May 26th, 1902—May 26th, 1903
“His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.”—Lam. 3:22, 23.
O worship the King all glorious above!
And gratefully sing His power and His love!
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendour, and girded with praise!
Sir Robert Grant, 1815
Supplies Still Bountiful
The following entries tell of some of these “compassions” of our God toward us during another year.
On May 28th we received from Edinburgh, £130, with £10 for Mr. Bergin, and £10 for myself.—31st. From Clifton, £50. From R. F., £100.
We received on June 2nd the legacy, with interest, of the late Mrs. F. A., £104 14s. 1d.—3rd. From Eastville, 10s., “A thank-offering to God for the good news of Peace.” 4th. From Plusha Bridge, 4s., “as a small thank-offering on the declaration of Peace.”—11th. The total receipts towards the support of the work, this day, were £5 19s. 9d., while the payments reached the total of £702 5s. 6d. If our trust was in the balance in hand we might well be anxious; but, by grace, our trust is in God, who will provide, in His own time and way.
Mr. Wright’s Remarks On Mr. Chapman
There is another agency in operation for the benefiting of this Institution, to which I am led now to refer—viz., the power of Intercessory Prayer. This agency is invisible in its working and beyond all human calculation in its results, but we have the divine estimate of its importance in James v. 16: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
It is a simple, undeniable fact, that the “Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad “owes its existence, and largely its history, instrumentally, to “the effectual fervent prayer” of one man, whom God raised up to accomplish it. But his faith proved contagious, and the phalanx of praying souls that the Holy Spirit has banded together to sustain and forward it by their believing supplication and intercession, have become, like David’s supporters of old, “a great host like the host of God.”
But as in that “host” there were some pre-eminently “mighty,” so also with the modern parallel, there have been amongst the secret pleaders with our “Father who seeth in secret” the mighty, the mightier, and the mightiest. One who, I believe, I may safely class with the last named, on June 12th passed away from earth, and it is his decease that leads me to make these remarks. Robert Cleaver Chapman, late of Barnstaple, Devon, was one of George Müller’s oldest and most intimate friends. Throughout the sixty-eight years of the existence of this Institution, he has been its helper by continuous intercession; a mighty spiritual helper. Well beloved, single-eyed “servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,” thou hast “fought the good fight, thou hast kept the faith, thou hast finished thy course,” may grace be given to us to follow thee as thou didst follow thy Lord.
On the 13th, there came from 2 Cor. 9:15, £10 for Missions.—20th. Legacy of the late A. B., Esq., £500.
There came on the 24th, from Scotland, £100. Our fund for the School, Bible, Missionary and Tract operations was again exhausted, and we had been longing and praying for help for these branches of the work; especially that we might be enabled to help some of the beloved servants of Christ laboring in the gospel in this and other lands. It was, therefore, a great cheer and refreshment to receive this £100.
Faith Relieves From Anxiety
The freedom from anxious care that this way of carrying on work for God brings cannot be described in words. The work is more and more felt to be God’s work, not ours. If He is pleased to contract our income, we seek to contract our expenditure—”A man can receive nothing except it be given him from above.” If the Lord withholds from us the honor of enlarging our operations in any particular direction, we have no personal reputation to maintain. We are not architects charged with the designing of the form, and scope of God’s work. He, Himself, is the Architect, and Designer, and we are simply His day laborers, supremely happy in taking our orders day by day from Him, and leaving all the results in His hands.
At the same time we hold to it that—”He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think,” and so we go on seeking to “hope in His mercy,” and to expect greater things still from His infinite wisdom, love, and power. Moreover, the Lord of the harvest is not limited to this or that particular channel by which to supply His servants that labor in dependence upon Himself; and if He, our Lord and Master, is pleased to call others to share in such work as we delight to do for Him, by His grace we will rejoice in His holy pleasure, for “If one member be honored, all the (other) members (should) rejoice with it.”
On July 2nd the legacy of the late R. A., Esq., £100, was paid. From Stoke, Devon, 5s. The donor writes:—
“It is a thank-offering to God for a good husband, the son of a praying mother, who attributes her conversion to the influence received while a resident in one of the Orphan Houses on Ashley Down.”
We received from South Hackney, £93.—7th. From Mundesley, £20.—14th. From Streatham Hill came the following letter:—
“Dear Mr. Wright,
“I am sending the enclosed for the benefit of the Orphans. I myself was in the Orphanage for thirteen years; and, though I did not value its advantages as I ought to have done, God, in His mercy, has led me to see how much I have missed. Since my conversion I have looked upon it as a pleasure and a duty to support the Orphanages, knowing that the God who clothed and fed me, through the faith of others, can also render to me according to my faith in Him; and, lately, He has led me to see that we should give to Him according as He has blessed us; so will you kindly put the enclosed £13 for the Orphans.”
We received on the 19th, from Porthcawl, £39 7s. 4d. The donor says:—”I am deeply thankful that the Lord has given me the power and desire to help the good work.” 21st. From Westmorland, £167.—The mail of the 22nd brought us from an Orphan formerly under our care, now living in British Columbia, 10s. 3d. for Missions and 10s. 3d. for the Orphans, with the following letter:—
“Dear Mr. Wright,
“Once more the Lord has given me the privilege, and a milling heart, to send the enclosed to you for His work; will you kindly use half for the Orphans, and the other for what you think best. Hoping you and all helpers are quite well,
“I remain,
“Your grateful Orphan,—.”
The writer states that “the Lord” had given her a “willing heart.” The truth referred to cannot be too deeply impressed on our minds. “God loveth a cheerful giver.” But for this very cheerfulness, which, like the bloom on fresh ripe fruit, imparts such preciousness to the gift in the eyes of the blessed God, we are indebted altogether to Himself! This willing cheerfulness in giving is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, who works in us to “will and to do of His good pleasure.” But the Holy One works by using instrumentality, and the instrument is His own holy written Word; and here comes in our responsibility. Our part is to cultivate the habit of daily prayerful meditation on the Scriptures, and if this habit is maintained, the Holy Spirit will so unfold to our hearts the wondrous love of God manifested in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, that that love will, as the Apostle Paul expresses it, “Constrain” us to regard all that we possess as given to us “ with “ Jesus, and so to account it our happy privilege to render to Him of His own. In this spirit David exclaimed: “Of Thine own have we given Thee.”
On the 23rd the legacy of the late Mr. M. D., £500, was received. From Edgbaston, £150. From Clifton, £150. For several weeks the income for the support of the Orphans has been much less than the expenditure. Now, in answer to many prayers, the Lord has graciously sent us, within three days, more than one thousand pounds for this branch of the work!—There was paid, on the 24th, the legacy of the late Miss F. P., £250.
Still further, after our weeks of comparative straitness, the Lord is today pouring bountifully into our treasury. This is according to the manner of our gracious Heavenly Father. First He tests the faith and patience He bestows. Secondly, He sustains both the faith and patience that He exercises, and thus strengthens and increases both. Thirdly, in grace, He richly rewards the trust that has reposed in Himself. For three weeks past I had been away from Bristol for a little rest and change. Mr. Bergin sent me daily reports of the work, so I knew how, day by day, the disparity between income and expenditure increased. Nevertheless, neither Mr. Bergin nor myself were permitted to suffer any anxiety. We “thanked God” that, owing to His previous bounties, we had more than enough to meet this lack, and, for the future, we “took courage,” trusting in the Lord Jehovah, Jehovah Jireh, that He would in His own time and way provide; and thus it has again proved. From a solicitor, £1 is: “It is my first fee on setting up in practice as a solicitor, and I wish to offer the firstfruit unto the Lord.”—30th. From Barnston, a letter as follows:—
“My first donation to the Orphans at Ashley Down was 2s. 6d., and after reading your Report, another 2s. 6d. The next year I sent 10s., and last year 10s., and again, after reading your Report, another 10s., and then I resolved to lay by a tenth of my earnings for my Saviour’s cause, and have been enabled to do so up to the present. The letters I receive from my three sisters and brother in your Homes give me great pleasure, and I do pray the Lord to continue abundantly to bless your labors and all connected with the cause at Ashley Down.”
There came on August 6th, from Dundee, £50.—7th. From the Lord Mayor of Bristol, £41 15s. 6d., in new sixpences (1,150 Victorian and 521 of the present reign); 1,701 Coronation medals, with ribbon to attach the same, and 1,701 buns, for presentation to the Orphans in the five Orphan Homes on the day of the Coronation of His Majesty King Edward the Seventh.—8th. From London, £5 5s. for Missions. The kind donor, in former years, was instrumental in bringing many Orphans under our care; but was subsequently led to engage in the work of caring for Orphans, and has been greatly blessed therein. The following are some of the sympathetic words that accompanied the donation:—
“Dear Mr. Wright,
“Many thanks for your Report. I am delighted to know that God has led you to open the doors of your Homes to children bereaved of one parent, and so to fill up the vacancies, that the Houses God has so honored may be filled. I see by your Report that money has been coming in rather slowly for Missions, so kindly do me the favor to accept the enclosed small cheque for that object.”
There was received on the 12th, from Bristol, with 2 Cor. 9:15, £10 for Missions. Legacy of the late Mrs. E. P., £201 14s. 9d. Legacy of the late J. W., Esq., £100— 28th. From Bristol, £75, and £25 for myself.
Death Of A Loved And Valued Friend And Helper
On September 9th our dearly beloved and valued friend, Mr. Benjamin Perry, fell asleep, after a protracted and painful illness. He was for many years a close personal friend of Mr. Müller’s; one who not only liberally aided with the substance which the Lord entrusted to him as His steward, but by his constant prayer was a mighty helper of this work. The words on helpers by prayer, given under June 12th, have a true application in his case also. His counsel in business matters was so valuable, that when in 1892 land belonging to this Institution was sold, it was to this wise, godly, business man Mr. Müller turned for assistance, which was ungrudgingly and joyfully rendered. The Institution has suffered a great loss by his removal; but, blessed be God, the word “Thou remainest” comforts our hearts.
I received from London on the 15th the following letter:
“Dear Mr. Wright,
“I am pleased to be able to write to you once again, and to send you £1 4s., being a tenth of four months’ wages, to be used as you think best. I must tell you it is exactly eighteen years ago today since I left the dear old Orphan House No. 5. What memories it does recall as I look back. Truly the Lord has been with me and watched over me each step of the way, and I thank Him today for all the way He has led me. Will you kindly give my love to the dear matrons and teachers of No. 5.
“I remain,
“A grateful Orphan.”
There was received on the 23rd, from Redland, £40, with £5 for Mr. Bergin, and £5 for myself.—27th. From Tranmere, 5s., “from one who was under your care twenty-five years ago.”
There came to us on October 1st, from Scotland, £100, with £5 for myself. From “Readers of The Christian,” 5s. for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, with £49 18s. 2d. for the Orphans. From Sussex, £100 for Missions, with £20 for the Orphans. After a period of some weeks, during which the supplies for the work have been comparatively small, the Lord is, today, beginning to answer many prayers, in a more abundant income, and, particularly, in that nearly £200 are available for the Missionary operations.
I received on the 3rd, from Cheltenham, 5s., with the following letter:—
“Dear Sir,
“It gives me great pleasure to write to you and to be able to send a small token of gratitude for the kind care that was taken of me during the fifteen years I was at the dear Home. I thank God that I was brought up at such a home. It is the only home I have known, except where I am now. I have been here three and a half years. My master and mistress are exceedingly kind, they are just like parents to me. My grateful love to all.”
There came on the 8th, from Weston-super-Mare, £30. From Bath, £20.—11th. From Workington, 5s. for Missions, with the following words:—
“Dear Sir,
“I have begun to work for the bread that perisheth; and, seeing that the Lord has saved my soul, I have decided to give my first earnings for the Master’s use.
“Faithfully yours,
“First Fruits.”
The father of this anonymous donor adds the following postscript to his son’s letter: “I, the father of the above, agree and rejoice. Proverbs 22:6. ‘Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’” From Leeds, £50.
We received on the 17th the legacy of the late Mrs. E. H., £450. From Prahran, Australia, £1, with the following letter:—
“Dear Mr. Wright,
“I am not personally acquainted with you, but, as the successor to the benefactor of my youth, the good George Müller, you are, and ever will be, dear to me, one of the earliest Orphan boys at No. 3, Wilson Street, Bristol. I am now seventy-two years of age, and for about forty years have never slept without remembering my early friend, and the Orphan Houses at the throne of grace; and, since his lamented death, have prayed every night for you, and the Orphans under your care; and now pray again, ‘God bless you and them, and all engaged in the work.’ The bearer of this letter is one of my sons, a good Christian lad, who will be delighted to see the noble Institution, and the wonderful work of God through faith in Him. He will hand you 20s. from me towards the Orphan work.”
There came to us on the 18th, from Leamington, £20. From Christian Sailors, on board H.M.S. Ramillies, £1 15s., “money received as pay instead of grog.” From the Board of Governors of “Thomas Porter’s Equipment Fund,” £125.—28th. Legacy of the late Miss R. D. K., £93 is. 3d.—31st. Received in cash, £50, in lieu of plate and jewellery bequeathed by the late Miss K. J. E. P.
On November 1st the legacy of the late Mr. T. W., £22 10s., was paid.—5th. From Bradninch, £1. In the letter accompanying it, the donor says:—
“Will you please accept the enclosed £1 with my love and gratitude for the many years of good training I had from early childhood. It was a great pleasure, last summer, to go to Bristol, and pass through No. 3 and No. 1 Orphan Houses. Every place seemed so familiar to me, although I have left so many years. It was thirty years since I had had the pleasure of seeing you.”
We received on the 6th, the legacy of the late Mr. J. L, £126 15s. 6d.—10th. From Bristol, 2 Cor. 9:15, £15.— 12th. From Chippenham, £50. Anonymously, per G.W. Railway, £30, and a pair of sheets and 2 pillow slips. From Scotland, £80, for Missions, Bibles, etc., with £20 for the Orphans, and £5 for myself. For many weeks the Lord has been pleased to keep us very low in the fund for these objects; yet daily some tokens of His gracious remembrance came to hand. Now, after many prayers, and patient waiting for the Lord, He again cheered us by this donation.
The legacy of the late Mrs. L. L. A., £200, was paid on the 21st. From “Fide et Amore,” £20, “prize money for a horse.” The donor was “impressed to forward this for the Orphans.”—26th. By sale of dental gold, £21 5s. Many hundreds of pounds have been received by the sale of artificial teeth set in gold.
On December 4th, was received the legacy of the late T. M. J., Esq., £450.—9th. From Salem, U.S.A., £4 2s. 1d. The donor has been blessed in business, so sends this, which he says is “the fruit of hard labor,” but he sends it “with pleasure, because it is all the Lord’s.” Beloved reader, let us more and more seek to give in this spirit. If we have been enabled to trust in Christ as our Saviour, let us heartily own Him as Lord, i.e., absolute possessor of our persons, and all that we have. How different our view of all earthly possessions will be from that of the world that knows not God, if we regard them simply as entrusted to us to deal with as stewards answerable to the Sovereign Possessor of all.—13th. From Redland, £20 0s. 6d.—15th. From Blackheath the following letter:—
“Dear Mr. Wright,
“I enclose you cheque for £15, of which please devote £10 to your Orphan work, or any other department you think well, and take the remaining £5, please, for your own and co-worker’s needs, dividing it among yourselves. I feel I am a good deal indebted to our dear departed friend, Mr. Müller, as regards his testimony as to the value of giving. I see it was early in 1868 I first got into communication with him, now nearly thirty-five years ago, and I cannot but notice how the Lord has been with me and helped me; and now, as I am getting an old man, and derive my income principally from house property, how my houses are kept well let, and rents well paid, is quite remarkable. I say this to His praise, which I feel it is well, both for ourselves and others, not to keep back.”
There came in on the 18th, from Bristol, £20, with £5 for Mr. Bergin, and £5 for myself. From W. P. and Sons, £30—20th. Legacy of the late W. H. M., Esq., £90— 27th. From Dublin, £100. From “Mother,” £25 4s. 31st. From Redland, £3 3s., a thank-offering for the preservation of a son, who served in the South African war, and who had been shot through both legs.
1903
We received on January 1st, from Melksham, £35. From Ashley Hill, £35. From “Needy,” £30, with £5 for myself. From Highbury, £100.—16th. From “H. S. H., Reveresco,” £200, with £2 for myself. From Kendal, £38 14s. 4d.—17th. Anonymously, from Clifton, £50 “from an elderly Orphan.”—23rd. Legacy of the late Miss H. H., £218 is. 5d. The testatrix was a domestic servant, and her mistress informed us of the legacy, and sent us the Will, which enabled us to obtain it.—28th. From London, £y, “with grateful love, from one of your old Orphans.”—29th. From Moline, £20 7s.—30th. From Scotland, £80 for Missions, etc., £20 for the Orphans, with £5 for myself.
Trust In God By Merchants
On February 2nd I received from Dunedin, £25. The donors write:—
“One of the greatest crises in our business will take place in a few short weeks; but our hearts are stayed upon Jehovah, and we realize that the fear of man bringeth a snare. In the ordinary course of things the events of the near future should give us cause for much thought and great concern, but the business is the Lord’s, not ours, and He will guide through all the difficulties that seem to be gathering fast about us. Meanwhile, we wait patiently upon the Lord, knowing He will bring it to pass.”
The above sentences are worthy of the attention of Christians engaged in business. They are not the words of mere theorists, but of men who have daily to face all the varied difficulties which beset those who aim at really carrying on business for God. The calm confidence which the letter breathes can only flow from one source, viz.: the faith that “God is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Again, such freedom from anxious care could not be maintained if there was on the part of the merchants any “turning aside to crooked ways “in carrying on their transactions. It would be a hollow pretension to say “the business is the Lord’s,” if He were not really recognized as the Lord of the business: that is, if His will, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, was not reverently applied to every detail of management, and implicitly obeyed. That, at least, must be the habitual aim of His servants if their peace of mind is to continue unruffled. Will the reader kindly refer to the entry made further on, under date of April 6th, and the remarks made thereon.
From Liverpool we received £50 for Missions, “being savings.” On the 5th, from Morningside, the following letter came:—
“Dear Sir,
“It is with great pleasure I am sending you 5s., as a thank-offering to God, for His great mercy to me and mine, in providing such a home for four of my fatherless little girls in your Orphanage. It is not much I can do, but I know that, small as it is, it is given with a thankful and grateful heart. How hard it is to part with our little ones no one but a mother knows; but I am sure that we mothers ought to thank and praise God, that our dear little ones are being taken care of, and, above all, being brought up in the right way. Oh, I am so thankful when I think how my dear ones might have been neglected, while I was working for them, and I do thank you again and again for your goodness in taking four of my darlings.
“I remain, etc.”
There came in on the 7th, from Clevedon, £50.—12th. From Sheffield, £50 for Missions in Italy, and £50 for the Orphans. From Ipswich, £300, with the following letter:—
“Dear Sir,
“The late Mr.—— left me his residuary legatee. As I do not intend to retain this money myself, I send you £300 towards your funds. In doing so I believe I am promoting a work with which the Testator was entirely in sympathy.”
We received on the 13th, from near Bingley, £20.—26th. From Kidderminster, £20. From Tavistock, £5 for Missions, with £5 for the Orphans and £1 for myself. This kind donor writes as follows:—
“The fact that a work of such magnitude has been carried on for so many years, by simply calling in faith upon God for supplies, is of vast importance in this skeptical age.”
Seventy years ago it was borne in upon George Müller’s heart that the Church of Christ needed such a testimony, and He yielded himself to God for the service. That our God and Father accepted it, the above letter, a sample of many, goes to prove. That such a testimony is none the less needed today is our deep conviction, and we also desire to continue it as long as the Lord shall be pleased to uphold us.—28th. From Watford, £25.
A Large Legacy
There was paid on March 2nd, on account of the legacy of the late G. R., Esq., £6,000. For some weeks the daily income for the Orphans has been much below the average daily expenditure on their account. Now, by causing this large sum to be paid to us, our faithful and gracious God and Father reminds us how well He knows our need, and, that, owing to our having some 300 more Orphans under our care than we had two years ago, our expenditure is largely increased.—10th. Balance of the legacy of the late Miss J. D., £85 6s. 11d.—11th. From Weston-super-Mare, £30.—16th. From London, Ontario, £30.—18th. From Southport, £25.—24th. Received the following gratifying report of an Orphan apprentice:—
“Dear Sir,
“I have to inform you, that——, who was apprenticed to me, from your Institution, is leaving my employ for Liverpool. I am very pleased to state that he has done very well during his term of apprenticeship, and for over a year in my employ afterwards, and will depart, with our sincere love and best wishes for his future success in every respect.”
On the 25th, we received from Woodhouse, £10, from one who, twenty-seven years ago, was an Orphan boy, in Orphan House No. 4. Seven years ago we sent him an Orphan, as an apprentice to his business, and of him he reports: “He is doing well, is to be married at Easter, and, to all appearances, his prospects are bright for the future.” From readers of the Christian Herald, £27 18s. 10d. 30th. From Westbury Park, £20. Balance of the legacy of the late G. R., Esq., £1,314 1s. 7d., making in all £7,314 1s. 7d. received from the estate of this gentleman.
Trusting In God Leads To Fuller Trust
On April 2nd, the legacy of the late Mrs. C. B. C, £100, was paid.—6th. From Dunedin, the following letter:—
“Dear Brother in the Lord,
“We enclose a draft for £100; £50 for the Orphans, and £50 for Missions. As we told you last year, we have been constrained to lay aside 15 percent of our profits for the Lord’s work, and the resolution, from a worldly point of view, has proved a good investment. Our needs have not increased with our capital, and we have now nearly all we need in our business, so we now propose to devote 20 percent of the profits to the Lord’s work. ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof’ and why should we try to hoard up what is not ours? We realize that we need much of our Heavenly Father’s wisdom to distribute His money in His way, and our prayer is that we may be kept low at the Master’s feet. ‘The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.’ Banks may break, business may decline, but when the soul is stayed upon Jehovah, none of these things shall move us. We sincerely trust that our testimony may help you all in your life and work of faith.
“We remain,
“Yours in the Master’s service ——.”
Three important principles are illustrated in this letter. First, to give to the Lord according to His will as revealed in the Scriptures, the believer should give in proportion to the increase of his substance, 1 Cor. 16:2, “as God hath prospered him.” In this instance, after a clear increase in the business profits in a given year, the amount devoted
to the Lord is raised from its previous rate to fifteen percent of the profits; the following year showing a still further increase of profits, the amount to be devoted to the Lord is raised to twenty percent. Secondly, it is recognized that the object of a child of God is not to hoard up treasure on earth, but, as a steward, to scatter the increase entrusted to his stewardship. Thirdly (a most deeply important point), even in the disbursal of this, the believer is not to act in self will, or depend upon his own wisdom and discretion, but “low at the Master’s feet” to seek explicit direction. Implicit trust in the “Counsellor” “the Mighty God,” will always obtain His explicit guidance. The reader will, I think, find it profitable to read again the letter, given under the date of Feb. 2nd, from the same writer. A comparison of that letter and the present one, written two months later, will illustrate the faithfulness of God in abundantly justifying, by His subsequent providence, the calm confidence expressed in the first letter in the Father’s unfailing care.
Received the legacy of the late F. D. M., Esq., £152 17s. 10d. On the 8th, from Bristol, £50.—14th. From Wolverhampton, £50. From Bristol, £34 16s. and a gold locket from the same kind donor who gave the £50 for these objects as noted under the 8th of this month.
I had, at first, some hesitation in accepting the first gift, and probed the donor as to the motives inducing the surrender, but it was evident that the cost had been counted, and the action prompted by love to the Saviour, so I could only admire the Lord’s sovereignty in selecting His instruments for supplying the needs of His work. These were emphatically cheerful, yea, joyful gifts.
We received on the 17th, from Scotland, £80 for Missions, etc., with £20 for the Orphans, and £5 for myself. This was a most marked answer to our continued supplications, for additional means for Missions.—22nd. From the Board of Governors of “Thomas Porter’s Equipment Fund,” £125. From Porthcawl, £50. From Perry Bar, £25, with £1 for Mr. Bergin, and £1 for myself.—25th. Legacy of the late Mrs. L. W., £100.
There came in on May 2nd, from Porthcawl, £111 3s., from the same kind donor who sent £50 on April 22nd. 4th. From Bristol, 2 Cor. 9:15, £15.—5th. From Edinburgh, £100, for Missions, etc., with £30 for the Orphans, £10 for Mr. Bergin, and £10 for myself.—9th. From Boston, on account of the share of residue of the late T. M. J., Esq., £1,000.—18th. From Newton Abbot, £100, share of residue of the late Mrs. S. I. B.—21st. Legacy of the late Dr. T. J. C, £100.
A Skeptical Critic’s Opinion
A skeptical critic, writing, in the year 1898, in one of the popular magazines, remarked that “the days of fanatical giving had now passed,” and that, therefore, it could not be expected that the extensive work, originated by the deceased philanthropist, could be, in the future, successfully carried on by the same methods which had hitherto been pursued. Yet, for five years, this work has gone on, and is going on today, on precisely the same lines on which it was conducted for the previous sixty-four years. To meet the expenses during these five years, the sum of £158,150 has been obtained simply in answer to believing prayer, without any appeal, verbal or printed, to the public, or solicitation for help addressed to one single individual.
Mr. Bergin and myself feel profoundly grateful to the God of all grace for His unmerited mercy bestowed upon us, in our being permitted to bear this testimony to the faithfulness of our God and Father, who, today, as ever, hears and answers the prayers of His children.
The total income for all the purposes of this work, for the past year, ending 26th May, has been £29,359 6s. 9d.
The balance in hand for the Orphans at the end of the year was £11,523 16s. 2d.