THREE YEARS OF PROSPERITY.
1854-1857.
THE SITE SELECTED--SIX THOUSAND ORPHANS IN PRISON--HOW TO ASK
FOR DAILY BREAD--REVIEW OF TWENTY-FOUR YEARS--"TAKE NO THOUGHT
FOR THE MORROW"--INSURANCE AGAINST BAD DEBTS.
During the year ending May 26, 1855, Mr. M. received toward the
erection of the second new Orphan House five thousand two
hundred and forty-two pounds eighteen shillings threepence, and
the whole sum on hand for this object amounted to twenty-three
thousand and fifty-nine pounds seventeen shillings eightpence
one farthing. After recording the amount thus obtained, he adds:--
I judged that, though I had not such an amount of means in hand as I
considered necessary before being warranted to begin to build, yet that
I might make inquiries respecting land. Accordingly, I applied in the
beginning of February for the purchase of two fields which join the land
on which the new Orphan House is built. On these two fields I had had my
eye for years, and had purposed to endeavor to purchase them whenever I
might be in such a position, as to means for the building fund, that it
would be suitable to do so. I found, however, that, according to the
will of the late owner of these fields, they could not be sold _now_.
Thus my prospects were blighted. When I obtained this information,
though _naturally_ tried by it and disappointed, I said; by _God's
grace_, to myself, "The Lord has something better to give me, instead of
these two fields;" and thus my heart was kept in peace. But when now the
matter was fully decided that I could not obtain those fields, which had
appeared to me so desirable for the object, the question arose, what I
was to do for the obtaining of land. Under these circumstances some of
my Christian friends again asked, as they had done before, why I did not
build on the ground which we have around the new Orphan House. My reply
was, as before, that it could not be done: 1. Because it would throw the
new Orphan House for nearly two years into disorder, on account of the
building going on round about it. 2. There would not be sufficient room
without shutting in the present house to a great extent. 3. That, as the
new Orphan House stands in the centre of our ground, there would not be
sufficient room on any of the sides for the erection of a building so
large as would be required. I was, however, led to consider whether
there was any way whereby we could accomplish the building on the ground
belonging to the new Orphan House. In doing so, I found that,--1. By
having a high temporary boundary made of old boards, the building ground
could be entirely distinct from the present establishment. 2. By
building on an entirely different plan from that of the present house,
we should not only have room enough; but that, also, 3. The present
house would not be so inclosed that the health of the inmates of the
establishment would thereby be injured.
But there was in connection with this another point which now came under
consideration in addition to the particulars already mentioned: it was
this. Though for four years past I had never had a doubt as to its being
the will of God that I should build accommodation for seven hundred more
orphans; yet, at the same time, I had for a long time seen the
desirableness of having two houses instead of one, for the seven hundred
orphans. This previously formed judgment of having two houses for three
hundred and fifty orphans in each, or four hundred in the one, and three
hundred in the other, led me now to see whether there could be another
house built on each side of the present new Orphan House; and I judged,
from measuring the ground, that there was no objection to this plan. I
then called in the aid of architects, to survey the ground, and to make
a rough plan of two houses, one on each side, and it was found that it
could be accomplished. Having arrived thus far, I soon saw that we
should not only save expense by this plan in various ways, but
especially that thus the direction and inspection of the whole
establishment would be much more easy and simple, as the buildings would
be so near together. This, indeed, on being further considered, soon
appeared to be a matter of such importance, that if even land could be
had but a quarter of a mile off, the difficulties would be greatly
increased thereby. At the same time I found that we still should retain
so much land for cultivation by the spade as would furnish some out-door
employment for many boys, and would produce such kind of vegetables as
are the most important for young children to be had fresh out of the
ground; or that we could easily _rent_ a piece of ground near for that
purpose, though it could not be _bought_.
The result, then, to which I have arrived at present is this: that
having seen what could be accomplished on the ground which we have
already, I decided to build, without any further delay than was
necessary for preparing the plans, at the south side of the new Orphan
House, another house for four hundred children. The plans are now
ready, and in a very short time, God willing, _i. e._ as soon as all the
necessary preliminary arrangements can be made, the building will
commence, which I think will be in the early part of July of the present
year (_i. e._ 1855).
This house is intended for four hundred female orphans, bereaved of both
parents, from their _earliest_ days until they can be placed out in
service. With regard to the other house for three hundred orphans, to be
built at the north side of the new Orphan House, nothing definitely can
be stated at present. There is enough money in hand to build, fit up,
and furnish the house for four hundred orphans, and it is expected that
something will be left; but there is not sufficient money in hand, at
present, to warrant the commencement of the building of both. As soon,
however, as there is, I shall be delighted to take active measures with
regard to that for three hundred orphans also. I do not ask persons to
help me with their means. I speak to the Lord about my need in prayer,
and I do not wait upon him in vain. At the same time I feel it right to
state that there is a loud and an abundant call for caring for destitute
orphans. On May 26, 1854, I had six hundred and two waiting for
admission, each bereaved of both parents by death. Since then one
hundred and ninety-seven more have been applied for, making in all seven
hundred and ninety-nine. Of these I have been able to receive only
thirty-nine during the past year, and forty-five who were waiting for
admission have been otherwise provided for, or have died since
application was made for them; so that still seven hundred and fifteen
orphans are waiting for admission, from three months old and upward. But
this number, I state unhesitatingly, would be much larger, had not very
many persons refrained from making application because they judged it
would be of no use, as there are already so many waiting for admission.
Indeed, there is every reason to believe that there are many tens of
thousands of destitute orphans in this country. And what provision is
there in the way of orphan establishments it may be asked. At the last
census, in 1851, there were in England and Wales thirty-nine orphan
establishments, and the total number of orphans, provided for through
them, amounted only to three thousand seven hundred and sixty-four; but
at the time the new Orphan House was being built there were about six
thousand young orphans in the prisons of England. To prevent their going
to prison, to prevent their being brought up in sin and vice, yea, to be
the honored instrument to win their souls for God, I desire, by his
help, to enlarge the present establishment so as to be able to receive
one thousand orphans; and individuals who have purposed not to live for
time but for eternity, and to look on their means as in the light of
eternity, will thus have an opportunity of helping me to care for these
children. It is a great honor to be allowed to do anything for the Lord;
therefore I do not press this matter. We can only give to him of his
own; for all we have is his. When the day of recompense comes, the
regret will only be that we have done so little for him, not that we
have done too much.
During the year from May, 1854, to May, 1855, ample means were
provided, in answer to prayer only, for the maintenance of the
orphans, and for the various purposes of the Scriptural
Knowledge Institution. The following statement exhibits the
results of Mr. Mueller's labors during the year under review:--
During this year four day schools in Bristol, with 184 children in them,
were _entirely supported_ by the funds of the Institution; and several
other day schools in Devonshire, Cornwall, Suffolk, Ireland, and
Scotland, were _assisted_ with copies of the Holy Scriptures. Further,
one Sunday school in Bristol, with 158 children, was _entirely
supported_, and seven others in Cornwall, Devonshire, Somersetshire, and
Gloucestershire, with about 400 children in them, were _assisted_.
Lastly, one adult school, with 133 adults was entirely supported during
this year. The amount expended during this year, on these various
schools, was L338, 2s. 5d.
In connection with all these various schools, I would suggest the
following important matter for prayer. From March, 1834, to May 26,
1855, there were 5,956 children in the day schools. In the adult schools
there were 2,459 persons. The number of the Sunday-school children
amounted to 2,817. Thus, without reckoning the orphans, 11,232 souls
were brought under _habitual_ instruction in the things of God in these
various schools; besides the many thousands in the schools in various
parts of England, Ireland, Scotland, British Guiana, the West Indies,
the East Indies, etc., which were to a greater or less degree assisted.
The total sum which was expended during the twenty-one years, from March
5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, in connection with the schools, which were
either entirely or in part supported by the funds of this Institution,
amounted to L7,204, 12s. 81/4d.
The number of Bibles, New Testaments, and portions of the Holy
Scriptures, which were circulated from May 26, 1854, to May 26, 1855, is
as follows:--
Bibles sold, 693. Bibles given away, 890. Testaments sold, 950.
Testaments given away, 748. Copies of the Psalms sold, 82. Other small
portions of the Holy Scriptures sold, 136.
There were circulated from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, through the
medium of this Institution, 13,949 Bibles, 9,047 New Testaments, 188
copies of the Psalms, and 789 other small portions of the Holy
Scriptures.
The total amount of the funds of this Institution spent on the
circulation of the Holy Scriptures, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855,
is L3,389, 10s. 1d. The amount spent during this year, L476, 12s. 3d.
During this year there was spent of the funds of the Institution, for
missionary objects, the sum of L2,081, 3s. 2d. By this sum fifty-seven
laborers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, were
to a greater or less degree assisted.
The total amount of the funds of the Institution spent on missionary
operations, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, was L16,115, 0s. 51/2d.
There was laid out for tracts, from May 26, 1854, to May 26, 1855, the
sum of L624, 8s. 4d.; and there were circulated within this year 895,034
tracts and books.
The total number of all the tracts and books which were circulated from
the beginning up to May 26, 1855, was 3,584,710.
The total amount of means expended on this object, from Nov. 19, 1840,
to May 26, 1855, was L2,868, 15s. 63/4d.
At the commencement of this period there were 298 orphans in the new
Orphan House on Ashley Down, Bristol. During the year there were
admitted into it 39 orphans.
The expenses for the orphans during this year were L4,304, 4s. 71/2d.
_Without any one having been personally applied to for anything_ by me,
the sum of L74,132, 6s. 103/4d. was given to me for the orphans, _as
the result of prayer to God_, from the commencement of the work up to
May 26, 1855, which sum includes the L15,055, 3s. 21/4d., which was the
cost of the building, fitting up and furnishing of the present new
Orphan House, and the L23,059, 17s. 81/4d., which was in hand on the
26th May, 1855, for the building fund, and the L116, 17s. 81/2d., the
balance for the current expenses. It may also be interesting to the
reader to know that the total sum which was given for the other objects,
from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1855, amounted to
L25,239, 8s. 103/4d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and
tracts, and by the payments of the children in the day schools, from the
commencement, amounted to L4,531, 12s. 103/4d. Besides this also a
great variety and number of articles of clothing, furniture, provisions,
etc., were given _for the use_ of the orphans.
I have the joy of being able to state that we have great cause for
thankfulness in that in the midst of many difficulties our labors among
the orphans continue to be blessed, and that especially again and again
instances now come before us in which those who were formerly under our
care declare themselves on the Lord's side.
Besides being able to meet the expenses for the orphans and the other
objects, amounting altogether to L7,832, 7s. 01/2d., during this year I
was able to add to the building fund L5,242, 18s. 3d. The total income
during the year was L13,054, 14s. 4d.
Dec. 31, 1854. During this year there have been received into
fellowship 61.
The Lord has been pleased to give me during this year L697, 11s. 5d.
One or the other of my readers may be ready to exclaim, six hundred and
ninety-seven pounds eleven shillings fivepence! What a large sum! Not
one out of a hundred ministers has such a large salary, nor one out of
twenty clergymen such a good living! Should you, esteemed reader, say
so, my reply is: Indeed, mine is a happy way for the obtaining of my
temporal supplies; but if any one desires to go this way, he must,--
1. Not _merely say_ that he trusts in God, but must _really do so_.
Often individuals profess to trust in God, but they embrace every
opportunity where they may directly or indirectly be able to expose
their need, and thus seek to induce persons to help them. I do not say
it is wrong to make known our wants; but I do say it ill agrees with
trust in God to expose our wants for the sake of inducing persons to
help us. God will take us at our word. If we say we trust in him, he
will try whether we _really_ do so, or only _profess_ to do so; and if
_indeed_ we trust in him, we are satisfied to stand with him alone.
2. The individual who desires to go this way must be willing to be rich
or poor, as the Lord pleases. He must be willing to know what it is to
have an abundance or scarcely anything. He must be willing to leave this
world without any possessions.
3. He must be willing to take the money in God's way, not merely in
large sums, but in small. Again and again have I had a single shilling
given or sent to me. To have refused such tokens of Christian love would
have been ungracious.
4. He must be willing to live as the Lord's steward. If any one were to
begin this way of living, and did not communicate out of that which the
Lord gives to him, but hoard it up, or if he would live up to his
income, as it is called, then the Lord, who influences the hearts of his
children to help him with means, would soon cause those channels to be
dried up. How it came that my already good income still more increased
so as to come to what it is, I have stated in the early part of this
volume; it was when I determined that, by God's help, _his_ poor and
_his_ work should more than ever partake of my means. From that time
the Lord was pleased more and more to intrust me with means for my own
purse.
Various reasons might have kept me from publishing these accounts; but I
have for my object in writing the glory of God, and therefore I delight
in thus showing what a loving Master I serve, and how bountifully he
supplies my necessities; and I write for the comfort and encouragement
of my fellow-believers, that they may be led to trust in God more and
more, and therefore I feel it due to them to state how, even with regard
to this life, I am amply provided for, though that is not what I seek
after.
Up to May 26, 1856, the total income for the building fund was L29,297,
18s. 111/2d., so that only about L5,700 more will be required, as far
as I am able to see, in order to accomplish to the full my purpose
respecting the accommodation for 700 more orphans.
During the year 1855-1856, the wants of the orphans, as well as
the demands of the missionary, Bible, tract, and school work,
were supplied more amply than ever before, and a blessing rested
upon all these departments of labor, as will appear from the
following statement:--
During this year four day schools, with 203 children, were _entirely
supported_ by the funds of the Institution; and nine day schools were
assisted with copies of the Holy Scriptures. Further, one Sunday school,
with 158 children, was _entirely supported_, and eight others were
_assisted_. Lastly, one adult school, with 158 adult scholars, was
_entirely supported_, and two other adult schools, in Kent and Norfolk,
were _assisted_ with books. The amount which was spent during this year,
in connection with these schools, was L348, 5s. 111/4d.; and the sum
total expended during the last twenty-two years, in connection with the
schools which were either entirely or in part supported by the funds of
this Institution, amounts to L7,552, 18s. 71/2d. The number of all the
children who were under our care, merely in the schools which were
_entirely_ supported by this Institution, from March 5, 1834, to May 26,
1856, was 6,104 in the day schools, 2,911 in the Sunday schools, and
2,611 persons in the adult school. Thus, without reckoning the orphans,
11,626 have been brought under habitual instruction in the things of God
in these various schools; besides the many thousands in the schools in
various parts of England, Ireland, Scotland, British Guiana, the East
Indies, etc., which have been to a greater or less degree assisted.
During this year was expended on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures,
of the funds of this Institution, L496; 10s. There were circulated
during this year 2,175 Bibles, 1,233 New Testaments, 119 copies of the
Psalms, and 155 other small portions of the Holy Scriptures. There have
been circulated since March 5, 1834, through the medium of this
Institution, 16,124 Bibles, 10,280 New Testaments, 307 copies of the
Psalms, and 944 other small portions of the Holy Scriptures. The sum
total spent on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, since March 5,
1834, is L3,886, 0s. 1d.
During this year there was spent, of the funds of the Institution, for
missionary objects, L2,501, 9s. 1d. By this sum sixty-one laborers in
the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, were to a greater
or less degree assisted.
The sum total which has been expended on missionary operations, of the
funds of the Institution, since March 5, 1834, is L18,616, 9s. 61/2d.
There was laid out for the circulation of tracts, from May 26, 1855, to
May 26, 1856, the sum of L791, 1s. 01/2d., and there were circulated
812,970 tracts and books. The sum total which has been expended on this
object since Nov. 19, 1840, amounts to L3,659, 16s. 71/4d. The total
number of all the tracts and books which have been circulated since Nov.
19, 1840, is 4,397,680.
At the beginning of this period there were 297 orphans in the new Orphan
House. During the past year there have been admitted into it 25 orphans.
The total number of orphans who have been under our care since April,
1836, is 622.
_Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me_,
the sum of L84,441, 6s. 31/4d. has been given to me for the orphans,
_as the result of prayer to God_, since the commencement of the work,
which sum includes the L15,055, 3s. 21/4d. which was the cost of the
building, fitting up, and furnishing of the present new Orphan House,
and the L29,297, 18s. 111/2d. received up to May 26, 1856, for the
building fund, and the L167, 18s. 113/4d., the balance of the current
expenses. The total sum which has been given for the other objects since
the commencement of the work amounts to L28,904, 11s. 33/4d.; and that
which has come in by the sale of Bibles and tracts, and by the payments
of the children in the day schools, from the commencement up to May 26,
1856, amounts to L5,145, 17s.
Dec. 31, 1855. During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me
L726, 16s. 21/4d.
May 26, 1856. Yesterday evening it was twenty-four years since I came to
labor in Bristol. In looking back upon this period, as it regards the
Lord's goodness to my family and myself, the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution, and the saints among whom I seek to serve him, I exclaim,
What has God wrought! I marvel at his kindness, and yet I do not; for
such is his manner; and, if it please him that I remain longer on
earth, I expect, not fewer manifestations of his love, but more and
more.
Since my beloved friend and fellow-laborer and I first came to Bristol,
1,586 believers have been received into fellowship, which number, with
the 68 we found in communion, makes 1,654. But out of that number 252
have fallen asleep, 53 have been separated from fellowship, 145 have
left us, some, however, merely through circumstances and in love, and
510 have left Bristol; so that there are only 694 remaining in
communion.
By the contributions received during the year 1856-7, the whole
amount on hand for the new buildings was raised to thirty-one
thousand eight hundred seventeen pounds one shilling and
elevenpence. For the Bible, tract, and missionary work, and for
schools, Mr. M. had the pleasure of receiving and of expending
eight hundred and twenty-nine pounds more than in the previous
year. For the support of the orphans all means were so
abundantly provided that at the end of the year there was on
hand a balance of one thousand four hundred and eighty-nine
pounds.
The following incident illustrates the author's reliance upon
God for his own future support.
On Oct. 12, 1856, was sent to me a check for one hundred pounds, with
the request of the donor to receive this for myself, as the beginning of
raising a fund for my support when advanced in years, and for that of my
family. This very kind and well-intended proposal by the donor, who
since has died, appeared to me as a subtle temptation laid for me,
though far from being intended so by him, to depart from the principles
on which I had been acting for twenty-six years previously, both
regarding myself and the orphan work. I give the account of this
circumstance fully, as it may be profitable to one or other of the
readers.
* * * * OCT. 11, 1856.
DEAR SIR:--
In admiration of the services which you have rendered to poor
orphans and mankind in general, I think it right that some
provision should be made for yourself. I think it right to send
you one hundred pounds, as a beginning to form a fund, which I
hope many good Christians will add to, * * * * for the
maintenance of you and your family, if your own labors should be
unequal to it, and I hope you will lay out this as a beginning
accordingly. May God bless you and your labors, as he has
hitherto done everything connected with your Institutions.
I am, dear Sir,
* * * *
By God's grace I had not a moment's hesitation as to what to do. While I
most fully appreciated the great kindness of the donor, I looked upon
this as being permitted by God as a temptation to put my trust in
something else than himself, and I therefore sent the following letter
in reply:--
BRISTOL, OCT. 12, 1856.
MY DEAR SIR:--
I hasten to thank you for your kind communication, and to inform
you that your check for one hundred pounds has safely come to
hand.
I have no property whatever, nor has my dear wife; nor have I
had one single shilling regular salary as minister of the gospel
for the last twenty-six years, nor as the director of the Orphan
House and the other objects of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution for Home and Abroad. When I am in need of anything,
I fall on my knees, and ask God that he would be pleased to give
me what I need; and he puts it into the heart of some one or
other to help me. Thus all my wants have been amply supplied
during the last twenty-six years, and I can say, to the praise
of God, I have lacked nothing. My dear wife and my only child, a
daughter of twenty-four years, are of the same mind with me. Of
this blessed way of living none of us are tired, but become day
by day more convinced of its blessedness.
I have never thought it right to make provision for myself, or
my dear wife and daughter, except in this way, that when I saw a
case of need, such as an aged widow, or a sick person, or a
helpless infant, I would use my means freely which God had given
me, fully believing that if either myself, or my dear wife or
daughter, at some time or other, should be in need of anything,
God would richly repay what was given to the poor, considering
it as lent to himself.
Under these circumstances, I am unable to accept your kindness
of the gift of one hundred pounds _towards making a provision
for myself and family_; for so I understand your letter. Any
gift given to me, unasked for, by those who have it in their
heart to help me to supply my personal and family expenses, I
thankfully accept; or any donation given to me for the work of
God in which I am engaged, I also thankfully accept, as a
steward for the orphans, etc.; but your kind gift seems to me
especially given to _make a provision for myself_, which I think
would be displeasing to my heavenly Father, who has so
bountifully given me my daily bread hitherto. But should I have
misunderstood the meaning of your letter, be pleased to let me
know it. I hold the check till I hear again from you.
In the mean time, my dear sir, however you meant your letter, I
am deeply sensible of your kindness, and daily pray that God
would be pleased richly to recompense you for it, both
temporally and spiritually.
I am, dear Sir,
Yours very gratefully,
GEORGE MUeLLER.
Two days after I received a reply, in which the donor desired me to use
the one hundred pounds for the support of the orphans, for which object
I gladly accepted this sum. The day after that I received another one
hundred pounds from the same donor, and four days after that one
hundred pounds more, all for the support of the orphans, and all from an
individual whom I have never seen.
In the following words is contained a useful lesson to persons
engaged in business:--
Feb. 24, 1857. Received five pounds as a thank-offering to the Lord for
preservation from making bad debts the past year. Has it ever occurred
to the reader that the Lord only can preserve any one engaged in
business from making bad debts? Has it also occurred to the reader that
often the Lord is obliged, because we do not use for him, as good
stewards, that with which he has been pleased to intrust us, to allow
bad debts to be made? Consider these things, dear Christian reader, you
who are engaged in business. If you were engaged in mercantile affairs,
connected with hundreds of thousands of pounds, you may by the help of
God, be preserved year after year from making bad debts, though several
millions of pounds should be turned in the course of a few years,
provided you keep before you that you are the Lord's steward, and carry
on business for him; whilst, on the other hand, thousands of pounds may
be lost in one single year, out of only a comparatively small business,
because he who carries it on "withholds more than is meet, and therefore
it tends to poverty," the Lord being obliged by bad debts (as they are
called), which he uses as one of his rods, to deprive his servants of
that which was not used aright.
The review of the year ending May, 1857, presents us with the
following results:--
There have been during this period four day schools _entirely supported_
by the funds of this Institution. There are at present in these four day
schools 181 children.
In addition to the entire support of these four day schools, six schools
were assisted with money, or books, or copies of the Holy Scriptures, or
both money and books.
There was one Sunday school, in which there were 175 children, _entirely
supported_ by the funds of this Institution; and six others were
_assisted_.
There has been, since the formation of the Institution, one adult school
connected with it, the expenses of which have been _entirely_ borne by
the Institution, and in which, since March 5, 1834, altogether 2,699
adults have been instructed. The number at present on the books is 72.
There were also two other adult schools _assisted_ during the past year.
The total amount of means which has been expended during the last
twenty-three years in connection with the schools, which have been
either entirely or in part supported by the funds of this Institution,
amounts to L7,938, 13s. 4d.
The number of Bibles, Testaments, and portions of the Holy Scriptures,
which have been circulated since May 26, 1856, is as follows:--
Bibles sold, 601. Bibles given away, 1,476. Testaments sold, 829.
Testaments given away, 393. Copies of the Psalms sold, 151. Other small
portions of the Holy Scriptures sold, 316.
There have been circulated since March 5, 1834, through the medium of
this Institution, 18,201 Bibles, 11,502 Testaments, 458 copies of the
Psalms, and 1,260 other small portions of the Holy Scriptures.
The total amount of the funds of this Institution spent on the
circulation of the Holy Scriptures, since March 5, 1834, is L4,407, 7s.
21/2d. The amount spent during the past year, L521, 7s. 11/2d.
Some time since a brother in the Lord wrote to me that he had it in his
heart to visit from house to house, in a large manufacturing town in
Yorkshire, and, if possible, to supply each house with a tract, and to
seek out persons who were destitute of copies of the Holy Scriptures. I
supplied him, therefore, with 10,000 gospel tracts and 30 Bibles, and
subsequently with 127 more Bibles, and finally with 10,000 more tracts
and 74 Bibles.
The third object of this Institution is, to aid missionary efforts.
During the past year has been spent of the funds of the Institution for
this object, the sum of L3,177, 17s. 111/2d. By this sum seventy-four
laborers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, have
been to a greater or less degree assisted.
The year before last, I had been enabled to spend on this part of the
work more than during any previous year; but the last year I was, by
God's help, enabled not only to disburse for this object as much as
during the previous year, but L676, 8s. 101/2d. more. For this
privilege I feel grateful; yet I long to be permitted by the Lord to do
much more still. But whilst it has been a source of joy to me to be able
to assist seventy-four servants of Christ in many parts of the world,
that which was far more than this a cause of thankfulness, was, that
almost week by week, and often repeatedly in the same week, I had
refreshing intelligence from the brethren whom I sought to help.
The letters of these brethren exhibit the fact that the aid
conveyed through Mr. M. was most timely, coming often in the
hour of sore need. They also give assurance that their labors
had been singularly blessed to the conversion of the heathen,
and of the ignorant and deluded among whom they preached.
The total amount of the funds of the Institution which has been spent
on missionary operations, since March 5, 1834, is L21,794, 7s. 6d.
There has been laid out for tracts, from May 26, 1856, to May 26, 1857,
the sum of L975, 18s. 71/2d.; and there have been circulated within the
last year 1,313,301 tracts and books. The sum total which has been
expended on this object, since Nov. 19, 1840, amounts to L4,635, 15s.
23/4d.
The total number of all the tracts and books which have been circulated
since Nov. 19, 1840, is 5,710,981.
Letters from those to whom tracts were sent for distribution,
convey the intelligence that in very many instances the tracts
were blessed to the conversion of sinners.
At the commencement of the last period there were 299 orphans in the new
Orphan House on Ashley Down, Bristol. During the past year there were
admitted into it 30 orphans, making 329 in all. When the last Report was
published, there were 847 orphans waiting for admission. Since then 231
more destitute orphans, bereaved of both parents by death, and some only
a few weeks old, have been applied for to be admitted, making 1,078 in
all. Of these 1,078 we were only able to receive 30, as has been stated,
and 58 either died or were otherwise provided for, as their relatives or
friends have informed us, so that there are still 990 waiting for
admission. Christian reader, think of these 990 destitute orphans,
bereaved of both parents! I have now, however, before me the most
pleasant prospect, if the Lord permit, of being able to receive 400 of
them in about three months, and also of being permitted to build the
third house for 300 more.
_Without any one having been personally applied to for anything_ by me,
the sum of L92,175, 4s. 21/2d. has been given to me for the orphans,
_as the result of prayer to God_, since the commencement of the work,
which sum includes the L15,055, 3s. 21/4d. which was the cost of the
building, fitting up, and furnishing of the present new Orphan House,
and the L31,817, 1s. 11d., which had been received up to May 26, 1857,
for the building fund, and the L1,489, 7s. 9d., the balance of the
current expenses. It may also be interesting to the reader to know that
the total amount which has been given for the other objects, since the
commencement of the work, amounts to L33,293, 9s. 101/4d.; and that
which has come in by the sale of Bibles, since the commencement, amounts
to L2,080, 9s. 101/2d.; by sale of tracts, L1,778, 2s. 5d.; and by the
payments of the children in the day schools, from the commencement,
L2,066, 13s. 41/2d.
The Lord is pleased to continue to allow us to see fruit in connection
with the orphan work, with reference to those who are _now_ under our
care, and we hear still again and again of cases in which those who were
_formerly_ under our care, have been led to declare themselves openly
for the Lord, besides those in whom we saw the work of grace manifestly
begun before they left the Orphan House.