Oct. 22. This morning's post had brought no means. Whilst walking in my little garden for meditation and prayer, I said to myself--"Though the post has brought no means, yet the Lord can send even this day rich supplies." It was not two minutes after this, when a letter was handed to me, which had been brought that moment, containing two Fifty Pound Notes and these words: "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."-40l. for missionaries; Demerara and others, dependant on God for supplies. 10l. for Home missionaries, dependant on God for their support. 10l. for the Orphans. 10l. for the poor of Bethesda and Salem Church. 10l. for Mr. Müller. 10l. for Mr. Craik. 5l. for Bibles and Testaments. 5l. for rent, &c. of chapels."-Thus I had a fresh answer to my prayers, which had been again brought before the Lord this morning, that He would enable me still more to help the dear brethren who labour at home and abroad in dependence upon Him for supplies.
Dec. 22. During the last two months about 70l. more has come in, chiefly for Missionary purposes. Of these donations, about eighty in number, I only mention that there was given on Nov. 5, the sum of 6l. 14s., being the tenth part of profits arising from shares which a brother has in coal mines. Now today, Dec. 22, I received 175l. more for these funds, which I took as a further precious answer to my supplications to God, for help for home and foreign labourers, and for means to procure a fresh stock of tracts.
March 7, 1847. Often of late have I besought the Lord that He would be pleased to give me more means for those objects. For more than nine months we have on the whole abounded more than at any time during the thirteen years since this work first began; but now there was only 15l. left for the support of six day schools, two Sunday schools, an adult school, and the circulation of Bibles and Tracts. Often also of late had I entreated the Lord that He would be pleased to condescend to use me still further as a steward, in allowing me to send help to the many dear brethren whom I know labouring at home and abroad without any salary, the need of many of whom I knew. Under these circumstances I received this morning 150l. with the following lines:
"Dear brother,
"I have pleasure in sending you 100l. on account of labourers in the Lord's vineyard at home and abroad, and 50l. for other work in your hands.
"Yours very affectionately,
"* *."
Thus my request was in a measure answered with regard to home and foreign labourers, and by taking half of the 50l. for the schools and the circulation of Bibles and Tracts, I had also something for these objects. The other 25l. I put to the Orphan Fund.
March 12. The 100l. for home and foreign labourers was soon portioned out. The difficulty was not to spend it, but how to make it do, so that all, who seemed to me to need, might get a little. On this account I prayed still further during the last four days for means for home and foreign labourers, and now this morning, when I arose from my knees, after having again asked the Lord about tills matter, I received a letter in which C. W. sent me 30l. for missionaries.
April 5. I have been praying day by day, ever since I was able during the last month to send about 130l. to home and foreign labourers, that the Lord would be pleased soon again to give me means for them, on account of their great need; indeed, all our means were so exhausted, that I had only just enough, for tomorrow evening, to meet the weekly expenses connected with the six day schools, when this morning I received 125l. for these objects. What a precious help! How is my heart refreshed by this seasonable answer to prayer!--Almost immediately after this donation had been given to me, I received a letter from Demerara about the great need among the brethren who labour there, by which intelligence the seasonable help, just received, has become still more precious to me.
Thirteen other small donations came in between April 5th and May 13th, and on May 13th I received 100l. for missionary purposes.
On June 8th was given 100l. for missionary purposes.
June 30. For the whole period, since the accounts were last closed, more than 13 months since, we have not been so poor with regard to these funds as today. Last evening I paid out the last money to the brethren who labour in the day schools, in giving them their weekly salary. Under these circumstances a brother in the Lord, who resides about 200 miles from this, and who had been staying in my house two days, gave me 30l. to dispose of as I thought best, only that missionary brethren should be remembered. I took therefore 15l. for Missions, and the other 15l. for the SchoolBible and Tract Fund. What a seasonable help!