a. Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me, the sum of 55,408l. 17s. 5 ¾ d. was given to me for the Orphans, as the result of prayer to God, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1853.--It may be also interesting to the reader to know, that the total amount given for the other objects, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1853, amounted to 19,163l. 14s. 1 ½ d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and Tracts, and by the payments of the children in the Day Schools, amounted to 3,490l. 7s. 1 ¾ d.-- Besides this, also a great variety and number of articles of clothing, furniture, provisions, &c., were given for the use of the Orphans.
b. Our labours continued to be blessed among the Orphans.
c. The expenses in connexion with the support of the 300 Orphans and the apprentices during this year, were 3,453l. 15s. 1 ½ d.
Matters connected with my own personal affairs, or the work of the Lord in my hands, not immediately connected with the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, from May 26, 1852, to May 26, 1853.
Dec. 31, 1852. During this year 35 believers have been received into fellowship. When Brother Craik and I began to labour in the Word in Bristol, we found 68 in fellowship. Since then there have been received into communion altogether 1,403, so that the total number would be 1,471, had there been no changes. But 64 are under church discipline, and separated, for the present, from fellowship; 154 have left us (some of them, however, in love, and merely through circumstances); 421 have left Bristol to reside elsewhere; and 197 have fallen asleep. So that there are at present only 635 actually remaining in communion.
The Lord has been pleased to give unto me during this year
1. Through believers in and out of Bristol, in provisions, clothes, etc., worth to us at least . . . . . 9 0 0
2. Through anonymous offerings in money, put up in paper and directed to me, and put into the boxes for the poor saints or the rent, at the chapels . 157 11 4 ½
----
Carried forward £166 11 4 ½
Brought forward £166 11 4 ½
3. Through presents in money, from believers in Bristol, not given anonymously . . . . . . 121 5 2
4. Through presents in money, from believers not residing in Bristol . . 157 12 2
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£445 8 8 ½
My brother-in-law, Mr. A. N. Groves, of whom mention has been made in the first part of this Narrative, as having been helpful to me by his example when I began my labours in England in 1829, in that he, without any visible support, and without being connected with any missionary society, went with his wife and children to Bagdad, as a missionary, after having given up a lucrative practice of about 1500l. per year, returned in Autumn 1852, from the East Indies, a third time, being exceedingly ill. He lived, however, till May 20th, 1853, when, after a most blessed testimony for the Lord, he fell asleep in Jesus in my house. I should more fully dwell on this to myself amid my family's deeply important event, had not a very full biography been published by the widow of my dear brother-in-law, in which also full particulars are given of the last days of this servant of Christ. I therefore refer the reader to the deeply interesting memoir, which has been published at Nisbet's, London, and may be had at the Bible and Tract Warehouse of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad, 84, Park Street, Bristol, and through all booksellers, under the title: Memoir of the late Anthony Norris Groves, second edition, with a portrait, cloth, 4s. 6d.; fine paper, cloth, 6s. 6d.
Further account respecting the intended Orphan-House for Seven Hundred Children, bereaved of both parents by death, from May 26, 1853, to May 26, 1854.
In the last chapter on this subject I stated, that, on May 26, 1853, I had actually in hand, towards the accomplishment of my object, the sum of 12,531l. 12s. 0 ¼ d. I will now give some further particulars as to the manner in which it pleased the Lord to supply me with means, but must confine myself to those donations which more specially may call for notice.
June 28, 1853. From Wakefield 40l., with 5l. for Mr. Craik, and 5l. for my own personal expenses.--Also 220l. from the West of England, of which the donor kindly wishes me to take 20l. for my own private expenses, and to use the 200l. as might be most needed. I have taken, therefore, 100l. for the Building Fund; 60l. for missionary operations, the circulation of Bibles and Tracts; and 40l. for the Orphans.
July 14. Received 541l. 10s., which being left to me as most needed, I took 100l. for the current expenses for the Orphans, 100l. for the other objects, and 341l. 10s. for the Building Fund. Being just now in great family affliction, this kindness of the Lord has been a great refreshment to my spirit.