d rich Lord can give
us bread for them also. No sooner had these thoughts arisen, and I
communicated them to my dear brother Craik, than I was also directed to a
place where the people may be assembled, holding comfortably 150 children.
We went about it, and may have it at the rent of 10l., yearly. The Lord
directed us, also, to an aged brother as a teacher, and he gladly accepted
of our offer. Surely, this matter seems to be of God. Moreover, as I have
just now a good deal of money left of the 60l., we have wherewith to
begin; and if it be the Lord's will, and if He will accept it, I am
willing to lay out at once 20l. of it in this way, yea, all that is left,
if He will but speak; and, by the time that this is gone, He can send
more. O Lord, if this matter be of Thee, then prosper it! [This desire was
not carried out. As far as I remember, the chief obstacle in the way was a
pressure of work coming upon brother Craik and me just about that time.
Shortly after, the number of the poor who came for bread increased to
between 60 and 80 a day, whereby our neighbours were molested, as the
beggars were lying about in troops in the streets, on account of which we
were obliged to tell them no longer to come for bread. But though, at this
time, this matter was not carried out, the thought was, from time to time,
revived and strengthened in my mind, and it ultimately issued in the
formation of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and in the
establishment of the Orphan-Houses.]

June 22. A brother sent a hat to brother Craik, and one to me, as a token
of his love and gratitude, like a thank-offering, as he says. This is now
the fourth hat which the Lord has kindly sent me successively, whenever,
or even before, I needed one. Between August 19th and 27th was sent to us,
by several individuals, a considerable quantity of fruit. How very kind of
the Lord, not merely to send us the necessaries of life, but even such
things as, on account of the weakness of our bodies, or the want of
appetite, we might have desired! Thus the Lord has sent wine or porter
when we required it; or, when there was want of appetite, and, on account
of the poverty of our brethren, we should not have considered it right to
spend money upon such things, He has kindly sent fowls, game, &c., to suit
our appetite. We have, indeed, not served a hard Master. I am quite
ashamed when I still, sometimes, find my heart dissatisfied, or, at least,
not grateful as it ough