A Narrative of some of the Lord's Dealings with George Muller Volume IV Part 16

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To this is again to be added, what I have enlarged on in a former chapter, that during the whole of this year also my daughter was, free of all expenses, at a boarding school. This was worth about 50l.

In November, 1847, I had a most remarkable deliverance, which to the praise of the Lord is here recorded, as it is a further ill.u.s.tration of how the Lord watches over His children.

I was labouring for a little while at Bowness and Keswick in the ministry of the Word in October and November When at Keswick, I stayed with my dear wife in a large boarding-house, in which, however, we were then alone, except a single gentleman. Just before we left Keswick, on the morning of Nov. 24th, I heard that the gentleman, lodging in the same house, had shot himself during the night, but was not quite dead.

We had not heard the report of the pistol, it being a very stormy night, and the house large. Two days after, I received from a Christian brother at Keswick the following information respecting the transaction.

Keswick, Nov. 25, 1847.

"Dear Mr. Muller,

The tender and Almighty care of our loving Father was never more over you, and indeed over all of us, than in your stay at Mrs. . . . .'s.

Mr. . . . . . was quite deranged for two or three days before you left.

Without any control, he had been walking about his room for the last two days and nights, with loaded-pistols in his hands. Furthermore he had taken into his head that you were going to kill him. How gracious of G.o.d, that he spread His wings over you, and over dear Mrs. Muller, so that Satan could not break through the fence, to hurt even a hair of your heads. Speaking after the manner of men, there was nothing to have hindered him coming into the room, where we were all at tea, 9 and firing amongst us; but the Lord was our refuge and fortress, and preserved us from danger, which we knew not of. He shot himself in the neck and the breast, but is not dead. He has a strait-waistcoat on. I a.s.sisted in cutting his clothes off, and in other little offices, needed at such a time, and told him of Christ's love in dying for poor sinners. ?I know it,' he said. He shot himself the first time about three o'clock in the morning, and again about seven. What a scene his room presented. Pistols lying in gore. b.l.o.o.d.y knives, lancets, and razors strewed about the floor." Etc.

I add an extract from a second letter, written by the same Christian brother, because it shows still further, how very merciful the Lord was to us at that time, in protecting us.

"Mr. ?? is still alive, and has been removed by his friends into Yorks.h.i.+re. It appears, insanity is in his family, his father being at this time in an asylum. It is evident that he had the pistols in his pockets, but of this no one knew until after the occurrence took place.

I do not know what time of night you went to bed; but I judge it was about ten. If so, it was at ten o'clock Mr.--came down from his bedroom, after having been there six hours. It was a mercy you did not meet him, as it is plain that he had loaded pistols on his person."

Dec. 31, 1847. There have been received into Fellows.h.i.+p, during this year, 39: and altogether, since Mr. Craik and I began labouring in Bristol, 1157, besides the 68 whom we found in Fellows.h.i.+p. Of these 1225, 143 have fallen asleep, 70 are under church discipline, 78 have left us, and 259 have left Bristol; so that there are only 675 actually in communion.

During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me.

1, Through the boxes. . . . 140 6 11

2, Through believers in Bristol, not anonymously . . . . . 57 3 6

3, Through believers, not residing in Bristol . . . . . 127 3 6

4, By a legacy of 100 Stock . . 73 4 9

5, Through presents in articles, worth to us at least . . . . 15 0 0

412 18 84

To this is again to be added the free education of my dear daughter, at a boarding school, worth to us at least 50l.

In April, 1848, I was enabled, by the help of the Lord, to complete all the arrangements for the publication of the Narrative of the Lord's Dealings with me in the French language; and about September of the same year the book appeared under the following t.i.tle: Expose de quelques-unes des dispensations de Dieu envers Georges Muller. Paris, librairie Protestante, Rue Tronchet, 2.

Supplies for the School?Bible-?Missionary and Tract Fund, sent in answer to prayer, from May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1850.

When this period of the work commenced, I had for these various objects 5l. 19s. 7 d. in hand, a sum so small, that, without the help of G.o.d, I could not have gone on even for a few days; for during this period our average expenditure for one single day, merely for this part of the work, was as much as the whole balance left in hand. Now see how G.o.d carried me through, in meeting the expenditure of the thousands of pounds which were laid out for these objects, irrespective of the Orphan work, from May 26, 1848 to May 26, 1850.

On the very next day, after the accounts were closed, May 27, 1848, I received from Westmoreland 5l., being the first donation during this period towards this part of the work, of which sum one half was intended by the donor for the current expenses of the Orphans, and the other half for these objects. On the following day, May 28, was anonymously put into the Chapel boxes for missions 1s. 6d. and 2d. Now it happened that all the expenses, connected with these objects, during the first two days amounted only to about 3l., which I was able to meet by what had come in and the balance left in hand; and on May 29th I received 100l.

As the application of this sum was left to me, I took one half of it for the Orphans, and the other half for these objects.--Thus I was supplied with means to meet the expenses which came on me the following day, May 30th, when I had to pay the weekly salaries of the teachers in the Day Schools.

June 9. Great has been my desire, and many have been my prayers to G.o.d, that He would be pleased to condescend to use me still further, in allowing me the privilege of helping brethren who labour in the word and doctrine, at home and abroad, without any salary, as I have been able to do but very little for them comparatively during the last four months.

Now at last, in answer to my prayers, I have received this morning 160l.

for home and foreign labourers.--The Lord may see it needful, for the trial of our faith, to seem for a season not to regard our supplications; yet, if we patiently and believingly continue to wait upon Him, it will be manifest in His own time and way, that we did not call upon Him in vain.

July 12. My soul has been longing for farther supplies for home and foreign labourers, to whom I have sent of late all I could. Almost all the letters received from the brethren, to whom I have sent money, have shown to me their great need. Some were in the greatest necessity when my remittances were received by them. Under these circ.u.mstances a donation of 117l. 2s. 7d. came in this morning, of which I took 50l. for these objects, and 67l. 2s. 7d. for the Orphans.

Aug. 19. Today all the means for home and foreign labourers were again gone. Also for the support of the various schools and the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, scarcely anything remained; 48l. were in hand, yet, considering the liabilities for rent, &c., not more than 5l.

of this sum at most could be considered available. When I had, therefore, so little, there came in 267l. Thus my heart is made glad, for I am able to send help to many brethren in these days of peculiar distress.

Oct. 26. This evening there was given to me anonymously at Salem Chapel a sealed paper, which contained two sovereigns and these words: "For what most needs." I took this donation for these objects, as I have now scarcely any money left towards paying the weekly salaries of the teachers in the Day Schools next Tuesday. Oct. 31st. We have not been so poor with regard to these objects since the accounts were closed. But I hope in G.o.d.

Oct. 28. I received from Calne 2l.

Oct. 30. Received from Bath 1l.

Oct. 31. There having come in this 5l., and 1l. 10s. 9d. besides, by the sale of Tracts, I had enough to pay the weekly salaries of the teachers.

Nov. 4. Sat.u.r.day. There were now again only a few s.h.i.+llings in hand towards paying next Tuesday the weekly salaries of the teachers in the Day Schools, when I received this morning from the neighbourhood of Leeds 5l.

Nov. 5. There was put into the boxes at Bethesda 2s. 6d.

Nov. 6. Received 1l. 0s. 6d.

No-v. 7. This evening I found, that, by what had come in during the 4th, 5th and 6th in the way of donations, and by the sale of Tracts during this week, there was more than enough to pay the weekly salaries.

Nov. 9. Only a few s.h.i.+llings were left in my hands on Tuesday evening, the 7th instant, towards the weekly salaries of the teachers, for the coming week. Also almost all the Tracts are again gone, and it is nearly four weeks, since I paid out the last money in hand for missionary objects. As to this latter point, my heart had been especially longing to be able to send again help to home and foreign labourers, knowing how very great the need of many is. Thus I was situated with regard to means when I received today 1000l., of which sum I took 300l. for these objects, 100l. for the support of the Orphans, and 600l. for the Building-Fund. The Lord be praised for this most precious help, which is doubly precious on account of the seasonable time in which it comes!

Nov. 16. Yesterday and today I have sent out more than one hundred pounds to brethren who labour at home and abroad, and the Lord has sent again further supplies; for I received today from C. W. 40l. for home and foreign labourers.

Jan. 15. 1849. The means for the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, and for all the various Schools, and for helping missionary efforts had now been reduced to 15l. It had been during the last days especially my prayer, that the Lord would be pleased to give me fresh supplies for brethren who labour in the word and doctrine at home and abroad, as I had not been able to do any thing for any of them during the last fortnight, for want of means. I desired also more means for the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, as several thousands of Tracts had been going out during the last few days, and as also quite recently there had been many openings found for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures among very poor persons. Now the Lord has again given me a precious answer of prayer. I received this morning a donation of 200l., to be used as any of the objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution might need help. The donor, however, kindly wished me to take 25l. for myself. I took this 175l. for these objects, and thus I am again supplied with means for the various Schools, for the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, and have something for aiding brethren who labour in the word and doctrine, as I purpose to use 100l. for them. The Lord be praised for this precious help!

I have received still farther today for missions 23l. 5s.

Jan. 17. Today I have received still further help from the Lord in a donation of 125l. for these objects. How manifest it is by all these sums, large and small, received from G.o.d in answer to prayer, that He does not allow me to call upon Him in vain!

Feb. 19. A brother in the Lord, who had sold his earthly possession, for the purpose of spending the proceeds of it for the Lord, sent me 120l.

as a part, of which he wished me to use 100l. for missions, 5l. for the Orphans, 10l. for another object not to be mentioned, to give 2l. 10s.

to brother Craik, and to take 2l. 10s. for myself.

Feb. 20. Today I have received still further 200l. of which I took 100l.

for these objects, and 100l. for the Orphans, as the disposal of this sum was entirely left to me.--I do especially rejoice in all these considerable donations, partly, because they enable me to a.s.sist so many faithful servants of Jesus Christ, who labour for Him in dependence upon Him for their temporal supplies; and, partly, because they prove that the work of G.o.d may be carried on in dependence upon Him alone for pecuniary means, not merely on a small but also on a large scale. See!

dear Christian reader, without making any effort whatever, simply in answer to prayer, without personal application to any one, all these sums come in. And thus it has now been going on for more than sixteen years, [was written in 1850]. Persons said to me fifteen years ago, that it was impossible to carry on such a work for any length of time, without regular subscriptions; for the interest which was taken in it at first, would wear off. I never believed such statements. I was a.s.sured in my inmost soul that, if the work of G.o.d was carried on in G.o.d's way, that was the best pledge that it would be provided by G.o.d with pecuniary means. Thus I have found it ever since March 5, 1834, when this work commenced. For since that time I have received above Forty-four Thousand Pounds altogether, [up to May 26 1850 only]; and the Lord has so enlarged the work and helped me, that during the last three years I have had the privilege of paying away in His service, in connexion with this work, about Twenty-five Thousand Pounds; nor have 1 had during this period in any one instance to meet a payment, without being previously provided by the Lord with means for it. If it pleased the Lord to condescend to use me further in this way, He could so order it that even a still larger field of labour were intrusted to me, which would require still greater sums. Truly, it must be manifest to all simple hearted children of G.o.d, who will carefully read the accounts respecting this Inst.i.tution, that He is most willing to attend to the supplications of His children, who in their need cry to Him; and to make this manifest is the great object I aim at, through the means of this Inst.i.tution.

March 13. The same donor who sent me on Feb. 19th the donation of 120l., sent me today 100l. more for missions.

March 15. From C. W. for missions 30l.