George Müller of Bristol, and His Witness to a Prayer-Hearing GodPierson, Arthur T. (Arthur Tappan)
Religion
George Müller of Bristol, and His Witness to a Prayer-Hearing God
Pierson, Arthur T. (Arthur Tappan)
Müller, George, 1805-1898; Orphanages -- Great Britain; Prayer
This report is doubly precious as it contains also the last contribution
of Mr. Muller's own pen to the record of the Lord's dealings. It is
probable that on the afternoon of March 9th he laid down his pen, for
the last time, all unconscious that he was never again to take it up. He
had made, in a twofold sense, his closing entry in life's solemn
journal! In the evening of that day he took his customary part in the
prayer service in the orphan house--then went to sleep for the last time
on earth; there came a waking hour, when he was alone with God, and
suddenly departed, leaving his body to its long sleep that knows no
waking until the day of the Lord's coming, while his spirit returned
unto God who gave it.
The afternoon of that day of death, and of 'birth' into the heavenly
life--as the catacomb saints called it--found the helpers again
assembled in the same prayer room to commit the work to him "who only
hath immortality," and who, amid all changes of human administration,
ever remains the divine Master Workman, never at a loss for His own
chosen instruments.
Mr. Wright, in this report, shows himself God's chosen successor in the
work, evidently like-minded with the departed director. The first
paragraph, after the brief and touching reference to his father-in-law,
serves to convey to all friends of this work the assurance that he to
whom Mr. Muller left its conduct has also learned the one secret of all
success in coworking with God. It sounds, as the significant _keynote_
for the future, the same old keynote of the past, carrying on the melody
and harmony, without change, into the new measures. It is the same
oratorio, without alteration of theme, time, or even key: the leading
performer is indeed no more, but another hand takes up his instrument
and, trembling with emotion, continues the unfinished strain so that
there is no interruption. Mr. Wright says:
"It is written (Job xxvi. 7): 'He hangeth the earth upon
_nothing'_--that is, no _visible_ support. And so we exult in the fact
that 'the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad' hangs,
as it has ever hung, since its commencement, now more than sixty-four
years ago, 'upon nothing,' that is, upon no VISIBLE support. It hangs
upon no human patron, upon no endowment or funded property, but solely
upon the good pleasure of the blessed God."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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