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
Mr. Muller found opportunity for the exercise of humility, for he saw
that by many his brother's gifts were much preferred to his own; yet, as
Mr. Craik would come to Bristol only with him as a yokefellow, God's
grace enabled him to accept the humiliation of being the less popular,
and comforted him with the thought that two are better than one, and
that each might possibly fill up some lack in the other, and thus both
together prove a greater benefit and blessing alike to sinners and to
saints--as the result showed. That same grace of God helped Mr. Muller
to rise higher--nay, let us rather say, to sink lower and, "in honor
preferring one another," to rejoice rather than to be envious; and, like
John the Baptist, to say within himself: "A man can receive nothing
except it be given him from above." Such a humble spirit has even in
this life oftentimes its recompense of reward. Marked as was the impress
of Mr. Craik upon Bristol, Mr. Muller's influence was even deeper and
wider. As Henry Craik died in 1866, his own work reached through a much
longer period; and as he was permitted to make such extensive mission
tours throughout the world, his witness was far more outreaching. The
lowly-minded man who bowed down to take the lower place, consenting to
be the more obscure, was by God exalted to the higher seat and greater
throne of influence.
Within a few weeks the Lord's will, as to their new sphere, became so
plain to both these brethren that on May 23d Mr. Muller left Teignmouth
for Bristol, to be followed next day by Mr. Craik. At the believers'
meeting at Gideon Chapel they stated their terms, which were acceded to:
that they were to be regarded as accepting no fixed relationship to the
congregation, preaching in such manner and for such a season as should
seem to them according to the Lord's will; that they should not be under
bondage to any rules among them; that _pew-rents should be done away
with;_ and that they should, as in Devonshire, _look to the Lord to
supply all temporal wants through the voluntary offerings of those to
whom they ministered._
Within a month Bethesda Chapel had been so engaged for a year as to risk
no debt, and on July 6th services began there as at Gideon. From the
very first, the Spirit set His seal on the joint work of these two
brethren. Ten days after the opening service at Bethesda, an evening
being set for inquirers, the throng of those seeking counsel was so
great that more than four hours were consumed in ministering to
individual souls, and so from time to time similar meetings were held
with like encouragement.
August 13, 1832, was a memorable day. On that evening at Bethesda Chapel
Mr. Muller, Mr. Craik, one other brother, and four sisters--_only seven
in all_--sat down together, uniting in church fellowship _"without any
rules,--desiring to act only as the Lord should be pleased to give light
through His word."_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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