ot possible
without faith, kept in constant and lively exercise. For example, in the
closing months of 1838 God seemed purposely putting them to a severe
test, whether or not they _did trust Him alone._ The orphan work was in
continual straits: at times not one half-penny was in the hands of the
matrons in the three houses. But not only was no knowledge of such facts
ever allowed to leak out, or any hint of the extreme need ever given to
outsiders, _but even those who inquired, with intent to aid, were not
informed._

One evening a brother ventured to ask how the balance would stand when
the next accounts were made up, and whether it would be as great in
favour of the orphans as when the previous balance-sheet had been
prepared. Mr. Mutter's calm but evasive answer was: _"It will be as
great as the Lord pleases."_ This was no intentional rudeness. To have
said more would have been turning from the one Helper to make at least
an indirect appeal to man for help; and every such snare was carefully
avoided lest the one great aim should be lost sight of: to prove to all
men that it is safe to trust only in the Living God.

While admitting the severity of the straits to which the whole work of
the Scriptural Knowledge Institution was often brought, Mr. Muller takes
pains to assure his readers that these straits were never a surprise to
him, and that his expectations in the matter of funds were not
disappointed, but rather the reverse. He had looked for great
emergencies as essential to his full witness to a prayer-hearing God.
The almighty Hand can never be clearly seen while any human help is
sought for or is in sight. We must turn absolutely away from all else if
we are to turn fully unto the living God. The deliverance is signal,
only in proportion as the danger is serious, and is most significant
when, without God, we face absolute despair. Hence the exact end for
which the whole work was mainly begun could be attained only through
such conditions of extremity and such experiences of interposition in
extremity.

Some who have known but little of the interior history of the orphan
work have very naturally accounted for the regularity of supplies by
supposing that the public statements, made about it by word of mouth,
and especially by the pen in the printed annual reports, have
constituted _appeals for aid._ Unbelief would interpret all God's
working however wonderful, by 'natural laws,' and the carnal mind,
refusing t