em up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord. The hindrances were many and formidable. If the
hereditary taint of disease is to be dreaded, what of the awful legacy
of sin and crime! Many of these little ones had no proper bringing up
till they entered the orphan houses; and not a few had been trained
indeed, but only in Satan's schools of drink and lust. And yet,
notwithstanding all these drawbacks, Mr. Muller records, with devout
thankfulness, that _"the Lord had constrained them,_ on the whole, to
behave exceedingly well, so much so as to attract the attention of
observers." Better still, large numbers have, throughout the whole
history of this work, given signs of a really regenerate state, and have
afterwards maintained a consistent character and conduct, and in some
cases have borne singular witness to the grace of God, both by their
complete transformation and by their influence for good.

In August, 1858, an orphan girl, Martha Pinnell, who had been for over
twelve years under Mr. Muller's care, and for more than five years ill
with consumption, fell asleep in Jesus. Before her death, she had, for
two and a half years, known the Lord, and the change in her character
and conduct had been remarkable. From an exceedingly disobedient and
troublesome child with a pernicious influence, she had become both very
docile and humble and most influential for good. In her unregenerate
days she had declared that, if she should ever be converted, she would
be "a thorough Christian," and so it proved. Her happiness in God, her
study of His word, her deep knowledge of the Lord Jesus, her earnest
passion for souls, seemed almost incredible in one so young and so
recently turned to God. And Mr. Muller has preserved in the pages of his
Journal four of the precious letters written by her to other inmates of
the orphan houses.*

* Narrative, III. 253-257.

At times, and frequently, extensive revivals have been known among them
when scores and hundreds have found the Lord. The year ending May 26,
1858 was especially notable for the unprecedented greatness and rapidity
of the work which the Spirit of God had wrought, in such conversions.
Within a few days and without any special apparent cause except the very
peaceful death of a Christian orphan, Caroline Bailey, more than fifty
of the one hundred and forty girls in Orphan House No. 1 were under
conviction of sin, and the work spread into the other departments, till
about sixty w