June 2. This morning I received the following anonymous note from Teignmouth, enclosing two halfsovereigns.
"My dear Brother,
I send you with much pleasure the enclosed trifle, to be disposed of as you judge to be best. Also this precious text, "Only believe," once spoken by the lips of our blessed glorified Head, now above.
Ever yours in Him."
Thus the Lord has already sent me a little help towards what may be needed tomorrow. His name be praised! How true that word: "Only believe."--Evening. This afternoon the Lord has shown afresh in my experience the truth of that word: "Only believe." I received a letter containing 40l., of which 10l. are for Brother Craik and myself, 10l. for Home and Foreign labourers, and 20l. for present use for the Orphans. Thus I am enabled to send the money required for house-keeping for this week, till Tuesday the 8th. Oh, how kind of the Lord to help us again and again!
June 8. There was only about 6l. in hand towards the house-keeping expenses of the coming week, as comparatively little had come in since June 2. In addition to the house-keeping, other expenses needed to be met. Under these circumstances 50l. was given to me this morning to be laid out as most needed, which I took for the support of the Orphans. Thus we are again helped for the present moment.
June 17. Only 12l.16s. 0 ½ d. has come in during the last 9 days. After having advanced on the 15th the money for one week's house-keeping expenses, and paid also 13l. 10s. for apprentices, all our money was again expended, except that which had been put by for rent and oatmeal, which has been ordered. When we were thus once more quite poor, I received today from a Christian gentleman at Edinburgh, whom God has repeatedly used to help us in times of need, a bank-order for 35l. Of this amount 5l. had been given to him by a lady for the Orphans, 25l. were from himself for the Orphans, and 5l. he kindly intended for my own personal necessities. Oh, how precious thus continually to see the hand of God stretched out on our behalf! Will you not, dear reader, taste and see that the Lord is good, and that it is a blessed thing to put our trust in Him? Whatever your position in life, though you may not be called by the Lord to establish Orphan-Houses and Day-Schools for poor children, or to trust in Him for means for circulating Tracts and Copies of His Holy Word; yet all children of God, whatever their position in the world or in the church, ought to put their trust in God for every thing connected with their body, their soul, their business, their family, their church position, their service for God, &c. And it is impossible to do so, without enjoying the blessedness which results from it, even first that peace which keeps the heart and mind like a garrison, and secondly true liberty with regard to circumstances, times, places and persons.
June 29. Tuesday Evening. Having had nearly 50l. coming in since this day fortnight, I have had the means of meeting all the expenses of these two weeks; but now having paid out what was required for house-keeping for the coming week, all is again gone.
June 30. This morning when, as stated, there was again nothing in hand, I received from Devonshire 20l. for the Orphans.
July 1. This morning I received still further from a Bristol donor 10l., and 5l. from M.R. These three donations of yesterday and today came in most seasonably, not only because they came when there was nothing in hand, but also because the Lord willing, I am on the point of leaving Bristol for a few weeks, and am thus able to leave some money behind.
I was absent from Bristol from July 1st to August 2nd. During this time 133l. 11s. 4 ½ d. was received, and the sums came in so seasonably, that there was not ally difficulty at all experienced with regard to means, because there was always a sufficient amount of money in hand, to furnish the house-keeping expenses each week in advance, besides meeting all other current expenses. At the same time I might say that almost every one of the donations came in most seasonably to help us on, if not from day to day, at least from week to week; and if it were not on account of its taking up too much space, I should mention every one of the donations which form the total amount referred to, but I shall only refer to the following.