"2nd. For years, in fact until he was nearly eighty years old, he steadily refused to allow any _portrait_ of himself to be published; and only most reluctantly (for reasons which he gives with characteristic minuteness in the preface to 'Preaching Tours') did he at length give way on this point.
"3rd. In the last published Report, at page 66, he states: 'The primary object I had in view in carrying on this work,' viz., 'that it might be seen that now, in the nineteenth century, _God is still the Living God, and that now, as well as thousands of years ago, He listens to the prayers of His children and helps those who trust in Him.'_ From these words and ways of acting, is it not evident, that the only 'memorial' that George Muller cared about was that which consists in the effect of his example, Godward, upon his fellow men? Every soul converted to God (instrumentally) through his words or example constitutes a permanent memorial to him as the father in Christ of such an one. Every believer strengthened in faith (instrumentally) through his words or example constitutes a similar memorial to his spiritual teacher.
"He knew that God had, already, in the riches of His grace, given him many such memorials; and he departed this life, as I well know, cherishing the most lively hope that he should greet _above_ thousands more to whom it had pleased God to make him a channel of rich spiritual blessing.
"He used often to say to me, when he opened a letter in which the writer poured out a tale of sore pecuniary need, and besought his help to an extent twice or three or ten times exceeding the sum total of his (Mr. Muller's) earthly possessions at the moment, 'Ah! these dear people entirely miss the lesson I am _trying_ to teach them, for they come to _me,_ instead of going to _God.'_ And if he could come back to us for an hour, and listen to an account of what his sincerely admiring, but mistaken, friends are proposing to do to _perpetuate_ his memory, I can hear him, with a sigh, exclaiming, 'Ah! these _dear_ friends are entirely missing the lesson that I tried for seventy years to teach them,' viz., 'That a _man_ can receive nothing except it be _given_ him _from above,'_ and that, therefore, it is the Blessed _Giver,_ and not the poor receiver, that is to be glorified.
"Yours faithfully, "JAMES WRIGHT."