"N.B. I earnestly solicit an interest in your prayers."
The letter contained a two-guinea piece, a small Portuguese gold coin, 15 silver coins, and a copper coin.
March. 7. Very great have been the expenses for the Orphans of late. During the short month of February alone I spent 386l. for them. For nearly eight weeks, since Jan. 11th, the expenses have been nearly four times as great as the income, which, however, I have been able amply to meet, on account of the previous abundance which the Lord had been pleased to send in. Now, however, after much prayer for means, the Lord has been pleased to refresh my heart by a donation of 200l., referred to under this date in the account of the income for the other objects. I took of this sum 90l. for the Orphans. I received also this day 4l. 10s., being the bequest of a Swiss brother in the Lord, who fell asleep in Devonshire, and who desired that what he left should be sold for the benefit of the Orphans.
April 30. At the morning exposition of the Holy Scriptures at the New Orphan-House, I was led particularly to dwell upon the blessedness of the believer having to do with the living God, and referred, in the way of illustration, to His care in supporting the Orphan Work. Immediately after the exposition was over, I received a donation of 12l. 12s. for the Orphans, another of 200l. (which I took half for the Orphans and half for the other objects), and in the afternoon came in still further through the boxes in the New Orphan-House 2l. 14s. 4 ½ d. Concerning the donation of 12l. 12s. the hand of the Lord is the more manifest, in that it came from a place whence. I had never received any donation, as far as I know, and towards it a vicar, an archdeacon, and one of the Queen's chaplains contributed, gentlemen entirely unknown to me, and yet they felt thus kindly disposed towards this work.
May 26. I am brought to the close of this period. The work is more and more enlarging. During the last month I have paid out for the Orphans more than 450l., and for the other objects more than 500l., being nearly One Thousand Pounds during one month; and yet I have a greater balance left in hand, through the Lord's kindness, than at the close of any of the previous periods.
Of the several hundreds of donations, large and small, received during this period, I have thus taken a few, to show in what way it pleased the Lord to supply me with means for the Orphan Work.
Miscellaneous Points respecting the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad, with reference to the period from May 26, 1850 to May 26, 1851.
1. There were during this period four Day Schools in Bristol, with 286 children in them, entirely supported by the funds of the Institution, and three others in Devonshire, Gloucestershire, and Norfolk, with 180 children in them, were assisted.—Further, one Sunday School in Bristol, with 184 children, was entirely supported, and two others, in Devonshire and Gloucestershire, with 213 children, were assisted.— Lastly, an Adult School in Bristol, with 90 persons in it, was entirely supported.—The expenses connected with all these various Schools were, during this period, 379l. 17s.—From the formation of the Institution, on March 5, 1834, up to May 26, 1851, there were 5,343 children in the various Day Schools in Bristol alone, 2,379 in the Sunday School, and 1,896 persons in the Adult Schools, besides the thousands in the Schools out of Bristol, which were assisted.
2. During this period I sought again especially to supply very poor persons, whose character was known by their being visited, with copies of the Holy Scriptures; and also to put copies which are printed with large type in to the hands of aged persons, which seems to me of especial need, as such Bibles are still expensive, considering the means of the poor. There was expended during this period, out of the funds of the Institution, on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, 150l. 16s. 5d. There were 345 Bibles sold and 899 given away; and 30 New Testaments sold, and 413 given away, during this period. From March 5, 1834, to May 26, 1851, there were circulated 7,709 Bibles and 4,442 New Testaments.
3. During this year was spent of the Funds of the Institution for Missionary objects the sum of 2000l. 11s. 1d. By this sum, forty-five labourers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, were to a greater or less degree assisted. The amount sent to each of these servants of Christ was as follows.