The Life of Trust, George Müller [e ink epub reader .txt] 📗

an individual may live in sin; although he may manifest to every one that he does not know the Lord Jesus; if only the guinea or the half-guinea be paid, he is considered a member, and has a right as such to vote. Moreover, whoever pays a larger sum, for instance, ten pounds or twenty pounds, can be, in many societies, a member for life, however openly sinful his life should be for the time, or should become afterwards. Surely such things ought not to be.

3. The means which are made use of in these religious societies to obtain money for the work of the Lord are also in other respects unscriptural; for it is a most common case to ask the unconverted for money, which even Abraham would not have done (Genesis xiv. 21-24); and how much less should we do it, who are not only forbidden to have fellowship with unbelievers in all such matters (2 Cor. vi. 14-18), but who are also in fellowship with the Father and the Son, and can therefore obtain everything from the Lord which we possibly can need in his service, without being obliged to go to the unconverted world! How altogether differently the first disciples acted, in this respect, we learn from 3 John 7.

4. Not merely, however, in these particulars is there a connection with the world in these religious societies; but it is not a rare thing for even committee members (the individuals who manage the affairs of the societies) to be manifestly unconverted persons, if not open enemies to the truth; and this is suffered because they are rich, or of influence, as it is called.

5. It is a most common thing to endeavor to obtain for patrons and presidents of these societies and for chairmen at the public meetings, persons of rank or wealth, to attract the public. Never once have I known a case of a poor, but very devoted, wise, and experienced servant of Christ being invited to fill the chair at such public meetings. Surely, the Galilean fishermen, who were apostles, or our Lord himself, who was called the carpenter, would not have been called to this office, according to these principles. These things ought not so to be among the disciples of the Lord Jesus, who should not judge with reference to a person’s fitness for service in the church of Christ by the position he fills in the world, or by the wealth he possesses.

6. Almost all these societies contract debts, so that it is a comparatively rare case to read a report of any of them without finding that they have expended more than they have received, which, however, is contrary both to the spirit and to the letter of the New Testament. (Rom. xiii. 8.)

Now, although brother Craik and I were ready, by the grace of God, heartily to acknowledge that there are not only many true children of God connected with these religious societies, but that the Lord has also blessed their efforts in many respects, notwithstanding the existence of these and other principles and practices which we judged to be unscriptural; yet it appeared to us to be his will that we should be entirely separate from these societies, (though we should be considered as singular persons, or though it should even appear that we despised other persons, or would elevate ourselves above them,) in order that, by the blessing of God, we might direct the attention of the children of God in those societies to their unscriptural practices; and we would rather be entirely unconnected with these societies than act contrary to the Holy Scriptures. We therefore separated entirely from them, although we remained united in brotherly love with individual believers belonging to them, and would by no means judge them for remaining in connection with them, if they do not see that such things are contrary to Scripture. But seeing them to be so ourselves, we could not with a clear conscience remain. After we had thus gone on for some time, we considered that it would have an injurious tendency upon the brethren among whom we labored, and also be at variance with the spirit of the gospel of Christ, if we did nothing at all for missionary objects, the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, tracts, etc., and we were therefore led, for these and other reasons, to do something for the spread of the gospel at home and abroad, however small the beginning might be.]

March 5. This evening, at a public meeting, brother Craik and I stated the principles on which we intend to carry on the institution which we propose to establish for the spread of the gospel at home and abroad. There was nothing outwardly influential either in the number of people present or in our speeches. May the Lord graciously be pleased to grant his blessing upon the institution, which will be called “The Scriptural Knowledge Institution, for Home and Abroad.”

I. THE PRINCIPLES OF THE INSTITUTION.

1. We consider every believer bound, in one way or other, to help the cause of Christ, and we have scriptural warrant for expecting the Lord’s blessing upon our work of faith and labor of love; and although, according to Matt. xiii. 24-43, 2 Tim. iii. 1-13, and many other passages, the world will not be converted before the coming of our Lord Jesus, still, while he tarries, all scriptural means ought to be employed for the ingathering of the elect of God.

2. The Lord helping us, we do not mean to seek the patronage of the world; i. e. we never intend to ask unconverted persons of rank or wealth to countenance this Institution, because this, we consider, would be dishonorable to the Lord. In the name of our God we set up our banners, Ps. xx. 5; he alone shall be our patron, and if he helps us we shall prosper, and if he is not on our side we shall not succeed.

3. We do not mean to ask unbelievers for money (2 Cor. vi. 14-18); though we do not feel ourselves warranted to refuse their contributions, if they of their own accord should offer them. Acts xxviii. 2-10.

4. We reject altogether the help of unbelievers in managing or carrying on the affairs of the Institution. 2 Cor. vi. 14-18.

5. We intend never to enlarge the field of labor by contracting debts (Rom. xiii. 8), and afterwards appealing to the Church of Christ for help, because this we consider to be opposed both to the letter and the spirit of the New Testament; but in secret prayer, God helping us, we shall carry the wants of the Institution to the Lord, and act according to the means that God shall give.

6. We do not mean to reckon the success of the Institution by the amount of money given, or the number of Bibles distributed, etc., but by the Lord’s blessing upon the work (Zech. iv. 6); and we expect this in the proportion in which he shall help us to wait upon him in prayer.

7. While we would avoid aiming after needless singularity, we desire to go on simply according to Scripture, without compromising the truth; at the same time thankfully receiving any instruction which experienced believers, after prayer, upon scriptural ground, may have to give us concerning the Institution.

II. THE OBJECTS OF THE INSTITUTION.

1. To assist day schools, Sunday schools, and adult schools, in which instruction is given upon scriptural principles, and as far as the Lord may give the means, and supply us with suitable teachers, and in other respects make our path plain, to establish schools of this kind. With this we also combine the putting of poor children to such day schools.

a. By day schools upon scriptural principles, we understand day schools in which the teachers are godly persons,—in which the way of salvation is scripturally pointed out,—and in which no instruction is given opposed to the principles of the gospel.

b. Sunday schools, in which all the teachers are believers, and in which the Holy Scriptures are alone the foundation of instruction, are such only as the Institution assists with the supply of Bibles, Testaments, etc.; for we consider it unscriptural that any persons who do not profess to know the Lord themselves should be allowed to give religious instruction.

c. The Institution does not assist any adult school with the supply of Bibles, Testaments, spelling-books, etc., except the teachers are believers.

2. To circulate the Holy Scriptures.

3. The third object of this Institution is to aid missionary efforts.

We desire to assist those missionaries whose proceedings appear to be most according to the Scriptures.

March 7. To-day we have only one shilling left. This evening, when we came home from our work, we found a brother, our tailor, waiting for us, who brought a new suit of clothes both for brother Craik and me, which a brother, whose name was not to be mentioned, had ordered for us.

April 23. Yesterday and to-day I had asked the Lord to send us twenty pounds, that we might be able to procure a larger stock of Bibles and Testaments than our small funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution would allow us to purchase; and this evening a sister, unasked, promised to give us that sum, adding that she felt a particular pleasure in circulating the Holy Scriptures, as the simple reading of them had been the means of bringing her to the knowledge of the Lord.

June 8. Lord’s day. I obtained no text yesterday, notwithstanding repeated prayer and reading of the word. This morning I awoke with these words: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” As soon as I had dressed myself, I turned to 2 Cor. xii. to consider this passage; but in doing so, after prayer, I was led to think that I had not been directed to this portion for the sake of speaking on it, as I at first thought, and I therefore followed my usual practice in such cases, i. e. to read on in the Scriptures where I left off last evening. In doing so, when I came to Heb. xi. 13-16, I felt that this was the text. Having prayed, I was confirmed in it, and the Lord was pleased to open this passage to me. I preached on it with great enjoyment. It pleased God greatly to bless what I said on that passage, and at least one soul was brought through it to the Lord.

June 25. These last three days I have had very little real communion with God, and have therefore been very weak spiritually, and have several times felt irritability of temper.

June 26. I was enabled, by the grace of God, to rise early, and I had nearly two hours in prayer before breakfast. I feel now this morning more comfortable.

July 11. I have prayed much about a master for boys’ school, to be established in connection with our little Institution. Eight have applied for the situation, but none seemed to be suitable. Now, at last, the Lord has given us a brother, who will commence the work.

October 9. Our little Institution, established in dependence upon the Lord, and supplied by him with means, has now been seven months in operation, and through it have been benefited with instruction,—1. In the Sunday school, about 120 children. 2. In the adult school, about 40 adults. 3. In the two day schools for boys and the two days schools for girls, 209 children, of whom 54 have been entirely free; the others pay about one third of the expense. There have been also circulated 482 Bibles and 520 New Testaments. Lastly, fifty-seven pounds has been spent to aid missionary exertion. The means which the Lord has sent us, as the fruit of many prayers, during these seven months, amount to one hundred and sixty-seven pounds