ther strong conviction: that _to wait on his fellow men to be
sent out to his field and work was unscriptural and therefore wrong._
Barnabas and Saul were called by name and sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
before the church at Antioch had taken any action; and he felt himself
so called of the Spirit to his work that he was prompted to begin at
once, without waiting for human authority,--and why not among the Jews
in London? Accustomed to act promptly upon conviction, he undertook to
distribute among them tracts bearing his name and address, so that any
who wished personal guidance could find him. He sought them at their
gathering-places, read the Scriptures at stated times with some fifty
Jewish lads, and taught in a Sunday-school. Thus, instead of lying like
a vessel in dry-dock for repairs, he was launched into Christian work,
though, like other labourers among the despised Jews, he found himself
exposed to petty trials and persecutions, called to suffer reproach for
the name of Christ.

Before the autumn of 1829 had passed, a further misgiving laid hold of
him as to whether he could in good conscience remain longer connected in
the usual way with this London Society, and on December 12th he
concluded to dissolve all such ties except upon certain conditions. To
do full justice both to Mr. Muller and the Society, his own words will
again be found in the Appendix.*

* See Appendix C.

Early in the following year it was made clear that he could labour in
connection with such a society only as they would consent to his
_serving without salary and labouring when and where the Lord might seem
to direct._ He so wrote, eliciting a firm but kind response to the
effect that they felt it "inexpedient to employ those who were unwilling
to submit to their guidance with respect to missionary operations," etc.

Thus this link with the Society was broken. He felt that he was acting
up to the light God gave, and, while imputing to the Society no blame,
he never afterward repented this step nor reversed this judgment. To
those who review this long life, so full of the fruits of unusual
service to God and man, it will be quite apparent that the Lord was
gently but persistently thrusting George Muller out of the common path
into one where he was to walk very closely with Himself; and the
decisions which, even in lesser matters furthered God's purpose were
wiser and weightier than could at the time be seen.

One is constantly reminded