The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-11-05 00:00:00

GEOB.GE MULLER'S ORPHAN HOUSES.

The tasstreighth report olthe promoting.; of the,,.
iastitutlon for orphens at Ashley- hill, Bristol,
has jest been issued by Mr. Gem.* Milner it, foamier.
It le like all tbe stateenente me the 1100. subject Met bare
pesseged it, very remarkable and striking. In opeelag
leb present "5.4.1 narrative al task" be thns saosiseely
4144 the progress made by the Orpheus Hoene sines
be Brit enter Mined the ides at opeisksaang nab as
asylum

"The institutioa of width this twenty-eighth report
gives an acconat hal bees more than thirty-three years
In otion, having been formed oa Mush sth, 1834.
Its beginning ens most small, but it has since then
been most year by year enlarged, and that to sub
ea extent, ea that the expenditure in ononeetion there-
with, during the past year, of which this reports ',peaks,
mounted to 44,649 Os. 6d. To large houses of
besieges, or evert to some private wealthy indiriduels,
this sum may DOS appear a very lugs one ; but Ills
to he kept Ware the reader, that the means to meet
sash an expenditure are obtained simply by asking God
to work in the hearts el Hie stewards to help us ; for
In no cue is an appeal made to 'ay individual for
,help."
Under the bead of donetione given towards the building
fluid of the intended new orphan houses Non 4 and 5
(these are in addition to the houses already built and in
week) he has some auriou and etnking entries, a few
of which may intereet the reader—
... . . . .

From Oxfordshire £7 18s. instead of
insuring 318 sem against hail, with El 2s. 6d.
for minions, and El 17s. 6d for the support a the
m•pinna
"Jar 9. From • Christian physician who cultivates
rents, for the benefit of the crphans, EA I here had
often similar donations from him.

"Jaw 23:

"Aug. Id. LI from London, with Um following
letter :—'y deer Sir: I herewith oend you a cheque
for Ire poen& towards your building fluid. On
Thursday Imit, I went to the railway-station to see a
friend of to Paria, and at parting I proiamed to meet
dim in Paris on Monday, to witness the great eights al
that oily during this week. On my road home from the
railway I saw your reports. I bought one, and ma
Sunday determined to forego my visit and send you the
above mom, which I haeintended to have spent. It is
my Int donation, but Ido hope sod trust will not be
my last.'
"September 19. From Birmingham LllOO, with £25
for the Sobool—Bible—Mimionary—and Tram Feud
£l5 and a large picture in frame for the orphans, and,
£lO for myself.. . .

" Front.l3-Nifordebire £9 19a. being mack TIP by..
longer paying into& benefit club, by potting aside ovary
morning the first money taken in • listle shop, by giving
ld. on each sack of flour baked, and by the sale of three
pigs reared for the benefit of the orphans.
'October 6. From &farmer's wife El, beings penny
for every pound of butter sold during last year.
" To-day, tho make partner of • large finn kindly
promised to give himself 11101 n, all the glue that would
be required for the 350 large windows or No. 4, and, in
the name of his firm, he promised, that the firm jointly
would rive all the glans which would be required for
Oh. 360 large windows of No. 5. . . .

"October 23. From Haut £loo.—Received, also, to-
day 3e. Ofd, from • Christian grosser, being one penny
In the pound of hie takings during the peat week. Beer
since, this grow has continued to send me, week by
week, one penny is the posed on all his takings, being
generally from 3m. 3d. to 3e. fid, per week. The ittOtb
part of a hat there has been received in his shop, you
would icy, in a little item; and yet here, again, is
another proof, how much by ayernatie giving, even on
the smallest wale, may be sesomplished ; for, I think,
I have received thus from this donor, about ten times
more than daring any previous year.
" December 4. From Boagal EX—December 7.
From the neighbourhood of Chippenham too old guineas
pieces. There are yet many of these in existence, and
many Christians have sent me some of them, from time
to time, so that I have received many hundreds, sod
during no period more than during the past year.—
December 8. From Devonshire, 15 teaspoons, three
table spoons, • gravy spoon, three nail spoons, • table
fork, a pair of auger tongs (all of silver), three pairs of
spectacles, • compass, an eye glass, • silver top of •
pepper box, • gold brooch, four pieces of artificial teeth
(two of them wit in gold), and a pin cushion.
"April 22. From Liverpool 1:2), with the following
letter :—'My dear Sir : I enclose you bank draft for
' £2O, say £lO for the building fund, £5 for support of
orphans, and ELS for your own personal expenses.
Having smoked none for twelve months, thia is the
amount I would have spent otherwise in cigars. Truly
yours, . . .
"November 8. From • London gentleman £lO5.
'To fill the empty meal barrels.' They were not quite
empty, though getting low; and as the oatmeal this year
Ii much dearer than for several rears past, it was indeed
kind of the Lord to send me this donation towards the
expenses of the 5,000 stonee of oatmeal, which we use
in the course of the year.—Es from Peckham aa "The
Sent fruit, of an incresee of income."—From Brighton,
• gold watch, • set of opal studs set in diamonds, with
gold pin attached, two pain of links, three gets of studs,
and °nehmen pin of aluminum and turquoise."

The following entry 4 very characteristic of many
others in Mr. Muller's report, end of the principle upon
which be note :

"November 30.—This morning we had only resolved
for the benefit of the orphans £lO 16a. 6d., and for the
bnildiag fend £l9 Sla. 6d. We gave thanks to the litrd
for this, and milked for more. Is the afternoon oame
In farther £6 13s. 11. In the evening, when my dear
wife and I were giving thanks for this, eau* in further,
white we were in prayer, £5 5.. We again gave thenks
for this, when presently, while we were yet in prayer,
came in LI la, 94., and 7.. 6d. We further praised the
Lord for this, Lod told Him in prayer, that even this
very evening He tonld seed es more than he had done
.11th. day, when • few minutes after there was. knock
at the door, end, letter rattail:deg £3OO was handed
which a geotletnan had jest sent. In prayer we had
especially spoken to the Lord about the high prim of
provisions, le, and asked Him for large supplies on that
amount"

Here is another item :
" To-day, Deosinber 20, 1866, was received • letter,
enclosieg • Poet-Ales order for £2, being the set
proceeds of a theatrical entertaiement, riding that the
Income had been 220 altogether, and the tifonan £lB.
The £2 was, as the Christian reader will suppose,
unhesitatingly returned, as I sould not expect the Lord'.
blessing to rest upon money thus obtained, which would
have been equaliyAoldi had it bees 22000 indeed of .1.1.
I doubt not that there was • kindly feeling towards the
orphans on Ashley Down, ceissected with this move-
ment, and, thearions, deeply ss it grieved me to bear
of such things, I should not Imre referred to this
circumstance in the report, had not the Orphan Houses
on Ashley Down, and thus a work particularly set on
foot for the glory of God, been in • newspaper and by
bills coupled with a theatrical entertainment, it being
stated the& the preeeeds •ere intended for the orphans
on Ashley Down; so that persons miebt suppose I bad
taken the money, aseept I made mention of its haring
been returned."

There is one entry which probably will strike some
raiders as suggesting • trifling contradictive bnt,...",
Mr. Moller's prolenions and his precaution. Heier:
—August 31, from J. H., • half-sovereign in nn unveils.
tired letter. I take this oortunity of •enin Ili
that ooin mint in unregistered lettere- is not sell; more-
over, every such letter is charged Bd. fine, balm double
the registration fee." There ia practical worldly wisdom
in the latter part of the passage, but with reference to
the alleged insecurity of the money, some persons might
think that the same Providence which took care of the
hundreds of orphans would also take save of the ball-
sovereign pant for their support. These little eontradic-
Unit. however, naturally arise in the working out of
the priesiple upon which Mr. Miller bag started. But
we mud not he captions over minor entries, when we
look at what has been well walled "the great mired* in
stone and mortar" that is being tarried out before our
eyes on the heights of Ashley-down.