"P.S.I expect to be able to send a box of, it may be, almost useless articles soon. Whither shall I send it?"
This Christian lady, whom I have never seen in the body, though I corresponded with her for many years, has entered into her rest. She fell asleep at the beginning of the year 1855. In looking over my account books, I meet again and again with the name of one and another who has finished his course. Soon dear Reader, your turn and mine may come. Are you prepared for eternity? Affectionately I press this question upon you. Do not put it away. Nothing is of greater moment than this point; yea, all other things, however important in their place, are of exceedingly small importance, in comparison with this matter. Do you ask, how you may be prepared for eternity, how to be saved, how to obtain the forgiveness of your sins; the answer is, believe in the Lord Jesus, trust in Him, depend upon Him alone as it regards the salvation of your soul. He was punished by God, in order that we guilty sinners, if we believe in Him, might not be punished. He fulfilled the law of God, and was obedient even unto death, in order that we disobedient, guilty sinners, if we believe in Him, might, on His account, be reckoned righteous by God. Ponder these things, dear Reader, should you have never done so before. Through faith in the Lord Jesus alone can we obtain forgiveness of our sins, and be at peace with God; but, believing in Jesus, we become, through this very faith, the children of God; have God as our Father, and may come to Him for all the temporal and spiritual blessings which we need. Thus every one of my readers may obtain answers to prayers, not only to the same extent that we obtain them, but far more abundantly. It may be that few, comparatively, of the children of God are called to serve the Lord in the way of establishing Orphan-Houses, &c.; but all of them may, yea, are called upon to trust in God, to rely upon Him, in their various positions and circumstances, and apply the word of God, faith, and prayer to their family circumstances, their earthly occupation, their afflictions and necessities of every kind, both temporally and spiritually; just as we, by God's help, in some little measure seek to apply the word of God, faith, and prayer to the various objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad. Make but trial of it, if you have never done so before, and you will see how happy a life it is. You may, perhaps, pity the writer, and think how he must be burdened day by day, and full of care and anxiety; and you may think that he cannot have any quietness and peace, but is worn down by the constant questionings, how the expenses for the various schools are to be met; how further money is to be obtained for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Tracts; how the many preachers of the Gospel at Home and Abroad, who are assisted by the Institution, may once more be helped; how the 300 Orphans are to be provided with all they need; how situations for the elder female Orphans are to be found; how suitable places may be obtained for the elder male Orphans when they are ready to be apprenticed, and so on. Now here is just the true state of the case:— We are not insensible to any of these points; we do feel them. We do not put them away lightly and treat them with indifference; but we look them in the face and feel their deep importance. At the same time, while we neither treat them with indifference, nor attempt to carry them in our own strength, we do, by God's grace, cast our burdens upon Him, trust in Him; and thus are kept in peace in the midst of numberless difficulties, and almost constant trials of one kind and another. Truly I prefer by far this life of almost constant trial, if I am only able to roll all my cares upon my Heavenly Father, and thus become increasingly acquainted with Him, to a life of outward peace and quietness, without these constant proofs of His faithfulness, His wisdom, His love, His power, His over-ruling providence, &c.
Of the donations which came in between Sept. 2nd and Nov. 5th, amounting to about 600l., in 346 different sums, I mention only, for the sake of brevity, the following.
Sept. 2. From an anonymous donor through Mr. B. at Geneva, by the hands of Count G., 1l. 15s.—Sept. 6. Received from Clerkenwell 50l., to be used one half for missions, and the other half as I thought best. I took the one half for the support of the Orphans, and find the following remark in my journal respecting this donation: "What a precious answer to prayer! Since Aug. 26th we have been day by day coming to the Lord for our daily supplies. Precious, also, on account of missionary brethren, whom I seek to help, for whom there was nothing in hand when this donation was received!"—Sept. 22. From Crediton 3l. 4s. 8d., as "a thank-offering to God for the very fine harvest which in mercy He has been pleased to grant."
Nov. 5. There was now again only about 5l. in hand for the support of the Orphans, when I received 2l. 10s. for them, and 2l. 10s. for myself, from a donor in London, whom the Lord has been pleased to raise up during the last two years, and who since then has been often used as an instrument in helping the work at times of need. A brother in the Lord also gave me 5l. this morning, saying, "I have of late had the Orphans much laid on my heart."—From Clifton 1l. 10s.—From H. C. 3s. From F. M. 5s.
Nov. 6. Further help. From the Isle of Wight 5s.—Through Bethesda boxes 2s. 6d.—Ditto 6d.—From P. 1s.—Through Salem boxes 1s. From a Gloucestershire Farmer 20l., of which he intended 10l. for missions, and the other 10l. to be used as most needed. I took it for the support of the Orphans.
Nov. 7. By sale of Reports 4s. 10d.—Anonymously from York 5s.— Received back on paying an account 3s. 7 ½ d.—From a relative of one of the Orphans 1s.—Having had to pay out 18l. for house-keeping expenses, and having had to meet a few little expenses besides, we had again only about 5l. left, as was the case three days ago, when I received this afternoon 5l. from a Bristol donor.—Also 1l. from London.
Nov. 15. Our means were now again gone. We had scarcely anything in hand, with very heavy expenses before us, when this morning a Christian gentleman from Yorkshire called on me, and gave me 50l. for the current expenses for the Orphans. This was a most precious encouragement to prayer! There came in further today from Manchester 9s. 6d.—By sale of Reports 11s. 6d.—Through the boxes in the New Orphan-House 2l.7s. 11d.—Returned on paying an account 3s. 1 ¼ d.—From Exeter 1l. 10s.
Nov. 22. A Brother in the Lord from Manchester came to see the New
Orphan-House, and gave 10l., which came in a time of great need.
Nov. 27. 100l. was sent in the greatest need, from a considerable distance, of which I took 50l. for the Orphans, and 50l. for the other objects.