house had been supplied, and could wait still longer, if so God
willed it, for the answers to present prayers for means to build a
second.

After waiting upwards of nineteen months for the building fund for the
second house, and receiving, almost daily, something in answer to
prayer, on January 4, 1853, he had intimation that there were about to
be paid him, as _the joint donation of several Christians, eighty-one
hundred pounds,_ of which he appropriated six thousand for the building
fund. Again he was not surprised nor excited, though exceeding joyful
and triumphant in God. Just two years previous, when recording the
largest donation yet received,--three thousand pounds,--he had recorded
also his expectation of still greater things; and now a donation between
two and three times as large was about to come into his hands. It was
not the amount of money, however, that gave him his overflowing delight,
but the fact that not in vain had he made his boast in God.

As now some four hundred and eighty-three orphans were waiting for
admission, he was moved to pray that soon the way might be opened for
the new building to be begun. James i. 4 was deeply impressed upon him
as the injunction now to be kept before him: "But let patience have her
perfect work, that ye may be perfect, and entire, wanting nothing."

On May 26, 1853, the total sum available for the new building was about
twelve thousand five hundred pounds, and over five hundred orphans had
applied. Twice this sum would be needed, however, before the new house
could be begun without risk of debt.

On January 8, 1855, several Christian friends united in the promise that
fifty-seven hundred pounds should be paid to him for the work of God,
and of this, thirty-four hundred was by him set apart for the building
fund. As there were now between seven hundred and eight hundred
applicants, it seemed of God that, at least, a site should be secured
for another new orphan house; and a few weeks later Mr. Muller applied
for the purchase of two fields adjoining the site of the first house. As
they could not, however, be sold at that time, the only resource was to
believe that the Lord had other purposes, or would give better ground
than that on which His servant had set his mind.

Further thought and prayer suggested to him that two houses could be
built instead of one, and located on each side of the existing building,
upon the ground already owned. Accordingly it was deter