A Narrative of some of the Lord's Dealings with George Muller Volume IV Part 43

I notice further the following points respecting the Orphan work:

1, At the beginning of this period, there were 715 Orphans waiting for admission. Since then 201 more dest.i.tute Orphans, bereaved of both parents by death, and some only a few months old, have been applied for to be admitted, making 916 in all. Of these 916, we were only able to receive 25, as has been stated, and 44 either died or were otherwise provided for, as their relatives or friends informed us; so that there are still 847 waiting for admission. Dear Reader, think of these 847 dest.i.tute Orphans, bereaved of both parents! As for myself, I have now before me the most pleasant and heart-refres.h.i.+ng prospect, if the Lord permit, of being able to receive 400 of them about June or July 1857, and also of being permitted to build the third house for 300 more.

2, The average expense for each of the Orphans under our care, during the past year; amounted to 12l. 6s. 8d.

3, Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me, the sum of 84,441l. 6s. 3 d. has been given to me for the Orphans, as the result of prayer to G.o.d, since the commencement of the work. The total sum given for the other objects, since the commencement of the work, amounts to 28,904l. 11s. 3 d.; 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 5,145l. 17s. 0d. Besides this, also a great variety and number of articles of clothing, furniture, provisions, etc., have been given for the use of the Orphans.

4, The Lord is pleased to continue to allow us to see fruit in connexion with the Orphan work, 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.

5, The total of the current expenses for the Orphans and the various other objects of the Inst.i.tution, was 8166l. 8s. 5 d. during the past year.

Matters connected with my own personal affairs, from May 26, 1855, to May 26, 1856.

Dec. 31, 1855. During this year the Lord has been pleased to give me

1. By anonymous donations through the boxes . . . . . . 202 10 9

2. Through donations from believers in Bristol, not anonymously . . 149 13 9

3. Through donations from believers not residing in Bristol . . . 301 15 8

4. Through presents in clothes, provisions, etc., worth at least . . . 12 16 0

726 10 2

This, dear Reader, is the writer's statement after having acted on these principles for more than 25 years. You see, not for a week, a month, or even a year, how the writer has been dealt with by the Lord, after he had set out in this way; but, in all simplicity he has related to you, how it has been with him year after year. And now, after more than 25 years, he is still acting on these principles, and is more than ever convinced of their truthfulness and their blessedness; and he is delighted in being able to prove to you, to G.o.d's honour, that even for this life he has been no loser by acting out the light which the Lord has been pleased to give to him.

May 26, 1856. Yesterday evening it was 24 years, since I came to labour in Bristol. In looking back upon this period, as it regards the Lord's goodness to my family and myself, the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution, and the saints among whom I seek to serve Him, I exclaim, What has G.o.d 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 labourer and I first came to Bristol, 1586 believers have been received into fellows.h.i.+p, which number, with the 68 we found in communion, makes 1654. But out of that number 252 have fallen asleep, 53 have been separated from fellows.h.i.+p, 145 have left us, some however merely through circ.u.mstances, and in love, and 510 have left Bristol; so that there are only 694 remaining in communion.

Farewell, Christian Reader. I reckon it one of the greatest privileges which the Lord has been pleased to bestow upon me to be able to finish this volume. Remember the writer in your prayers. He greatly needs them.

Numberless are his difficulties and trials, as well as his joys and blessings! Pray that he may be helped of G.o.d to finish his course with joy, and to continue his service without growing weary.

The End.