1845-1846.
AN UNEXPECTED REQUEST--DELIBERATION--A GREAT UNDERTAKING--RELIANCE ON THE RESOURCES OF THE LIVING GOD--AN ANSWER EXPECTED AND RECEIVED--PRAYER FOR FAITH AND PATIENCE--FURTHER PROOFS OF DIVINE FAVOR--THE BLESSEDNESS OF DEVISING LIBERAL THINGS.
I began the service of caring for children who are bereaved of _both_ parents, by death, born in wedlock, and are in destitute circumstances, on Dec. 9, 1835. For nearly ten years I had never had any desire to _build_ an Orphan House. On the contrary, I decidedly preferred spending the means which might come in for present necessities, and desired rather to enlarge the work according to the means which the Lord might be pleased to give. Thus it was till the end of October, 1845, when I was led to consider this matter in a way in which I had never done before.[18] The occasion of my doing so was this: On Oct. 30, 1845, I received from a gentleman, who lived in the street where the four Orphan Houses were, a polite and friendly letter, in which he courteously stated to me that the inhabitants in the adjoining houses were in various ways inconvenienced by the Orphan Houses being in Wilson Street. He left to myself the judgment of the case.
[Footnote 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.]
This letter I received on Thursday morning, Oct. 30, 1845. Being very much occupied that week, I had scarcely any time to consider the matter. On Monday morning, however, Nov. 3, I set apart some hours for the prayerful consideration of the subject, and after I had besought the Lord to guide me to a right decision, I wrote down the reasons which appeared to me to make it desirable that the Orphan Houses should be _removed_ from Wilson Street, and also the reasons _against removing_. As far as they are suitable for being stated in print they were these:--