The Life of Trust by George Müller (fiction novels to read .TXT) 📖
- Author: George Müller
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Dec. 31, 1844. Since brother Craik and I came to Bristol, 982 believers have been received into communion. During this year 73 have been received.
The Lord has been pleased to give me during this year £267, 6s. 9d. To this is to be added that for the first two months and six days of this year, my expenses, and those of my dear wife, during our stay in Germany, were met, as also our travelling expenses back, as stated in another part of my Narrative. Also during the whole of this year a Christian lady gave to our dear child board and schooling without any remuneration, a present worth to us not less than fifty pounds. On this point I cannot help making a few remarks: I had clearly seen it to be the will of God that my daughter should be brought up at school, and not at home. My reasons for it were these: 1. My dear wife, though well qualified to instruct our daughter, so far as knowledge goes, was unable, on account of being engaged as my wife in a variety of things connected with the Lord’s service, to give herself uninterruptedly to this work; and to do it partially we judged to be injurious to our daughter. 2. I had seen instances in which a home education for an only child had turned out very badly. 3. I judged that the mixing with other children would be beneficial to our daughter, provided that intercourse was under proper oversight; as thus a child is in early life introduced into a little world, and things do not all at once come upon a young person, when at last obliged to leave the parental roof. 4. But that which most of all led me to this decision was, that as in the church of Christ the Lord has qualified the members of the body for the performance of certain work, and all have not the same gift and service, so, in the same way, certain believers are called and qualified above others for instructing children, and give themselves to this particular service, and that, therefore, I ought to make use of the qualifications of such, and of their having given their whole time to this particular service. These reasons led us to place our daughter at school, instead of educating her at home, and we have never had cause to regret the step we took, but, on the contrary, have had abundant reason to praise God for it. I have purposely made these remarks, as I am fully aware that some believers have different views on this subject, and I desire to serve them with the measure of light and experience I have obtained.
After our daughter had been at school for half a year, I asked for the account, when it was stated to me by the Christian lady in whose establishment she was that she had a pleasure in educating her gratuitously. However, as I pressed the matter, I obtained the account. It was paid, but the exact sum was returned to me anonymously, which, of course, I found out at once to be from the Christian sister at whose school my daughter was. From that time I could never more obtain the account, though my dear child was about six years longer at school. I refer to this point for this especial reason: God had laid it on my heart to care about poor destitute orphans. To this service I had been led to give myself; he, in return, as a recompense, even for this life, took care that my own beloved child should have a very good education, free of expense to me. I was able and well able to pay for her education, and most willing to do so; but the Lord gave it gratuitously; thus also showing how ready he is abundantly to help me, and to supply my wants.
Having learned that the brethren in Germany were led away by false teachers, and having received, in answer to prayer, five hundred pounds, for the expenses of his journey thither, Mr. M. left Bristol July 19, 1845, and, after laboring in word and doctrine in Germany, he returned to Bristol Oct. 11, 1845.
Perhaps the reader may ask, What has been the result of this labor in Germany? My reply is, God only knows. The day of Christ will declare it. Judging from the constant labor in prayer during eight months before I went the second time, and day by day while I was on the Continent, and day by day for a long time after my return, I am warranted to expect fruit, and I do expect it. I expect abundant fruit in the day of Christ’s appearing. In the mean time my comfort is that two hundred and twenty thousand tracts have been circulated, many of which, through the providence of God, found their way not only into the darkest places of the continent of Europe, but went also to America and Australia. Further: four thousand copies of my Narrative, in German, are almost all circulated. And, again, the publishing of my Narrative in German led me to do the same in French, which was accomplished about three years later. Further: these tracts were reprinted at Hamburg and at Cologne, and are circulated by other Christians; in addition to which, my having published them in Germany led me to get them stereotyped in England, and they continue to be circulated in many countries.
December 31, 1845. There have been received into communion 53 during this year, and 1,055 since the commencement of our coming to Bristol.
During this year the Lord has been pleased to give to me £433, 19s. 1¾d. To this is to be added that my dear child had again during the whole of this year her education free at a boarding-school, as stated at the close of the last year, whereby I saved about fifty pounds. Also my travelling expenses to and from Germany, and other expenses connected with my service in Germany, were paid out of the £500 pounds to which reference has been made. Adding these two items to £433, I had at least £500.
April 29, 1846. To-day my beloved wife and myself had the inexpressibly great joy of receiving a letter from our beloved daughter, while we are staying in the Lord’s service at Chippenham, in which she writes that she has now found peace in the Lord Jesus. Thus our prayers are turned into praises. About eighteen months before this I began especially to pray for the conversion of my dear child, and the Lord soon after seems to have begun to work in her heart.
[18] The reader will not fail to remark the striking illustration afforded in the present chapter, of the truth stated in Chapter XVI., that God rewards the right use of means of benevolence by affording the means of enlarged usefulness.—Ed.
CHAPTER XVIII. FAITH CONFIRMED BY PROSPERITY. 1846-1848.THE SPIRIT OF SUPPLICATION BESTOWED AND PRAYER ANSWERED—THE TIME OF MAN’S NEED AND OF GOD’S BOUNTY—FAITH NOT SHAKEN—DEALING ONLY WITH GOD—THE NEEDED AMOUNT FURNISHED—PERPETUAL “NEED”—NOT WEARY IN GOD’S WORK—JOY IN ANSWERED PRAYER—FOUR REQUESTS GRANTED—“CONTINUING INSTANT IN PRAYER”—THE BUILDING COMMENCED—PERSONAL HISTORY—A MARKED DELIVERANCE.
In the following chapter, Mr. Müller has grouped together, under the appropriate heads, the leading events connected with each of the departments of the work of the Lord in his hands.
I. ASSISTANCE TO THE MISSIONARY LABORERS.
During no former period since undertaking to send aid to laborers at home and abroad was I intrusted by the Lord with such large sums as during the one to which this chapter refers. I had never had more need of pecuniary supplies than during those two years, on account of the many pressing calls; but, at the same time, I had the exceeding great joy and privilege of being able to respond to them in such a way as I had never before been allowed to do. These remarks apply to all the various objects of the Institution, but especially to the supplies for brethren who labor at home and abroad in word and doctrine, without being connected with any society, or without having any regular salary for preaching the word.
On May 26, 1846, after the accounts had been closed, a check for one hundred pounds was given to me, the application of which was left to my disposal. I put half of the amount to the fund for these objects, and half to the orphan fund. When the accounts were closed, there was ninety-one pounds four shillings elevenpence three farthings in hand for these objects, to which this fifty pounds was added; therefore I began this period with more means than I had had in hand at any time previously at the beginning of a fresh period; and as was its beginning, so was the continuance. It has often struck me that one especial reason why, on the whole, I was allowed to have so little trial with regard to means for the work during those two years, in comparison with former times, may have been, that thereby the Lord would say that he was willing to give what would be needed, when once the new Orphan House should be built, though the expenses would be about two thousand five hundred pounds a year more than they were before.
June 4, 1846. To-day was given to me, just when I rose from my knees, after having asked the Lord for more means, especially for missionary purposes, the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds, with the request to use of it fifty pounds for the orphans, fifty pounds for laborers in England, and fifty pounds for laborers abroad.
From the commencement of this Institution, on March 5, 1834, it had been my desire to employ part of the funds, with which I might be intrusted, in aiding missionary brethren in foreign lands, who are not supported by any regular salary; and for several years I had likewise had the desire to assist brethren, laboring in similar circumstances, in Great Britain and Ireland. The Lord also had given me the great privilege to assist such brethren more or less during the time that this Institution had been in operation; but especially he began during the two years to which this chapter refers to allow me to do so in a far greater degree than before. I knew it to be a fact that many brethren who preach the word, without having any salary for doing so, or property to live upon, were in need. Now it might be said that such brethren ought to trust in God; that, if they preach Jesus as the only hope for the salvation of sinners, they ought to set them a good example by trusting themselves in God for the supply of their temporal necessities, in order that unconverted persons thereby might be led to trust
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