Feb. 23. This evening, after another long season of prayer respecting the work of God in my hands, and especially also, that it might please the Lord to give me soon what I need for the Building Fund, so that I may be enabled to take active steps in the erection of another Orphan House, came in the course of my reading and meditation James I. This forcibly reminded me of the close of November and the beginning of December in 1845, when, whilst labouring for a season in the Word at Sunderland, this portion also came in the course of my meditation on the whole New Testament. James i, 4: "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing," was then particularly impressed on my mind as a portion which I should need to keep before me. I was at that time, day by day, waiting upon the Lord for means and every other help which might be needed in connexion with the Orphan House, which I had purposed to build in dependence upon the Lord for help. I had not the least doubt that God would help me through all the difficulties connected with this work. I felt as sure that He would enable me to accomplish this work, as if I had actually seen the house before me, inhabited by Orphans; but I had reason to believe, at the same time, that great and many and varied would be my trials of faith and patience, before all would be accomplished. I had not at that time one single shilling in hand towards this work, but often, even then, whilst staying at Sunderland, and meditating on this first chapter of the Epistle of James, did I praise God before hand, that He would give me everything I should need in connexion with this intended Orphan House. Now this evening, February 23, 1853, I am writing in that very house, the New Orphan House, with its 300 Orphans, about which I was then praying. Nearly four years it has been already inhabited by Orphans. And I now say again, "Let patience have her perfect work," with reference to the intended Orphan House for 700 more Orphans; but also, at the same time, am I assured that the Lord will enable me to accomplish this also. March 14.--From Scotland 200l., of which the donor kindly wished me to give 10l. to Mr. Craik, to take 10l. for my own personal expenses, and to use the 180l. as most needed. I took, therefore, 100l. for the Building Fund, and 80l. for the current expenses for the Orphans. This donation has been a great refreshment to my spirit; for since Jan. 4th only little, comparatively, has come in either for the Building Fund or for the current expenses.