"April 27.--On March 27th we had no means at all in hand for these Objects, as stated under that date. We have now been helped through one more month, in answer to prayer, and have been supplied with all we needed, though that amounted to nearly 1000, and have 23 8s. 6d.
left.
"April 29.--A servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven, having received a legacy of 532 14s. 5d., gave 500 of it for these Objects.
"July 28, 1881.--The income has been for some time past only about the third part of the expenses. Consequently, all we have for the support of the Orphans is nearly gone; and for the first four Objects of the Inst.i.tution we have nothing at all in hand. The natural appearance now is, that the work cannot be carried on. But I BELIEVE that the Lord will help, both with means for the Orphans and also for the other Objects of the Inst.i.tution, and that we shall not be confounded; also, that the work shall not need to be given up. I am fully expecting help, and have written this to the glory of G.o.d, that it may be recorded hereafter for the encouragement of His children. The result will be seen.
"The foregoing was written at 7 A. M. July 28, 1881. As yet we have the means to meet our expenses, and I expect that we shall not be confounded, though for seven years we have not been so poor."
The result has indeed been seen, and will be seen. For more than 20 years since those words were written and Mr. Muller had thus recorded his confidence in the Lord"s help, G.o.d HAS sustained the work, and in May, 1902, there was a balance in hand of some thousands of pounds, notwithstanding that more than 500,000 had been received and expended since this entry was made in Mr. Muller"s journal on July 28, 1881.
During these 20 years faith and patience were at times greatly tried:
"Aug. 15, 1881.--The balance for the Orphans is now reduced to 332 12s.
7d., lower than it has been for more than twenty-five years. This sum we have in hand to meet the daily expenses in connection with 2,100 persons. It is only enough for the average outgoings of 4 days. But our eyes are upon the Lord. I look to my heavenly Provider. The total income of to-day has been 28 5s. 2d.
"Aug. 22.--Part of a legacy, left years ago, 1,000, was paid, as the answer to many prayers.
"Feb. 26, 1882.--The balance in hand to-day for the Orphans is 97 10s.
7d., viz., 24 more than the average expenses of one single day.
"March 2.--Our position now regarding the Orphan work is, praying day by day "Give us _this day_ our _daily_ bread". For a considerable time we have had day by day to look to the Lord for the supply of our _daily_ wants; but G.o.d has helped us thus far.
"April 20, 1882.--When in the greatest need we received from Edinburgh 100 with this statement: "The enclosed was intended as a legacy, but I have sent it in my lifetime."
"June 3.--From Wottan-under-edge 500. A glorious deliverance was this donation, and a precious earnest of what G.o.d would do further for us.
"Oct. 21.--Received from Wottan-under-edge 1,000. * * * * * G.o.d, in answer to our prayers, spoke to His dear child, and inclined his heart to send to us more than ever. Thus He also gives proof, that during the previous year, when we were so low as to funds, it was only for the trial of our faith and patience, and not in anger; nor did He thereby mean to indicate, that He would not help us any more. For my own part, I _expected_ further great help from G.o.d, and I have not been confounded.
"Aug. 17, 1883.--Our balance was reduced this afternoon to 10 2s. 7d.
Think of this, dear reader! Day by day about 2,100 persons are to be provided for in the Orphan Inst.i.tution, and 10 2s. 7d. was all that was in hand to do this. You see that we are just in the same position in which we were 46 years since as to funds. G.o.d is our banker. In Him we trust, and on Him we draw by faith. This was Sat.u.r.day. In the evening 30 was received. On Monday we received 129 further, but had to pay out 60. On Tuesday we received 295, but had to pay out 180. * * * * *
"G.o.d is pleased continually to vary His mode of dealing with us, in order that we may not be tempted to trust in donors, or in circ.u.mstances, but in Him alone, and to keep our eye fixed upon Him.
This, by His grace, we are enabled to do, and our hearts are kept in peace."
Some ten months later, when the balance in hand was only 41 10s., a very little more than one-half of the average expenses for the Orphans for one day, and there were sanitary operations advisable to be carried out, the expenses of which would amount to upwards of 2,000, Mr. Muller received a legacy of 11,034 6s.
"June 7, 1884.--This is the largest donation I have _ever_ received at _one time_. This legacy had been above six years in Chancery, and year after year its payment was expected, but remained unsettled by the Chancery Court. I kept on praying, however, and for six years prayed day by day that the money might be paid, believing that G.o.d in His own time (_which is always the best_), would help at last; for _many_ legacies in Chancery I had prayed out of the Court, and the money was eventually paid. In the present case, too, after faith and patience had been sufficiently exercised, G.o.d granted this request likewise."
1893.--In the Fifty-fourth Report of the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution Mr. Muller says:--
"The readers of the last report will remember, under what particular trials we entered upon the last financial year of the Inst.i.tution, from May 26th, 1892, to May 26th, 1893; but we trusted in _G.o.d_; with unshaken confidence we looked to _Him_, and we _expected_ that we should somehow or other be helped. * * While thus we went on, my heart was at peace habitually, being a.s.sured that all this was permitted by G.o.d, to prepare a blessing for thousands, who would afterwards read the record of His dealings with us, during the year from May 26th, 1892, to May 26th, 1893. With reference to our dear fellow-labourers, Mr. Wright and I have seen already, while pa.s.sing through the trial, how G.o.d has blessed it to them.
"Aug. 30, 1892.--This evening, whilst reading in the Psalms, I came to Psalm lx.x.xi, 10, and remembered the work of the Holy Spirit in my heart, when reading this verse on Dec. 5, 1835, and the effect which this had, not only on leading me to found the greatest Orphan Inst.i.tution in the world, but I thought also of the blessing which has thus been brought to tens of thousands of believers and unbelievers all over the world.
Putting aside the Bible, therefore, I fell on my knees and asked G.o.d that He would graciously be pleased to repeat His former kindness, and to supply me again more abundantly with means. Accordingly in less than half an hour, I received 50 from a Bristol Donor and from Redland a large quant.i.ty of fish, in addition to 97 already received to-day as the result of much prayer. By the last delivery, at 9 p. m., I received 5 more also, and had thus 152 in all, this day, as the result of prayer.
"Nov. 11.--There came in to-day, by the first two deliveries, only about 8, but the Lord increased the income to more than 200 this day. I am never discouraged by very little only coming in, but say to myself, and also to my dear helpers, "More prayer, more patience, and more exercise of faith will bring greater blessing"; for thus I have invariably found it, since October, 1830, now 63 years ago, when I first began this life of entire dependence upon G.o.d for everything.
"March 1, 1893.--The income during this week, ending to-day, was 92 8s.
8d. for the Orphans, and 9 11s. 2d. for the other Objects, being about the sixth part of our weekly expenses; but now the great trial of our faith was nearly brought to a close, as will presently be seen.
"March 4.--_This very day_ G.o.d begins to answer our prayers, as we have received a very good offer for the land we have to sell, even 1,000 per acre. The beginning of the day was darker as to outward appearances than ever: but we trusted in G.o.d for help. The first three deliveries of letters brought us only 4, and the remaining three brought us so little that the whole day"s income was only 8 instead of 90, the amount we require every day to meet all our expenses. But G.o.d has now helped us.
We have been able this evening to sell ten acres of land and two-fifths of an acre at 1,000 per acre, and shall receive 10,405 altogether for the whole of one field. The contract was signed at 8 o"clock this evening."
MR. MuLLER"S DEPARTURE TO BE WITH CHRIST.
On the evening of Wednesday, March 9th, 1898, Mr. Muller took part in the usual meeting for prayer held in the Orphan-House No. 3; retired at his usual hour to rest, and early on the following morning (the 10th of March) alone, in his bed-room, breathed his last, realizing what had long been with him a most joyous antic.i.p.ation, viz., that "to depart and to be with Christ is far better."
March 14.--This day Mr. Muller"s earthly remains were laid in the grave of his first and second wives, at Arno" Vale Cemetery. The attendant circ.u.mstances, throughout, were very remarkable and interesting to the Christian mind chiefly as ill.u.s.trating G.o.d"s eternal principle--"Them that honour Me I will honour." The man who in life sought not his own glory, became in death the one to whom all cla.s.ses delighted to show respect and honour.
From the ma.s.ses of sympathizing spectators that lined the streets, from the tearful eyes, and the audible prayerful e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns that escaped the lips of bystanders (many of them the poorest of the poor), as the orphans filed past, following the hea.r.s.e; from the suspension of all traffic in the princ.i.p.al streets, the tolling of m.u.f.fled bells, and the half-masted flags, and from the dense crowds in the cemetery that awaited the arrival of the funeral company, it seemed as if the whole city had spontaneously resolved to do honour to the man who had not lived for himself, but for the glory of G.o.d and the good of his fellows.
For some 21 months before Mr. Muller"s death the trials of faith and patience were great. Mr. James Wright, Mr. Muller"s successor, writes:
"He who is pleased, sometimes, to teach His servants "how to _abound_,"
sees it _best_ for them, at other times "to be instructed how to suffer need." For many of the 64 years during which this work has been carried on, the former was our experience; we abounded and richly abounded, latterly, and especially during the last 2 or 3 years it has been the very reverse. _Pressing need_ has been the _rule_; a balance in hand, over and above our need, the rare exception. Yet we have never been forsaken."
"Sept. 23, 1897.--Residue of the legacy of the late G. J., Esq., 2,679 18s. 7d. This sum was received when we were in the _deepest need_; and after it had pleased the Lord to allow a very protracted trial of faith and patience; but see, beloved reader, He did not disappoint nor forsake us, as He _never_ does those who really trust in Him. The _joy_ of _such_ a deliverance cannot be tasted without the experience of the previous _trial_.
"Feb. 26, 1898.--The following entry, under this date, is in Mr.
Muller"s own hand-writing:
"The income to-day, by the two first deliveries, was 7 15s. 11d. Day by day our great trial of faith and patience continues, and thus it has been, more or less, now, for 21 months, yet, by Thy grace, we are sustained."
March 1, 1898.--The following, again, is from a memorandum in Mr.
Muller"s own hand-writing, under this date:
"For about 21 months with scarcely the least intermission the trial of our faith and patience has continued. Now, to-day, the Lord has refreshed our hearts. This afternoon came in, for the Lord"s work, 1,427 1s. 7d. as part payment of a legacy of the late Mrs. E. C. S. For 3 years and 10 months this money had been in the Irish Chancery Court.
Hundreds of pet.i.tions had been brought before the Lord regarding it, and now at last, this portion of the total legacy has been received."
Thus the Lord, in love and faithfulness, greatly refreshed the heart of His servant, only nine days before taking him home to be with Himself.
APPENDIX A
FIVE CONDITIONS OF PREVAILING PRAYER
Entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only ground of any claim for blessing. (See John xiv. 13, 14; xv. 16, etc.)
2.--Separation from all known sin. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, for it would be sanctioning sin. (Psalm lxvi.
18.)
3.--Faith in G.o.d"s word of promise as confirmed by His oath. Not to believe Him is to make Him both a liar and a perjurer. (Hebrews xi. 6; vi. 13-20.)
4.--Asking in accordance with His will. Our motives must be G.o.dly: we must not seek any gift of G.o.d to consume it upon our l.u.s.ts. (1 John v.