This is one remarkable account of the life of George Muller. He lived 1805 – 1898, I think! (I wish they would put the dates in biographies in bold type at the front of the book!). I know there’s at least one other biography on him. Just make sure you read at least one of them.
He was born in Prussia but lived most of his adult life in England. He travelled extensively, particularly in his later years. The quality he is most remembered for is his faith. He said however that the kind of faith he exercised was just the ‘ordinary’ kind which all who are born of God possess. He denied that he had ever received ‘the gift of faith’. Anyway, he certainly lived a life of unswerving trust in God, for many things, but most of all he is remembered for his faithfulness in the matter of trusting God to supply all his need. In a way it was not so much his need but the need of others. In particular the many thousands of orphans he cared for in his lifetime. He built them a magnificent home on Ashley Down near Bristol. Apparently the buildings still exist today (I think they are a college now or similar). What is remarkable though is that he did it all without ever making one plea to ‘man’ for help. His principle was sound and solid; he would only ever make his needs known unto God and, of course, God never let him down, though the timing was very ‘last minute’ on many occasions!
It is important to note that he wasn’t merely concerned with the temporal welfare of the orphans. Many came to knowledge of God as they passed through those doors. Above even this though, Muller gave as his first motive the fact that he desired that Christians of that day should be stirred and emboldened by seeing a testimony of living faith in the Living God.
The orphanages weren’t his only work; he also founded the Scriptural Knowledge Institute and was fruitful in many other things besides. Though he had to continually wait upon the Lord for these things, he also managed to support others financially and in prayer, notably Hudson Taylor. The book also gives a little insight into the early ‘Brethren’ movement. It mentions such people as: Henry Craik, J.N.Darby and Anthony Norris Groves.
In a sentence – The life of George Muller is instructive and inspirational to us all.
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