3. I do not mean to begin the building until I have the means requisite in hand, just as was the case with regard to the New Orphan-House. If God will condescend to use me in building for Him another Orphan-House (as I judge He will), He will give me the means for it. Now though I have not on my mind any doubt left that it is His will I should do so; yet there is one point still wanting for confirmation, and that is that He will also furnish me, without personal application to any one, with all the means requisite for this new part of my service. I the more need also to my own soul this last of all the proofs that I have not been mistaken, in order to have unquestionable assurance that, whatever trials hereafter may be allowed to befall me in connexion with this work, I did not at my own bidding and according to my own natural desire undertake it, but that it was under the guidance of God. The greatness of the sum required affords me a kind of secret joy; for the greater the difficulty to be overcome, the more will it be seen to the glory of God, how much can be done by prayer and faith; and also, because, when God Himself overcomes our difficulties for us, we have, in this very fact, the assurance that we are engaged in His work and not in our own.
4. It is intended to place this Orphan-House also, as was the New Orphan-House, in the hands of godly Trustees.
5. Orphans from any part of the world, provided they speak English, if bereaved of both parents, lawfully begotten, and in destitute circumstances, are intended to be admitted, as is the ease now, irrespective of any sectarian feeling or preference whatever. Neither entrance money nor any particular interest will be required, in order to obtain a ticket for the admission of destitute Orphans, bereaved of both parents, as long as there is room.
6. Individuals who desire to contribute towards the Building Fund for this intended Orphan-House for seven hundred destitute Orphans, are requested to state that the donation is "for the Building Fund." Indeed concerning all the donations for any part of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad, it is requested that the donors will kindly state, for what they wish their donations to be applied; or to say expressly that they leave the application of their donations to me, as the various objects may more particularly need help.
Supplies for the School, Bible, Missionary and Tract Fund, sent in answer to prayer, from May 26, 1850, to May 26, 1851.
At the commencement of this period it was my purpose to seek help from the Lord that I might be able, in a still greater degree than before, to assist brethren who labour in the Gospel, at Home and Abroad, in dependence upon God for their temporal supplies, and to labour more than ever in the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and of simple Gospel Tracts. The following extracts from my journal will now show how kind the Lord has been in answering my requests, and in furnishing me with the means for carrying out the desire of my heart.
June 7, 1850. Today I have received 50l. for missions from a Brother whose heart the Lord has inclined to spend, as a steward of God, a second property, with which He has intrusted him.
June 10. Received 150l., the disposal of which was left to me. I took half for the Orphans and half for these objects.
June 11. Received from C. W. 50l. for missions.—By these sums which, besides smaller donations, came in within the first fifteen days of this period, I was able to begin to carry out my purpose; and as the Lord enabled me, without anxious reckoning, to go on giving out as He was pleased to intrust me with means, so again He sent further supplies before all was gone. It is a point of great importance in the divine life, not to be anxiously reckoning about the morrow, nor dealing out sparingly, on account of possible future wants, which never may come; but to consider, that only the present moment to serve the Lord is ours, and that the morrow may never come to us.
July 2. 170l. has come in today. The donor kindly gave me permission to use this amount as might be most needed. I took therefore 80l. of it for the Orphans, the other for these objects.