A NEW VICTORY OF FAITH.
1850-1851.
PAST MERCIES AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO NEW UNDERTAKINGS--A HOUSE FOR
SEVEN HUNDRED ORPHANS PROPOSED--WALKING BY FAITH--COUNSEL SOUGHT
FROM GOD--THE PURPOSE FORMED--DELIGHT IN THE MAGNITUDE AND
DIFFICULTY OF THE DESIGN.
December 5, 1850. It is now sixteen years and nine months this evening
since I began the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad.
This Institution was in its beginning exceedingly small. Now it is so
large that I have not only disbursed, since its commencement, about
fifty thousand pounds sterling, but that also the current expenses,
after the rate of the last months, amount to above six thousand pounds a
year. I did "open my mouth wide," this very evening fifteen years ago,
and the Lord has filled it. The new Orphan House is now inhabited by
three hundred orphans; and there are altogether three hundred and
thirty-five persons connected with it. My labor is abundant. The
separation from my dear wife and child is great, on account of my being
the greater part of the day at the new Orphan House; sometimes also by
night. But notwithstanding all this, I have again and again thought
about laboring more than ever in serving poor orphans. Within the last
ten days this matter has much occupied my mind, and for the last five
days I have had much prayer about it. It has passed through my mind to
build another Orphan House, large enough for seven hundred orphans, so
that I might be able to care for one thousand altogether. The points
which have led me to this thought are: 1. The many distressing cases of
children, bereaved of _both_ parents, who have no helper. I have
received two hundred and seven orphans within the last sixteen months,
and have now seventy-eight waiting for admission, without having
vacancies for any. I had about sixty children waiting for admission
about sixteen months since, so about two hundred and thirty children
have been applied for within these sixteen months. But, humanly
speaking, for the next sixteen months the number of applications will be
far greater, as the work is now so much more widely known; except it be
that persons may hear that the new Orphan House is quite full, and on
that account may consider it useless to apply. 2. The constitution of
most other charitable institutions for orphans makes the admission of a
really destitute orphan, _i. e._ a child bereaved of _both_ parents, and
_without an influential friend_, very difficult, if not hopeless; for
the admission by means of the votes of the donors precludes _really
poor_ persons from having, in most instances, the benefit of these
institutions, as they cannot give the time nor expend the money
necessary for obtaining such votes. I have myself seen that certain
candidates had several thousand votes. The necessity of this arrangement
being continued may be much regretted by many who are connected with
such institutions, but they have no power to alter it. In our case,
nothing is needed but application to me; and the _very poorest person,
without influence, without friends, without any expense_, no matter
where he lives, or of whatever religious denomination, who applies for
children born in lawful wedlock, bereaved of _both_ parents, and in
destitute circumstances, may procure their admission. Now, as the new
poor-law is against giving relief to relatives for orphan children out
of the poor-houses; and as there is such a difficulty for really poor
people to get their orphan relatives admitted into ordinary orphan
establishments; I feel myself particularly called upon to be the friend
of the orphan, by making an easy way for admission, _provided it is
really a destitute case_. 3. The confidence which God has caused
thousands of his children to repose in me calls upon me to make use of
it to the utmost of my power, and to seek yet more largely to be their
almoner. 4. The experience which I have had in this service now for
fifteen years, during which time I have gone from the smallest
commencement of the work to the having at present three hundred orphans
under my care, calls upon me to make use of this my experience to the
utmost of my power. No member of a committee, no president of a society,
could possibly have the same experience, except he himself had
practically been engaged in such a work for a number of years, as I have
been. 5. This very experience makes things light to me, under God's
help, which were difficult to me formerly, and which would be very
difficult now to many: might I not therefore proceed still further? 6.
If seven hundred more young souls could be brought under regular godly
training (and their number would be renewed from time to time), what
blessed service for the kingdom of Christ, and what profitable
expenditure of labor, too, with the blessing of God, even for this
realm, in a civil and moral point of view! 7. But that which outweighs
every one of these six reasons is, lastly, this: I began this orphan
work fifteen years ago for the very purpose of illustrating to the world
and to the church that there is verily a God in heaven who hears prayer;
that God is the living God. Now, this last object is more and more
fully accomplished the larger the work is, provided I am helped in
obtaining the means simply through prayer and faith.
But whilst such like thoughts have passed through my mind, there are
others of another character. For instance: 1. I have already an
abundance of work. 2. My dear wife has already an abundance of work. Her
whole time, with little intermission (except for prayer and reading of
the Word of God), is occupied, directly or indirectly, about the
orphans. 3. Am I not undertaking too much for my bodily strength and my
mental powers, by thinking about another Orphan House? 4. Am I not going
beyond the measure of my faith in thinking about enlarging the work so
as to double or treble it? 5. Is not this a delusion of Satan, an
attempt to cast me down altogether from my sphere of usefulness, by
making me to go beyond my measure? 6. Is it not also, perhaps, a snare
to puff me up, in attempting to build a very large Orphan House?
Under these circumstances I can only pray that the Lord in his tender
mercy would not allow Satan to gain an advantage over me. By the grace
of God my heart says,--Lord, if I could be sure that it is thy will that
I should go forward in this matter, I would do so cheerfully; and, on
the other hand, if I could be sure that these are vain, foolish, proud
thoughts, that they are not from thee, I would, by thy grace, hate them,
and entirely put them aside.
My hope is in God; he will help me and teach me. Judging, however, from
his former dealings with me, it would not be a strange thing to me, nor
surprising, if he called me to labor yet still more largely in this way.
The thoughts about enlarging the orphan work have not arisen on account
of an abundance of money having lately come in; for I have had of late
to wait for about seven weeks upon God, whilst little, very little
comparatively, came in, _i. e._ about four times as much was going out
as came in; and, had not the Lord previously sent me large sums, we
should have been distressed indeed.
Lord, how can thy servant know thy will in this matter? Wilt thou be
pleased to teach him?
Dec. 11. During the last six days, since writing the above, I have been,
day after day, waiting upon God concerning this matter. It has generally
been more or less all the day on my heart. When I have been awaking at
night, it has not been far from my thoughts. Yet all this without the
least excitement. I am perfectly calm and quiet respecting it. My soul
would be rejoiced to go forward in this service, could I be sure that
the Lord would have me to do so; for then, notwithstanding the
numberless difficulties, all would be well, and his name would be
magnified.
On the other hand, were I assured that the Lord would have me to be
satisfied with my present sphere of service, and that I should not pray
about enlarging the work, by his grace I could, _without an effort_,
cheerfully yield to it; for he has brought me into such a state of heart
that I only desire to please him in this matter. Moreover, hitherto I
have not spoken about this thing even to my beloved wife, the sharer of
my joys and sorrows and labors for more than twenty years; nor is it
likely that I shall do so for some time to come; for I prefer quietly
waiting on the Lord, without conversing on this subject, in order that
thus I may be kept the more easily, by his blessing, from being
influenced by things from without. The burden of my prayer concerning
this matter is, that the Lord would not allow me to make a mistake, and
that he would teach me his will. As to outward things, I have had
nothing to encourage me during these six days, but the very reverse; for
the income for the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution for Home and Abroad has been unusually small, only six
pounds fourteen shillings altogether, while the outgoings have been one
hundred and thirty-three pounds eleven shillings sevenpence. But all
this would not weigh the least with me, could I be quite sure that the
Lord would have me to go forward.
The especial burden of my prayer, therefore, is, that God would be
pleased to teach me his will. My mind has also been especially pondering
how I could know his will satisfactorily concerning this particular.
Sure I am that I shall be taught. I therefore desire to patiently wait
for the Lord's time, when he shall be pleased to shine on my path
concerning this point.
Dec. 26. Fifteen days have elapsed since I wrote the preceding
paragraph. Every day since then I have continued to pray about this
matter, and that with a goodly measure of earnestness, by the help of
God. There has passed away scarcely an hour during these days in which,
whilst awake, this matter has not been more or less before me; but all
without even a shadow of excitement. I converse with no one about it.
Hitherto have I not even done so with my dear wife. From this I refrain
still, and deal with God alone about the matter, in order that no
outward influence and no outward excitement may keep me from attaining
unto a clear discovery of his will. I have the fullest and most peaceful
assurance that he will clearly show me his will. This evening I have had
again an especial solemn season for prayer, to seek to know the will of
God. But whilst I continue to entreat and beseech the Lord that he would
not allow me to be deluded in this business, I may say that I have
scarcely any doubt remaining on my mind as to what will be the issue,
even that I should go forward in this matter. As this, however, is one
of the most momentous steps that I have ever taken, I judge that I
cannot go about this matter with too much caution, prayerfulness, and
deliberation. I am in no hurry about it. I could wait for years, by
God's grace, were this his will, before even taking one single step
towards this thing, or even speaking to any one about it; and, on the
other hand, I would set to work to-morrow, were the Lord to bid me do
so. This calmness of mind, this having no will of my own in the matter,
this only wishing to please my heavenly Father in it, this only seeking
his and not my honor in it; this state of heart, I say, is the fullest
assurance to me that my heart is not under a fleshly excitement, and
that if I am helped thus to go on I shall know the will of God to the
full. But, while I write thus, I cannot but add, at the same time, that
I do crave the honor and the glorious privilege to be more and more used
by the Lord. I have served Satan much in my younger years, and I desire
now with all my might to serve God during the remaining days of my
earthly pilgrimage. I am forty-five years and three months old. Every
day decreases the number of days that I have to stay on earth. I
therefore desire with all my might to work. There are vast multitudes of
orphans to be provided for. About five years ago a brother in the Lord
told me that he had seen, in an official report, that there were at that
time six thousand young orphans in the prisons of England. My heart
longs to be instrumental in preventing such young orphans from having to
go to prison. I desire to be used by the Lord as an instrument in
providing all the necessary temporal supplies, not only for the three
hundred now under my care, but for seven hundred more. I desire to
alleviate yet further the sufferings of poor dying widows, when looking
on their helpless orphans about to be left behind. I desire yet further
to assist poor persons to whom destitute orphans are left, and who are
unable to provide for them. I desire to be allowed to provide scriptural
instruction for a thousand orphans, instead of doing so for three
hundred. I desire to expound the Holy Scriptures regularly to a
thousand orphans, instead of doing so to three hundred. I desire that
thus it may be yet more abundantly manifest that God is still the hearer
and answerer of prayer, and that he is the living God now, as he ever
was and ever will be, when he shall, simply in answer to prayer, have
condescended to provide me with a house for seven hundred orphans, and
with means to support them. This last consideration is the most
important point in my mind. The Lord's honor is the principal point with
me in this whole matter; and just because that is the case, if he would
be more glorified by my not going forward in this business, I should, by
his grace, be perfectly content to give up all thoughts about another
Orphan House. Surely, in such a state of mind, obtained by thy Holy
Spirit, thou, O my heavenly Father, wilt not suffer thy child to be
mistaken, much less to be deluded! By the help of God I shall continue
further, day by day, to wait upon him in prayer concerning this thing
till he shall bid me act.
January 2, 1851. A week ago I wrote the preceding paragraph. During this
week I have still been helped, day by day, and more than once every day,
to seek the guidance of the Lord about another Orphan House. The burden
of my prayer has still been, that he in his great mercy would keep me
from making a mistake. During the last week the Book of Proverbs has
come in the course of my Scripture reading, and my heart has been
refreshed, in reference to this subject, by the following passages:
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy
paths." Prov. iii. 5, 6. By the grace of God I do acknowledge the Lord
in my ways, and in this thing in particular; I have therefore the
comfortable assurance that he will direct my paths concerning this part
of my service, as to whether I shall be occupied in it or not. Further:
"The integrity of the upright shall preserve them; but the perverseness
of fools shall destroy them." Prov. xi. 3. By the grace of God I am
upright in this business. My honest purpose is to get glory to God.
Therefore I expect to be guided aright. Further: "Commit thy works unto
the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established." Prov. xvi. 3. I do
commit my works unto the Lord; I therefore expect that my thoughts will
be established. My heart is more and more coming to a calm, quiet, and
settled assurance that the end will be that the Lord will condescend to
use me yet further in the orphan work. Here, Lord, is thy servant!
Jan. 14. Twelve days have passed away since I wrote the last paragraph.
I have still day by day been enabled to wait upon the Lord with
reference to my enlarging the orphan work. I have been during the whole
of this period also in perfect peace, which is the result of seeking in
this thing only the Lord's honor and the temporal and spiritual benefit
of my fellow-men. Without an effort could I, by his grace, put aside all
thoughts about this whole affair, could I be only assured that it is the
will of God that I should do so; and, on the other hand, at once would I
go forward, if he would have it to be so. I have still kept this matter
entirely to myself. Though it is now about seven weeks since day by day,
more or less, my mind has been exercised about it, and since I have
daily prayed concerning it, yet not one human being knows of it. As yet
I have not mentioned it even to my dear wife, in order that thus, by
quietly waiting upon the Lord, I might not be influenced by what might
be said to me on the subject. This evening I have particularly set apart
for prayer, beseeching the Lord once more not to allow me to be mistaken
in this thing, and much less to be deluded by the devil. I have also
sought to let all the reasons _against_ building another Orphan House,
and all the reasons _for_ doing so, pass before my mind; and I now, for
the sake of clearness and definiteness, write them down.
_Reasons_ AGAINST _establishing another Orphan House for Seven Hundred
Orphans._--1. Would not this be going beyond my measure _spiritually_?
according to that word: "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to
every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he
ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to
every man the measure of faith." Rom. xii. 3. Answer: If the Lord were
to leave me to myself, the tenth part of the difficulties and trials
which befall me now in connection with the various objects of the
Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad would be enough to
overwhelm me; but, whilst he is pleased to sustain me, I am able day by
day to pass on peacefully, and am carried through one difficulty after
the other: and thus, by God's help, even with my present measure of
faith, if continued to me, I should be enabled to bear up under other
difficulties and trials; but I look for an increase of faith with every
fresh difficulty through which the Lord is pleased to help me.
2. Would it not be going beyond my measure _naturally_, with reference
to mental and bodily strength? Answer: Of all the objections against
establishing another Orphan House, there is none that weighs more with
me than this one; I might say, it is the only real difficulty. This,
however, too, I am enabled to put aside and to overcome thus: By
husbanding my strength, by great order, by regular habits, by lightening
the work as much as possible, by using every help that I can, I have
been enabled to get through a vast quantity of work. My immense
correspondence of about three thousand letters a year I have been
enabled to accomplish without a secretary. The whole management and
direction and the whole vast correspondence of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution has devolved upon myself alone these sixteen years and ten
months, and I have been thinking that, by seeking for an efficient
secretary, and an efficient clerk, and an inspector of the schools, I
might, with God's help, accomplish yet more, though much of what I have
been doing hitherto would need to be done by others. There have been
several other arrangements brought before my mind, since I have been
exercised about this matter, whereby, with the blessing of God, the work
might be lightened. I should certainly need efficient helpers to carry
out the plans before me; but with such, I, as director, might be
enabled, by God's help, to accomplish yet more.
3. There must be a limit to my work and service. Answer: That is true,
and if I were quite sure that the present state of the Scriptural
Knowledge Institution were to be the limit, I would at once lay aside
this thing; but I am not sure that I am come as yet to God's limit. All
these sixteen years and ten months the work has been constantly
progressing, and the Lord has helped me continually; and now my mind is
just in the same way exercised as when, fifteen years ago, I began the
orphan work, and as when, thirteen years ago, I enlarged the orphan
work, and as when, seven years and nine months since, I still further
enlarged the orphan work, and as when, five years and two months since,
I was led to decide on building the new Orphan House. Under these
circumstances, having been helped through all these difficulties, and
seeing such a vast field of usefulness before me, and as I have so many
applications for the admission of very destitute orphans, I long to be
used still further, and cannot say that as yet the Lord has brought me
to his limit.
4. Is it not like "tempting God," to think of building another Orphan
House for seven hundred more orphans? Answer: "Tempting God" means,
according to the Holy Scriptures, to limit him in any of his
attributes; I, by his grace, do not wish to limit his power or his
willingness to give to me, his poor servant, simply in answer to prayer,
all the means and every other help and blessing which I shall need to
build another large Orphan House.
5. You will not get the means for building and fitting up so large an
Orphan House; and, even if you did, how will you, _at the same time_,
get the means for carrying on the work which already exists? Answer:
Looking at the matter _naturally_, this is indeed a weighty objection.
The new Orphan House, with its three hundred orphans only, cost about
fifteen thousand pounds to build and to fit up and furnish, and still
the expenses are not all met even now. It will, in all probability, cost
several hundred pounds yet. And this large sum was needed, though the
style of the building is most simple, and though the field in which it
was built was comparatively cheap. After this rate, a building to
accommodate seven hundred orphans, with the necessary ground attached to
it for the cultivation of the vegetables used in the Institution, could
not be less than thirty-five thousand pounds. Now, looking at it
naturally, where is this great sum to come from? Though I looked at all
my friends who have given hitherto, and several have done so very
liberally, yet I should have no natural prospect whatever that I should
receive this amount; especially if it be kept in mind that I should need
six or seven thousand pounds besides, every year, for carrying on _that
which is already in existence_. I might, therefore, well tremble,
looking at the matter naturally, and say, I shall never have the money
for this intended Orphan House for seven hundred children; for where is
this large sum of thirty-five thousand pounds to come from? And even if
I were to get the money, will not persons, in giving means for such a
building fund, take it away from what they might have given me for
carrying on the work which exists already? But whilst thus,
_naturally_, I have no hope of succeeding, I am not in the least
discouraged _spiritually_; for by faith in the living God I say this: He
has the power to give me this thirty-five thousand pounds, and much more
were it needed; and he has the power, in the mean time, to give me also
all the large sums required, week after week, for meeting the current
expenses for the present state of the work. Moreover, I delight in the
greatness of the difficulty as it respects the large sum needed for
building and fitting up such an establishment; for I desire to be most
fully assured, from the very outset, that I go forward in this matter
according to the Lord's bidding. If so, he will give me the means; if
not, I shall not have them. Nor do I mean to apply to any one personally
for pecuniary help, but purpose to give myself to prayer for means, as
heretofore.
6. Suppose, now, you were even to succeed in getting this large Orphan
House built, how will you be able to provide for seven hundred other
orphans? Answer: There is much weight in this objection, looking at it
_naturally_. I am too much a man of business, and too much a person of
calm, quiet, cool calculation, not to feel its force. And indeed, were I
only to look at the thing _naturally_, I should at once be ready to own
that I am going too far; for the increase of expenditure for the support
of these seven hundred other orphans could not be less than eight
thousand pounds a year more, so that the current expenses of the
Scriptural Knowledge Institution, reckoning its present state, and
including those eight thousand pounds, would be about fifteen thousand
pounds a year. Now I am free to own that I have no human prospect of
obtaining such a sum year by year. But while matters stand thus, looking
at them _naturally_, I see no difficulty at all in them _spiritually_.
If according to the will of God I am enabled to go about this intended
second Orphan House; and if, under his help, I shall be enabled to
finish it; he will surely provide for those who are gathered together in
it as long as he shall be pleased to enable me to trust in him for
supplies. And here I look back upon the way in which the Lord has led me
and dealt with me. When, about seventeen years ago, I took up, in
dependence upon the living God for means, two charity schools, with
which the Scriptural Knowledge Institution commenced (and this involved
an expense of less than one hundred pounds a year), I had no certain
prospect of being able to meet even that small sum; but God so helped me
that I had shortly _six_ charity schools. He helped me then, also, and
enabled me to meet all their expenses. When, fifteen years ago, I began
the orphan work, which was connected with far heavier expenses, I had
still less prospect, according to natural reason, of being able to meet
_them_; but I trusted in God, and he helped me, and he not only enabled
me to meet the current expenses of thirty orphans in the first house
rented for them, but enabled me also soon to open another for thirty-six
more, and I was also enabled to meet all those expenses; for as I had
begun in faith in the living God, and not in putting my trust in my
brethren in Christ, so I was not confounded. After I had gone on some
time with these orphans in the two rented houses, about thirteen years
ago the Lord was pleased greatly to encourage me and to increase my
faith by a donation of five hundred pounds for the orphans; for up to
that period I had never received more than one hundred pounds at once.
But this kind donor, a stranger to me up to that time, suggested to me
the propriety of investing this sum and using only the interest of it,
as I could not expect to have the orphans supported for a continuance in
the way they had been till then; for that such institutions must depend
upon regular subscriptions or funded property, otherwise they could not
go on. As, however, this was only a friendly hint, and no condition
under which the money was given, I took this five hundred pounds towards
fitting up a third house, for the reception of thirty more orphans. From
that time the work has been increasing more and more, till it has come
to what it is at present. Now, suppose I had said, seventeen years ago,
looking at matters according to natural reason, "The two charity schools
are enough, I must not go any further;" then the work would have stopped
there. Or, if I had had a little more trust in my exertions or my
friends, I might have taken at the utmost one or two steps further.
Instead of this, however, I looked in no degree whatever at things
according to my natural fallen reason, and I trusted not in the circle
of my Christian friends, but in the living God; and the result has been
that there have been since 1834 ten thousand souls under our instruction
in the various day schools, Sunday schools, and adult schools; several
hundred orphans have been brought up, and many of them from their very
tenderest infancy; several hundred thousand tracts and many thousand
copies of the Word of God have been circulated; about forty preachers of
the gospel at home and abroad have been, for several years, assisted in
connection with the Scriptural Knowledge Institution; and a house has
been built and fitted up for the accommodation of three hundred
destitute orphans, each of whom has neither father nor mother. How
blessed therefore is it to trust in God, and in him alone, and not in
circumstances nor friends! There is, however, one thing which I must
record here, because it has taken place since I last wrote in my journal
on this subject, on January 2. It is this. During these twelve days I
have received for the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution, in smaller donations, sixty-four pounds fifteen shillings
sixpence two farthings, also a donation of one hundred and fifty pounds,
and one of three thousand pounds. Is not this a plain proof that God is
both able and willing to help simply in answer to prayer? Is not human
reason confounded by such instances? When I first began to write these
exercises of my mind about another Orphan House, I knew not that on
January 4, I should receive a donation of three thousand pounds; yet I
was fully assured that God was able to support one thousand orphans as
easily as he did the thirty whom I first received in a rented house.
Does he not, however, tell me by all this, Go forward, my servant, and I
will help thee?
7. But, it might be said, suppose you were able by prayer to obtain this
large sum for building a house for seven hundred other orphans; and
suppose you were able to provide for them during your lifetime,--what
would become of this Institution after your death? Answer: I am quite
familiar with this objection. I have heard it many times as a reason
against the way of obtaining the means for the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution, simply by trusting in God, without any funded property, and
without looking to regular subscribers; but my reply is this. My
business is, with all my might to serve my own generation; in doing so I
shall best serve the next generation, should the Lord Jesus tarry. Soon
he may come again; but, if he tarry, and I have to fall asleep before
his return, I shall not have been altogether without profit to the
generation to come, were the Lord only to enable me to serve my own
generation. Suppose this objection were a sound one, I ought never to
have commenced the orphan work at all, for fear of what might become of
it after my death, and thus all the hundreds of destitute children
without father and mother, whom the Lord has allowed me to care for
during the last fifteen years, would not have been taken up by me. The
same argument was again and again used to Franke, my esteemed
countryman, who at Halle, in Prussia, commenced, about A. D. 1696, the
largest charitable establishment for poor children that, as far as I
know, exists in the world. He trusted in God alone. He went on trusting
in God alone. And God helped him throughout abundantly. Simply by trust
in the living God, the Institutions, resembling a large street rather
than a house, were erected, and about two thousand children instructed
in them. For about thirty years all was going on under his own eye,
until 1727, when it pleased God to take his servant to himself. At his
death these Institutions were directed by his truly pious son-in-law. It
is true that, at the latter part of the last century, and during the
first part of the present, there was little real vital godliness in
these Institutions; still, they were a temporal blessing to many tens of
thousands of young persons even then. So then for several tens of years
they were carried on in a truly godly way, after Franke's death, and
when afterwards there was but little real, vital godliness found in
these schools, yet tens of thousands of children were benefited at least
for this life. Now these Institutions have existed already one hundred
and fifty years, and are in existence still; and, if the Lord Jesus
tarry, are likely, humanly speaking, to exist hereafter, as they have
existed hitherto. Suppose, then, that dear man of God, A. H. Franke, had
listened to the suggestions of unbelief, and said, I must not undertake
this work, for what will become of it after my death?--then all the
blessing which spiritually resulted from it to thousands, and all the
temporal benefits which have resulted from it to hundreds of thousands,
would have been lost. I add, however, this. The new Orphan House has
been placed in the hands of eleven trustees, and has been properly
enrolled in chancery, and so also, should God condescend to honor me
further in building for him this intended house for seven hundred
orphans, it would likewise be placed in the hands of trustees and
enrolled in chancery. I say one word in conclusion on this subject: let
every one take heed lest, in caring about what will become of the next
generation, he forget to serve his own generation. The latter, each one
should seek to do with his might, and thus it should be with each
succeeding generation; then, though we be dead, yet should we be
speaking. A. H. Franke is long since gone to his rest, but he spoke to
my soul in 1826, and he is speaking to my soul now; and to his example I
am greatly indebted in having been stirred up to care about poor
children in general, and about poor orphans in particular.
8. The last objection which has occurred to my own mind is, that, by
building another Orphan House, I should be in danger of being lifted up.
Answer: I should be in danger of it indeed; and so I am in great danger,
even were I not in the least degree to go forward. Yea, the tenth part
of the honor which the Lord has condescended to bestow upon me, and the
tenth part of service with which he has been pleased to intrust me,
would be enough, if I were left to myself, exceedingly to puff me up. I
cannot say that hitherto the Lord has kept me humble; but I can say that
hitherto he has given me a hearty desire to give to him all the glory,
and to consider it a great condescension on his part that he has been
pleased to use me as an instrument in his service. I do not see,
therefore, that fear of being lifted up ought to keep me from going
forward in this work; but that I have rather to beseech the Lord that he
would be pleased to give me a lowly mind, and never suffer me to rob him
of the glory which is due to him alone.
_Reasons_ FOR _establishing another Orphan House for Seven Hundred
Orphans._--1. The many applications for the admission of destitute
orphans which continue to be made, I consider as a call from God upon me
to do all that is in my power to provide a home and scriptural
education for a still greater number of orphans. Nothing but positive
inability to go forward ought to keep me standing still, whilst I have
almost daily fresh entreaties to receive orphans. Since I began writing
on this subject in my journal, thirty more orphans have been applied
for, from two years old and upward. I cannot refuse to help, as long as
I see a door open, and opened by God, as I consider, to help them.
2. The moral state of the poor-houses greatly influences me to go
forward. I have heard it again and again, from good authority, that
children, placed at the Unions, are corrupted, on account of the
children of vagrants, and other very bad young people, who are in such
places; so that many poor relatives of orphans, though unable to provide
for them, cannot bear the idea of their going there, lest they should be
corrupted. I therefore judge that, even for the sake of keeping orphans
of poor yet respectable people from being obliged to mix with the
children of vagabonds, I ought to do, to my utmost power, all I can to
help them. For this reason, then, I purpose, in dependence upon the
living God, to go forward and to establish another Orphan House for
seven hundred destitute children, who are bereaved of both parents. When
I write thus about the poor-houses, I do not wish to be understood in
the way of reproof: for I know not how these matters could be altered;
but I simply state the fact that thus it is.
3. In this my purpose I am the more confirmed, since I know it to be a
fact that the Orphan Houses already in existence in the kingdom are by
no means sufficient to admit _even the most deserving and distressing
cases_, and far less all that it would be well to provide for. Moreover,
there is great difficulty connected with the admission of an orphan into
most of the ordinary orphan establishments, on account of the votes
which must be obtained, so that _really_ needy persons have neither
time nor money to obtain them. Does not the fact that there were six
thousand young orphans in the prisons of England about five years ago
call aloud for an extension of orphan institutions? By God's help I will
try to do what I can to keep poor orphans from prison.
4. In this purpose I am still further encouraged by the great help which
the Lord has hitherto given me in this blessed service. When I look at
the small beginning, and consider how the Lord has helped me now for
more than fifteen years in the orphan work; and when I consider how he
has been pleased to help me through one great difficulty after another;
and when I consider, especially, how, as with an unseen hand, I might
say almost against my will and former desires and thoughts, he has led
me on from one step to another, and has enlarged the work more and
more,--I say, when I review all this, and compare with it my present
exercise of mind, I find the great help, the uninterrupted help which
the Lord has given me for more than fifteen years, a great reason for
going forward in this work. And this, trusting in him, I am resolved to
do.
5. A further reason for going forward in this service I see in the
experience which I have had in it. From the smallest commencement up to
the present state of the establishment, with its three hundred orphans,
all has gone through my own hands. In the work itself I obtained the
experience. _It_ has grown _with the work_. I have been the sole
director of the work, under God, from its smallest commencement. Now
this is not an every-day case. No committee member of a society, no
president or vice-president of an institution, except they had been
situated as myself, could have this experience. Coupled with this is the
measure of gift which the Lord has been pleased to give me for such
work, and for the exercise of which I am responsible to him. These
things, in connection with the former reasons, it appears to me, are a
call from God to go forward in a greater degree than ever in this work.
6. The spiritual benefit of still more orphans is another especial
reason with me why I feel called to go forward. The orphans who have
been under my care hitherto were almost all the children of parents who
were naturally weak in body, if not consumptive. The very fact of a
child being deprived of _both_ parents when four, five, six, or seven
years old, shows that, except the parents lost their lives by casualty,
they were constitutionally weak. On this account young orphans,
generally speaking, require particular care as to their health. In this
respect I desire to care for them; but there is more than that to be
attended to. I further heartily desire to keep them from the corrupting
and demoralizing effect of the lowest sort of children in the streets
and courts and Unions. But I desire more for them than mere decency and
morality; I desire that they should be useful members of society, and
that the prisons of the United Kingdom should not be filled with poor,
destitute, and homeless orphans; and we bring them up therefore in
habits of industry, and seek to instruct them in those things which are
useful for the life that now is. But I desire more than this for the
orphans. I cannot be satisfied with anything concerning them short of
this, that their souls be won for the Lord. For this reason I long to
have them from their early days, yea, the younger the better, under my
care, that thus, under the care of godly nurses and teachers, they may
be brought up from their earliest days in the fear of the Lord. Now, as
this is the chief and primary aim concerning the dear orphans, even the
salvation of their souls through faith in the Lord Jesus, I long to be
more extensively used than hitherto, even that I may have a thousand of
them instead of three hundred under my care.
7. But there is one point which weighs more strongly with me than even
the last mentioned one. It is this: When I began the orphan work more
than fifteen years ago, it was for the definite and especial purpose
that, by means of it, the unconverted might see, through the answers of
prayer that I received in connection with it, that there is verily
reality in the things of God; and that the children of God might have
their faith strengthened by means of it, and might be encouraged, in all
simplicity, to deal with God under every circumstance, and trust in him
at all times. But if this would be answered in a measure by the state in
which the orphan work has been in former times, and more so by what it
has been since the erection of the new Orphan House, it would be still
more so, by the blessing of God, by my going forward in it to a far
greater degree than before. This point, even the glory of God in the
manifestation of his readiness to hear prayer, has weighed especially
and supremely with me in purposing to enlarge the orphan work.
8. Lastly, I am peaceful and happy, spiritually, in the prospect of
enlarging the work, as on former occasions when I had to do so. This
weighs particularly with me as a reason for going forward. After all the
calm, quiet, prayerful consideration of the subject for about eight
weeks, I am peaceful and happy, spiritually, in the purpose of enlarging
the field. This, after all the heart-searching which I have had, and the
daily prayer to be kept from delusion and mistake in this thing, and the
betaking myself to the word of God, would not be the case, I judge, had
not the Lord purposed to condescend to use me more than ever in this
service.
I therefore, on the ground of the objections answered, and these eight
reasons FOR enlarging the work, come to the conclusion that it is the
will of the blessed God that his poor and most unworthy servant should
yet more extensively serve him in this work, which he is quite willing
to do.
Up to this day, Jan. 25, 1851, I have not spoken to one human being
about it. As yet even my dear wife knows not about it. I purpose to keep
the matter still for some time entirely to myself, dealing with God
alone about it, in order that no outward excitement may be in the least
degree a stimulus to me. I still pray to be kept from mistake and
delusion in this thing; not that I think I am mistaken or deluded, quite
the reverse, but yet I would distrust myself and cling to God, to be
kept from mistakes and delusions.
Jan. 31. For several weeks past I have now had no doubt that the Lord
would have me to serve him in the erection and fitting up of another
Orphan House for seven hundred orphans, and I am quite decided on doing
so, under his help; and I am now quiet about it, not because I have the
least misgiving in my own mind, but because I know that it is most
suitable that I should still for some time continue to deal quietly with
God alone about it.
March 5. Nearly five weeks have passed away since I wrote the last
paragraph, and my mind has not been once during this time, even for a
moment, in uncertainty as to what I ought to do. It is now about fifteen
weeks since I have been especially praying about this subject, and three
months since I began first to write on the subject in my journal, and
about ten weeks since I have had any doubt as to what is the will of the
Lord concerning this service. I believe that, altogether unworthy though
I am of this great honor, he will condescend to use me further and more
extensively than before in caring for destitute children who are
bereaved of both parents. And this I purpose to do.
May 24. From the time that I began to write down the exercises of my
mind on Dec. 5, 1850, till this day, ninety-two more orphans have been
applied for, and seventy-eight were already waiting for admission
before. But this number increases rapidly as the work becomes more and
more known.
On the ground of what has been recorded above, I purpose to go forward
in this service, and to seek to build, to the praise and honor of the
living God, another Orphan House, large enough to accommodate seven
hundred orphans.
When I published these exercises of my mind, and made known my purpose
respecting the intended Orphan House for seven hundred orphans, in the
Twelfth Report of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, the following
particulars were added to what has been stated:--
1. All this time, though now six months have elapsed since I first began
to be exercised about this matter, I have never once been led to ask the
Lord for means for this work, but have only continued day by day to seek
guidance from him as to whether I should undertake it or not.
2. The means requisite to accomplish the building and fitting up of a
house which shall be really suitable for my intended purposes, though
the building be quite simple, cannot be less than thirty-five thousand
pounds, including fifteen or twenty acres of land round the building for
cultivation by the spade, in order to obtain out of our own grounds all
the vegetables which are so important to the health of the children.
3. I do not mean to begin the building until I have the means requisite
in hand, just as was the case with regard to the new Orphan House. If
God will condescend to use me in building for him another Orphan House
(as I judge he will), he will give me the means for it. Now, though I
have not on my own mind any doubt left that it is his will that I should
do so, which has been stated again and again in the preceding pages;
yet there is one point still wanting for confirmation, and that is, that
he will also furnish me, without personal application to any one, with
all the means requisite for this new part of my service. I am the more
needing also to my own soul this last of all the proofs that I have not
been mistaken (as I firmly believe I have not been), in order to have
unquestionable assurance that, whatever trials hereafter might be
allowed to befall me in connection with this work, I did not at my own
bidding and according to my own natural desire undertake it, but that it
was under the guidance of God. The greatness of the sum required affords
me a kind of secret joy; for the greater the difficulty to be overcome,
the more will it be seen, to the glory of God, how much can be done by
prayer and faith; and also because, when God himself overcomes our
difficulties for us, we have, in this very fact, the assurance that we
are engaged in his work, and not in our own.