into the room, where we were all at tea,[19]
and of firing amongst us; but the Lord was our refuge and
fortress, and preserved us from danger, which we knew not of. He
shot himself in the neck and breast, but is not dead. He has a
strait-waistcoat on. I assisted in cutting his clothes off, and
in other little offices needed at such a time, and told him of
Christ's love in dying for poor sinners. "I know it," he said.
He shot himself the first time about three o'clock in the
morning, and again about seven. What a scene his room presented;
pistols lying in gore; bloody knives, lancets, and razors
strewed about the floor, etc.

[Footnote 19: The evening before my departure I had invited a
number of believers to tea, to spend some time together in prayer,
reading the Holy Scriptures, and in intercourse on spiritual
subjects.]

I add an extract from a second letter, written by the same Christian
brother, because it shows still further how very merciful the Lord was
to us at that time, in protecting us.

Mr. ---- is still alive, and has been removed by his friends
into Yorkshire. It appears, insanity is in his family, his
father being at this time in an asylum. It is evident that he
had the pistols in his pockets, but of this no one knew until
after the occurrence took place. I do not know what time of
night you went to bed, but I judge it was about ten. If so, it
was at ten o'clock Mr. ---- came down from his bedroom, after
having been there six hours. It was a mercy you did not meet
him, as it is plain that he had loaded pistols on his person.

Dec. 31, 1847. There have been received into fellowship, during this
year, 39; and altogether, since Mr. Craik and I began laboring in
Bristol, 1,157, besides the 68 whom we found in fellowship. During this
year the Lord has been pleased to give me L412, 18s. 81/2d. To this is
again to be added the free education of my dear daughter, at a boarding
school, worth to us at least fifty pounds.

In April, 1848, I was enabled, by the help of the Lord, to complete all
the arrangements for the publication of the Narrative of the Lord's
dealings with me, in the French language; and about September of the
same year the book appeared, under the following title: "Expose de
quelques-unes des dispensations de Dieu envers Georges Mueller. Paris,
librairie Protestante, Rue Tronchet, 2."

CHAPTER XIX.