"—— May 1, 1850.
"Dear Brother,
"I send you 50l, for the missionaries, and 10l. for the Orphans, having just sold out part of my property in the funds. It pleases me to find that your new Report will soon be out.
Believe me to be, dear brother,
Yours truly in Christ,
* * * *"
This donation came after many prayers to the Lord for supplies. The work is now large. The outgoings are great. During the last month were again expended about 500l. for the various objects of the Institution, nor have I any prospect that the expenses will decrease; yea, I have no desire that they should. I have as great satisfaction, as much joy, in writing checks for large amounts upon my bankers, as I have joy in paying over to them checks, or bank orders, or large notes, which I receive from the living God, by means of donors, for this work. For the money is of no more value to me than as I can use it for God; and the more I can pay out for the work of God, the more prospect I have of being again supplied by Him; and the larger the sum is, which I can obtain from Him, in answer to prayer only, the greater the proof of the blessedness and the reality of this mode of dealing directly with the living God, for what I need; therefore, I say, I have as much joy in giving out as in receiving. I have been devoting myself, for instance, with all my might, both of body and mind, but especially by labouring in spirit, to have the Orphan-House filled with children, not only that thus three hundred destitute Orphans, might be lodged, boarded, clothed, instructed, and in every way cared for, bodily, mentally, and spiritually; but also, in order that thus large sums might be needed and expended, and I might have a greater call than ever to draw largely upon the inexhaustible treasures of God. That I do not mean, in thus speaking, to say that money so obtained by prayer may be wasted, will scarcely need to be noticed; for if any one would obtain means from God by prayer only, and then waste them, he would soon find that he is not able to pray in faith for further supplies.
May 7. The donation of 50l. for the missionary brethren, received four days ago, was very refreshing to my spirit, and most manifestly to me another answer to prayer; but it did not hinder me from continuing in prayer for more means, as I have a great desire to spend again, by God's help, considerable sums in connexion with these various objects, in the course of this month. Moreover, I was looking out for answers to prayer, and therefore expected still further means to come in on the 4th, the 5th, and yesterday; and, as I received nothing, I only prayed the more earnestly, instead of being discouraged. And thus it was that I obtained this morning a still further answer to my supplication, in a donation of 150l., of which I took half for the Orphans and half for these objects, as the disposal of the money was left to me.
My dear Christian reader, will you not try this way? Will you not know for yourself, if as yet you have not known it, the preciousness and the happiness of this way of casting all your cares and burdens and necessities upon God? This way is as open to you as to me. Every one of the children of God is not called by Him to be engaged in such a service as that to which He has condescended to call me; but every one is invited and commanded to trust in the Lord, to trust in Him with all his heart, and to cast his burden upon Him, and to call upon Him in the day of trouble. Will you not do this, my dear brethren in Christ? I long that you may do so. I desire that you may taste the sweetness of that state of heart, in which, while surrounded by difficulties and necessities, you can yet be at peace, because you know that the living God, your Father in heaven, cares for you. Should, however, any one read this, who is not reconciled to God, but is still going on in the ways of sin and carelessness, unbelief and self-righteousness, then let me say to such, that it is impossible, that you should have confidence to come boldly to God in such a state, and I therefore ask you to make confession of your sins to Him, and to put your trust for eternity entirely in the merits of the Lord Jesus, that you may obtain the forgiveness of your sins. Again, should any one read this who has believed in the Lord Jesus, but who is now again living in sin, who is again regarding iniquity in his heart, let not such a one be surprised that he has no confidence toward God, and that he does not know the blessedness of having answers to his prayers; for it is written: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: but verily God bath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer." Ps. lxvi. 18, 19. The first thing such a one has to do is, to forsake his evil course, to make confession of it, and to know afresh the power of the blood of the Lord Jesus on his conscience, by putting his trust in that precious blood, in order that he may obtain confidence toward God.
Supplies for the support of the Orphans, sent in answer to prayer, from
May 26, 1848, to May 26, 1850.