rphans
of poor yet respectable people from being obliged to mix with the
children of vagabonds, I ought to do, to my utmost power, all I can to
help them. For this reason, then, I purpose, in dependence upon the
living God, to go forward and to establish another Orphan House for
seven hundred destitute children, who are bereaved of both parents. When
I write thus about the poor-houses, I do not wish to be understood in
the way of reproof: for I know not how these matters could be altered;
but I simply state the fact that thus it is.

3. In this my purpose I am the more confirmed, since I know it to be a
fact that the Orphan Houses already in existence in the kingdom are by
no means sufficient to admit _even the most deserving and distressing
cases_, and far less all that it would be well to provide for. Moreover,
there is great difficulty connected with the admission of an orphan into
most of the ordinary orphan establishments, on account of the votes
which must be obtained, so that _really_ needy persons have neither
time nor money to obtain them. Does not the fact that there were six
thousand young orphans in the prisons of England about five years ago
call aloud for an extension of orphan institutions? By God's help I will
try to do what I can to keep poor orphans from prison.

4. In this purpose I am still further encouraged by the great help which
the Lord has hitherto given me in this blessed service. When I look at
the small beginning, and consider how the Lord has helped me now for
more than fifteen years in the orphan work; and when I consider how he
has been pleased to help me through one great difficulty after another;
and when I consider, especially, how, as with an unseen hand, I might
say almost against my will and former desires and thoughts, he has led
me on from one step to another, and has enlarged the work more and
more,--I say, when I review all this, and compare with it my present
exercise of mind, I find the great help, the uninterrupted help which
the Lord has given me for more than fifteen years, a great reason for
going forward in this work. And this, trusting in him, I am resolved to
do.

5. A further reason for going forward in this service I see in the
experience which I have had in it. From the smallest commencement up to
the present state of the establishment, with its three hundred orphans,
all has gone through my own hands. In the work itself I obtained the
experience. _It_ has grown _