Twelve years have elapsed since the period at which the third part of
the Narrative of the Lord's dealings with me closes. It has not been
for want of matter, that this fourth part has not appeared sooner; but
the increased and ever increasing variety of other occupations has kept
me hitherto from arranging the materials for the press. Of late,
however, I have judged, for the following reasons, that I ought
particularly to give myself to this service.
1, It has pleased the Lord so abundantly to bless the former parts of my
Narrative to the comfort, encouragement, strengthening, and instruction
of those who are young and weak in the faith, and to those unacquainted
with the simplicity of the truth, that I consider myself to be the
servant of such; and I feel that responsibility is laid upon me, to do
what further I can, in this way, to serve them. And this, I confess, I
do joyfully; for my spirit has oft times been not a little refreshed
during the eighteen years which have elapsed, since I published the
first part of my Narrative, by the many hundreds of letters I have
received, giving an account of the blessing, which the writers of them
have derived from the perusal of it; and I have thus been again and
again encouraged to go on with the work.
2, I think it important, that the reader of the first three parts of my
Narrative should have a right impression of the work in which I am
engaged. He may not be acquainted with the Reports of the Scriptural
Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad, which have been published
since 1844, and therefore he may know no more of the work in which I am
especially engaged, than the first three parts of my Narrative give him.
In that case he would not know how the work has been growing since that
period; he would not be aware, that it is now three or four times as
large as it was in 1844, and is still more and more increasing. He would
not know in that case, that the principles of Holy Scripture on which
the work of God in my hands was carried on, when comparatively small,
and which then were found to be sufficient, even in these last days, are
the same on which it is carried on now, though the work is now so large.
This point has especially weighed with me, in desiring the publication
of the continuation of the account of the Lord's dealings with me in
the form of the first three parts, in order that the Living God may be
glorified through this account. I judged, moreover, that, whilst the
first three parts may especially furnish, to the believer in the Lord
Jesus for his private life subjects for comforting and encouraging
reflections; this part, besides doing the same still further, may
especially be of help to the servant of Christ labouring for God on a
large scale, or to the man of God who seeks to carry on business on a
large scale, on Scriptural principles.
3, Though the Reports of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home
and Abroad have been issued generally every year or every two years;
yet, as they are not bound together, they may be lost in part, and thus
the chain be interrupted. Moreover, they contain, sometimes, matters
which may be of moment for the time being, but not so important
afterwards. The Narrative leaves out such points, and introduces on the
other hand things which were scarcely suitable for the Reports. My
desire, therefore, has been to give in this fourth part the substance of
the Reports, which have been published since July 1844, and to bring
thus together in one volume what is contained in these nine different
Reports.
4, The Reports give scarcely anything of the dealings of God with me
personally, irrespective of the work in which I am engaged; but I have
not only to speak well of the name of the Lord with regard to His
service, but also with reference to His dealings with me personally and
with my family; and I desire to serve the saints in relating to them
instance upon instance of His kindness to me, hoping that thus many
others may be encouraged more and more fully, unreservedly and
habitually to trust in God; yea, to do so in the darkest seasons.
The plan on which I have thought it best to bring the materials before
the reader is, to relate in distinct periodical chapters: a, How I have
been provided, simply in answer to prayer, with means for the support of
the various schools of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, for the
circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Gospel Tracts and for the aiding
of Missionary work. b, How I have obtained means for the support of the
hundreds of Orphans under my care. c, How the Lord has led me to, and
provided me with means for, the building of a large Orphan-House, and
how I am now occupied in seeking to build a second still larger. d, To
state, periodically, a variety of miscellaneous points in connexion with
the operations of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, in a separate
chapter. e, To give separately and periodically a chapter, for relating
matters connected with my own personal affairs or the work of the Lord
in my hands, not immediately connected with the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution for Home and Abroad. As, however, the whole book is intended
for the spiritual profit of the believing reader, and to show to those
who know not God, by His blessing, the reality of the things of God,
there will be found interspersed, throughout the book, such practical
remarks, as the subjects may seem to call for.