in the Lord, to praise
Him for His condescension. It is a wonderful thing that such a worthless,
faithless servant as I am, should have power with God. Take courage from
this for yourselves, brethren. Surely, if such a one as I am, so little
conformed to the mind of Jesus, has his prayers answered, may not you
also, at last, have your requests granted to you. During eighteen months
and ten days this petition has been brought before God almost daily. From
the moment I asked it, till the Lord granted it fully, I had never been
allowed to doubt that He would give every shilling of that sum. Often have
I praised Him beforehand in the assurance, that he would grant my request.
The thing after which we have especially to seek in prayer is, that we
believe that we receive, according to Mark xi. 24. "What things soever ye
desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have
them." But this I often find lacking in my prayers. Whenever, however, I
have been enabled to believe that I receive, the Lord has dealt with me
according to my faith. This moment while I am writing (June 28, 1837), I
am waiting on the Lord for 17l. 10s., the rent for two school-rooms, which
will be due in three days, and I have but 3l. towards that sum. I believe
God can give; I believe God is willing to give it, if it be for our real
welfare; I also have repeatedly asked God for it; but as yet I cannot in
the triumph of faith praise Him beforehand, that He will assuredly give me
this small sum. I am waiting at every delivery of letters, at every ring
at the bell, for help; I am truly waiting on God, and God alone for it;
but as yet I do not feel as sure of being able to pay the rent of those
school rooms, as I should, if I had the money already in my pocket.

As the Lord has so greatly condescended to listen to my prayers, and as I
consider it one of the particular talents which He has intrusted to me, to
exercise faith upon His promises regarding my own temporal wants and those
of others; and as an Orphan-House for boys above seven years of age seems
greatly needed in this city; and as also, without it, we know not how to
provide for the little boys, in the Infant-Orphan-House when they are
above seven years of age; I purpose to establish an Orphan-House for about
forty boys above seven years of age. But there are three difficulties in
the way, which must first be removed, before I could take any further step
in this work. 1. My hands are m