I send you something towards buying bread for the orphans. The dearness of food must be felt by many; but the Lord in judgment is nevertheless gracious. He will sustain. I am your sincere friend and well-wisher, * * * *
March 9. This evening, Tuesday, I find that since last Tuesday evening again forty-four pounds one shilling sixpence three farthings has come in. How good is the Lord in helping me week after week through the heavy expenses, especially in this season of deep distress and dearness of provisions! To his praise I can say we have lacked nothing all this winter. Whilst preparing these extracts from my journal for the press, I remember to have heard the following remarks made with reference to the time about which I am just now writing, I mean the season of dearth during the winter of 1846-7: "I wonder how it is now with the orphans? If Mr. Mueller is now able, to provide for them as he has, we will say nothing." When I heard such like remarks I said nothing except this: "We lack nothing;" or, "God helps us." Should this fall into the hands of any who have had such thoughts, let them remember that it is the very time for _faith_ to work, when _sight_ ceases. The greater the difficulties, the easier for _faith_. As long as there remain certain natural prospects, faith does not get on even as easily (if I may say so) as when all natural prospects fail. It is true that during the time of the dearth our expenses were considerably greater than usual; it is also true that many persons, who otherwise might have given, were unable to do so, or had their surplus directed into other channels, such as Ireland, etc.; but the gold and silver are the Lord's. To him we made our prayer. In him we put our trust. And he did not forsake us. _For we went as easily through that winter as through any winter since the work had been in existence._ Nor could it be otherwise; for God had at this very time an especial opportunity of showing the blessedness of trusting in him. Seek, dear reader, more and more to put your trust in him for everything, and you will even concerning this life find it most precious so to do.
March 10. I was able, last evening, to meet most comfortably all the expenses for the coming week, yet we had then nothing left, as I put by the rest of the money, that we might not get into debt with regard to the rent, the expenses of the apprentices, etc. When now there was again nothing left for future housekeeping expenses, a Christian lady at a considerable distance informed me by this morning's post that she has paid into the hands of Messrs. Stuckey & Co. of Bristol, my bankers, the sum of one hundred pounds for my use for the benefit of the orphans. By the same post I have received also ten shillings from Droitwich. The Lord's holy name be praised for this seasonable help!
May 11. This evening I have been able to meet all the expenses connected with housekeeping during the coming week, through what has come in since May 4, but at the same time I have nothing left. Hitherto the children have lacked nothing. Never were provisions nearly so dear since the commencement of the work as they are now. The bread is almost twice as much as eighteen months ago, the oatmeal nearly three times as much as formerly, the rice more than double the usual price, and no potatoes can be used on account of the exceeding high price.
May 30. Lord's-day morning. I have just now received, in our great need, when there was not sufficient in hand to meet the necessities of to-morrow, six pounds six shillings, from a Christian gentleman of title at Zurich in Switzerland, a distance of about one thousand miles. What a most seasonable help! Thus I am able to send all the remainder of the supplies which are needed till Tuesday evening.
In these days of straitness the question would naturally arise, If, when you have only to care for one hundred and thirty orphans, you are so poor, what will you do when there are three hundred, for whom you are just on the point of building a house? And, further, Is it not an indication not to increase the work, seeing you are now so poor with only about one third of the number of orphans which you purpose to receive into the new Orphan House? I am not tried, however, with such thoughts; for I know that, 1. Only for the trial of my faith, as heretofore, the Lord allows me now again to be poor. Never at any time have the expenses been so great for the work as from May 26, 1846, to May 26, 1847; but also never has so much come in in the same space of time during any other period of this work. 2. It is for the profit of the church at large that I have now again to pass through these days of poverty. 3. It is as easy for the Lord to supply me with all the means that the work will require when once the new Orphan House is opened, as it is for him to give me what I need now, though the expenses in all likelihood will then be two thousand five hundred pounds a year more than they are at present.