Of all the trials of faith that as yet I have had to pass through, this was the greatest; and, by God’s abundant mercy, I own it to his praise, I was enabled to delight myself in the will of God; for I felt perfectly sure that if the Lord took this beloved daughter, it would be best for her parents, best for herself, and more for the glory of God than if she lived: this better part I was satisfied with; and thus my heart had peace, perfect peace, and I had not a moment’s anxiety. Thus would it be under all circumstances, however painful, were the believer exercising faith.
Dec. 31, 1853. During this year the Lord was pleased to give me £638, 11s. 8½d.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THREE YEARS OF PROSPERITY.
1854-1857.
THE SITE SELECTED—SIX THOUSAND ORPHANS IN PRISON—HOW TO ASK FOR DAILY BREAD—REVIEW OF TWENTY-FOUR YEARS—“TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR THE MORROW”—INSURANCE AGAINST BAD DEBTS.
During the year ending May 26, 1855, Mr. M. received toward the erection of the second new Orphan House five thousand two hundred and forty-two pounds eighteen shillings threepence, and the whole sum on hand for this object amounted to twenty-three thousand and fifty-nine pounds seventeen shillings eightpence one farthing. After recording the amount thus obtained, he adds:—
I judged that, though I had not such an amount of means in hand as I considered necessary before being warranted to begin to build, yet that I might make inquiries respecting land. Accordingly, I applied in the beginning of February for the purchase of two fields which join the land on which the new Orphan House is built. On these two fields I had had my eye for years, and had purposed to endeavor to purchase them whenever I might be in such a position, as to means for the building fund, that it would be suitable to do so. I found, however, that, according to the will of the late owner of these fields, they could not be sold now. Thus my prospects were blighted. When I obtained this information, though naturally tried by it and disappointed, I said; by God’s grace, to myself, “The Lord has something better to give me, instead of these two fields;” and thus my heart was kept in peace. But when now the matter was fully decided that I could not obtain those fields, which had appeared to me so desirable for the object, the question arose, what I was to do for the obtaining of land. Under these circumstances some of my Christian friends again asked, as they had done before, why I did not build on the ground which we have around the new Orphan House. My reply was, as before, that it could not be done: 1. Because it would throw the new Orphan House for nearly two years into disorder, on account of the building going on round about it. 2. There would not be sufficient room without shutting in the present house to a great extent. 3. That, as the new Orphan House stands in the centre of our ground, there would not be sufficient room on any of the sides for the erection of a building so large as would be required. I was, however, led to consider whether there was any way whereby we could accomplish the building on the ground belonging to the new Orphan House. In doing so, I found that,—1. By having a high temporary boundary made of old boards, the building ground could be entirely distinct from the present establishment. 2. By building on an entirely different plan from that of the present house, we should not only have room enough; but that, also, 3. The present house would not be so inclosed that the health of the inmates of the establishment would thereby be injured.