cience; but if not, we certainly weaken
faith instead of increasing it; and each time we work thus a deliverance
of our own we find it more and more difficult to trust in God, till at
last we give way entirely to our natural fallen reason, and unbelief
prevails. How different, if one is enabled to wait God's own time, and
to look alone to him for help and deliverance! When at last help comes,
after many seasons of prayer it may be, and after much exercise of faith
and patience it may be, how sweet it is, and what a present recompense
does the soul at once receive for trusting in God, and waiting patiently
for his deliverance! Dear Christian reader, if you have never walked in
this path of obedience before, do so now, and you will then know
experimentally the sweetness of the joy which results from it.

Oct. 12. By sale of rags and bones twelve shillings sixpence. I copy
literally from the receipt book. We seek to make the best of
everything. As a steward of public money, I feel it right that even
these articles should be turned into money; nor could we expect answers
to our prayers if _knowingly_ there were any waste allowed in connection
with this work. For just because the money is received from God, simply
in answer to prayer only, therefore it becomes us the more to be careful
in the use of it.

From Dec. 20, 1852, to Jan. 4, 1853, we had nothing in advance of our
wants. Means came in only as they were required for pressing needs. But
on the 4th January, we received, as stated under another head, the
largest donation I ever had, of which I took six hundred pounds for the
support of the orphans. These facts I state, in order to give a
practical illustration that those are entirely mistaken who suppose that
the work is now _no longer_ a work of faith, as it used to be in former
years. It is true, we have now a larger income than we used to have in
the years 1838, 1839, and 1840; but it is also true that our expenses
are three times as great. We have no regular income now, even as we had
not then. We ask no human being now for help; even as we did not then.
We depend alone upon God, by his grace; even as we did then. Who is
there in the whole world who will state that I ever asked him for help
in this orphan work, from its commencement, on Dec. 9, 1835, up till
now? Now, as we have no funds to live upon; as we have no regular
subscribers or donors upon whom we could depend; as we never ask help
from man, but God alone