A Narrative of Some of the Lord\'s Dealings with George Mueller

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Sept. 7 From a friend, who has many times helped the Orphans almost from
the commencement, I received 50l.

Sept. 9. "Let patience have her perfect work, &c.," must be still my
motto concerning this service. Our position in Wilson Street, where the
Orphan-Houses are now, remains as it was; I also see more and more the
desirableness of commencing the building soon, both on account of the
Orphans, and their teachers and overseers; particularly also, because so
very many applications are made for the admission of very destitute
Orphans, and I am unable at present, to receive all who are applied for;
and yet the Lord is delaying to send the full amount of means required.
I am also asked, when the Building is likely to commence, and can only
answer, I do not know. Now this morning I had again, after family
prayer, my usual season for prayer about this work, when I brought all
these matters in simplicity before the Lord. Immediately, after I had
risen from my knees, the following letter was handed to me, containing
60l.

* * * *, Sept. 8, 1846.

"My dear Brother,

I send Sixty Pounds out of the abundance which the Lord has given to me,
and of which it seems to me that He has need in the work you are
engaged. If you think proper, would you kindly take 25l. for the
Building Fund of the Orphan Asylum, 25l. for missionary labourers, 5l.
for the present use of the Orphans, and 5l. for your own purse; and may
our good Lord bless your labours of love, and give the increase a
hundred fold.

Your unworthy brother,

* * * *"

Thus the Lord encourages me, day by day, to continue to wait on Him. His
time is not yet come; but, when it is, all that is needed will be given.
By God's grace my faith is unshaken. I am as certain that I shall have
every shilling needed for the work, as if I had the money already in
actual possession; and I am as certain that this house of mercy will be
built, as if it were already standing before me.

Oct. 18. Today the Lord has much refreshed my heart by sending from B.
B. 5s., from a young sister 2s. 6d., and through an order on a Bristol
Bank 120l.

Oct. 19. While I was this morning in the very act of praising the Lord
for His goodness, in giving me yesterday the above mentioned donations,
and whilst I was again bringing my arguments before Him, why He would be
pleased soon to give me the whole sum which is requisite, I received an
order for 200l., which was doubly precious, because it was accompanied
by an affectionate and encouraging letter.

Oct. 29. This morning I had been again bringing the ease of the Building
before the Lord in prayer, entreating Him to hasten the matter, if it
might be, when, the very instant I rose from my knees, there was handed
to me a letter with an order for 300l.--About an hour after, I
received from a sister in the neighbourhood of Wotton-under-Edge 10s.
6d.--"From Saints in the neighbourhood of Kingsbridge" 1l. 5s.--
From a sister an old silver thimble.

Nov. 14. By sale of articles 12s.--This evening I received a small
morocco case, containing a gold chain, a pair of gold ear-rings, and a
gold brooch (being a set), with the following letter enclosed:

"Beloved Brother in Jesus,

The contents of the accompanying casket being in my unconverted days a
wedding gift from a very dear husband, has, as you may suppose, been
hither-to preserved as beyond price. But since God, in His great mercy
revealed to my soul His exceeding riches in Christ, and gave to it more
(Oh, how much more!) than He has taken away, they seemed as the
Babylonish garment or wedge of gold, which ought not to be in the
Israelites' possession. I therefore give up that which the flesh would
fain keep, and still prize; but which the spirit rejects, as unworthy a
follower of Jesus. Accept then, dear Brother, those toys, once the pride
of life, and the food of folly; and use them for the building of the
Orphan-House, in which I feel it a privilege to lay one stone; and may
the Lord recompense you a hundred fold, yea, a thousand fold, in this
your great labour of love, is the prayer of yours affectionately in the
best of bonds.

----November 1846. A Sister and a Widow."

The gift was precious to me as a proof of the continued readiness of my
Heavenly Father to help me in this work; but doubly so, on account of
the circumstances under which it was given, and on account of the state
of mind in which the anonymous donor had given these ornaments.

Nov. 19. I am now led more and more to importune the Lord to send me the
means, which are requisite in order that I may be able to commence the
building. Because 1, It has been for some time past publicly stated in
print, that I allow it is not without ground that some of the
inhabitants of Wilson Street consider themselves inconvenienced by the
Orphan-Houses being in that street, and I long therefore to be able to
remove the Orphans from thence as soon as possible. 2, I become more and
more convinced, that it would be greatly for the benefit of the
children, both physically and morally, with God's blessing, to be in
such a position as they are intended to occupy, when the New
Orphan-House shall have been built. And 3, because the number of very
poor and destitute Orphans, that are waiting for admission, is so great,
and there are constantly fresh applications made.--Now whilst, by
God's grace, I would not wish the building to be begun one single day
sooner than is His will; and whilst I firmly believe, that He will give
me, in His own time every shilling which I need; yet I also know, that
He delights in being earnestly entreated, and that He takes pleasure in.
the continuance in prayer, and in the importuning Him, which so clearly
is to be seen from the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. Luke
xviii. 1-8. For these reasons I gave myself again particularly to prayer
last evening, that the Lord would send further means, being also
especially led to do so, in addition to the above reasons, because there
had come in but little comparatively, since the 29th of last month. This
morning, between five and six o'clock I prayed again, among other
points, about the Building Fund, and then had a long season for the
reading of the word of God. In the course of my reading I came to Mark
xi. 24, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye
receive them, and ye shall have them." The importance of the truth
contained in this portion I have often felt and spoken about; but this
morning I felt it again most particularly, and, applying it to the New
Orphan-House, said to the Lord: "Lord I believe that Thou wilt give me
all I need for this work. I am sure that I shall have all, because I
believe that I receive in answer to my prayer." Thus, with the heart
full of peace concerning this work, I went on to the other part of the
chapter, and to the next chapter. After family prayer I had again my
usual season for prayer with regard to all the many parts of the work,
and the various necessities thereof, asking also blessings upon my
fellow-labourers, upon the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, and upon
the precious souls in the Adult School, the Sunday Schools, the Six Day
Schools, and the four Orphan-Houses. Amidst all the many things I again
made my requests about means for the Building. And now observe: About
five minutes, after I had risen from my knees, there was given to me a
registered letter, containing a check for 300l., of which 280l. are for
the Building Fund, 10l. for my own personal expenses, and 10l. for
Brother Craik. The Lord's holy name be praised for this precious
encouragement, by which the Building Fund is now increased to more than
six thousand pounds.

Dec. 9. It is now Four Hundred Days, since day after day, I have been
waiting upon God for help with regard to the building of the
Orphan-House; but as yet He keeps me still in the trial of faith and
patience. He is still saying as it were, "Mine hour is not yet come."
Yet He does sustain me in continuing to wait upon Him. By His grace my
faith is not in the least shaken; but I am quite sure that He, in His
own time, will give me everything which I need concerning this work. How
I shall be supplied with the means which are yet requisite, and when, I
know not; but I am sure that God will help me in His own time and way.
In the mean time I have abundant reason to praise God, that I am not
waiting on Him in vain; for since this day twelvemonth He has given me
in answer to prayer, a most suitable piece of ground, and 6,304l. for
the Building Fund, and about 2,700l. for present use for the work, so
that altogether I have received, since this day twelvemonth, solely in
answer to prayer, the sum of Nine Thousand Pounds. Surely, I am not
waiting upon the Lord in vain! By His help, then, I am resolved to
continue this course unto the end.

Dec. 22. Today I have again a precious proof that continuing to wait
upon the Lord is not in vain. During this month, comparatively little
had come in for the Building Fund; yet, by God's grace, I have been
enabled, as before; yea, even with more earnestness perhaps than before
to make known my requests unto God, being more and more convinced that I
ought to seek by earnest prayer soon to be able to begin the building.
In addition to this I had also especially besought the Lord to give me
means for missionary brethren, and also for brethren who labour in the
word in various parts of England and Ireland; as all my means for them
were now gone. I had also been waiting upon God for means to order a
fresh stock of tracts. I had lastly again and again besought the Lord to
give me means for the poor saints in Bristol, of whom there are many,
and whose need is now particularly great. Now today the Lord has granted
me precious answers to my requests concerning these various objects, for
I received this morning one Thousand Pounds with these words: "I send
you some money, part of which you can apply to the Orphans and the other
objects of your Institution, according to their need, and the rest you
can put to the Building Fund. At the present price of provisions your
expenses must be large for the Orphans. Please also take 25l. for your
own need." As I have about 80l. in hand for the Orphans, I took nothing
for present use for them, but took 175l. for the other objects, in order
thus to be able to send some help to Home and Foreign labourers, and to
order a fresh stock of tracts; and 800l. I took for the Building Fund. I
should have taken less for the Building Fund, and more for present use,
did it not appear to me the will of God, that with my might I ought to
give myself to this part of the work.

Jan. 5, 1847. We have just now much sickness in the four Orphan-Houses,
on account of which we are much tried for want of room, and for want of
proper ventilation, the houses having been originally built for private
families. This has again most practically shown me the desirableness of
having the Orphans, as soon as possible, removed to a house built on
purpose for them and my heart says, "Lord, how long?" and importunes Him
the more, yet, by His grace, without being impatient, but willing to
wait His time, which in the end is always found to be the best.

Jan. 9. From a professional Christian gentleman 10l., which I received
from him in paying him his account today.

Jan. 10. From a brother in the Lord 80l.--From C. C. 8s. 2 1/2 d.

Jan. 11. From a lady at Bedminster 3l. 10s.

Jan. 25. The season of the year is now approaching, when building may be
begun. Therefore with increased earnestness I have given myself unto
prayer, importuning the Lord that He would be pleased to appear on our
behalf, and speedily send the remainder of the amount which is required,
and I have increasingly, of late, felt that the time is drawing near,
when the Lord will give me all that which is requisite for commencing
the Building. All the various arguments which I have often brought
before God, I brought also again this morning before Him. It is now 14
months and 3 weeks since day by day I have uttered my petitions to God
on behalf of this work. I rose from my knees this morning in full
confidence, not only that God could, but also would, send the means, and
that soon. Never, during all these 14 months and 3 weeks, have I had the
least doubt, that I should have all that which is requisite.--And
now, dear believing reader, rejoice and praise with me. About an hour,
after I had prayed thus, there was given to me the sum of Two Thousand
Pounds for the Building Fund. Thus I have received altogether 9,285l.
3s. 9 1/2 d. towards this work.--I cannot describe the joy I had in
God when I received this donation. It must be known from experience, in
order to be felt. 447 days I have had day by day to wait upon God,
before the sum reached the above amount. How great is the blessing which
the soul obtains by trusting in God, and by waiting patiently. Is it not
manifest how precious it is to carry on God's work in this way, even
with regard to the obtaining of means? From December 10, 1845, to
January 25, 1847, being thirteen months and a half, I have received
solely in answer to prayer, Nine Thousand Two Hundred and Eighty-five
Pounds. Add to this what came in during that time for present use for
the various objects of the Institution, and the total is about Twelve
Thousand and Five Hundred Pounds, entirely the fruit of prayer to God.
Can it be said, therefore, with good ground, that this way of carrying
on the work of God may do very well in a limited and small way, but it
would not do on a large scale? The fact brought out here contradicts
such statements.

June 23. This day the Lord in His great goodness, by a donation of One
Thousand Pounds for the Building Fund, has again encouraged my heart
abundantly to trust in Him for all that which I shall yet need, to meet
the remainder of the expenses connected with the fitting up and
furnishing the New Orphan-House, &c.

Jan. 23, 1848. Today I received 350l., concerning which the donor
expressed it as his especial wish that I should take 50l. for myself,
50l. should be for brother Craik, 50l., for the Employment Fund, and the
remaining 200l. as I pleased. I put this 200l. to the Building Fund, as
the donor had not given to this object before, having been prevented
through circumstances, and I knew he would like to contribute towards
it.

Jan. 30. I received from D. D. 35l., of which 30l. are intended for the
Building Fund, and 5l. for the School--, Bible--, Tract and Missionary
Fund.

March 19. From Scotland 10l.

March 21. From the neighbourhood of Dudley 9s. 8d.

March 28. "A thank-offering to the Lord from the Church assembling at
Bethesda Free Chapel, Sunderland, for Church mercies during the past
year." The amount is 21l. 10s. 10d.

April 29. From Cornwall 50l., from a most unexpected quarter, whereby
the hand of God is the more abundantly made manifest.

In the Report, published in 1848, the following account was given
respecting the New Orphan-House, which, except a few verbal alterations,
is here reprinted.

1, The total amount, which I have received for the Building Fund,
amounts to 11,062l. 4s. 11 1/2 d. This sum enables me to meet all the
expenses connected with the purchase of the piece of land and with the
erection of the house. I stated before that I did not mean to commence
the Building until I had all the means requisite for it, and this
intention was carried out. It was not until there was a sufficient
amount of means to meet all the sums required for the various
contractors, that a single thing was done; but when I once had as much
as was required for them, I did not consider it right to delay any
longer, though I saw then clearly, and have since seen still more
clearly, that a considerable sum would yet be needed to complete the
work. For whilst in every respect the Building will be most plain and
inexpensive, yet it being intended to be the abode of Three Hundred
Orphans, with all their teachers and overseers, it necessarily must be a
very large Building, and was therefore found to be even somewhat more
expensive than I had thought, as the whole (including fittings and
furniture) cannot be accomplished for less than Fourteen Thousand Five
Hundred Pounds, towards which the Lord has already given me, as stated,
Eleven Thousand and Sixty-two Pounds Four Shillings and Eleven Pence
Halfpenny. The sum still needed is required for all the ordinary
fittings, the heating apparatus, the gas fittings, the furnishing the
whole house, making three large playgrounds and a small road, and for
some additional work which could not be brought into the contracts. I
did not think it needful to delay commencing the Building, though
several thousand pounds more would be required, as all these expenses
needed not to be met till many months after the beginning of the
Building.

2, The work of the Building commenced on July 5, 1847, and has been
going on steadily ever since, with the manifest blessing and help of
God.--Six hundred and seven days I sought the help of God day by day,
before we came so far as to be able to commence the Building; yet at
last He gave me the desire of my heart.--The work is now so far
advanced, with the blessing of God, that a considerable part of the
Buildings has been already roofed in, and the remainder will be ready
for being roofed in a few weeks, that is, in July, 1848.

3, The New Orphan-House has been placed in the hands of eleven trustees,
brethren in the Lord well known to me, whom I have chosen, that they
might watch over the work and care for it, should the Lord Jesus tarry
and take me to Himself. The deeds have been enrolled in Chancery.

4, The New Orphan-House is intended to accommodate 140 Orphan Girls
above seven years, 80 Orphan Boys above seven years, and 80 male and
female Orphans from their earliest days, till they are seven or eight
years of age, together with all the overseers, teachers and assistants
that may be needed. The Infants, after having passed the age of seven or
eight years, will be removed into the different departments for older
boys and girls.

Miscellaneous points respecting the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for
Home and Abroad, with reference to the period from May 26, 1846 to May
26, 1848.

1, During the whole of this period six Day Schools, with 330 children,
were supported by the funds of the Institution; two Sunday Schools were
entirely supported by it, and a third was occasionally assisted. Again
four from among the Sunday School children were during these two years
received into Church Fellowship. The total number of the children who
received instruction in the Day Schools of the Institution, from its
commencement up to May 26, 1848, amounted to 4519. The number of the
Adult Scholars, who were instructed during this period in the Adult
School, which was supported by the funds of the Institution, amounted to
292; and the total number of adults who had instruction from March 5,
1834, to May 26, 1848, was 1438. The total of the expenses connected
with all these schools, during these two years, amounted to 886l. 1s. 11
1/2 d.

2, During this period were circulated 649 Bibles and 232 New Testaments.
There were circulated from March 5, 1834 up to May 26, 1848, 5746 Bibles
and 3760 New Testaments. 74l. 9s. 10d. was expended of the Funds of the
Institution, during this period, on this object.

3, From May 26, 1846 to May 26, 1848 was expended of the Funds of the
Institution on Missionary objects, 1559l. 1l. 6d., whereby 43 labourers
in the Gospel, at Rome and Abroad, were assisted.

4, During this period 64,021 Tracts were circulated, and the sum of 63l.
1s. 5d. was expended on this object of the funds of the Institution. The
total number of Tracts circulated from Nov. 19, 1840 to May 26, 1848,
amounted to 163,668.

5, There were received into the four Orphan-Houses, from May 26, 1846,
to May 26, 1848, Fifty-one Orphans, who, together with those who were in
the four Houses on May 26, 18413, made up 172 in all. Of these: 1. Five
children died, two as decided believers, one not without some hope, and
two as infants. This was the greatest number of deaths we had had for
many years; and yet how small is even the number five out of 172 within
two years, if it be remembered that we received children as young as two
years old; and if it be further remembered that the very fact of such
young children being bereaved of BOTH parents is, generally, a plain
proof that their parents were very sickly and unhealthy persons, as
indeed has generally been the case, since the greater part of the
parents of these children died in consumption, which I learn from the
certificates of their death. 2. One of the Orphans, who had been above
ten years in the house, left the Institution without leave, and went to
her friends for two or three days; and for an example to the other
children was not taken back again, when her friends wished her to
return. 3. Three of the elder girls, who had been several years in the
house, were taken back to their relatives and not suffered to remain any
longer, because of improper behaviour towards their teacher. All three,
however, were of an age to go to service, and would have been shortly
placed out, had they behaved better. 4. Four of the children were
dismissed because of malignant skin or other diseases, remedies having
failed: and in these cases, for the sake of the other children, we were
obliged to send them back to their relatives till they might be cured.
5. Seven children were taken back by their relatives, who by that time
were able to provide for them, after they had been for several years in
the Orphan-Houses. Some of them were able to earn their own bread by
that time, and were of use to their relatives. I always act on the
principle of at once giving up the Orphans, to their relatives, if they
say that they are able to provide for them; having continually a
considerable number of very destitute Orphans waiting for admission. 6.
Nine boys were apprenticed. 7. Twenty-one girls were sent out to
service, eight of whom had been for some time believers.

There were on May 26, 1848, One Hundred and Twenty-two Orphans in the
Four Houses. The number of the Orphans who were under our care from
April 1836, to May 26, 1848, was 264. The total amount of expenditure in
connexion with the support of the Orphans from May 26, 1846, to May 26,
1848, was 3228l. 5s. 11d.

I notice further the following points in connexion with the
Orphan-Houses.

1. Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me,
the sum of 24,771l. 19s. 8 3/4 d. was given to me as the result of prayer
to God from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1848. This sum
includes the 11,062l. 4s. 11 1/2 d, which up to May 26, 1848 had been
given towards the Building Fund. (It may be interesting to the reader
to know that the total amount which was given as free contributions, for
the other objects, from the commencement of the work, up to May 26, 1848,
was 7,060l. 14s. 1 3/4 d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and
Tracts, and by the payment of the children in the day-schools, amounted to
2,373l. 3s. 7 1/2 d.) 2. Besides this, also a great variety and number
of articles of clothing, furniture, provisions, &c. were given for the
use of the Orphans.

Matters connected with my own personal affairs, or the work of the Lord
in my hands, not immediately connected with the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution, from May 26, 1846 to May 26, 1848.

July 21, 1846, In very great need respecting my own personal expenses,
and immediately after I had prayed respecting it, I received from a
Christian gentleman of Torquay 1l.

July 23. Immediately after prayer for my own personal expenses, being in
need, I received from the neighbourhood of Leeds 2l.

July 25. While I was on my knees in prayer, asking the Lord for means
for myself, 1l. came to me from Bath.

Aug. 5. Being still much in need, and having asked the Lord for means, I
received yesterday evening 1l. 0s. 3d., being some money due to me, and
today from Teignmouth 1l. as a present.

Dec. 31, 1846. During this year there have been received into Fellowship
66.

The Lord has been pleased to give me during this year

1, Through the boxes. . . . L165 15 1 1/2

2, Through believers in Bristol, not anonymously . . . . 81 13 1 1/2

3, Through believers not residing in Bristol . . . . . 136 14 8

4, Through presents in articles, worth at least . . . . 15 0 0

------

L399 2 11

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 illustration 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.

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