 24th. Legacy of the late Miss A. C. £185 5s. 10d.—November 25th. Received £1 as "A thankoffering to God for safe deliverance out of a severe and dangerous illness."
December 3rd. From Cornwall 100 pheasants.—December 6th. From an Engine Driver 10s., as "A thankoffering, for life spared in a serious collision."—December 10th. From the neighbourhood of Taunton £5 10s. 6d., being "5s. a year from my little four-years-old daughter, 6d. each for 155 lambs, and 1s. each for thirteen calves."—December 13th. From Ale County, U.S.A., £10.—December 15th. From one of the former Christian Orphans who has been twenty years in the same situation, to which I sent her, 10s., and from her mistress £1.—
December 17th. From Bristol donors who, year after year, have thus kindly remembered the Orphans, twelve bags of flour, sixteen boxes of raisins, and five packages of currants.—December 19th. From Wellington, New Zealand, £5. From Basle £20.—December 21st. From Wotton-under-Edge £100. Legacy of the late J. M., Esq., £642 15s. 2d.—December 28th. From Westmoreland £100.—December 31st. From New Wimbledon £13 10s. for the support of one Orphan, for one year. We were now brought to the close of another year, during which the Lord's kindness to us had been very great, in a variety of ways.
January 2nd. On the first business day of the New Year were received many donations, of which I only refer to the following. From Manchester £50. From Penarth £30. From Reading £33 16s. 8d. From Bristol 112 lbs. of meat.—January 3rd. Legacy of the late Mrs. M. P. £100.—January 6th. From "Nemo" 30 turkeys.—January 7th. Legacy of the late H. H. G., Esq., £900.—January 11th. Believers meeting at the Sand Area Chapel, Kendal, £35 8s.—January 16th From one of the Midland Counties £60.—January 17th. From London a brooch, and two pairs of ear-rings, with a letter, in which the donor writes:—
"I married and went to India, and now away from home influence my still unrenewed heart was able to gratify itself with the things of the world. Never shall I forget my delight when these ear-rings were given to me, the first I ever possessed. Willingly I went to have my ears pierced in order that I might wear them. But God in mercy would not have it so; the ears would not heal, and the ear-rings gave me constant pain. I had to give them up. Some years later, with health quite broken down, I left India, never to return. The Father sought His child. I found in Jesus what the world could not give—it was joy unutterable. He gave me health. He called me to His blessed service, in which I have been engaged for twelve years now."
January 28th. The legacy of the late Mrs. E. £900.—February 2nd. From Havre £4. From a Bristol donor £100.—February 9th. From Manchester a £100 Railroad Bond.—March 2nd. From Manchester £50. From Neuchâtel, Switzerland, £6 5s. 7d.—March 7th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £105 12s. 7d.—March 12th. Legacy of the late Miss H. H. £250. March 16th. From Birmingham £200. From Rio de Janeiro £30, with £5 for myself.—March 22nd. From Hampstead £50, "In lieu of legacy," with the following weighty letter: —
Dear Mr. Müller,
"Please accept of the enclosed cheque in lieu of legacy. I am endeavouring, as far as possible, instead of making bequests, to give in my lifetime, thus preventing delay, risk, and also saving the heavy expense of Government duty. The sooner the money is employed in the Lord's service the better. It is a solemn thought, the heaps upon heaps of hoarded riches which the Lord, at His coming, will find lying dormant, and which might have been used for the glory of His dear name. Yes!—'laid up'—in direct opposition to His express command. Matt. 6:19. Earnestly begging your prayers,
"I remain, dear Mr. Müller, Yours in our Lord, ——."
From the Isle of Wight £54 for the support of four Orphans for one year.—March 28th. From a Bristol donor £65 for the support of Orphan girls, and £40 for the support of Orphan boys.—April 3rd. From Weston-super-Mare £60. From South Australia £11 0s. 6d. from thirty-three donors.—April 7th. From Bromley £50.—April 9th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £15, with £5 for Mr. Wright, and £5 for myself. From Taunton £45.—April 10th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. From Ruabon 8s. 3d., being one penny for every dozen eggs, and threepence for every couple of fowls sold in the last three months.—April 11th. From Upperthorpe £1 as a thankoffering for spiritual blessing received through reading one of my books. This donor had bequeathed £100 in her Will, but through the failure of the undertaking in which her property was invested it was all lost.—April 14th. From one of the Midland Counties £70. This kind donor sent the same amount only four days before. How little ground therefore was there, humanly speaking, to expect help from that quarter so soon again; but the Lord, to whom we look and on whom we wait, is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. From Worthing one gold bracelet, three silver bracelets, a gold scarfpin set with small pearls, a gold ring set with garnets, a gold ring set with turquoises, a gold locket with chain, and a small gold locket. From Manchester a £100 Railroad Bond.—April 28th. Received £100, with the following letter:—
My dear Brother,
"A friend of mine in Ireland is dying, and wishing so far to be his own executor, he put £100 for your Orphan work into my hands, and asked me to send it to you in this name of the Lord without mentioning his name. I enclose cheque accordingly with great pleasure."
May 4th. From Los Angeles City, California, £40 15s. 7d. May 5th. Legacy of the late J. G. M., Esq. £450.—May 7th. From Newcastleon-Tyne £50. From Henbury one gold pin set with brilliants, one gold ring, and one pair of gold ear-rings.—May 8th. Received £20 from a dear child of twelve years old whose young heart the Lord stirred up to care for the Orphans, with the following letter:—
My dear Mr. Müller,
"I wanted to get a little money to send you for the dear Orphans, and I sent to many of our friends at a distance and to those in the town belonging to our meeting, and they gave me a nice lot of things which we sold at our house last Tuesday. I send you a cheque for £20, and am so glad, as it is much more than I expected. I am twelve years old this month. Papa and Mamma send their kind love to you and dear Mrs. Müller.
"Your little friend, ——."
Anonymously by post, from Malvern, one gold necklet with seven shell pendants, one coral necklace, two silver bracelets, one silverlined tortoiseshell bracelet, one gold brooch, one silver ditto, one gold pendant, and three silver lockets. From a Plymouth lady an antique china dish.—May 9th. From the neighbourhood of Bristol £50, with £2 for myself.—May 16th From Clifton £15. Legacy of the late Miss M. M. £97 7s.—May 21st. From Norfolk £50.—May 26th. From Clifton £50.
[The expenditure for the Orphans from May 26th, 1887, to May 26th, 1888, was £23,312 12s. 1d.]
May 26th, 1888, to May 26th, 1889
Our balance in hand on May 27th was £2,505 5s. 1¾d.
May 29th. From Manchester fifteen interest coupons of a Railway Bond.—May 31st. From the same donor a £100 Railway Bond. The same kind donor has very many times been God's instrument to help us when in great need.
June 22nd. From Norfolk £50, from a donor who has often helped us.—June 23rd. From Maidstone £75, from a donor who has often sent us help when we were in need, of which, of course, he knew nothing. From Alpes Maritimes £30 from a Christian brother, who, for more than forty years, has been a friend of the Institution.—June 27th. We began our financial year of the Institution this day a month ago, with a balance of £2,505 5s. 1¾d. in hand; but to-day it is nearly a thousand pounds less, notwithstanding all the many donations during the past month.
July 3rd. From one of the Midland Counties £70, from a Christian gentleman, who has for about forty years taken a deep interest in this Institution.—July 9th. Received £12 12s. 11d., with the following letter:—
Dear Mr. Müller,
"It having pleased God, in His infinite mercy, to spare my dear little boy another year, I now enclose cheque for £12 12s. 11d., being the amount for the support of an Orphan for one year.
"Yours sincerely, ——."
July 11th. Received £25, with the following letter:—
Dear Servant of the Lord Jesus,
"I have given to the Orphans, what my Heavenly Father has given me, £25. Your faith has often strengthened me when suffering from the temptations of the flesh. My dear sister and self continue to remember you, yours, and your large family, at the throne of grace. We watch to hear of hundreds of the dear children having given their hearts to Jesus.
"My time is short, being 78 years of age, and sister 76, both longing to be called home.
"Yours in the Lord Jesus, ——."
July 18th. From a poor widow £4. We receive hundreds and thousands of pounds at once, from those whom God has made stewards over much. We are grateful for such donations, and take them as coming direct from the hand of our Heavenly Father, as the result of our daily believing prayers; but, in like manner, we not only value the smallest donations of the poor, but take them also out of God's hands, as the result of our trust in Him. July 25th. From a servant of the Lord Jesus, who for many years has taken a deep interest in this Orphan Institution, and who sends to us the fifth part of all that God gives him in answer to prayer, £7. He has himself no salary nor fixed income, but waits on God for all he needs.—July 27th. The comparatively large balance, with which we began the financial year of the Orphan Institution, has yet further been reduced during the past month several hundred pounds, great though our income was, because our expenses were still greater.—July 30th. From one of the School Masters, who, from early days, had been educated in the Orphan Institution, trained to be a teacher, and who fills now the position of a master, £10 10s., with a grateful letter.—July 31st. Received on account of a large legacy, left by the late J. W. D., Esq., £2,000. As usual, the kind testator was an entire stranger to me; yet this gentleman was induced to leave to me, for the benefit of the Orphans, a large legacy, which may lead to the payment of more than £8,000 altogether. How soon is God able, in answer to prayer, to increase the balance, as He has been so graciously doing in our case. How true that word, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord."
August 3rd. From a hard-working, dying man, lately having found rest in Jesus, £10.—August 7th. Moiety of the net residue of the personal estate of the late E. G. £105 14s. 4d.—August 8th. From one of the Midland Counties £100.—August 9th. Legacy of the late Mrs. M. E. £500.—August 10th. From the neighbourhood of Torquay £60. From Birmingham £200.—August 13th. From the residuary legatees of the late Sir J. W. £850.—August 18th. From Lombard Street £100. From Wales £80. From a Bristol donor £50.—August 27th. Received the following letter, with a set of studs and a picnic knife:—
Dear Mr. Müller,
"When in Bristol in 1867, I visited the Orphan Houses, and purchased vol. I of your Narrative. The reading being 'too dry,' I put it away amongst other books, where it remained hidden and forgotten. In 1884 I was led to know Jesus as my Saviour. Your volume then became most interesting, and tended very much to strengthen my faith in a prayer-hearing God. I have now your four volumes, and from them I am able to lead others to Jesus, encouraging them to put God's promises to the proof. When in 1885 I had lost everything, I was enabled to rest upon Matthew 6:25–34, refusing to be anxious, therefore slept soundly. Psalm 68:19, 20 (Revised Version), I am finding true to the letter. Now that all my debts are paid, and earnings are only sufficient to pay necessary expenses, I have a desire practically to thank God for His comfort during the past three years. Presents which I have received, a set of studs and a picnic knife, I have this morning sent to you by post, which please receive for the Orphans. All that I am and have are the Lord's, Rom. 12:1; I therefore look to Him, by His Spirit, to make me what He would have me to be.
Yours faithfully, ——."
August 28th. From Manchester a £100 Railway Bond. The Christian gentleman who sent us this Bond has, during a period of many years, helped us again and again.
September 4th. From Dublin £100, with the following letter:—
My dear Sir,
"Enclosed you will find first half notes for £100 for the support of the Orphans under your care. Only once before had I the privilege of sending so large a sum; but this is a far more prosperous year than we have had for a long time; and, besides, having enough capital to carry on my business, and my children being provided for, I have determined not to lay up any more treasure on the earth, but to give all I make in the year (over and above what I require for household and personal expenses and the education of my children) to the Lord's work. I believe the money would do me no good to hoard it, and I am sure, when I give it to you, it is put to good use in supporting an Institution that is doing good temporally and spiritually to the children under your care.
"I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully, ——."
September 26th. Legacy of the late Miss E. L. £500.
Four months of our new financial year have elapsed, and our expenses for the Orphans alone have amounted, during those four months, to £7,414 1s. 2¾d.; yet our balance of £2,505 5s. 1¾d., with which we began the year, having been greatly reduced after the first month, and still more so after the second month, the Lord has been pleased so to increase as that this day, September 27th, we have £3,851 6s. 10½d. What is not God able and willing to do for all who really trust in Him?
October 16th. From one of the Midland Counties £70.—October 19th. Legacy of the late Miss L. McK. £100. Legacy of the late J. R., Esq., £225.—October 20th. From Brislington £61 3s. 2d.—October 30th. From Havre, France, £4. "Instead of fire insurance" £3.
November 1st. Received £2,000 as a further portion of a legacy of the late J. W. D., Esq.—November 5th. The legacy of the late E. B., Esq., £5,000. As is generally the case, so in this instance also, the kind testator was not at all known to me, not even by name. But God, in answer to my daily believing and expecting prayers, put it into his heart to leave me this considerable sum, duty free. See, Christian reader, how blessed it is to trust in God!
Perhaps one or the other of my readers may be inclined to say, It is an easy matter to carry on such an Institution, whilst the income is so large. As recently as on November 1st, £2,000 was received as part of a legacy, and now on the 5th, £5,000.
My reply is: (1) How do we obtain these large donations? Do we ask for them? J. W. D., Esq., who left above £8,000, was not known to me by name even, nor E. B., Esq., who left the £5,000.
(2) We never apply to one single individual for help, and have acted thus for more than half a century; but ask God alone. We should not consider it unscriptural, far less sinful, to apply to Christian persons for help for the work of God; but we refrain from it, and I have acted thus for fifty-five years, that, by this mode of carrying on the work of God, I might be instrumental in strengthening the hands of my fellow-believers, by showing to them practically the power of prayer and of faith, and by showing also how much, in the nineteenth century even, can thus be accomplished.