In connection with all these various schools, I would suggest the following important matter for prayer. From March, 1834, to May 26, 1855, there were 5,956 children in the day schools. In the adult schools there were 2,459 persons. The number of the Sunday-school children amounted to 2,817. Thus, without reckoning the orphans, 11,232 souls were brought under _habitual_ instruction in the things of God in these various schools; besides the many thousands in the schools in various parts of England, Ireland, Scotland, British Guiana, the West Indies, the East Indies, etc., which were to a greater or less degree assisted.
The total sum which was expended during the twenty-one years, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, in connection with the schools, which were either entirely or in part supported by the funds of this Institution, amounted to L7,204, 12s. 81/4d.
The number of Bibles, New Testaments, and portions of the Holy Scriptures, which were circulated from May 26, 1854, to May 26, 1855, is as follows:--
Bibles sold, 693. Bibles given away, 890. Testaments sold, 950. Testaments given away, 748. Copies of the Psalms sold, 82. Other small portions of the Holy Scriptures sold, 136.
There were circulated from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, through the medium of this Institution, 13,949 Bibles, 9,047 New Testaments, 188 copies of the Psalms, and 789 other small portions of the Holy Scriptures.
The total amount of the funds of this Institution spent on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, is L3,389, 10s. 1d. The amount spent during this year, L476, 12s. 3d.
During this year there was spent of the funds of the Institution, for missionary objects, the sum of L2,081, 3s. 2d. By this sum fifty-seven laborers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, were to a greater or less degree assisted.
The total amount of the funds of the Institution spent on missionary operations, from March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1855, was L16,115, 0s. 51/2d.
There was laid out for tracts, from May 26, 1854, to May 26, 1855, the sum of L624, 8s. 4d.; and there were circulated within this year 895,034 tracts and books.
The total number of all the tracts and books which were circulated from the beginning up to May 26, 1855, was 3,584,710.
The total amount of means expended on this object, from Nov. 19, 1840, to May 26, 1855, was L2,868, 15s. 63/4d.
At the commencement of this period there were 298 orphans in the new Orphan House on Ashley Down, Bristol. During the year there were admitted into it 39 orphans.
The expenses for the orphans during this year were L4,304, 4s. 71/2d.
_Without any one having been personally applied to for anything_ by me, the sum of L74,132, 6s. 103/4d. was given to me for the orphans, _as the result of prayer to God_, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1855, which sum includes the L15,055, 3s. 21/4d., which was the cost of the building, fitting up and furnishing of the present new Orphan House, and the L23,059, 17s. 81/4d., which was in hand on the 26th May, 1855, for the building fund, and the L116, 17s. 81/2d., the balance for the current expenses. It may also be interesting to the reader to know that the total sum which was given for the other objects, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1855, amounted to L25,239, 8s. 103/4d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and tracts, and by the payments of the children in the day schools, from the commencement, amounted to L4,531, 12s. 103/4d. Besides this also a great variety and number of articles of clothing, furniture, provisions, etc., were given _for the use_ of the orphans.
I have the joy of being able to state that we have great cause for thankfulness in that in the midst of many difficulties our labors among the orphans continue to be blessed, and that especially again and again instances now come before us in which those who were formerly under our care declare themselves on the Lord's side.
Besides being able to meet the expenses for the orphans and the other objects, amounting altogether to L7,832, 7s. 01/2d., during this year I was able to add to the building fund L5,242, 18s. 3d. The total income during the year was L13,054, 14s. 4d.
Dec. 31, 1854. During this year there have been received into fellowship 61.
The Lord has been pleased to give me during this year L697, 11s. 5d.
One or the other of my readers may be ready to exclaim, six hundred and ninety-seven pounds eleven shillings fivepence! What a large sum! Not one out of a hundred ministers has such a large salary, nor one out of twenty clergymen such a good living! Should you, esteemed reader, say so, my reply is: Indeed, mine is a happy way for the obtaining of my temporal supplies; but if any one desires to go this way, he must,--