ty years during which I have been occupied in this
my service. Let us give thanks to God for such cases, and let us seek
for grace rather to imitate such godly men and women, than think that
they are going too far. I cannot, however, dismiss this subject,
without commending this poor widow to the prayers of all who love our
Lord Jesus, that she may be kept humble, lest, thinking highly of
herself, on account of what she has been enabled to do, by the grace of
God, she should not only lose blessing in her own soul, but this
circumstance should become a snare to her. Pray also, believing reader,
that she may never be allowed to regret what she has done for the Lord.

After giving in detail the sources and manner of supply for the
maintenance of the orphans during twenty-four days, Mr. M. adds:--

The particular end why I have been so minute, is, _to show that the work
is now, as much as ever, a work carried on entirely in dependence upon
the living God, who alone is our hope, and to whom alone we look for
help, and who never has forsaken us in the hour of need_. There is,
however, one thing different with reference to this year, when compared
with former years, and that is, that, while our trials of faith during
this year were just as great as in previous years, the amount needed in
former times was never so great as during this year, especially as the
bread during the greater part of this year was about twice as dear as
for several years before.

But then, it may be said, If you have had this trial of faith, with
these three hundred orphans, why do you seek to build another Orphan
House for seven hundred more, and thus have a thousand to care for? Will
you not have still greater trials of faith?

My reply is: 1. God has never failed me all the twenty years of this my
service. 2. I am going on as easily now, with three hundred orphans, as
with thirty, the number with which I commenced. Their number is ten
times as large as it was at the first; but God has always helped me. 3.
Trials of faith were anticipated, yea, were one chief end of the work,
for the profit of the church of Christ at large. 4. I had courage given
me to go forward, solely in dependence upon God, being assured that he
would help me; yet I waited in secret upon him for six months before I
made this my intention known, in order that I might not take a hasty
step; and I have never regretted my having gone forward. 5. But it needs
to be added tha