GEORGE MUELLER OF BRISTOL

AND HIS WITNESS TO A PRAYER-HEARING GOD

The originally "authorized memoir"

BY
ARTHUR T. PIERSON

Author of "The Crisis of Missions,"
"The New Acts of the Apostles,"
"Many Infallible Proofs," etc.;
editor of "The Missionary Review of the World," etc.


WITH AN INTRODUCTION
BY
JAMES WRIGHT
Son-in-law in the work of George Mueller

.
Fleming H. Revell Company
Old Tappan, New Jersey

1899

This book is in the public domain.
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and reformatting by Katie Stewart

WStS Note: All italics in this volume are by Dr. Pierson, himself.
We have chosen to spell Mr. Mueller's name without the umlaut.



Introduction by Mr. James Wright

VERY soon after the decease of my beloved father-in-law, I began to receive letters pressing upon me the desirableness of issuing as soon as possible a memoir of him and his work.

The well-known autobiography, entitled "Narrative of the Lord's Dealings with George Mueller," had been, and was still being, so greatly used by God in the edification of believers and the conversion of unbelievers that I hesitated to countenance any attempt to supersede or even supplement it. But as, with prayer, I reflected upon the subject, several considerations impressed me:

Ist. The last volume of the Narrative ends with the year 1885, so that there is no record of the last thirteen years of Mr. Mueller's life excepting what is contained in the yearly reports of "The Scriptural Knowledge Institution."

2d. The last three volumes of the Narrative, being mainly a condensation of the yearly reports during the period embraced in them, contain much unavoidable repetition.

3d. A book of, say, four hundred and fifty pages, containing the substance of the four volumes of the Narrative, and carrying on the history to the date of the decease of the founder of the institution, would meet the desire of a large class of readers.

4th. Several brief sketches of Mr. Mueller's career had issued from the press within a few days after the funeral; and one (written by Mr. F. Warne and published by W. P. Mack & Co., Bristol), a very accurate and truly appreciative sketch, had had a large circulation; but I was convinced by the letters that reached me that a more comprehensive memoir was called for, and would be produced, so I was led especially to pray for guidance that such a book might be entrusted to the author fitted by God to undertake it.

While waiting for the answer to this definite petition, though greatly urged by publishers to proceed, I steadily declined to take any step until I had clearer light. Moreover, I was, personally, occupied during May and June in preparing the Annual Report of "The Scriptural Knowledge Institution," and could not give proper attention to the other matter.

Just then I learned from Dr. Arthur T. Pierson, of Brooklyn, N. Y., that he had been led to undertake the production of a memoir of Mr. Mueller for American readers, and requesting my aid by furnishing him with some materials needed for the work.

Having complied with this request I was favoured by Dr. Pierson with a syllabus of the method and contents of his intended work.

The more I thought upon the subject the more satisfied I became that no one could be found more fitted to undertake the work which had been called for on this side of the Atlantic also than this my well-known and beloved friend.

He had had exceptional opportunities twenty years ago in the United States, and in later years when visiting great Britain, for becoming intimately acquainted with Mr. Mueller, with the principles on which the Orphanage and other branches of "The Scriptural Knowledge Institution" were carried on, and with many details of their working. I knew that Dr. Pierson most thoroughly sympathized with these principles as being according to the mind of God revealed in His word; and that he could, therefore, present not merely the history of the external facts and results of Mr. Mueller's life and labours, but could and would, by God's help, unfold, with the ardour and force of conviction, the secret springs of that life and of those labours.

I therefore intimated to my dear friend that, provided he would allow me to read the manuscript and have thus the opportunity of making any suggestions that I felt necessary, I would, as my beloved father-in-law's executor and representative, gladly endorse his work as the authorized memoir for British as well as American readers.

To this Dr. Pierson readily assented; and now, after carefully going through the whole, I confidently recommend the book to esteemed readers on both sides of the Atlantic, with the earnest prayer that the result, in relation to the subject of this memoir, may be identical with that produced by the account of the Apostle Paul's "manner of life" upon the churches of Judea which were in Christ (Gal. i. 24), viz.,

"They glorified God" in him.

James Wright.
18 Charlotte Street, Park Street,
Bristol, Eng., March. 1899.

A Prefatory Word

DR. OLIVER W. HOLMES wittily said that an autobiography is what every biography ought to be. The four volumes of "The Narrative of the Lord's Dealings with George Mueller," already issued from the press and written by his own hand, with a fifth volume covering his missionary tours, and prepared by his wife, supplemented by the Annual Reports since published, constitute essentially an autobiography―Mr. Mueller's own life-story, stamped with his own peculiar individuality, and singularly and minutely complete. To those who wish the simple journal of his life with the details of his history, these printed documents make any other sketch of him from other hands so far unnecessary.

There are, however, two considerations which have mainly prompted the preparation of this brief memoir: first, that the facts of this remarkable life might be set forth not so much with reference to the chronological order of their occurrence, as events, as for the sake of the lessons in living which they furnish, illustrating and enforcing grand spiritual principles and precepts: and secondly, because no man so humble as he would ever write of himself what, after his departure, another might properly write of him that others might glorify God in him.

No one could have undertaken this work of writing Mr. Mueller's life-story without being deeply impressed with the opportunity thus afforded for impressing the most vital truths that concern holy living and holy serving; nor could any one have completed such a work without feeling overawed by the argument which this narrative furnishes for a present, living, prayer-hearing God, and for a possible and practical daily walk with Him and work with Him. It has been a great help in the preparation of this book that the writer has had such frequent converse with Mr. James Wright, who was so long Mr. Mueller's associate and knew him so intimately.

So prominent was the word of God as a power in Mr. Mueller's life that, in an appendix, we have given peculiar emphasis to the great leading texts of Scripture which inspired and guided his faith and conduct, and, so far as possible, in the order in which such texts became practically influential in his life; and so many wise and invaluable counsels are to be found scattered throughout his journal that some of the most striking and helpful have been selected, which may also be found in the appendix. This volume has, like the life it sketches, but one aim. It is simply and solely meant to extend, emphasize, and perpetuate George Mueller's witness to a prayer-hearing God; to present, as plainly, forcibly, and briefly as is practicable, the outlines of a human history, and an experience of the Lord's leadings and dealings, which furnish a sufficient answer to the question:

WHERE IS THE LORD GOD OF ELIJAH?

 

.Table of Contents

Chapter I. From His Birth To His New Birth

Chapter II. The New Birth And The New Life

Chapter III. Making Ready The Chosen Vessel

Chapter IV. New Steps And Stages Of Preparation

Chapter V. The Pulpit And The Pastorate

Chapter VI. "The Narrative Of The Lord's Dealings"

Chapter VII. Led Of God Into A New Sphere

Chapter VIII. A Tree Of God's Own Planting

Chapter IX. The Growth Of God's Own Plant

Chapter X. The Word Of God And Prayer

Chapter XI. Trials Of Faith And Helpers To Faith

Chapter XII. New Lessons In God's School Of Prayer

Chapter XIII. Following The Pillar Of Cloud And Fire

Chapter XIV. God's Building: The New Orphan Houses

Chapter XV. The Manifold Grace Of God

Chapter XVI. The Shadow Of A Great Sorrow

Chapter XVII. The Period Of World-Wide Witness

Chapter XVIII. Faith And Patience In Serving

Chapter XIX. At Evening-Time―Light

Chapter XX. The Summary Of The Life-Work

Chapter XXI. The Church Life And Growth

Chapter XXII. A Glance At The Gifts And The Givers

Chapter XXIII. God's Witness To The Work

Chapter XXIV. Last Looks, Backward And Forward


Appendix.

A. Scripture Texts That Moulded George Mueller

B. Apprehension Of Truth

C. Separation From The London Society, Etc.

D. The Scriptural Knowledge Institution For Home And Abroad

E. Reasons Which Led Mr. Mueller To Establish An Orphan House

F. Arguments In Prayer For The Orphan Work

G. The Purchase Of A Site, Etc.

H. God's Faithfulness In Providing

I. God's Faithfulness In Providing

J. God's Faithfulness In Providing

K. Further Recollections Of Mr. Mueller

L. Soul Nourishment First

M. Church Conduct

N. The Wise Sayings Of George Mueller

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