Aphra Behn - "The Works of Aphra Behn, Vol. II"

Various - "Childhood's Favorites and Fairy Stories"

John Hicklin - "The Ladies of Llangollen"

Bjornstjerne M. Bjornson - "Three Dramas"

Editorial
This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as "social `shifters'" and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the "interconnectedness" of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing "domesticated" forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of "straddling", this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.

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

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




4. It is intended to place this Orphan-House also, as was the New
Orphan-House, in the hands of godly Trustees.

5. Orphans from any part of the world, provided they speak English, if
bereaved of both parents, lawfully begotten, and in destitute
circumstances, are intended to be admitted, as is the ease now,
irrespective of any sectarian feeling or preference whatever. Neither
entrance money nor any particular interest will be required, in order to
obtain a ticket for the admission of destitute Orphans, bereaved of both
parents, as long as there is room.

6. Individuals who desire to contribute towards the Building Fund for
this intended Orphan-House for seven hundred destitute Orphans, are
requested to state that the donation is "for the Building Fund." Indeed
concerning all the donations for any part of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution for Home and Abroad, it is requested that the donors will
kindly state, for what they wish their donations to be applied; or to
say expressly that they leave the application of their donations to me,
as the various objects may more particularly need help.

Supplies for the School--, Bible--, Missionary and Tract Fund, sent in
answer to prayer, from May 26, 1850, to May 26, 1851.

At the commencement of this period it was my purpose to seek help from
the Lord that I might be able, in a still greater degree than before, to
assist brethren who labour in the Gospel, at Home and Abroad, in
dependence upon God for their temporal supplies, and to labour more than
ever in the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and of simple Gospel
Tracts. The following extracts from my journal will now show how kind
the Lord has been in answering my requests, and in furnishing me with
the means for carrying out the desire of my heart.

June 7, 1850. Today I have received 50l. for missions from a Brother
whose heart the Lord has inclined to spend, as a steward of God, a
second property, with which He has intrusted him.

June 10. Received 150l., the disposal of which was left to me. I took
half for the Orphans and half for these objects.

June 11. Received from C. W. 50l. for missions.--By these sums which,
besides smaller donations, came in within the first fifteen days of this
period, I was able to begin to carry out my purpose; and as the Lord
enabled me, without anxious reckoning, to go on giving out as He was
pleased to intrust me with means, so again He sent further supplies
before all was gone. It is a point of great importance in the divine
life, not to be anxiously reckoning about the morrow, nor dealing out
sparingly, on account of possible future wants, which never may come;
but to consider, that only the present moment to serve the Lord is
ours, and that the morrow may never come to us.

July 2. 170l. has come in today. The donor kindly gave me permission to
use this amount as might be most needed. I took therefore 80l. of it for
the Orphans, the other for these objects.

Of the various donations which came in for these objects, between July
2nd and Aug. 13th, I only mention, that I received on Aug. 5th a silver
salver, 2 silver table spoons, a silver sugar spoon, and a silver
mustard spoon; all to be sold for missionary purposes. On Aug. 13th a
Christian Friend gave me 50l., of which I took one half for missionary
operations and the other half for the Orphans, as the donation was left
at my disposal as most needed.

Aug. 15. Today I have received from the same donor, who sent me on June
7th 50l., another donation of 110l, of which he wishes me to apply 10l.
for the use of the Orphans and 100l. for missionary purposes. This day I
have also received a donation of 120l., of which I took half for the
Orphans, and half for these objects.--Several other small donations
came in on the following day.

Aug. 24. Have received from C. W. 30l., of which the donor kindly
intends 10l. for foreign missions, 10l. for the Orphans, and 10l. for my
own personal expenses. I have sent out already during this month 170l.
to Home and Foreign labourers, and the Lord continues to give me means
for this and all the other parts of the work.

Sept. 14. Received again 190l., of which I took half for the Orphans and
half for these objects.

Sept. 19. Today I received a registered letter from the donor referred
to under June 7th and Aug. 15th containing Four Hundred Pounds and these
words:

"Dear Brother,

Herewith I send you 400l., of which three parts are to be expended on
missionaries, the rest you may expend on the Orphans, if needed; else
the whole to be disposed of to the Lord's ministering servants. I
thank you for your prayers that I may not regret this step. Were the
Lord to come tomorrow, how glad I should be that the whole was thus sent
on before me! . . If yourself or dear brother Craik (to whom give my
love in Christ) are at all in need, scruple not to take five pounds
each.

Yours in the Lord Jesus,

* * * * *"

I took the whole amount for labourers in the word and doctrine. My soul
does magnify the Lord for His condescension in listening to my
supplications, and, in answer to them, sending me means, and thus
allowing me more and more to help missionary brethren. During the last
five weeks I have sent again to them about 300l., but I long to be more
than ever their servant. What the donor says about "the money going
before him," is in reference to his having now spent two properties for
the Lord.

Sept. 27. Still further abundant help. Received from a new donor 200l.,
which, being left at my disposal as most needed, I took of it 100l. for
the Orphans, and 100l. for these objects.

Oct. 9. The Lord condescends to use me more and more as His steward.
Today I have again received 200l., which might be used as most needed. I
have therefore taken of it 100l. for the Orphans, and the other half for
these objects.

Oct. 28. Since Oct. 9th many small donations have come in, chiefly for
missions; now today I received again 200l., of which I took one half for
the Orphans, and the other half for these objects. By these donations
(large and small) the Lord enables me to send more and more help to Home
and Foreign labourers. During the last seven weeks, only little,
comparatively, has come in for these objects, while several hundred
pounds have been expended; yet, through the rich abundance which the
Lord had sent me before, I have not only had no lack of means, but had
still about 300l. in hand, before this donation was received today.
Nevertheless it was very sweet to receive it as the fruit of earnest
prayer for several weeks, as so little, comparatively, had come in
during the last seven weeks.

Dec. 18. This evening was given to me 90l. As the donor stated in the
course of conversation, that he felt especially interested about those
brethren who labour in the Gospel in various countries, whom I seek to
assist, I took of this sum 60l. for that object, and 30l. for the
Orphans.

Jan. 4, 1851. This evening I received Three Thousand Pounds, of which I
took half for these objects, and half for the Orphans, as the disposal
of it was entirely left to me. I am thus enabled more and more to
enlarge the work, and to assist increasingly home and foreign labourers
in the Word. When I gave myself more particularly to this part of the
work, now about six years since, I had not the least human prospect of
being able to do so much; but the Lord has been pleased to condescend to
listen to my supplications on behalf of these brethren who trust in Him
for their temporal supplies. I am in this way also furnished with means,
on a larger scale than ever, to circulate copies of the Holy Scriptures
and simple Gospel Tracts, which was always of deep importance, but in
these days of increasing darkness more so than ever.

Jan. 11. A further rich supply. I have received 150l., of which I took
half for the Orphans and half for these objects, as the disposal of it
was left to me.

Feb. 24. The donor, who has spent two properties in the service of the
Lord, receiving a present of 100l., sent me today 50l. of it for
missions. This instance shows, that if we use the means with which the
Lord may intrust us, as stewards for Him, He will make us stewards over
more.

Since Feb. 1851, the donor just now referred to has come into the
possession of a third property, which likewise, as the two previous
ones, he has entirely spent for the Lord.

March 7. Exceedingly little, comparatively, has come in since Jan. 11th;
yet, as I had means, I expended them to the full degree in which it
appeared to me that the Lord pointed out openings, and, in the meantime,
I continued praying for more means. Now the Lord has again given much
encouragement for continuing to wait upon Him, by a donation of 200l.,
received today, of which the donor kindly wishes me to take 20l. for my
own personal expenses, and the 180l. to be used as may be most needed,
which sum I have divided between the Orphans and the other objects.

April 15. From C. W. 40l. for foreign missions.

April 17. Further supplies for missionary purposes. This evening 1 found
a letter containing a check for 50l., of which the donor intends one
half for missionary purposes, and the other for the Orphans.

April 30. Received 200l., of which I took half for the Orphans and half
for these objects. Besides the donations above referred to, of a larger
kind, I received for these objects more than two hundred other donations
in pence, shillings, pounds, five pounds, ten pounds, and upwards,
during this period. In order to save room I have refrained from
particularizing these smaller sums, and especially because it was my
more immediate object to show, by the above, how bountifully the Lord
was pleased to furnish me with means for the carrying out my desires
concerning these objects. Yea, the Lord so abundantly supplied me with
means, that during the whole of this period there came not one single
case before me in which it would have been desirable to help, according
to the measure of light given to me, or to extend the work, without my
having at the same time ample means for doing so. In the midst of the
great depression of the times, which was so generally felt, and on
account of which, humanly speaking, I also might have been exceedingly
tried for want of means, I, on the contrary, at no period of the work
for the seventeen years previous had a greater abundance of means. I do
on purpose lay stress upon this, because I desire that it may become
increasingly known, that there is no easier, no better, and no happier
way in the end than God's way, and this in particular also with regard
to the obtaining of means, simply in answer to prayer, without personal
application to any one. I value all the smaller donations which have not
been referred to, as well as the larger ones; and many of them, in the
sight of the Lord, may have been greater donations than the hundreds of
pounds which have been mentioned; but it appeared to me necessary to
give the above facts, as I could not mention every single donation, in
order to prove the easy way in which prayer and faith may procure means,
if we walk uprightly, and if the work in which we are engaged is really
the work of God. Were the obtaining of money my aim, by thus writing, it
would be bad policy indeed, to bring out all these instances of rich and
most abundant supplies for the work; for persons might be led to think
that I need no money, or that, if I did, I should have only to pray and
it would soon come in, through some one or other, without their helping
me; but since my chief aim in the whole work, and in the writing of
these accounts in particular, is, that the blessedness of the life of
faith may be seen, and that the hearts of the children of God may be
allured more and more to their Heavenly Father, and be led more and more
to cast their every care upon Him, and to trust in Him at all times,
yea, in the darkest moments, therefore I take pleasure in speaking about
this rich abundance which God gave me for His own work.

Some readers may say, And what use was made of the money which was
received in this way? Such a one is referred, for a full answer, to the
next chapter but one, which speaks of the operations of the Scriptural
Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad; yet I would give to him here
a few outlines of the operations of the Institution. By the funds, which
were intrusted to me during this period, several hundred poor children
and adults were provided with schooling; many hundreds of copies of the
Holy Scriptures were circulated; about three hundred thousand Gospel
Tracts were distributed; forty-five preachers of the Gospel in the East
Indies, British Guiana, Canada, the United States, France, Switzerland,
Germany, Ireland, Scotland and England were, to a greater or less
degree, assisted with pecuniary help; and, lastly, three hundred Orphans
were provided with everything they needed for this life, besides being
under continual Scriptural instruction. Thus, at least, fifteen thousand
souls were during this period under habitual Scriptural instruction in
connection with this Institution, either in the Sunday Schools, Adult
Schools, Day Schools, and the Orphan House, or through the preachers of
the Gospel referred to.

Supplies for the support of the Orphans, sent in answer to prayer, from
May 26, 1850, to May 26, 1851.

When this period commenced, I had more in hand for the Orphans than for
many years before, under similar circumstances, the balance for current
expenses on May 26, 1850, being 150l. 7s. 10d. Yet, much as this was, in
comparison with what the balance had generally been before, how small
was the amount in reality! About 300 persons were connected with the New
Orphan House, who day by day were to be provided with all they needed,
besides several apprentices who also were still to be supported. On this
account, the one hundred and fifty pounds in hand would only furnish
that which was needed for about fifteen days, as the average expenses of
the Orphan Work alone were about Ten pounds daily.10 Place yourself,
therefore, dear reader, in my position. Three hundred persons daily at
table, and 150l. in hand! Looking at it naturally, it is enough to make
one tremble; but, trusting in the living God, as by His grace I was
enabled to do, I had not the least trial of mind, and was assured that
God would as certainly help me as He had done fourteen years before,
when the number of the Orphans was only the tenth part as large. The
following record will now show that I was not mistaken; and thus another
precious proof is furnished to the believing reader of the truth of that
word: "Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be confounded."

On the very first day of this new period I received from a sister in the
Lord 6l. Another sister gave me 3l., the price of a piece of work done
by her. Thus, as the Lord commenced this period, so He was pleased
generally day by day to send me something, either in small or large
donations. I can, however, only refer to a few instances, to save
space.

Between May 26 and June 30, 1850, God was pleased to send in 193l. 4s.
5d., so that I had more than enough with the balance left in hand, to
meet all the expenses.

July 1. Paid an account to a Christian brother, and received 10l. back
from him for the Orphans. More than 3l. came in besides.

July 2. Received 170l., of which I took 80l. for the Orphans, the rest
for the other objects. 17l. 10s. 1d. came in besides.

On Aug. 16th I had purposed to leave Bristol for a time, having been for
two years and four months uninterruptedly there, in the midst of more
work than I had ever had before. I went, not because I was quite unfit
for work, but in order that, labouring for a little while in a different
air, I might, with the blessing of God, keep off illness. On the 13th,
when going to take lodgings in the country, a Christian, residing at a
distance, whom I met, by God's ordering, no doubt, gave me at the
Railway station, just before starting, 50l., of which I took half for
the Orphans and half for missionary purposes. On the 15th I received
110l., of which 100l. was intended for missions, and 10l. for the
Orphans; and also on the same day 120l. Both donations were from
considerable distances. Besides this I received several small donations,
so that within three days, from the 13th to the 16th, came in about
300l. While absent from the work, from Aug. 16th to Sept. 13th, I was
able to help by my prayers. This was the heaviest month in the way of
current expenses. During no month, all the sixteen years and five months
previously, had there been so much expended for current expenses, as in
August, 1850; but, by what was in hand on August 1, by what came in, as
just related, and by all the many smaller donations, we were most
comfortably helped through. While absent I was also enabled to wait upon
God for means for the work, besides seeking His blessing in other
respects. That this was not in vain, was most evident; for not only did
many donations come in while I was away, but, on my return, God so
abundantly poured in the means, that, within thirteen days after, I
received altogether about One Thousand Pounds; for on the very morning
after my return, Sept. 14th, came in 190l., on Sept 19th 400l., on Sept.
17th 31l. 18s. 3d., on Sept. 25th 50l., on Sept. 27th 200l., besides
many donations of smaller amounts. Truly I do not wait on the Lord in
vain! One thing more I must add here. For several years I had not been
so poor, with regard to means for myself, as when going away for change
of air. But seeing it to be the will of God that I should go, I was sure
that He would help me. Thus it was. On Aug. 13th my dear wife received
from a sister in the Lord 5l. for change of air; and from a Christian
lady near Bridgewater was sent to me for my own personal expenses 1l.,
from Cork 2l., and from a brother in Bristol 1l. On Aug. 15th was sent
for myself from a considerable distance 18l. 11s. 3d. On Aug. 21st from
Glasgow 1l. On Aug. 24th from Sunderland 1s., from Cork 1l., and from
Liverpool 10l. Thus the Lord sent me for my own personal expenses such
an abundance, that from Aug. 13th to Sept. 13th, 1850, I received
altogether 61l. 13s. 6d. Truly I serve a good master, and this I delight
to show. Not only with regard to the obtaining of means for the work, in
which I am engaged, have I found simple trust in the Lord alone the
easiest, the happiest, and the best way; but also in the obtaining of
supplies for my own personal necessities.

Nov. 27. For seven weeks the income has been very small, in comparison
with what has been expended, both for the Orphans and for the various
other objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution. There has come in
for the Orphans 187l. 16s. 2 3/4 d., and for the other objects 62l. 11s.
1d.; and the expenditure has been for the Orphans during these seven
weeks 477l. 2s. 11d., and for the various other objects 394l. 9s. 8d.
Therefore altogether 871l. 12s. 7d. has been expended, whilst the income
altogether has been only 250l. 7s. 3 3/4 d. Of course, we have not gone
into debt, as we never order anything, except we have the means in hand
for it. Nor has there been even the least difficulty experienced with
regard to means, as the Lord in His kindness had sent in considerable
sums just before this season commenced. About 330 persons now sit down
to their meals in the New Orphan House, day by day, and the expenses for
the Orphans alone are about Ten Pounds daily, and those for the other
parts of the work are also about Ten Pounds daily, so that I need to
receive after the rate of 20l. a day, in order to go on with the work;
but during these forty-nine days there has been only one single day that
I have received about 20l., and for the greater part of the time only a
few pounds daily, and sometimes even only a few shillings. But what was
to be done under these circumstances? I gave myself to prayer. God, whom
I have now been enabled to make my refuge, and my only refuge for more
than twenty years, I have besought day by day. And when now day by day I
still have received only small sums, and sometimes nothing or scarcely
anything at all: the only effect that it has had upon me has been, to
pray the more earnestly. My confidence in God is not at all shaken. I
have never had a thought that He would not help me; nor have I even once
been allowed to look upon these seven weeks in any other way than that
the Lord, for the trial of my faith, has ordered it thus that only so
little should come in. I am sure that, when He has tried me
sufficiently, there will come in again larger sums. In the mean time,
how good has the Lord been, not only to have given all I have needed,
but I have even now money in hand! And as to our stores in the New
Orphan-House, they are as full as usual. We have at least 150 sacks of
potatoes in the house, 20 sacks of flour, 33 barrels of oatmeal, each
containing about 200 lbs., about 300 pairs of new shoes (besides about
900 pairs in use), about ten tons of coal, a large quantity of soap and
rice; and so all other parts of the stores in proportion. Indeed while
there has been little coming in, I have just ordered articles in the
wholesale way as formerly, when our income was perhaps four or five
times as much during the same period. My judgment is, that it will now
soon please the Lord again to send in larger sums, as He has been
pleased to exercise my faith for some time in this way. Let me see the
result!

Nov. 28. This morning the Lord has given me a fresh proof, that I had
not waited on Him in vain, and that my confidence in Him, as recorded
last evening, has not been confounded. I received early this morning a
donation of 200l., of which I took one half for the Orphans and the
other half for the other objects.

Nov. 30. Evening. I am brought to the close of another month. Great have
been the expenses, as I have paid out above 400l. for the Orphans, and
above 200l. for the other objects; but I have always had the means to
meet every payment.

Jan. 4, 1851. Besides a donation of 1l. from Newton Ferrers, 1l. 8s.
from Keswick, 4l. 6s. 9d. from the neighbourhood of Bath, I received
also this morning anonymously from Torquay 5s. worth of postages, with
these words: "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." I am doing this.
I expect much, very much indeed, in every way. I also expect much in the
way of means. Evening. This very day the Lord has given me a most
precious proof, that He delights in our having large expectations from
Him. "My mouth has been filled," according to the portion of Holy
Scripture sent to me this morning. I have received this evening the sum
of Three Thousand Pounds, being the largest donation which I have had as
yet. I have had very many donations of 100l. and of 200l., several of
300l., one of 400l., several of 500l., some from 600l. to 900l., four of
l000l., two of 2000l. and one of 2050l. But I never had more than this
given to me at one time; yet I have expected more than 2050l. in one
donation, and, accordingly, it has pleased the Lord to give me 3000l.
this evening. I now write again that I expect far larger Sums still, in
order that it may be yet more and more manifest, that there is no
happier, no easier, and no better way of obtaining pecuniary means for
the work of the Lord, than the one in which I have been led. How great
my joy in God is, on account of this donation, cannot be described; but
it is not in the least coupled with excitement. I take this donation out
of the hands of the living God; I continually look for His help, and am
perfectly assured that I shall have it, and therefore is my soul calm
and peaceful, without any excitement, though the donation is so large.
This donation is, however, like a voice from heaven, speaking to me
concerning a most deeply important matter respecting which I am seeking
guidance from the Lord, the building of another Orphan-House. For
several years, while the Orphans were living in rented houses in Wilson
Street, Bristol, it pleased the Lord to manifest His power by helping us
from day to day, and sometimes even from meal to meal; but of late years
He has more especially been pleased to show His power by sending us
abundant supplies. Should it please Him, however, hereafter to cause us
again to be similarly situated, He will surely help; and, by His grace,
we will then trust in Him as heretofore. Moreover, though we have not
been so low with regard to means, yet my faith has not been without
trial even in this particular; but especially in other respects it has
pleased God continually to keep my faith in exercise. This sum of 3000l.
was entirely left at my disposal, and it was therefore portioned out
thus: 1500l. for the Orphans, 500l. for foreign labourers in the Gospel,
500l. for home labourers in the Gospel, 200l. for the circulation of
Gospel Tracts, 100l. for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and
200l. for the support of Day Schools, Adult Schools, and Sunday
Schools.

As an instance to show in what a variety of ways the Lord is pleased to
help me with means, I insert here the following kind but anonymous
letter, which was left at my house on January 27th, 1851.

Copyright (c) 2007. topboookz.com. All rights reserved.