d times, the over-peopled country, were
given as reasons why, if the business were carried on simply according
to the word of God, it could not be expected to do well. Such a brother,
perhaps, would express the wish that he might be differently situated,
but very rarely did I see _that there was a stand made for God, that
there was the holy determination to trust in the living God, and to
depend on him, in order that a good conscience might be maintained_. To
this class, likewise, I desired to show by a visible proof that God is
unchangeably the same.

Then there was another class of persons, individuals who were in
professions in which they could not continue with a good conscience, or
persons who were in an unscriptural position with reference to spiritual
things; but both classes feared, on account of the consequences, to give
up the profession in which they could not abide with God, or to leave
their position, lest they should be thrown out of employment. My spirit
longed to be instrumental in strengthening their faith, by giving them
not only instances from the word of God of his willingness and ability
to help all those who rely upon him, but _to show them by proofs_ that
he is the same in our day. I well knew _that the word of God ought to be
enough_; but I considered that I ought to lend a helping hand to my
brethren, if by any means, by this visible proof to the unchangeable
faithfulness of the Lord, I might strengthen their hands in God; for I
remembered what a great blessing my own soul had received through the
Lord's dealings with his servant A. H. Franke, who, in dependence upon
the living God alone, established an immense orphan house, which I had
seen many times with my own eyes. I therefore judged myself bound to be
the servant of the church of Christ in the particular point on which I
had obtained mercy; namely, _in being able to take God by his word, and
to rely upon it_.

All these exercises of my soul, which resulted from the fact that so
many believers with whom I became acquainted were harassed and
distressed in mind, or brought guilt on their consciences on account of
not trusting in the Lord, were used by God to awaken in my heart the
desire of setting before the church at large, and before the world, a
proof that he has not in the least changed; and this seemed to me best
done by the establishing of an orphan house. It needed to be something
which could be seen, even by the natural eye. Now, if