March 11, Tuesday. Only 17s. 6d. had come in since Saturday evening, and therefore, after the expenses of yesterday had been met, there remained again only a few shillings in hand, on account of which my prayer was, that the Lord would be pleased to send in something for this day. When I came home last evening from the meeting, my dear wife told me, that there was some money in the box in our parlour. I opened it, and found it to contain five sovereigns. Thus we are supplied for today.
March 13. Yesterday I had sent off all the money, which was remaining in my hands, to the Orphan-Houses for housekeeping. Also the boxes were opened in the Orphan-Houses, but only 10 ½ d. was found in them. We were comfortably supplied yesterday with all that was required, but there was no money at all in hand for today. When the letter-bag was brought this morning for money, I found that the need for housekeeping for today was 2l. 15s.; but there was nothing at all in hand. Therefore, while the boy was waiting at my house, I disposed of some trinkets, which had been sent a few days since, for 2l. 15s. 6d. Thus we had enough, and 6d. over. There came in also 8d. by sale of Reports.-- Evening. This afternoon came in, by sale of articles, 17s. 6d., and by a donation 1l.
March 14. The need of today is 2l. There was 1s. 4d. more needed than I had in hand, when 5s. 6 ½ d. came in from two Orphan-boxes. Thus we are helped for this day.
March 15. Yesterday afternoon half-a-sovereign was brought to me. In the evening 19s. 4d. came in by sale of articles. But this was not enough for the need of today. While the Orphan boy was waiting for the money, I received the following letter from Bath:--
"Beloved Brother in the Lord,
"My sister E. and myself feel it laid on our hearts to send a little for your need at this time, thinking it must be increased by the severity of the weather. We send the inclosed in much love, and thankfulness to the Lord for permitting us to do it, half for the Orphans, and the rest to be applied as seems good to you. Etc."
The letter contained two sovereigns, of which I took one for the Orphans, and the other for the School fund. (The latter sovereign was needed today towards the payment of the teachers in the Day-schools.) Thus we had all that was needed today for the Orphans. This evening I found a sixpence in the box in my room.
March 17, Monday. The sixpence which I took out of the box in my room on Saturday evening was all there was in hand, when yesterday came in the following donations:
A. A. 1l. 2s. 4 ½ d., anonymously 6d., ditto 2s. 6d. When this morning I had the bag sent from the Orphan-Houses, I found that the amount needed for house-keeping was 2l. 5s.; but there was only 1l. 5s. 10 ½ d. in hand. Immediately after, before the bag was fetched, one of my fellow-labourers sent me 1l. for the Orphans, so that we had enough for today, and 10 ½ d. over. When now only 10 ½ d. remained, I received from Swansea a letter containing a franc and a half, with the words "Jehovah Jireh."
March 18. "Jehovah Jireh" (i.e. the Lord will provide) has been again verified in our experience. 10 ½ d. remained in hand, and the need of this day was 6l. 3s. But the Lord knew what we should need today, and he helped accordingly. I opened the box in my room, and found a ten-pound note in it. Thus we have more than is needed for the present moment.
March 19. Yesterday afternoon I had to pay out 3l. more, for one of the apprentices. Thus the expenses of yesterday were altogether 9l. 3s. How kind therefore of the Lord to have put it into the heart of the donor of the ten-pound note to give that money just then. And now we had again only 17s. 10 ½ d. left towards the need of today, which is 3l. 5s. But our most faithful Lord has been again mindful of us at this time also. For there came in yesterday from a lady at Sheffield 1l., by sale of Reports 8d., by the profit from the sale of ladies' bags 15s., and by three donations from Bristol donors 12s. Thus there is again all we need for today, and 6 1/2d. left. Immediately after I had written this in my journal, the Lord began to increase again "the handful of meal in the barrel." I received from Barnstaple 5s.
March 20. Yesterday morning, when I was going to send off the money to the Orphan-Houses, I found 2s. 6d. in the letter bag, slipped in anonymously. I found also 1l. 5s. in the boxes at my house. Thus we have 1l. 13s. 0 ½ d. for the necessities of today, which I find is sufficient.
March 21. All the money being spent, the boxes in the Orphan-Houses were opened yesterday afternoon, in which were found a sovereign, half-a-crown, and a penny. This is all we have for today.