the building for 700 Orphans, reprinted from the
Report for 1855.

When I had received the kind information, in January 1855, respecting
the donation of 5700l., which should be paid to me by several Christian
friends, of which I was at liberty to take such portion for the Building
Fund as I might deem desirable, I judged that, though I had not such an
amount of means in hand as I considered necessary before being warranted
to begin to build, yet that I might make inquiries respecting land.
Accordingly, I applied in the beginning of February for the purchase of
two fields which join the land on which the New Orphan-House is built.
On these two fields I had had my eye for years, and had purposed to
endeavour to purchase them, whenever I might be in such a position as to
means for the Building Fund, that it would be suitable to do so. I
found, however, that, according to the will of the late owner of these
fields, they could not be sold now. Thus my prospects were blighted.
When I obtained this information, though naturally tried by it and
disappointed, I said, by God's grace, to myself: "The Lord has
something better to give me, instead of these two fields;" and thus my
heart was kept in peace. But when now the matter was fully decided that
I could not obtain those fields, which had appeared to me so desirable
for the object, the question arose, what I was to do for the obtaining
of land. Under these circumstances some of my Christian friends again
asked, as they had done before, why I did not build on the ground which
we have around the New Orphan-House? My reply was, as before, that it
could not be done:--1. Because it would throw the New Orphan-House
for nearly two years into disorder on account of the building going on
round about it. 2. There would not be sufficient room without shutting
in the present house to a great extent. 3. That, as the New Orphan-House
stands in the centre of our ground, there would not be sufficient room
on any of the sides for the erection of a building so large as would be
required.--I was, however, led to consider whether there was any way
whereby we could accomplish the building on the ground belonging to the
New Orphan-House. In doing so, I found that--1. By having a high
temporary boundary made of old boards, the building ground could be
entirely distinct from the present establishment. 2. By building on an
entirely different plan from that of the present house, we should not
only have