lecture19-第3章
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and educating of thousands of orphans； finally； the establishment
of schools in which over a hundred and twenty…one thousand
youthful and adult pupils were taught。 In the course of this work
Mr。 Muller received and administered nearly a million and a half
of pounds sterling； and traveled over two hundred thousand miles
of sea and land。＇310＇ During the sixty…eight years of his
ministry； he never owned any property except his clothes and
furniture； and cash in hand； and he left； at the age of
eighty…six； an estate worth only a hundred and sixty pounds。
＇310＇ My authority for these statistics is the little work on
Muller； by Frederic G。 Warne； New York； 1898。
His method was to let his general wants be publicly known； but
not to acquaint other people with the details of his temporary
necessities。 For the relief of the latter； he prayed directly to
the Lord； believing that sooner or later prayers are always
answered if one have trust enough。 〃When I lose such a thing as
a key；〃 he writes； 〃I ask the Lord to direct me to it； and I look
for an answer to my prayer； when a person with whom I have made
an appointment does not come； according to the fixed time； and I
begin to be inconvenienced by it； I ask the Lord to be pleased to
hasten him to me； and I look for an answer； when I do not
understand a passage of the word of God； I lift up my heart to
the Lord that he would be pleased by his Holy Spirit to instruct
me； and I expect to be taught； though I do not fix the time when；
and the manner how it should be； when I am going to minister in
the Word； I seek help from the Lord； and 。 。 。 am not cast down；
but of good cheer because I look for his assistance。〃
Muller's custom was to never run up bills； not even for a week。
〃As the Lord deals out to us by the day； 。 。 。 the week's payment
might become due and we have no money to meet it； and thus those
with whom we deal might be inconvenienced by us； and we be found
acting against the commandment of the Lord： 'Owe no man
anything。' From this day and henceforward whilst the Lord gives
to us our supplies by the day； we purpose to pay at once for
every article as it is purchased； and never to buy anything
except we can pay for it at once； however much it may seem to be
needed； and however much those with whom we deal may wish to be
paid only by the week。〃
The articles needed of which Muller speaks were the food； fuel；
etc。； of his orphanages。 Somehow； near as they often come to
going without a meal； they hardly ever seem actually to have done
so。 〃Greater and more manifest nearness of the Lord's presence I
have never had than when after breakfast there were no means for
dinner for more than a hundred persons； or when after dinner
there were no means for the tea； and yet the Lord provided the
tea； and all this without one single human being having been
informed about our need。 。 。 。 Through Grace my mind is so fully
assured of the faithfulness of the Lord； that in the midst of the
greatest need； I am enabled in peace to go about my other work。
Indeed； did not the Lord give me this； which is the result of
trusting in him； I should scarcely be able to work at all； for it
is now comparatively a rare thing that a day comes when I am not
in need for one or another part of the work。〃＇311＇
＇311＇ The Life of Trust； Being a Narrative of the Lord's Dealings
with George Muller； New American edition； N。 Y。； Crowell； pp。
228； 194； 219。
In building his orphanages simply by prayer and faith； Muller
affirms that his prime motive was 〃to have something to point to
as a visible proof that our God and Father is the same faithful
God that he ever wasas willing as ever to prove himself the
living God； in our day as formerly； to all that put their trust
in him。〃＇312＇ For this reason he refused to borrow money for any
of his enterprises。 〃How does it work when we thus anticipate
God by going our own way？ We certainly weaken faith instead of
increasing it； and each time we work thus a deliverance of our
own we find it more and more difficult to trust in God； till at
last we give way entirely to our natural fallen reason and
unbelief prevails。 How different if one is enabled to wait God's
own time； and to look alone to him for help and deliverance！ When
at last help comes； after many seasons of prayer it may be； how
sweet it is； and what a present recompense！ Dear Christian
reader； if you have never walked in this path of obedience
before； do so now； and you will then know experimentally the
sweetness of the joy which results from it。〃＇313＇
＇312＇ Ibid。； p。 126。
＇313＇ Op。 cit。； p。 383； abridged。
When the supplies came in but slowly； Muller always considered
that this was for the trial of his faith and patience When his
faith and patience had been sufficiently tried； the Lord would
send more means。 〃And thus it has proved；〃I quote from his
diary〃for to…day was given me the sum of 2050 pounds； of which
2000 are for the building fund ＇of a certain house＇； and 50 for
present necessities。 It is impossible to describe my joy in God
when I received this donation。 I was neither excited nor
surprised； for I LOOK out for answers to my prayers。 I BELIEVE
THAT GOD HEARS ME。 Yet my heart was so full of joy that I could
only SIT before God； and admire him； like David in 2 Samuel vii。
At last I cast myself flat down upon my face and burst forth in
thanksgiving to God and in surrendering my heart afresh to him
for his blessed service。〃＇314＇
＇314＇ Ibid。； p。 323
George Muller's is a case extreme in every respect； and in no
respect more so than in the extraordinary narrowness of the man's
intellectual horizon。 His God was； as he often said； his
business partner。 He seems to have been for Muller little more
than a sort of supernatural clergyman interested in the
congregation of tradesmen and others in Bristol who were his
saints； and in the orphanages and other enterprises； but
unpossessed of any of those vaster and wilder and more ideal
attributes with which the human imagination elsewhere has
invested him。 Muller； in short； was absolutely unphilosophical。
His intensely private and practical conception of his relations
with the Deity continued the traditions of the most primitive
human thought。＇315＇ When we compare a mind like his with such a
mind as； for example； Emerson's or Phillips Brooks's； we see the
range which the religious consciousness covers。
＇315＇ I cannot resist the temptation of quoting an expression of
an even more primitive style of religious thought； which I find
in Arber's English Garland； vol。 vii。 p。 440。 Robert Lyde； an
English sailor； along with an English boy； being prisoners on a
French ship in 1689； set upon the crew； of seven Frenchmen；
killed two； made the other five prisoners； and brought home the
ship。 Lyde thus describes how in this feat he found his God a
very present help in time of trouble：
〃With the assistance of God I kept my feet when they three and
one more did strive to throw me down。 Feeling the Frenchman
which hung about my middle hang very heavy； I said to the boy；
'Go round the binnacle； and knock down that man that hangeth on
my back。' So the boy did strike him one blow on the head which
made him fall。 。 。 。 Then I looked about for a marlin spike or
anything else to strike them withal。 But seeing nothing； I said；
'LORD！ what shall I do？' Then casting up my eye upon my left
side； and seeing a marlin spike hanging； I jerked my right arm
and took hold； and struck the point four times about a quarter of
an inch deep into the skull of that man that had hold of my left
arm。 ＇One of the Frenchmen then hauled the marlin spike away
from him。＇ But through GOD'S wonderful providence！ it either
fell out of his hand； or else he threw it down； and at this time
the Almighty GOD gave me strength enough to take one man in one
hand； and throw at the other's head： and looking about again to
see anything to strike them withal； but seeing nothing； I said；
'LORD！ what shall I do now？' And then it pleased GOD to put me
in mind of my knife in my pocket。 And although two of the men
had hold of my right arm； yet GOD Almighty strengthened me so
that I put my right hand into my right pocket； drew out the knife
and sheath； 。 。 。 put it between my legs and drew it out； and
then cut the man's throat with it that had his back to my breast：
and he immediately dropt down； and scarce ever stirred after。〃I
have slightly abridged Lyde's narrative。
There is an immense literature relating to answers to petitional
prayer。 The evangelical journals are filled with such answers；
and books are devoted to the subject；＇316＇ but for us Muller's
case will suffice。
＇316＇ As； for instance； In Answer to Prayer； by the Bishop of
Ripon and others； London； 1898； Touching Incidents and Remarkable
Answers to Prayer； Harrisburg； Pa。； 1898 （？）； H。 L。 Hastings：
The Guiding Hand； or Providential Direction； illustrated by
Authentic Instances； Boston； 1898（？）。
A less sturdy beggar…like fashion of leading the prayerful life
is followed by innumerable other Christians。 Persistence in
leaning on the Almighty for support and guidance will； such
persons say； bring with it proofs； palpable but much more subtle；
of his presence and active influence。 The following description
of a 〃led〃 life； by a German writer whom I have already quoted；
would no doubt appear to countless Christians in every country as
if transcribed from their own personal experience。 One finds in
this guided sort of life； says Dr。 Hilty
〃That books and words （and sometimes people） come to one's
cognizance just at the very moment in which one needs them； that
one glides over great dangers as if with shut eyes； remaining
ignorant of what would have terrified one or led one astray；
until the peril is pastthis being especially the case with
temptations to vanity and sensuality； that paths on which one
ought not to wander are； as it were； hedged off with thorns； but
that on the other side great obstacles are suddenly remove
