then, and is still,
residing several thousand miles from this. Should not such an
experience, together with promises like that one in John xiv. 13, 14,
encourage us to ask with all boldness, for ourselves and others, both
temporal and spiritual blessings? The Lord, for I cannot but think it
was He, again and again brought the thought about these poor children to
my mind, till at last it ended in the establishment of "The Scriptural
Knowledge Institution, for Home and Abroad"; since the establishment of
which, I have had it in a similar way brought to my mind, first about
fourteen months ago, and repeatedly since, but especially during these
last weeks, to establish an orphan house. My frequent prayer of late has
been, that if it be of God, He would let it come to pass; if not, that
He would take from me all thoughts about it. The latter has not been the
case, but I have been led more and more to think that the matter may be
of Him. Now, if so, He can influence His people _in any part of the
world_ (for I do not look to Bristol, nor even to England, but to the
living God, whose is the gold and the silver), to intrust me and brother
C----r, whom the Lord has made willing to help me in this work with the
means. Till we have _them,_ we can do nothing in the way of renting a
house, furnishing it, etc. Yet, when once as much as is needed for this
has been sent us, as also proper persons to engage in the work, we do
not think it needful to wait till we have the orphan house endowed, or a
number of yearly subscribers for it; but we trust to be enabled by the
Lord, who has taught us to ask for our _daily_ bread, to look to Him for
the supply of the _daily_ wants of those children whom He may be pleased
to put under our care. Any donations will be received at my house.
Should any believers have tables, chairs, bedsteads, bedding,
earthenware, or any kind of household furniture to spare, for the
furnishing of the house; or remnants, or pieces of calico, linen,
flannel, cloth, or any materials useful for wearing apparel; or clothes
already worn, they will be thankfully received.

Respecting the persons who are needed for carrying on the work, a matter
of no less importance than the procuring of funds, I would observe that
we look for them to God Himself, as well as for the funds; and that all
who may be engaged as masters, matrons, and assistants, according to the
smallness or largeness of the Institution, must be known to us as tr