One of the children, after having been five years and one month under our care, was taken back by the relatives who had placed him with us, as they were by that time able to provide for him. One of the girls was sent out to learn a business, one as a junior teacher in a school, and 13 to take situations; and 21 boys were apprenticed. These 40 vacancies thus occasioned, left at the end of the year only 297 children in the New Orphan House. The total number of Orphans, under our care from April 1836, to May 26, 1855, was 597.
I notice further the following points respecting the New Orphan House.
1. Persons who desire to make application for the admission of Orphans, are requested to write to me, and address the letter to my house, No. 23, Paul Street, Kingsdown, Bristol.
2. I again state, as it regards the funds, that the income for the Orphans is kept distinct from that for the other objects. Donors may therefore contribute for one or the other of the objects exclusively, or have their donations equally divided among them all, just as it may appear best to themselves. If any of the donors would wish to leave the application of their donations to my discretion, as the work of God in my hands more especially may call for it at the time, they are requested, kindly to say so, when sending their donations.
3. The expenses for the Orphans, during this year, were 4304l. 4s. 7 ½ d.
4. Without any one having been personally applied to for anything by me, the sum of 74132l. 6s. 10 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, 1855, which sum includes the 15,055l 3s. 2 ¼ d. paid for the building, fitting up, and furnishing of the present New Orphan House, the 23,059l. 17s. 8 ¼ d., in hand on the 20th May, 1855, for the Building Fund, and the 116l. 17s. 8 ½ d., the balance for the current expenses.--It may also be interesting to the reader to know that the total sum, given for the other objects, from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1855, amounted to 25,239l. 8s. 10 ¾ d.; and that which came in by the sale of Bibles and Tracts, and by the payment of the children in the Day Schools, from the commencement, amounted to 4531l. 12s. 10 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.
5. I have the joy of being able to state that we have great cause for thankfulness, that, in the midst of many difficulties, our labours among the Orphans continue to be blessed, and that, especially, again and again instances now come before us in which those, who were formerly under our care, declare themselves on the Lord's side.
6. Besides being able to meet the expenses for the Orphans and the other Objects, amounting altogether to 7832l. 7s. 0 ½ d. during this year, I was able to add to the Building Fund 5242l. 18s. 3d. The total income during the year was 13,054l. 14s. 4d.
7. The articles given for the benefit of the Orphans, are sold by Miss Stevens, on the first floor of the Bible and Tract Warehouse of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, No. 34, Park Street, Bristol.
Matters connected with my own personal affairs, or the work of the Lord in my hands, not immediately connected with the Scriptural Know/edge Institution, from May 26, 1854, to May 26, 1855.
Dec. 31, 1854. During this year there have been received into fellowship 61.
The Lord has been pleased to give me during this year
1. In provisions, clothes, etc., worth at least 8 14 0
2. In 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 . . 191 1 11 ½
3. In presents in money, from believers in Bristol, not given anonymously. . 143 12 10
4. In money, from believers not residing in Bristol . . . . . 854 2 7 ½
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£697 11 5
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Some of my readers may be ready to exclaim, 697l. 11s. 5d.! What a large sum! Not one out of a hundred ministers has such a large salary, nor one out of twenty clergymen such a good living! Should you, esteemed reader, say so, my reply is: Indeed mine is a happy way for the obtaining of my temporal supplies; but if any one desires to go this way, he must--
1. Not merely say that he trusts in God, but must really do so. Often individuals profess to trust in God, but they embrace every opportunity, directly or indirectly, to expose their need, and thus seek to induce persons to help them. I do not say it is wrong to make known our wants; but I do say it ill agrees with trust in God, to expose our wants for the sake of inducing persons to help us. God will take us at our word. If we say we trust in Him, He will try whether we really do so, or only profess to do so; and if indeed we trust in Him, we are satisfied to stand with Him alone.