is, that though
neither Brother Craik nor I am strong in body, yet we have been helped
through much work; and, at the time when we were laid aside, the Lord made
up our lack of service, either by sending help from without, or by putting
into exercise the gifts of the brethren among us. At those seasons
disunion might so easily have sprung up among the brethren; but the good
shepherd of the sheep watched so graciously over the flock, that they were
kept together in much love and union, whereby also a testimony was given
for God, that their faith stood not in the power of man.

7. Sometimes, when particular trials were laid on us, and things appeared
very dark, the Lord most mercifully not only supported us under those
trials, but also unexpectedly delivered us much sooner out of them, than
we could have at all anticipated. May this especially encourage brethren
who labour in word and doctrine, or who rule in the church, to trust in
the Lord in Seasons of peculiar trial!

8. My temporal wants have all these five years been most richly supplied,
so that not once have I lacked the necessaries of life, and generally I
have abounded; and all this without having one shilling of regular income.
I am not tired of this way of living, nor have I even for once been
allowed to regret having begun to live in this way.

II. The work of the Lord in our hands.

1. It has pleased the Lord to continue to bless the word preached by us
to the conversion of many sinners, and there seems to have been no period
during these five years, in which this work has been stopped by Him. There
have come again several cases before us lately, in which individuals have
been recently brought to apprehend their lost state by nature, and to see
that Jesus of Nazareth alone can save them. The whole number of those who
have been converted through our instrumentality in Bristol, and who have
been received into fellowship with us is 178; besides this, the Lord has
given us many seals to our ministry in this city, but the individuals are
now either only standing on the list of candidates for fellowship, or are
united to other churches in and out of Bristol, or have fallen asleep
before they were united to us.

2. The whole number of the brethren and sisters, now in fellowship with
us, is 370: 189 at Gideon, 181 at Bethesda.

3. It is now three years and four months since brother Craik and I began,
in dependence upon the Lord for funds, to seek to help the s