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This donation and letter have exceedingly refreshed my spirit, and quickened me yet further to prayer.
Pause a few moments dear Reader. See how faith and prayer bring means from individuals whom we have never seen, whose very names we have never heard of, and who live at a distance of more than Ten Thousand miles from us. Do you not see that it is not in vain, to make known our requests to the Lord, and to come to Him for everything? When it was first laid on my heart, to build a second Orphan-House for 700 destitute children, bereaved of both parents by death, simply in dependence upon God alone for means, could I have looked for this 70l. from this Christian brother at Madras? Verily not, for I did not even know of his existence. Had I other friends, from whom to expect the large sum which will be needed to accomplish this? No, on the contrary, all human probability was against my ever receiving this large sum. But I had faith in God. I believed that He was able and willing to give me what was needed for this work; and solely in dependence upon Him I purposed to build another Orphan-House. But now see bow God has helped me further; for after I had received this donation of 70l., I had still only 4,127l. 12s. 6 ¾ d. in hand, in other words, only a little more than the ninth part of the sum which, as far as I am able to calculate, will be needed to accomplish my object.
Aug. 30. During this month again fourteen destitute Orphans have been applied for, none of whom we can receive, because the New Orphan-House is full. There are now 356 Orphans already waiting for admission, from six months old and upwards, each bereaved of both parents by death.
Sept. 8. During the last five days, only 2l. 14s. had come in for the Building Fund, and only 9l. 1s. altogether for the current expenses for the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution. Such seasons try my faith and patience; but, by the grace of God, they do not discourage me. He helps me to continue in prayer, and to look for answers, and for a time when He will help again bountifully. During the past eighteen years and six months, which I have been occupied in this service, I have again and again found, that, after a season, during which very little has come in, and my faith has thus been tried, the Lord has generally the more bountifully helped afterwards. Thus it has been again this day. I have received a donation of 280l. 10s. 6d., of which the donor kindly wished me to take 20l. 10s. 6d. for my own personal expenses, and to use the 260l. as the work of the Lord in my hands might require. I took of this sum one-third for the Building Fund, one-third for the current expenses for the Orphans, and one-third for the other Objects. Thus I had at once a four-fold answer to prayer; 1, Means for my own personal expenses, about which I had been asking the Lord; 2, Means for the Building Fund, for which I am day by day labouring in prayer; 3, Means for the current expenses for the Orphans, which were greatly needed; and 4, Means for the other Objects, which were entirely exhausted.
Sept. 28. From Melbourne, in Australia, 50l., from a believer in the Lord Jesus, whose name even I did not know up to the time that I received this donation.—See, dear Reader, how the Lord helps me, in answer to prayer. Do you not perceive that my fellow-labourers and myself do not wait upon the Lord in vain? Be encouraged by this! Go for yourself, with all your temporal and spiritual wants, to the Lord. Bring also the necessities of your friends and relatives to the Lord. Only make the trial, and you will perceive how able and willing He is to help you. Should you, however, not at once, obtain answers to your prayers, be not discouraged; but continue patiently, believingly, perseveringly to wait upon God: and as assuredly as that, which you ask, would be for your real good, and therefore for the honour of the Lord; and as assuredly as you ask it solely on the ground of the worthiness of our Lord Jesus, so assuredly you will at last obtain the blessing. I myself have had to wait upon God concerning certain matters for years, before I obtained answers to my prayers; but at last they came. At this very time, I have still to renew my requests daily before God, respecting a certain blessing for which I have besought Him for eleven years and a half, and which I have as yet obtained only in part, but concerning which I have no doubt that the full blessing will be granted in the end. So also, when I was led to build the New Orphan-House, and waited upon the Lord for means for it, it took two years and three months, whilst day by day I brought this matter before Him, before I received the full answer.—But to return to my journal. This donation of 50l. from Melbourne, refreshed my spirit greatly, and quickened me yet further to prayer.—On the same day I received from Sheffield 5l., and from Tottenham 10l.
Oct. 31. Thirteen more Orphans have been applied for during this month.
Nov. 3. This evening I received a check for 300l. for the Building Fund. I am continually looking out for help, and am sustained in waiting upon God, and in being enabled daily, and generally several times every day, to bring the matter about the Building Fund before Him. I know that God hears me, on the ground of the worthiness of the Lord Jesus, and that at last He will give me the full amount needed for accomplishing this work. How the means are to come, I know not; but I know that God is almighty, that the hearts of all are in His hands, and that, if He pleaseth to influence persons, they will send help. In this donation of 300l., received this evening, I have seen afresh, how easily God can send means. The donor, who sent it, was not even known to me by name this day month; but, on Oct. 12th, he sent me 200l. for the Orphans, and now 300l. for the Building Fund. Nothing had come in during the former part of the day; still, I was looking out, and, when I returned from the Orphan-House, found that this 300l. had arrived at my house. But I expect far larger sums.
Nov. 11. From London three boxes and two parcels of books, containing 275 volumes in all, to be sold for the Building Fund.
Nov. 16. 50l.—From the neighbourhood of Stroud 10s.—From one of the former Orphans 10s., being part of her first quarter's wages. Sent as a token of gratitude.