From May 26, 1850, to May 26, 1851, there were four day schools in Bristol, with 286 children in them, _entirely supported_ by the funds of the Institution; and three others in Devonshire, Gloucestershire, and Norfolk, with 180 children in them, were _assisted_. Further, one Sunday school in Bristol, with 184 children, was entirely supported, and two others in Devonshire and Gloucestershire, with 213 children, were assisted. Lastly, an adult school in Bristol, with 90 persons in it, was entirely supported. The expenses connected with all these various schools were, during this period, L379, 17s. From the formation of the Institution, on March 5, 1834, up to May 26, 1851, there were 5,343 children in the various day schools in Bristol alone, 2,379 in the Sunday school, and 1,896 persons in the adult school, besides the thousands in the schools out of Bristol which were assisted.
There was expended during this period, out of the funds of the Institution, on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, L150, 16s. 5d. There were 345 Bibles sold, and 899 given away; and 30 New Testaments sold, and 413 given away, during this period. From March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1851, there were circulated 7,709 Bibles and 4,442 New Testaments.
During this year was spent of the funds of the Institution, for missionary objects, the sum of L2,000, 11s. 1d. By this sum forty-five laborers in the word and doctrine in various parts of the world were to a greater or less degree assisted. The total amount of L2,000 was sent to these forty-five servants of the Lord Jesus in 264 different sums.
During this period L358, 7s. 3d. was expended on the circulation of tracts, and 303,098 tracts and little books were circulated. I was permitted to send out more tracts than _during the whole of the previous ten years taken together_. Nor must it be withheld from the reader, as matter for thankfulness, that the Lord was pleased to allow me to hear again and again of instances of conversion, by means of the distribution of these tracts during this period.
On May 26, 1850, there were 275 orphans in the new Orphan House on Ashley Down, Bristol. On May 26, 1851, there were 300 orphans in the new Orphan House. The total number of orphans who were under our care from April, 1836, to May 26, 1851, is 488. There came in altogether during this year L4,102, 14s. 91/4d. for the support of the orphans, and L3,640, 9s. 13/4d. for the other objects; and, after having met to the full every demand with reference to the orphans, the balance of L970, 13s. 113/4d. remained in hand. Also, after having entered into every door which the Lord was please to set before me respecting the other objects, and to do far more than during any one year previously, the balance of L809, 10s. 6d. remained in hand on May 26, 1851. Verily we do not trust in the Lord in vain!
_Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me_, the sum of L38,018, 4s. 61/2d. was given to me for the orphans _as the result of prayer to God_ from the commencement of the work to May 26, 1851. It may be also interesting to the reader to know that the total amount which was given as free contributions for the other objects from the commencement of the work to May 26, 1851, amounted to L13,988, 11s. 91/4d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and tracts, and by the payments of the children in the day schools, amounted to L2,890, 9s. 113/4d.
It pleased the Lord greatly to gladden our hearts by the working of his Holy Spirit among the orphans during this period.
Dec. 31, 1850. During this year there have been received into fellowship 57, and altogether, from the time that brother Craik and I began to labor in Bristol, 1,313. The Lord has been pleased to give me, for my personal expenses, L402, 4s. 5d.