May 26th, 1907—May 26th, 1908
“And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking upon the sea, … saying, Be of good cheer; it is I: be not afraid.”—Matt. 14:25, 27
“A little more prayer, a little more faith, a little more patience, and the answer is sure to come.”—George Müller
Of His deliv’rance I will boast,
Till all that are distrest,
From my example comfort take,
And charm their grief to rest.
While hungry lions lack their prey,
The Lord will food provide
For such as put their trust in Him,
And see their need supplied.
Tate and Brady, 1652
Sustaining Grace Under Trials, And Complete Deliverance
In the unerring wisdom of our God, the living God, we began this year, May 27th, 1907, with nothing in hand. Thus from its earliest dawn we were truly cast upon God. No one knew this, for two months elapsed ere our Statement of Accounts appeared in public: yet we were kept in perfect peace with our “mind stayed on Jehovah” and we were not disappointed or put to shame, as the following narrative of facts will make manifest.
This first donation, £1 10s., “Droppings,” was a beginning of showers that followed ere the year closed.—28th. The income for two days has been £21 4s. 7d. Not much for the eye to rest on, when the vast expenses of this work (about £90 a day) are considered; but our eye is upon Jehovah, and our expectation is from Him.—31st. Received £100, from a donor who asks that it be acknowledged “‘Unto Him that loved us,’ from his own Executor.” This gift was a great cheer to us. Thus the Lord begins to help us in our sore need. We will “trust and not be afraid.”
On June 3rd, we received from Scotland, £43 5s., and £5 for my own use. The donor asks prayer that he and his wife may glorify the Lord in a crisis in their lives. I think this gift tells of an answer to that prayer already given, proving true the word: “Before they call, I will answer.” 4th. From Hull, 10s. 3d. The donor, whose average wage, when able to work, is 10s. or 11s. a week, who is now in the Infirmary, writes:—
“I am sorry for the sake of your big family that I cannot send you £10 instead of 10s. I should like to have waited a little longer, and have made it a £1, but, having regard to the weakness of our nature, I might be tempted to make use of it, if I get to be hard up.”
There came to us on the 5th, from Bridgwater, £50. From Clifton, £50.—11th. The balance of the legacy of the late C. W., Esq., £125.—17th. Legacy of the late Mr. W. H. P., £294 4s. 11d.—22nd. Legacy of the late D. A. M. T., Esq., £100.
The income for the month ending on the 26th, for Schools in Italy and England, Bible Circulation, Tract distribution, and aiding Missionaries, has been £66 15s. 1d. You will thus see, esteemed reader, how solemnly we are cast on God to sustain this His own work. During the last year of this work we spent on these Objects, £3,505 10s. 5d., one-twelfth of which would be about £292 2s. 6d., and He has been pleased to send us only the amount referred to above. Yet we are not confounded, but quietly wait on Him alone, assured that when He has accomplished His purpose in this “trial of our faith,” He will again work on our behalf.—27th. From Sussex, £20.—28th. From Scotland, £45, “from one who does not wish his name disclosed.”
We received on July 1st, from Scotland, £80 for Missions, etc., with £20 for the Orphans, and £5 for my own use. This came from a donor who has for many years liberally helped this work, and often has it been, as it is now, that his gifts have been timely. Can you enter, dear reader, into our feelings of gratitude to God for this? Oh, the blessedness of waiting only upon God!—3rd. From Maidstone I received this letter:—
“I am enclosing 6s. 6d. towards the Bible and Tract Fund. This is one week’s increase in salary, and it has been laid on my mind to send this, as the result of reading that remarkable life of Mr. George Müller. This has been the means of deepening my spiritual life immensely, and of a truth, I had never known the blessedness of believing prayer before. Truly ‘his works do follow him.’”
From New Somerby, £1 5s. The donor writes:—
“I enclose £1 5s. I have been reading Prov. 19:17, ‘He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again.’ He pays good interest, better than any Bank pays. The first time I sent 2s. 6d., and I could hardly spare it.”
On the 6th, from “Anonymous,” £210. This donor has given for years in this way. This gift now is a cause of much thanksgiving to God, because of the very low state of the funds; of this we did not inform him when acknowledging his gift, as that might be construed into an appeal for more. By sale of dental gold, £12 8s. 6d., and of jewellery, £41 5s. 4d. So the Lord further helped us in our poverty.—9th. From Aldershot, £45, with £5 for myself.—10th. The legacy of the late Mr. J. B. B., £107 10s. 16th. Half of residue of the estate of the late Miss H., £105 4s. 5d.—17th. Legacy of the late A. F. G., Esq., £90. Sale of articles at Park Street Depot, £8. The income for the last week is £304 18s. 2d. O Lord, how long!—23rd. From Clifton, £20, with £5 for myself.
On the 24th, the legacy of the late Mrs. R. W., £100, was paid. This past week’s income, including the legacy just named, was only £241 13s. 4d. Thus, dear reader, see how our poverty increases; the fiery trial of our faith gets hotter, the water gets deeper through which we are passing. Can you not understand, then, how blessed is our God’s word to us, as given in Isaiah 43:2-3:—
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.”
We received from Corshamside, 10s. for Missions. The donor writes:—
“I am sure next to the Bible I have derived more benefit from the life of George Müller, and the work on Ashley Down, than by any other means. May our God encourage you at all times; we know Satan is mighty, but our God is almighty.”
A Strange Telegram And Its Answer
On the 25th, while I was at Weston-super-Mare for my holiday, a telegram was received as follows from Manchester.
“Are you in want? Can spare at a push; reply paid.”
My son, whom I left in charge, well knowing my mind on such matters, replied:—
“Only information ever given about funds is contained in Report. To God alone we make known our needs. Writing tonight.”
In the evening he brought me the telegram and copy of his reply, and I wrote a letter as follows:—
“My dear Sir,
“Your most kind telegram reached here today. I am staying at Weston-super-Mare for a rest. My son received your telegram and sent the reply, and has brought down the letters needing my attention. Heartily do I thank you for your most kind thought expressed in your telegram. However, as I received from the Lord the sacred trust to carry on the work begun by Mr. Müller in 1834-1836, and carried on by him till his death without any deviation from the principle that God is able and willing, without any appeal to human helpers, or even in cases like yours, without responding to questions directly asked, to supply all the needs of His work, I cannot depart from that heavenly principle.
“May I ask you to read Mr. Müller’s remarks given on
page 87 of the Report just published.9 Mr. Wright, from
1898, when Mr. Müller died, till 1905, when he himself died,
continued strictly adhering to this principle. Assuring you
of my warm thanks for your deep and true interest in
this work,
“I am, my dear Sir,
“Yours sincerely,
“G. Fred. Bergin”
As the reader will have learned above, we were in need, yea, sore need—we gave ourselves to prayer; telling the Lord afresh of this our deep need, and that for His sake we refused to disclose our position, even when thus directly asked, and besought Him to incline that gentleman, or whom other He would, to send us help, and we immediately got the spiritual help in that we “had witness borne to us that we had been well pleasing unto God”—Heb. 11:5, r.v. Yea, “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,”kept guard of “our hearts and” our “thoughts in Christ Jesus.”
On the 27th our hearts were greatly cheered by the receipt of the following letter:—
“I enclose a cheque—£50—for Missions. The reading of the Report, lately received, evokes praise. When it is seen how believers are carried through trials, other
believers looking on find that gracious communications are made to their own spirits; and those who are still unbelievers may by the same means be brought to trust the Lord. ‘They that fear Thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in Thy Word’ (Ps. 119:74). I pray God to give you great refreshment.”
The mail of the 29th brought us from Australia, the first installment of the legacy of the late J. N. H., Esq., £397 9s. 11d. for the Orphans, with £100 for the Schools, Bibles, Tracts, and Missions.
Will the reader kindly note that it is only four days since we refused to tell our need to human ears, and now we get £500, less Bank commission, from Australia!
“Say not my soul! From whence can God relieve thy care?
Remember! Omnipotence hath servants everywhere.”
Join us in praising God for His keeping power four days ago, and for His delivering power manifest today.
There came on the 31st, from West Norwood, £100. The income for the past week was £694 10s. 6d.; and since May 27th, two months and five days, £3,918 11s. 1d. Thus has the Lord fed us from day to day through a very trying period.
“Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear Him,
Upon them that hope in His lovingkindness,
To keep them alive in famine”
We received on August 1st, from Edinburgh, £110 for the Orphans, and £40 for Schools, Bibles, etc. See how again the Lord cheers our hearts. From Polperro, £1 0s. 3d. The donor writes:—
“Thank you very much for the Report, which it has been a great pleasure to read. The sickness in the Homes must have been a real trial of faith, but how delightful to know that ‘Jehovah Jireh’ has not failed you! Do you know these lines?
‘God is faithful; not He has been, nor He will be—both are true;
But today, in this sore trial, God is faithful now to you!’”
We received from Redhill, £1. This donor writes:—
“In April you enclosed one of your booklets, The Peace of God Garrisoning the Heart, and it was just what was needed at the time, ‘a word in season.’ I was rather worried, but it set me right.”
From Scotland there came the following letter:—
“I received and have read with interest last year’s Report.
‘Still trust in God, for Him to praise
Good cause I yet shall have.
He of my countenance is the health;
My God, that doth me save’ (Psalm 43)
As one who would like to be a faithful steward, I enclose notes value £50, of which I wish you to take £5 for yourself, and the balance for what you see most needful.”
On the 2nd, we received from Scotland, £45, and £5 for myself.—3rd. From Bristol, 10s. The donor writes:—
“I must write and thank you for the Report, and tell you what a cheer and uplift it was to me. It came at a time when I was specially in need of a cordial for faith, and such it has been indeed.
‘Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review,
Confirms His good pleasure to help me quite through.’”
There came on the 6th, from Glamorganshire, £215, with £10 for Dr. Bergin, and £25 for myself. Only three days since we sang of His good pleasure to help. How true this is, was proved by such a gift. From Bristol, £25.—7th. From Dundee, £50. From Ibrox, £1 for Missions, with £1 10s. for the Orphans. The donor writes:—
“Dear Mr. Bergin,
“Thanks for the most interesting Report received. It is a joy to me to have fellowship in a work that has the seal of God so manifestly upon it. May the verse—’My God shall supply all your need’ (Phil. 4:19), be a comfort to you with your large needs, as it has been to me with my small ones.”
The income for the week past was £732 15s. 10d.— 8th. From London, £2 2s. The donors write:—
“Thank you for Reports, which are always such excellent testimonies to the faithfulness of God, in providing for the needs, and, in times of very great trial, keeping your hearts in peace. I quite agree that next to the Word of God there is no reading matter so helpful to one’s faith.”
The legacy of the late Miss F. B. B., £300, was paid, 9th. From Coatbridge, £2 0s. 6d. The donor writes:—
“I am constrained to send you this sum; I only intended to send you £1.” Who constrained him to double his gift? The living God, to whom alone we appeal, and to whom we are now in our poverty continually crying.
We received on the 10th, from readers of The Christian, £29 1s. 9d. On the 13th, the legacy of the late G. P., Esq., £1,000, reached us. From Poole, 3s., “from a poor working-man’s wife,” who writes:—
“‘She hath done what she could’; this is my heart’s desire.”
From Ilfracombe we received 5s. 3d., from an aged donor, who writes:—
“I am truly thankful for the Report. The work on Ashley Down has been a help to me for something like fifty years, and this week past it has greatly cheered me, as I have read portions of it from day to day.”
There came on the 14th, from Bristol, £75, and £25 for myself. The income for the week ending today is £1,671 9s. 11d. Thus it will be evident to the reader that our way of obtaining money, viz., waiting only on God, the living God, is not a failure.
On the 15th there was sent us from Bath, £1 is. The donor writes:—
“Your Report to hand really makes unbelief a difficult thing!”
On the 16th we received from Rusholme, 11s. The donor writes:—
“Many thanks for the Report. I remember seeing it said one year, that it was more interesting reading than any light novel, and I find it so.”
From Rainhili, 5s., with the following letter:—
“Very many thanks for this year’s Report; I have just finished reading it most carefully. It must be quite forty years since my attention was first drawn to Mr. Müller’s work. It has done me more good than I have had for years.”
There was paid on the 17th, the legacy of the late Mr. W. S., £25.
In the early hours of this morning (19th), in reviewing the goodness of the Lord during the past three weeks, my soul is full of praise. Join with me, dear reader, in thanksgiving to our faithful God, who sent me during these three weeks, £3,434 14s. 8d. Yesterday I received a personal gift of 5s. from a fellow-believer. I opened it this morning; with it she sent me Ps. 31:19, 20. Well, then, may I join with David in his outburst of praise, and say: “Oh, how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men!”
There came on the 20th, from Scotland, £2 2s. 6d., with 10s. for myself. The donor writes:—
“Very many thanks for Reports. It brought to my mind the Scotch Metrical Version of Psalm 34:8, 9, 10:—
‘Oh, taste and see that God is good.
Who trusts in Him is blessed.
Fear God His saints: none that Him fear
Shall be with want oppressed.
The lions young may hungry be,
And they may lack their food:
But they that truly seek the Lord
Shall not lack any good.’
Thank God, we can all add, Amen, Amen.”
I received on the 23rd, from G. H., Esq., the bequest of his late sister, Miss A. H., £100. From Utrecht, 12s., with 8s. for myself. The donor writes:—
“The Narrative of Facts of 1907 leads to adoration to read about these wonderful hearings of prayer.”
Legacy of the late Mrs. M. G., £214 3s. 5d.—24th. From West Ealing, the following letter:—
“With unfeigned thankfulness we enclose £14 5s. as a thank-offering to God for a precious gift of a son, and desire it to be apportioned to the keep of one Orphan for a year. Again we rejoice to learn of God’s faithfulness to you all, through another year. Reading the Report, I notice others send unnecessary decorations, and I believe them right, and desire you to sell the enclosed gold chain, and use money for Missionary purposes.”
We received on the 26th, anonymously, through a friend, £21, with Malachi 3:10. From London, £30. 29th. From West Hartlepool, 5s. The donor writes:—
“A friend having given me a Report of your Orphan Houses, I have been very much interested with it. It seems almost incredible the amount of money that has been raised without begging for it.”
On the 30th, I received a letter, from which I extract the following:—
“Five years ago I lent to a relation £40. This week he has returned it. I enclose it to be divided thus, £20 for the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, £10 for the Orphanage, and £10 for yourself. Please remember it was promised to the Lord’s cause five years ago.”
There came in on the 31st, from Porthcawl, £43 1s. From Torquay, three gifts, £12 10s., and £12 10s., and £12 10s.
The mail of September 3rd brought us from Yamethin, Upper Burmah, £1, with the following letter:—
“I am an Orphan from Ashley Down, and I owe all my success in life to the sound training I received while there, specially the spiritual training, where we were taught to value God’s Word above all things. I bless God for His mercy to one who was destitute.”
There came on the 6th, from Scotland, £100, with £5 for my own use.
Prompt Payment Of A Legacy Of £2,000, Less Duty
7th. Received the legacy of the late H. J. G., Esq., £1,800. The speed with which this legacy was paid is to be noted; the Will was only proved in January. Deep thanksgiving ascends to God for this supply of our pressing need today. Dear reader, in this case we had not long to “hope and quietly wait”: join us in praise. From Clifton, £20.—11th. From “Alastor,” £22. The income for the week ending today has been £2,111 7s. 1d. How good the Lord our God is to us. May we not with good courage trust Him wholly for all our needs!
“To tread the path that Jesus trod;
To be as credulous with God,
And credit what He saith
Because He saith it, nor the less
That how it can be, we confess
We know not: This is Faith.”—C. E. O.
We received on the 16th, from Belfast, 10s. The donor writes:—
“I have been reading Mr. Müller’s Biography; the Lord has blessed my soul much through it, and spoken home to me on the matter of laying up treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21). I have much joy in seeking to obey God in this.”
On the 17th, there came from Chelmsford. 10s. The donor writes:—
“This is part of a very long-standing debt I have tried repeatedly to get paid. This morning I told the Lord that if He would help me to get the amount in full, I would give 10s. for support of Orphans, and this afternoon I received a cheque for the amount in full.”
The income yesterday, as far as money was concerned, amounted to £12 7s. 10d., and for the week ending today (18th), £112 14s. 2d. Thus the trial of faith continues keenly; but the incoming of eight new Orphans today gives us confidence that He, who has allowed us to take in and shelter these, will not fail to send us the wherewithal to supply their need. We thank Him for permitting us thus to take in poor, destitute children, and trust Him, who has so recently manifested His power, to put forth His hand again on our behalf.
There reached us by the mail of the 19th, from Christian workers, who conducted a sale of work in Chefoo, China, £60. These dear friends had deep joy in thus helping in the care of our Orphans; and we had no little cheer from it coming, as it did, in a time of sore and pressing need. The Lord will recompense them all.—23rd. Legacy of the late Mr. W. B., £100.—24th. From Peterhead, £12. The donor writes:—
“I think the noble work, which you are in, is one of the greatest proofs of Christianity which is to be seen in the world.”
From Bristol, the following letter was received on the 25th, from a former Orphan and her husband:—
“Dear Sir,
“It gives me great joy to send the enclosed to help ever so little in the great work the Lord is so abundantly blessing you in. We should like £14 10s. taken for the support of a dear child, and £2 please for your own use, with our united Christian love.”
The income for the past week was £357 6s. 0d. Thus our trial lasts: but blessed be God, through His grace, our faith wavers not. How encouraging a fact in the history of Abraham is given us by the Holy Spirit in Rom. 4:19-21, “Without being weakened in faith, he considered his own body now as good as dead {he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yea, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform.’”
God’s Power To Help
On the 26th, we received from Gravesend, £50.—27th. “In memory of E. F. R.,” £300, with £15 for myself. Again and again I had in secret brought the donor of this before the Lord by name. This is an answer to many prayers. From Bristol, 2 Cor. 9:7, “In memoriam of beloved Mr. Müller,” £5. From Bradninch, £10, from a former Orphan, who writes:—
“Please accept my gift, £10, which it is a great privilege to be able to send. Of His own have I given Him. How much I enjoyed last year’s meetings. I shall be present with you in spirit throughout the whole day.”
From Sussex, £120 was sent us. See, dear reader, our confidence was not misplaced two days ago; our “God is able to perform what He has promised.” Anonymously, 2s. 6d., “from a poor crippled woman, living in an almshouse.”
From Worcester, 10s. The donor writes:—
“My dear Mr. Bergin,
“I cannot adequately describe my feelings on visiting Ashley Down Orphanage last Friday, where as a boy, thirteen-and-a-half years of age, forty-five years ago, I took farewell of the late dear Mr. Müller. My heart was filled with intense gratitude for the good providence of God, that led me to the Homes as a little boy, six years of age, for the hallowed influences which surrounded my life whilst in the Homes; and for the goodness and mercy which have since followed me for the space of forty-five years. “With sincerest regards from my dear wife and myself,
“Yours very truly.”
From the Orphans in the sixteen departments of the New Orphan Houses, “in memory of Mr. Müller’s birthday,” I received £12 11s. This was all taken for Missionaries.
On this day, being the anniversary of beloved Mr. Müller’s birthday, we had our united meetings for prayer and thanksgiving. We had very happy times. Wholesome words were spoken to us from the Scriptures by several servants of Christ. It was an intense joy to meet many former Orphans—two were present who had been in the Orphanage at Wilson Street before No. 1 Orphan House was built. Some friends from Scotland, Wales, and London, and many from Bristol, and neighboring places, gladdened our hearts by their presence.—28th. From Westmorland, £20.—30th. From Berkeley, £30.
Blankets Supplied Just When Needed
A donor writes:—
“I beg to enclose cheque for £50, a thank-offering to the Lord for His goodness and mercy during the past fifty years specially. Kindly use it for the Orphans. Perhaps I may suggest blankets, as the winter is approaching. Please enter it as ‘A sister’s thank-offering.’”
Dear reader, please note some facts in connection with this gift. Firstly, only last week Miss Withy brought before me the fact that our stock of blankets was entirely exhausted, and we needed some immediately. Secondly, I had no money in hand wherewith to buy blankets. Thirdly, this lady has never given us such a large amount before, and is moved now in view of fifty years’ mercies to send this gift. Further, she is moved to suggest, “Perhaps it may be used for blankets, as the winter is approaching.” What a blessed illustration we have here of the truth of the words of Hanani, the Seer, when rebuking Asa for his unbelief: “The eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2 Chron. 16:9). Fancy the eyes of Jehovah looking into our empty blanket press, and moving this lady to supply this need.
An Orphan boy, now apprenticed in Wales, writes to one of our Schoolmasters:—
“The Vicar says that the boys from our School are the most scholarly and decently behaved boys he has seen in all his ministry. He says that we have the Bible on our tongues. All this is due to you and the other Masters.”
On October 2nd there came from Cheltenham, £10. The donor of this has since fallen asleep. Thus one by one our kind helpers die, but our Heavenly Friend, our only Patron, still lives, and so the work goes on, upheld by Him. 3rd. From Glasgow, £6 for Missions, etc., with £6 for the Orphans, and £3 for myself. The donor writes:—
“I cannot thank you sufficiently for sending me Mr. Wright’s life. It has been a joy and a rich spiritual feast to read it. Oh, that all skeptics and enemies to the truth could read it! In reading it, I have been more and more impressed with the greatness of that work, in the daily manifold duties, you, as its earthly head, have to attend to. I pray God to give you the health and strength which are necessary.”
There came by the mail of the 9th, from Elkader, U.S.A., £1 10s. 3d. The donor writes:—
“The new Report reached me. Words cannot express the interest felt in reading its pages. It is now thirty-five years since I left that dear Home, but it is ever fresh in my memory.”
We received from Bideford, £30 for the support of two Orphans for a year. From Leytonstone, £15, “for the support of one Orphan for one year.” The donor states:—
“I have real pleasure in enclosing cheque, as a thank-offering that my seven children are not Orphans.”
The income for the past week was £247 13s. 5d. Great is our poverty—great is our trial of faith. Greater is our God, the living God, who well knows what He is doing.
On the 10th we received the legacy of the late Miss C. M. B., £500. Picture our joy, dear friends, at getting this illustration of the truth of what was said yesterday. Note also that in our poverty the Lord caused this legacy to be promptly paid. From Swindon, £1, with these lines:—
“His love in times past forbids me to think
He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink.
Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review,
Confirms His good pleasure to help me quite through.”
How true today are these words written by John Newton, of Olney, 1779.
A Clergyman’s Experience Of God’s Faithfulness
I received on the 12th, from Clydach, £50, with £10 for myself. From a clergyman in Somerset, £1, with the following interesting and instructive letter:—
“Dear Sir,
“I have much pleasure in enclosing this small amount, with an expression of appreciation of the principle upon which the Homes are carried on, and of indebtedness to the honored Founder, to whose writings of God’s dealings with him, I am indebted for a corrected attitude towards God in the matter of systematically setting aside the Lord’s portion. As a Minister of the gospel my fixed income is very small, and barely sufficient, but He on whom my dear wife and I cast all our care has up to the present supplied our every need. Yesterday morning we received what is for us a heavy doctor’s bill, by the first post; by the second post we received more than sufficient to pay it; who from, we have not the faintest idea—posted in a town in which we neither of us ever were (except in a train). It is not the first time God has provided for us in this untraceable way. To Him be the praise! That His richest blessing may rest on you, your helpers, and those under your care, is the earnest prayer of
“Yours very faithfully.”
The income for the past week ending the 16th was £750 0s. 3d. How good it is to trust only in God, the living God!—17th. From West Hartlepool, £30.
On the 23rd I received a very interesting gift of £20 from an aged widow, who last year gave me £30, and of whom I then said that her only present income is letting lodgings in her little cottage. The reader will be able to picture my joy at receiving it, on reading that it is more than all the rest of today’s income. This I did not make known to the donor, but now tell it for the benefit of the reader. Such manifestations of the grace of giving on the part of the poor often call forth praise from my heart. Surely He who in days of old “sat over against the Treasury and beheld” such, does not the less do so now that He “sits on the right hand of God.”
We received on the 25th, from Bath, £20. Timely help in our great need.—This afternoon I saw two girls who are leaving us. One of them was brought to a knowledge of the Lord a few years ago, and has run her course well. The other gave us not a little trouble, until last August, when she was brought to the Lord through the words of another girl, now dying, who spoke to her about her soul. She has since then given us great joy. Thus in our times of severe testing of faith about supplies, the Lord gives us rich comfort in other ways.
There came to us on the 26th, from the Board of Governors of the “Thomas Porter Equipment Fund,” for the outfits of Orphans leaving the Institution, £150. From Westmorland, the following letter:—
“Will you kindly use £8 of this cheque, half for Orphans and half for Missionaries or Schools, £1 for yourself, and £1 for Dr. Bergin. I sometimes thank God for putting it into your heart to edit dear Mr. Müller’s Autobiography. It always helps me whenever I read it, and I trust it is helping many others all over the world. May your faith be sustained and strengthened by all the constant trial of it. The proof of the work being of God is even more plain as one after another of His instruments is laid aside. He is indeed the ‘living God.’”
This testimony from an elderly servant of God has cheered me much.
This mail brought us from Brooklyn, U.S.A., £20 10s. for a Hospital in Central Africa in which Mr. Arnot is interested.—30th. From near Bristol, 6s. The donor writes:—
“I have read about one-third of the life of Mr. Müller, and have been greatly helped. One thing I will write, we had a long job on, and our money had run short. I made it a matter of prayer, and about ten days ago a cheque was sent us for £40, telling us to send on details as soon as possible.”
An Answer To Prayer Through The New Zealand Government
By the mail of November 2nd there arrived from Auckland, N.Z., £20. The donor writes:—
“This cheque is the result of a promise made on the 3rd September, on which I asked for what, humanly speaking, seemed impossible, and which, on conferring with some one else interested in the same matter, was told, ‘I hadn’t one chance in a million’ of getting same, as it had already been refused by the Premier of New Zealand (the matter was in connection with a Bill then before the House of Representatives). However, I made my request to God, and then sent a strong request to Wellington, to two members of the House of Representatives, who placed the matter before the Cabinet, and our request was granted. ‘With Him nothing is impossible.’” It is written in Prov. 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord: He turneth it whithersoever He will,” and is as true today as it was in Solomon’s day.
From Rongotea, N.Z., £2 was received. The donor writes: “I feel impressed to send this.” Who “impressed” this friend? I did not write to him. We here in England prayed for help in our time of sore need, and the living God wrought for us at the Antipodes.
There came on the 4th, from Whitestone, U.S.A., £24 0s. 2d., with £20 for Bibles, Schools, etc., and £3 for myself. Today I received a letter from a widow, some of whose children we have here:—
“Sir,
“I feel I cannot let this day pass without writing to thank you for your great kindness to all my children, particularly to my boy Harold, whom you have done so much for. I saw him today, and thought how nice he looked, in the good warm clothes you so kindly provided him with, and I do not know how to express my gratitude to you. I should like all the Teachers to be thanked for the kindness they have shown my children.
“I am, Sir,
“Yours most respectfully.”
From a Doctor of Medicine in New York I received the following letter:—
“Dear Brother Bergin,
“It is with great pleasure that I herewith forward a draft for £46, and a five-dollar bill. Please reserve £3 for your personal use, applying the balance as seems most needed. I had the great pleasure of meeting dear Mr. Müller shortly before his death, and shall always esteem it one of the great privileges of my life. Praying God’s richest blessing upon you and the work,
“I remain,
“Very sincerely yours,——.”
On the 6th, from Milan, Italy, 100 lire, which realized £3 19s., for Schools in Italy. Coming from a resident in Italy, this donation shows his sense of the value of these Schools, and of the need for them.—8th. The income by the first mail today amounted to £7 15s. 10d., and the outgoings were £122. I had a special season of prayer with my son concerning the inadequacy of the income, imploring the Lord to sustain our faith, and to speedily send us help. Within an hour, by the mid-day post, there arrived a letter from Ramsgate, containing bank notes for £50. Admire with me, dear reader, the kindness and love of God, first testing our faith and thereby strengthening it, and then, in the riches of His grace, showing us His power. This donor had never given as much as £5 before, and the Lord moved her at this time to send £50. I did not tell her in replying how marvellously it was timed, and how it cheered our hearts and strengthened our faith.
We received on the 9th, from St. Leonards-on-Sea, £10. The donor writes:—
“I have been wondering if to send a subscription again to your Home, and gave up the idea, and, when wishing guidance, opened a book at the very moment, with a picture of Mr. Müller, and a short account of his work; there before my face was the very subject I was seeking guidance on. I remember the extra price of provisions
at this time, but Phil. 4:19, ‘My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus,’ is true.”
From R. H., 6s. with, “Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matt. 6:26). These words of our Lord, quoted at length by the donor, were blessed of God to me in this time of sore need.
There came on the 12th, from Taunton, £50, from a donor who has kindly for a long time thus aided this work. It came now as real help in our great trial. From Palmerston North, N.Z., £95, with £2 10s. for Dr. Bergin, and £2 10s. for myself.—13th. From St. Leonards-on-Sea, £9, from the donor who four days ago sent £10. She writes:—
“Dear Sir,
“I still seem guided and impressed to send you a further donation of £9 for Orphans, for God’s glory. ‘He is faithful that promised.’ ‘He abideth faithful.’ ‘He cannot deny Himself.’
“Yours truly.”
See, dear reader, how the Lord hears our feeble prayers. We did not ask this lady to send us more, but our God bade her do so, fulfilling Isaiah 64:4, R.V., “For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside Thee, which worketh for him that waiteth for Him.” The income for the week ending today was £255 12s. 6d., less than half what we need, yet our eyes are up unto the Lord, expecting daily, hourly, His delivering hand.
There came to us on the 16th, from Scotland, £60 for Bibles, etc., with £40 for the Orphans, and £5 for myself. For the month previous to this, the total income for the first four Objects, for which this £60 was used, was only £164 9s. 5d. Thus our God tries our faith, sustains it through the trial, and then at the darkest part of it, as of old, “in the fourth watch of the night He came unto them, walking upon the sea,” manifests His power on our behalf.
Fiery Trials
Our needs are great; we have 1,899 Orphan children in the Houses today (18th), we have no funds in hand. We have no rich patrons: we do not make any public appeals; we have no annual gathering of friends at which we make our needs known. In these circumstances, on rising from bed this morning, my mind was directed, by my Daily Light Text Almanac, to the words in Psalm 78:41, “They limited the Holy One of Israel.” Earlier in the Psalm they had asked three unbelieving questions:
“Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?”
“Can He give bread also?”
“Can He provide flesh for His people?”
By His abounding grace, I am purposed that I will not limit Him, but say, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him”; and expecting His help, I shall not be disappointed.
On the 20th, the legacy of the late Mr. W. P., £100, reached us. From Wallington, £1. The donor writes:—
“Dear Mr. Bergin,
“Please accept the enclosed as a thank-offering for recovery from a severe illness. The Lord has certainly magnified Himself in the work of Ashley Down. Your Report to hand calls for praise for all that is past, and your exhortation and example encourages us to trust Him for all that is to come.
“Yours in Christ.”
The income for the past week was £301 6s. 7d. Thus the trial of faith continues. Need I say, dear reader, that the testimony of the letter just quoted greatly cheers us. The narration of our trials of faith last year was used by God for blessing to the writer of that letter. So we count on God that the trials we are passing through now, and have been for so long a time, may yet be owned of God for blessing to many. We are as “a city set on a hill that cannot be hid.”
We received on the 23rd, the legacy of the late Mr. J. F., £250. Think, dear reader, what a cheer this was to us. From Stayner, Canada, $5.25. The donor writes:—
“Not until Eternity shall it be known the wondrous results of your ‘work of faith and labor of love.’ Thank you for your Report; it has been a great benefit to us.”
Early this morning before breakfast, I had as my portion Psalm 40:17, “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: Thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, 0 my God.” Our poverty is very great. Yesterday our income was £28 17s. 3d., the day before £33 0s. 6d. Now behold how He, our Patron, works for us: today He sent us £290 3s. 6d. Blessed be His holy name!—25th. From High Wycombe, £10. The donor writes:—
“It is so gratifying to know that God is still maintaining such a wonderful testimony to Himself and His faithfulness.”
We received on the 26th, from Charmouth, 10s. The donor writes:—
“I first sent when eight years old; I am now thirty-eight. I have dear Mr. Müller’s acknowledgment for the first gift, is. What a lesson of faith you are! May God bless you and your dear ones.”
There came on the 28th, from Edinburgh, £25.—30th. From Kensington, W., £20, with £5 for the Orphans’ Christmas treat. I received today £276 14s. 8d., the proceeds by the sale of a house in Bristol, left by legacy of the late Mr. R. F.
On December 2nd we received from Norwich, £5, with Ps. 37:3, “Trust in Jehovah and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness” (American Revised). What excellent food for the child of God! From Bristol, 3s. The donor writes:—
“Please accept enclosed 72 farthings and 36 halfpennies, towards the Orphan fund. I had it laid very forcibly on my mind to save these for you, thanking you for the care of my two dear girls at No. 3.”
There was paid on the 5th, on account of the legacy of the late J. L., Esq., £242 19s. 10d. How this delighted our hearts, only those who know what being in deep waters of trial is, can understand. Our poverty is great and prolonged. This makes the amount received since Jan. 4th, 1904, on account of this legacy to be £8,992 19s. 10d. 6th. From Oswaldtwistle, £2 2s. The donor says:—
“I cannot find out whether I sent annual subscription last year. I think it must have been overlooked. Please, therefore, find cheque for double annual subscription.”
The Lord who knows exactly our need, made this friend send a double amount.
The mail of the 7th brought us from Kansas, U.S.A., $10 = £2 0s. 5d. The donor writes:—
“The works of Mr. George Müller first fell into my hands in the year 1869, and the very title of the book first gave me inspiration, The Lord’s Dealings with George Müller. His quotation from Jer. 17:5, ‘Thus saith the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord,’ made a great change in my life.”
There came on the 10th, from Redland, £21. “The labor—glad, joyful labor—of three generations, for the Ashley Down Orphans.” Anonymously, from London, 5s., with the following:—
“It was through reading one of your Reports that the Lord first revealed to me that His mind was that we should have a systematic way of laying aside for Him. Not only has He blessed me in the doing, by giving increase, but He has taught me, in some measure, what a life of faith really is. I thought I knew it; when reading Report, I found I knew very little about it.”
I received on the 11th, from “Cripple,” at Taffs Well, 2s. 6d. The income for the past week was £545 3s. 4d. Thus the Lord supplies us from hand to mouth, and keeps us looking up for supplies from day to day. From Bristol, £50.—13th. The legacy of the late J. J., Esq., £500. See, dear reader, our expectation of help from the Lord was not placed on Him in vain.
A Donor Maintains The Work For One Day
On the 14th, we received £90, a thank-offering. The donor writes:—
“Dear Sir,
“I understand that the daily cost of the maintenance of your Homes averages £90. I have for some little time been hoping that I might be able to provide for one day. It is truly wonderful where the provision comes from for the other 364 days.
“Yours sincerely.”
Again, in this gift, our God, whom we trust, manifests His power.
There came on the 18th, from Scotland, £30, with the following letter:—
“I hope you can still say with Paul, ‘For when I am weak, then am I strong’ (2 Cor. 12:10). I have still some money to give away for the Lord’s work this year, and among other things the Ashley Down Orphans, etc., have always a foremost place in my mind. Kindly divide the enclosed in three: £10 each for Orphans, Missions, and yourself.”
There was sent in from Bristol, 8 sacks of flour, 8 cases of currants, 11 boxes Valencias, and 10 boxes Valencias. Thus our Christmas puddings and cakes are thought of by kind friends, whom we never remind that Christmas is coming, but our God, the living God does. The income for the week ending today is £769 17s. 2d. Thus the writer and the reader have evidence that it is not a vain thing to trust in God.—26th. From Bristol, 83 lbs. meat. From Aberdare, 122 lbs. meat. From “Well-wisher,” 141 lbs. meat. From Clifton, 170 lbs. meat. Are you surprised, dear reader? With our very large family even this quantity would not last long.—27th. From Bristol, from “Mother,” £46 4s.—28th. From Melksham, £32.—30th. From “an elderly Orphan,” £50. From Mafeking, £1, with the following letter:—
“Last year our precious child wrote you enclosing a birthday gift. I am now sending you the same amount in her name, for she never saw another birthday on earth; our Lord took her from us on the 10th August. She was brought to the Lord when very young, and she lived to His glory.”
On page 275 I named the gift of this child, who wrote me then: “The Lord has saved my soul from hell.” Now He has taken her to heaven.
There came on the 31st, from London, £70, with £5 for Dr. Bergin, and £5 for myself, from a donor who has kindly helped us again and again in like fashion for many many years. Greatly were we cheered by this gift. From Enfield, 3s., “made from a penny for the Lord’s work.” This heavenly trader made good profit. From Bristol, £30.
Thus the Lord crowned another year with His loving-kindness and His tender mercy. Again and again we besought, yea, entreated Him to abound to us, that we might help His beloved servants laboring in the gospel, but He in His infinite wisdom has seen fit to keep us still waiting.
We are still in great poverty, and yet “kept by the power of God.” The income for the Orphans during the year 1907 was £26,928 18s. 11d., without a single appeal to a human ear. Consider this, dear reader, and join us in singing—
“ Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”
With a deepened conviction—notwithstanding all the open assaults on the Holy Scriptures, now abounding in every quarter—that our God is the living God, and that He delights to listen to the feeble prayers of His people, and to answer them “according to the good pleasure of His will” we step into this New Year, 1908, this untried path, with calm, holy confidence in His love and wisdom, and power. In the well-known words of Bishop Bickersteth, unbelief challenges us with its question,—
“Peace! Perfect peace! our future all unknown?”
and faith joyfully replies,—
“Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.”
1908
The first gift comes from Bradford, 2s. 6d., “the result of a collection at our dinner table on Christmas day.” We thank God for this, and look to Him for the thousands of pounds we shall need. Out of 90 gifts, in money, that reached us this day, besides the one named, I mention only the following. From Melksham, £35. From Bristol, £20, with £2 for Dr. Bergin, and £3 for myself. From “Needy “ I received this letter:—
“It is with pleasure we enclose cheque value £40. Kindly take £5 for self, and use the remainder at your discretion. Kindly note £5 is from ‘Needy,’ Junr. We receive your Reports, and find great interest in reading same. Prayer will do everything for us if we have the faith to believe. We thank God for all the blessings vouchsafed to your Homes in the past, and ask His richest blessings to attend your every effort in the future. With every good wish to yourself and helpers, from the firm.”
These donors are following in the footsteps of their beloved father, who more than forty-five years ago began to give systematically, and continued so to do till his death. Of him Mr. Müller wrote in 1892:—
“This donor began more than thirty years ago to send me from time to time a few shillings, as God prospered him in his business. The Lord was pleased to reward this systematic giving, so that he was able, after a time, to increase his donations, and he now, with his sons, sends £15.”
In 1908 this is increased to £40 as stated above. 2nd. From Westmorland, £20. From St. Leonards-on-Sea, £10. The donor writes:—
“It has been my privilege for very many years to forward my small half-yearly offering of £10, in aid of our Lord’s work in your hands. As mentioned in a former letter, I always have you in mind night and morning in my prayers. I am now in my seventy-fifth year, and pray that God may be with you all through.”
It is impossible to estimate the value of such a helper as this, who prays for us “night and morning.”
There came on the 4th, from Bristol, £25.—6th. From Norwood, £25, with £5 for Dr. Bergin, and £5 for myself. The donor writes:—
“I thank you for sending me the last Report. It is a relief to know that all the necessary means for the work have been supplied. Having known the work for so many years, I feel a sort of partner in it. Please accept the enclosed cheque, with my sincere regards and prayers for a year of blessing to all.”
We received from a donor—who wishes to be styled “Anonymous,” £207. This donation greatly cheered our hearts, coming as it did in a time of great and sore need. Again and again has the Lord used this friend to help us. 9th. From near Exeter, £5. The donors, who are farmers, write:—
“As the sale of Christmas cattle was very bad and prices low, we thought we would not send you the above amount, as we had done for several years past, but now feel constrained to- do so, and like the prophet Habakkuk, we desire to joy in the God of our salvation though circumstances are adverse.”
The inspired words of Habakkuk are as follows:—
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labor of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no meat: The flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
How completely does faith lift us above circumstances, as illustrated in the case of these donors. From Sunday-school children in Barcelona, Spain, £3 11s. was sent us. What a beautiful fruit of sowing Scripture seed in these young Spanish hearts!
On the 13th, I returned to work at the Orphan Houses, after an illness which kept me away for five weeks, during which I experienced great kindness from the Lord. Firstly, all went on as well as if I had been on the spot. Secondly, during that period the Lord sent us £2,915 5s. 5d. Thirdly, I was graciously granted complete recovery to health. And, lastly, all through this time, the Lord kept me in perfect peace. Our trials are not small by any means. We are still in great poverty, sorely tried as to means, yet our confidence in God is unshaken.
We received on the 14th, from Surrey, £20, “In memory of Bertha and Charles.” From Sheffield, 9s. The donor writes:—
“The last time I wrote, my husband had a diseased hip. He was working then, but he has not been able to work since last May. I was thinking that I should not be able to send you anything this year, when the thought came to me, Why not save what you earn for getting collars up? I thought it was the Lord who spoke, and I answered, I will, Lord, give it to Thee; so I have saved it every week.”
What grace in this poor working woman, whose husband is ill!
An Appeal Put In A Newspaper. Was It By A Friend Or Foe?
Today I received a letter from a friend, from which I give the following:—
“Dear Mr. Bergin,
“I feel constrained to write to you in connection with an appeal made in a London Sunday newspaper. I feel certain that you know nothing concerning the person who makes the appeal. It was brought to my notice by an unbeliever in the factory where I am engaged, and, of course, this quickly spread amongst those who despise eternal things, especially as you profess to appeal to none but the living God. I sought to show them that the appeal was made against your principles, and without your knowledge or consent. I shall be greatly delighted to receive a line from you refuting entirely this appeal as having emanated from you. I enclose the appeal.”
Müller’s 2,000 Orphans. An appeal to Friends at Home and Abroad for Donations(none too small) by a friend. Please send direct to Mr. G. Fred. Bergin, Ashley Down, Bristol, England.
To this letter I replied:—
“Dear Mr.——,
“I am very grateful to you for your letter of yesterday, enclosing me the advertisement, and I at once write to say that it was put in without my knowledge, or consent, which, had the party concerned appealed to me, would never have been given. During the sixty-two years that Mr. Müller carried on this work, he never, under any circumstances, made an appeal; during the six years and nine months that Mr. Wright carried it on, he never made any kind of appeal; during the now nearly three years since he died, I have never made an appeal, and by the help of God mean never to do so.
“This advertisement is said to have been put in ‘by a Friend’; if this is true, the Friend has made a grave mistake, as the Institution is not likely to benefit by it, for if any gifts reach me with the names of the donors, stating that they are sent in reply to this advertisement, small or great, they shall be returned, as they would have been given under a false impression, and as such I could not receive them. If, as I fear, this is the work of an enemy, I can only say that we will pray the Lord to bless this our enemy.”
On the 15th, the legacy of the late Mr. W. G., £402 3s. 11d. reached us. From Bournemouth, £20, with £5 for myself. We are cheered in our great trial by these helps on our way. The income for the week ending today is £747 6s. 8d., and we are looking out for larger supplies, which we sorely need. “I was brought low, and He helped me” (Ps. 116:6).
Full Deliverance In God’s Own Time
On the 16th, I received the final payment of the legacy of the late J. N. H., Esq., of Australia, £4,156 0s. 2d. Thus in His own right time, and with one opening of His hand (Ps. 145:16), the Lord richly supplies every monetary need, and puts an end to a severe financial strain, that He has been pleased to put upon us for over two years and a half, without intermission. Blessed be His holy name for all that trial of faith, and for His sustaining hand, and for His gracious and full deliverance. Truly it is
“They that do business in great waters” who
“See the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.”
Many of our friends have been our true helpers by prayer in our times of trial; they will see in this remarkable deliverance good reason to join us in hearty and grateful praise to our gracious Father.
There came to us anonymously, through Bethesda Boxes, £9 3s. 4d. for Missions, £9 3s. 4d. for Orphans, and £5 for myself.—17th. From Christian Friends at Kendal, £26 13s. 3d.—20th. The balance of the legacy of the late E. G. C. P., Esq., £360 16s. 9d.—21st. The legacy of the late Mrs. W. B. C, £150. From St. Leonards-on-Sea, 2s. 6d. The donor writes:—
“Please accept this small gift, for the Orphans, from a Christian brought out from the Roman Catholic Church three years ago, and who has found her faith very much strengthened in reading lately the life of Mr. George Müller of Bristol.”
On the 22nd, we received a proportion of the residue of the legacy of the late G. J., Esq., £728 15s. 10d. This amount is part of an estate from which Mr. Müller received £14,713 between the years 1881 and 1897. It was supposed, long since, that all had been paid; now our God sends me this further large amount after eleven years, showing how exhaustless are His resources.
From “Artisan,” 5s. He writes:—
“You will be glad to learn of my recent decision to give proportionately to the Lord’s work, after consideration, and much influenced by the two incidents recorded in your last Report. I was much tried one week, for my youngest child lost a crown piece. However, I am glad I have been kept in the path of steadfastness.”
There are two points of importance in this working-man’s letter: (1) His calm purpose to give to the Lord proportionately out of his income. (2) His steadfastness, notwithstanding the loss of 5s. by his child.
The income for the week ending today is £5,616 6s. 3d. Admire, dear reader, the Lord’s great goodness, His tender lovingkindness to us His poor unworthy servants, who trust in Him, and look to Him alone to supply all the vast needs of this work. Infidelity may scoff, skepticism may sneer, but, by His help and grace, we will make our boast in God, the living God, and continue to “wait only upon Him.”
On the 24th, a donor writes from Clapham:—
“I have pleasure in enclosing a small gift toward the work of God, being 5s. from my sister, and 5s. from myself.
It seems but ‘one drop in a bucket,’ but as our Father’s word is that each of His children should give ‘as the Lord hath prospered him,’ I do not refrain from offering the little. I have just finished reading the life of Mr. Wright, which has inspired and interested me very much indeed.”
We received on the 25th, from Bootle, a letter in which the writer says:—
“I am reminded just now of the 103rd Psalm, 2nd. verse, ‘Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all His benefits.’ I have great pleasure in enclosing £20 16s., the savings of small sums during last year.”
On the 27th, the legacy of the late Captain F. D., £289 5s. 10d., was paid. From London, £41 10s. on account of an Orphan. Today I received a letter from an Orphan who left us this year:—
“Dear and honored Sir,
“I am writing to thank you for all the care and protection I had taken over me during fourteen years. I feel grateful to you, and also to my Heavenly Father, who put it in the heart of somebody to bring me there when I was three years old. I am also very thankful that I was brought to Christ when I was about six years old.
“With love,
“Your very grateful Orphan.”
There came on the 28th, from Plymouth, £5. The donor writes:—
“I thank you for kindly sending me a copy of Brief Narrative of Facts, of which it may be truly said that, from the beginning to the end, it is a faithful testimony to the faithfulness of our ever-living Father in Heaven, who is ever ready to refill the leaky soul with faith from day to day.”
We received on the 29th, from readers of. The Life of Faith, £22 10s. From Hove, £12, from a former Orphan, who writes:—
“Dear Mr. Bergin,
“Please accept the enclosed £12, my gift for the dear Orphans under your care. I want you to receive it on the anniversary of the death of dear Mr. Wright. I cannot tell you the pleasure it gives me year by year to increase my gift for the dear Orphans. Thank you for the last year’s Report. I always look forward to reading it.”
The memory of our bereavement of this day three years, when beloved Mr. Wright entered into the presence of the Lord, abides with us, and our sorrow is still keen: he has enjoyed three years of unbroken communion with Him. We here have proved the truth of Psalm 68:19-20 (k.v.), “Blessed be the Lord, who daily beareth our burden, even the God who is our salvation. God is unto us a God of deliverances.” He has borne our burden; He has delivered us; and with hearts full of praise we bless Him for three years of mercies.
From Liverpool, we received £50 for Missions. This came as a great solace to us; we had been crying to God for help for His servants, and without delay this was sent to help ten of them.—30th. From Scotland £100, and £5 for myself. From readers of The Christian, £32 6s. 7d.
We received on February 3rd, from Cardiff, 10s., about which the donor writes:—
“My earnings fluctuated so, that often I was unable to hand my wife the necessary amount to keep house with. This was when the Lord had His portion if anything was left over. About five years ago my wife and I saw that the Lord would have us systematically give Him our first-fruits, and not our leavings. He gave us the needed grace to obey His Word. Now mark the results: though it meant a stepping out on faith, and apparent disaster, we have never missed since then the Lord’s portion, and within the last two years have been led to double the amount laid by, yet from that day, when the Lord came first, instead of last, my wife’s housekeeping money has never suffered, but (and for this we thank the Giver of all good) has substantially increased.”
This letter is worthy of perusal over again, dear reader.
There came on the 5th, on account of the legacy of the late Mrs. G. C. B., £2,000. See how the Lord now abounds in His gifts. From Norwich, £20, with £5 for myself.—7th. From C. W. G. and I. J. G., £100, with £25 for myself, “a thank-offering to the Lord for having answered prayer, and having given us a fine voyage.” From Chicago, a donor writes:—
“I have much pleasure in sending the enclosed $10 bill, also 50 cents for your booklet called The Peace of God Garrisoning the Heart, which has been a great blessing to me and many others in Chicago.”
We received on the 10th, anonymously, from Preston, in a registered envelope, £50, containing the words:—
“Enclosed please find note value £50 towards the support of your work. Thank the Lord for it, that is all.”
We add warm thanks to our kind friend, His steward. 11th. From Westfield, U.S.A., £1. The donor writes:—
“I am an old Orphan. I entered No. 1 on April 7th, 1858, and left February 4th, 1864. I was in England last summer, and visited No. 1. The Lord has dealt very gently and kindly with me. I am a local preacher and a class leader in the Methodist Church, and how much I owe to dear Mr. Müller I shall never know.”
The following letter, received today, from a Congregational minister in Wales, to whom I sent Mr. Müller’s Autobiography, will interest my readers:—
“Dear Sir,
“Ten thousand thanks for the Autobiography of the mortal immortal George Müller. Since I was very young I have been deeply interested in the stories about his life. I read till I was tired in body last night, but was refreshed in spirit. God bless you and your work. With sincere thanks,
“I beg to remain.”
There was sent us on the 14th, from Bristol, £30 10s. 6d. for the Centenary fund for the circulation of the Autobiography of George Müller.—21st. From Stowmarket, £40 for Schools, Bibles, Tracts, and Missions. Received the legacy of the late Miss L. E. B., £619 18s. 9d.—28th. From Belfast, 10s. The donor writes:—
“In these days, when even professing Christians not only won’t commit themselves to the promises of God, but are trying to explain them away as not applicable to our present day, it is a matter of real thankfulness that your Institution stands out as a living epistle known and read of all men, that God is worthy to be trusted.”
Today I received the following letter from a minister in Wales, to whom I had sent a copy of the Autobiography of George Müller:—
“Dear Sir,
“I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the copy of Mr. Müller’s Autobiography, which you were kind enough to forward at my request. Really, there must be some very large-hearted and noble Christians in our midst who make these things possible. I trust that the perusal of this volume will be for the strengthening of my own faith, and that of many others to whom I may lend it, or to others who may be permitted to listen to some of the things which I find therein, and which I hope to declare unto them.”
On March 2nd, there was sent from Bristol, £25, with £5 for Miss Withy, and £5 for myself.—Today I received the following letter:—
“Dear Sir,
“I write on behalf of my brothers and relations to thank you, and all in connection with the Orphanage, for the care and kindness which my sister has received at your hands, and also for the excellent way in which she has been fitted out with every necessity. I think her equipment perfect, and trust that she may endeavour to show her gratitude by doing credit to the Institution, from which she has received so many benefits. May God bless your noble work is the prayer of the grateful friends of .
“Yours very respectfully.”
We received on the 3rd, from London, £18, with £2 for myself. From Westmorland, £17. From a member of a Bristol firm, a very large quantity of paints and oils required for the work in the Orphan Houses. This valuable gift has been sent for many years.
A Noteworthy Gift From Missionaries
On the 5th, I received £50 from Missionaries laboring amongst the heathen, who wish no mention made of their names, or the country in which they labor, but simply “Corban.” The sender writes:—
“My dear wife and myself send you £50. Please retain for yourself, and dear Dr. Bergin £10, the remaining £40 to be used for the dear Orphans. You may be astonished to see such a gift from a poor Missionary. Some years ago a certain sum was given to my wife. After our marriage, a certain amount was taken towards our going forth, and, before the Lord, we decided to let this £50 be untouched, except for travelling expenses to or from Europe, as we were wishing to be exactly what our brethren were thinking we were, that is, poor, but having a rich Father, who has been faithful, and we have had no want unprovided. Since our settling here, we were led to think over many important matters, and we were soon led to believe that the Lord would be pleased to secure this money for eternity; the eighth chapter of your Autobiography of George Müller gave us the finishing blow; it was then about four months ago, and now we are sending it off with great pleasure.
“One year after my conversion, by the simple reading of God’s Word, I was led to give the tenth of my earnings to the Lord (this came to pass just ten years ago). Two years later I was led to give the fourth of whatever I received. Since our marriage my dear wife has been of one mind with me, and so we continue, and we would never have another course of living; the Lord has been faithful, and He will ever be the same. Our expenses will be greater in the future; this leads us to ask more of Him, and in return we give Him more.”
The four points named by the Spirit of God in 2 Cor. 9:7, (a) “purpose of heart,” (b) “not grudgingly,” (c) “not of necessity,” (d) “a cheerful giver,” are so manifest in this letter, that I give it in extenso. One other most valuable element in this gift is the perfect oneness of mind in both husband and wife.
After the foregoing was written, the sorrowful tidings reached me that these beloved laborers for God were called from their earthly labors, by cholera, to be with the Lord. What a joy it must be to them now, that they used for eternity the money that was entrusted to them.
There came to us on the 6th, from Cotham, £10.—7th. From “Alastor,” India, £12, with £1 for Centenary fund, and £5 9s. for myself. The donor writes:—
“The £1 I should like you to spend in providing, free of all cost, copies of the Autobiography of Mr. Müller (the Centenary Edition) for whomsoever you think fit.”
See letters about the Autobiography on pages 342, 343, and 346.
The legacy of the late Mrs. A. F., £1,500 reached us. From Hollington, £24. From Glasgow, 1s. 1d. The donor writes:—
“I received your Report with joy and gladness. There is nothing better to read, apart from God’s Word. It humbles me much, and makes me rejoice. It is a living testimony against infidelity and unbelief. It is a light set on a hill. I am an old man. Nothing would give me more pleasure than seeing you and the Orphans.”
I was led through this letter to send him a copy of the Autobiography. Three days later he wrote:—
“You cannot imagine what joy and gladness I had this morning when I received the precious volume. It shows forth the greatness of the God with whom we have to do. It has scarcely been out of my hand today. You have gratified my desire in letting me see the Orphans.”
There came by the mail of the 7th, from Glenelg, Australia, £15, with the following letter:—
“Dear Mr. Bergin,
“Please find draft for £15. You will kindly take £5 for Orphans, £5 for the other objects, and £2 10s. each for yourself and your son Dr. Bergin. I am thankful that the Lord enabled you to get through another year—the year which the last Report deals with—and that you have again proved that ‘He is faithful who has promised.’ And I am sure He ever will be faithful. May our faith, trust, and confidence in Him become stronger and stronger. I have just finished reading the Autobiography of the late Mr. Müller with great profit. I wish all the children of God could read it. May God continue to bless your ‘work of faith and labor of love.’”
Ten years ago today, March 10th, beloved Mr. Müller fell asleep. These have been years in which, in a remarkable way, we have proved the truth of the words quoted below,
“They who trust Him wholly, find Him wholly true,”
and we are thereby encouraged to trust Him during the eleventh year.
From C.-on-M., £100 was received. From Kidderminster, £20. From an evangelist and his wife in Scotland, £1 10s., and from their children, 10s. This donor, a servant of God trusting Him for daily supplies, writes:—
“It has pleased God to cause us to pass through trials since the dawn of 1908, but our prayer is that every trial may draw Him nearer, and cause us to trust Him more fully. May we have grace to sing like dear Miss Havergal:
‘Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love:
We may trust Him fully, all for us to do,
They who trust Him wholly, find Him wholly true.’”
There was received on the 16th, by sale of jewellery, and watches, etc., £58 0s. 9d. We get not a little help from this source.—17th. From readers of The Christian, £7 19s. 3d. From Wellington, N.Z., the following letter:—
“Herewith please find draft £20, which gives me very great pleasure to forward. It is many years since I adopted the principle of giving to the Lord’s work, and today it yields me intense satisfaction, and has been the avenue of great blessing to me. Thanks for the Report; the Lord has dealt strangely with you, and your trials have been trials indeed. So have the deliverances. Praise the dear Lord for His sustaining grace. Here in far-away New Zealand we prayed for you daily. It cheered my heart to read of so many of the old Orphans giving evidence of changed lives by their letters to you.”
In this daily prayer for us we have an answer to the question,—
“How? The weary ones had rest, the sad had joy that day!
I wondered how.
A ploughman singing at his work, had prayed,
Lord help them now.”
On the 18th, there came to us from Torquay, £30. From Spain, £10 8s. The donor writes:—
“Dear Mr. Bergin,
“Today is the anniversary of my dear mother’s home call, and I have pleasure in enclosing cheque for £10 8s., being 4s. per week for twelve months. This is the outcome of my mother’s teaching to lay aside a weekly sum for the Orphans at Ashley Down, from my boyhood, and the Lord has enabled me to increase the 2d. per week then laid aside to the amount now sent you. I think very often of your ‘work of faith and labor of love,’ out here in isolation, and without a fellow-believer nearer than fifty miles, with the exception of my own family. But you, with the eyes of the world upon you, and I out here in the back side of the desert, can both rejoice in the blessed sustaining power of our beloved Master. Paul’s confidence surely can be ours: ‘My God shall supply all your need? The Orphans and their support are His care, and you will not seek to carry the burden that only He can sustain, and the prayers of God’s people ascend unceasingly that Ashley Down may still be a beacon light in the path Zionward, stimulating the faith of thousands in our prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God.”
The mail of the 21st brought us from Dunedin, N.Z., £50 for Missions, with £100 for the Orphans. The donor writes:
“I daily ask God that He may be pleased to continue to make the Bristol Homes an object lesson to thousands of God’s dear children all over the earth, of what can be accomplished in this skeptical age through prayer and faith in God alone. Did all believers, who do not act on the principle of systematic giving, as God prospered them, know the blessedness of acting as stewards, their peace and joy in the Lord would increase more and more. Seldom a day passes that I fail to read a small portion of the Narratives of the Lord’s dealings with the Homes since the commencement, and next to the Scriptures I know of nothing more helpful to the faith of either young or advanced believers. I have decided to increase the percentage of my profits, which I devote to the Lord, from 25 percent to 33 percent.”
In the Report for 1902, Mr. Wright quoted from a letter from this donor and his partner, “For many years we have set aside 10 percent of our income for the Lord’s work; we have decided in future to set aside 15 percent, and feel convinced that this will prove to be the best investment we have ever made; the results we may not see here.”
In the Report for 1903, Mr. Wright quoted again, “As we told you last year, we were 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. We now propose to devote 20 percent of the profits to the Lord’s work. ‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,’ and why should we try to hoard up what is not ours?”
In the Report for 1905, I quoted words of these donors, “Two years ago we were led to give 20 percent of the profits of our business to the Lord’s work, and the poorest year followed since we have been setting aside the Lord’s portion. Satan often puts the question, ‘Does it pay?’ We give the answer back, ‘It does pay; God’s investments always do.’ And in thankfulness to our Heavenly Father for the wonderful way He has blessed us in all our ways, we have decided to return to Him now 25 percent of the profits He allows us to make in our business.”
In the Report for 1906 occurs the remark, “Although the past year has not been so successful from a financial point of view, still we are convinced that the resolve to apportion 25 percent of our income to His work has met with the approval of our Father in Heaven, and we never regret it.” Notice now, dear reader, the purpose to increase the Lord’s portion to 33 percent. How blessed is this growth in the love of giving! “God loveth a cheerful giver.”
We received on the 25th, from Liverpool, £2 2s. The donor writes:—
“Dear Mr. Bergin,
“Thirty-four years ago today I was born again, through the Word of God, read and commented on by a fellow Orphan in the Class-room of No. 4, and today, as, by the grace of God, I am enabled to look back over those years, I can again testify to the presence and power of the living God, who has kept me until this hour. I have pleasure in enclosing two guineas towards the support of the Orphans now under your care. May many of them be bright testimonies, in years to come, to the saving grace of God whilst under your care.
“Yours sincerely in Christ.”
There came on the 28th, from Porthcawl, £102 15s. 8d. From Southport, £100. Truly we did not count on God in vain, as these two gifts make manifest.—30th. From Newport, I.W., £1, with 5s. for myself. The donor writes:
“I was much helped by the tract you sent me, The Peace of God Garrisoning the Heart. We now have prayers night and morning, and reading of the Word; we used only to have private prayer. It is a great help to keep the soul bright.”
We received on April 2nd, from Scotland, £100, with £5 for myself.—6th. From Stockholm, £25. The donor writes:—
“It is for the support of a little boy and a little girl, from me and my dear wife. I thank God that He has shown me the undeserved grace to be allowed and able to support His work in your hands, and do now understand that nobody can do so by himself unless God gives him grace to do it. It is quite true, as Mr. Müller states on page 625 of the Autobiography, that the Reports are not doing it. God must move the hearts, else you and all the dear Orphans would starve; thus it is a great grace of God to all who are allowed to support the Orphanage at Ashley Down.”
There came on the 13th, from “D. G.,” £5 5s. The donor writes:—
“Dear Sir,
“I sincerely hope such an Institution may never lack generous and constant gifts. I hope the glories of the place will eclipse all its past history, and publish abroad to all the world the power of prayer and faith, showing to all who choose to see, that there is a God who hears, and answers prayer.”
Good Friday Meeting For The Children
On the 17th, Good Friday, the Orphans, as has been the custom for many years, were taken to Bethesda Chapel, where a service was held for them, at which I gave an address. The day was beautifully fine, so many of the children were able to attend; the total number being 1351. The following unsolicited account of the procession, taken from the Bristol Times & Mirror, may be interesting to my readers, coming as it does from a writer in no way connected with the Institution.
“One of the pleasantest spectacles in Bristol on a fine Good Friday morning, is that of the children from Müller’s Orphanage being conducted through the streets to and from divine service. Two and two, boys and girls, they make an enormous ‘crocodile.’ The head will be, say, at the top of Stokes’ Croft, while the tail is twisting itself somewhere in crooked North Street.
“Some marshalling skill is required on the part of the
staff to get the children safely home again. And it is something to their credit that we never hear of an accident. They must feel thankful every time. The public, of course, are considerate, even cyclists and motorists. The police are always ready to lend a hand at the crossways, and one might have seen yesterday morning a huge overcoated policeman standing in the middle of a road, assisting the comparative midgets of boys and girls to dodge bicycles, motor cars, and ordinary vehicles.
“For a second or two part of the procession would halt on one pavement; then, holding hands in pairs the component parts would race for the opposite pavement, thoroughly enjoying the little excitement. And people frequently stood to watch the children go by. The quaint black and white shawls and bonnets of the girls—even the tiniest of tots wear them—and the short blue jackets and corduroys of the boys, are matters for comment and criticism. But there can be only one opinion as to the hygienic condition of the wearers. It is faultless. The round, ruddy, happy faces tell their own story of the careful treatment received in those great homes on Ashley Down, which are known throughout Christendom.
“Then it is clear, too, that, though taught to behave well, the children are not ‘kept down.’ They are allowed to be children. If a dog behind a garden door barks as they pass, the boys will slyly give that door a thump with their fists, and delight in the dog’s increased annoyance. The girls chatter ceaselessly. The hum of childish voices, and the shuffle of little feet is the ‘crocodile’s’ music, and often reaches the ear before the spectacle is presented to the eye.”
There was sent us on the 18th, from the Board of Governors of the “Thomas Porter Equipment Fund,” £150, for the outfits of Orphans leaving the Institution.—21st. From “Mother,” £21.—25th. From Surbiton Hill, £50.—28th. From H. C. B., £25.
This day ten years, through God’s mercy, I was allowed to engage in this work, and it is a joy to me to be able to bear witness that the words of our risen Lord, “ Lo I am with yon all the days,” have been blessedly fulfilled. During the six years and nine months while beloved Mr. Wright was here, this was the case; and during the three years and three months of bereavement, since he fell asleep, we have happily realized their fulfillment. In our times of abundance and in our times of need, our Lord has been with us, and perhaps more consciously so in the latter.
Two Remarkable Answers To Prayer
We received on May 5th, from the Trustees of the late “G. S. Gibson’s Charity for Orphanages,” £105.—6th. From Leominster, £24 2s. 4d.—7th. Yesterday at our prayer meeting we specially appealed to the Lord for large donations. One of our brethren very earnestly entreated the Lord that He would that very day move some donor to send us a large sum. By the first delivery this morning I received a letter containing a cheque for £500, for the Orphans. Our joy at receiving so speedily, an answer to our prayer, and our gratitude to this kind donor, were indeed great. At the same prayer meeting another of our brethren had very earnestly entreated the Lord to send help for Missionary laborers. In the afternoon a friend called, and left a letter for me at the Lodge, declining to give any name. On opening it I found it contained bank notes for £100, from an unknown donor, who writes:—
“The Lord has led me to give the amount enclosed, £100, to be used for the Mission work in Central Africa.”
Note, dear reader, the Lord’s lovingkindness to us in answering this prayer, and that so speedily. We are very grateful to the kind donor who gave this £100, and have deep joy in utilizing it as desired.
On the 8th, we received, on account of the legacy of the late Mrs. E. C, £2,500, with interest on this amount, since the expiry of a year from the lady’s death, amounting to £57 5s. 2d. The Lord is now abundantly supplying all our needs. Dear reader, He is worthy of our full confidence, yours and mine, for small needs or large:—
“Oh! make but trial of His love,
Experience will decide
How blest are they, and only they,
Who in His truth confide.”
Tate and Brady, 1652
There came on the 21st, from Torquay, £35, with £2 10s. for Dr. Bergin, and £2 10s. for myself. From Crediton, £5 5s. The donor writes:—
“The Lord has seen fit to place me in a difficulty, but the latter part of Proverbs 28:26, ‘Whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered,’ has come as a message to me. Thus I have great joy in sending the enclosed.” This donor finds the Lord’s dealings with her in a difficulty to be the occasion for sending me this gift.
We received on the 25th from Bristol, from a widow lady, 133 lbs. of meat. Every week for some years this kind donor has helped us in like manner.—26th. From Sunday-school children in Tunis, 10s. 3d. to send the Gospel to the heathen. How touching is this gift, coming from such a source!
Review Of The Year’s Trials And Deliverances
When the financial year opened we were in a position somewhat like unto Israel, of whom it was said, in Exodus 14:3: “They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.” This was their position when “Pharaoh and his horsemen, and his army, overtook them encamping by the sea,” and the command of the Lord to Moses was, “Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward.” Our position was well described in the lines of the late Mrs. Lucy Guinness Kumm:—
“So do we stand as ancient Israel stood,
The sea before us and the foe behind;
Forced to advance into the ‘whelming flood,
Trusting the Unseen Hand the waves to bind;
Led through the darkness by His staff and rod,
A cloud before us, and within it—GOD.”
And so we found it, God, the living God, our faithful Friend, our only Patron, has been with us all the way, keeping our hearts in peace during prolonged trials, deep and sore, and then stretching forth His hand to deliver us.
For nearly eight months of this period we were in great poverty, and sore trial of faith: then the delivering hand of our God was put forth on our behalf, and during the last four months He has supplied us so bountifully that the income for the Orphans has been larger this year than any previous year during the history of this work, except that for 1900.
Throughout the year the Lord has supplied us with helpers in the work in various departments as the needs have arisen, though often after not a little waiting. In January occurred the home-call of our beloved fellow-helper, Mr. Henry Welchman, after a brief eight days’ illness. He entered this work thirty-five years ago, and all through that time enjoyed the full confidence of Mr. Müller, Mr. Wright, and myself. The loss occasioned by his removal can only be estimated by those who knew him well; his wise counsel I sorely miss.
Regarding the free circulation of the Autobiography of George Müller, it has been a great joy to me that I have been enabled to send out to Ministers of the Word, Missionaries, and other workers, and to Young Women’s Christian Associations in London, 958 copies, since its publication in 1905. The letters I received from those to whom I sent it, make me desire intensely to scatter it widely in these days of unbelief as to God Himself, and as to His inspired Word.
Thus closes a year crowned by the Lord with His loving-kindness. The words of the Psalmist in Psalm 66:10-12,—
“For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried, Thou broughtest us into the net; Thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads: We went through fire and through water; But Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place,”—
have been fulfilled in our experience. He has “proved” us: He has “tried” us: He “brought us into the net.” Note “the net” that is the net of His own providing, to teach us lessons we could not have learned otherwise. He “laid affliction upon our loins:” He “caused men to ride over us:” “we went through fire and through water.” “He brought us out into a wealthy place.”
Well do I remember hearing beloved Mr. Müller expound this Psalm, over thirty years ago. Speaking on the words, “Thou broughtest us into the net” he said, “Beloved brethren, let us take heed that we do not cut the meshes of the net—if we do so, we shall not know the joy of the Lord bringing us out of it.” When sore affliction was upon us, we did not seek to deliver ourselves, but by His grace we “waited only upon God” and He has delivered us. When He “caused men to ride over us” we again “waited only upon God” and did not take the matter into our own hands, and He kept us in peace.
Our hearts overflow with praise as we tell out that the total income which the Lord sent us this year, was Thirty-eight thousand, three hundred and one pounds, eighteen shillings, and seven pence three farthings.
We closed the year with a balance in hand of £4,762 17s. 9d. for the Orphans.
It will doubtless interest the reader to know that during the ten years since Mr. Müller’s death, the Lord, in the riches of His grace, sent us in for the Orphan Fund, £259,755 11s. 0d.
Well then may we obey the voice of the Psalmist in Psalm 105:1-3, when he says, “0 give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him: talk ye of all His wondrous works: glory ye in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.”
Yes, we will “tell of all His wondrous works,” we will “glory in His holy name.”
Praise ye Jehovah! Praise the Lord most holy!
Who cheers the contrite, girds with strength the weak;
Praise Him, who will with glory crown the lowly,
And with salvation beautify the meek.
Praise ye Jehovah, source of every blessing!
Before His gifts earth’s richest boons are dim;
Resting in Him, His peace and joy possessing,
All things are ours, for we have all in Him.
Praise ye the Father! God the Lord who gave us,
With full and perfect love, His only Son.
Praise ye the Son, who died Himself to save us!
Praise ye the Spirit! Praise our God alone!
Lady Campbell
9 These remarks are reproduced on page 9 of this book