ore than filled already through the work
arising from the ministry of the Word, the attending to the ordering of
church affairs, and the oversight of 370 brethren and sisters. And yet, in
addition to this, I have also the work which comes upon me in connexion
with the six day-schools, a Sunday-school, an adult-school, the two
Orphan-Houses, and the circulation of the Scriptures. (This latter part
of the work is more and more increasing; for merely within the last seven
months 836 copies of the Scriptures have been circulated). For these
reasons, then, I could not in any degree enlarge the field of labour,
except the Lord should be pleased to send us a brother, who, as steward,
could take from me the work which arises from keeping the accounts,
obtaining and circulating the Scriptures, giving advice in
ordinary matters respecting the Orphan-Houses, attending
to the applications for admission of children in the Orphan-Houses, &c.
But whether there is an Orphan-House for boys established
or not, such a brother is greatly needed, even as the extent
of the work is now, and I therefore lay it on the hearts of the believers
who may read this, to help me with their prayers, that such a brother may
be found. 2. In addition to this, it would be needful, before I could take
any further step, to obtain a truly pious master for the boys, add other
suitable individuals who may be needed to take care of the children. 3.
The third thing by which I desire to be assured, that it is the will of
God that I should go forward in the Orphan-House is, that He provide the
means for such an enlargement of the work. Whilst, on the one hand I would
confess to the praise of God, that He has been pleased to give me faith to
trust in Him; yet, on the other hand, I desire to be kept from presumption
and enthusiasm. I do not intend to wait till thousands are raised, or till
the Institution is endowed; but I must have such a sum given to me as is
needed to furnish a house for forty boys, and to clothe that number, and
to have a little to begin with: without such a sum I should not consider
it to be the will of God to enlarge the field. What I ask then from the
brethren who may feel interested in seeing an Orphan-House for boys
established in Bristol is, that they would help me with their prayers,
that if it be the will of God, He Himself would be pleased to remove these
three difficulties out of the way.

[Whilst the preceding pages of the first edition