ven by a
brother L100.--L50. of which was previously promised, to ensure the rent
for premises. It is a remarkable fact concerning this donation, that I
had, in December of last year, repeatedly asked the Lord to incline the
heart of this brother to give one hundred pounds, and I made a memorandum
of this prayer in my journal of December 12, 1835. On January 25th, 1836,
fifty pounds was promised by him, and on November 5, fifty pounds besides
that sum was given; but it was not till some days after, that I
remembered, that the very sum, for which I had asked the Lord, had been
given. Thus we often may receive an answer to prayer, and scarcely
remember that it is an answer. When it came to my mind that this prayer
had been noted down in my journal, and I showed it to the donor, we
rejoiced together; he, to have been the instrument in giving, and I to
have had, the request granted. November 6th, S. S. 7s. 6d. 7th,
anonymously was sent a ton of coals, 4s., one petticoat, two pairs of
gloves, two ruffs. 8th, 5l., 2s. 2d., 3s., 2s. 2d., 2s. 2d., 1s. 6d., 2d.,
6d., 1s. 6d., 2s. 6d., 2s. 6d. 14th, there was given 20l. for the
Orphan-house, and 20l. for the Infant-Orphan-House. Both papers,
in which the money was enclosed, contained these words: "If the
Lord prolongs the life of the unworthy giver of the enclosed, the
same sum will be given at Christmas."--It has been more than once
observed to me that I could not expect to continue to receive large
sums; for that persons, when first such an institution is established,
might be stirred up to give liberally, but that afterwards one had to look
to a number of regular subscribers, and that, if
those were lacking, it was not likely that such a
work could go on. On such occasions, I have said but little;
but I have had the fullest assurance, that it is a small matter
for the Lord to incline donors to give liberally, a second or
third time, if it were for our real welfare. And accordingly the donor,
above referred to, added to the first 50l. another 50l., and the last
mentioned benefactor, to the 50l., given on a former occasion, added
the just mentioned 40l., with the promise to give another 40l.
at Christmas. I would only add on this subject, that there are
some subscribers, and even some who give considerably; yet
I would state, for the Lord's glory, that if they were
twenty times as many, I should desire that my eyes might not be directed
to them, but to the Lord alone, and that I