Answers to Prayer.
by George Muller.
PREFACE
Mr. Brooks, in this compilation, has endeavored to select those incidents and practical remarks from Mr. Muller"s Narratives, that show in an unmistakeable way, both to believers and unbelievers, the secret of believing prayer, the manifest hand of a living G.o.d, and His unfailing response, in His own time and way, to every pet.i.tion which is according to His will.
The careful perusal of these extracts will thus further the great object which Mr. Muller had in view, without the necessity of reading through the various details of his "Narratives," details which Mr. Muller felt bound to give when writing periodically the account of G.o.d"s dealings with him.
For those who have the opportunity, an examination of the "Autobiography of George Muller, or, a Million and a Half in Answer to Prayer" will richly repay the time spent upon it.
Mr. Muller"s permission for the compilation of this volume is shown in the accompanying facsimile, (see p. 2), in the following words:
"If the extracts are given exactly as printed, and the punctuation exactly as in the book and in the connection in which the facts stand, I have no objection."
HOW TO ASCERTAIN THE WILL OF G.o.d
I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord"s will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.
2.--Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.
3.--I seek the Will of the Spirit of G.o.d through, or in connection with, the Word of G.o.d. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.
4.--Next I take into account providential circ.u.mstances. These often plainly indicate G.o.d"s Will in connection with His Word and Spirit.
5.--I ask G.o.d in prayer to reveal His Will to me aright.
6.--Thus, through prayer to G.o.d, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more pet.i.tions, I proceed accordingly. In trivial matters, and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective.
GEORGE MuLLER.
ANSWERS TO PRAYER
CHAPTER I
BEGINNING AND EARLY DAYS OF THE ORPHAN WORK.
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."--1 Peter, i. 7.
Mr. George Muller, the founder of the New Orphan-Houses, Ashley Down, Bristol (inst.i.tutions that have been for many years the greatest monuments of modern times to a prayer-answering G.o.d), gives in that most valuable and instructive book, "A Narrative of Some of the Lord"s Dealings with George Muller," Vol. I., among other reasons for establishing an Orphan-House, the following:--
"Sometimes I found children of G.o.d tried in mind by the prospect of old age, when they might be unable to work any longer, and therefore were hara.s.sed by the fear of having to go into the poorhouse. If in such a case I pointed out to them, how their Heavenly Father has always helped those who put their trust in Him, they might not, perhaps, always say, that times have changed; but yet it was evident enough, that G.o.d was not looked upon by them as the LIVING G.o.d. My spirit was ofttimes bowed down by this, and I longed to set something before the children of G.o.d, whereby they might see, that He does not forsake, even in our day, those who rely upon Him.
"Another cla.s.s of persons were brethren in business, who suffered in their souls, and brought guilt on their consciences, by carrying on their business, almost in the same way as unconverted persons do. The compet.i.tion in trade, the bad times, the over-peopled country, were given as reasons why, if the business were carried on simply according to the word of G.o.d, it could not be expected to do well. Such a brother, perhaps, would express the wish, that he might be differently situated; but very rarely did I see _that there was a stand made for G.o.d, that there was the holy determination to trust in the living G.o.d, and to depend on Him, in order that a good conscience might be maintained_. To this cla.s.s likewise I desired to show, by a visible proof, that G.o.d is unchangeably the same.
"Then there was another cla.s.s of persons, individuals who were in professions in which they could not continue with a good conscience, or persons who were in an unscriptural position with reference to spiritual things; but both cla.s.ses feared, on account of the consequences, to give up the profession in which they could not abide with G.o.d, or to leave their position, lest they should be thrown out of employment. My spirit longed to be instrumental in strengthening their faith, by giving them not only instances from the word of G.o.d, of His willingness and ability to help all those who rely upon Him, but _to show them by proofs_, that He is the same in our day. I well knew _that the Word of G.o.d ought to be enough_, and it was, by grace, enough, to me; but still, I considered that I ought to lend a helping hand to my brethren, if by any means, by this visible proof to the unchangeable faithfulness of the Lord, I might strengthen their hands in G.o.d; for I remembered what a great blessing my own soul had received through the Lord"s dealings with His servant A. H.
Franke, who in dependence upon the living G.o.d alone, established an immense Orphan-House, which I had seen many times with my own eyes. I, therefore, judged myself bound to be the servant of the Church of G.o.d, in the particular point on which I had obtained mercy: namely, _in being able to take G.o.d by His word and to rely upon it_. All these exercises of my soul, which resulted from the fact that so many believers, with whom I became acquainted, were hara.s.sed and distressed in mind, or brought guilt on their consciences, on account of not trusting in the Lord; were used by G.o.d to awaken in my heart the desire of setting before the church at large, and before the world, a proof that He has not in the least changed; and this seemed to me best done, by the establishing of an Orphan-House. It needed to be something which could be seen, even by the natural eye. Now, if I, a poor man, simply by prayer and faith, obtained _without asking any individual_, the means for establishing and carrying on an Orphan-House, there would be something which, with the Lord"s blessing, might be instrumental in strengthening the faith of the children of G.o.d, besides being a testimony to the consciences of the unconverted, of the reality of the things of G.o.d. This, then, was the primary reason for establishing the Orphan-House. I certainly did from my heart desire to be used by G.o.d to benefit the bodies of poor children, bereaved of both parents, and seek in other respects, with the help of G.o.d, to do them good for this life;--I also particularly longed to be used by G.o.d in getting the dear orphans trained up in the fear of G.o.d;--but still, the first and primary object of the work was (and still is:) that G.o.d might be magnified by the fact, that the orphans under my care are provided with all they need, only by _prayer and faith_ without anyone being asked by me or my fellow-laborers whereby it may be seen, that G.o.d is FAITHFUL STILL, and HEARS PRAYER STILL. That I was not mistaken, has been abundantly proved since November, 1835, both by the conversion of many sinners who have read the accounts, which have been published in connection with this work, and also by the abundance of fruit that has followed in the hearts of the saints, for which from my inmost soul, I desire to be grateful to G.o.d, and the honor and glory of which not only is due to Him alone, but, which I, by His help, am enabled to ascribe to Him."
"OPEN THY MOUTH WIDE."
In the account written by Mr. Muller dated Jan. 16, 1836, respecting the Orphan-House intended to be established in Bristol in connection with the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution for Home and Abroad, we read:--
"When, of late, the thoughts of establishing an Orphan-House, in dependence upon the Lord, revived in my mind, during the first two weeks I only prayed that if it were of the Lord, he would bring it about, but if not that He graciously would be pleased to take all thoughts about it out of my mind. My uncertainty about knowing the Lord"s mind did not arise from questioning whether it would be pleasing in His sight, that there should be an abode and Scriptural education provided for dest.i.tute fatherless and motherless children; but whether it were His will that I should be the instrument of setting such an object on foot, as my hands were already more than filled. My comfort, however, was, that, if it were His will, He would provide not merely the means, but also suitable individuals to take care of the children, so that my part of the work would take only such a portion of my time, as, considering the importance of the matter, I might give, notwithstanding my many other engagements.
The whole of those two weeks I never asked the Lord for money or for persons to engage in the work.
"On December 5th, however, the subject of my prayer all at once became different. I was reading Psalm lx.x.xi., and was particularly struck, more than at any time before, with verse 10: "_Open thy month wide, and I will fill it_." I thought a few moments about these words, and then was led to apply them to the case of the Orphan-House. It struck me that I had never asked the Lord for anything concerning it, except to know His will, respecting its being established or not; and I then fell on my knees and opened my mouth wide, asking Him for much. I asked in submission to His will, and without fixing a time when He should answer my pet.i.tion.
I prayed that He would give me a house, _i. e._, either as a loan, or that someone might be led to pay the rent for one, or that one might be given permanently for this object; further, I asked Him for 1000; and likewise for suitable individuals to take care of the children. Besides this, I have been since led to ask the Lord, to put into the hearts of His people to send me articles of furniture for the house, and some clothes for the children. When I was asking the pet.i.tion, I was fully aware what I was doing, _i. e._, that I was asking for something which I had no natural prospect of obtaining from the brethren whom I know, but which was not too much for the Lord to grant."
"December 10, 1835.--This morning I received a letter, in which a brother and sister wrote thus:--"We propose ourselves for the service of the intended Orphan-House, if you think us qualified for it; also to give up all the furniture, &c., which the Lord has given us, for its use; and to do this without receiving any salary whatever; believing that if it be the will of the Lord to employ us, He will supply all our needs, &c."
"Dec. 13.--A brother was influenced this day to give 4s. per week, or 10 8s. yearly, as long as the Lord gives the means; 8s. was given by him as two weeks" subscriptions. To-day a brother and sister offered themselves, with all their furniture, and all the provisions which they have in the house, if they can be usefully employed in the concerns of the Orphan-House."
A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT.
"Dec. 17.--I was rather cast down last evening and this morning about the matter, questioning whether I ought to be engaged in this way, and was led to ask the Lord to give me some further encouragement. Soon after were sent by a brother two pieces of print, the one seven and the other 23 yards, 6 yards of calico, four pieces of lining, about four yards altogether, a sheet, and a yard measure. This evening another brother brought a clothes horse, three frocks, four pinafores, six handkerchiefs, three counterpanes, one blanket, two pewter salt cellars, six tin cups, and six metal tea spoons; he also brought 3s. 6d. given to him by three different individuals. At the same time he told me that it had been put into the heart of an individual to send to-morrow 100."
ONE THOUSAND POUNDS.
"June 15, 1837.--To-day I gave myself once more earnestly to prayer respecting the remainder of the 1000. This evening 5 was given, so that now the whole sum is made up. To the Glory of the Lord, whose I am, and whom I serve, I would state again, that every shilling of this money, and all the articles of clothing and furniture, which have been mentioned in the foregoing pages, have been given to me, _without one single individual having been asked by me for anything_."
ORPHANS FOR THE BUILDING.
In a third statement, containing the announcement of the opening of the Orphan-House, for dest.i.tute female children, and a proposal for the establishment of an Infant Orphan-House, which was sent to the press on May 18, 1836, Mr. Muller wrote:--
"So far as I remember, I brought even the most minute circ.u.mstances concerning the Orphan-House before the Lord in my pet.i.tions, being conscious of my own weakness and ignorance. There was, however, one point I never had prayed about, namely that the Lord would send children; for I naturally took it for granted that there would be plenty of applications. The nearer, however, the day came which had been appointed for receiving applications, the more I had a secret consciousness, that the Lord might disappoint my natural expectations, and show me that I could not prosper in one single thing without Him. The appointed time came, and not even one application was made. I had before this been repeatedly tried, whether I might not, after all, against the Lord"s mind, have engaged in the work. This circ.u.mstance now led me to lie low before my G.o.d in prayer the whole of the evening, February 3, and to examine my heart once more as to all the motives concerning it; and being able, as formerly, to say, that His glory was my _chief aim_, _i. e._, that it might be seen that it is not a vain thing to trust in the living G.o.d,--and that my _second aim_ was the spiritual welfare of the orphan-children,--and the _third_ their bodily welfare; and still continuing in prayer, I was at last brought to this state, that I could say _from my heart_, that I should rejoice in G.o.d being glorified in this matter, though it were by _bringing the whole to nothing_. But as still, after all, it seemed to me more tending to the glory of G.o.d, to establish and prosper the Orphan-House, I could then ask Him heartily, to send applications. I enjoyed now a peaceful state of heart concerning the subject, and was also more a.s.sured than ever that G.o.d would establish it. _The very next day_, February 4, the first application was made, and since then 42 more have been made."
"JUST FOR TO-DAY."
Later on, when there were nearly 100 persons to be maintained, and the funds were reduced to about 20, Mr. Muller writes:--