and Mrs. Muller, both
of whom felt divinely assured that God would fit him more and more to
take the entire burden of responsibility.

When, in 1870, the wife fell asleep in Jesus, and Mr. Muller was himself
ill, he opened his heart to Mr. Wright as to the succession. Humility
led him to shrink from such a post, and his then wife feared it would
prove too burdensome for him; but all objections were overborne when it
was seen and felt to be God's call. It was twenty-one months after this,
when, in November, 1871, Mr. Wright was married to Mr. Muller's only
daughter and child, so that it is quite apparent that he had neither
sought the position he now occupies, nor was he appointed to it because
he was Mr. Muller's son-in-law, for, at that time, his first wife was
living and in health. From May, 1872, therefore, Mr. Wright _shared_
with his father-in-law the responsibilities of the Institution, and gave
him great joy as a partner and successor in full sympathy with all the
great principles on which his work had been based.

A little over three years after Mr. Muller's second marriage, in March,
1874, Mrs. Muller was taken ill, and became, two days later, feverish
and restless, and after about two weeks was attacked with hemorrhage
which brought her also very near to the gates of death. She rallied; but
fever and delirium followed and obstinate sleeplessness, till, for a
second time, she seemed at the point of death. Indeed so low was her
vitality that, as late as April 17th, a most experienced London
physician said that he had never known any patient to recover from such
an illness; and thus a third time all human hope of restoration seemed
gone. And yet, in answer to prayer, Mrs. Muller was raised up, and in
the end of May, was taken to the seaside for change of air, and grew
rapidly stronger until she was entirely restored. Thus the Lord spared
her to be the companion of her husband in those years of missionary
touring which enabled him to bear such worldwide witness. Out of the
shadow of his griefs this beloved man of God ever came to find that
divine refreshment which is as the "shadow of a great rock in a weary
land."

CHAPTER XVII

THE PERIOD OF WORLD-WIDE WITNESS

GOD'S real answers to prayer are often seeming denials. Beneath the
outward request He hears the voice of the inward desire, and He responds
to the mind of the Spirit rather than to the imperfect and perhaps
mistaken words in which the yearning s