,,answers ,,to ,,prayer ,from ,george ,mller's ,narratives ,compiled by ,a4 ,e4 ,c4 ,brooks4 ,the ,moody ,press #aec ,institute ,place ,chicago ,i never remember1 in all my ,christian course1 a period now 7in ,march1 #ahie7 of sixty-nine years and four months1 that ,i ever ,,sincerely and ,,patiently sought to know the will of ,god by the teaching of the ,holy ,ghost1 through the instrumentality of the ,word of ,god1 but ,i have been ,,always directed rightly4 ,but if honesty of heart and uprightness before ,god were lacking1 or if ,i did not patiently wait upon ,god for instruction1 or if ,i preferred the counsel of my fellow men to the declarations of the ,word of the living ,god1 ,i made great mistakes4 ,,george ,m,,ller4 ,printed in ,united ,states of ,america ,illustration3 ,fac simile of ,mr4 ,mller's permission for the compilation of this book4 ,,preface ,mr4 ,brooks1 in this compilation1 has endeavored to select those incidents and practical remarks from ,mr4 ,mller's ,narratives1 that show in an unmistakeable way1 both to believers and unbelievers1 the secret of believing prayer1 the manifest hand of a living ,god1 and ,his unfailing response1 in ,his own time and way1 to every petition which is according to ,his will4 ,the careful perusal of these extracts will thus further the great object which ,mr4 ,mller had in view1 without the necessity of reading through the various details of his ,narratives1 details which ,mr4 ,mller felt bound to give when writing periodically the account of ,god's dealings with him4 ,for those who have the opportunity1 an examination of the ,autobiography of ,george ,mller1 or1 a ,million and a ,half in ,answer to ,prayer will richly repay the time spent upon it4 ,mr4 ,mller's permission for the compilation of this volume is shown in the accompanying facsimile1 7see p4 #b71 in the following words3 ,if the extracts are given exactly as printed1 and the punctuation exactly as in the book and in the connection in which the facts stand1 ,i have no objection4 ,,how ,,to ,,ascertain ,,the ,,will ,,of ,,god ,i seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter4 ,nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here4 ,nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the ,lord's will1 whatever it may be4 ,when one is truly in this state1 it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what ,his will is4 #b4--;,having done this1 ,i do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression4 ,if so1 ,i make myself liable to great delusions4 #c4--;,i seek the ,will of the ,spirit of ,god through1 or in connection with1 the ,word of ,god4 ,the ,spirit and the ,word must be combined4 ,if ,i look to the ,spirit alone without the ,word1 ,i lay myself open to great delusions also4 ,if the ,holy ,ghost guides us at all1 ,he will do it according to the ,scriptures and never contrary to them4 #d4--,next ,i take into account providential circumstances4 ,these often plainly indicate ,god's ,will in connection with ,his ,word and ,spirit4 #e4--;,i ask ,god in prayer to reveal ,his ,will to me aright4 #f4--,thus1 through prayer to ,god1 the study of the ,word1 and reflection1 ,i come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge1 and if my mind is thus at peace1 and continues so after two or three more petitions1 ,i proceed accordingly4 ,in trivial matters1 and in transactions involving most important issues1 ,i have found this method always effective4 ,,george ,m,,ller4 ,,answers ,,to ,,prayer ,,chapter ,i ,,beginning ,,and ,,early ,,days ,,of ,,the ,,orphan ,,work4 ,that the trial of your faith1 being much more precious than of gold that perisheth1 though it be tried with fire1 might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of ,jesus ,christ4--#a ,peter1 i4 #g4 ,mr4 ,george ,mller1 the founder of the ,new ,orphan-,houses1 ,ashley ,down1 ,bristol 7institutions that have been for many years the greatest monuments of modern times to a prayer-answering ,god71 gives in that most valuable and instructive book1 ,a ,narrative of ,some of the ,lord's ,dealings with ,george ,mller1 ,vol4 ,i41 among other reasons for establishing an ,orphan-,house1 the following3-- ,sometimes ,i found children of ,god tried in mind by the prospect of old age1 when they might be unable to work any longer1 and therefore were harassed by the fear of having to go into the poorhouse4 ,if in such a case ,i pointed out to them1 how their ,heavenly ,father has always helped those who put their trust in ,him1 they might not1 perhaps1 always say1 that times have changed2 but yet it was evident enough1 that ,god was not looked upon by them as the ,,living ,god4 ,my spirit was ofttimes bowed down by this1 and ,i longed to set something before the children of ,god1 whereby they might see1 that ,he does not forsake1 even in our day1 those who rely upon ,him4 ,another class of persons were brethren in business1 who suffered in their souls1 and brought guilt on their consciences1 by carrying on their business1 almost in the same way as unconverted persons do4 ,the competition in trade1 the bad times1 the over-peopled country1 were given as reasons why1 if the business were carried on simply according to the word of ,god1 it could not be expected to do well4 ,such a brother1 perhaps1 would express the wish1 that he might be differently situated2 but very rarely did ,i see that there was a stand made for ,god1 that there was the holy determination to trust in the living ,god1 and to depend on ,him1 in order that a good conscience might be maintained4 ,to this class likewise ,i desired to show1 by a visible proof1 that ,god is unchangeably the same4 ,then there was another class of persons1 individuals who were in professions in which they could not continue with a good conscience1 or persons who were in an unscriptural position with reference to spiritual things2 but both classes feared1 on account of the consequences1 to give up the profession in which they could not abide with ,god1 or to leave their position1 lest they should be thrown out of employment4 ,my spirit longed to be instrumental in strengthening their faith1 by giving them not only instances from the word of ,god1 of ,his willingness and ability to help all those who rely upon ,him1 but to show them by proofs1 that ,he is the same in our day4 ,i well knew that the ,word of ,god ought to be enough1 and it was1 by grace1 enough1 to me2 but still1 ,i considered that ,i ought to lend a helping hand to my brethren1 if by any means1 by this visible proof to the unchangeable faithfulness of the ,lord1 ,i might strengthen their hands in ,god2 for ,i remembered what a great blessing my own soul had received through the ,lord's dealings with ,his servant ,a4 ,h4 ,franke1 who in dependence upon the living ,god alone1 established an immense ,orphan-,house1 which ,i had seen many times with my own eyes4 ,i1 therefore1 judged myself bound to be the servant of the ,church of ,god1 in the particular point on which ,i had obtained mercy3 namely1 in being able to take ,god by ,his word and to rely upon it4 ,all these exercises of my soul1 which resulted from the fact that so many believers1 with whom ,i became acquainted1 were harassed and distressed in mind1 or brought guilt on their consciences1 on account of not trusting in the ,lord2 were used by ,god to awaken in my heart the desire of setting before the church at large1 and before the world1 a proof that ,he has not in the least changed2 and this seemed to me best done1 by the establishing of an ,orphan-,house4 ,it needed to be something which could be seen1 even by the natural eye4 ,now1 if ,i1 a poor man1 simply by prayer and faith1 obtained without asking any individual1 the means for establishing and carrying on an ,orphan-,house1 there would be something which1 with the ,lord's blessing1 might be instrumental in strengthening the faith of the children of ,god1 besides being a testimony to the consciences of the unconverted1 of the reality of the things of ,god4 ,this1 then1 was the primary reason for establishing the ,orphan-,house4 ,i certainly did from my heart desire to be used by ,god to benefit the bodies of poor children1 bereaved of both parents1 and seek in other respects1 with the help of ,god1 to do them good for this life2--,i also particularly longed to be used by ,god in getting the dear orphans trained up in the fear of ,god2--but still1 the first and primary object of the work was 7and still is37 that ,god might be magnified by the fact1 that the orphans under my care are provided with all they need1 only by prayer and faith without anyone being asked by me or my fellow-laborers whereby it may be seen1 that ,god is ,,faithful ,,still1 and ,,hears ,,prayer ,,still4 ,that ,i was not mistaken1 has been abundantly proved since ,november1 #ahce1 both by the conversion of many sinners who have read the accounts1 which have been published in connection with this work1 and also by the abundance of fruit that has followed in the hearts of the saints1 for which from my inmost soul1 ,i desire to be grateful to ,god1 and the honor and glory of which not only is due to ,him alone1 but1 which ,i1 by ,his help1 am enabled to ascribe to ,him4 ,,open ,,thy ,,mouth ,,wide4 ,in the account written by ,mr4 ,mller dated ,jan4 #af1 #ahcf1 respecting the ,orphan-,house intended to be established in ,bristol in connection with the ,scriptural ,knowledge ,institution for ,home and ,abroad1 we read3-- ,when1 of late1 the thoughts of establishing an ,orphan-,house1 in dependence upon the ,lord1 revived in my mind1 during the first two weeks ,i only prayed that if it were of the ,lord1 he would bring it about1 but if not that ,he graciously would be pleased to take all thoughts about it out of my mind4 ,my uncertainty about knowing the ,lord's mind did not arise from questioning whether it would be pleasing in ,his sight1 that there should be an abode and ,scriptural education provided for destitute fatherless and motherless children2 but whether it were ,his will that ,i should be the instrument of setting such an object on foot1 as my hands were already more than filled4 ,my comfort1 however1 was1 that1 if it were ,his will1 ,he would provide not merely the means1 but also suitable individuals to take care of the children1 so that my part of the work would take only such a portion of my time1 as1 considering the importance of the matter1 ,i might give1 notwithstanding my many other engagements4 ,the whole of those two weeks ,i never asked the ,lord for money or for persons to engage in the work4 ,on ,december #eth1 however1 the subject of my prayer all at once became different4 ,i was reading ,psalm lxxxi41 and was particularly struck1 more than at any time before1 with verse #aj3 ,open thy month wide1 and ,i will fill it4 ,i thought a few moments about these words1 and then was led to apply them to the case of the ,orphan-,house4 ,it struck me that ,i had never asked the ,lord for anything concerning it1 except to know ,his will1 respecting its being established or not2 and ,i then fell on my knees and opened my mouth wide1 asking ,him for much4 ,i asked in submission to ,his will1 and without fixing a time when ,he should answer my petition4 ,i prayed that ,he would give me a house1 i4 e41 either as a loan1 or that someone might be led to pay the rent for one1 or that one might be given permanently for this object2 further1 ,i asked ,him for #ajjj2 and likewise for suitable individuals to take care of the children4 ,besides this1 ,i have been since led to ask the ,lord1 to put into the hearts of ,his people to send me articles of furniture for the house1 and some clothes for the children4 ,when ,i was asking the petition1 ,i was fully aware what ,i was doing1 i4 e41 that ,i was asking for something which ,i had no natural prospect of obtaining from the brethren whom ,i know1 but which was not too much for the ,lord to grant4 ,december #aj1 #ahce4--,this morning ,i received a letter1 in which a brother and sister wrote thus3--,we propose ourselves for the service of the intended ,orphan-,house1 if you think us qualified for it2 also to give up all the furniture1 c41 which the ,lord has given us1 for its use2 and to do this without receiving any salary whatever2 believing that if it be the will of the ,lord to employ us1 ,he will supply all our needs1 c4 ,dec4 #ac4--;,a brother was influenced this day to give #ds4 per week1 or #aj #hs4 yearly1 as long as the ,lord gives the means2 #hs4 was given by him as two weeks' subscriptions4 ,to-day a brother and sister offered themselves1 with all their furniture1 and all the provisions which they have in the house1 if they can be usefully employed in the concerns of the ,orphan-,house4 ,a ,,great ,,encouragement4 ,dec4 #ag4--;,i was rather cast down last evening and this morning about the matter1 questioning whether ,i ought to be engaged in this way1 and was led to ask the ,lord to give me some further encouragement4 ,soon after were sent by a brother two pieces of print1 the one seven and the other #bc yards1 #f yards of calico1 four pieces of lining1 about four yards altogether1 a sheet1 and a yard measure4 ,this evening another brother brought a clothes horse1 three frocks1 four pinafores1 six handkerchiefs1 three counterpanes1 one blanket1 two pewter salt cellars1 six tin cups1 and six metal tea spoons2 he also brought #cs4 #f;d4 given to him by three different individuals4 ,at the same time he told me that it had been put into the heart of an individual to send to-morrow #ajj4 ,,one ,,thousand ,,pounds4 ,june #ae1 #ahcg4--,to-day ,i gave myself once more earnestly to prayer respecting the remainder of the #ajjj4 ,this evening #e was given1 so that now the whole sum is made up4 ,to the ,glory of the ,lord1 whose ,i am1 and whom ,i serve1 ,i would state again1 that every shilling of this money1 and all the articles of clothing and furniture1 which have been mentioned in the foregoing pages1 have been given to me1 without one single individual having been asked by me for anything4 ,,orphans ,,for ,,the ,,building4 ,in a third statement1 containing the announcement of the opening of the ,orphan-,house1 for destitute female children1 and a proposal for the establishment of an ,infant ,orphan-,house1 which was sent to the press on ,may #ah1 #ahcf1 ,mr4 ,mller wrote3-- ,so far as ,i remember1 ,i brought even the most minute circumstances concerning the ,orphan-,house before the ,lord in my petitions1 being conscious of my own weakness and ignorance4 ,there was1 however1 one point ,i never had prayed about1 namely that the ,lord would send children2 for ,i naturally took it for granted that there would be plenty of applications4 ,the nearer1 however1 the day came which had been appointed for receiving applications1 the more ,i had a secret consciousness1 that the ,lord might disappoint my natural expectations1 and show me that ,i could not prosper in one single thing without ,him4 ,the appointed time came1 and not even one application was made4 ,i had before this been repeatedly tried1 whether ,i might not1 after all1 against the ,lord's mind1 have engaged in the work4 ,this circumstance now led me to lie low before my ,god in prayer the whole of the evening1 ,february #c1 and to examine my heart once more as to all the motives concerning it2 and being able1 as formerly1 to say1 that ,his glory was my chief aim1 i4 e41 that it might be seen that it is not a vain thing to trust in the living ,god1--and that my second aim was the spiritual welfare of the orphan-children1--and the third their bodily welfare2 and still continuing in prayer1 ,i was at last brought to this state1 that ,i could say from my heart1 that ,i should rejoice in ,god being glorified in this matter1 though it were by bringing the whole to nothing4 ,but as still1 after all1 it seemed to me more tending to the glory of ,god1 to establish and prosper the ,orphan-,house1 ,i could then ask ,him heartily1 to send applications4 ,i enjoyed now a peaceful state of heart concerning the subject1 and was also more assured than ever that ,god would establish it4 ,the very next day1 ,february #d1 the first application was made1 and since then #db more have been made4 ,,just ,,for ,,to-,,day4 ,later on1 when there were nearly #ajj persons to be maintained1 and the funds were reduced to about #bj1 ,mr4 ,mller writes3-- ,july #bb #ahch4--,this evening ,i was walking in our little garden1 meditating on ,heb4 xiii4 #h1 ,jesus ,christ the same yesterday1 and to-day1 and for ever4 ,whilst meditating on ,his unchangeable love1 power1 wisdom1 c4--and turning all1 as ,i went on1 into prayer respecting myself2 and whilst applying likewise ,his unchangeable love1 and power and wisdom1 c41 both to my present spiritual and temporal circumstances3--all at once the present need of the ,orphan-,house was brought to my mind4 ,immediately ,i was led to say to myself1 ,jesus in ,his love and power has hitherto supplied me with what ,i have needed for the ,orphans1 and in the same unchangeable love and power ,he will provide me with what ,i may need for the future4 ,a flow of joy came into my soul whilst realising thus the unchangeableness of our adorable ,lord4 ,about one minute after1 a letter was brought me1 enclosing a bill for #bj4 ,in it was written3 ,will you apply the amount of the enclosed bill to the furtherance of the objects of your ,scriptural ,knowledge ,society1 or of your ,orphan ,establishment1 or in the work and cause of our ,master in any way that ,he ,himself1 on your application to ,him1 may point out to you4 ,it is not a great sum1 but it is a sufficient provision for the exigency of to-day2 and it is for to-day's exigencies1 that1 ordinarily1 the ,lord provides4 ,to-morrow1 as it brings its demands1 will find its supply1 etc4 ,of this #bj ,i took #aj for the ,orphan fund1 and #aj for trip other objects1 and was thus enabled to meet the expenses of about #cd which1 in connection with the ,orphan-,houses1 came upon me within four days afterwards1 and which ,i knew beforehand would come4 ,,waiting ,,for ,,help4 ,nov4 #ba1 #ahch4--,never were we so reduced in funds as to-day4 ,there was not a single halfpenny in hand between the matrons of the three houses4 ,nevertheless there was a good dinner1 and by managing so as to help one another with bread1 etc41 there was a prospect of getting over this day also2 but for none of the houses had we the prospect of being able to take in bread4 ,when ,i left the brethren and sisters at one o'clock1 after prayer1 ,i told them that we must wait for help1 and see how the ,lord would deliver us this time4 ,i was sure of help1 but we were indeed straitened4 ,when ,i came to ,kingsdown1 ,i felt that ,i needed more exercise1 being very cold2 wherefore ,i went not the nearest way home1 but round by ,clarence ,place4 ,about twenty yards from my house1 ,i met a brother who walked back with me1 and after a little conversation gave me #aj to be handed over to the brethren1 the deacons1 towards providing the poor saints with coals1 blankets and warm clothing2 also #e for the ,orphans1 and #e for the other objects of the ,scriptural ,knowledge ,institution4 ,the brother had called twice while ,i was gone to the ,orphan-,houses1 and had ,i now been one half minute later1 ,i should have missed him4 ,but the ,lord knew our need1 and therefore allowed me to meet him4 ,i sent off the #e immediately to the matrons4 ,,beyond ,,disappointment4 ,sept4 #ba #ahdj1 ,monday4 ,by what was in hand for the ,orphans1 and by what had come in yesterday1 the need of to-day is more than supplied1 as there is enough for to-morrow also4 ,to-day a brother from the neighbourhood of ,london gave me #aj1 to be laid out as it might be most needed4 ,as we have been praying many days for the ,school1--,bible1--and ,missionary ,funds1 ,i took it all for them4 ,this brother knew nothing about our work1 when he came three days since to ,bristol4 ,thus the ,lord1 to show ,his continued care over us1 raises up new helpers4 ,they that trust in the ,lord shall never be confounded6 ,some who helped for a while may fall asleep in ,jesus2 others may grow cold in the service of the ,lord2 others may be as desirous as ever to help1 but have no longer the means2 others may have both a willing heart to help1 and have also the means1 but may see it the ,lord's will to lay them out in another way2--and thus1 from one cause or another1 were we to lean upon man1 we should surely be confounded2 but1 in leaning upon the living ,god alone1 we are ,,beyond disappointment1 and ,,beyond being forsaken because of death1 or want of means1 or want of love1 or because of the claims of other work4 ,how precious to have learned in any measure to stand with ,god alone in the world1 and yet to be happy1 and to know that surely no good thing shall be withheld from us whilst we walk uprightly6 ,a ,,great ,,sinner ,,converted4 ,in his ,,review ,,of ,,the ,,year #ahda1 ,mr4 ,mller writes3-- ,during this year ,i was informed about the conversion of one of the very greatest sinners1 that ,i ever heard of in all my service for the ,lord4 ,repeatedly ,i fell on my knees with his wife1 and asked the ,lord for his conversion1 when she came to me in the deepest distress of soul1 on account of the most barbarous and cruel treatment that she received from him1 in his bitter enmity against her for the ,lord's sake1 and because he could not provoke her to be in a passion1 and she would not strike him again1 and the like4 ,at the time when it was at its worst ,i pleaded especially on his behalf the promise in ,matthew xviii4 #ai3 ',again ,i say unto you1 that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask1 it shall be done for them of my father which is in heaven4' ,and now this awful persecutor is converted4 ,,prayer ,,for ,,spiritual ,,blessing ,,among ,,the ,,saints4 ,on ,may #beth1 ,i began to ask the ,lord for greater real spiritual prosperity among the saints1 among whom ,i labour in ,bristol1 than there ever yet had been among them2 and now ,i have to record to the praise of the ,lord that truly ,he has answered this request2 for1 considering all things1 at no period has there been more manifestation of grace and truth1 and spiritual power among us1 than there is now while ,i am writing this for the press 7#ahde74 ,not that we have attained to what we might2 we are far1 very far from it2 but the ,lord has been very1 very good to us1 and we have most abundant cause for thanksgiving4 ,,withholding ,,the ,,report4 ,dec4 #i #ahda4--,to-day came in for the ,orphans by the sale of stockings #ajs4 #aj;d4--,we are now brought to the close of the sixth year of this part of the work1 having only in hand the money which has been put by for the rent2 but during the whole of this year we have been supplied with all that was needed4 ,during the last three years we had closed the accounts on this day1 and had1 a few days after1 some public meetings1 at which1 for the benefit of the hearers1 we stated how the ,lord had dealt with us during the year1 and the substance of what had been stated at these meetings was afterwards printed for the benefit of the church at large4 ,this time1 however1 it appeared to us better to delay for a while both the public meetings and the publishing of the ,report4 ,through grace we had learned to lean upon the ,lord only1 being assured1 that1 if we were never to speak or write one single word more about this work1 yet should we be supplied with means1 as long as ,he should enable us to depend on ,himself alone4 ,but whilst we neither had had those public meetings for the purpose of exposing our necessity1 nor had had the account of the ,lord's dealings with us published for the sake of working thereby upon the feelings of the readers1 and thus inducing them to give money1 but only that we might by our experience benefit other saints2 yet it might have appeared to some that1 in making known our circumstances1 we were actuated by some such motives4 ,what better proof1 therefore1 could we give of our depending upon the living ,god alone1 and not upon public meetings or printed ,reports1 than that1 in the midst of our deep poverty1 instead of being glad for the time to have come when we could make known our circumstances1 we still went on quietly for some time longer1 without saying anything4 ,we therefore determined1 as we sought and still seek in this work to act for the profit of the saints generally1 to delay both the public meetings and the ,report for a few months4 ,naturally we should have been1 of course1 as glad as anyone to have exposed our poverty at that time2 but spiritually we were unable to delight even then in the prospect of the increased benefit that might be derived by the church at large from our acting as we did4 99 99 99 99 99 ,dec4 #ah4 ,saturday morning4 ,there is now the greatest need1 and only #d;d4 in hand1 which ,i found in the box at my house2 yet ,i fully believe the ,lord will supply us this day also with all that is required4--,pause a few moments1 dear reader6 ,observe two things6 ,we acted for ,god in delaying the public meetings and the publishing of the ,report2 but ,god's way leads always into trial1 so far as sight and sense are concerned4 ,nature always will be tried in ,god's ways4 ,the ,lord was saying by this poverty1 ',i will now see whether you truly lean upon me1 and whether you truly look to me4' ,of all the seasons that ,i had ever passed through since ,i had been living in this way1 up to that time1 ,i never knew any period in which my faith was tried so sharply1 as during the four months from ,dec4 #ab1 #ahda1 to ,april #ab1 #ahdb4 ,but observe further3 ,we might even now have altered our minds with respect to the public meetings and publishing the ,report2 for no one knew our determination1 at this time1 concerning the point4 ,nay1 on the contrary1 we knew with what delight very many children of ,god were looking forward to receive further accounts4 ,but the ,lord kept us steadfast to the conclusion1 at which we had arrived under ,his guidance4 ,,he ,,abideth ,,faithful4 ,under the date ,jan4 #be1 #ahdb1 ,mr4 ,mller writes3-- ,perhaps1 dear reader1 you have said in your heart before you have read thus far3 ',how would it be1 suppose the funds for the ,orphans were reduced to nothing1 and those who are engaged in the work had nothing of their own to give1 and a meal time were come1 and you had no food for the children4' ,thus indeed it may be1 for our hearts are desperately wicked4 ,if ever we should be so left to ourselves1 as that either we depend no more upon the living ,god1 or that 'we regard iniquity in our hearts1' then such a state of things1 we have reason to believe1 would occur4 ,but so long as we shall be enabled to trust in the living ,god1 and so long as1 though falling short in every way of what we might be1 and ought to be1 we are at least kept from living in sin1 such a state of things cannot occur4 ,therefore1 dear reader1 if you yourself walk with ,god1 and if1 on that account1 ,his glory is dear to you1 ,i affectionately and earnestly entreat you to beseech ,him to uphold us2 for how awful would be the disgrace brought upon ,his holy name if we1 who have so publicly made our boast in ,him1 and have spoken well of ,him1 should be left to disgrace ,him1 either by unbelief in the hour of trial1 or by a life of sin in other respects4 ,,delayed ,,but ,,sure4 ,march #i #ahdb4--;,at a time of the greatest need1 both with regard to the ,day-,schools and the ,orphans1 so much so that we could not have gone on any longer without help1 ,i received this day #aj from a brother who lives near ,dublin4 ,the money was divided between the ,day-,schools and the ,orphan-,houses4 ,the following little circumstance is to be noticed respecting this donation3--,as our need was so great1 and my soul was1 through grace1 truly waiting upon the ,lord1 ,i looked out for supplies in the course of this morning4 ,the post1 however1 was out1 and no supplies had come4 ,this did not in the least discourage me4 ,i said to myself1 the ,lord can send means without the post1 or even now1 though the post is out1 by this very delivery of letters ,he may have sent means1 though the money is not yet in my hands4 ,it was not long after ,i had thus spoken to myself1 when1 according to my hope in ,god1 we were helped2 for the brother who sent us the #aj1 had this time directed his letter to the ,boys' ,orphan-,house1 whence it was sent to me4 ,,like ,,as ,a ,,father4 ,march #ag4--;,from the #abth to the #afth had come in #d #es4 #aa;d4 for the ,orphans4 ,this morning our poverty1 which now has lasted more or less for several months1 had become exceedingly great4 ,i left my house a few minutes after seven to go to the ,orphan-,houses1 to see whether there was money enough to take in the milk1 which is brought about eight o'clock4 ,on my way it was specially my request that the ,lord would be pleased to pity us1 even as a father pitieth his children1 and that ,he would not lay more upon us than ,he would enable us to bear1 ,i especially entreated ,him that ,he would now be pleased to refresh our hearts by sending us help4 ,i likewise reminded ,him of the consequences that would result1 both in reference to believers and unbelievers1 if we should have to give up the work because of want of means1 and that ,he therefore would not permit of its coming to nought4 ,i moreover again confessed before the ,lord that ,i deserved not that ,he should continue to use me in this work any longer4 ,while ,i was thus in prayer1 about two minutes' walk from the ,orphan-,houses1 ,i met a brother who was going at this early hour to his business4 ,after having exchanged a few words with him1 ,i went on2 but he presently ran after me1 and gave me #a for the ,orphans4 ,thus the ,lord speedily answered my prayer4 ,truly1 it is worth being poor and greatly tried in faith1 for the sake of having day by day such precious proofs of the loving interest which our kind ,father takes in everything that concerns us4 ,and how should our ,father do otherwise8 ,he that has given us the greatest possible proof of ,his love which ,he could have done1 in giving us ,his own ,son1 surely ,he will with ,him also freely give us all things4 ,,trust ,,in ,,the ,,lord ,,better ,,than ,,man',s ,,promises4 ,may #f #ahde4--;,about six weeks ago intimation was kindly given by a brother that he expected a certain considerable sum of money1 and that1 if he obtained it1 a certain portion of it should be given to the ,lord1 so that #ajj of it should be used for the work in my hands1 and the other part for ,brother ,craik's and my own personal expenses4 ,however1 day after day passed away1 and the money did not come4 ,i did not trust in this money1 yet1 as during all this time1 with scarcely any exception1 we were more or less needy1 ,i thought again and again about this brother's promise2 though ,i did not1 by the grace of ,god1 trust in the brother who had made it1 but in the ,lord4 ,thus week after week passed away1 and the money did not come4 ,now this morning it came to my mind1 that such promises ought to be valued1 in a certain sense1 as nothing1 i4 e41 that the mind ought never for a moment to be directed to them1 but to the living ,god1 and to the living ,god only4 ,i saw that such promises ought not to be of the value of one farthing1 so far as it regards thinking about them for help4 ,i therefore asked the ,lord1 when1 as usual1 ,i was praying with my beloved wife about the work in my hands that ,he would be pleased to take this whole matter1 about that promise1 completely out of my mind1 and to help me1 not to value it in the least1 yea1 to treat it as if not worth one farthing1 but to keep my eye directed only to ,himself4 ,i was enabled to do so4 ,we had not yet finished praying when ,i received the following letter3 ----,may #e1 #ahde ,beloved ,brother1 ,are your bankers still ,messrs4 ,stuckey and ,co4 of ,bristol1 and are their bankers still ,messrs4 ,robarts and ,co4 of ,london8 ,please to instruct me on this2 and if the case should be so1 please to regard this as a letter of advice that #gj are paid to ,messrs4 ,robarts and ,co41 for ,messrs4 ,stuckey and ,co41 for you4 ,this sum apply as the ,lord may give you wisdom4 ,i shall not send to ,robarts and ,co4 until ,i hear from you4 ,ever affectionately yours1 99 99 99 99 ,thus the ,lord rewarded at once this determination to endeavour not to look in the least to that promise from a brother1 but only to ,himself4 ,but this was not all4 ,about two o'clock this afternoon ,i received from the brother1 who had more than forty days ago1 made that promise1 #aff #ahs41 as he this day received the money1 on the strength of which he had made that promise4 ,of this sum #ajj are to be used for the work in my hands1 and the remainder for brother ,craik's and my own personal expenses4 ,under date #ahdb ,mr4 ,mller writes3-- ,i desire that all the children of ,god1 who may read these details1 may thereby be lead to increased and more simple confidence in ,god for everything which they may need under any circumstances1 and that these many answers to prayer may encourage them to pray1 particularly as it regards the conversion of their friends and relatives1 their own progress in grace and knowledge1 the state of the saints whom they may know personally1 the state of the church of ,god at large1 and the success of the preaching of the ,gospel4 ,especially ,i affectionately warn them against being led away by the device of ,satan1 to think that these things are peculiar to me1 and cannot be enjoyed by all the children of ,god2 for though1 as has been stated before1 every believer is not called upon to establish ,orphan-,houses1 ,charity ,schools1 etc41 and trust in the ,lord for means2 yet all believers are called upon1 in the simple confidence of faith1 to cast all their burdens upon ,him1 to trust in ,him for everything1 and not only to make every thing a subject of prayer1 but to expect answers to their petitions which they have asked according to ,his will1 and in the name of the ,lord ,jesus4--,think not1 dear reader1 that ,i have the gift of faith1 that is1 that gift of which we read in #a ,cor4 xii4 #i1 and which is mentioned along with 'the gifts of healing1' 'the working of miracles1' 'prophecy1' and that on that account ,i am able to trust in the ,lord4 ,it is true that the faith1 which ,i am enabled to exercise1 is altogether ,god's own gift2 it is true that ,he alone supports it1 and that ,he alone can increase it2 it is true that1 moment by moment1 ,i depend upon ,him for it1 and that1 if ,i were only one moment left to myself1 my faith would utterly fail2 but it is not true that my faith is that gift of faith which is spoken of in #a ,cor4 xii4 #i for the following reasons3-- #a4 ,the faith which ,i am enabled to exercise with reference to the ,orphan-,houses and my own temporal necessities1 is not that 'faith' of which it is said in #a ,cor4 xiii4 #b 7evidently in allusion to the faith spoken of in #a ,cor4 xii4 #i71 ',though ,i have all faith1 so that ,i could remove mountains1 and have not charity 7love71 ,i am nothing'2 but it is the self-same faith which is found in every believer1 and the growth of which ,i am most sensible of to myself2 for1 by little and little1 it has been increasing for the last sixty-nine years4 #b4 ,this faith which is exercised respecting the ,orphan-,houses and my own temporal necessities1 shows itself in the same measure1 for instance concerning the following points3 ,i have never been permitted to doubt during the last sixty-nine years that my sins are forgiven1 that ,i am a child of ,god1 that ,i am beloved of ,god1 and that ,i shall be finally saved2 because ,i am enabled1 by the grace of ,god1 to exercise faith upon the word of ,god1 and believe what ,god says in those passages which settle these matters 7#a ,john v4 #a--;,gal4 iii4 #bf--;,acts x4 #dc--,romans x4 #i1 #aj--;,john iii4 #af1 etc474444 ,further1 when sometimes all has been dark1 exceedingly dark1 with reference to my service among the saints1 judging from natural appearances2 yea1 when ,i should have been overwhelmed indeed in grief and despair1 had ,i looked at things after the outward appearance2 at such times ,i have sought to encourage myself in ,god1 by laying hold in faith on ,his mighty power1 ,his unchangeable love1 and ,his infinite wisdom1 and ,i have said to myself3 ,god is able and willing to deliver me1 if it be good for me2 for it is written3 ,he that spared not ,his own ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all1 how shall ,he not with ,him also freely give us all things8 ,rom4 viii4 #cb4 ,this1 this it was which1 being believed by me through grace1 kept my soul in peace4--,further1 when in connection with the ,orphan-,houses1 ,day ,schools1 etc41 trials have come upon me which were far heavier than the want of means when lying reports were spread that the ,orphans had not enough to eat1 or that they were cruelly treated in other respects1 and the like2 or when other trials1 still greater1 but which ,i cannot mention1 have befallen me in connexion with this work1 and that at a time when ,i was nearly a thousand miles absent from ,bristol1 and had to remain absent week after week3 at such times my soul was stayed upon ,god2 ,i believed ,his word of promise which was applicable to such cases2 ,i poured out my soul before ,god1 and arose from my knees in peace1 because the trouble that was in the soul was in believing prayer cast upon ,god1 and thus ,i was kept in peace1 though ,i saw it to be the will of ,god to remain far away from the work4--,further1 when ,i needed houses1 fellow-labourers1 masters and mistresses for the ,orphans or for the ,day ,schools1 ,i have been enabled to look for all to the ,lord and trust in ,him for help4--,dear reader1 ,i may seem to boast2 but1 by the grace of ,god1 ,i do not boast in thus speaking4 ,from my inmost soul ,i do ascribe it to ,god alone that ,he has enabled me to trust in ,him1 and that hitherto ,he has not suffered my confidence in ,him to fail4 ,but ,i thought it needful to make these remarks1 lest anyone should think that my depending upon ,god was a particular gift given to me1 which other saints have no right to look for2 or lest it should be thought that this my depending upon ,him had only to do with the obtaining of ,,money by prayer and faith4 ,by the grace of ,god ,i desire that my faith in ,god should extend towards ,,every thing1 the smallest of my own temporal and spiritual concerns1 and the smallest of the temporal and spiritual concerns of my family1 towards the saints among whom ,i labour1 the church at large1 everything that has to do with the temporal and spiritual prosperity of the ,scriptural ,knowledge ,institution1 etc4 ,dear reader1 do not think that ,i have attained in faith 7and how much less in other respects67 to that degree to which ,i might and ought to attain2 but thank ,god for the faith which ,he has given me1 and ask ,him to uphold and increase it4 ,and lastly1 once more1 let not ,satan deceive you in making you think that you could not have the same faith but that it is only for persons who are situated as ,i am4 ,when ,i lose such a thing as a key1 ,i ask the ,lord to direct me to it1 and ,i look for an answer to my prayer2 when a person with whom ,i have made an appointment does not come1 according to the fixed time1 and ,i begin to be inconvenienced by it1 ,i ask the ,lord to be pleased to hasten him to me and ,i look for an answer2 when ,i do not understand a passage of the word of ,god1 ,i lift up my heart to the ,lord1 that ,he would be pleased1 by ,his ,holy ,spirit to instruct me1 and ,i expect to be taught1 though ,i do not fix the time when1 and the manner how it should be2 when ,i am going to minister in the ,word1 ,i seek help from the ,lord1 and while ,i1 in the consciousness of natural inability as well as utter unworthiness begin this ,his service1 ,i am not cast down1 but of good cheer1 because ,i look for ,his assistance1 and believe that ,he1 for ,his dear ,son's sake will help me4 ,and thus in other of my temporal and spiritual concerns ,i pray to the ,lord1 and expect an answer to my requests2 and may not you do the same1 dear believing reader8 ,oh6 ,i beseech you1 do not think me an extraordinary believer1 having privileges above other of ,god's dear children1 which they cannot have2 nor look on my way of acting as something that would not do for other believers4 ,make but trial6 ,do but stand still in the hour of trial1 and you will see the help of ,god1 if you trust in ,him4 ,but there is so often a forsaking the ways of the ,lord in the hour of trial1 and thus the food of faith1 the means whereby our faith may be increased1 is lost4 ,this leads me to the following important point4 ,you ask1 ,how may ,i1 a true believer1 have my faith strengthened8 ,the answer is this3-- ,i4--,every good gift and every perfect gift is from above1 and cometh down from the ,father of lights1 with whom is no variableness1 neither shadow of turning4 ,james i4 #ag4 ,as the increase of faith is a good gift1 it must come from ,god1 and therefore ,he ought to be asked for this blessing4 ,,ii4--,the following means1 however1 ought to be used3--#a1 ,the careful reading of the word of ,god1 combined with meditation on it4 ,through reading of the word of ,god1 and especially through meditation on the word of ,god1 the believer becomes more and more acquainted with the nature and character of ,god1 and thus sees more and more1 besides ,his holiness and justice1 what a kind1 loving1 gracious1 merciful1 mighty1 wise1 and faithful ,being ,he is1 and1 therefore1 in poverty1 affliction of body1 bereavement in his family1 difficulty in his service1 want of a situation or employment1 he will repose upon the ability of ,god to help him1 because he has not only learned from ,his word that ,he is of almighty power and infinite wisdom1 but he has also seen instance upon instance in the ,holy ,scriptures in which ,his almighty power and infinite wisdom have been actually exercised in helping and delivering ,his people2 and he will repose upon the willingness of ,god to help him1 because he has not only learned from the ,scriptures what a kind1 good1 merciful1 gracious1 and faithful being ,god is1 but because he has also seen in the word of ,god how1 in a great variety of instances ,he has proved ,himself to be so4 ,and the consideration of this1 if ,god has become known to us through prayer and meditation on ,his own word1 will lead us1 in general at least1 with a measure of confidence to rely upon ,him3 and thus the reading of the word of ,god1 together with meditation on it1 will be one especial means to strengthen our faith4 #b1 ,as with reference to the growth of every grace of the ,spirit1 it is of the utmost importance that we seek to maintain an upright heart and a good conscience1 and1 therefore1 do not knowingly and habitually indulge in those things which are contrary to the mind of ,god1 so it is also particularly the case with reference to the growth in faith4 ,how can ,i possibly continue to act faith upon ,god1 concerning anything1 if ,i am habitually grieving ,him1 and seek to detract from the glory and honour of ,him in whom ,i profess to trust1 upon whom ,i profess to depend8 ,all my confidence towards ,god1 all my leaning upon ,him in the hour of trial will be gone1 if ,i have a guilty conscience1 and do not seek to put away this guilty conscience1 but still continue to do the things which are contrary to the mind of ,god4 ,and if1 in any particular instance1 ,i cannot trust in ,god1 because of the guilty conscience1 then my faith is weakened by that instance of distrust2 for faith with every fresh trial of it either increases by trusting ,god1 and thus getting help1 or it decreases by not trusting ,him2 and then there is less and less power of looking simply and directly to ,him1 and a habit of self-dependence is begotten or encouraged4 ,one or the other of these will always be the case in each particular instance4 ,either we trust in ,god1 and in that case we neither trust in ourselves1 nor in our fellow-men1 nor in circumstances1 nor in anything besides2 or we ,,do trust in one or more of these1 and in that case do ,,not trust in ,god4 #c1 ,if we1 indeed1 desire our faith to be strengthened1 we should not shrink from opportunities where our faith may be tried1 and1 therefore1 through the trial1 be strengthened4 ,in our natural state we dislike dealing with ,god alone4 ,through our natural alienation from ,god we shrink from ,him1 and from eternal realities4 ,this cleaves to us more or less1 even after our regeneration4 ,hence it is1 that more or less1 even as believers1 we have the same shrinking from standing with ,god alone1--from depending upon ,him alone1--from looking to ,him alone3--and yet this is the very position in which we ought to be1 if we wish our faith to be strengthened4 ,the more ,i am in a position to be tried in faith with reference to my body1 my family1 my service for the ,lord1 my business1 etc41 the more shall ,i have opportunity of seeing ,god's help and deliverance2 and every fresh instance1 in which ,he helps and delivers me1 will tend towards the increase of my faith4 ,on this account1 therefore1 the believer should not shrink from situations1 positions1 circumstances1 in which his faith may be tried2 but should cheerfully embrace them as opportunities where he may see the hand of ,god stretched out on his behalf1 to help and deliver him1 and whereby he may thus have his faith strengthened4 #d1 ,the last important point for the strengthening of our faith is1 that we let ,god work for us1 when the hour of the trial of our faith comes1 and do not work a deliverance of our own4 ,wherever ,god has given faith1 it is given1 among other reasons1 for the very purpose of being tried4 ,yea1 however weak our faith may be1 ,god will try it2 only with this restriction1 that as in every way1 ,he leads on gently1 gradually1 patiently1 so also with reference to the trial of our faith4 ,at first our faith will be tried very little in comparison with what it may be afterwards2 for ,god never lays more upon us that ,he is willing to enable us to bear4 ,now when the trial of faith comes1 we are naturally inclined to distrust ,god1 and to trust rather in ourselves1 or in our friends1 or in circumstances4 ,we will rather work a deliverance of our own somehow or other1 than simply look to ,god and wait for ,his help4 ,but if we do not patiently wait for ,god's help1 if we work a deliverance of our own1 then at the next trial of our faith it will be thus again1 we shall be again inclined to deliver ourselves2 and thus with every fresh instance of that kind1 our faith will decrease2 whilst on the contrary1 were we to stand still1 in order to see the salvation of ,god1 to see ,his hand stretched out on our behalf1 trusting in ,him alone1 then our faith would be increased1 and with every fresh case in which the hand of ,god is stretched out on our behalf in the hour of the trial of our faith1 our faith would be increased yet more4 ,would the believer1 therefore1 have his faith strengthened1 he must especially1 give time to ,god1 who tries his faith in order to prove to ,his child1 in the end1 how willing ,he is to help and deliver him1 the moment it is good for him4 ,in the early years of the ,institution ,mr4 ,mller and his fellow labourers had to endure many severe trials of faith1 as some of these instances show4 ,mr4 ,mller when writing of this period says3-- ,though now 7,july1 #ahde7 for about seven years our funds have been so exhausted1 that it has been a rare case that there have been means in hand to meet the necessities of more than #ajj persons for three days together2 yet ,i have been only once tried in spirit1 and that was on ,september #ah1 #ahch1 when1 for the first time the ,lord seemed not to regard our prayer4 ,but when ,he did send help at that time1 and ,i saw that it was only for the trial of our faith1 and not because ,he had forsaken the work1 that we were brought so low1 my soul was so strengthened and encouraged1 that ,i have not only not been allowed to distrust the ,lord1 but ,i have not been even cast down when in the deepest poverty since that time4 ,a ,,gift ,,of #ab4 ,aug4 #bj #ahch4--,the #e which ,i had received on the #ahth4 had been given for house-keeping1 so that to-day ,i was again penniless4 ,but my eyes were up to the ,lord4 ,i gave myself to prayer this morning1 knowing that ,i should want again this week at least #ac1 if not above #bj4 ,to-day ,i received #ab in answer to prayer1 from a lady who is staying at ,clifton1 whom ,i had never seen before4 ,adorable ,lord1 grant that this may be a fresh encouragement to me6 ,a ,,solemn ,,crisis4 ,regarding one of the sharpest times of trial ,mr4 ,mller writes3-- ,sept4 #aj #ahch4 ,monday morning4 ,neither ,saturday nor yesterday had any money come in4 ,it appeared to me now needful to take some steps on account of our need1 i4 e41 to go to the ,orphan-,houses1 call the brethren and sisters together1 7who1 except brother ,t----1 had never been informed about the state of the funds71 state the case to them1 see how much money was needed for the present1 tell them that amidst all this trial of faith ,i still believed that ,god would help1 and to pray with them4 ,especially1 also1 ,i meant to go for the sake of telling them that no more articles must be purchased than we have the means to pay for1 but to let there be nothing lacking in any way to the children as it regards nourishing food and needful clothing2 for ,i would rather at once send them away than that they should lack4 ,i meant to go for the sake also of seeing whether there were still articles remaining which had been sent for the purpose of being sold1 or whether there were any articles really needless1 that we might turn them into money4 ,i felt that the matter was now come to a solemn crisis4 ,about half-past nine sixpence came in1 which had been put anonymously into the box at ,gideon ,chapel4 ,this money seemed to me like an earnest1 that ,god would have compassion and send more4 ,about ten1 after ,i had returned from brother ,craik1 to whom ,i had unbosomed my heart again1 whilst once more in prayer for help1 a sister called who gave two sovereigns to my wife for the ,orphans1 stating that she had felt herself stirred up to come and that she had delayed coming already too long4 ,a few minutes after1 when ,i went into the room where she was1 she gave me two sovereigns more1 and all this without knowing the least about our need4 ,thus the ,lord most mercifully has sent us a little help1 to the great encouragement of my faith4 ,a few minutes after ,i was called on for money from the ,infant ,orphan-,house1 to which ,i sent #b1 and #a #js4 #f;d4 to the ,boys' ,orphan-,house1 and #a to the ,girls' ,orphan-,house4 ,a ,,precious ,,deliverance4 ,sept4 #ag #ahch4--,the trial still continues4 ,it is now more and more trying1 even to faith1 as each day comes4 ,truly1 the ,lord has wise purposes in allowing us to call so long upon ,him for help4 ,but ,i am sure ,god will send help1 if we can but wait4 ,one of the labourers had had a little money come in of which he gave #abs4 #f;d42 another labourer gave #aas4 #h;d41 being all the money she had left2 this1 with #ags4 #f;d41 which1 partly1 had come in1 and1 partly was in hand1 enabled us to pay what needed to be paid1 and to purchase provisions1 so that nothing yet1 in any way1 has been lacking4 ,this evening ,i was rather tired respecting the long delay of larger sums coming2 but being led to go to the ,scriptures for comfort1 my soul was greatly refreshed1 and my faith again strengthened1 by the xxxivth ,psalm1 so that ,i went very cheerfully to meet with my dear fellow-labourers for prayer4 ,i read to them the ,psalm1 and sought to cheer their hearts through the precious promises contained in it4 ,sept4 #ah4--;,brother ,t4 had #bes4 in hand1 and ,i had #cs4 ,this #a #hs4 enabled us to buy the meat and bread1 which was needed2 a little tea for one of the houses1 and milk for all2 no more than this is needed4 ,thus the ,lord has provided not only for this day2 for there is bread for two days in hand4 ,now1 however1 we are come to an extremity4 ,the funds are exhausted4 ,the labourers1 who had a little money1 have given as long as they had any left4 ,now observe how the ,lord helped us6 ,a lady from the neighbourhood of ,london who brought a parcel with money from her daughter1 arrived four or five days since in ,bristol1 and took lodgings next door to the ,boys' ,orphan-,house4 ,this afternoon she herself kindly brought me the money1 amounting to #c #bs4 #f;d4 ,we had been reduced so low as to be on the point of selling those things which could be spared2 but this morning ,i had asked the ,lord1 if it might be1 to prevent the necessity1 of our doing so4 ,that the money had been so near the ,orphan-,houses for several days without being given1 is a plain proof that it was from the beginning in the heart of ,god to help us2 but because ,he delights in the prayers of ,his children1 ,he had allowed us to pray so long2 also to try our faith1 and to make the answer so much the sweeter4 ,it is indeed a precious deliverance4 ,i burst out into loud praises and thanks the first moment ,i was alone1 after ,i had received the money4 ,i met with my fellow-labourers again this evening for prayer and praise2 their hearts were not a little cheered4 ,this money was this evening divided1 and will comfortably provide for all that will be needed to-morrow4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,new ,,orphan ,,houses1 ,,ashley ,,down4 ,a complaint having been received from a gentleman in ,october1 #ahde1 that some of the inhabitants of ,wilson ,street were inconvenienced by the ,orphan-,houses being in that street1 ,mr4 ,mller ultimately decided for that and other reasons1 after much prayerful meditation1 to build an ,orphan-,house elsewhere to accommodate #cjj children1 and commenced to ask the ,lord for means for so doing3-- ,jan4 #ca #ahdf4--;,it is now #hi days since ,i have been daily waiting upon ,god about the building of an ,orphan-,house4 ,the time seems to me now near when the ,lord will give us a piece of ground1 and ,i told the brethren and sisters so this evening1 after our usual ,saturday evening prayer meeting at the ,orphan-,houses4 ,feb4 #a4--;,a poor widow sent to-day #ajs4 ,feb4 #b4--,to-day ,i heard of suitable and cheap land on ,ashley ,down4 ,feb4 #c4--,saw the land4 ,it is the most desirable of all ,i have seen4--,there was anonymously put in an ,orphan-box at my house a sovereign1 in a piece of paper1 on which was written1 ',the ,new ,orphan-,house4' ,feb4 #d4--,this evening ,i called on the owner of the land on ,ashley ,down1 about which ,i had heard on the #bnd1 but he was not at home4 ,as ,i1 however1 had been informed that ,i should find him at his house of business1 ,i went there1 but did not find him there either1 as he had just before left4 ,i might have called again at his residence1 at a later hour having been informed by one of the servants that he would be sure to be at home about eight o'clock2 but ,i did not do so1 judging that there was the hand of ,god in my not finding him at either place3 and ,i judged it best therefore not to force the matter1 but to 'let patience have her perfect work4' ,feb4 #e4--,saw this morning the owner of the land4 ,he told me that he awoke at three o'clock this morning and could not sleep again till five4 ,while he was thus lying awake1 his mind was all the time occupied about the piece of land1 respecting which inquiry had been made of him for the building of an ,orphan-,house1 at my request2 and he determined that if ,i should apply for it1 he would not only let me have it1 but for #abj per acre1 instead of #bjj2 the price which he had previously asked for it4 ,how good is the ,lord6 ,the agreement was made this morning1 and ,i purchased a field of nearly seven acres1 at #abj per acre4 ,observe the hand of ,god in my not finding the owner at home last evening6 ,the ,lord meant to speak to ,his servant first about this matter1 during a sleepless night1 and to lead him fully to decide1 before ,i had seen him4 ,,because ,,of ,,his ,,importunity4 ,nov4 #ai #ahdf4--;,i am now led more and more to importune the ,lord to send me the means1 which are requisite in order that ,i may be able to commence the building4 ,because 7#a7 it has been for some time past publicly stated in print1 that ,i allow it is not without ground that some of the inhabitants of ,wilson ,street consider themselves inconvenienced by the ,orphan-,houses being in that street1 and ,i long therefore to be able to remove the ,orphans from thence as soon as possible4 7#b7 ,i become more and more convinced1 that it would be greatly for the benefit of the children1 both physically and morally1 with ,god's blessing1 to be in such a position as they are intended to occupy1 when the ,new ,orphan-,house shall have been built4 ,and 7#c7 because the number of very poor and destitute ,orphans1 that are waiting for admission1 is so great1 and there are constantly fresh applications made4 ,now whilst1 by ,god's grace1 ,i would not wish the building to be begun one single day sooner than is ,his will2 and whilst ,i firmly believe1 that ,he will give me1 in ,his own time every shilling which ,i need2 yet ,i also know1 that ,he delights in being earnestly entreated1 and that ,he takes pleasure in the continuance in prayer1 and in the importuning ,him1 which so clearly is to be seen from the parable of the widow and the unjust judge1 ,luke xviii4 #a-h4 ,for these reasons ,i gave myself again particularly to prayer last evening1 that the ,lord would send further means1 being also especially led to do so1 in addition to the above reasons1 because there had come in but little comparatively1 since the #bith of last month4 ,this morning1 between five and six o'clock ,i prayed again1 among other points1 about the ,building ,fund1 and then had a long season for the reading of the word of ,god4 ,in the course of my reading ,i came to ,mark xi4 #bd1 ',what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye receive them1 and ye shall have them4' ,the importance of the truth contained in this portion ,i have often felt and spoken about2 but this morning ,i felt it again most particularly1 and1 applying it to the ,new ,orphan-,house1 said to the ,lord3 ',lord ,i believe that ,thou wilt give me all ,i need for this work4 ,i am sure that ,i shall have all1 because ,i believe that ,i receive in answer to my prayer4' ,thus1 with the heart full of peace concerning this work1 ,i went on to the other part of the chapter1 and to the next chapter4 ,after family prayer ,i had again my usual season for prayer with regard to all the many parts of the work1 and the various necessities thereof1 asking also blessings upon my fellow-labourers1 upon the circulation of ,bibles and ,tracts1 and upon the precious souls in the ,adult ,school1 the ,sunday ,schools1 the ,six ,day ,schools1 and the four ,orphan-,houses4 ,amidst all the many things ,i again made my requests about means for the ,building4 ,and now observe3 ,about five minutes1 after ,i had risen from my knees1 there was given to me a registered letter1 containing a cheque for #cjj1 of which #bhj are for the ,building ,fund1 #aj for my own personal expenses1 and #aj for ,brother ,craik4 ,the ,lord's holy name be praised for this precious encouragement1 by which the ,building ,fund is now increased to more than six thousand pounds4 ,,mr4 ,m,,ller',s ,,first ,,orphan-,,house4 ,jan4 #be #ahdg4--,the season of the year is now approaching1 when building may be begun4 ,therefore with increased earnestness ,i have given myself unto prayer1 importuning the ,lord that ,he would be pleased to appear on our behalf1 and speedily send the remainder of the amount which is required1 and ,i have increasingly1 of late1 felt that the time is drawing near1 when the ,lord will give me all that which is requisite for commencing the building4 ,all the various arguments which ,i have often brought before ,god1 ,i brought also again this morning before ,him4 ,it is now #ad months and #c weeks since day by day ,i have uttered my petitions to ,god on behalf of this work4 ,i rose from my knees this morning in full confidence1 not only that ,god could1 but also would1 send the means1 and that soon4 ,never1 during all these #ad months and #c weeks1 have ,i had the least doubt1 that ,i should have all that which is requisite4--,and now1 dear believing reader1 rejoice and praise with me4 ,about an hour1 after ,i had prayed thus1 there was given to me the sum of ,two ,thousand ,pounds for the ,building ,fund4 ,thus ,i have received altogether #i1bhe #cs4 #i;d4 towards this work4--,i cannot describe the joy ,i had in ,god when ,i received this donation4 ,it must be known from experience1 in order to be felt4 #ddg days ,i have had day by day to wait upon ,god1 before the sum reached the above amount4 ,how great is the blessing which the soul obtains by trusting in ,god1 and by waiting patiently4 ,is it not manifest how precious it is to carry on ,god's work in this way1 even with regard to the obtaining of means8 ,the total amount which came in for the ,building ,fund was #ae1ghd #ahs4 #aj;d4 ,,orphan-,,houses ,,nos4 #b #c4 ,march #ab1 #ahfb4--;,it was in ,november1 #ahej1 that my mind became exercised about enlarging the ,orphan ,work from #cjj ,orphans to #ajjj1 and subsequently to #aaej2 and it was in ,june1 #ahea1 that this my purpose became known1 having kept it secret for more than seven months1 whilst day by day praying about it4 ,from the end of ,november1 #ahej1 to this day1 ,march #ab1 #ahfb1 not one single day has been allowed to pass1 without this contemplated enlargement being brought before ,god in prayer1 and generally more than once a day4 ,but only now1 this day1 the ,new ,orphan-,house ,no4 #c was so far advanced1 that it could be opened4 ,observe then1 first1 esteemed ,reader1 how long it may be1 before a full answer to our prayers1 even to thousands and tens of thousands of prayers1 is granted2 yea1 though those prayers may be believing prayers1 earnest prayers1 and offered up in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 and though we may only for the sake of the honour of our ,lord desire the answer3 for ,i did1 by the grace of ,god1 without the least doubt and wavering look for more than eleven years for the full answer2 99 99 99 and ,i sought only in this matter the glory of ,god4 ,,praying ,,three ,,times ,,daily ,,for ,,helpers4 ,as in the case of ,no4 #b1 so also in the case of the ,new ,orphan-,house ,no4 #c1 ,i had daily prayed for the needed helpers and assistants for the various departments4 ,before a stone was laid1 ,i began to pray for this2 and1 as the building progressed1 ,i continued day by day to bring this matter before ,god1 feeling assured1 that1 as in everything else1 so in this particular also1 ,he would graciously be pleased to appear on our behalf and help us1 as the whole work is intended for ,his honour and glory4 ,at last the time was near when the house could be opened1 and the time therefore near when the applications1 which had been made in writing during more than two years previously1 should be considered1 for the filling up of the various posts4 ,it now1 however1 was found that1 whilst there had been about #ej applications made for the various situations1 some places could not be filled up1 because either the individuals1 who had applied for them1 were married1 or were1 on examination1 found unsuitable4 ,this was no small trial of faith2 for day by day1 for years1 had ,i asked ,god to help me in this particular1 even as ,he had done in the case of the ,new ,orphan-,house ,no4 #b2 ,i had also expected help1 confidently expected help3 and yet now1 when help seemed needed1 it was wanting4 ,what was now to be done1 dear ,reader8 ,would it have been right to charge ,god with unfaithfulness8 ,would it have been right to distrust ,him8 ,would it have been right to say1 it is useless to pray8 ,by no means4 ,this1 on the contrary1 ,i did2 ,i thanked ,god for all the help1 ,he had given me in connection with the whole of the enlargement2 ,i thanked ,him for enabling me to overcome so many and such great difficulties2 ,i thanked ,him for the helpers ,he had given me for ,no4 #b2 ,i thanked ,him1 also1 for the helpers ,he had given me already for ,no4 #c2 and instead of distrusting ,god1 ,i looked upon this delay of the full answer to prayer1 only as a trial of faith1 and therefore resolved1 that1 instead of praying once a day with my dear wife about this matter1 as we had been doing day by day for years1 we should now meet daily three times1 to bring this before ,god4 ,i also brought the matter before the whole staff of my helpers in the work requesting their prayers4 ,thus ,i have now continued for about four months longer in prayer1 day by day calling upon ,god three times on account of this need1 and the result has been1 that one helper after the other has been given1 without the help coming too late1 or the work getting into confusion2 or the reception of the children being hindered2 and ,i am fully assured1 that the few who are yet needed will also be found1 when they are really required4 ,,difficulties ,,removed ,,after ,,prayer ,,and ,,patience4 ,mr4 ,mller relates the following incidents in connection with the purchase of the land for the ,fourth and ,fifth ,orphan-,houses1 after receiving five thousand pounds for the ,building ,fund3 ,i had now1 through all that had come in since ,may #bfth1 #ahfd1 including this last-mentioned donation1 above ,twenty-,seven ,thousand ,pounds in hand4 ,i had patiently waited ,god's time4 ,i had determined to do nothing1 until ,i had the full half of the sum needed for the two houses4 ,but now1 having above ,two ,thousand ,pounds beyond the half1 ,i felt1 after again seeking counsel from ,god1 quite happy1 in taking steps for the purchase of land4 ,my eyes had been for years directed to a beautiful piece of land1 only separated by the turnpike road from the ground on which the ,new ,orphan-,house ,no4 #c is erected4 ,the land is about #ah acres1 with a small house and outhouses built on one end thereof4 ,hundreds of times had ,i prayed1 within the last years1 that ,god for ,jesus' sake would count me worthy1 to be allowed to erect on this ground two more ,orphan-,houses2 and hundreds of times ,i had with a prayerful eye looked on this land1 yea1 as it were1 bedewed it with my prayers4 ,i might have bought it years ago2 but that would have been going before the ,lord4 ,i had money enough in hand to have paid for it years ago2 but ,i desired patiently1 submissively1 to wait ,god's own time1 and for ,him to mark it clearly and distinctly that ,his time was come1 and that ,i took the step according to ,his will2 for whatever ,i might apparently accomplish1 if the work were mine1 and not the ,lord's1 ,i could expect no blessing4 ,but now the ,lord's mind was clearly and distinctly made manifest4 ,i had enough money in hand to pay for the land and to build one house1 and therefore ,i went forward1 after having still asked the ,lord for guidance1 and being assured that it was ,his will ,i should take active steps4 ,the first thing ,i did was1 to see the agent who acted for the owner of the land1 and to ask him1 whether the land was for sale4 ,he replied that it was1 but that it was let till ,march #beth1 #ahfg4 ,he said that he would write for the price4 ,here a great difficulty at once presented itself1 that the land was let for two years and four months longer1 whilst it appeared desirable that ,i should be able to take possession of it in about six months1 viz41 as soon as the conveyance could be made out1 and the plans be ready for the ,new ,orphan-,house ,no4 #d1 and arrangements be made with contractors4 ,but ,i was not discouraged by this difficulty2 for ,i expected1 through prayer1 to make happy and satisfactory arrangements with the tenant1 being willing to give him a fair compensation for leaving before his time had expired4 ,but1 before ,i had time to see about this1 two other great difficulties presented themselves3 the one was1 that the owner asked #g1jjj for the land1 which ,i judged to be considerably more than its value2 and the other1 that ,i heard that the ,bristol ,waterworks ,company intended to make an additional reservoir for their water1 on this very land1 and to get an ,act of ,parliament passed to that effect4 ,pause here for a few moments1 esteemed ,reader4 ,you have seen1 how the ,lord brought me so far1 with regard to pecuniary means1 that ,i felt now warranted to go forward2 and ,i may further add1 that ,i was brought to this point as the result of thousands of times praying regarding this object2 and that there were1 also1 many hundreds of children waiting for admission2 and yet1 after the ,lord ,himself so manifestly had appeared on our behalf1 by the donation of #e1jjj1 ,he allows this apparent death-blow to come upon the whole4 ,but thus ,i have found it hundreds of times since ,i have known the ,lord4 ,the difficulties1 which ,he is pleased to allow to arise1 are only allowed1 under such circumstances1 for the exercise of our faith and patience2 and more prayer1 more patience1 and the exercise of faith1 will remove the difficulties4 ,now1 as ,i knew the ,lord1 these difficulties were no insurmountable difficulties to me1 for ,i put my trust in ,him1 according to that word3 ,the ,lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed1 a refuge in times of trouble4 ,and they that know ,thy name will put their trust in ,thee3 for ,thou1 ,lord1 hast not forsaken them that seek ,thee4 7,psalm ix4 #i1 #aj74 ,i gave myself1 therefore1 earnestly to prayer concerning all these three especial difficulties which had arisen regarding the land4 ,i prayed several times daily about the matter1 and used the following means3 #a4 ,i saw the ,acting ,committee of the ,directors of the ,bristol ,waterworks ,company regarding their intended reservoir on the land1 which ,i was about to purchase1 and stated to them1 what ,i had seen in print concerning their intentions4 ,they courteously stated to me1 that only a small portion of the land would be required1 not enough to interfere with my purpose2 and that1 if it could be avoided1 even this small portion should not be taken4 #b4 ,this being settled1 ,i now saw the tenant1 after many prayers2 for ,i desired1 as a ,christian1 that if this land were bought1 it should be done under amicable circumstances with regard to him4 ,at the first interview1 ,i stated my intentions to him1 at the same time expressing my desire that the matter should be settled pleasantly with regard to himself4 ,he said that he would consider the matter1 and desired a few days for that purpose4 ,after a week ,i saw him again1 and he then kindly stated1 that1 as the land was wanted for such an object1 he would not stand in the way2 but that1 as he had laid out a good deal on the house and land1 he expected a compensation for leaving it before his time was up4 ,as ,i1 of course1 was quite willing to give a fair and reasonable compensation1 ,i considered this a very precious answer to prayer4 #c4 ,i now entered upon the third difficulty1 the price of the land4 ,i knew well how much the land was worth to the ,orphan ,institution2 but its value to the ,institution was not the market value4 ,i gave myself1 therefore1 day by day to prayer1 that the ,lord would constrain the owner to accept a considerably lower sum than he had asked2 ,i also pointed out to him why it was not worth as much as he asked4 ,at last he consented to take #e1ejj instead of #g1jjj1 and ,i accepted the offer2 for ,i knew that by the level character of the land we should save a considerable sum for the two houses1 and that by the new sewer1 which only a few months before had been completed1 running along under the turnpike road near the field1 we should be considerably benefited4 ,in addition to these two points ,i had to take into the account1 that we can have gas from ,bristol1 as in the three houses already in operation4 ,and lastly1 the most important point of all1 the nearness of this piece of land to the other three houses1 so that all could easily be under the same direction and superintendence4 ,in fact1 no other piece of land1 near or far off1 would present so much advantage to us1 as this spot1 which the ,lord thus so very kindly had given to us4 ,all being now settled1 ,i proceeded to have the land conveyed to the same trustees who stood trustees for the ,new ,orphan-,houses ,no4 #a1 ,no4 #b1 and ,no4 #c4--;,i have thus minutely dwelt on these various matters for the encouragement of the reader1 that he may not be discouraged by difficulties1 however great and many and varied1 but give himself to prayer1 trusting in the ,lord for help1 yea1 expecting help1 which1 in ,his own time and way1 ,he will surely grant4 ,,orphan-,,houses ,,nos4 #d #e4 ,march #e1 #ahgd4--;,both houses1 ,no4 #d and ,no4 #e1 have now been for years in operation1 ,no4 #d since ,nov4 #ahfh and ,no4 #e since the beginning of the year #ahgj1 and above #a1bjj ,orphans have been already received into them1 and month after month more are received1 as the ,orphans are sent out from them as apprentices or servants4 ,moreover all the expenses in connection with their being built1 fitted up and furnished were met to the full1 as the demands arose1 and1 after all had been paid1 there was left a balance of several thousand pounds1 which is being used for keeping the houses in repair4 ,see1 esteemed ,reader1 how abundantly ,god answered our prayers1 and how plain it is1 that we were not mistaken1 after we had patiently and prayerfully sought to ascertain ,his will4 ,be encouraged1 therefore1 yet further and further to confide in the ,living ,god4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,precious ,,answers ,,to ,,prayer ,in remarkable ways ,god helped ,mr4 ,mller as ,the ,narratives show3-- ,,the ,,artist',s ,,first ,,return4 ,april #cj #ahei4--,received the following letter from a considerable distance3 ',my dear ,christian ,brother1 ,i am the husband of ,mrs4 ---- who sends you by this post the two ,sovereign piece4 ,how can we better dispose of this relic of affectionate remembrance1 than by depositing it in the bank of ,christ1 who always pays the best interest1 and never fails4--,now1 my best and spiritual counsellor1 ,i cannot express to you the exceeding great joy ,i feel1 in relating what follows4 ,i am an artist1 a poor artist1 a landscape painter4 ,about two weeks ago ,i sent a picture to ,bristol for exhibition1 just as ,i finished your book that was lent us4 ,i most humbly and earnestly prayed to ,god to enable me1 by the sale of my ,bristol picture1 to have the blessed privilege of sending you half the proceeds4 ,the price of the picture is #bj4 ,now mark4 ,immediately the exhibition is open1 ,god1 in ,his mercy1 mindful of my prayer1 sends me a purchaser4 ,i have exhibited in ,bristol before1 but never sold a picture4 ,oh6 my dear friend1 my very heart leaps for joy4 ,i have never been so near ,god before4 ,through your instrumentality ,i have been enabled to draw nearer to ,god1 with more earnestness1 more faith1 more holy desires4--,this is the first return ,god has blessed me with for the whole of my last year's labours4 ,what a blessing to have it so returned6--,oh1 with what joy ,i read your book6--,the picture ,i speak of is now being exhibited in the academy of arts at ,clifton1 numbered in the ,catalogue ----1 the title is ----4 ,i cannot pay you till the close of the exhibition1 as ,i shall not be paid till then1 c4' ,of such letters ,i have had thousands during the last #dj years4 ,,the ,,north ,,wind ,,changed ,,into ,a ,,south ,,wind4 ,it was towards the end of ,november of #aheg1 when ,i was most unexpectedly informed that the boiler of our heating apparatus at ,no4 #a leaked very considerably1 so that it was impossible to go through the winter with such a leak4--,our heating apparatus consists of a large cylinder boiler1 inside of which the fire is kept1 and with which boiler the water pipes1 that warm the rooms1 are connected4 ,hot air is also connected with this apparatus4 ,the boiler had been considered suited for the work of the winter4 ,to suspect that it was worn out1 and not to do anything towards replacing it by a new one1 and to have said1 ,i will trust in ,god regarding it1 would be careless presumption1 but not faith in ,god4 ,it would be the counterfeit of faith4 ,the boiler is entirely surrounded by brickwork2 its state1 therefore1 could not be known without taking down the brickwork2 this1 if needless1 would be rather injurious to the boiler1 than otherwise2 and as for eight winters we had had no difficulty in this way1 we had not anticipated it now4 ,but suddenly1 and most unexpectedly1 at the commencement of the winter1 this difficulty occurred4 ,what then was to be done8 ,for the children1 especially the younger infants1 ,i felt deeply concerned1 that they might not suffer1 through want of warmth4 ,but how were we to obtain warmth8 ,the introduction of a new boiler would1 in all probability1 take many weeks4 ,the repairing of the boiler was a questionable matter1 on account of the greatness of the leak2 but1 if not1 nothing could be said of it1 till the brick-chamber in which it is enclosed1 was1 at least in part1 removed2 but that would1 at least1 as far as we could judge1 take days2 and what was to be done in the meantime1 to find warm rooms for #cjj children8 ,it naturally occurred to me1 to introduce temporary gas-stoves2 but on further weighing the matter1 it was found1 that we should be unable to heat our very large rooms with gas1 except we had many stoves1 which we could not introduce1 as we had not a sufficient quantity of gas to spare from our lighting apparatus4 ,moreover1 for each of these stoves we needed a small chimney1 to carry off the impure air4 ,this mode of heating1 therefore1 though applicable to a hall1 a staircase1 or a shop1 would not suit our purpose4 ,i also thought of the temporary introduction of ,arnott's stoves2 but they would have been unsuitable1 requiring long chimneys 7as they would have been of a temporary kind7 to go out of the windows4 ,on this account1 the uncertainty of their answering in our case1 and the disfigurement of the rooms1 led me to give up this plan also4 ,but what was to be done8 ,gladly would ,i have paid #ajj1 if thereby the difficulty could have been overcome1 and the children not be exposed to suffer for many days from being in cold rooms4 ,at last ,i determined on falling entirely into the hands of ,god1 who is very merciful and of tender compassion1 and ,i decided on having the brick-chamber opened1 to see the extent of the damage1 and whether the boiler might be repaired1 so as to carry us through the winter4 ,the day was fixed1 when the workmen were to come1 and all the necessary arrangements were made4 ,the fire1 of course1 had to be let out while the repairs were going on4 ,but now see4 ,after the day was fixed for the repairs a bleak ,north wind set in4 ,it began to blow either on ,thursday or ,friday before the ,wednesday afternoon1 when the fire was to be let out4 ,now came the first really cold weather1 which we had in the beginning of that winter1 during the first days of ,december4 ,what was to be done8 ,the repairs could not be put off4 ,i now asked the ,lord for two things1 viz41 that ,he would be pleased to change the north wind into a south wind1 and that ,he would give to the workmen 'a mind to work'2 for ,i remembered how much ,nehemiah accomplished in #eb days1 whilst building the walls of ,jerusalem1 because 'the people had a mind to work4' ,well1 the memorable day came4 ,the evening before1 the bleak north wind blew still3 but1 on the ,wednesday1 the south wind blew3 exactly as ,i had prayed4 ,the weather was so mild that no fire was needed4 ,the brickwork is removed1 the leak is found out very soon1 the boiler makers begin to repair in good earnest4 ,about half-past eight in the evening1 when ,i was going home1 ,i was informed at the lodge1 that the acting principal of the firm1 whence the boiler makers came1 had arrived to see how the work was going on1 and whether he could in any way speed the matter4 ,i went immediately1 therefore1 into the cellar1 to see him with the men1 to seek to expedite the business4 ,in speaking to the principal of this1 he said in their hearing1 'the men will work late this evening1 and come very early again to-morrow4' ',we would rather1 ,sir1' said the leader1 'work all night4' ,then remembered ,i the second part of my prayer1 that ,god would give the men 'a mind to work4' ,thus it was3 by the morning the repair was accomplished1 the leak was stopped1 though with great difficulty1 and within about #cj hours the brickwork was up again1 and the fire in the boiler2 and all the time the south wind blew so mildly1 that there was not the least need of a fire4 ,here1 then1 is one of our difficulties which was overcome by prayer and faith4 ,,conversion ,,of ,,the ,,orphans4 ,may #bf1 #ahfj4--;,day after day1 and year after year1 by the help of ,god1 we labour in prayer for the spiritual benefit of the ,orphans under our care4 ,these our supplications1 which have been for #bd years brought before the ,lord concerning them1 have been abundantly answered1 in former years1 in the conversion of hundreds from among them4 ,we have1 also1 had repeated seasons in which1 within a short time1 or even all at once1 many of the ,orphans were converted4 ,such a season we had about three years since1 when1 within a few days1 about #fj were brought to believe in the ,lord ,jesus2 and such seasons we have had again twice during the first year4 ,the first was in ,july1 #ahei1 when the ,spirit of ,god wrought so mightily in one school of #abj girls1 as that very many1 yea more than one-half1 were brought under deep concern about the salvation of their souls4 ,this work1 moreover1 was not a mere momentary excitement2 but1 after more than eleven months have elapsed1 there are #ca concerning whom there is full confidence as to their conversion1 and #cb concerning whom there is likewise a goodly measure of confidence1 though not to the same amount1 as regarding the #ca4 ,there are therefore #fc out of the #abj ,orphans in that one ,school who are considered to have been converted in ,july1 #ahei4 ,this blessed and mighty work of the ,holy ,spirit cannot be traced to any particular cause4 ,it was however1 a most precious answer to prayer4 ,as such we look upon it1 and are encouraged by it to further waiting upon ,god4 ,the second season of the mighty working of the ,holy ,spirit among the ,orphans1 during the past year1 was at the end of ,january and the beginning of ,february1 #ahfj4 ,the particulars of it are of the deepest interest2 but ,i must content myself by stating1 that this great work of the ,spirit of ,god in ,january and ,february1 #ahfj1 began among the younger class of the children under our care1 little girls of about #f1 #g1 #h and #i years old2 then extended to the older girls2 and then to the boys1 so that within about #aj days above #bjj of the ,orphans were stirred up to be anxious about their souls1 and in many instances found peace immediately1 through faith in our ,lord ,jesus4 ,they at once requested to be allowed to hold prayer-meetings among themselves1 and have had these meetings ever since4 ,many of them also manifested a concern about the salvation of their companions and relations1 and spoke or wrote to them1 about the way to be saved4 ,,apprenticing ,,the ,,orphans4 ,in the early part of the summer1 #ahfb1 it was found that we had several boys ready to be apprenticed2 but there were no applications made by masters for apprentices4 ,as all our boys are invariably sent out as indoor apprentices1 this was no small difficulty2 for we not only look for ,christian masters1 but consider their business1 and examine into their position1 to see whether they are suitable2 and the master must also be willing to receive the apprentice into his own family4 ,under these circumstances1 we again gave ourselves to prayer1 as we had done for more than twenty years before1 concerning this thing1 instead of advertising1 which1 in all probability1 would only bring before us masters who desire apprentices for the sake of the premium4 ,we remembered how good the ,lord had been to us1 in having helped us hundreds of times before1 in this very matter4 ,some weeks passed1 but the difficulty remained4 ,we continued1 however1 in prayer1 and then one application was made1 and then another2 and since we first began to pray about this matter1 last summer1 we have been able to send out altogether #ah boys up to ,may #bf1 #ahfc2 the difficulty was thus again entirely overcome by prayer1 as every one of the boys1 whom it was desirable to send out1 has been sent out4 ,,sickness ,,at ,,the ,,orphanage4 ,sickness at times visited the houses4 ,during the summer and autumn of #ahff we had also the measles at all the three ,orphan-,houses4 ,after they had made their appearance1 our especial prayer was3 #a4 ,that there might not be too many children ill at one time in this disease1 so that our accommodation in the ,infirmary rooms or otherwise might be sufficient4 ,this prayer was answered to the full2 for though we had at the ,new ,orphan-,house ,no4 #a not less than #hc cases1 in ,no4 #b altogether #aaa1 and in ,no4 #c altogether #fh2 yet ,god so graciously was pleased to listen to our supplications1 as that when our spare rooms were filled with the invalids1 ,he so long stayed the spreading of the measles till a sufficient number were restored1 so as to make room for others1 who were taken ill4 #b4 ,further we prayed1 that the children1 who were taken ill in the measles1 might be safely brought through and not die4 ,thus it was4 ,we had the full answer to our prayers2 for though #bfb children altogether had the measles1 not one of them died4 #c4 ,lastly we prayed1 that no evil physical consequences might follow this disease1 as is so often the case2 this was also granted4 ,all the #bfb children not only recovered1 but did well afterwards4 ,i gratefully record this signal mercy and blessing of ,god1 and this full and precious answer to prayer1 to the honour of ,his name4 ,,help ,,for ,,needy ,,brethren4 #ahfc4--,the end of the year was now at hand1 and1 in winding up the accounts1 it was my earnest desire1 to do once more all ,i could1 in sending help to needy labourers in the gospel4 ,i went therefore through the list1 writing against the various names of those to whom ,i had not already recently sent1 what amount it appeared desirable to send2 and ,i found1 when these sums were added together1 the total was #dgf1 but #bhj was all ,i had in hand4 ,i wrote therefore a cheque for #bhj1 though ,i would have gladly sent #dgf1 yet felt thankful1 at the same time1 that ,i had this amount in hand for these brethren4 ,having written the cheque1 as the last occupation of the day1 then came my usual season for prayer1 for the many things which ,i daily1 by the help of ,god1 bring before ,him2 and then again1 ,i brought also the case of these preachers of the ,gospel before the ,lord1 and besought ,him that ,he would even now be pleased to give me yet a goodly sum for them1 though there remained but three days to the close of our year4 ,this being done1 ,i went home about nine o'clock in the evening1 and found there had arrived from a great distance #ajj for ,missions1 with #ajj left at my disposal1 and #e for myself4 ,i took1 therefore1 the whole #bjj for ,missions1 and thus had #dhj in hand to meet the #dgf which ,i desired for this object4 ,those who know the blessedness of really trusting in ,god1 and getting help from ,him1 as in this case1 in answer to prayer1 will be able to enter into the spiritual enjoyment ,i had in the reception of that donation1 in which both the answer to prayer was granted1 and with it the great enjoyment of gladdening the hearts of many devoted servants of ,christ4 ,,the ,,heart',s ,,desire ,,given ,,to ,,help ,,mission ,,work ,,in ,,china4 ,sept4 #cj #ahfi4--;,from ,yorkshire #ej4--,received also ,one ,thousand ,pounds to-day for the ,lord's work in ,china4 ,about this donation it is especially to be noticed1 that for months it had been my earnest desire to do more than ever for ,mission ,work in ,china1 and ,i had already taken steps to carry out this desire1 when this donation of ,one ,thousand ,pounds came to hand4 ,this precious answer to prayer for means should be a particular encouragement to all who are engaged in the ,lord's work1 and who may need means for it4 ,it proves afresh1 that1 if our work is ,his work1 and we honour ,him1 by waiting upon and looking to ,him for means1 ,he will surely1 in ,his own time and way1 supply them4 ,,the ,,joy ,,of ,,answers ,,to ,,prayer4 ,the joy which answers to prayer give1 cannot be described2 and the impetus which they afford to the spiritual life is exceedingly great4 ,the experience of this happiness ,i desire for all my ,christian readers4 ,if you believe indeed in the ,lord ,jesus for the salvation of your soul1 if you walk uprightly and do not regard iniquity in your heart1 if you continue to wait patiently1 and believingly upon ,god2 then answers will surely be given to your prayers4 ,you may not be called upon to serve the ,lord in the way the writer does1 and therefore may never have answers to prayer respecting such things as are recorded here2 but1 in your various circumstances1 your family1 your business1 your profession1 your church position1 your labour for the ,lord1 etc41 you may have answers as distinct as any here recorded4 ,,the ,,great ,,need ,,of ,,being ,,saved ,,by ,,faith ,,in ,,christ ,,jesus4 ,should this1 however1 be read by any who are not believers in the ,lord ,jesus1 but who are going on in the carelessness or self-righteousness of their unrenewed hearts1 then ,i would affectionately and solemnly beseech such1 first of all to be reconciled to ,god by faith in the ,lord ,jesus4 ,you are sinners4 ,you deserve punishment4 ,if you do not see this1 ask ,god to show it unto you4 ,let this now be your first and especial prayer4 ,ask ,god also to enlighten you not merely concerning your state by nature1 but especially to reveal the ,lord ,jesus to your heart4 ,god sent ,him1 that ,he might bear the punishment1 due to us guilty sinners4 ,god accepts the obedience and sufferings of the ,lord ,jesus1 in the room of those who depend upon ,him for the salvation of their souls2 and the moment a sinner believes in the ,lord ,jesus1 he obtains the forgiveness of all his sins4 ,when thus he is reconciled to ,god1 by faith in the ,lord ,jesus1 and has obtained the forgiveness of his sins1 he has boldness to enter into the presence of ,god1 to make known his requests unto ,him2 and the more he is enabled to realize that his sins are forgiven1 and that ,god1 for ,christ's sake1 is well pleased with those who believe on ,him1 the more ready he will be to come with all his wants1 both temporal and spiritual1 to his ,heavenly ,father1 that ,he may supply them4 ,but as long as the consciousness of unpardoned guilt remains1 so long shall we be kept at a distance from ,god1 especially as it regards prayer4 ,therefore1 dear reader1 if you are an unforgiven sinner1 let your first and especial prayer be1 that ,god would be pleased to reveal to your heart the ,lord ,jesus1 ,his beloved ,son4 ,a ,,double ,,answer4 ,july #be #ahfe4--;,from the neighbourhood of ,london #ajj1 with the following letter3 ',my dear ,sir1 ,i believe that it is through the ,lord's actings upon me1 that ,i enclose you a cheque on the ,bank of ,england1 ,western ,branch1 for #ajj4 ,i hope that your affairs are going on well4 ,yours in the ,lord 99 99 99 994' ,this ,christian gentleman1 whom ,i have never seen1 and who is engaged in a very large business in ,london1 had sent me several times before a similar sum4 ,a day or two before ,i received this last kind donation1 ,i had asked the ,lord1 that ,he would be pleased to influence the heart of this donor to help me again1 which ,i had never done before regarding him2 and thus ,i had the double answer to prayer1 in that not only money came in1 but money from him4 ,the reader will now see the meaning in the donor's letter1 when he wrote ',i believe that it is through the ,lord's actings upon me that ,i enclose you a cheque1 c4' ,verily it was the ,lord who acted upon this gentleman1 to send me this sum4 ,perhaps the reader may think1 that in acknowledging the receipt of the donation1 ,i wrote to the donor what ,i have here stated4 ,i did not4 ,my reason for not doing so was1 lest he should have thought ,i was in especial need1 and might have been thus influenced to send more4 ,in truly knowing the ,lord1 in really relying upon ,him and upon ,him alone1 there is no need of giving hints directly or indirectly1 whereby individuals may be induced further to help4 ,i might have written to the donor 7as was indeed the case71 ,i need a considerable sum day by day for the current expenses of the various objects of the ,institution1 and also might have with truth told him1 at that time1 that ,i yet needed about ,twenty ,thousand ,pounds1 to enable me to meet all the expenses connected with the contemplated enlargement of the ,orphan work4 ,but my practice is1 never to allude to any of these things in my correspondence with donors4 ,when the ,report is published1 every one can see1 who has a desire to see1 how matters stand2 and thus ,i leave things in the hands of ,god1 to speak for us to the hearts of ,his stewards4 ,and this ,he does4 ,verily we do not wait upon ,god in 6 ,,christians ,,in ,,business4 ,jan4 #a #ahfi4--;,from ,scotland #ej for ,missions1 #be for the circulation of the ,holy ,scriptures and #be for the circulation of ,tracts4 ,received also from a considerable distance #aj for these objects1 with #aj for the ,orphans4 ,about this latter donation ,i make a few remarks4 ,at the early part of the year #ahfh1 a ,christian business man wrote to me for advice in his peculiar difficult business affairs4 ,his letter showed that he had a desire to walk in the ways of the ,lord1 and to carry on his business to the glory of ,god2 but his circumstances were of the most trying character4 ,i therefore wrote to him to come to ,bristol1 that ,i might be able to advise him4 ,accordingly he undertook the long journey1 and ,i had an interview with him1 through which ,i saw his most trying position in business4 ,having fully conversed with him1 ,i gave him the following counsel3 #a1 ,that he should day by day1 expressly for the purpose1 retire with his ,christian wife1 that they might unitedly spread their business difficulties before ,god in prayer1 and do this1 if possible1 twice a day4 #b1 ,that he should look out for answers to his prayers1 and expect that ,god would help him4 #c1 ,that he should avoid all business trickeries1 such as exposing for sale two or three articles1 marked below cost price1 for the sake of attracting customers1 because of its being unbecoming a disciple of the ,lord ,jesus to use such artifices2 and that1 if he did so1 he could not reckon on the blessing of ,god4 #d1 ,i advised him further1 to set apart2 out of his profits1 week by week1 a certain proportion for the work of ,god1 whether his income was much or little1 and use this income faithfully for the ,lord4 #e1 ,lastly1 ,i asked him1 to let me know1 month after month1 how the ,lord dealt with him4--,the reader will feel interested to learn1 that from that time the ,lord was pleased to prosper the business of this dear ,christian brother1 so that his returns from the #ast of ,march1 #ahfh1 up to ,march #a1 #ahfi1 were #i1ach #acs4 #e;d41 while during the same period the previous year they had been only #f1fji #ahs4 #c;d41 therefore #b1ebh #aes4 #b;d4 more than the year before4 ,when he sent me the donation above referred to1 he also writes1 that he had been enabled to put aside during the previous year #abc #acs4 #c;d4 for the work of ,god or the need of the poor4--,i have so fully dwelt on this1 because ,christians in business may be benefited by it4 ,,revival ,,in ,,the ,,orphan-,,houses4 ,in giving the statistics of the previous year #ahga-gb1 ,i referred already to the great spiritual blessing1 which it pleased the ,lord to grant to the ,orphan ,work at the end of that year and the beginning of this2 but1 as this is so deeply important a subject1 ,i enter somewhat further and more fully into it here4 ,it was stated before1 that the spiritual condition of the ,orphans generally gave to us great sorrow of heart1 because there were so few1 comparatively1 among them1 who were in earnest about their souls1 and resting on the atoning death of the ,lord ,jesus for salvation4 ,this our sorrow led us to lay it on the whole staff of assistants1 matrons and teachers1 to seek earnestly the ,lord's blessing on the souls of the children4 ,this was done in our united prayer meetings1 and1 ,i have reason to believe1 in secret also2 and in answer to these our secret and united prayers1 in the year #ahgb1 there were1 as the result of this1 more believers by far among the ,orphans than ever4 ,on ,jan4 #h1 #ahgb1 the ,lord began to work among them1 and this work was going on more or less afterwards4 ,in the ,new ,orphan-,house ,no4 #c1 it showed itself least1 till it pleased the ,lord to lay ,his hand heavily on that house1 by the small-pox2 and1 from that time the working of the ,holy ,spirit was felt in that house also1 particularly in one department4 ,at the end of ,july1 #ahgb1 ,i received the statements of all the matrons and teachers in the five houses1 who reported to me1 that1 after careful observation and conversation1 they had good reason to believe that #gbi of the ,orphans then under our care1 were believers in the ,lord ,jesus4 ,this number of believing ,orphans is by far greater than ever we had1 for which we adore and praise the ,lord6 ,see how the ,lord overruled the great trial1 occasioned by the small-pox1 and turned it into a great blessing6 ,see1 also1 how1 after so low a state1 comparatively1 which led us to prayer1 earnest prayer1 the working of the ,holy ,spirit was more manifest than ever6 ,,mr4 ,m,,ller',s ,,mission ,,tours4 ,in the year #ahge1 when seventy years of age1 ,mr4 ,mller was led to start on his ,missionary ,tours1 and during the next twenty years preached to more than three million people1 in forty-two countries of the world4 ,on ,august #hth1 #ahhb1 ,mr4 ,mller says1 we began our ninth ,missionary ,tour4 ,the first place at which ,i preached was ,weymouth1 where ,i spoke in public four times4 ,from ,weymouth we went1 by way of ,calais and ,brussels1 to ,dsseldorf on the ,rhine1 where ,i preached many times six years before4 ,during this visit1 ,i spoke there in public eight times4 ,regarding my stay at ,dsseldorf1 for the encouragement of the reader1 ,i relate the following circumstance4 ,during our first visit to that city1 in the year #ahgf1 a godly ,city ,missionary came to me one day1 greatly tried1 because he had six sons1 for whose conversion he had been praying many years1 and yet they remained unconcerned about their souls1 and he desired me to tell him what to do4 ,my reply was1 ',continue to pray for your sons1 and expect an answer to your prayer1 and you will have to praise ,god4' ,now1 when after six years ,i was again in the same city1 this dear man came to me and said he was surprised he had not seen before himself what he ought to do1 and that he had resolved to take my advice and more earnestly than ever give himself to prayer4 ,two months after he saw me1 five of his six sons were converted within eight days1 and have for six years now walked in the ways of the ,lord1 and he had hope that the sixth son also was beginning to be concerned about his state before ,god4 ,may the ,christian reader be encouraged by this1 should his prayers not at once be answered2 and1 instead of ceasing to pray1 wait upon ,god all the more earnestly and perseveringly1 and expect answers to his petitions4 ,,the ,,divine ,,plan ,,for ,,sending ,,out ,,foreign ,,missionaries4 ,the ,bristol ,church with which ,mr4 ,mller was connected has been privileged to set an example to the ,church of ,god of the way in which ,foreign ,missionaries 7who are so greatly needed7 can be sent forth in answer to prayer4 ,mr4 ,mller writes on p4 #eaf1 ,vol4 ,i4 of his ,narrative3-- ,i also mention here1 that during the eight years previous to my going to ,germany to labour there1 it had been laid on my heart1 and on the hearts of some other brethren among us1 to ask the ,lord that he would be pleased to honour us1 as a body of believers1 by calling forth from our midst brethren1 for carrying the truth into foreign lands4 ,but this prayer seemed to remain unanswered4 ,now1 however1 the time was come when the ,lord was about to answer it1 and ,i1 on whose heart particularly this matter had been laid1 was to be the first to carry forth the truth from among us4 ,about that very time the ,lord called our dear brother and sister ,barrington from among us1 to go to ,demerara1 to labour there in connexion with our esteemed brother ,strong1 and our dear brother and sister ,espenett1 to go to ,switzerland4 ,both these dear brethren and sisters left very shortly after ,i had gone to ,germany4 ,but this was not all4 ,our much valued brother ,mordal1 who had commended himself to the saints by his unwearied faithful service among us for twelve years1 had from ,aug4 #ca1 #ahdc1 7the day on which brothers ,strong and ,barrington sailed from ,bristol for ,demerara71 his mind likewise exercised about service there1 and went out from among us eleven months after4 ,he1 together with myself1 had had it particularly laid upon his heart1 during the eight years previously1 to ask the ,lord again and again to call labourers from among us for foreign service4 ,of all persons he1 the father of a large family1 and about #ej years of age1 seemed the least likely to be called to that work2 but ,god did call him4 ,he went1 laboured a little while in ,demerara1 and then1 on ,january #i1 #ahde1 the ,lord took him to his rest4--,when we ask ,god for a thing1 such as that ,he would be pleased to raise up labourers for ,his harvest1 or send means for the carrying on of ,his work1 the honest question to be put to our hearts should be this3 ,am ,i willing to go1 if ,he should call me8 ,am ,i willing to give according to my ability8 ,for we may be the very persons whom the ,lord will call for the work1 or whose means ,he may wish to employ4 ,in the ,report of the ,scriptural ,knowledge ,institution for #ahif ,mr4 ,mller shows how greatly this body of believers has been honoured by ,god4 ,from our own midst1 as a church sixty brethren and sisters have gone forth to foreign fields of labour1 some of whom have finished their labour on earth2 but there are still about forty yet engaged in this precious service4 ,why should not the great and crying need for workers in ,asia1 ,africa1 and other parts of the world be thus met by thousands of churches in ,europe and ,america following this divine plan of praying the ,lord of the harvest that ,he would send forth labourers from among them8 ,surely they may expect ,,god to answer their prayers as ,he did the prayers of this ,bristol church4 ,look what has been done in ,china by the faithful use of ,,god',s method6 ,we quote ,mr4 ,hudson ,taylor's words as given in ,china's ,millions for ,july1 #ahig3-- ,for the obtaining of fellow-workers we took the ,,master',s direction1 ',pray ye the ,,lord of the ,harvest4' ,as for the first five before the ,mission was formed1 so for the twenty-four for whom we first asked for the ,c4,i4,m42 for further reinforcements when they were needed2 for the seventy in three years1 for the hundred in one year1 and for further additions from time to time1 we have ever relied on this plan4 ,is it possible that in any other way such a band of workers from nearly every denomination1 and from many lands1 could have been gathered and kept together for thirty years with no other bond save that which the call of ,,god and the love of ,,god has proved--a band now numbering over seven hundred men and women1 aided by more than five hundred native workers4 ,,the ,,beginning ,,of ,,the #ahei ,,revival4 ,in ,november1 #ahef1 a young ,irishman1 ,mr4 ,james ,mc,quilkin1 was brought to the knowledge of the ,lord4 ,soon after his conversion he saw my ,narrative advertised1 viz43 the first two volumes of this book4 ,he had a great desire to read it1 and procured it accordingly1 about ,january1 #aheg4 ,god blessed it greatly to his soul1 especially in showing to him1 what could be obtained by prayer4 ,he said to himself something like this3 ',see what ,mr4 ,mller obtains simply by prayer4 ,thus ,i may obtain blessing by prayer4' ,he now set himself to pray1 that the ,lord would give him a spiritual companion1 one who knew the ,lord4 ,soon after he became acquainted with a young man who was a believer4 ,these two began a prayer-meeting in one of the ,sunday ,schools in the parish of ,connor4 ,having his prayer answered in obtaining a spiritual companion1 ,mr4 ,james ,mc,quilkin asked the ,lord to lead him to become acquainted with some more of ,his hidden ones4 ,soon after the ,lord gave him two more young men1 who were believers previously1 as far as he could judge4 ,in ,autumn1 #aheg1 ,mr4 ,james ,mc,quilkin stated to these three young men1 given him in answer to believing prayer1 what blessing he had derived from my ,narrative1 how it had led him to see the power of believing prayer2 and he proposed that they should meet for prayer to seek the ,lord's blessing upon their various labours in the ,sunday ,schools1 prayer-meetings1 and preaching of the ,gospel4 ,accordingly in ,autumn1 #aheg1 these four young men met together for prayer in a small school-house near the village of ,kells1 in the parish of ,connor1 every ,friday evening4 ,by this time the great and mighty working of the ,spirit1 in #aheg1 in the ,united ,states1 had become known1 and ,mr4 ,james ,mc,quilkin said to himself1 ',why may not we have such a blessed work here1 seeing that ,god did such great things for ,mr4 ,mller1 simply in answer to prayer4' ,on ,january #a1 #aheh1 the ,lord gave them the first remarkable answer to prayer in the conversion of a farm servant4 ,he was taken into the number1 and thus there were five who gave themselves to prayer4 ,shortly after1 another young man1 about #bj years old1 was converted2 there were now six4 ,this greatly encouraged the other three who first had met with ,mr4 ,james ,mc,quilkin4 ,others now were converted1 who were also taken into the number2 but only believers were admitted to these fellowship meetings1 in which they read1 prayed1 and offered to each other a few thoughts from the ,scriptures4 ,these meetings and others for the preaching of the ,gospel were held in the parish of ,connor1 ,antrim1 ,ireland4 ,up to this time all was going on most quietly1 though many souls were converted1 ,there were no physical prostrations1 as afterwards4 ,about ,christmas1 #aheh1 a young man1 from ,ahoghill1 who had come to live at ,connor1 and who had been converted through this little company of believers1 went to see his friends at ,ahoghill1 and spoke to them about their own souls1 and the work of ,god at ,connor4 ,his friends desired to see some of these converts4 ,accordingly ,mr4 ,james ,mc,quilkin1 with two of the first who met for prayer1 went on ,february #b1 #ahei1 and held a meeting at ,ahoghill in one of the ,presbyterian ,churches4 ,some believed1 some mocked1 and others thought there was a great deal of presumption in these young converts2 yet many wished to have another meeting4 ,this was held by the same three young men on ,february #afth1 #ahei2 and now the ,spirit of ,god began to work1 and to work mightily4 ,souls were converted1 and from that time conversions multiplied rapidly4 ,some of these converts went to other places1 and carried the spiritual fire1 so to speak1 with them4 ,the blessed work of the spirit of ,god spread in many places4--,on ,april #eth1 #ahei1 ,mr4 ,james ,mc,quilkin went to ,ballymena1 held a meeting there in one of the ,presbyterian ,churches2 and on ,april #aath held another meeting in another of the ,presbyterian churches4 ,several were convinced of sin and the work of the ,spirit of ,god went forward in ,ballymena4--,on ,may #bhth1 #ahei1 he went to ,belfast4 ,during the first week there were meetings held in five different ,presbyterian ,churches1 and from that time the blessed work commenced at ,belfast4 ,in all these visits he was accompanied and helped by ,mr4 ,jeremiah ,meneely1 one of the three young men who first met with him1 after the reading of my ,narrative4 ,from this time the work of the ,holy ,ghost spread further and further2 for the young converts were used by the ,lord to carry the truth from one place to another4 ,such was the beginning of that mighty work of the ,holy ,spirit1 which has led to the conversion of hundreds of thousands2 for some of my readers will remember how in #ahei this fire was kindled in ,england1 ,wales and ,scotland2 how it spread through ,ireland1 ,england1 ,wales and ,scotland2 how the ,continent of ,europe was more or less partaking of this mighty working of the ,holy ,spirit2 how it led thousands to give themselves to the work of ,evangelists2 and how up to the year #ahgd not only the effects of this work1 first begun in ,ireland1 are felt1 but that still more or less this blessed work is going on in ,europe generally4 ,it is almost needless to add1 that in no degree the honour is due to the instruments1 but to the ,holy ,spirit alone2 yet these facts are stated1 in order that it may be seen1 what delight ,god has in answering abundantly the believing prayer of ,his children4 ,,mr4 ,m,,ller',s ,,marriage4 ,in ,vol4 #c of ,the ,narrative1 ,mr4 ,mller shows the ordering of ,god in his meeting with and subsequent marriage to his first wife1 ,miss ,mary ,groves4 ,in giving her to me1 ,i own the hand of ,god2 nay1 ,his hand was most marked2 and my soul says1 ',thou art good1 and doest good4' ,i refer to a few particulars for the instruction of others4 ,when at the end of the year #ahbi1 ,i left ,london to labour in ,devonshire in the ,gospel1 a brother in the ,lord gave to me a card1 containing the address of a well-known ,christian lady1 ,miss ,paget1 who then resided in ,exeter1 in order that ,i should call on her1 as she was an excellent ,christian4 ,i took this address and put it into my pocket1 but thought little of calling on her4 ,three weeks ,i carried this card in my pocket1 without making an effort to see this lady2 but at last ,i was led to do so4 ,this was ,god's way of giving me my excellent wife4 ,miss ,paget asked me to preach the last ,tuesday in the month of ,january1 #ahcj1 at the room which she had fitted up at ,poltimore1 a village near ,exeter1 and where ,mr4 ,a4 ,n4 ,groves1 afterwards my brother-in-law1 had preached once a month1 before he went out as a ,missionary to ,bagdad4 ,i accepted readily the invitation1 as ,i longed1 everywhere to set forth the precious truth of the ,lord's return1 and other deeply important truths1 which not long before my own soul had been filled with4 ,on leaving ,miss ,paget1 she gave me the address of a ,christian brother1 ,mr4 ,hake1 who had an ,infant ,boarding ,school for young ladies and gentlemen1 at ,northernhay ,house1 the former residence of ,mr4 ,a4 ,n4 ,groves1 in order that ,i might stay there on my arrival in ,exeter from ,teignmouth4 ,to this place ,i went at the appointed time4 ,miss ,groves1 afterwards my beloved wife1 was there2 for ,mrs4 ,hake had been a great invalid for a long time1 and ,miss ,groves helped ,mr4 ,hake in his great affliction1 by superintending his household matters4 ,my first visit led to my going again to preach at ,poltimore1 after the lapse of a month1 and ,i stayed again at ,mr4 ,hake's house2 and this second visit led to my preaching once a week in a chapel at ,exeter2 and thus ,i went1 week after week1 from ,teignmouth to ,exeter1 each time staying in the house of ,mr4 ,hake4 ,all this time my purpose had been1 not to marry at all1 but to remain free for travelling about in the service of the ,gospel2 but after some months ,i saw1 for many reasons1 that it was better for me1 as a young ,pastor1 under #be years of age1 to be married4 ,the question now was1 to whom shall ,i be united8 ,miss ,groves was before my mind2 but the prayerful conflict was long1 before ,i came to a decision2 for ,i could not bear the thought1 that ,i should take away from ,mr4 ,hake this valued helper1 as ,mrs4 ,hake continued still unable to take the responsibility of so large a household4 ,but ,i prayed again and again4 ,at last this decided me1 ,i had reason to believe that ,i had begotten an affection in the heart of ,miss ,groves for me1 and that therefore ,i ought to make a proposal of marriage to her1 however unkindly ,i might appear to act to my dear friend and brother ,mr4 ,hake1 and to ask ,god to give him a suitable helper to succeed ,miss ,groves4 ,on ,aug4 #aeth1 #ahcj1 ,i therefore wrote to her1 proposing to her to become my wife1 and on ,aug4 #aith1 when ,i went over as usual to ,exeter for preaching1 she accepted me4 ,the first thing we did1 after ,i was accepted1 was1 to fall on our knees1 and to ask the blessing of the ,lord on our intended union4 ,in about two or three weeks the ,lord1 in answer to prayer1 found an individual1 who seemed suitable to act as housekeeper1 whilst ,mrs4 ,hake continued ill2 and on ,oct4 #g1 #ahcj1 we were united in marriage4 ,our marriage was of the most simple character4 ,we walked to church1 had no wedding breakfast1 but in the afternoon had a meeting of ,christian friends in ,mr4 ,hake's house and commemorated the ,lord's death2 and then ,i drove off in the stagecoach with my beloved bride to ,teignmouth1 and the next day we went to work for the ,lord4 ,simple as our beginning was1 and unlike the habits of the world1 for ,christ's sake1 so our ,godly aim has been1 to continue ever since4 ,now see the hand of ,god in giving me my dearest wife3--#ast1 that address of ,miss ,paget's was given to me under the ordering of ,god4 #bnd1 ,i must at last be made to call on her1 though ,i had long delayed it4 #crd1 ,she might have provided a resting-place with some other ,christian friend1 where ,i should not have seen ,miss ,groves4 #dth1 ,my mind might have at last1 after all1 decided1 not to make a proposal to her2 but ,god settled the matter thus in speaking to me through my conscience--you know that you have begotten affection in the heart of this ,christian sister1 by the way you have acted towards her1 and therefore1 painful though it may be1 to appear to act unkindly towards your friend and brother1 you ought to make her a proposal4 ,i obeyed4 ,i wrote the letter in which ,i made the proposal1 and nothing but one even stream of blessing has been the result4 ,let me here add a word of ,christian counsel4 ,to enter upon the marriage union is one of the most deeply important events of life4 ,it cannot be too prayerfully treated4 ,our happiness1 our usefulness1 our living for ,god or for ourselves afterwards1 are often most intimately connected with our choice4 ,therefore1 in the most prayerful manner1 this choice should be made4 ,neither beauty1 nor age1 nor money1 nor mental powers1 should be that which prompt the decision2 but #ast1 ,much waiting upon ,god for guidance should be used2 #bnd1 ,a hearty purpose1 to be willing to be guided by ,him should be aimed after2 #crd1 ,true godliness without a shadow of doubt1 should be the first and absolutely needful qualification1 to a ,christian1 with regard to a companion for life4 ,in addition to this1 however1 it ought to be1 at the same time1 calmly and patiently weighed1 whether1 in other respects1 there is a suitableness4 ,for instance1 for an educated man to choose an entirely uneducated woman1 is unwise2 for however much on his part love might be willing to cover the defect1 it will work very unhappily with regard to the children4 ,,dangerous ,,illness ,,of ,,mr4 ,m,,ller',s ,,daughter4 ,in ,july1 #ahec1 it pleased the ,lord to try my faith in a way in which before it had not been tried4 ,my beloved daughter and only child1 and a believer since the commencement of the year #ahdf1 was taken ill on ,june #bjth4 ,this illness1 at first a low fever1 turned to typhus4 ,on ,july #crd there seemed no hope of her recovery4 ,now was the trial of faith4 ,but faith triumphed4 ,my beloved wife and ,i were enabled to give her up into the hands of the ,lord4 ,he sustained us both exceedingly4 ,but ,i will only speak about myself4 ,though my only and beloved child was brought near the grave1 yet was my soul in perfect peace1 satisfied with the will of my ,heavenly ,father1 being assured that ,he would only do that for her and her parents1 which in the end would be the best4 ,she continued very ill till about ,july #bjth1 when restoration began4 ,on ,aug4 #ahth she was so far restored that she could be removed to ,clevedon for change of air1 though exceedingly weak4 ,it was then #ei days since she was first taken ill4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,parents know what an only child1 a beloved child is1 and what to believing parents an only child1 a believing child must be4 ,well1 the ,father in ,heaven said1 as it were1 by this ,his dispensation1 ',art thou willing to give up this child to me8' ,my heart responded1 ,as it seems good to ,thee1 my ,heavenly ,father4 ,thy will be done4 ,but as our hearts were made willing to give back our beloved child to ,him who had given her to us1 so ,he was ready to leave her to us1 and she lived4 ',delight thyself also in the ,lord2 and ,he shall give thee the desires of thine heart4' ,psalm xxxvii4 #d4 ,the desires of my heart were1 to retain the beloved daughter if it were the will of ,god2 the means to retain her were to be satisfied with the will of the ,lord4 ,of all the trials of faith that as yet ,i have had to pass through1 this was the greatest2 and by ,god's abundant mercy1 ,i own it to ,his praise1 ,i was enabled to delight myself in the will of ,god2 for ,i felt perfectly sure1 that1 if the ,lord took this beloved daughter1 it would be best for her parents1 best for herself1 and more for the glory of ,god than if she lived3 this better part ,i was satisfied with2 and thus my heart had peace1 perfect peace1 and ,i had not a moment's anxiety4 ,thus would it be under all circumstances1 however painful1 were the believer exercising faith4 ,,the ,,daily ,,bread4 ,aug4 #c1 #ahdd4 ,saturday4 ,with the #abs4 we began the day4 ,my soul said3 ',i will now look out for the way in which the ,lord will deliver us this day again2 for ,he will surely deliver4 ,many ,saturdays1 when we were in need1 ,he helped us1 and so ,he will do this day also4' ,between nine and ten o'clock this morning ,i gave myself to prayer for means1 with three of my fellow-labourers1 in my house4 ,,whilst ,,we ,,were ,,in ,,prayer1 there was a knock at my room-door1 and ,i was informed that a gentleman had come to see me4 ,when we had finished prayer1 it was found to be a brother from ,tetbury1 who had brought from ,barnstaple #a #bs4 #f;d4 for the ,orphans4 ,thus we have #a #ads4 #f;d41 with which ,i must return the letter-bag to the ,orphan-,houses1 looking to the ,lord for more4 ,aug4 #f4--,without one single penny in my hands the day began4 ,the post brought nothing1 nor had ,i yet received anything1 when ten minutes after ten this morning the letter-bag was brought from the ,orphan-,houses1 for the supplies of to-day4--,now see the ,lord's deliverance6 ,in the bag ,i found a note from one of the labourers in the ,orphan-,houses1 enclosing two sovereigns1 which she sent for the ,orphans1 stating that it was part of a present which she had just received unexpectedly1 for herself4--,thus we are supplied for to-day4 ,sept4 #d4--,only one farthing was in my hands this morning4 ,pause a moment1 dear reader6 ,only one farthing in hand when the day commenced4 ,think of this1 and think of nearly #adj persons to be provided for4 ,you1 poor brethren1 who have six or eight children and small wages1 think of this2 and you1 my brethren1 who do not belong to the working classes1 but have1 as it is called1 very limited means1 think of this6 ,may you not do1 what we do1 under your trials8 ,does the ,lord love you less than ,he loves us8 ,does ,he not love all ,his children with no less love than that1 with which ,he loves ,his only begotten ,son1 according to ,john xvii4 #bj-bc8 ,or are we better than you8 ,nay1 are we not in ourselves poor miserable sinners as you are2 and have any of the children of ,god any claim upon ,god1 on account of their own worthiness8 ,is not that1 which alone can make us worthy to receive anything from our ,heavenly ,father1 the righteousness of the ,lord ,jesus1 which is imputed to those who believe in ,him8 ,therefore1 dear reader1 as we pray in our every need1 of whatever character it may be1 in connection with this work1 to our ,father in ,heaven for help1 and as ,he does help us1 so is ,he willing to help all ,his children who put their trust in ,him4--,well1 let us hear then1 how ,god helped when there was only one farthing left in my hands1 on the morning of ,sept4 #d1 #ahdd4 ,a little after nine o'clock ,i received a sovereign from a sister in the ,lord1 who does not wish the name of the place1 where she resides1 mentioned4 ,between ten and eleven o'clock the bag was sent from the ,orphan-,houses1 in which in a note it was stated that #a #bs4 was required for to-day4 ,,scarcely ,,had ,i ,,read ,,this1 when a fly stopped before my house1 and a gentleman1 ,mr4 ----1 from the neighbourhood of ,manchester1 was announced4 ,i found that he was a believer1 who had come on business to ,bristol4 ,he had heard about the ,orphan-,houses1 and expressed his surprise1 that without any regular system of collections1 and without personal application to anyone1 simply by faith and prayer1 ,i obtained #b1jjj and more yearly for the work of the ,lord in my hands4 ,this brother1 whom ,i had never seen before2 and whose name ,i did not even know before he came1 gave me #b1 as an exemplification of what ,i had stated to him4 ,,the ,,poor ,,with ,,you ,,always4 ,feb4 #ab1 #ahde4--;,after ,i had sent off this morning the money which was required for the housekeeping of to-day1 ,i had again only #afs4 #b;d4 left1 being only about one-fourth as much as is generally needed for one day1 merely for housekeeping1 so that there was now again a fresh call for trusting in the ,lord4 ,in the morning ,i met again1 as usual1 with my dear wife and her sister1 for prayer1 to ask the ,lord for many blessings in connection with this work1 and for means also4 ,about one hour after1 ,i received a letter from ,devonshire1 containing an order for #bb of which #aj was for the ,orphans1 #b for a poor brother in ,bristol1 and #aj for myself4--,besides having thus a fresh proof of the willingness of our ,heavenly ,father to answer our requests on behalf of the ,orphans1 there is this1 moreover1 to be noticed4 ,for many months past1 the necessities of the poor saints among us have been particularly laid upon my heart4 ,the word of our ,lord3 ',ye have the poor with you always1' and 'whensoever ye will ye may do them good1' has again and again stirred me up to prayer on their behalf1 and thus it was again in particular this morning4 ,it was the coldest morning we have had the whole winter4 ,in my morning walk for prayer and meditation ,i thought how well ,i was supplied with coals1 nourishing food1 and warm clothing1 and how many of the dear children of ,god might be in need2 and ,i lifted up my heart to ,god to give me more means for myself1 that ,i might be able1 by actions1 to show more abundant sympathy with the poor believers in their need2 and it was but three hours after when ,i received this #aj for myself4 ,,the ,,lord ,,directing ,,the ,,steps4 ,feb4 #a1 #ahdg4--;,before breakfast ,i took a direction in my usual morning's walk1 in which ,i had not been for many weeks1 feeling drawn in that direction1 just as if ,god had an intention in leading me in that way4 ,returning home ,i met a ,christian gentleman whom formerly ,i used to meet almost every morning1 but whom ,i had not met for many weeks1 because ,i had not been walking in that direction4 ,he stopped me and gave me #b for the ,orphans4 ,then ,i knew why ,i had been led thus2 for there is not yet enough in hand1 to supply the matrons to-morrow evening with the necessary means for house-keeping during another week4 ,feb4 #d4--,yesterday nothing had come in4 ,this morning1 just before ,i was going to give myself to prayer about the ,orphans1 a sister in the ,lord sent a sovereign1 which she had received1 as she writes1 ',from a friend who had met the ,orphan ,boys1 and was particularly pleased with their neat and orderly appearance4' ,after having received this #a1 ,i prayed for means for present use1 though not confining my prayers to that4 ,about a quarter of an hour after ,i had risen from my knees1 ,i received a ,setter1 with an order for #e4 ,the donor writes1 that it is 'the proceeds of a strip of land1 sold to the railway company4' ,what various means does the ,lord employ to send us help1 in answer to our prayers6 ,,continued ,,trials ,,of ,,faith ,,and ,,patience4 ,with the enlargement of the work1 by which some #ccj persons needed to be provided for1 the trials of faith continued4 ,mr4 ,mller writes3-- ,if we formerly had no certain income1 so now have we none4 ,we have to look to ,god for everything in connection with the work1 of which often1 however1 the pecuniary necessities are the smallest matter2 but to ,him we are enabled to look1 and therefore it is1 that we are not disappointed4 ,oct4 #g1 #aheb4--,this evening there was only #h left in hand for the current expenses for the ,orphans4 ,hitherto we had generally abounded4 ,but though much had come in1 since the commencement of this new period1 yet our expenses had been greater than our income1 as every donation almost of which the disposal was left with me1 had been put to the ,building ,fund4 ,thus the balance in hand on ,may #bf1 #aheb1 notwithstanding the large income since then1 was reduced to about #h4 ,i therefore gave myself particularly to prayer for means1 that this small sum might be increased4 ,oct4 #i4--,this morning ,luke vii came in the course of my reading before breakfast4 ,while reading the account about the ,centurion and the raising from death the widow's son at ,nain1 ,i lifted up my heart to the ,lord ,jesus thus3 ',lord ,jesus1 ,thou hast the same power now4 ,thou canst provide me with means for ,thy work in my hands4 ,be pleased to do so4' ,about half an hour afterwards ,i received #bcj #aes4 ,the joy which such answers to prayer afford1 cannot be described4 ,i was determined to wait upon ,god only1 and not to work an unscriptural deliverance for myself4 ,i have thousands of pounds for the ,building ,fund2 but ,i would not take of this sum because it was once set apart for that object4 ,there is also a legacy of #ajj for the ,orphans two months overdue1 in the prospect of the payment of which the heart might be naturally inclined to use some money of the ,building ,fund1 to be replaced by the legacy money1 when it comes in2 but ,i would not thus step out of ,god's way of obtaining help4 ,at the very time when this donation arrived1 ,i had packed up #ajj which ,i happened to have in hand2 received for the ,building ,fund1 in order to take it to the ,bank1 as ,i was determined not to touch it1 but to wait upon ,god4 ,my soul does magnify the ,lord for ,his goodness4 ,june #ac1 #ahec4--,we were now very poor4 ,not indeed in debt1 nor was even all the money gone2 for there was still about #ab in hand2 but then there was needed to be bought flour1 of which we buy generally #aj sacks at a time1 #cjj stones of oatmeal1 #d cwt4 of soap1 and there were many little repairs going on in the house1 with a number of workmen1 besides the regular current expenses of about #gj per week4 ,over and above all this1 on ,saturday1 the day before yesterday1 ,i found that the heating apparatus needed to be repaired1 which would cost in all probability #be4 ,it was therefore desirable1 humanly speaking1 to have #ajj for these heavy extra expenses1 besides means for the current expenses4 ,but ,i had no human prospect whatever of getting even #ajj pence1 much less #ajj4 ,in addition to this1 to-day was ,monday1 when generally the income is little4 ,but1 in walking to the ,orphan-,house this morning1 and praying as ,i went1 ,i particularly told the ,lord in prayer1 that on this day1 though ,monday1 ,he could send me much4 ,and thus it was4 ,i received this morning #cja for the ,lord's service1 as might be most needed4--,the joy which ,i had cannot be described4 ,i walked up and down in my room for a long time1 tears of joy and gratitude to the ,lord raining plentifully over my cheeks1 praising and magnifying the ,lord for ,his goodness1 and surrendering myself afresh1 with all my heart1 to ,him for ,his blessed service4 ,i scarcely ever felt more the kindness of the ,lord in helping me4 ,nov4 #i4--,our need of means is now great1 very great4 ,the ,lord tries our faith and patience4 ,this afternoon1 a brother and sister in the ,lord1 from ,gloucestershire1 called to see me at the ,new ,orphan-,house1 before going through the house4 ,after a few minutes ,i received from the sister a sovereign1 which she had been requested to bring to me for the ,building ,fund2 and she gave me from herself #a for my own personal expenses1 and #a for the ,building ,fund1 and her husband gave me #e for the ,orphans1 and #e for ,foreign ,missions4 ,thus the ,lord has refreshed my spirit greatly2 but ,i look for more1 and need much more4 ,nov4 #ab4--,this evening1 while praying for means1 came a little parcel1 containing ten sovereigns1 from a ,christian lady1 living not far from the ,new ,orphan-,house4 ,this was a very great refreshment to my spirit4 ,oct4 #ag1 #ahed4--,this morning at family prayer1 came1 in the course of reading1 ,exodus v1 which shows that1 just before the deliverance of the ,israelites out of ,egypt1 their trials were greater than ever4 ,they had not only to make the same number of bricks as before1 but also to gather stubble1 as no straw was given them any longer4 ,this led me1 in expounding the portion1 to observe that even now the children of ,god are often in greater trial than ever1 just before help and deliverance comes4 ,immediately after family prayer it was found1 that by the morning's post not one penny had come in for the work of the ,lord in which ,i am engaged1 though we needed much1 and though but very little had come in during the three previous days4 ,thus ,i had now to remember ,exodus v1 and to practice the truths contained therein4 ,in the course of the day nothing was received4 ,in the evening ,i had1 as usual1 a season for prayer with my dear wife1 respecting the various objects of the ,scriptural ,knowledge ,institution1 and then we left the ,new ,orphan-,house for our home4 ,when we arrived at our house1 about nine o'clock1 we found that #e and also #es4 had been sent from ,norwich in two ,post ,office ,orders for the ,building ,fund1 and that #h #cs4 #aa;d4 had been sent in for ,bibles1 ,tracts1 and ,reports1 which had been sold4 ,this called for thanksgiving4 ,but a little later1 between nine and ten o'clock1 a ,christian gentleman called and gave me #a for the ,orphans and #bjj for foreign missions4 ,he had received these sums from an aged ,christian woman1 whose savings as a servant1 during her ,,whole life1 made up the #bjj1 and who1 having recently had left to her a little annual income of about #cj1 felt herself constrained1 by the love of ,christ1 to send the savings of her whole life for foreign missions4 99 99 99 ,our especial prayer had been again and again1 that the ,lord would be pleased to send in means for missionary brethren1 as ,i had reason to believe they were in much need of help2 and only at eight o'clock this evening ,i had particularly besought the ,lord to send help for this object4 ,by the last mail ,i had sent off #dj to ,british ,guiana1 to help seven brethren there in some measure4 ,this amount took the last pound in hand for this object4 ,how gladly would ,i have sent assistance to other brethren also1 but ,i had no more4 ,now ,i am in some degree supplied for this object4 ,july #ab1 #ahed4--,our means were now again reduced to about #cj1 as only about #aej had come in since ,june #ae4 ,in addition to this1 we had very heavy expenses before us4 ,this morning1 in reading through the book of ,proverbs1 when ,i came to chapter xxii4 #ai--',that thy trust may be in the ,lord1 c41' ,i said in prayer to ,him3 ',lord1 ,i do trust in ,thee2 but wilt ,thou now be pleased to help me2 for ,i am in need of means for the current expenses of all the various objects of the ,institution4' ,by the first delivery of letters ,i received an order on a ,london bank for #ajj1 to be used for all the various objects 'as the present need might require4' ,,are ,,you ,,prepared ,,for ,,eternity8 ,in looking over my account books1 ,i meet again and again with the name of one and another who has finished his course4 ,soon1 dear reader1 your turn and mine may come4 ,are you prepared for eternity8 ,affectionately ,i press this question upon you4 ,do not put it away4 ,nothing is of greater moment than this point2 yea1 all other things1 however important in their place1 are of exceedingly small importance1 in comparison with this matter4 ,do you ask1 how you may be prepared for eternity1 how to be saved1 how to obtain the forgiveness of your sins8 ,the answer is1 believe in the ,lord ,jesus1 trust in ,him1 depend upon ,him alone as it regards the salvation of your soul4 ,he was punished by ,god1 in order that we guilty sinners1 if we believe in ,him1 might not be punished4 ,he fulfilled the law of ,god1 and was obedient even unto death1 in order that we disobedient1 guilty sinners1 if we believe in ,him1 might1 on ,his account1 be reckoned righteous by ,god4 ,ponder these things1 dear reader1 should you have never done so before4 ,through faith in the ,lord ,jesus alone can we obtain forgiveness of our sins1 and be at peace with ,god2 but1 believing in ,jesus1 we become1 through this very faith1 the children of ,god2 have ,god as our ,father1 and may come to ,him for all the temporal and spiritual blessings which we need4 ,thus everyone of my readers may obtain answers to prayers1 not only to the same extent that we obtain them1 but far more abundantly4 ,it may be that few1 comparatively1 of the children of ,god are called to serve the ,lord in the way of establishing ,orphan-,houses1 c42 but all of them may1 yea1 are called upon to trust in ,god1 to rely upon ,him1 in their various positions and circumstances1 and apply the word of ,god1 faith1 and prayer to their family circumstances1 their earthly occupation1 their afflictions and necessities of every kind1 both temporally and spiritually2 just as we1 by ,god's help1 in some little measure seek to apply the word of ,god1 faith and prayer to the various objects of the ,scriptural ,knowledge ,institution for ,home and ,abroad4 ,make but trial of it1 if you have never done so before1 and you will see how happy a life it is4 99 99 99 99 ,truly ,i prefer by far this life of almost constant trial1 if ,i am only able to roll all my cares upon my ,heavenly ,father1 and thus become increasingly acquainted with ,him1 to a life of outward peace and quietness1 without these constant proofs of ,his faithfulness1 ,his wisdom1 ,his love1 ,his power1 ,his over-ruling providence1 c4 ,,waiting ,,only ,,upon ,,god4 ,sept #f1 #ahed4--,received from ,clerkenwell #ej to be used one-half for missions1 and the other half as ,i thought best4 ,i took the one-half for the support of the ,orphans1 and find the following remark in my journal respecting this donation3 ',what a precious answer to prayer6' ,since ,aug4 #bfth we have been day by day coming to the ,lord for our daily supplies4 ,precious1 also1 on account of ,missionary brethren1 whom ,i seek to help1 for whom there was nothing in hand when this donation was received4 ,mr4 ,mller adds a few remarks to this part of the ,narrative3-- #a4 ,should anyone suppose1 on account of its having been stated in the previous pages that we were repeatedly brought low as to means1 that the ,orphans have not had all that was needful for them2 we reply that never1 since the work has been in existence1 has there a meal-time come1 but the ,orphans have had good nourishing food in sufficient quantity3 and never have they needed clothes1 but ,i have had the means to provide them with all they required4 #b4 ,never since the ,orphan work has been in existence have ,i asked one single human being for any help for this work2 and yet1 unasked for1 simply in answer to prayer1 from so many parts of the world1 as has been stated1 the donations have come in1 and that very frequently at a time of the greatest need4 ,mr4 ,mller writes under date1 #ahei3-- ,every ,wednesday evening ,i meet with my helpers for united prayer2 and day by day ,i have stated seasons1 when ,i seek to bring the work with its great variety of spiritual and temporal necessities1 before the ,lord in prayer1 having perhaps each day #ej or more matters to bring before ,him1 and thus ,i obtain the blessing4 ,i ask no human being for help concerning the work4 ,nay1 if ,i could obtain #aj1jjj through each application for help2 by ,god's grace1 ,i would not ask4 ,and why not8 ,because ,i have dedicated my whole life cheerfully to the precious service of giving to the world and to the church1 a clear1 distinct1 and undeniable demonstration1 that it is a blessed thing to trust in1 and to wait upon1 ,god2 that ,he is now1 as ,he ever was1 the ,living ,god1 the same as revealed in the ,holy ,scriptures1 and that if we know and are reconciled to ,him through faith in the ,lord ,jesus1 and ask ,him in ,his name for that which is according to ,his mind1 ,he will surely give it to us1 in ,his own time1 provided that we believe that ,he will4 99 99 99 99 99 ,nor has ,god failed me at any time4 ,forty years have ,i proved ,his faithfulness1 in this work4 ,,in ,,the ,,lord ,,jehovah ,,is ,,everlasting ,,strength4 ,under date ,nov4 #i1 #ahfa1 ,mr4 ,mller wrote3-- ,nov4 #i4 ,saturday evening4 ,when this week commenced1 ,i received only #c #ais4 by the first delivery4 ,shortly after there came in the course of my reading1 through the ,holy ,scriptures1 ,isaiah xxvi1 #d1 ',trust ye in the ,lord for ever2 for in the ,lord ,jehovah is everlasting strength4'--,i laid aside my ,bible1 fell on my knees1 and prayed thus3 ,i believe that there is everlasting strength in the ,lord ,jehovah1 and ,i do trust in ,him2 help me1 ,o ,lord1 for ever to trust in ,thee4 ,be pleased to give me more means this day1 and much this week1 though only so little now has come in4--,that same day1 ,nov4 #crd1 ,i received #aj from ,surbiton1 #e from a donor residing in ,clifton1 #b from a ,bristol donor1 and in the course of the week altogether #deg came in2 thus ,jehovah again proved1 that in ,him is everlasting strength1 and that ,he is worthy to be trusted4--,dear believing reader1 seek but in the same way to trust in the ,lord1 if you are not in the habit of doing so already1 and you will find as ,i have found thousands of times1 how blessed it is4 ,but if the reader should be yet going on in carelessness about his soul1 and therefore be without the knowledge of ,god and ,his dear ,son1 then the first1 and most important thing1 such a one has to do1 is to trust in the ,lord ,jesus for the salvation of his soul1 that he may be reconciled to ,god1 and obtain the forgiveness of his sins4 ,,jesus ,,christ1 ,,the ,,same ,,yesterday1 ,,and ,,to-,,day1 ,,and ,,forever4 ,may #bf1 #ahfa4--;,at the close of the period ,i find1 that the total expenditure for all the various objects was #bd1gjj #afs4 #d;d41 or #fg #acs4 #e;d4 per day1 all the year round4 ,during the coming year ,i expect the expenses to be considerably greater4 ,but ,god1 who has helped me these many years1 will1 ,i believe1 help me in future also4 ,you see1 esteemed reader1 how the ,lord1 in ,his faithful love helped us year after year4 ,with every year the expenses increased1 because the operations of the ,institutions were further enlarged2 but ,he never failed us4 ,you may say1 however1 ',what would you do1 if ,he should fail in helping you8' ,my reply is1 that cannot be1 as long as we trust in ,him and do not live in sin4 ,but if we were to forsake ,him1 the fountain of living waters1 and to hew out to ourselves broken cisterns1 which cannot hold water1 by trusting in an arm of flesh2 or if we were to live in sin1 we should then have to call upon ,him in vain1 even though we professed still to trust in ,him1 according to that word3 ',if ,i regard iniquity in my heart1 the ,lord will not hear me4' ,psalm lxvi1 #ah4 ,hitherto1 by ,god's grace1 ,i have been enabled to continue to trust in ,him alone2 and hitherto1 though failing and weak in many ways1 yet1 by ,god's grace1 ,i have been enabled to walk uprightly1 hating sin and loving holiness1 and longing after increased conformity to the ,lord ,jesus4 ,oct4 #ba #ahfh--;,as the days come1 we make known our requests to ,him1 for our outgoings have now been for several years at the rate of more than ,one ,hundred ,pounds each day2 but though the expenses have been so great1 ,he has never failed us4 ,we have indeed1 as to the outward appearance1 like the ',burning ,bush in the ,wilderness2' yet we have not been consumed4 ,moreover1 we are full of trust in the ,lord1 and therefore of good courage1 though we have before us the prospect1 that1 year by year1 our expenses will increase more and more4 ,did all my beloved fellow disciples1 who seek to work for ,god know the blessedness of looking truly to ,god alone1 and trusting in ,him alone1 they would soon see how soul refreshing this way is1 and how entirely beyond disappointment1 so far as ,he is concerned4 ,earthly friends may alter their minds regarding the work in which we are engaged2 but if indeed we work for ,god1 whoever may alter ,his mind regarding our service1 ,he will not4 ,earthly friends may lose their ability to help us1 however much they desire so to do2 but ,he remains throughout eternity the infinitely ,rich ,one4 ,earthly friends may have their minds after a time diverted to other objects1 and1 as they cannot help everywhere1 much as they may desire it1 they may1 though reluctantly1 have to discontinue to help us2 but ,he is able1 in all directions1 though the requirements were multiplied a million times1 to supply all that can possibly be needed1 and does it with delight1 where ,his work is carried on1 and where ,he is confided in4 ,earthly friends may be removed by death1 and thus we may lose their help1 but ,he lives for ever1 ,he cannot die4 ,in this latter point of view1 ,i have especially1 during the past #dj years1 in connection with this ,institution1 seen the blessedness of trusting in the ,living ,god alone4 ,not one nor two1 nor even five nor ten1 but many more1 who once helped me much with their means1 have been removed by death2 but have the operations of the ,institution been stopped on that account8 ,no4 ,and how came this8 ,because ,i trusted in ,god1 and in ,god alone4 ,,thoroughly ,,in ,,heart ,,prepared ,,for ,,trials ,,of ,,faith4 ,under date ,july #bh1 #ahgd1 ,mr4 ,mller wrote3-- ,it has for months appeared to me1 as if the ,lord meant1 by ,his dealings with us1 to bring us back to that state of things1 in which we were for more than ten years1 from ,august1 #ahch1 to ,april1 #ahdi1 when we had day by day1 almost without interruption1 to look to ,him for our daily supplies1 and1 for a great part of the time1 from meal to meal4 ,the difficulties appeared to me indeed very great1 as the ,institution is now twenty times larger1 than it was then1 and our purchases are to be made in a wholesale way2 but1 at the same time1 ,i am comforted by the knowledge1 that ,god is aware of all this2 and that1 if this way be for the glory of ,his name1 and for the good of ,his church and the unconverted world1 ,i am1 by ,his grace1 willing to go this way1 and to do it to the end of my course4 ,the funds were thus fast expended2 but ,god1 our infinitely rich ,treasurer1 remains to us4 ,it is this which gives me peace4 ,moreover1 if it pleases ,him1 with a work requiring about #dd1jjj a year1 to make me do again at the evening of my life1 what ,i did from ,august1 #ahch1 to ,april1 #ahdi1 ,i am not only prepared for it1 but gladly again ,i would pass through all these trials of faith1 with regard to means1 if ,he only might be glorified1 and ,his church and the world be benefited4 ,often and often this last point has of late passed through my mind1 and ,i have placed myself in the position of having no means at all left1 and ,two ,thousand and ,one ,hundred persons not only daily at the table1 but with everything else to be provided for1 and all funds gone2 #ahi ,missionaries to be assisted1 and nothing whatever left2 about one hundred schools1 with about nine thousand scholars in them1 to be entirely supported1 and no means for them in hand2 about ,four ,millions of ,tracts and ,tens of ,thousands of copies of the ,holy ,scriptures yearly now to be sent out1 and all the money expended4 ,invariably1 however1 with this probability before me1 ,i have said to myself3 ',god1 who has raised up this work through me1 ,god who has led me generally year after year to enlarge it1 ,god who has supported this work now for more than forty years1 will still help1 and will not suffer me to be confounded1 because ,i rely upon ,him1 ,i commit the whole work to ,him1 and ,he will provide me with what ,i need1 in future also1 though ,i know not1 whence the means are to come4' ,thus ,i wrote in my journal on ,july #bh1 #ahgd4 ,the reader will now feel interested in learning how we fared under these circumstances4 ,when ,i came home1 last evening 7,july #bg71 ,i found letters had arrived1 which contained #aic1 among which there was one from a ,missionary in ,foreign lands1 helped by the funds of this ,institution1 who1 having come into the possession of some money1 by the death of a relative1 sent #aec #js4 #d;d4 for ,foreign ,missions4 ,this morning1 ,july #bh1 came in #bd more1 so that1 when ,i met this afternoon with several of my helpers for prayer for means and various other matters1 such as spiritual blessing upon the various ,objects of the ,institution1 for more rain in this very dry season1 the health of our fellow-labourers1 etc41 we had received1 since yesterday afternoon1 altogether #bag4 ,we thanked ,god for it1 and asked for more4 ,when the meeting for prayer was over1 there was handed to me a letter from ,scotland1 containing #gc #ags4 #aj;d41 and a paper with #acs4 ,this was the immediate answer to prayer for more means4 ,aug4 #ab4--,the income for this whole week1 since ,aug4 #e1 has been #hig #aes4 #f;d4 ,sept4 #af4--;,just after having again prayed for the payment of legacies1 which have been left1 ,i had a legacy receipt sent for the payment of a legacy for #a1hjj4 ,sept4 #bc4--;,income to-day #e1cfe #acs4 #f;d41 of which there was sent in one donation #e1cbg #gs4 #f;d4 ,the ,lord be praised6 ,,strong ,,in ,,faith1 ,,giving ,,glory ,,to ,,god4 ,on ,march #bg1 #ahha1 ,mr4 ,mller found that no money remained in hand for the ,school1 ,bible1 ,missionary and ,tract ,funds4 ,nearly #a1djj had been spent for these ,objects during the previous month4 ,he writes3-- ,what was now to be done1 dear reader1 under these circumstances1 when all the money for the above ,objects was again gone8 ,i reply1 we did what we have done for #dg years1 that is1 we waited continually upon ,god4 ,my dear fellow-labourers in ,bristol1 and my dear wife and myself in ,america1 brought our necessities again and again before the ,lord4 ,here in the ,united ,states1 besides our habitual daily prayer for help1 we had especial seasons #d1 #e1 and #f times a day additionally1 for pouring out our hearts before our ,heavenly ,father1 and making known our requests unto ,him1 being assured that help would come3 and we have not waited upon the ,lord in vain4 ,this plan may be despised by some1 ridiculed by others1 and considered insufficient by a third class of persons2 but1 under every trial and difficulty1 we find prayer and faith to be our universal remedy2 and1 after having experienced for half a century their efficacy1 we purpose1 by ,god's help1 to continue waiting upon ,him1 in order to show to an ungodly world1 and to a doubting ,church1 that the ,living ,god is still able and willing to answer prayer1 and that it is the joy of ,his heart to listen to the supplications of ,his children4 ,in ,psalm ix4 #aj1 the ,divine testimony regarding ,jehovah is1 ',they that know thy name will put their trust in ,thee4' ,we know ,him1 by ,his grace1 and do therefore put our trust in ,him4 ,april #bg4--,on ,march #bgth we had no means at all in hand for these ,objects1 as stated under that date4 ,we have now been helped through one more month1 in answer to prayer1 and have been supplied with all we needed1 though that amounted to nearly #ajjj1 and have #bc #hs4 #f;d4 left4 ,april #bi4--;,a servant of the ,lord ,jesus1 who1 constrained by the love of ,christ1 seeks to lay up treasure in heaven1 having received a legacy of #ecb #ads4 #e;d41 gave #ejj of it for these ,objects4 ,july #bh1 #ahha4--,the income has been for some time past only about the third part of the expenses4 ,consequently1 all we have for the support of the ,orphans is nearly gone2 and for the first four ,objects of the ,institution we have nothing at all in hand4 ,the natural appearance now is1 that the work cannot be carried on4 ,but ,i ,,believe that the ,lord will help1 both with means for the ,orphans and also for the other ,objects of the ,institution1 and that we shall not be confounded2 also1 that the work shall not need to be given up4 ,i am fully expecting help1 and have written this to the glory of ,god1 that it may be recorded hereafter for the encouragement of ,his children4 ,the result will be seen4 ,the foregoing was written at #g ,a4 ,m4 ,july #bh1 #ahha4 ,as yet we have the means to meet our expenses1 and ,i expect that we shall not be confounded1 though for seven years we have not been so poor4 ,the result has indeed been seen1 and will be seen4 ,for more than #bj years since those words were written and ,mr4 ,mller had thus recorded his confidence in the ,lord's help1 ,god ,,has sustained the work1 and in ,may1 #aijb1 there was a balance in hand of some thousands of pounds1 notwithstanding that more than #ejj1jjj had been received and expended since this entry was made in ,mr4 ,mller's journal on ,july #bh1 #ahha4 ,during these #bj years faith and patience were at times greatly tried3 ,aug4 #ae1 #ahha4--,the balance for the ,orphans is now reduced to #ccb #abs4 #g;d41 lower than it has been for more than twenty-five years4 ,this sum we have in hand to meet the daily expenses in connection with #b1ajj persons4 ,it is only enough for the average outgoings of #d days4 ,but our eyes are upon the ,lord4 ,i look to my heavenly ,provider4 ,the total income of to-day has been #bh #es4 #b;d4 ,aug4 #bb4--,part of a legacy1 left years ago1 #a1jjj1 was paid1 as the answer to many prayers4 ,feb4 #bf1 #ahhb4--,the balance in hand to-day for the ,orphans is #ig #ajs4 #g;d41 viz41 #bd more than the average expenses of one single day4 ,march #b4--,our position now regarding the ,orphan work is1 praying day by day ',give us this day our daily bread'4 ,for a considerable time we have had day by day to look to the ,lord for the supply of our daily wants2 but ,god has helped us thus far4 ,april #bj1 #ahhb4--,when in the greatest need we received from ,edinburgh #ajj with this statement3 ',the enclosed was intended as a legacy1 but ,i have sent it in my lifetime4' ,june #c4--;,from ,wottan-under-edge #ejj4 ,a glorious deliverance was this donation1 and a precious earnest of what ,god would do further for us4 ,oct4 #ba4--,received from ,wottan-under-edge #a1jjj4 99 99 99 99 99 ,god1 in answer to our prayers1 spoke to ,his dear child1 and inclined his heart to send to us more than ever4 ,thus ,he also gives proof1 that during the previous year1 when we were so low as to funds1 it was only for the trial of our faith and patience1 and not in anger2 nor did ,he thereby mean to indicate1 that ,he would not help us any more4 ,for my own part1 ,i expected further great help from ,god1 and ,i have not been confounded4 ,aug4 #ag1 #ahhc4--,our balance was reduced this afternoon to #aj #bs4 #g;d4 ,think of this1 dear reader6 ,day by day about #b1ajj persons are to be provided for in the ,orphan ,institution1 and #aj #bs4 #g;d4 was all that was in hand to do this4 ,you see that we are just in the same position in which we were #df years since as to funds4 ,god is our banker4 ,in ,him we trust1 and on ,him we draw by faith4 ,this was ,saturday4 ,in the evening #cj was received4 ,on ,monday we received #abi further1 but had to pay out #fj4 ,on ,tuesday we received #bie1 but had to pay out #ahj4 99 99 99 99 99 ,god is pleased continually to vary ,his mode of dealing with us1 in order that we may not be tempted to trust in donors1 or in circumstances1 but in ,him alone1 and to keep our eye fixed upon ,him4 ,this1 by ,his grace1 we are enabled to do1 and our hearts are kept in peace4 ,some ten months later1 when the balance in hand was only #da #ajs41 a very little more than one-half of the average expenses for the ,orphans for one day1 and there were sanitary operations advisable to be carried out1 the expenses of which would amount to upwards of #b1jjj1 ,mr4 ,mller received a legacy of #aa1jcd #fs4 ,june #g1 #ahhd4--,this is the largest donation ,i have ever received at one time4 ,this legacy had been above six years in ,chancery1 and year after year its payment was expected1 but remained unsettled by the ,chancery ,court4 ,i kept on praying1 however1 and for six years prayed day by day that the money might be paid1 believing that ,god in ,his own time 7which is always the best71 would help at last2 for many legacies in ,chancery ,i had prayed out of the ,court1 and the money was eventually paid4 ,in the present case1 too1 after faith and patience had been sufficiently exercised1 ,god granted this request likewise4 #ahic4--;,in the ,fifty-fourth ,report of the ,scriptural ,knowledge ,institution ,mr4 ,mller says3-- ,the readers of the last report will remember1 under what particular trials we entered upon the last financial year of the ,institution1 from ,may #bfth1 #ahib1 to ,may #bfth1 #ahic2 but we trusted in ,god2 with unshaken confidence we looked to ,him1 and we expected that we should somehow or other be helped4 99 99 ,while thus we went on1 my heart was at peace habitually1 being assured that all this was permitted by ,god1 to prepare a blessing for thousands1 who would afterwards read the record of ,his dealings with us1 during the year from ,may #bfth1 #ahib1 to ,may #bfth1 #ahic4 ,with reference to our dear fellow-labourers1 ,mr4 ,wright and ,i have seen already1 while passing through the trial1 how ,god has blessed it to them4 ,aug4 #cj1 #ahib4--,this evening1 whilst reading in the ,psalms1 ,i came to ,psalm lxxxi1 #aj1 and remembered the work of the ,holy ,spirit in my heart1 when reading this verse on ,dec4 #e1 #ahce1 and the effect which this had1 not only on leading me to found the greatest ,orphan ,institution in the world1 but ,i thought also of the blessing which has thus been brought to tens of thousands of believers and unbelievers all over the world4 ,putting aside the ,bible1 therefore1 ,i fell on my knees and asked ,god that ,he would graciously be pleased to repeat ,his former kindness1 and to supply me again more abundantly with means4 ,accordingly in less than half an hour1 ,i received #ej from a ,bristol ,donor and from ,redland a large quantity of fish1 in addition to #ig already received to-day as the result of much prayer4 ,by the last delivery1 at #i p4 m41 ,i received #e more also1 and had thus #aeb in all1 this day1 as the result of prayer4 ,nov4 #aa4--,there came in to-day1 by the first two deliveries1 only about #h1 but the ,lord increased the income to more than #bjj this day4 ,i am never discouraged by very little only coming in1 but say to myself1 and also to my dear helpers1 ',more prayer1 more patience1 and more exercise of faith will bring greater blessing'2 for thus ,i have invariably found it1 since ,october1 #ahcj1 now #fc years ago1 when ,i first began this life of entire dependence upon ,god for everything4 ,march #a1 #ahic4--,the income during this week1 ending to-day1 was #ib #hs4 #h;d4 for the ,orphans1 and #i #aas4 #b;d4 for the other ,objects1 being about the sixth part of our weekly expenses2 but now the great trial of our faith was nearly brought to a close1 as will presently be seen4 ,march #d4--,this very day ,god begins to answer our prayers1 as we have received a very good offer for the land we have to sell1 even #a1jjj per acre4 ,the beginning of the day was darker as to outward appearances than ever3 but we trusted in ,god for help4 ,the first three deliveries of letters brought us only #d1 and the remaining three brought us so little that the whole day's income was only #h instead of #ij1 the amount we require every day to meet all our expenses4 ,but ,god has now helped us4 ,we have been able this evening to sell ten acres of land and two-fifths of an acre at #a1jjj per acre1 and shall receive #aj1dje altogether for the whole of one field4 ,the contract was signed at #h o'clock this evening4 ,,mr4 ,m,,ller',s ,,departure ,,to ,,be ,,with ,,christ4 ,on the evening of ,wednesday1 ,march #ith1 #ahih1 ,mr4 ,mller took part in the usual meeting for prayer held in the ,orphan-,house ,no4 #c2 retired at his usual hour to rest1 and early on the following morning 7the #ajth of ,march7 alone1 in his bed-room1 breathed his last1 realizing what had long been with him a most joyous anticipation1 viz41 that to depart and to be with ,christ is far better4 ,march #ad4--,this day ,mr4 ,mller's earthly remains were laid in the grave of his first and second wives1 at ,arno' ,vale ,cemetery4 ,the attendant circumstances1 throughout1 were very remarkable and interesting to the ,christian mind chiefly as illustrating ,god's eternal principle--,them that honour ,me ,i will honour4 ,the man who in life sought not his own glory1 became in death the one to whom all classes delighted to show respect and honour4 ,from the masses of sympathizing spectators that lined the streets1 from the tearful eyes1 and the audible prayerful ejaculations that escaped the lips of bystanders 7many of them the poorest of the poor71 as the orphans filed past1 following the hearse2 from the suspension of all traffic in the principal streets1 the tolling of muffled bells1 and the half-masted flags1 and from the dense crowds in the cemetery that awaited the arrival of the funeral company1 it seemed as if the whole city had spontaneously resolved to do honour to the man who had not lived for himself1 but for the glory of ,god and the good of his fellows4 ,for some #ba months before ,mr4 ,mller's death the trials of faith and patience were great4 ,mr4 ,james ,wright1 ,mr4 ,mller's successor1 writes3 ,he who is pleased1 sometimes1 to teach ,his servants 'how to abound1' sees it best for them1 at other times 'to be instructed how to suffer need4' ,for many of the #fd years during which this work has been carried on1 the former was our experience2 we abounded and richly abounded1 latterly1 and especially during the last #b or #c years it has been the very reverse4 ,pressing need has been the rule2 a balance in hand1 over and above our need1 the rare exception4 ,yet we have never been forsaken4 ,sept4 #bc1 #ahig4--,residue of the legacy of the late ,g4 ,j41 ,esq41 #b1fgi #ahs4 #g;d4 ,this sum was received when we were in the deepest need2 and after it had pleased the ,lord to allow a very protracted trial of faith and patience2 but see1 beloved reader1 ,he did not disappoint nor forsake us1 as ,he never does those who really trust in ,him4 ,the joy of such a deliverance cannot be tasted without the experience of the previous trial4 ,feb4 #bf1 #ahih4--,the following entry1 under this date1 is in ,mr4 ,mller's own hand-writing3 ,the income to-day1 by the two first deliveries1 was #g #aes4 #aa;d4 ,day by day our great trial of faith and patience continues1 and thus it has been1 more or less1 now1 for #ba months1 yet1 by ,thy grace1 we are sustained4 ,march #a1 #ahih4--,the following1 again1 is from a memorandum in ,mr4 ,mller's own hand-writing1 under this date3 ,for about #ba months with scarcely the least intermission the trial of our faith and patience has continued4 ,now1 to-day1 the ,lord has refreshed our hearts4 ,this afternoon came in1 for the ,lord's work1 #a1dbg #as4 #g;d4 as part payment of a legacy of the late ,mrs4 ,e4 ,c4 ,s4 ,for #c years and #aj months this money had been in the ,irish ,chancery ,court4 ,hundreds of petitions had been brought before the ,lord regarding it1 and now at last1 this portion of the total legacy has been received4 ,thus the ,lord1 in love and faithfulness1 greatly refreshed the heart of ,his servant1 only nine days before taking him home to be with ,himself4 ,,appendix ,a ,,five ,,conditions ,,of ,,prevailing ,,prayer ,entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 as the only ground of any claim for blessing4 7,see ,john xiv4 #ac1 #ad2 xv4 #af1 etc47 #b4--,separation from all known sin4 ,if we regard iniquity in our hearts1 the ,lord will not hear us1 for it would be sanctioning sin4 7,psalm lxvi4 #ah47 #c4--;,faith in ,god's word of promise as confirmed by ,his oath4 ,not to believe ,him is to make ,him both a liar and a perjurer4 7,hebrews xi4 #f2 vi4 #ac-bj47 #d4--;,asking in accordance with ,his will4 ,our motives must be godly3 we must not seek any gift of ,god to consume it upon our lusts4 7#a ,john v4 #ad2 ,james iv4 #c47 #e4--;,importunity in supplication4 ,there must be waiting on ,god and waiting for ,god1 as the husbandman has long patience to wait for the harvest4 7,james v4 #g2 ,luke xviii4 #a-h47 ,,appendix ,b ,,the ,,careful ,,and ,,consecutive ,,reading ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,scriptures ,concerning this subject ,mr4 ,mller says3 ,i fell into the snare1 into which so many young believers fall1 the reading of religious books in preference to the ,scriptures4 ,i could no longer read ,french and ,german novels1 as ,i had formerly done1 to feed my carnal mind2 but still ,i did not put into the room of those books the best of all books4 ,i read tracts1 missionary papers1 sermons1 and biographies of godly persons4 ,the last kind of books ,i found more profitable than others1 and had they been well selected1 or had ,i not read too much of such writings1 or had any of them tended particularly to endear the ,scriptures to me1 they might have done me much good4--,i never had been at any time in my life in the habit of reading the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,when under fifteen years of age1 ,i occasionally read a little of them at school2 afterwards ,god's precious book was entirely laid aside1 so that ,i never read one single chapter of it1 as far as ,i remember1 till it pleased ,god to begin a work of grace in my heart4 ,now the ,scriptural way of reasoning would have been3 ,god himself has condescended to become an author1 and ,i am ignorant about that precious book1 which ,his ,holy ,spirit has caused to be written through the instrumentality of ,his servants1 and it contains that which ,i ought to know1 and the knowledge of which will lead me to true happiness2 therefore ,i ought to read again and again this most precious book1 this book of books1 most earnestly1 most prayerfully1 and with much meditation2 and in this practice ,i ought to continue all the days of my life4 ,for ,i was aware1 though ,i read it but little1 that ,i knew scarcely anything of it4 ,but instead of acting thus1 and being led by my ignorance of the word of ,god to study it more1 my difficulty in understanding it1 and the little enjoyment ,i had in it1 made me careless of reading it 7for much prayerful reading of the ,word1 gives not merely more knowledge1 but increases the delight we have in reading it72 and thus1 like many believers1 ,i practically preferred1 for the first four years of my divine life1 the works of uninspired men to the oracles of the living ,god4 ,the consequence was1 that ,i remained a babe1 both in knowledge and grace4 ,in knowledge ,i say2 for all true knowledge must be derived1 by the ,spirit1 from the ,word4 ,and as ,i neglected the ,word1 ,i was for nearly four years so ignorant1 that ,i did not clearly know even the fundamental points of our holy faith4 ,and this lack of knowledge most sadly kept me back from walking steadily in the ways of ,god4 ,for it is the truth that makes us free1 7,john viii4 #ca1 #cb17 by delivering us from the slavery of the lusts of the flesh1 the lusts of the eyes1 and the pride of life4 ,the ,word proves it4 ,the experience of the saints proves it2 and also my own experience most decidedly proves it4 ,for when it pleased the ,lord in ,aug4 #ahbi1 to bring me really to the ,scriptures1 my life and walk became very different4 ,and though even since that ,i have very much fallen short of what ,i might and ought to be1 yet1 by the grace of ,god1 ,i have been enabled to live much nearer to ,him than before4 ,if any believers read this1 who practically prefer other books to the ,holy ,scriptures1 and who enjoy the writings of men much more than the word of ,god1 may they be warned by my loss4 ,i shall consider this book to have been the means of doing much good1 should it please the ,lord1 through its instrumentality1 to lead some of ,his people no longer to neglect the ,holy ,scriptures1 but to give them that preference1 which they have hitherto bestowed on the writings of men4 ,my dislike to increase the number of books would have been sufficient to deter me from writing these pages1 had ,i not been convinced1 that this is the only way in which the brethren at large may be benefited through my mistakes and errors1 and been influenced by the hope1 that in answer to my prayers1 the reading of my experience may be the means of leading them to value the ,scriptures more highly1 and to make them the rule of all their actions4 99 99 99 ,if anyone should ask me1 how he may read the ,scriptures most profitably1 ,i would advise him1 that3 ,i4--,above all he should seek to have it settled in his own mind1 that ,god alone1 by ,his ,spirit1 can teach him1 and that therefore1 as ,god will be enquired of for blessings1 it becomes him to seek ,god's blessing previous to reading1 and also whilst reading4 ,,ii4--,he should have it1 moreover1 settled in his mind1 that1 although the ,holy ,spirit is the best and sufficient teacher1 yet that this teacher does not always teach immediately when we desire it1 and that1 therefore1 we may have to entreat ,him again and again for the explanation of certain passages2 but that ,he will surely teach us at last1 if indeed we are seeking for light prayerfully1 patiently1 and with a view to the glory of ,god4 ,,iii4--,it is of immense importance for the understanding of the word of ,god1 to read it in course1 so that we may read every day a portion of the ,old and a portion of the ,new ,testament1 going on where we previously left off4 ,this is important--#a1 ,because it throws light upon the connection2 and a different course1 according to which one habitually selects particular chapters1 will make it utterly impossible ever to understand much of the ,scriptures4 #b1 ,whilst we are in the body1 we need a change even in spiritual things2 and this change the ,lord has graciously provided in the great variety which is to be found in ,his word4 #c1 ,it tends to the glory of ,god2 for the leaving out some chapters here and there1 is practically saying1 that certain portions are better than others3 or1 that there are certain parts of revealed truth unprofitable or unnecessary4 #d1 ,it may keep us1 by the blessing of ,god1 from erroneous views1 as in reading thus regularly through the ,scriptures we are led to see the meaning of the whole1 and also kept from laying too much stress upon certain favourite views4 #e1 ,the ,scriptures contain the whole revealed will of ,god1 and therefore we ought to seek to read from time to time through the whole of that revealed will4 ,there are many believers1 ,i fear1 in our day1 who have not read even once through the whole of the ,scriptures2 and yet in a few months1 by reading only a few chapters every day they might accomplish it4 ,,iv4--,it is also of the greatest importance to meditate on what we read1 so that perhaps a small portion of that which we have read1 or1 if we have time1 the whole may be meditated upon in the course of the day4 ,or a small portion of a book1 or an epistle1 or a gospel1 through which we go regularly for meditation1 may be considered every day1 without1 however1 suffering oneself to be brought into bondage by this plan4 ,learned commentaries ,i have found to store the head1 with many notions and often also with the truth of ,god2 but when the ,spirit teaches1 through the instrumentality of prayer and meditation1 the heart is affected4 ,the former kind of knowledge generally puffs up1 and is often renounced1 when another commentary gives a different opinion1 and often also is found good for nothing1 when it is to be carried out into practice4 ,the latter kind of knowledge generally humbles1 gives joy1 leads as nearer to ,god1 and is not easily reasoned away2 and having been obtained from ,god1 and thus having entered into the heart1 and become our own1 is also generally carried out4 ,,appendix ,c ,,proving ,,the ,,acceptable ,,will ,,of ,,god ,it is very instructive and helpful to see the way in which ,mr4 ,mller proved the acceptable will of the ,lord1 when exercised in heart about the enlargement of the ,orphan work1 so that not only #cjj but #ajjj ,orphans might be provided for4 ,dec4 #aa1 #ahej4--,the especial burden of my prayer therefore is1 that ,god would be pleased to teach me ,his will4 ,my mind has also been especially pondering1 how ,i could know ,his will satisfactorily concerning this particular4 ,sure ,i am1 that ,i shall be taught4 ,i therefore desire patiently to wait for the ,lord's time1 when ,he shall be pleased to shine on my path concerning this point4 ,dec4 #bf4--;,fifteen days have elapsed since ,i wrote the preceding paragraph4 ,every day since then ,i have continued to pray about this matter1 and that with a goodly measure of earnestness1 by the help of ,god4 ,there has passed scarcely an hour during these days1 in which1 whilst awake1 this matter has not been more or less before me4 ,but all without even a shadow of excitement4 ,i converse with no one about it4 ,hitherto have ,i not even done so with my dear wife4 ,from this ,i refrain still1 and deal with ,god alone about the matter1 in order that no outward influence1 and no outward excitement may keep me from attaining unto a clear discovery of ,his will4 ,i have the fullest and most peaceful assurance1 that ,he will clearly show me ,his will4 ,this evening ,i have had again an especial solemn season for prayer1 to seek to know the will of ,god4 ,but whilst ,i continue to entreat and beseech the ,lord1 that ,he would not allow me to be deluded in this business1 ,i may say ,i have scarcely any doubt remaining on my mind as to what will be the issue1 even that ,i should go forward in this matter4 ,as this1 however1 is one of the most momentous steps that ,i have ever taken1 ,i judge that ,i cannot go about this matter with too much caution1 prayerfulness1 and deliberation4 ,i am in no hurry about it4 ,i could wait for years1 by ,god's grace1 were this ,his will1 before even taking one single step towards this thing1 or even speaking to anyone about it2 and1 on the other hand1 ,i would set to work to-morrow1 were the ,lord to bid me do so4 ,this calmness of mind1 this having no will of my own in the matter1 this only wishing to please my ,heavenly ,father in it1 this only seeking ,his and not my honour in it2 this state of heart1 ,i say1 is the fullest assurance to me that my heart is not under a fleshly excitement1 and that1 if ,i am helped thus to go on1 ,i shall know the will of ,god to the full4 ,but1 while ,i write thus1 ,i cannot but add at the same time1 that ,i do crave the honour and the glorious privilege to be more and more used by the ,lord4 ,i have served ,satan much in my younger years1 and ,i desire now with all my might to serve ,god1 during the remaining days of my earthly pilgrimage4 ,i am forty-five years and three months old4 ,every day decreases the number of days that ,i have to stay on earth4 ,i therefore desire with all my might to work4 ,there are vast multitudes of ,orphans to be provided for4 99 99 99 ,i desire that thus it may be more abundantly manifest that ,god is still the hearer and answerer of prayer1 and that ,he is the living ,god now1 as ,he ever was and ever will be1 when ,he shall1 simply in answer to prayer1 have condescended to provide me with a house for #gjj ,orphans1 and with means to support them4 ,this last consideration is the most important point in my mind4 ,the ,lord's honour is the principal point with me in this whole matter2 and just because that is the case1 if ,he would be more glorified by my not going forward in this business1 ,i should1 by ,his grace1 be perfectly content to give up all thoughts about another ,orphan-,house4 ,surely1 in such a state of mind1 obtained by the ,holy ,spirit1 ,thou1 ,o my ,heavenly ,father1 will not suffer ,thy child to be mistaken1 much less to be deluded6 ,by the help of ,god ,i shall continue further1 day by day1 to wait upon ,him in prayer concerning this thing1 till ,he shall bid me act4 ,jan4 #b1 #ahea4--;,a week ago ,i wrote the preceding paragraph4 ,during this week ,i have still been helped1 day by day1 and more than once every day1 to seek the guidance of the ,lord about another ,orphan-,house4 ,the burden of my prayer has still been1 that ,he1 in ,his great mercy1 would keep me from making a mistake4 ,during the last week the ,book of ,proverbs has come1 in the course of my ,scripture reading1 and my heart has been refreshed1 in reference to this subject1 by the following passages3 ',trust in the ,lord with all thine heart2 and lean not unto thine own understanding4 ,in all thy ways acknowledge ,him1 and ,he shall direct thy paths4' ,prov4 iii4 #e1 #f4 ,by the grace of ,god ,i do acknowledge the ,lord in my ways1 and in this thing in particular2 ,i have therefore the comfortable assurance that ,he will direct my paths concerning this part of my service1 as to whether ,i shall be occupied in it or not4 ,further3 ',the integrity of the upright shall preserve them2 but the perverseness of fools shall destroy them4' ,prov4 xi4 #c4 ,by the grace of ,god ,i am upright in this business4 ,my honest purpose is to get glory to ,god4 ,therefore ,i expect to be guided aright4 ,further3 ',commit thy works unto the ,lord and thy thoughts shall be established4' ,prov4 xvi4 #c4 ,i do commit my works unto the ,lord1 and therefore expect that my thoughts will be established4--,my heart is more and more coming to a calm1 quiet1 and settled assurance1 that the ,lord will condescend to use me yet further in the ,orphan ,work4 ,here1 ,lord1 is ,thy servant6 ,mr4 ,mller wrote down eight reasons against and eight reasons for establishing another ,orphan-,house for ,seven ,hundred ,orphans4 ,the following is his last reason for so doing3 ,i am peaceful and happy1 spiritually1 in the prospect of enlarging the work as on former occasions when ,i had to do so4 ,this weighs particularly with me as a reason for going forward4 ,after all the calm1 quiet1 prayerful consideration of the subject for about eight weeks1 ,i am peaceful and happy1 spiritually1 in the purpose of enlarging the field4 ,this1 after all the heart searching which ,i have had1 and the daily prayer to be kept from delusion and mistake in this thing1 and the betaking myself to the ,word of ,god1 would not be the case1 ,i judge1 had not the ,lord purposed to condescend to use me more than ever in this service4 ,i1 therefore1 on the ground of the objections answered1 and these eight reasons ,,for enlarging the work1 come to the conclusion that it is the will of the blessed ,god1 that ,his poor and most unworthy servant should yet more extensively serve ,him in this work1 which he is quite willing to do4 ,may #bd4--;,from the time that ,i began to write down the exercises of my mind on ,dec4 #eth1 #ahej1 till this day1 ninety-two more ,orphans have been applied for1 and seventy-eight were already waiting for admission before4 ,but this number increases rapidly as the work becomes more and more known4 ,on the ground of what has been recorded above1 ,i purpose to go forward in this service1 and to seek to build1 to the praise and honour of the living ,god1 another ,orphan-,house1 large enough to accommodate seven hundred ,orphans4