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| The Poison of Prejudice by Joyce Meyer Since time began we’ve had to live with the poisonous practice of prejudice. Most wars in history have been started because of prejudice and hatred. The Holocaust came from this same poison, and so did slavery. In Genesis, Cain hated Abel, and down through the ages, hatred has never stopped. Hating people is hard work, and it kills everything good in life. Even various religious sects that have long been committed to loving their fellow man have lashed out in hatred because of allowing pride to fill their hearts. You and I may not agree with everything another person believes or does, but we have no right to hate them because of it, and we certainly shouldn’t mistreat them. God never told us we have to approve of everyone’s beliefs, choices and actions, but we are commanded to love everyone. God hates sin, but He loves every sinner. He hates stubbornness and rebellion; He loves the person who’s stubborn and rebellious. It’s hard to believe how many denominations and independent churches there are today, yet there’s only one Bible, one message. It’s evident that God has one thing to say to all people—a single plan for our conduct and relationship with Him. But over the years, because of our pride and narrow-mindedness, we’ve felt the need to develop a myriad of churches and church groups—even different versions of the Bible—to suit our own strict interpretations of what we believe the Bible says. I’ve come to realize that none of us are 100 percent correct. Most of the things we fight over are petty. In Matthew 23:24, Jesus told the Pharisees that they strained out a gnat but swallowed a camel. They had gotten so picky about the little things, it prevented them from dealing with the things that were truly important. As long as we allow prejudice, hatred and disharmony to continue to have a place in our lives, we’ll be powerless to stop it. Only agreement and unity will bring the power to defeat prejudice. We must not allow the evil in this world to win the war. We can defeat hatred by allowing love to overcome our divisive attitudes toward others. As a woman, I could look back and decide to hate all men because my female ancestors were treated unfairly. In the same way, Jews could spend their lives hating Germans because of Adolf Hitler. Americans could hate the Japanese because of their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. African-Americans could spend their lives hating white people because of slavery. The list could be endless if we went back to the beginning of time. The problems we have in our society today are not new; they’re just compounded because they’ve been around so long. None of us can go back and undo the past. No matter how much we’d like to, it’s impossible to correct the great wrongs of history. Only God can redeem the past. Only God can bring the healing and restoration we need. In my own life, I had to stop taking inventory of all I had lost and start counting up what I had left. In the beginning it didn’t seem like very much, but I made the choice to give it to God. I was amazed at what God could do with a few fragments. He redeemed the hurt and pain in my past and gave me a wonderful life that’s bearing good fruit. How sad it would’ve been if I had spent my life holding on to all that bitterness and unforgiveness. To continue to hate all men because some had abused me or hate all my family members because some had rejected me or hate all church people because some had betrayed me would rob me of living a happy and satisfying life today. Life is too short to spend it hating other people. Examine yourself in this area…and be honest. Are you prejudiced? Are there areas in your life where you’ve allowed hatred to rule? Pray sincerely and ask God to remove those feelings. We all need to realize that we’re no better than anyone else—we’re all equal in God’s eyes. Every person is created by God, and He said that everything He made was good. Remember, our enemy isn’t other people. The enemies we face are hatred, prejudice and the evil that causes them. We can’t waste our time and energy hating and fighting each other. We need to be determined to walk in love, waging war against hatred. Love is always the best way to fight back. |
Friday, January 28, 2011
MenOfGod: Francis Schaeffer "A Christian Manifesto"
A Christian Manifesto
by Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer
This address was delivered by the late Dr. Schaeffer in 1982 at the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is based on one of his books, which bears the same title. Christians, in the last 80 years or so, have only been seeing things as bits and pieces which have gradually begun to trouble them and others, instead of understanding that they are the natural outcome of a change from a Christian World View to a Humanistic one; things such as overpermissiveness, pornography, the problem of the public schools, the breakdown of the family, abortion, infanticide (the killing of newborn babies), increased emphasis upon the euthanasia of the old and many, many other things. All of these things and many more are only the results. We may be troubled with the individual thing, but in reality we are missing the whole thing if we do not see each of these things and many more as only symptoms of the deeper problem. And that is the change in our society, a change in our country, a change in the Western world from a Judeo-Christian consensus to a Humanistic one. That is, instead of the final reality that exists being the infinite creator God; instead of that which is the basis of all reality being such a creator God, now largely, all else is seen as only material or energy which has existed forever in some form, shaped into its present complex form only by pure chance. I want to say to you, those of you who are Christians or even if you are not a Christian and you are troubled about the direction that our society is going in, that we must not concentrate merely on the bits and pieces. But we must understand that all of these dilemmas come on the basis of moving from the Judeo-Christian world view -- that the final reality is an infinite creator God -- over into this other reality which is that the final reality is only energy or material in some mixture or form which has existed forever and which has taken its present shape by pure chance. The word Humanism should be carefully defined. We should not just use it as a flag, or what younger people might call a "buzz" word. We must understand what we are talking about when we use the word Humanism. Humanism means that the man is the measure of all things. Man is the measure of all things. If this other final reality of material or energy shaped by pure chance is the final reality, it gives no meaning to life. It gives no value system. It gives no basis for law, and therefore, in this case, man must be the measure of all things. So, Humanism properly defined, in contrast, let us say, to the humanities or humanitarianism, (which is something entirely different and which Christians should be in favor of) being the measure of all things, comes naturally, mathematically, inevitably, certainly. If indeed the final reality is silent about these values, then man must generate them from himself. So, Humanism is the absolute certain result, if we choose this other final reality and say that is what it is. You must realize that when we speak of man being the measure of all things under the Humanist label, the first thing is that man has only knowledge from himself. That he, being finite, limited, very faulty in his observation of many things, yet nevertheless, has no possible source of knowledge except what man, beginning from himself, can find out from his own observation. Specifically, in this view, there is no place for any knowledge from God. But it is not only that man must start from himself in the area of knowledge and learning, but any value system must come arbitrarily from man himself by arbitrary choice. More frightening still, in our country, at our own moment of history, is the fact that any basis of law then becomes arbitrary -- merely certain people making decisions as to what is for the good of society at the given moment. Now this is the real reason for the breakdown in morals in our country. It's the real reason for the breakdown in values in our country, and it is the reason that our Supreme Court now functions so thoroughly upon the fact of arbitrary law. They have no basis for law that is fixed, therefore, like the young person who decides to live hedonistically upon their own chosen arbitrary values, society is now doing the same thing legally. Certain few people come together and decide what they arbitrarily believe is for the good of society at the given moment, and that becomes law. The world view that the final reality is only material or energy shaped by pure chance, inevitably, (that's the next word I would bring to you ) mathematically -- with mathematical certainty -- brings forth all these other results which are in our country and in our society which have led to the breakdown in the country -- in society -- and which are its present sorrows. So, if you hold this other world view, you must realize that it is inevitable that we will come to the very sorrows of relativity and all these other things that are so represented in our country at this moment of history. It should be noticed that this new dominant world view is a view which is exactly opposite from that of the founding fathers of this country. Now, not all the founding fathers were individually, personally, Christians. That certainly is true. But, nevertheless, they founded the country on the base that there is a God who is the Creator (now I come to the next central phrase) who gave the inalienable rights. We must understand something very thoroughly. If society -- if the state gives the rights, it can take them away -- they're not inalienable. If the states give the rights, they can change them and manipulate them. But this was not the view of the founding fathers of this country. They believed, although not all of them were individual Christians, that there was a Creator and that this Creator gave the inalienable rights -- this upon which our country was founded and which has given us the freedoms which we still have -- even the freedoms which are being used now to destroy the freedoms. The reason that these freedoms were there is because they believed there was somebody who gave the inalienable rights. But if we have the view that the final reality is material or energy which has existed forever in some form, we must understand that this view never, never, never would have given the rights which we now know and which, unhappily, I say to you (those of you who are Christians) that too often you take all too much for granted. You forget that the freedoms which we have in northern Europe after the Reformation (and the United States is an extension of that, as would be Australia or Canada, New Zealand, etc.) are absolutely unique in the world. Occasionally, some of you who have gone to universities have been taught that these freedoms are rooted in the Greek city-states. That is not the truth. All you have to do is read Plato's Republic and you understand that the Greek city-states never had any concept of the freedoms that we have. Go back into history. The freedoms which we have (the form / freedom balance of government) are unique in history and they are also unique in the world at this day. A fairly recent poll of the 150 some countries that now constitute the world shows that only 25 of these countries have any freedoms at all. What we have, and take so poorly for granted, is unique. It was brought forth by a specific world view and that specific world view was the Judeo-Christian world view especially as it was refined in the Reformation, putting the authority indeed at a central point -- not in the Church and the state and the Word of God, but rather the Word of God alone. All the benefits which we know -- I would repeat -- which we have taken so easily and so much for granted, are unique. They have been grounded on the certain world view that there was a Creator there to give inalienable rights. And this other view over here, which has become increasingly dominant, of the material-energy final world view (shaped by pure chance) never would have, could not, has, no basis of values, in order to give such a balance of freedom that we have known so easily and which we unhappily, if we are not careful, take so for granted. We are now losing those freedoms and we can expect to continue to lose them if this other world view continues to take increased force and power in our county. We can be sure of this. I would say it again -- inevitably, mathematically, all of these things will come forth. There is no possible way to heal the relativistic thinking of our own day, if indeed all there is is a universe out there that is silent about any values. None, whatsoever! It is not possible. It is a loss of values and it is a loss of freedom which we may be sure will continually grow. A good illustration is in the public schools. This view is taught in our public schools exclusively -- by law. There is no other view that can be taught. I'll mention it a bit later, but by law there is no other view that can be taught. By law, in the public schools, the United States of America in 1982, legally there is only one view of reality that can be taught. I'll mention it a bit later, but there is only one view of reality that can be taught, and that is that the final reality is only material or energy shaped by pure chance. It is the same with the television programs. Public television gives us many things that many of us like culturally, but is also completely committed to a propaganda position that the last reality is only material / energy shaped by pure chance. Clark's Civilization, Brunowski, The Ascent of Man, Carl Sagan's Cosmos -- they all say it. There is only one final view of reality that's possible and that is that the final reality is material or energy shaped by pure chance. It is about us on every side, and especially the government and the courts have become the vehicle to force this anti-God view on the total population. It's exactly where we are. The abortion ruling is a very clear one. The abortion ruling, of course, is also a natural result of this other world view because with this other world view, human life -- your individual life -- has no intrinsic value. You are a wart upon the face of an absolutely impersonal universe. Your aspirations have no fulfillment in the "what-isness" of what is. Your aspirations damn you. Many of the young people who come to us understand this very well because their aspirations as Humanists have no fulfillment, if indeed the final reality is only material or energy shaped by pure chance. The universe cannot fulfill anything that you say when you say, "It is beautiful"; "I love"; "It is right"; "It is wrong." These words are meaningless words against the backdrop of this other world view. So what we find is that the abortion case should not have been a surprise because it boiled up out of, quite naturally, (I would use the word again) mathematically, this other world view. In this case, human life has no distinct value whatsoever, and we find this Supreme Court in one ruling overthrew the abortion laws of all 50 states, and they made this form of killing human life (because that's what it is) the law. The law declared that this form of killing human life was to be accepted, and for many people, because they had no set ethic, when the Supreme Court said that it was legal, in the intervening years, it has become ethical. The courts of this country have forced this view and its results on the total population. What we find is that as the courts have done this, without any longer that which the founding fathers comprehended of law (A man like Blackstone, with his Commentaries, understood, and the other lawgivers in this country in the beginning): That there is a law of God which gives foundation. It becomes quite natural then, that they would also cut themselves loose from a strict constructionism concerning the Constitution. Everything is relative. So as you cut yourself loose from the Law of God, in any concept whatsoever, you also soon are cutting yourself loose from a strict constructionism and each ruling is to be seen as an arbitrary choice by a group of people as to what they may honestly think is for the sociological good of the community, of the country, for the given moment. Now, along with that is the fact that the courts are increasingly making law and thus we find that the legislatures' powers are increasingly diminished in relationship to the power of the courts. Now the pro-abortion people have been very wise about this in the last, say, 10 years, and Christians very silly. I wonder sometimes where we've been because the pro-abortion people have used the courts for their end rather than the legislatures -- because the courts are not subject to the people's thinking, nor their will, either by election nor by a re-election. Consequently, the courts have been the vehicle used to bring this whole view and to force it on our total population. It has not been largely the legislatures. It has been rather, the courts. The result is a relativistic value system. A lack of a final meaning to life -- that's first. Why does human life have any value at all, if that is all that reality is? Not only are you going to die individually, but the whole human race is going to die, someday. It may not take the falling of the atom bombs, but someday the world will grow too hot, too cold. That's what we are told on this other final reality, and someday all you people not only will be individually dead, but the whole conscious life on this world will be dead, and nobody will see the birds fly. And there's no meaning to life. As you know, I don't speak academically, shut off in some scholastic cubicle, as it were. I have lots of young people and older ones come to us from the ends of the earth. And as they come to us, they have gone to the end of this logically and they are not living in a romantic setting. They realize what the situation is. They can't find any meaning to life. It's the meaning to the black poetry. It's the meaning of the black plays. It's the meaning of all this. It's the meaning of the words "punk rock." And I must say, that on the basis of what they are being taught in school, that the final reality is only this material thing, they are not wrong. They're right! On this other basis there is no meaning to life and not only is there no meaning to life, but there is no value system that is fixed, and we find that the law is based then only on a relativistic basis and that law becomes purely arbitrary. And this is brought to bear, specifically, and perhaps most clearly, in the public schools (I'll come to that now) in this country. In the courts of this country, they are saying that it's absolutely illegal, from the lowest grades up through university, for the public schools of this country to teach any other world view except this world view of final material or energy. Now this is done, no matter what the parents may wish. This is done regardless of what those who pay the taxes for their schools may wish. I'm giving you an illustration, as well as making a point. The way the courts force their view, and this false view of reality on the total population, no matter what the total population wants.
RevelationCommentary: CHAPTER FIFTEEN - PRELUDE TO BOWL JUDGMENTS
| Previous Section: Chapter Fourteen - The End of the Beginning CHAPTER FIFTEEN - PRELUDE TO BOWL JUDGMENTS Revelation 15:1 (1) Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, (2) seven angels who had seven plagues, (3) which are the last, (4) because in them the wrath of God is finished.
Revelation 15:2 (1) And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and (2) those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, (3) standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.
Revelation 15:3-4 (1) And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, (2) and the song of the Lamb, saying, (3) "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; (4) righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! (5) Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? (6) For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You, (7) for your righteous acts have been revealed."
Revelation 15:5-6 (1) After these things I looked, and (2) the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, and (3) the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, (4) clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes.
Revelation 15:7 (1) Then one of the four living creatures (2) gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.
Revelation 15:8 (1) And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and (2) no one was able to enter the temple (3) until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
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DoctrineOfGod: Roger Hertzler "Christ’s Message to American Christians"
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Any so-called message from God must be firmly founded upon His Word, the Bible. It is His Word alone that can give any authority at all to the message I am about to share. As we examine God’s Word from cover to cover, we find that every part of it points in some way to the person of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament points forward to Him, the Gospels reveal Him, and the rest of the New Testament points back to Him. Even the other two persons of the Trinity point to Christ. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit that “He shall testify of Me” and “He shall glorify Me”. God the Father said about Jesus “This is My beloved Son: hear Him.” And Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that whereas God in former times had spoken through prophets, He has “in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” So if it is true that all of the Divine revelation points us to Jesus, then where is it that Jesus points us? We get our answer to this question by simply reading through the words of Christ as recorded in Scripture. Here we find Him directing us over and over again to one central theme: the commands that He gave us. Listen to these words of Jesus from the Gospel of John. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death (John 8:51). If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me (John 14:21). If a man love me, he will keep my words (John 14:23). He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me (John 14:24). If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love (John 15:10). Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you (John 15:14). At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, right after giving us a long list of revolutionary commands and teachings, Jesus says these words: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it (Matthew 7:24-27). We in the American church have tried to explain away the Sermon on the Mount and other commands of Christ by saying that they are part of the Old Testament Law (and thus anyone who repeats what Jesus said about obedience is guilty of legalism). Or we’ve said that His commands were given only to reveal our own sinfulness, and even with the power of God they are impossible to obey. Or we’ve argued that literal obedience to them is not necessary now, but rather postponed until some future period of time. Yet Christ’s plea to those who use this type of reasoning is: Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46). Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23). Some have speculated that Christ’s cross was the dividing line between the Scriptures that apply to us and those that do not. Thus we can basically ignore everything revealed prior to Christ’s death, including the vast majority of His commands. Yet Jesus said to His disciples after His resurrection, Go ye therefore, and teach . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20). Then, in the remainder of the New Testament, Christ’s followers repeatedly affirmed the importance of obeying His commands. Listen to these words: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:3-4). In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:8). If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing (1 Timothy 6:3-4). By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:2-3). Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:14). Yet here in America we Christians, even conservative Christians, have largely ignored the commands given to us by Christ. Whether through heresy, carelessness, or pure rebellion, we have put much of Christ’s teaching into a place where it might as well have not been said. As far as the world around us can tell, Christ must have commanded His followers absolutely nothing about certain subjects: subjects which in actuality were discussed by Him extensively. Through our actions, we Christians have caused the name of Christ to be blasphemed among the heathen. We have ceased to be the true salt and light that God has called us to be. Through our compromises, we have lost our preserving influence in this society, and iniquity has truly come in like a flood. And now, with the last moments of time ticking quickly away, God is calling us one more time to genuine repentance: repentance from sin and toward God. _________________________________ When we speak of America’s need to repent, we could mention numerous horrible sins into which this country has fallen headlong, sins such as abortion, homosexuality, drunkenness, and witchcraft. We could also discuss the many false philosophies that have swept this nation, philosophies such as Darwinism, Mormonism, liberalism, and humanism. Yet because this is a message to believers, we’re not going to take the time and space to do that. Though these plagues have been destroying the souls of multitudes, I thank God that there are still many Christians who are boldly speaking out against them. But there are three major areas of disobedience that virtually no one seems to be mentioning, three specific subjects about which Christ taught extensively but which Christians today are teaching virtually nothing. Three issues about which God is saying to the church of today, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” When John the Baptist came preaching repentance and warning of the coming wrath, his audience responded in brokenness by asking, “What shall we do then?” Just as John gave specific answers in response to this question, so I also hope to give specific answers about how true repentance will look for American Christians. To the unrepentant, these answers will seem downright ludicrous. To the semi-repentant, they will appear burdensome and impossible. But to the truly contrite ones, to those who tremble at the Word of the Lord, I trust that this call to radical repentance will be received as blessed gift from God to sinners who deserve nothing but His wrath. Here, then, are the three major areas in which we Christians have been trampling underfoot the commands of Christ, and for which God is calling us to repent. 1: Divorce and Remarriage Jesus states in Luke 16:18 “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” In Mark 10:11-12 He says similarly, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.” Few subjects were discussed by our Lord as much as the subject of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Yet the average unbeliever looking at the American church today would have to conclude that Jesus said absolutely nothing about this subject! There is essentially no difference between the world and the church in regards to the frequency of the divorces and remarriages that occur. Both the teaching of Jesus and the teaching in the epistles make it clear that divorce is wrong, and should seldom if ever occur among His people. If divorce does take place, however, it is always wrong for the divorcee to remarry while the former partner is still alive. Such an action, according to Mark 10:11, constitutes adultery against the former spouse. The apostle Paul confirms this in two separate passages by writing, The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:39). For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man (Romans 7:2-3). How much wreckage could have been avoided if Christians had stayed true to Christ’s teaching? More, no doubt, than what anyone could possibly imagine. The devastation that has occurred because of the plague of divorce and remarriage is incalculable. The injured spouses, the suffering children, the juvenile delinquencies, and the escalating crime rates are all fueled by the explosion of this practice during the last 50 years. The church of Jesus, which should have been standing as a fortress against this evil, has instead given way to it completely. Only eternity will tell how many souls will be lost as a result of this horrible compromise by the professed body of Christ. God says in the book of Malachi that He hates divorce. His will is that it would never happen, especially among those who claim to be His people. In the non-so-distant past, divorce actually was relatively rare in this country. Part of the reason it was rare was because remarriage after divorce was severely stigmatized. Once remarriage became an acceptable option, however, the number of divorces increased exponentially. This epidemic has grown so quickly that we have now reached the point where there are nearly a million divorces filed in the United States every year. Most of those who do get a divorce will eventually get remarried. And most of these remarriages will occur while the former spouse is still living. The professed church of Jesus Christ has entered into this deception wholesale. Very few are the church leaders who are speaking out against divorce and remarriage at all. Fewer still are the pastors who bravely refuse to marry someone who has previously been divorced. And almost nonexistent are those who teach that true repentance for divorced and remarried couples will mean to separate themselves from these adulterous relationships. Most conservative Christians would rightly conclude that a homosexual couple, even a married homosexual couple, would need to repent of their relationship and separate from each other if they want to become followers of Christ. Yet we have somehow concluded that the only thing necessary for a divorced and remarried couple to do (if anything at all) is to repent of the ceremony but then go on living together just as though they are not committing adultery against anyone. By making this compromise, we as Christians have effectively given up our right to call homosexuals to true repentance. What shall we do then? How exactly is God calling us to repent from this our wickedness? How does He want us to deal with all the mixed-up situations created by the vast number of divorces and remarriages occurring today? Let me put it as simply as I can. If you are married today, and either you or your spouse has an ex-spouse who is still living, your current marriage is an act of adultery against that person. True repentance means to get out of your adulterous relationship, ask the forgiveness of those you have wronged, and live in celibacy from this day forward. By taking this courageous step you will be lifting up a powerful testimony for truth and holiness and striking a mighty blow against the kingdom of Satan. Most will react to this proposal by rejecting it immediately as utter nonsense. “How cruel and unloving you are,” they will say. “A merciful God would never ask me to do such a thing.” If that is how you respond, then I guess I must simply leave this issue between you and your God. Please keep in mind, though, that if this message I am writing is true, then it would have been cruel and unloving on my part not to have told you. Keep in mind also that God is a God of love, and if this really is what He is asking you to do, then it is for your eternal benefit and not for your harm. Others will respond to this message by saying, “There is probably some truth to what you are saying, but I think there are some exceptions we need to consider.” If this is your response, then I’m sure that this short message won’t be enough to convince you otherwise. But let me ask you, before you travel down that road, to please consider where the “exception” road has taken us. It is by making exceptions that American Christians have eventually gotten to the place where Jesus might as well have said nothing about divorce and remarriage. There simply is no noticeable difference in practice between Christians and non-Christians. So to those of you who have ears to hear: listen to the words of Jesus, read the words of His apostles, and respond in humility to what God is asking you to do. Not for your happiness or for the happiness of those around you, but for the reputation of our God. We have brought awful blasphemy to His name by this wickedness of ours, and only radical repentance will do anything at all to restore to Him the glory He deserves. If you are willing to consider that this might possibly be a message from the Lord, and would like to take a more detailed look at this subject, then I invite you to click here (or type the link below* into your internet browser). This will take you to an online book entitled Dear Pastor. *http://www.watchmangospelsigns.com/resources/Dear_Pastor.pdf 2: Loving our Enemies In Matthew 5:44 Jesus commands us, “Love your enemies.” In Matthew 5:39 He tells us to “resist not evil” but rather to turn the other cheek when someone smites us. And in John 18:36 Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight . . .: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” Though literal obedience to this kind of teaching appears unreasonable and unworkable, we find the Jesus’ disciples reiterating it in the epistles. Paul, for instance, writes in the book of Romans: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:18-21). For many years after Christ left this earth, His followers strove diligently to obey these commands of their Lord. They were known far and wide as people who would take wrong rather than do wrong to others. They showed love to their enemies and preferred to suffer or even die rather than inflict injury on someone else. Consistent obedience to these commands, understandably, was never easy to carry out. Eventually Christians began to make excuses and ask questions about whether this teaching really ought to be taken literally. “But what if my enemy attacks my family? May I not seize a weapon to defend them?” “But what if my enemy crosses the border of my country? Shouldn’t I take up arms to defend my nation?” “But what if my government asks me to join its military and fight against its ungodly adversaries? Am I not responsible to obey my authorities?” In response, the church’s theologians began to develop complicated ideas (such as the “just war theory”) to rationalize how followers of Jesus could be involved in earthly warfare without violating the commands of their Savior. As Christ’s teaching was gradually discarded in favor of human reasoning, the church entered into a compromise that has probably brought more reproach to the name of Jesus than any other since the beginning of Christianity. It is truly staggering to imagine all the wrongs that could have been avoided had Christians everywhere stayed true to Christ’s call to love our enemies. There would have been no bloody crusades in the middle ages in the name of Christ. There would have been no Catholic inquisition in the name of Christ. There would have been no enslavement of the American blacks in the name of Christ. Even Hitler’s evil plans would have been thwarted since most of the recruits in his army were people who claimed to be part of the body of Christ. The commands of Christ regarding the treatment of our enemies are so numerous and so clear that it is hard to see how any Bible-believing Christian could miss them. Yet here in America it is nearly impossible, by looking at Christ’s followers, to discern that He said anything at all about loving our enemies. In fact, Christians generally are even more likely than non-Christians to be supportive of military power and action. Christians generally are more likely than non-Christians to champion the right to own weapons to defend ourselves from criminal activity. What shall we do then? How should we repent from our disobedience to the commands of Christ in this area? If you are member of the armed forces of an earthly nation, get out of that position regardless of what it will cost you. Enlist instead in the army of Jesus and begin to fight the good fight of faith, laying hold on eternal life. Pledge your allegiance to Christ’s kingdom and commit to obeying its laws, even when they come into conflict with the laws of an earthly kingdom. Get rid of any carnal weapons that you own for self-defense, and pick up instead the true weapons of our warfare, weapons which are not carnal but are mighty through God. Purpose in your heart that you will love and pray for your enemies rather than fight them, choosing to take wrong yourself rather than inflicting injury on another person. And through it all, don’t forget these encouraging words from our brother Peter: “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;” (1 Peter 3:13-14). If you are open to consider that there may be some truth in this message, and if you would like to learn more about this command to love our enemies, please go to www.ScrollPublishing.com and order the book A Change of Allegiance by Dean Taylor. You may also to click here (or type the link below* into your internet browser) to listen to a free audio message from the author of this book. *http://www.charityministries.org/msg_detail.a5w?vlast_index=4051 Another powerful book that touches on all three of the subjects discussed here is The Kingdom that Turned the World Upside Down by David Bercot. Your view of Christianity will never be the same after reading it. It can also be purchased at www.ScrollPublishing.com. 3: Laying up Treasures In Matthew 6:19 Jesus commands us, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” He commands us further in Luke 12:33 and Matthew 6:20, “Sell that ye have, and give alms,” and “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.” Why is it wrong for Christians to accumulate wealth on this earth? Because it steals our love, for Jesus said our hearts will be with our treasures. Because it denies the hungry, thirsty, and naked of the provisions that we could be giving them. Because it destroys our faith in God, Who ought to be the focus of our trust. Because we have a far better investment opportunity available to us, namely, treasures in Heaven. But the number one reason that it is wrong to lay up for ourselves treasures on earth is that it is direct disobedience to the commands of Jesus, the very One that we claim as our Lord and Master. The simple fact that He told us to “lay not up” and to “sell and give” ought to be more than enough reason to simply obey. Yet for most Christians in America, it is just as though these commands do not exist. Our behavior in this area is no different from that of the non-Christians around us. We have piled up enormous amounts of wealth in stocks, bonds, savings accounts, retirement plans, and other earthly investments with no regard whatsoever to the fact that Jesus told us not to do it. If anything, in fact, Christians tend to be more enthused about accumulating earthly wealth than their non-Christian neighbors. Jesus’ teaching on this subject is so abundant and so plain that it is truly amazing that we as Christians could have missed it. He made statements like “Woe to you who are rich” and “Blessed are you who are poor”. He said it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to make it to Heaven. He told stories of rich men going to Hell and poor men going to Heaven. And in Matthew 25 he indicated that a key factor in our eternal destiny is whether or not we have used our earthly resources to help those in need. Christ’s disciples also taught and practiced these commands of their Teacher. In Acts 2 & 4 we see the early Christians obeying Christ’s commands explicitly. In 1 Timothy 6, Paul writes that the love of money is the root of all evil. James tells rich men who have heaped together wealth for the future to “weep and howl” for the miseries that are coming upon them. And John writes that if we withhold our possessions when we see a needy brother, then the love of God cannot be in us. Our disobedience in this area has brought much reproach to Christ’s name. Christians are known in this country far more for their greed than they are for their generosity. The non-Christians around us would be utterly astounded to hear that our Leader said anything at all against the accumulation of wealth. What shall we do then? How will true repentance look for those of us who have broken these commands of Jesus? Sell the possessions you have that you really don’t need, especially the investment type assets (treasures) that you have stored up on this earth. If there are taxes due as a result of these sales, pay them. If there are debts connected to these assets, satisfy them. If you have restitution to make or other bills that are due, take care of those things as well. Then take the money you have left and begin in the name of Jesus to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and spread the gospel, especially to those in third world countries. By doing so you will be laying up treasures Heaven, “where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.” If you are willing to consider that this might be a message from the Lord, and would like to take a more detailed look at this subject, then I invite you to click here (or type the link below* into your internet browser) to read for free the book Through the Eye of a Needle. If you would prefer to have a hard copy of this book, it may be purchased at www.ScrollPublishing.com. * http://www.watchmangospelsigns.com/resources/Through_the_Eye_of_a_Needle.pdf In Conclusion: Lately it has been very encouraging to see increasing numbers of Christians beseeching God to pour out revival upon the American church. The great revivals of the past have all been preceded by much prayer by God’s people, and I long for this to be an indication that another great revival is not far away. Yet is it possible that God is saying to the church in response to these prayers, “I am willing to revive when you are willing to repent.”? Could it be that God is saying to us, “I’ve already told you what you need to do. Go listen to the words I spoke to you through my Son. Go read His words in the Sermon on the Mount. Hear His commands, obey them, and teach others to do the same. Then, and only then, will I send you the revival you are seeking.”? Is there any price too high for the church to be revived, for sinners to be saved, and for Christ to be glorified? | |
WomanOfGod: Jessie Penn-Lewis " THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF "
Feb 28 1861 - Aug 15 1927
J P L
This physically frail but spiritually robust woman had a remarkable ministry which stressed the centrality of the cross of Christ in the Life and experience of the Christian. Her life spanned much of the last quarter of the nineteenth century and the first quarter of the twentieth. She first took her place as a sinner before that cross as the wife of a young British civil servant, and proclaimed its message tirelessly from that time on, not only in her native England but also in Scandinavia,Russia and North America.
A frequent speaker at the Keswick Conventions, she started the Llandrindod Convention in Wales, and later the Matlock Conferences Mrs Penn-Lewis has stirred millions through her writings. She contributed regularly to "The Overcomer" which she founded in 1908
"Trials and Triumphs" "Jessie Penn Lewis A Memoir" "In The Mold of The Cross"
Jessie Penn Lewis refers to early days as a time of great spiritual growth and consecration which grew in spite of ill health and a frail body into an astonishing active life. She became God's spokeswoman in Europe The United States and Britain.
These look at this most extraordinary woman of God. She brought spiritual warfare into focus as a viable teaching and need to know for a spiritual worker.
" THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF "
Print Version / Share The meaning of " soul-force " can be briefly defined as that which has its origin in the soul, and " spirit force " as that which has its origin in the spirit. The soul is the medium for the outworking of both. Soul-force is manifested through the faculties of the soul, and spirit force is manifested through the faculties of the soul likewise. Let me try to explain it crudely thus. Draw three sections, one above the other, and mark the top one " spirit ", the centre one " soul ", and the lowest one " body ". Then draw an arrow passing down from the "spirit " into the soul, and then outward. This suggests the Holy Spirit in the human spirit, passing down and out through the faculties of the soul. Or draw an arrow going up from the " body " section into the soul, and out through the faculties of the soul. In the first you have spirit-force coming from God energizing the soul-and in the second you have " soul-force ", or power arising from the flesh into the soul and out. The " soul ", as the central compartment, is the medium for both " spirit " and " soul " force, and we can only tell which force is in action by its fruits. (See Matthew 7:16,I7.)I have said that " soul-force " as soul-force, has its origin in the soul. More correctly, it rises from the body or animal life-this the Bible calls " flesh ". There are great discoveries at the present time of powers in the " soul ", such as our fathers never dreamed of. These forces have their origin in " flesh " and not " spirit ", even though they do not appear so, for the " soul " is under the power of the flesh, until the regenerated spirit rules by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within. He desires to control and use the soul faculties. For instance, either the mind-one of the faculties of the soul is energized and animated by soul-force, or it is renewed by the Holy Spirit, and energized by Him through the human spirit.
The danger to-day is the counterfeit in the soul-realm of everything in the spiritual realm. Through ignorance there has been a developing and using of these psychic forces, thinking them to be spiritual. But the word spoken by Christ is the test. He said, " It is the Spirit that quickeneth ". Only that which comes from the Holy Spirit through your spirit, has its origin in God. The latent powers of the soul are not Divine-though some think they are. For example, some say that the " gift of healing " is in the soul, requiring to be developed by those who have it. A clergyman writes, " This power is sometimes spoken of as ` animal magnetism', sometimes as `psychic power'. .. . This power when dedicated to God becomes a ` gift of the Spirit '. . . ." But surely the true gifts of the Spirit must come from God, who is Spirit, via the spirit, and not the " soul ".
Again, in connection with the seeking of " manifestations " as an evidence of a believer having received the " Baptism of the Spirit ", methods have been used to bring these about, that synchronize with the methods of mesmerism, and thus counterfeits have broken into the true Church of Christ. In other cases believers have had a true influx of the Holy Spirit into their human spirit, and then through ignorance they have developed the psychic power latent in the human frame, and brought about mixture in their own life and service for God, e.g., if a chorus is sung over and over again, they can bring a meeting into a psychic condition, when those present become incapable of intelligent thinking, or of any decisive action of the will.
Thus on a flood-tide of psychic force in the world to-day, the demons are carrying out their plans and purposes. " It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing." Every child of God is governed in all service-preaching, teaching, working-either by the Holy Spirit or by the psychic force of which we speak. It is the spirit that is regenerated-" a new spirit will I give you ". Fausset says that the spirit is the shrine where the Holy Ghost dwells, and it is the organ through which He works. When He comes in and renews the spirit and dwells there, He then renews the mind, and gains control over the faculties. As we walk in the Spirit, and fulfil the conditions of His working, we become " spiritual " in all our actions. Everything touched will have a spiritual stamp, every faculty will be changed, quickened, uplifted. The believer becomes a " new man ", and not only a new man, but one who has the life of God in his spirit. Through the renewal of the mind, in due season, confused thinking passes away, and the mind becomes clear.
" The flesh profiteth nothing." How true it is in spiritual work. If it is animated by the flesh life of the soul there is no fruit. Toil as you may-no fruit ! The reason is that it is " soul ", energized by the life of nature, and therefore it " profits nothing ". Vast toil and little fruitage ! It is quite a fair exegesis of these words to say that if the " flesh " profits nothing, soul-force also profits nothing.
Let us look at some passages in John's Gospel, and note the Lord's words about His own attitude as to reliance upon Himself and His own " powers "-which in His case were sinless powers. Our Lord had spoken about " eating His flesh " and " drinking His blood " (John 6:53-58), and His disciples said it was a " hard saying ". It was in connection with the apprehension of spiritual truth that the Lord said that the "flesh" profited nothing. This is a very " hard saying " to the flesh, and to the natural man who is unable to receive the things of the Spirit.
How marvellous to read that the Lord Jesus Christ said " The Son can do nothing of Himself ". In no case did He originate His own activities. He did, He said, just what He saw the Father do-" the Father dwelling in Me doeth His works ". There should be in our measure, a continuous waiting upon Him for every step taken, until we can see what is from Him, and what originates in ourselves, and then we may know the co-working of God in all our words and work.
The Lord Jesus said again, " As I hear, I judge ". " I receive not honour from men." " I came not to do Mine own will," " I seek not Mine own glory." That was the position He took, and it is the position we are to take-entire dependence upon God. Again the Lord said, " No man can come to Me except the Father draw him " (John 6:44)
The danger to-day, for the true children of God, is the development of psychic powers in ignorance of their existence. There is also peril through the wide-spread teaching on psychology. Children are now to be saved from their " weaknesses " by psychic means, not by conviction of sin, conversion and regeneration. Even children of God need to be careful lest they take a psychological view of themselves, and whilst trusting God on the one hand, become so occupied with the " laws " of spirit, soul and body, as to practically forget reliance upon the Holy Spirit Himself, Whose office it is to take of the things of Christ and reveal them unto us. In the great supernatural movements of to-day there is a vast amount of psychic power. I have just received a letter from abroad concerning a great healing movement, and the writer says, " It is all a dead failure. There are thousands upon thousands who have come, but it is failure, and what can you expect if the leader who ` lays hands ' on others smokes and drinks whisky ! "
Let me close with a few points in which " soul-force " can be a danger in the Christian life. There can be " soul-force " in relation to the will. The Lord liberates the will, and energizes it, but it must be energized by the Spirit and not by the flesh. There is a possibility of soulforce in will prayer. There can be a bringing of willpower to bear upon another person, through soul-force energizing the will. In ignorance of this danger, some believers project their thoughts on to the person they are praying for, saying that such and such a one " shall " do this or that. To avoid the possibility of soul-force prayers, we should be careful always to pray upward in a prayer directed to God. Every prayer should be directed Godward, and should never be a telling the Lord what to do for somebody else. We may pray that God will direct them what to do, but we ought not to say that they " must " do what we think is God's will they should do, or even that they " shall not " do what we know is wrong. We are members of one Body, but we are each of us responsible to God only, and before Him we must stand or fall.
Then there is the danger of the drawing out of psychic forces in worship. The Lord said "God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth". What means then all the cultivation of the sensuous in the churches? Why do some people, living a worldly life all the week, become so happy because they have gone to church on the Sunday? Is it not that through the music and other influences, they have been made happy and comforted ? They have been soothed,but the question is, have they been truly convicted of sin and regenerated? Is it wrong to have music ? Not at all.
There is a worship of God in song. But think of the psychic elements in the worship of the Roman Catholic churches ! Dr. Andrew Murray points out that the ordinary activities of the soul intrude into worship. He adds that people little think that one reason why they do not get victory over some sin, is because they yield to the soul life in the religious part of them. They yield to self (flesh) in their worship, and thus keep alive and active some fleshly sin, fed from a quarter they little suspect. They think they have done with the " flesh ", and cannot understand why these things remain. The strength of the " sin " lies in the activity of the soul in its worship of God. It is " flesh " under cover of the religious life. What must be dealt with first is our approach to God. He must be worshipped in spirit and in truth, "for the Father seeketh such to worship Him ".
The present danger of the spiritual believer is the danger of soul-force. There are currents of thought sweeping in all directions. Many are caught in them, and are not on guard against such currents. You can cut yourself off from them absolutely, by taking your place in the death of Christ, and asking that it shall come between you and all the atmospheric forces that are abroad at this time.
Let us ask ourselves whether our minds have been really renewed ? Are they illuminated and energized by the Spirit of God, or have we only the mind of the natural man ? The Rationalism of to-day is not going to be dealt with by intellectual arguments, but by spiritual power, and by prayer. Let us pray that the Lord will teach us how to live and walk after the Spirit. With a renewed mind may we learn to discern the difference between soul and spirit. " For the Word of God is quick and powerful ... dividing between soul and spirit," so that the soul life is dealt with at the Cross, and we become " spiritual ".
MenOfGod: George Mueller Part IV
Narrative of the Lord's Dealings with George Muller. Part IV
Print Version / Share PREFACETO THE
FIRST EDITION OF THE FOURTH PART
Twelve years have elapsed since the period at which the third part of the Narrative of the Lord’s dealings with me closes. It has not been for want of matter, that this fourth part has not appeared sooner; but the increased and ever increasing variety of other occupations has kept me hitherto from arranging the materials for the press. 0f late, however, I have judged, for the following reasons, that I ought particularly to give myself to this service.
1, It has pleased the Lord so abundantly to bless the former parts of my Narrative to the comfort, encouragement, strengthening, and instruction of those who are young and weak in the faith, and to those unacquainted with the simplicity of the truth, that I consider myself to be the servant of such; and I feel that responsibility is laid upon me, to do what further I can, in this way, to serve them. And this, I confess, I do joyfully; for my spirit has oft times been not a little refreshed during the eighteen years which have elapsed, since I published the first part of my Narrative, by the many hundreds of letters I have received, giving an account of the blessing, which the writers of them have derived from the perusal of it; and I have thus been again and again encouraged to go on with the work.
2, I think it important, that the reader of the first three parts of my Narrative should have a right impression of the work in which I am engaged. He may not be acquainted with the Reports of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad, which have been published since 1844, and therefore he may know no more of the work in which I am especially engaged, than the first three parts of my Narrative give him. In that case he would not know how the work has been growing since that period; he would not be aware, that it is now three or four times as large as it was in 1844, and is still more and more increasing. He would not know in that case, that the principles of Holy Scripture on which the work of God in my hands was carried on, when comparatively small, and which then were found to be sufficient, even in these last days, are the same on which it is carried on now, though the work is now so large. This point has especially weighed with me, in desiring the publication of the continuation of the account of the Lord’s dealings with me in the form of the first three parts, in order that the Living God may be glorified through this account. I judged, moreover, that, whilst the first three parts may especially furnish, to the believer in the Lord Jesus for his private life subjects for comforting and encouraging reflections; this part, besides doing the same still further, may especially be of help to the servant of Christ labouring for God on a large scale, or to the man of God who seeks to carry on business on a large scale, on Scriptural principles.
3, Though the Reports of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad have been issued generally every year or every two years; yet, as they are not bound together, they may be lost in part, and thus the chain be interrupted. Moreover, they contain, sometimes, matters which may be of moment for the time being, but not so important afterwards. The Narrative leaves out such points, and introduces on the other hand things which were scarcely suitable for the Reports. My desire, therefore, has been to give in this fourth part the substance of the Reports, which have been published since July 1844, and to bring thus together in one volume what is contained in these nine different Reports.
4, The Reports give scarcely anything of the dealings of God with me personally, irrespective of the work in which I am engaged; but I have not only to speak well of the name of the Lord with regard to His service, but also with reference to His dealings with me personally and with my family; and I desire to serve the saints in relating to them instance upon instance of His kindness to me, hoping that thus many others may be encouraged more and more fully, unreservedly and habitually to trust in God; yea, to do so in the darkest seasons.
The plan on which I have thought it best to bring the materials before the reader is, to relate in distinct periodical chapters: a, How I have been provided, simply in answer to prayer, with means for the support of the various schools of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and Gospel Tracts and for the aiding of Missionary work. b, How I have obtained means for the support of the hundreds of 0rphans under my care. c, How the Lord has led me to, and provided me with means for, the building of a large Orphan-House, and how I am now occupied in seeking to build a second still larger. d, To state, periodically, a variety of miscellaneous points in connexion with the operations of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, in a separate chapter. e, To give separately and periodically a chapter, for relating matters connected with my own personal affairs or the work of the Lord in my hands, not immediately connected with the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad. As, however, the whole book is intended for the spiritual profit of the believing reader, and to show to those who know not God, by His blessing, the reality of the things of God, there will be found interspersed, throughout the book, such practical remarks, as the subjects may seem to call for.
GEORGE MÜLLER.
21, Paul Street, Kingsdown,
Bristol, June 18, 1856.
A
NARRATIVE,
&c. &c.
FOURTH PART.
Supplies for the School—Bible—Missionary and Tract-Fund, sent in answer to prayer, from July 14, 1844, to
May 26, 1846.
Aug. 10, 1844. In the greatest need, when not one penny was in hand, I received 5l. from a brother at Hackney. I took half of this sum for these objects, and half for the Orphans.
Sept. 7. Our poverty has been great ever since the accounts were closed on July 14th. Our Tract and Bible stock is very small, and we have much reduced it on account of sending supplies to Demerara. The rents for the School-Rooms are becoming due, and other expenses are to be met. Under these circumstances I received today with Philip iv. 6, the sum of 50l. The donor writes that he thinks he is directed by the Lord to send the money. How truly is it so! I took of this sum 20l. for the Orphans, and 301. for these objects.
Oct. 1. This evening I received a bank order for 701., to be used as the Lord might direct me. This money came in most seasonably, as I am thus able to pay to the six teachers who labour in the six Day-schools, their salaries. I took 301. of the 70l. for these objects, and 401. for the Orphans.
Dec. 14. The means for these objects have been 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. 51.
Apr. 8. When, once more, I had nothing in hand, I received today from Yorkshire 101., 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 1001. 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 he 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 701. 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, 1661. 18s., as he this day received the money, on the strength of which he had made that promise. Of this sum 1001. 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 701. and the 1001., 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, 601. Oct. 12, 1501. On Feb. 26, 1846, I received 2001., of which 1001. was to be used for Missionary work in foreign lands, and 1001. 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 51. 1 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 thus granted to me. 3. I had also, from time to time, sought, to help brethren, who labour in dependence on the Lord for temporal supplies in various parts of England, and my desire especially had been, that, even in this particular, the Funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad might be more extensively useful. And thus, in this particular also, this donation cheered my heart, enabling me to assist, in some measure, several faithful labourers. Concerning this latter point I would especially notice, that whenever God has put it into my heart "to devise liberal things," He has not only blessed me in my own soul in doing so, but has also, more or less given me the means to carry out such a purpose. I mention further here, in connexion with this point, that henceforth, as God shall be pleased to supply me with means, I purpose particularly, in connexion with this work, to endeavour to assist brethren of good report, who labour in the word and doctrine, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, but who have no regular salary. If, therefore, any donations should be given henceforth for that particular object, they shall be, by God’s help, applied to that; or, if no donations should be given for that particular object, yet, as God shall be pleased to intrust me with means, I purpose by His help, to have my eye particularly on brethren who preach the Gospel without charge, and who, perhaps, besides, for conscience’ sake, have relinquished former stipends or regular emoluments which they had in connexion with doing so. Have we not particularly to strive to be fellow-labourers with those who, seeking not their own things, but the things of Jesus Christ, preach the Word without being chargeable to any one? Many whom I know and love in the truth, are mindful of this; but others may not, perhaps, have sufficiently weighed the matter.
On March 10, 1846, I asked the Lord for still further supplies for missionary purposes, and while I was in prayer a letter came from C. W. with 201. for missionary purposes. Thus also, about the same time, came in, from the neighbourhood of Ludlow, 21., and from Keswick 5l. for Missions, besides other smaller donations for the same
purpose. -
It must not be supposed that these are all the donations which I received for the carrying on these objects from July 14, 1844, to May 26, 1846; but those which are referred to came in under remarkable circumstances, or, more manifestly, as answers to prayer.
I now proceed to give an account of the Lord’s goodness in supplying me with means for the Orphans, from July 14, 1844, up to May 26, 1846; though here again only the most remarkable instances, on account of the great number of cases, can be given.
Supplies for the Orphan Fund, sent in answer to Prayer, from July 14, 1844, to May 26, 1846.
July 25, 1844. The need of today for the Orphans is 21. 5s. As there came in yesterday 21. as the profit of the sale of ladies’ bags, which are made by a sister in the Lord for the benefit of the Orphans; also two donations of 5s. each, through her; 5s. from a poor sister in the Lord; and 11. from Hackney, in all 31. 15s.; we have 11.10s. left. — In the course of today the Lord was pleased to send in the following donations: — by the boxes in my house 11.10s., in nine small donations 16s. 11d., and the contents of an orphan-box, 3s. 0½ d. This evening also two Christian servants gave me the following trinkets: — a ring, a gold pin, two brooches, and a silver toothpick. A precious gift, because of its seasonableness, and because it gave me joy in seeing these ornaments given up for the Lord’s sake.
Observe, dear reader, only eleven day’s after the accounts were closed, we were again in fresh poverty, and had to go on day by day waiting upon the Lord for the necessities of about 140 persons.
July 26. Only 6d. has come in today.
July 27, Saturday. July 11. 14s. was in hand to begin the day with. With two of my fellow—labourers I besought the Lord between nine and ten o’clock this morning for help, when, at eleven o’clock came in, by sale of articles, given for the purpose, 7s. 3d., by sale of Reports 1s. by sale of ladies’ bags ls. 6d., and by two donations 4s. 6d. There were sent also anonymously, two coats, a pair of trousers, and three waistcoats (worn). When this parcel and money came, I was called on for money from the Orphan-Houses. In the course of the day came in still further, by sale of articles, 10s. Thus we have been helped through this day. Late in the evening was given 2s. 6d. besides.
July 28. This morning, when there was now again only 2s. 6d. in hand, I received from Tavistock 61.; and this evening from Nailsworth, 2s. 6d.
July 29. Yesterday was anonymously put into the Chapel boxes 21.; also by A. A. 11. Thus we are provided for today and tomorrow. There came in still further today 11., from an orphan-box at Barnstaple 1l., and by the profit of work, done by a sister, 5s. There was likewise given a little box, containing the following articles: a lady’s bag, a pair of gloves, a silver fruit knife, a gold seal, a needle book with two farthings, a purse containing two-halfpence, 4½ francs, and a copper coin; a little tortoiseshell box containing two old sixpences, two fourpenny pieces, a shilling, a sixpence, and a pebble; a silver vinaigrette, a seal, two patterns for worsted work, a microscope, and 6 embossed cards. This evening I received two silver pencil cases.
July 30. By the boxes in the Orphan-Houses came in today 21. 4s. 6d., and by sale of Reports 5s.
July 31. Immediately after having risen from my knees today, to ask the Lord for further supplies, I received 19s. by sale of stockings, knitted by the Orphan Boys. This evening was given to mc by A. A. 5l., and through ditto 2s.
August 1. This morning I was called on for 51. for the Infant Orphans, so that again only a few shillings remained, not enough for, the other expenses of today, when I received, in the bag sent for the money from the, Orphan Houses, the following donations, 11., and 1s. 6d., 1s. ld., 1s. 1d., and 2s. 2d. Likewise came in 1s., and I found 2s. 6d. in an orphan-box in my house. Thus I had enough for today.
Aug. 2. The day began with 2 ¾ d. in hand. A little before ten o’clock in the morning the letter-bag was brought from the Orphan-Houses for money, in which I found a note stating that the need of today was 11. 17s,, but I had only 2 ¾ d. to send. I wrote so to brother R. B. master of the Orphan Boys, intending to request him (to send up again in the afternoon, for what the Lord might have sent in the mean time. When I was going to put the 2 ¾ d into the purse in the bag, I found half-a-crown in the bag, slipped into it before it was opened. This half-crown is a precious earnest that the Lord will help this day also. It was found by me just after I had risen from my knees, having been with some of the labourers in the work in prayer for means. Before I bad yet finished the note to brother B. B., a sovereign was given to me, so that I had 1l. 2s. 8 ¾ d. to send off. About two o’clock this afternoon I received by sale of articles 10s. 6d., by sale of stockings 6s. 8d,, and by the sale of ladies’ bags 9s. 4d. Thus I could send off the l4s. 6d. which was still needed for today, and had 12s. left.
Aug. 3, Saturday. With the 12s. we began the day. My sou1 said: "I will now look out for the way in which the Lord will deliver us this day again; for He will surely deliver. Many Saturdays, when we were in need, He helped us, and so He will do this day also."—Between nine and ten o’clock this morning I gave myself to prayer for means, with three of my fellow-labourers, in my house. Whilst we were in prayer, there was a knock at my room door, and I was informed that a gentleman had come to see me. When we had finished prayer, it was found to be a brother from Tetbury, who hail brought from Barnstaple 11. 2s. 6d. for the Orphans. Thus we have 11. 14s. 6d., with which I must return the letter-bag to the Orphan-Houses, looking to the Lord for more. Evening. In the afternoon one of the labourers received 6s. for himself, which he gave for the Orphans. This evening I went to the usual prayer meeting, (which is held on Saturday evening at the Orphan-Houses, to ask the Lord’s blessing upon the work generally), when I found that 2s. had been put into the boxes in the Orphan Houses in the course of the afternoon; also 7s. had come in by the knitting of the Orphan-Girls, and 3s. 6d. more one of the labourers was able to give. Thus we hail 21. 13s., which was enough for today. How very kind of the Lord thus to listen to the prayers of His children, and to help us day by day! — We had not yet separated, after our prayer meeting, when a box was brought from Scarborough, containing 5s. and a number of articles. When I came home I found that there had come in still further, by sale of articles given for the purpose, l5s. 10d., and by sale of stockings knitted by the Orphans, 7s. 8d. Thus the Lord has greatly helped us today.
Aug. 5, Monday. There came in from A. A. 1s., and anonymously was yesterday put into the Chapel-boxes 2s. 6d., ditto 2s. 6d.
Aug. 6. Without one single penny in my hands the day began. The post brought nothing, nor had I yet received anything, when ten minutes after ten this morning the letter bag was brought from the Orphan-Houses, for the supplies of today. — Now see the Lord’s deliverance! In the bag I found a note from one of the labourers in the Orphan—Houses, enclosing two sovereigns, which she sent for the Orphans, stating that it was part of a present which she had just received unexpectedly, for herself. —Thus we are supplied for today. In the afternoon, when I had now again nothing at all in hand, as I had paid out this 21., there was brought to me from Oxford 1l. 2s. A sister also gave 2s. 6d.
Aug. 7. There came in, when there was Not one penny in my hands, 4s.and 3s. 6d. I only found 3s. in the boxes in my house, 10s. was given as the profit of the sale of ladies’ bags, and 2s. 6d. as the produce of "A forfeit-box at a young ladies’ school." Likewise were given to me, two gold rings, two gold watch-keys, a pair of earrings, a gold brooch, two waist-buckles, a pair of bracelets, a watch hook, and a broken brooch. Thus we have a little towards the need of tomorrow.
Aug. 8. The money which came in yesterday was not enough for the need of today. The boxes in the Orphan-Houses were therefore opened, as I had understood that some money had been put into them during the last days, and they contained 1l. 4s. Thus we have been supplied this day also.
Aug. 9. It is just now striking eleven o’clock, and I have not yet one single penny towards the need of this day. The bag is brought from the Orphan-Houses for money, but I have nothing to send, and am therefore obliged to return the bag without anything. But my soul is waiting for help. The Lord has so repeatedly helped as again during the last weeks, and so He will surely do this day also. Evening. At half-past twelve this morning I received two notes from two sisters who labour in the Orphan-Houses, the one from the sister who, on the 6th, had sent the 21., being part of a present which she had received, and who now sent 11. more. She writes: The enclosed I thought of applying to another purpose; but His thoughts are not as ours. Please to use it as you think fit." The other sister, likewise one of the labourers, sent 10s. This 11. 10s. met our need for today.
Aug. 10, Saturday. Only 3d., which had come in yesterday afternoon, by sale of a Report, was in my hands, when the day began. A little after nine o’clock I received a post-office order for 5l. from Hackney, to he used as most needed. Of it I took one half for the Orphans, and the other half for the Day Schools. There came in still further, 21. 5s., 5s. 10d., 6d., and 3s. 4d.
Aug. 12. Yesterday I received from a sister 5s., with James i. 17., 2s. 6d., 6d. was put into the boxes at my house, and 6d. was given by an aged friend. Thus, with what was left on Saturday, we had 11. 15s. 5d., which met our need today.
Aug. 13. Nothing has come in, but one of the labourers, to whom 15s. was given last evening to buy herself a new gown, gave that. I am looking for more! The boxes in the Orphan-Houses were opened, in which 5s. was found. Thus we had enough, except 6s., which one of the labourers gave.
Aug. 14. Nothing at all had come in, when the hag was brought from the Orphan-Houses for money, and I had therefore to return it without any. About half an hour after, the labourers had an especial prayer meeting. At this meeting one of the teachers of the Day-Schools gave me 10s., which he had put by to buy himself some little books, but he considered it now not to be the Lord’s will to do so, but that he should give this money for the present need in the Orphan-Houses. Another of the labourers in the Orphan-Houses gave 5s. Thus we are provided with the absolute necessaries till tomorrow after breakfast.
Aug. 15. Last evening I received 2s., just after our last public meeting about the Orphan-Houses and other objects of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, at which I had testified afresh of my reliance upon the living God, though I had not then one single penny in hand for the work, which, of course, was not stated. — Now this morning, between eight and nine o’clock sister L. M. came to me and brought me 30s., which she had received for the Orphans. But this will not be enough for today. Yesterday and this morning, before this money came in, the trial of faith had been very sharp. — Evening. At eleven o’clock I received still further from A. A. 5s., and this afternoon, from one of the labourers, 5s., and from two donors 6d. each.
Aug. 16. Our poverty is extremely great. The trial of faith as sharp as ever, or sharper. It is ten o’clock, and there are no means yet for a dinner. I now thought of some articles which I might be able to do without, to dispose of them for the benefit of the Orphans, when one of the labourers gave me 11., which she had intended for another object, and which she now considers must be left alone for the present. There was also taken out of the boxes in the Orphan-Houses 1s. 6d., and by knitting came in 2s. 3d., and from A. A. 2s.
Aug. 17, Saturday. The Lord has, in tender mercy, helped us, in sending in 31. for knitting done by the Orphan Girls, 9s. 10d. for stockings knitted by the boys, 11s. 11d. for things sold, which were given for the purpose, and 10s. 7d. put into the boxes at the Orphan-Houses.
Aug. 18. There was put anonymously into the Chapel-boxes 1s., ditto 2s., ditto 2s. 6d., and A. A. gave 10s.
Aug. 19, Monday. Only 3s. has come in today.
Aug. 20. This 3s. was all there was in hand for this day, which was needed at the Boys’ Orphan-House towards the dinner. In the. other houses nothing was needed, but at the same time Nothing was left towards the next meal. Two o’clock came, and we had nothing yet. After two o’clock I opened the boxes in my house, in which I found a paper containing a sovereign and a half, and 2 half-crowns loose. Of this I took 30s. at once to the Orphan-Houses, whereby we were helped for this day. Our need had not been greater for a long time. Dear reader, join me in admiring and adoring Him, who caused that money to be put into the box, and, I have reason to believe, only a very short time before, and who led my mind to open it, to obtain thus the help which was needed. — In the afternoon came in still further 31. 6s. by the sale of some old silver and a few trinkets.
Aug. 21. There came in, by sale of Reports, 5s., and from Tewkesbury 11. This sovereign came in the greatest need. I took it at once to the Orphan-Houses, and by it we were supplied for the day. When I returned home I found that a little old gold watch had been given in the mean time. There came in also 3s.; and two half-sovereigns were given this evening by two little girls, through a sister in the Lord from Bath.
Aug. 22. The two half-sovereigns, which were given last evening, were all we had at the beginning of today. There was found in the boxes in the Orphan-Houses 5s. 9d., and in a post-office order I received 11. So we had enough for one more day. — And it is by the day I live. Were I to think of how it will be a year or even a month hence, I should be tried indeed—yea, greatly tried. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," is my Lord’s own precious warrant for this. He will not have me to be anxious about tomorrow, and therefore I cast my cares about tomorrow upon Him. As the weeks pass on, and I go on Saturday evenings to the prayer meetings at the Orphan-Houses, I praise the Lord for having sustained me one more week in this service, by enabling me to look to Him. Yea, as each day closes, I desire to be grateful to the Lord for having sustained my faith and patience, and enabled me to rely upon Him, especially in seasons of such great poverty, lasting for weeks, as we have been in of late. But this I must say to the praise of the Lord, that my soul is kept in peace at such times, and, through the riches of His grace, I am kept from questioning whether He will help me or not. And, indeed, it would be sinful ingratitude, after all the Lord has been doing for me in this work, not to rely upon Him. May He in mercy uphold me to the end in this service, and keep me from dishonouring His holy name, either by unbelief, or in any other way.
Aug. 23. This morning the Lord greatly refreshed my spirit; for after a long-continued trial of faith, and after long and deep poverty, there was sent me from Devonshire a check for 201. There came in 6s. besides.
Aug. 24. 11. 19s. 7 ¼ d. came in today.
Aug. 25. From A. A. I received today 201. How exceedingly kind of the Lord, in an hour of such great need, on account of all the many and great wants in which I find myself just now, to have sent this sum! There came in 21. 0s. 6d. besides.
Aug. 26. Received for Reports 11. 7s., and 3d. besides.
Aug. 28. Altogether 11. 11s. 2d. came in today.
Aug. 29. Received 2s. 11d. by sale of Reports, and
7s. 6d. from Bath. The brother in Bath, who sent me this money, wrote me that the 7s. 6d. was sent to him with the following letter.
27th August, 1844.
"Sir,
Part of the enclosed 7s. 6d. did belong to your dear Father, J. L., Esq., value of which I stole from him in my unconverted state. — I, now a believer in Jesus, constrained by love to Him, return it to you with interest, praying that the Lord may richly bless you and yours.
* * * *."
J. L., Esq. has been dead more than fifteen years, therefore it must be longer than that period since the theft alluded to was committed. — This 7s. 6d. came in in especially great need; for though 501. had been given during the last seven days, yet on account of our long-continued poverty, and the heavy expenses which were to be met, this 7s. 6d. was received when there was nothing at all in hand, and was sent off at once to the Orphan-Houses. — This evening, when we were still in great need, and when means were required for tomorrow morning, 10s. was given to me. This money was sent off this evening to the Orphan-Houses, for the need of tomorrow morning. About nine o’clock a sister came to my house, who had been to Shirehampton, and had there received 1l. 10s. 6d. for the Orphans. She gave also the remaining 6d. of the change of two sovereigns. The Lord inclined the heart of this sister to bring the money at once, and we are thus supplied for tomorrow. At half-past nine this evening I received another precious donation of 10s., with the following letter: —
Aug. 29, 1844.
"The history of this money is this. I did some work in the country some time ago, and thought I should never get the money for it, as I had repeatedly written about it, and could not get it. But some time ago I was asking the Lord to incline the heart of the person who owed me the money, to send it to me, and I told Him, that, if He would do so, I would give 10s. for the Orphans. Three days ago I had such confidence, that I should have the
money, that I was enabled to praise the Lord for it; and today I was going up Park Street, and met the person coming with the money. It had been put into the party’s heart the day before yesterday to pay me the money. Now, dear brother, I fulfil my promise to the Lord by giving you the money. Help me, dear brother, to praise Him for it, and that I may be enabled to trust Him more than ever I have done yet.
"Yours in Jesus,
* * *"
This brother is a poor tradesman, himself working with his hands.
Aug. 30. Today 6s. 8d. came in by sale of Reports. This evening I met a sister from Bath, who is staying in Bristol for two or three days. She gave me her purse, and all that was in it, for the Orphans, being 5s., saying, she wanted nothing till she returned to Bath. This goes towards tomorrow’s need, which will be at least 41., and for which we have as yet only 1l. 6s. in hand.
Aug. 81, Saturday. There came in a few shillings besides, last evening and this morning, so that I had 11. 13s. 8d. to send to the Orphan-Houses; but I find
41. 5s. is needed. — Evening. There came in still further, in the morning, 5s. 6d., by sale of stockings, 11. 8s. by sale of Reports, 15s. 1d. by sale of articles given for the purpose, 5s. 5d. by sale of ladies’ bags. And in the evening was received 21. 10s. 2d. besides, so that I had 21. l2s. 10d. more than was actually needed.
Sept. 3, Tuesday. Since Saturday evening there has come in, in donations 18s. 10d., by sale of Reports 21. 3s. 1d., and by work done by the Orphan-girls 11. 3s. 8d. Thus, with what was left on Saturday, we have been supplied these two days.
Sept. 4. Only one farthing was in my hands this morning. Pause a moment, dear reader! Only one farthing in hand when the day commenced. Think of this, and think of nearly 140 persons to be provided for. You, poor brethren, who have six or eight children and small wages, think of this; and you, my brethren, who do not belong to the working classes, but have, as it is called, very limited means, think of this! May you not do, what we do, under your trials? Does the Lord love you less than He loves us? Does He not love all His children with no less love than that, with which He loves His only begotten Son, according to John xvii. 20—23? Or are we better than you? Nay, are we not in ourselves poor miserable sinners as you are; and have any of the children of God any claim upon God, on account of their own worthiness? Is not that, which alone can make us worthy to receive anything from our Heavenly Father, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus, which is imputed to those who believe in Him? Therefore, dear reader, as we pray in our every need, of whatever character it may be, in connexion with this work, to our Father in Heaven for help, and as he does help us, so is He willing to help all His children who put their trust in Him. Especially do not think, that because you may not be called by God to establish Orphan-Houses and Schools for poor children, therefore you are not warranted to rely upon God, in all your need; for the blessedness of depending upon the living God may be enjoyed by all the children of God, though they are not all called by Him to such a work as this Narrative describes. Nor must you suppose, that our only trials in this work arise from want of means, so that, in carrying it on, we have to rely upon God for nothing besides this. I assure you that the want of means is the smallest trial, and that I have had far, far greater exercises of faith on account of other things in connexion with this work than those arising from the want of means. But the trials connected with the want of means I dwell upon so particularly, because that is a matter which can be understood by all, and in which the senses themselves almost force us, so to speak, to acknowledge the hand of God. — Well, let us hear then, how God helped when there was only one farthing left in my hands, on the morning of Sept. 4, 1844.
A little after nine o’clock I received a sovereign from a sister in the Lord, who does not wish the name of the place, where she resides, mentioned. Between ten and eleven o’clock the bag was sent from the Orphan-Houses, in which in a note it was stated that 1l. 2s. was required for today. Scarcely had I read this, when a fly stopped before my house, and a gentleman, Mr. ——
from the neighbourhood of Manchester, was announced. I found that he was a believer, who had come on business to Bristol. He had heard about the Orphan-Houses, and expressed his surprise, that without any regular system of collection, and without personal application to any one, simply by faith and prayer, I obtained 20001. and more yearly for the work of the Lord in my hands. This brother, whom I had never seen before, and whose name I did not even know before he came, gave me 21., as an exemplification of what I had stated to him. — There came in still further this morning 10s., being profits froth the sale of ladies’ bags. From the same donor who had sent the sovereign this morning, I received, two hours later, a box containing the following articles: — Three mourning rings, three other gold rings set with cameos, two gold watch keys, four gold lockets, a gold brooch, a silver snuffbox, six medals, three gold ear-drops, a pair of mourning earrings, a purse, two pairs of babies’ shoes, a pair of card-racks, two necklaces, five ornamental hair pins, a wafer-stamp, a paper-knife, two book marks, and a great variety of polished pebbles.—Oh! how good is the Lord, and how seasonably comes His help, in our great, great need, when so much is required for clothes, &c. There came in likewise through a sister in Bath 11., and 5s. 6d. more. Thus, besides all the articles, which have been mentioned, altogether 41. l5s. 6d. has come in this day, at the commencement of which I had only One farthing left.
Sept. 6. Besides the money, spoken of on the 4th, only 6s. 10d. more had come in, so that, after this day’s necessities had been met, there was now again nothing at all in hand. Soon after I received 3s. 6d. this also was presently spent, except 9d., when a brother from Essex came, who gave me 2l.
Sept. 7, Saturday. Having had to pay out 10s. more, immediately after the receipt of the 2l., this day began with 1l. 10s. 9d. in hand, whilst the need was 3l. 15s. This 1l. 10s. 9d. I sent off to the Orphan-Houses, trusting in the Lord for more. And this time also my hope in God was not put to shame; for in the course of the morning came in 10s. 6d. by sale of Reports, by a donation 10s., by sale of articles 2l. 8s. 8 ½ d., by sale of stockings 1s. 8d., and by sale of ladies’ bags 4s. It was very kind of the Lord to send in this money in the course of the morning, thus providing us not only with the 3l. 15s. which was needed for housekeeping, but enabling us also to meet other unexpected expenses. In the Evening I received still further, after the need of the day had been met, but when all again was expended, a sovereign, four small old silver coins, a pair of coral earrings, and a brooch.
Sept. 8 There was the sovereign in hand which came in last evening, as a little towards the need of Monday, when I received this morning 50l., to be used as most needed. It is impossible to express how seasonably this help came, as, though our daily wants had been met day by day, yet very much is required in the way of clothes, &c. But as the need for the other objects is as great or greater, I took of this sum 30l. for them and 20l. for the Orphans. We are thus greatly encouraged to continue in prayer. Our poverty has scarcely ever lasted longer than now, yet the Lord has helped us as our absolute need has required it. The donor of this 50l. wished me to enter it with the text Philip iv. 6, judging that this text must have been often a refreshment to me in seasons of trial, as indeed it as.
From Sept. 8th to 17th came in 23l. 2s. 6 ½ d.
Sept. 18. From A. A. 5l., by sale of Reports, 13s. 8d., and by the boxes in the Orphan-Houses 14s. 11d.
Sept. 19. This morning came in 10l. from Scotland. By this 10l., and what came in yesterday, I am able to meet the expenses of today, which were more than 16l.
Sept. 21, Saturday. Yesterday came in from Clapham, at an hour of need, 1l. 12s. 10d., together with several articles, also 1l. from Clifton; and today by sale of Reports, 1l. 15s. 4d., and by sale of articles l4s. 9d. Thus we are brought to the close of another week, though the expenses of it have not been less than 110l. (part of which had been put by beforehand). At the close of the week I have not more than 3s. left but the Lord will provide.
Sept. 22. Lord’s-day morning. This morning I received from the neighbourhood of Crediton 101., and from Sidmouth 10l., of which 81. is for the Orphans, and 21. for my own personal expenses. Likewise from A. A. 2s. 2 ½d., for Reports 4s., and in the Chapel boxes was put anonymously 6d., ditto 2s. 6d. ditto 2s. 6d., ditto 6d. with these words: "Be still and know that I am God." How precious this word, and how have I seen today again the truth of it! — Three days ago a sister in the Lord, who is a servant, came to me, and brought me 91. l6s. which she had drawn out of the Savings’ Bank, considering it the Lord’s will that she should not keep it there any longer, but spend it for him. She gave me the money that I might do with it as I thought right. However, I sent her home again with the money, advising her to weigh the matter still further, and to pray still further about it, and to count the cost; and if she was of the same mind, after some days, to come again to me. Now this afternoon this sister came again, with her little all, 91. 16s. As she had now, for a long time, weighed the matter (according to her own statement), and as there had three days more passed away since I had sent her home again with the money, and as I found her grounded upon Scripture for what she was going to do, I could not refuse the money. See portioned it out thus: 21. for her father, brother, and sister, 11. 10s. for the poor believers in fellowship with us, 11. for the Chapel expenses, and 11. for missionary purposes. This left 41. 6s., of which she would give me 21. which I declined, in order that there might not be even the appearance as if I had persuaded this poor servant to draw her money out of the Savings’ Bank. She then wished me to give brother Craik 1l., which I accepted for him, and as I saw she wept, because I would not receive anything for myself, I said I would take a sovereign. This I did, that she might not think I refused her Christian kindness because she was a poor servant. The remaining 21. 6s. she gave for the Orphans. —By the donations which have come in today I am able to meet almost all the expenses connected with the procuring of many articles of clothing and furniture, for which I have long been praying.
Oct. 1. Since the 22nd many pounds have come in, though not any sums above 51. Now this evening I have received a bank order for 701., to be used as the Lord might direct me. The donor wishes me to let him know if anything particular should be connected with this donation. There is indeed much connected with it, as it comes most manifestly in answer to prayer; for thus I am able to supply all that is needed in the way of articles of clothes for the Orphans, for which I have been long waiting upon the Lord, and as the winter is now drawing near, the winter-clothes need to be got ready; further, I am able to have the Boys’ Orphan-House painted inside and coloured down, which is much needed; I am able to furnish all the labourers in the Orphan-Houses with some money for themselves, which, on account of our long-continued poverty, I had not been able to do for six months. Yet; though the donation comes in so seasonably, I cannot write to the kind donor thus, lest he should be induced to give more, by my exposing our circumstances, and lest also the hand of God should not be so manifest, in providing me with means for the work, as otherwise it would.
—I took of this money 401. for the Orphans, and 301. for the other funds. — During the last two weeks I have had to pay out for the work about 2001., and this week I shall have to pay out again about 601. Thus the Lord helps continually.
Nov. 1. Since Oct. 1st there has come in such an abundance, that without any difficulty I have been able to meet all the expenses for the Orphans, though during the week ending Oct. 5th I had to pay out 591., during the week ending on the 12th above 401., during the week ending on the 19th nearly 401., and during the week ending on the 26th about 50l. Of the many donations which came in during this period I will only mention the following: From a small town in the kingdom of Wirtemburg 1s. 8d.; from Nice, in France, 1l.; from a missionary in the East Indies 141. 12s. 6d. Notice, dear reader, how the Lord sends donations from Wirtemburg, France, and the East Indies! Great, however, as our income had been, we were now again poor, on account of the heavy expenses, when, in answer to prayer, there came in today, from some sisters near Coleford, 21. 10, by sale of Reports 2s., and from A. A. 10l. 7s. 7 ½ d. The post was out this morning and nothing had come; but my heart said, the Lord still can send, though the post is out; and these donations were soon after given to me.
Nov. 11. From Nov. 1st up to this day we went on easily. There came in again many donations. Now, however, we were again very poor, having had again very heavy expenses. In this great need a ten pound note was this afternoon put into an Orphan-box in my house. This evening I received also still further, from a brother who labours in Demerara, 11., and 1l. 10s. besides.
Nov. 13. Yesterday and today came in again more than 10l. Our expenses having again been very great, as during these three days above 301. had been paid out for the Orphans, we were still poor, notwithstanding the considerable income during the last three days. Under these circumstances a ring was given to me this afternoon, set with one large and six small brilliants. How kind of the Lord, thus to help us continually in the work, and to listen to our supplications, which, day after day, we bring to him! Daring no time, since I have been engaged in this service, have the expenses been heavier than during the last four months; yet the Lord has always given us what we have needed.
Nov. 18. The produce of the ring, together with about 10l, more, which had come in since the 13th, was nearly all gone again, on account of the expenses of the past week having been nearly 501., when this morning a Christian gentleman from Devonshire called on me, who, on leaving, left a letter on my table, containing two five pound notes, of which five pounds was for the Orphans and five pounds for three other objects. This evening I found a five pound note in one of the Orphan-boxes in my house. Thus we are again helped for the present. The name of the Lord be praised!
Nov. 21. The need of today was 41. 5s., but there were only a few shillings in hand. I opened the boxes in my house, in which 1 found a sovereign and a shilling. The sovereign could have been put in only last evening. After family prayer I retired again for prayer, about the work as I do daily, by which means I have been helped not only to meet the very heavy expenses since July 15th, but have been helped through many and great difficulties in other respects, and have been enabled to bring many blessings upon the work. While in prayer, I received a letter from the neighbourhood of Leeds, with 5l. Thus we are helped for today. This afternoon came in still further, by sale of articles 1l. 9s., by the boxes in the Orphan- Houses 1l. 6s. 3 ½ d.; and this evening I received 5l., being the profits from the sale of a Hymn book, which has been printed for the benefit of the Orphans. Thus we have something for the need of tomorrow also.
Nov. 23. As yesterday’s expenses had to be met out of what had come in on the 21st, only 11s. 10d. having come in yesterday, and as the need of today for housekeeping was 4l. 10s., we had not enough in hand. Our precious universal remedy, prayer, was now again resorted to. About ten minutes after, I received a Post-office order from Stafford for 21. About twelve o’clock this morning came in still further, by the sale of some books and prints, given for the purpose, 31. 1s., by the sale of other articles 31. 7s. 9d., by the sale of Reports 1s. 1d., by the sale of ladies’ bags l3s. 5d., and by the sale of stockings 2s. 6d. This afternoon came in still further from Glasgow 5l. Thus the day, which commenced when we had not enough in hand for its necessities, has ended in comparative abundance, though there is still little in hand for present use, as we need to provide for the rent of the houses and for the purchase of oatmeal, and therefore put by a part of the money given today. Yet we are brought to the close of another week, having been able to meet all its expenses.
Nov. 24. This morning I received a letter from the neighbourhood of Dublin, with four five pound Post-office orders. Thus the Lord has done according to my expectation; for in our usual weekly prayer meeting last evening at the Orphan-houses with the labourers in the work, I was enabled to praise the Lord, that He would provide for the need of this week also.
Dec. 2, Monday. During the last week the income had been again about 361. But having had still many extra expenses, and, also to put by money for the rents due on the next quarter-day, there was nothing left at the close of the week. Yesterday came in 5s. 10d., 4d., 5s., 19s. 10d., and 1l. By this money we were able to meet the housekeeping expenses of this day, being only 21. 5s.; but, having 21. to pay out, besides the current expenses, and having understood that a brother in the Lord from Birmingham, with two other strangers, had visited the Orphan-Houses, and that money had been put into the boxes, they were opened, and 31. 3s. 1d. was found in them. Thus I was able to send off the 21. There came in also this afternoon 10s. for work done by a young lady, and this evening, by sale of Reports, 4s.
Dec. 3. As only 1l. 15s. was required for housekeeping today, we had enough, by what had come in yesterday afternoon and evening, and I had twopence left.
Dec. 4. The Lord has again, in the love and compassion of His fatherly heart, multiplied "the handful of meal in the barrel, and the little oil in the cruse." The twopence have been multiplied more than a thousand fold. Yesterday came in from Clapton 2s. 6d., from the county of Dorset 101., and from A. A. 10s., being (as the donor writes) "the produce of a needless article of jewelery."
Dec. 7, Saturday. Only 21. 10s. 10d. having come in during the last two days (among which was a remarkable donation of 10s. from Calv, in the kingdom of Wirtemberg), I had again, after I had paid out yesterday what was required, only 21. 10s. 3d. left, which I knew would not be half enough for this day. Yesterday afternoon came in from Sherborne 6s. This morning I had an unusually full assurance that the Lord would help us this day again, though I knew that more than 81. would be needed today, towards which there was only 21. l6s. 3d. in hand. I praised the Lord repeatedly this morning beforehand for the help which He again would grant this day. By the first delivery arrived 10s. from the neighborhood of Kingsbridge. Thus we had 31. 6s. 3d.; but for housekeeping we needed 5l. 10s., and for other expenses 31. 1s. 5d. However, when the Orphan came with the letter-bag, to fetch the money, I received in it a letter from Bath, containing 5l. Thus we had enough, and more than enough, for the momentary need, as to the house-keeping expenses. About twelve o’clock came in the following sums besides: by sale of articles 41. 5s. 8d., by sale of Reports 8d., by sale of stockings 2s. 2d., by sale of ladies’ bags 3s. 9d. This evening came in still further, from Dublin, for Reports 1l. 2s., and 1l. as a donation, together with some prints, some books, etc. for sale. Thus we had all we needed, to help us to the close of the week, and were able to put by some money for the weekly rents and other expenses, to be met on quarter day.
Dec. 9, Monday. Though we had been helped abundantly on Saturday, yet, as some money needed to be put by, we had still nothing for the beginning of this week. Yesterday came in for Reports 7s. 4d., and anonymously was put into the Chapel-boxes 1s. and 2s. 6d. There was also anonymously put into the Chapel-boxes a 501. note, with these words: "251. for the Orphan-Houses, and 25l. for clothing and blankets for the poor." Thus we are again most seasonably helped, and are now almost entirely prepared to meet all the expenses coming upon us a few weeks hence.
Jan. 18 1845, Saturday. Since Dec. 9th we had always supplies sent, before the last money was given out; it was a season of rich abundance, for there came in (including the 251. last mentioned) about 1401. Now, however, this evening, after all the expenses of the day had been met, there was nothing remaining. But admire with me, dear reader, the goodness of the Lord! This very evening He has again kindly supplied us with means for the commencement of another week. The boxes at the Orphan-Houses were opened (our need leading us to do so) in winch was found 10l. 16s., one of them containing a ten pound note. Is it not, dear reader, a precious thing to trust
in the Lord? Are not ten pounds, thus received out of the hands of our Heavenly Father, as the result of faith in God, most precious? Will not you also seek to trust in Him, and depend on Him alone in all your everyday’s concerns, and in all spiritual matters too? If you have not done so, do make but trial of the preciousness of this way, and you will see how pleasant and sweet it is; and if you have done so in a measure, do so yet more and more, and you will never have cause to regret it. But, perhaps, you are not a believer; if so, you cannot trust in God, and go in all circumstances to Him, as to your Father, except you are first reconciled to him through our Lord Jesus. What you have then to do is, to learn that you are a lost, ruined, guilty sinner, deserving nothing but punishment. But, at the same time, you have to remember that God, in the greatness of His love to sinners, sent His own dear Son, that He, in their room and stead, might bear the punishment due to them, make an atonement for their sins, and fulfil the law of God in their stead, in order that every one, who believes on Him, might obtain the forgiveness of his sins, and be reckoned righteous before God. If you believe in the Lord Jesus, i.e., if you receive Him as the one whom God has declared Him to be, even the Son of God (as to His person), and the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (as to His work), and if you rest upon Him, trust in Him for the salvation of your soul, then all your sins shall be forgiven. Though you have grown old in sin, though your sins have been very many and very grievous, yet the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin. Do but believe, and you shall be saved. And when thus you are reconciled to God, through faith in His dear Son, walk before Him as an obedient child, seek in child-like simplicity to go to God for every thing, and do really treat God as your father.
There arrived also this Saturday evening, from the Isle of Wight, a small box, containing 14s. and many articles for sale.
Jan. 20, Monday. 31. 11s, has come in besides the 11l. 10s., which came in on Saturday evening; but as, in addition to the ordinary house-keeping expenses, I had this afternoon to order material for boys’ clothes, all the money which had come in since Saturday evening was now again gone. About an hour afterwards I found that two five-pound notes had been put into one of the boxes at my house, and at the same time I received a bank order for 16l. from a poor missionary brother, who labours about 3,000 miles from Bristol~ in dependence upon the Lord for his temporal supplies. Of this 161. the sum of 121. is to be employed in sending him Bibles and New Testaments, and 41. he gives to the Orphans. What ways has not the Lord to help His children who trust in Him! Who would suppose that a poor missionary would send 41. for the Orphans, from a distance of 3,000 miles? But rather must the ravens again bring supplies, as in the days of Elijah, than that the children of God, who trust in their Heavenly Father, should not have their need supplied. —Thus the Lord has again given 14l. for the Orphans, when all was gone.
Jan. 25, Saturday evening. We have been helped through the heavy expenses of this week, without lacking any thing; but now we have nothing left. — This evening, about ten. o’clock, I received from Barnstaple some articles for sale, and a Spanish dollar, two ¼ of a franc, and a sixpence; also 1l. and 2l. Also sixpence for Reports.
Jan. 27, Monday. Yesterday I received from F. E. B. 2s. 6d., from "Friends to the Institution" 4l.; and 2s. 6d. was put into the Chapel-boxes anonymously, ditto 10s., ditto 2s. 6d. Thus, by what came in on Saturday evening and yesterday, I am able to meet this day’s demands, being 41. 5s. 6d. — Evening. This afternoon I received from Camerton 5l., of which 31. is for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and 2l. for the Orphans. Thus, as the money goes out, the Lord kindly sends in supplies, and all without speaking to one human being about our necessities, but making them known to Him only; yea, determined, by His help and support, rather to endure many trials, in order that through our difficulties the Church of Christ at large may be comforted, and those who are weak
in faith be strengthened, than to go away from the door of our Heavenly Father to that of brethren.
Feb. 1, Saturday. We are brought to the close of another week, and have been supplied with all we needed; but there is now again nothing left.
Feb. 2. When now again there was nothing left last evening in my hands for the beginning of the coming week, there have been today, by two different donors, two five-pound notes put into the Chapel-boxes, ditto 2s. 6d., ditto 2s. 6d., and also 2s. 6d. was given besides. Thus we are again supplied fur the present. O Lord, fill my -heart with lively gratitude for all Thy goodness! Lord help me, not only to trust in Thee more and more, but also to love Thee more and more, seeing that Thou dost condescend to use such a poor sinful servant!
Feb. 8, Saturday evening. Above 301. has come in during this week; but as there have been bought eight hundred weight of rice and eight bushels of peas, besides meeting the regular housekeeping expenses, again only a few shillings remain.
Feb. 10, Monday. Yesterday 21. was sent to me, from a physician residing in Bristol; anonymously was put into the boxes at Bethesda Chapel 2s., ditto 1l., and ditto 2s. 6d. Also by A. A. was given to me 7s. 2d. I was thus able, with the few shillings that were left on Saturday evening, to meet the expenses of this day, after which 7s. 10d. remained. This morning I was kept, through pressure of engagements, from having prayer, on account of the work, at the usual time; but at half-past two I united with my beloved wife and her sister in prayer, and I asked the Lord, among other blessings, also for means. As to the latter, we had answer upon answer before the close of the day. For this afternoon 1l. 5s. 9d. arrived from Stirling. This afternoon also five sovereigns were put into the box in my room, which I happened to find out soon after. I received also this evening 5s., which had yesterday been anonymously put into the boxes at Salem Chapel. A poor brother likewise gave me 2s. Still further came. in 11s. 5d.
Feb. 11. This morning I received still further a donation of 2l. This afternoon I received, as the profit of the sale of ladies’ bags, 1l., and 21. 17s. 4d. came in by sale of articles.
Feb. 12. After I had sent off this morning the money which was required for the housekeeping of today, I had again only 16s. 2 ½ d. left, being only about one-fourth as much as is generally needed for one day, merely for housekeeping, so that there was now again a fresh call for trusting in the Lord. In the morning I met again, as usual,
with my dear wife and her sister, for prayer, to ask the Lord for many blessings, in connexion with this work, and for means also. About one hour after, I received a letter from Devonshire, containing an order for 22l., of which 10l. was for the Orphans, 2l. for a poor brother in Bristol, and 101. for myself. — Besides having thus a fresh proof of the willingness of our Heavenly Father to answer our requests on behalf of the Orphans, there is this, moreover, to be noticed. For many months past the necessities of the poor saints among us have been particularly laid upon my heart. The word of our Lord: "Ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good," has again and again stirred me up to prayer on their behalf, and thus it was again in particular this morning. It was the coldest morning we have had the whole winter. In my morning walk for prayer and meditation I thought how well I was supplied with coals, nourishing food, and warm clothing, and how many of the dear children of God might be in need; and I lifted up my heart to God to give me more means for myself, that I might be able, by actions, to show more abundant sympathy with the poor believers in their need; and it was but three hours after when I received this 10l. for myself. —This evening was left at the Infant Orphan-House an anonymous letter, containing a sovereign for the Orphans, with the letters C. T. D.
Feb. 15, Saturday evening. 61. 1s. 4d. has come in since the 12th. All the wants of this week have been richly supplied, but now there was again scarcely anything left towards the coming week, when this evening, just before I was going to our usual Saturday evening prayer meeting at the Orphan-Houses, a bank post bill for 10l. came to hand, being the gift of an aged clergyman. Thus we hav
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