MINISTRY AT BRISTOL BEGUN.
1832-1835.
"HERE HAVE WE NO CONTINUING CITY"--CAUTION TO THE CHRISTIAN
TRAVELLER--NEW TOKENS FOR GOOD--THE WAY MADE CLEAR--MEETINGS FOR
INQUIRY--NO RESPECT OF PERSONS WITH GOD--FRANCKE, "BEING DEAD,
YET SPEAKETH"--DAILY BREAD SUPPLIED--A PECULIAR PEOPLE.
April 8. I have felt much this day that Teignmouth is no longer my
place, and that I shall leave it. I would observe that in August of 1831
I began greatly to feel as if my work at Teignmouth were done, and that
I should go somewhere else. I was led to consider the matter more
maturely, and at last had it settled in this way,--that it was not
likely to be of God, because, for certain reasons, I should _naturally_
have liked to leave Teignmouth. Afterwards, I felt quite comfortable in
remaining there. In the commencement of the year 1832 I began again much
to doubt whether Teignmouth was my place, or whether my gift was not
much more that of going about from place to place, seeking to bring
believers back to the Scriptures, than to stay in one place and to labor
as a pastor. I resolved to try whether it were not the will of God that
I should still give myself to pastoral work among the brethren at
Teignmouth; and with more earnestness and faithfulness than ever I was
enabled to give myself to this work, and was certainly much refreshed
and blessed in it; and I saw immediately blessings result from it. This
my experience seemed more than ever to settle me at Teignmouth. But
notwithstanding this, the impression that my work was done there came
back after some time, as the remark in my journal of April 8 shows, and
it became stronger and stronger. There was one point remarkable in
connection with this. Wherever I went I preached with much more
enjoyment and power than at Teignmouth, the very reverse of which had
been the case on my first going there. Moreover, almost everywhere I had
many more hearers than at Teignmouth, and found the people hungering
after food, which, generally speaking, was no longer the case at
Teignmouth.
April 11. Felt again much that Teignmouth will not much longer be my
residence. April 12. Still feel the impression that Teignmouth is no
longer my place. April 13. Found a letter from brother Craik, from
Bristol, on my return from Torquay, where I had been to preach. He
invites me to come and help him. It appears to me, from what he writes,
that such places as Bristol more suit my gifts. O Lord, teach me! I have
felt this day more than ever that I shall soon leave Teignmouth. I fear,
however, there is much connected with it which savors of the flesh, and
that makes me fearful. It seems to me as if I should shortly go to
Bristol, if the Lord permit. April 14. Wrote a letter to brother Craik,
in which I said I should come, if I clearly saw it to be the Lord's
will. Have felt again very much to-day, yea, far more than ever, that I
shall soon leave Teignmouth.
April 15. Lord's day. This evening I preached, as fully as time would
permit, on the Lord's second coming. After having done so, I told the
brethren what effect this doctrine had had upon me, on first receiving
it, even to determine me to leave London, and to preach throughout the
kingdom; but that the Lord had kept me chiefly at Teignmouth for these
two years and three months, and that it seemed to me now that the time
was near when I should leave them. I reminded them of what I told them
when they requested me to take the oversight of them, that I could make
no certain engagement, but stay only so long with them as I should see
it to be the Lord's will to do so. There was much weeping afterwards.
But I am now again in peace.
April 16. This morning I am still in peace. I am glad I have spoken to
the brethren, that they may be prepared, in case the Lord should take me
away. I left to-day for Dartmouth, where I preached in the evening. I
had five answers to prayer to-day. 1. I awoke at five, for which I had
asked the Lord last evening. 2. The Lord removed from my dear wife an
indisposition under which she had been suffering. It would have been
trying to me to have had to leave her in that state. 3. The Lord sent us
money. 4. There was a place vacant on the Dartmouth coach, which only
passes through Teignmouth. 5. This evening I was assisted in preaching,
and my own soul refreshed.
April 21. I would offer here a word of warning to believers. Often the
work of the Lord itself may be a temptation to keep us from that
communion with him which is so essential to the benefit of our own
souls. On the 19th I had left Dartmouth, conversed a good deal that day,
preached in the evening, walked afterwards eight miles, had only about
five hours' sleep, travelled again the next day twenty-five miles,
preached twice, and conversed very much besides, went to bed at eleven,
and arose before five. All this shows that my body and spirit required
rest, and, therefore, however careless about the Lord's work I might
have appeared to my brethren, I ought to have had a great deal of quiet
time for prayer and reading the word, especially as I had a long journey
before me that day, and as I was going to Bristol, which in itself
required much prayer. Instead of this, I hurried to the prayer meeting,
after a few minutes' private prayer. But let none think that public
prayer will make up for closet communion. Then again, afterwards, when I
ought to have withdrawn myself, as it were, by force, from the company
of beloved brethren and sisters, and given my testimony for the Lord,
(and, indeed, it would have been the best testimony I could have given
them,) by telling them that I needed secret communion with the Lord, I
did not do so, but spent the time, till the coach came, in conversation
with them. Now, however profitable in some respects it may have been
made to those with whom I was on that morning, yet my own soul needed
food; and not having had it, I was lean, and felt the effects of it the
whole day; and hence I believe it came that I was dumb on the coach, and
did not speak a word for Christ, nor give away a single tract, though I
had my pockets full on purpose.
April 22. This morning I preached at Gideon Chapel, Bristol. In the
afternoon I preached at the Pithay Chapel. This sermon was a blessing to
many, many souls; and many were brought through it to come afterwards to
hear brother Craik and me. Among others it was the means of converting a
young man who was a notorious drunkard, and who was just again on his
way to a public house, when an acquaintance of his met him, and asked
him to go with him to hear a foreigner preach. He did so; and from that
moment he was so completely altered, that he never again went to a
public house, and was so happy in the Lord afterwards that he often
neglected his supper, from eagerness to read the Scriptures, as his wife
told me. He died about five months afterwards. This evening I was much
instructed in hearing brother Craik preach. I am now fully persuaded
that Bristol is the place where the Lord will have me to labor.
April 27. It seems to brother Craik and myself the Lord's will that we
should go home next week, in order that in quietness, without being
influenced by what we see here, we may more inquire into the Lord's will
concerning us. It especially appears to us much more likely that we
should come to a right conclusion among the brethren and sisters in
Devonshire, whose tears we shall have to witness, and whose entreaties
to stay with them we shall have to hear, than here in Bristol, where we
see only those who wish us to stay.
April 28. It still seems to us the Lord's will that we should both leave
soon, to have quiet time for prayer concerning Bristol. April 29. I
preached this morning on Rev. iii. 14-22. As it afterwards appeared,
that testimony was blessed to many, though I lacked enjoyment in my own
soul. This afternoon brother Craik preached in a vessel called the
Clifton Ark, fitted up for a chapel. In the evening I preached in the
same vessel. These testimonies also God greatly honored, and made them
the means of afterwards bringing several, who then heard us, to our
meeting places. How was God with us, and how did he help us, thereby
evidently showing that he himself had sent us to this city!
April 30. It was most affecting to take leave of the dear children of
God, dozens pressing us to return soon, many with tears in their eyes.
The blessing which the Lord has given to our ministry seems to be very
great. We both see it fully the Lord's will to come here, though we do
not see under what circumstances. A brother has promised to take
Bethesda Chapel for us, and to be answerable for the payment of the
rent; so that thus we should have two large chapels. I saw, again, two
instances to-day in which my preaching has been blessed.
May 1. Brother Craik and I left this morning for Devonshire.
May 3. I saw several of the brethren to-day, and felt so fully assured
that it is the Lord's will that I should go to Bristol, that I told them
so. This evening I had a meeting with the three deacons, when I told
them plainly about it; asking them, if they see anything wrong in me
concerning this matter, to tell me of it. They had nothing to say
against it; yea, though much wishing me to stay, they were convinced
themselves that my going is of God.
May 5. One other striking proof to my mind that my leaving Teignmouth is
of God, is, that some truly spiritual believers, though they much wish
me to stay, themselves see that I ought to go to Bristol.
May 7. Having received a letter from Bristol on May 5, it was answered
to-day in such a way that the Lord may have another opportunity to
prevent our going thither if it be not of him.
May 15. Just when I was in prayer concerning Bristol, I was sent for to
come to brother Craik. Two letters had arrived from Bristol. The
brethren assembling at Gideon accept our offer to come under the
conditions we have made, _i. e._ for the present, to consider us only as
ministering among them, but not in any fixed pastoral relationship, so
that we may preach as we consider it to be according to the mind of God,
_without reference to any rules among them; that the pew-rents should be
done away with; and that we should go on, respecting the supply of our
temporal wants, as in Devonshire_. We intend, the Lord willing, to leave
in about a week, though there is nothing settled respecting Bethesda
Chapel.
May 21. I began to-day to take leave of the brethren at Teignmouth,
calling on each of them. It has been a trying day. Much weeping on the
part of the saints. Were I not so fully persuaded that it is the will of
God we should go to Bristol, I should have been hardly able to bear it.
May 22. The brethren at Teignmouth say that they expect us soon back
again. _As far as I understand the way in which God deals with his
children, this seems very unlikely._ Towards the evening, the Lord,
after repeated prayer, gave me Col. i. 21-23 as a text for the last word
of exhortation. It seemed to me best to speak as little as possible
about myself, and as much as possible about Christ. I scarcely alluded
to our separation, and only commended myself and the brethren, in the
concluding prayer, to the Lord. The parting scenes are very trying, but
my full persuasion is that the separation is of the Lord. May 23. My
wife, Mr. Groves, my father-in-law, and I left this morning for Exeter.
Dear brother Craik intends to follow us to-morrow.
We had unexpectedly received, just before we left Teignmouth, about
fifteen pounds, else we should not have been able to defray all the
expenses connected with leaving, travelling, etc. By this, also, the
Lord showed his mind concerning our going to Bristol.
The following record will now show to the believing reader how far what
I have said concerning my persuasion that it was the will of God that we
should go to Bristol has been proved by facts.
May 25, 1832. This evening we arrived at Bristol. May 27. This morning
we received a sovereign, sent to us by a sister residing in
_Devonshire_, which we take as an earnest that the Lord will provide for
us here also. May 28. When we were going to speak to the brethren, who
manage the temporal affairs of Gideon Chapel, about giving up the
pew-rents, having all the seats free, and receiving the free-will
offerings through a box, a matter which was not quite settled on their
part, as brother Craik and I had thought, we found that the Lord had so
graciously ordered this matter for us that there was not the least
objection on the part of these brethren.
June 4. For several days we have been looking about for lodgings, but
finding none plain and cheap enough, we were led to make this also a
subject of earnest prayer; and now, immediately afterwards, the Lord has
given us such as are suitable. We pay only eighteen shillings a week for
two sitting-rooms and three bedrooms, coals, and attendance. It was
particularly difficult to find _cheap_ furnished lodgings, having five
rooms in the same house, which we need, as brother Craik and we live
together. How good is the Lord to have thus appeared for us, in answer
to prayer, and what an encouragement to commit everything to him in
prayer!
June 25. To-day it was finally settled to take Bethesda Chapel for a
twelvemonth, on condition that a brother at once paid the rent, with the
understanding that, if the Lord shall bless our labors in that place, so
that believers are gathered together in fellowship, he expects them to
help him; but if not, that he will pay all. This was the only way in
which we could take the chapel; for we could not think it to be of God
to have had this chapel, though there should be every prospect of
usefulness, if it had made us in any way debtors.
July 6. To-day we commenced preaching at Bethesda Chapel. It was a good
day. July 13. To-day we heard of the first cases of cholera in Bristol.
July 16. This evening, from six to nine o'clock, we had appointed for
conversing at the vestry, one by one, with individuals who wished to
speak to us about their souls. There were so many that we were engaged
from six till twenty minutes past ten.
These meetings we have continued ever since, twice a week, or once a
week, or once a fortnight, or once a month, as our strength and time
allowed it, or as they seemed needed. We have found them beneficial in
the following respects:--
1. Many persons, on account of timidity, would prefer coming at an
appointed time to the vestry to converse with us, to calling on us in
our own house. 2. The very fact of appointing a time for seeing people,
to converse with them in private concerning the things of eternity, has
brought some, who, humanly speaking, never would have called upon us
under other circumstances; yea, it has brought even those who, though
they thought they were concerned about the things of God, yet were
completely ignorant; and thus we have had an opportunity of speaking to
them. 3. These meetings have also been a great encouragement to
ourselves in the work, for often, when we thought that such and such
expositions of the word had done no good at all, it was through these
meetings found to be the reverse; and likewise, when our hands were
hanging down, we have been afresh encouraged to go forward in the work
of the Lord, and to continue sowing the seed in hope, by seeing at these
meetings fresh cases in which the Lord has condescended to use us as
instruments, particularly as in this way instances have sometimes
occurred in which individuals have spoken to us about the benefit which
they derived from our ministry not only a few months before, but even as
long as two, three, and four years before.
For the above reasons I would particularly recommend to other servants
of Christ, especially to those who live in large towns, if they have not
already introduced a similar plan, to consider whether it may not be
well for them also to set apart such times for seeing inquirers. Those
meetings, however, require much prayer, to be enabled to speak aright to
all those who come, according to their different need; and one is led
continually to feel that one is not sufficient of one's self for these
things, but that our sufficiency can be alone of God. These meetings
also have been by far the most wearing-out part of all our work, though
at the same time the most refreshing.
July 18. To-day I spent the whole morning in the vestry, to procure a
quiet season. This has now for some time been the only way, on account
of the multiplicity of engagements, to make sure of time for prayer,
reading the word, and meditation. July 19. I spent from half past nine
till one in the vestry, and had real communion with the Lord. The Lord
be praised, who has put it into my mind to use the vestry for a place of
retirement!
August 5. _When all our money was gone to-day, the Lord again graciously
supplied our wants._ August 6. This afternoon, from two till after six,
brother Craik and I spent in the vestry, to see the inquirers. We have
had again, in seeing several instances of blessing upon our labors,
abundant reason brought before us to praise the Lord for having sent us
to Bristol.
August 13. This evening one brother and four sisters united with brother
Craik and me in church-fellowship at Bethesda, _without any rules,
desiring only to act as the Lord shall be pleased to give us light
through his word_.
September 17. This morning the Lord, in addition to all his other
mercies, has given us a little girl, who, with her mother, is doing
well.
October 1. A meeting for inquirers this afternoon from two to five. Many
more are convinced of sin through brother Craik's preaching than my own.
This circumstance led me to inquire into the reasons, which are probably
these: 1. That brother Craik is more spiritually minded than I am. 2.
That he prays more earnestly for the conversion of sinners than I do. 3.
That he more frequently addresses sinners, as such, in his public
ministrations, than I do. This led me to more frequent and earnest
prayer for the conversion of sinners, and to address them more
frequently as such. The latter had never been intentionally left undone,
but it had not been so frequently brought to my mind as to that of
brother Craik. Since then, the cases in which it has pleased the Lord
to use me as an instrument of conversion have been quite as many as
those in which brother Craik has been used.
February 9, 1833. I read a part of Franke's life. The Lord graciously
help me to follow him, as far as he followed Christ. Most of the Lord's
people whom we know in Bristol are poor, and if the Lord were to give us
grace to live more as this dear man of God did, we might draw much more
than we have as yet done out of our heavenly Father's bank, for our poor
brethren and sisters. March 2. A man in the street ran up to brother
Craik and put a paper containing ten shillings into his hand, saying,
"That is for you and Mr. Mueller," and went hastily away. May 28. This
morning, whilst sitting in my room, the distress of several brethren and
sisters was brought to my mind, and I said to myself, "O that it might
please the Lord to give me means to help them!" About an hour afterwards
I received sixty pounds from a brother whom up to this day I never saw,
and who then lived, as he does still, a distance of several thousand
miles.
May 29. Review of the last twelve months, as it regards the fruits of
our labors in Bristol: 1. The total number of those added to us within
the year has been one hundred and nine. 2. There have been converted
through our instrumentality, _so far as we have heard and can judge
respecting the individuals_, sixty-five. 3. Many backsliders have been
reclaimed, and many of the children of God have been encouraged and
strengthened in the way of truth.
June 12. I felt, this morning, that we might do something for the souls
of those poor boys and girls, and grown-up or aged people, to whom we
have daily given bread for some time past, in establishing a school for
them, reading the Scriptures to them, and speaking to them about the
Lord. This desire was not carried out. The chief obstacle in the way was
a pressure of work coming upon brother Craik and me just about that
time. Shortly after, the number of the poor who came for bread increased
to between sixty and eighty a day, whereby our neighbors were molested,
as the beggars were lying about in troops in the street, on account of
which we were obliged to tell them no longer to come for bread. This
thought ultimately issued in the formation of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution, and in the establishment of the Orphan Houses.
December 17. This evening brother Craik and I took tea with a family of
whom five had been brought to the knowledge of the Lord through our
instrumentality. As an encouragement to brethren who may desire to
preach the gospel in a language not their own, I would mention that the
first member of this family who was converted came merely out of
curiosity to hear my foreign accent, some words having been mentioned to
her which I did not pronounce properly.
December 31. In looking over my journal, I find,--1. That at least two
hundred and sixty persons (according to the number of names we have
marked down, but there have been many more) have come to converse with
us about the concerns of their souls. Out of these, one hundred and
fifty-three have been added to us in fellowship these last eighteen
months, sixty of whom have been brought to the knowledge of the Lord
through our instrumentality.
2. In looking over the Lord's dealings with me as to temporal things, I
find that he has sent me, during the past year,--
1. In freewill offerings through the boxes, _as my part_ L152 14 51/4
2. Presents in money given to me 25 1 3
3. Presents in clothes and provisions, worth, at least 20 0 0
4. A brother sent me, from a distance 60 0 0
5. We live free of rent, which is worth _for our part_ 10 0 0
----------
L267 15 81/4
It is just now four years since I first began to trust in the Lord alone
for the supply of my temporal wants. My little all I then had, at most
worth one hundred pounds a year, I gave up for the Lord, having then
nothing left but about five pounds. The Lord greatly honored this little
sacrifice, and he gave me, in return, not only as much as I had given
up, but considerably more. For during the first year, he sent me
already, in one way or other, including what came to me through family
connection, about one hundred and thirty pounds. During the second year,
one hundred and fifty-one pounds eighteen shillings and eight pence.
During the third year, one hundred and ninety-five pounds three
shillings. During this year, two hundred and sixty-seven pounds fifteen
shillings and eight and one fourth pence. The following points require
particular notice: 1. During the last three years and three months I
never have asked any one for anything; but, by the help of the Lord, I
have been enabled at all times to bring my wants to him, and he
graciously has supplied them all. 2. At the close of each of these four
years, though my income has been comparatively great, I have had only a
few shillings or nothing at all left; and thus it is also to-day, by the
help of God. 3. During the last year a considerable part of my income
has come from a distance of several thousand miles, from a brother whom
I never saw. 4. Since we have been obliged to discontinue the giving
away of bread to about fifty poor people every day, on account of our
neighbors, our income has not been during the second part of this year
nearly so great, scarcely one half as much, as during the first part of
it.
January 9, 1834. Brother Craik and I have preached during these eighteen
months, once a month, at Brislington, a village near Bristol, but have
not seen any fruit of our labors there. This led me to-day very
earnestly to pray to the Lord for the conversion of sinners in that
place. I was also, in the chapel, especially led to pray again about
this, and asked the Lord in particular that he would be pleased to
convert, at least, one soul this evening, that we might have a little
encouragement. I preached with much help, and I hope there has been good
done this evening. The Lord did according to my request. There was a
young man brought to the knowledge of the truth.
January 14. I was greatly tried by the difficulty of fixing upon a text
from which to preach on the morning of October 20, and at last preached
without enjoyment. To-day I heard of a NINTH instance in which this very
sermon has been blessed.
January 31. This evening a Dorcas Society was formed among the sisters
in communion with us, but not according to the manner in which we found
one when we came to Bristol; for, as we have dismissed all teachers from
the Sunday School who were not real believers, so now believing females
only will meet together to make clothes for the poor. The being mixed up
with unbelievers had not only proved a barrier to spiritual conversation
among the sisters, but must have been also injurious to both parties in
several respects. One sister, now united to us in fellowship,
acknowledged that the being connected with the Dorcas Society, previous
to her conversion, had been, in a measure, the means of keeping her in
security; as she thought that, by helping on such like things, she might
gain heaven at last. O that the saints, in _faithful_ love, according to
the word of God (2 Cor. vi. 14-18), might be more separated in all
spiritual matters from unbelievers, and not be unequally yoked together
with them!