d to make your requests unto God on the ground of the
merits and worthiness of the Lord Jesus. You must not depend upon your
own worthiness and merits, but solely on the Lord Jesus, as the ground
of acceptance before God, for your person, for your prayers, for your
labors, and for everything else. Do you really believe in Jesus? Do you
verily depend upon him alone for the salvation of your soul? See to it
well, that not the least degree of your own righteousness is presented
unto God as a ground of acceptance. But then, if you believe in the Lord
Jesus, it is further necessary, in order that your prayers may be
answered, that the things which you ask God should be of such a kind
that God can give them to you, because they are for his honor and your
real good. If the obtaining of your requests were not for your real
good, or were not tending to the honor of God, you might pray for a long
time without obtaining what you desire. The glory of God should be
always before the children of God, in what they desire at his hands; and
their own spiritual profit, being so intimately connected with the honor
of God, should never be lost sight of in their petitions. But now,
suppose we are believers in the Lord Jesus, and suppose we make our
requests unto God, depending alone on the Lord Jesus as the ground of
having them granted; suppose also, that, so far as we are able honestly
and uprightly to judge, the obtaining of our requests would be for our
real spiritual good, and for the honor of God; we yet need, lastly, to
_continue_ in prayer until the blessing is granted unto us. It is not
enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to
continue _for a time_ to pray; but we must patiently, believingly
continue in prayer until we obtain an answer; and, further, we have not
only _to continue_ in prayer unto the end, but we have also _to believe_
that God does hear us, and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we
fail _in not continuing_ in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and
_in not expecting_ the blessing. As assuredly as in any individual these
various points are found united together, so assuredly will answers be
granted to his requests.

During the year 1852-53, the expense of the support of the orphans was
fully met by unsolicited donations. Two or three particulars only will
be given.

June 29, 1852. To-day I received one of the most remarkable donations
which I ever had. I give the whole account, witho