er, once at his house and again at his office;
but on both occasions failing to find him, he only left a message. He
judged that God's hand was to be seen _even in his not finding the man
he sought,_ and that, having twice failed the same day, he was not to
push the matter as though self-willed, but patiently wait till the
morrow. When he did find the owner, his patience was unexpectedly
rewarded. He confessed that he had spent two wakeful hours in bed,
thinking about his land, and about what reply he should make to Mr.
Muller's inquiry as to its sale for an orphan house; and that he had
determined, if it were applied for, to ask but one hundred and twenty
pounds an acre, instead of two hundred, his previous price.

The bargain was promptly completed; and thus the Lord's servant, by not
being in a hurry, saved, in the purchase of the site of seven acres,
five hundred and sixty pounds! Mr. Muller had asked the Lord to go
before him, and He had done so in a sense he had not thought of, first
speaking about the matter to the owner, holding his eyes waking till He
had made clear to him, as His servant and steward, what He would have
him do in the sale of that property.*

* Appendix G.

Six days after, came the formal offer from the London architect of his
services in surveying, in draughting plans, elevations, sections, and
specifications, and in overseeing the work of construction; and a week
later he came to Bristol, saw the site, and pronounced it in all
respects well fitted for its purpose.

Up to June 4, 1846, the total sum in hand for the building was a little
more than twenty-seven hundred pounds, a small part only of the sum
needful; but Mr. Muller felt no doubt that in God's own time all that
was required would be given. Two hundred and twelve days he had been
waiting on God for the way to be opened for building, and he resolved to
wait still further until the _whole sum_ was in hand, using for the
purpose only such gifts as were specified or left free for that end. He
also wisely decided that others must henceforth share the burden, and
that he would look out ten brethren of honest report, full of the Holy
Ghost and of wisdom, to act as trustees to hold and administer this
property in God's name. He felt that, as this work was now so enlarging,
and the foundations of a permanent Institution were to be laid, the
Christian public, who would aid in its erection and support, would be
entitled to a representation i