Oct. 17. This morning at family prayer, came, in the course of reading, Exodus v, which shows, that, just before the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt, their trials were greater than ever. They had not only to make the same number of bricks as before, but also to gather stubble, as no straw was given them any longer. This led me, in expounding the portion, to observe, that even now the children of God are often in greater trial than ever, just before help and deliverance comes. Immediately after family prayer it was found, that by the morning's post not one penny had come in for the work of the Lord in which I am engaged, though we needed much, and though but very little had come in during the three previous days. Thus I had now to remember Exodus v, and to practise the truths contained therein. In the course of the day nothing was received. In the evening I had, as usual, a season for prayer with my dear wife, respecting the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and then we left the New Orphan House for our home. When we arrived at our house, about nine o'clock, we found that 5l. and also 5s. had been sent from Norwich in two Post Office Orders for the Building Fund, and that 8l. 3s. 11d. had been sent in for Bibles, Tracts and Reports, which had been sold. This called for thanksgiving. But a little later, between nine and ten o'clock, a Christian gentleman called and gave me 1l. for the Orphans and 200l. for foreign missions. He had received these sums from an aged Christian woman, whose savings as a servant, during her whole life, made up the 200l., and who, having recently had left to her a little annual income of about 30l., felt herself constrained, by the love of Christ, to send the savings of her whole life for foreign missions. This gentleman stated to me at the same time, that she had never had more than 5l. or 6l. wages a year, during her whole life. Moreover, out of this she has sent me, year by year, 1l. or more for the benefit of the Orphans, for many years; though I never knew her circumstances till now, as she resides at a distance, and I have never seen her. What various ways has the Lord to supply us with means! I add the following remarks: 1, For several months past no donation as large as 200l. has been received, a circumstance which has not occurred for about ten years past. 2, Now an aged servant is used by the Lord to send this donation as the fruit of her earnings, from about fifty years' service. 3, Our especial prayer had been again and again, that the Lord would be pleased to send in means for missionary brethren, as I had reason to believe they were in much need of help; and only at eight o'clock this evening I had particularly besought the Lord to send help for this object. By the last mail I had sent off 40l. to British Guiana, to help seven brethren there in some measure. This amount took the last pound in hand for this object. How gladly would I have sent assistance to other brethren also, but I had no more. Now I am in some degree supplied for this object. 4, Very recently our tracts for gratuitous circulation were almost entirely gone; but, before they were quite exhausted, the Lord sent more means, so that about 200,000 could be ordered.
Oct. 23 Received 149l. 8s., the disposal of which was left with me. I took of it 100l. for the support of the Orphans, for whom I had not 5l. in hand, when it came, and the remainder for these objects, for which still much is needed, in order to help labourers in the Gospel at home, as well as foreign labourers, and in order to go on with the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts, and to meet the expenses for the various schools. This morning I had also the promise, that in about a month 400l. should be paid to me for the work of the Lord. Thus, after a season of several months, during which scarcely any large sums have been received, the Lord is pleased, in answer to many prayers, to cause the streams of His bounty to flow again more abundantly.
Oct. 26. From a visitor at Clifton 50l., which I took for the School, Bible, Missionary, and Tract Objects.
Nov. 27. In great need there came in 100l., which was left to my appropriation as it might be most required. I took, therefore, 50l. for the Orphans, for whom there was scarcely anything in hand, and 50l. for these objects, for which we needed much in every way.
Dec. 30. Received 100l., when in the greatest need for these objects, and for the support of the Orphans. I took one-half for these objects, and the other for the Orphans, and am thus again helped, in answer to many prayers.
Jan. 1, 1855. As the year closed with mercies, so another has commenced with mercies. I received from one engaged in the work 2l. for missions. From M. E. for missions 5s.--From E. 0. 5s.--From M. A. E. 4s. 4d.--From B. S. 1l. for missions.--Also 10l. for the support of the Day Schools.
Jan. 2. From a few believers in Huntingdonshire 15s. 2d. for missions.