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قراءة كتاب A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings with George Müller. Part 4
تنويه: تعرض هنا نبذة من اول ١٠ صفحات فقط من الكتاب الالكتروني، لقراءة الكتاب كاملا اضغط على الزر “اشتر الآن"
A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings with George Müller. Part 4
very small for some time past. Under these circumstances I received this afternoon from a sister in the Lord, who is near the close of her earthly pilgrimage, a small box, containing five brooches, two rings set with twelve small brilliants, five other rings, one mourning ring, a pair of gilt bracelets, a gold pin, a small silver vinaigrette, some tracts, and a sovereign. The donor stated on a paper, contained in the box, that the produce might be used for the Orphans or otherwise, as I might require. As these funds are in particular need, I took the contents of this little box for them, and the trinkets were soon disposed of.—The sister fell asleep very shortly after. Will she need such ornaments before her Lord? Will she regret having given them for His work? Oh! no.
Dec. 21. Today I have received the following trinkets, the produce of which I was at liberty to use for the Orphans, or my own personal necessities, or the printing of my Narrative, or for the School, Bible, Missionary and Tract Fund. I have put the produce to the funds for these objects. A ring set with twelve small brilliants, a ring set with one brilliant, another ring set with one brilliant, a ring set with five brilliants, a paste ring, a large brooch, two large rings, two wedding rings, two other small rings, a ring set with small pearls, three other rings, two gold pins, four gold shirt studs, and a gilt pin.
Dec. 24. I have received still further the following trinkets, the produce of which was likewise taken for these objects, it being left to me to use them as most needed. A small gold chain, a ring set with seven brilliants, five gold seals, an eyeglass silver mounted, a ring set with a head, a gold pin, a gold buckle, a silver pencil case, a gold brooch, a brooch set with small pearls, a set of gold shirt studs, a small gold brooch, nine gold rings, a gold heart, a gilt chain, and a gilt watch-chain.
Jan. 13, 1845. When there was nothing in hand towards our many necessities for these objects, I received today the following valuable donation:—Three forty-franc pieces, two twenty-franc pieces, six five-franc pieces, seven two-franc pieces, eleven one-franc pieces, fourteen half-franc pieces, twenty-one quarter of a franc pieces, and fifty-two other small Italian and French silver coins.
Feb. 3. Today, when I had again nothing at all in hand, I received from
W. P. 5l.
Apr. 8. When, once more, I had nothing in hand, I received today from Yorkshire 10l., which, being left at my disposal, I used for these objects.
Apr. 24. Today were sent to me a small old gold watch, a half sovereign, a half guinea piece, two twenty-franc pieces, six small Turkish gold coins, a quarter of a franc, a threepenny piece, a silver toothpick, and a brass pencil-case. The produce of these articles likewise was put to these funds.
May 5. From Scarborough was sent to day 5l. for these funds, at a time when I had again nothing left.
May 6. About six weeks ago intimation was kindly given by a brother that he expected a certain considerable sum of money, and that, if he obtained it, a certain portion of it should be given to the Lord, so that 100l. of it should be used for the work in my hands, and the other part for Brother Craik's and my own personal expenses. However, day after day passed away, and the money did not come. I did not trust in this money, yet, as during all this time, with scarcely any exception, we were more or less needy, I thought again and again about this brother's promise; though I did not, by the grace of God, trust in the brother who had made it, but in the Lord. Thus week after week passed away, and the money did not come. Now this morning it came to my mind, that such promises ought to be valued, in a certain sense, as nothing, i.e. that the mind ought never for a moment to be directed to them, but to the living God, and to the living God only. I saw that such promises ought not to be of the value of one farthing, so far as it regards thinking about them for help. I therefore asked the Lord, when, as usual, I was praying with my beloved wife about the work in my hands, that He would be pleased to take this whole matter, about that promise, completely out of my mind, and to help me, not to value it in the least, yea, to treat it as if not worth one farthing, but to keep my eye directed only to Himself. I was enabled to do so. We had not yet finished praying when I received the following letter:
"Beloved Brother, May 5, 1845.
"Are your bankers still Messrs. Stuckey and Co. of Bristol, and are their hankers still Messrs. Robarts and Co. of London? Please to instruct me on this; and if the case should be so, please to regard this as a letter of advice that 70l. are paid to Messrs. Robarts and Co., for Messrs. Stuckey and Co., for you. This sum apply as the Lord may give you wisdom. I shall not send to Robarts and Co. until I hear from you.
"Ever affectionately yours,
"* * * *"
Thus the Lord rewarded at once this determination to endeavour not to look in the least to that promise from a brother, but only to Himself. But this was not all. About two o'clock this afternoon I received from the brother, who had, more than forty days ago, made that promise, 166l. 18s., as he this day received the money, on the strength of which he had made that promise. Of this sum 100l. are to be used for the work in my hands, and the remainder for brother Craik's and my own personal expenses.—I took of these two sums, i.e. of the 70l. and the 100l., half for the Orphans and half for these objects. When this money came in, there was only very little in hand. The last tracts had been given away, two or three days ago, but I had no money to order more: thus I was able to send off an order for 11,700. Bibles also needed to be ordered, but I had no money: I am now able to order some. It had been much on my heart to send a little help to some Missionary brethren, as a token of affectionate interest, and this I am now able to do. The Lord be praised for His goodness in helping thus so seasonably!
From May 6, 1845, to May 26, 1846, we experienced no difficulty at all as to means, the Lord having always seasonably sent in the supplies, so that, without any one exception, I was always able not only to meet all the demands connected with the Day-Schools, the Sunday-School, and the Adult-Schools, but I was also able to do more, so far as it regards means, in aiding the circulation of Tracts, and helping Missionary efforts, than at any previous period of the same length. Of the donations which came in from May 6, 1845, to May 26, 1846, I only mention the following:—On June 23, with Philip. iv. 6, for circulation of Tracts and Bibles in foreign lands, or, as needed, 60l. Oct. 12, 150l. On Feb. 26, 1846, I received 200l., of which 100l. was to be used for Missionary work in foreign lands, and 100l. for brethren who labour in England, in the word and doctrine, without any stated salary. In connexion with this donation three points are particularly to be noticed:—I. The day before I received this sum, I had given 5l. to a brother, who was travelling through Bristol, and who was on the point of going out as a missionary, without being connected with any society. When I gave him this 5l. I had but very little in hand, but I said to myself, the Lord can easily give more. And thus it was. 2. Before I received this donation, I had been especially led to ask the Lord, that He would be pleased to condescend to use me more largely in helping missionary brethren. For this I had a still greater desire when I found that the money, which I had sent to British Guiana, at the end of November, 1845, amounted only to a few pounds for each brother who labours there, on account of there being so many. I had, on this account particularly, a desire to be able shortly to send another sum to British Guiana, which was