e satisfied with anything concerning them short of this, that
their souls be won for the Lord. For this reason I long to have them
from their earliest days, yea, the younger the better, under my care,
that thus, under godly nurses and teachers, they may be brought up in
the fear of the Lord. Now as this is the chief and primary aim
concerning the dear Orphans, even the salvation of their souls through
faith in the Lord Jesus, I long to be more extensively used than
hitherto, even that I may have a thousand of them instead of three
hundred under my care.

7. But there is one point which weighs more strongly with me than even
the last mentioned one. It is this. When I began the Orphan Work more
than fifteen years ago, it was for the definite and especial purpose,
that, by means of it, the unconverted might see, through the answers of
prayer that I received in connection with it, that there is verily
reality in the things of God; and that the children of God might have
their faith strengthened by means of it, and be encouraged, in all
simplicity to deal with God under every circumstance, and trust in Him
at all times. But if this would be answered in a measure by the state in
which the Orphan Work has been in former times, and more so by what it
has been since the erection of the New Orphan House, it would be still
more so, by the blessing of God, by my going forward in it to a far
greater degree than before. This point, even the glory of God in the
manifestation of His readiness to hear prayer, has weighed especially
and supremely with me in purposing to enlarge the Orphan Work.

8. Lastly, I am peaceful and happy, spiritually, in the prospect of
enlarging the work, as on former occasions when I had to do so. This
weighs particularly with me as a reason for going forward. After all the
calm, quiet, prayerful consideration of the subject for about eight
weeks, I am peaceful and happy, spiritually, in the purpose of enlarging
the field. This, after all the heart searching which I have had, and the
daily prayer to be kept from delusion and mistake in this thing, and the
be-taking myself to the Word of God, would not be the case, I judge, had
not the Lord purposed to condescend to use me more than ever in this
service.

I, therefore, on the ground of the objections answered, and these eight
reasons for enlarging the work, come to the conclusion that it is the
will of the blessed God, that His poor and most unworthy servant