Oct. 28. Nothing at all has come in today for the Building Fund, and about 70l. only during the last four weeks. Yet, by the grace of God, I am supported, and have not the least questioning of soul whether I shall have the means or not. I only look upon this delay, on the part of God, in sending me larger sums, as an exercise of my patience and faith, and am sure, that in His own time He will give more largely. Today I have had again three long seasons for prayer respecting the work in my hands; and the greater part of this evening have been in prayer, entreating and beseeching the Lord to help me; and I am now again looking out for means, as I do day by day.
Oct. 29. This morning I received a letter, containing a check for 50l., and these words:
"* * * * Oct. 27, 1851.
"My dear Sir,
I had much pleasure and blessing in perusing the Report you were kind enough to send me some time ago, and am much obliged to you for it. Is it not a privilege to be allowed to obtain future good out of present expending? (Luke xvi. 9)' That when ye fail, etc.' I enclose a check for 50l., of which I should wish 25l. to be used for the New Orphan-House, that which you propose to build.
Yours, dear Sir,
Ever faithfully,
* * * * *"
The other 25l. being left to me, to be disposed of as I thought well, I divided equally between the five objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad.
By the same post I received also a donation of 10s., with the following letter.
* * * *, Oct. 27, 1851.
"Dear Mr. Müller,
I enclose you 10s. worth of postages, as a token of gratitude to the Lord. I had 2l. due to me, and the party told me he would not pay it, except I summoned him. I consulted the Scripture, and found, as a Christian, I must not do that; so I put the case into the hand of the wonderful counsellor,' and told the Lord, if He would be pleased to give me the 2l., I would give Him back half of it. Not long after I had a message from the party, to say if I would fetch it, I should have the 2l.; so I went, and he paid me without an unpleasant word. I have sent you one half of the pound (the other half I have designed for another purpose). If you need it, you will please to take it for your own personal use; if it is not needed any other way, I should like the privilege of having a stone in the intended Orphan-House, &c."
I took this 10s. for the Building Fund. The donor is a poor working man. This afternoon I received 50l. more from the neighbourhood of London, with these words: "For the missionaries, and where else most needed." I took, therefore, 25l. of it for missions, and the other 25l. for the Building Fund.
Thus the Lord has been pleased this day to refresh my heart greatly in sending these donations, and has given again a manifest proof that yesterday I did not wait upon Him in vain. But I look out for more abundant help, and for larger sums. I cannot help noticing here, that this afternoon the Lord also refreshed my spirit through a donation of 6 pairs of new shoes, which a young man (whom about twelve years ago I received as a very destitute Orphan, and who about five years ago was apprenticed to a shoemaker, and who has lately finished his apprenticeship), brought me for the Orphans, as a small token of his gratitude, as he said. He had himself made the shoes, having bought the leather with the little sums which he had earned in working overtime for his master.
Such instances occur often. I see now, again and again, fruit resulting from my labours in this service. It is not at all a rare thing that I meet with respectable young women, or respectable young men, who, many years ago, were placed, as very destitute Orphans, under my care, and who are now a comfort and help to society, instead of being a pest, which otherwise they might have been. But valuable and pleasant as this is, I frequently meet with far more in them: I find them to be children of the living God, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and see or hear that they walk according to their profession. Thus, in the midst of many difficulties, and with much that, for the present moment, is discouraging, I see abundant fruit. Yet, if even only one soul were won from among these Orphans, how abundantly would all labours, trials, difficulties, and expenditure of money be made up; but, if I know of scores of them already in heaven, and scores of them now on the road to heaven, how can I but go on labouring, esteeming it a privilege to be allowed of God to seek to win more and more of them for Him? Considerations like these are a mighty impulse to me to go forward with regard to the intended Orphan House.