by George Müller
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
Compiled by G. Fred Bergin
A MILLION AND A HALF IN ANSWER TO PRAYER
IT was only after the consideration of many months, and after much self-examination as to my motives, and after much earnest prayer, that I came to the conclusion to write this little work. I have not taken one single step in the Lord's service, concerning which I have prayed so much. My great dislike to increasing the number of religious books would, in itself, have been sufficient to have kept me for ever from it, had I not cherished the hope of being instrumental in this way to lead some of my brethren to value the Holy Scriptures more, and to judge by the standard of the Word of God the principles on which they act. But that which weighed more with me than anything was, that I have reason to believe from what I have seen among the children of God, that many of their trials arise, either from want of confidence in the Lord as regards temporal things, or from carrying on their business in an unscriptural way. On account, therefore, of the remarkable way in which the Lord has dealt with me in temporal things, I feel that I am a debtor to the Church of God, and that I ought, for the benefit of my poorer brethren especially, to make known, as much as I can, the way in which I have been led. In addition to this, I know it to be a fact, that to many souls the Lord has blessed what I have told them about the way in which He has led me, and therefore it seemed to me a duty to use such means, whereby others also, with whom I could not possibly converse, might be benefited.
The fact of my being a foreigner, and therefore but very imperfectly acquainted with the English language, I judged to be no sufficient reason for keeping me from writing. The Christian reader being acquainted with this fact, will candidly excuse any inaccuracy of expression.
* I would say that the reason why I have spoken so plainly about the sins of my unconverted days, is, that I may magnify the riches of the grace of God, which have been bestowed on me, a guilty wretch. I have weighed much whether I should do so or not, knowing well what contempt it may bring on me; but it appeared to me, after much prayer, that as the object of this little work is to speak well of the Lord, I should say in a few words what I once was, in order that it might be seen so much the more clearly, what He has done for me. I also judged that, in doing so, some, who live at present in sin, might see through my example the misery into which sin leads, even as regards the present life, and the happiness which is connected with the ways of God; and that they also might be encouraged through what God has done for me, to turn to Him. I have made myself, therefore, a fool, and degraded myself in the eyes of the inhabitants of Bristol, that you, my dear unconverted fellow-sinners, who may read this, may with God's blessing be made wise. The love of Christ has constrained me to speak about my former lies, thefts, fraud, etc., that you might be benefited. Do not think that I am a fool, and therefore I have told out my heart in my folly; but I have made myself a fool for the benefit of your souls. May God in mercy, for His dear Son's sake, grant that these pages may be a "savour of life unto life" to you!
The reason why I have spoken so plainly about some of the sins and errors into which I have fallen since my conversion and about my answers to prayer, and the supplies of my temporal wants, and some of my family concerns, and the success which God has given to our labours,—is not, because I do not know that it is contrary to worldly custom, and against the interests of my worldly reputation; nor is it, as if I made light of my falls; nor as if I would boast in having had my prayers so often answered, and having been in such a variety of ways used as an instrument in doing the Lord's work; but, I have written what I have written for the benefit of my brethren. I have mentioned some of my sins and errors, that, through my loss, the brethren who may read this may gain. I have mentioned the answers of prayer, that through them they may be encouraged to make known their requests unto God. I have spoken about my temporal supplies, that through seeing how richly God has supplied my temporal wants, since the commencement of 1830, when I left London, they may be stirred up to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness," resting assured, that, in doing so, He will give them what is needful for the life that now is. I have alluded to some family circumstances, that children of God may be encouraged to cast their family burdens upon the Lord, in order that, in doing so, they may find Him carrying the burdens for them. And lastly, I have written about the success which God has been pleased to grant us in His work, that it may be seen, that, in acting on scriptural principles, we have the Lord on our side, and that our mode of preaching is honoured by Him. If in anything which I have written I have been mistaken (and what human work is there which is free from error?), I have been mistaken after much prayer. Whilst writing I have often asked help of God. Whilst revising the work, I have still again and again bowed my knees. I have also frequently entreated the Lord to bless this feeble effort of mine to speak to His praise, and I have not the slightest hesitation in saying, that, from the earnestness and comfort which I have enjoyed in prayer, and from the sincere self-examination of my heart, I know that God will bless this little work.
GEORGE MÜLLER.
Bristol, July 5th, 1837.
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Table of Contents
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I - EARLY DAYS, 1805–1825
CHAPTER II - EARLY CHRISTIAN WORK, 1826–1829
CHAPTER III - REMOVAL TO ENGLAND, 1829–1832
CHAPTER IV - EARLY DAYS IN BRISTOL, 1832–1835
CHAPTER V - BEGINNING OF ORPHAN WORK, 1835–1838
CHAPTER VI - SEVERE TRIALS IN EARLY ORPHAN WORK, 1838–1843
CHAPTER VII - FURTHER EXTENSION OF THE ORPHAN WORK, 1843–1844
CHAPTER VIII - SOME HINTS ON A FEW PASSAGES IN THE WORD OF GOD
CHAPTER IX - MARKED DELIVERANCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE FUNDS FOR THE FIRST FOUR OBJECTS, 1844–1849
CHAPTER X - MARKED DELIVERANCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE FUNDS FOR THE ORPHANS 1844–1849
CHAPTER XI - HISTORY OF THE BUILDING OF THE FIVE NEW ORPHAN HOUSES, 1845–1870
CHAPTER XII - TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF INCREASING SUPPLIES FOR THE FUNDS OF THE FIRST FOUR OBJECTS, 1819–1874
CHAPTER XIII - TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF INCREASING SUPPLIES FOR THE ORPHAN FUND, 1849–1874
CHAPTER XIV - PERSONAL MATTERS, FROM 1844 TO 1885
CHAPTER XV - LARGE INCOME FOR THE FIRST FOUR OBJECTS, 1874–1885
CHAPTER XVI - MANY THOUSANDS SENT FOR THE ORPHANS IN ANSWER TO PRAYER, 1874–1885
CHAPTER XVII - PREACHING TOURS, 1875–1892
CHAPTER XVIII - SEVERE FINANCIAL TRIALS IN CONNECTION WITH THE FIRST FOUR OBJECTS DURING MR. MÜLLER'S LAST THIRTEEN YEARS, 1885–1898
CHAPTER XIX - HEAVY TRIALS IN THE ORPHAN WORK DURING THE LAST THIRTEEN YEARS OF MR. MÜLLER'S LIFE, 1885–1898
CHAPTER XX - CLOSING DAYS, 1894–1898
CHAPTER XXI - THE LORD'S DEALINGS WITH GEORGE MÜLLER AFTER HIS DEATH (BY DR. A. T. PIERSON) -
APPENDIX