1. During this year 4 Day Schools, with 202 children, were entirely supported by the funds of the Institution. Further, one Sunday School in Bristol, with 137 children, was entirely supported, and three others in Devonshire, Somersetshire, and Gloucestershire, with 300 children, were assisted. Lastly, one Adult School, with 154 Adult scholars, was entirely supported. The total amount which was spent during this year, in connexion with these schools, was 359l. 15s. 10 ½ d.—The number of all the children, who were under our care, merely in the schools which were entirely supported by this Institution, from March 5,1834, to May 26, 1854, was 5,817 in the Day Schools, and 2,748 in the Sunday Schools, and 2,315 persons in the Adult School.
2. During this year was expended on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, of the funds of the Institution, 433l. 2s. 9d. There were circulated during this year 1890 Bibles and 1288 New Testaments; and from the commencement of the work up to May 26, 1854, Twelve Thousand Three Hundred and Sixty-six Bibles, and Seven Thousand Three Hundred and Forty-nine New Testaments.
3. During this year there was spent of the Funds of the Institution for Missionary objects the sum of 2,249l. 10s. 8 ½ d. By this sum, fifty-six labourers in the word and doctrine, in various parts of the world, were to a greater or less degree assisted.
During this year, the Lord was pleased to bless again abundantly the labours of many of those servants of Christ, who were assisted through the funds of this Institution, and this has been the case in foreign countries as well as at home.
4. There was laid out for the circulation of Tracts, from May 26, 1853, to May 26, 1854, the sum of 563l. 5s. 0 ½ d.; and there were circulated 869,636 Tracts.
The total number of all time Tracts circulated from the beginning up to
May 26, 1854, was Two Millions Six Hundred and Eighty-nine Thousand Six
Hundred and Seventy-six.
We desire to be grateful to the Lord, that, during no period previously we were enabled to circulate more Tracts, and more copies of the Holy Scriptures, and aid to a greater degree missionary labours, than during this period; yet we would not rest in that. It is the blessing of the Lord upon our labours which we need, which we desire, and which, by His grace, we also seek. If never so many millions of Tracts, yea even copies of the Holy Scriptures, were circulated, and the Lord did not give His blessing, all these efforts would produce no results to the glory of His name. Yea, if even tens of thousands of preachers of the gospel could be supported with means, in the darkest places of the earth, and they enjoyed not the blessing of the Lord upon their labours, they would labour in vain. For this blessing God will be asked, in order that He may bestow it; but, when it is sought at His hands, He delights in giving it. By God's help we were enabled to seek this blessing, and we obtained again precious answers to our prayers, during this year. It is not merely that the Lord was pleased to give us answers to our prayers with regard to means for carrying on the work; but also in that the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution were abundantly blessed to the conversion of very many souls; and this was particularly also the case again with reference to the circulation of Tracts.
If any of the Christian Readers are in the habit of circulating Tracts, and yet have never seen fruit, may I suggest to them the following hints for their prayerful consideration. 1, Seek for such a state of heart, through Prayer and meditation on the Holy Scriptures, as that you are willing to let God have all the honour, if any good is accomplished by your service. If you desire for yourself the honour, yea, though it were in part only, you oblige the Lord, so to speak, to put you as yet aside as a vessel not meet for the Master's use. One of the greatest qualifications for usefulness in the service of the Lord is a heart, truly desirous of getting honour for Him. 2, Precede all your labours with earnest, diligent prayer; go to them in a prayerful spirit; and follow them by prayer. Do not rest on the number of Tracts you have given. A million of Tracts may not be the means of converting one single soul; and yet how great, beyond calculation, may be the blessing which results from one single Tract. Thus it is also with regard to the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and the ministry of the Word itself. Expect, then, everything from the blessing of the Lord, and nothing at all from your own exertions. 3, And yet, at the same time, labour, press into every open door, be instant in season and out of season, as if everything depended upon your labours. This, as has been stated before, is one of the great secrets in connexion with successful service for the Lord; to work, as if everything depended upon our diligence, and yet not to rest in the least upon our exertions, but upon the blessing of the Lord. 4, This blessing of the Lord, however, should not merely be sought in prayer, but should also be expected, looked for, continually looked for; and the result will be, that we shall surely have it. 5, But suppose, that, for the trial of our faith, this blessing were for a long time withheld from our sight; or suppose even that we should have to fall asleep, before we see much good resulting from our labours; yet will they, if carried on in such a way and spirit as has been stated, be at last abundantly owned, and we shall have a much harvest in the day of Christ.
Now, dear Christian Reader, if you have not seen much blessing resulting from your labours, or perhaps none at all, consider prayerfully these hints, which are affectionately given by one who has now for about thirty years [in 1856] in some measure sought to serve the Lord, and who has found the blessedness, of what he has suggested, in some measure in his own experience.
5. At the beginning of this period, there were Three Hundred Orphans in the New Orphan House on Ashley Down, Bristol. During the year there were admitted into it 30 Orphans; making 330 in all. Of these 330, four died, three were received back again by their relatives, who by that time were able to provide for them, 17 boys were, at the expense of the establishment, fitted out and apprenticed, and eight girls were fitted out and sent to situations, at the expense of the Establishment; so that there were only 298 Orphans in the house at the close of the period. The total number of Orphans, who were under our care from April, 1836, to May 26, 1854, was Five Hundred and Fifty Eight.