True Friendship

True Friendship

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I am already ecstatic to know about Spurgeon relationship with Muller.

There were unspeakable joy when I learn that they were great friend with Hudson Taylor as well.

Looking forward to the day when man of God could all meet together.

Matthew 27:42 New King James Version (NKJV)

42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel,[a] let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.[b]

The friendship of Charles Spurgeon and George Muller

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The great British preacher Charles H. Spurgeon once learned about this kind of trust while trying to raise money for poor children in London. He went to Bristol hoping to collect £300 (which in those days was a huge amount of money) for London’s homeless children. At the end of the week of meetings, many lives had been changed and his financial goal had been reached. That night, as he bowed in prayer, Spurgeon was clearly prompted to give the money to a co-laborer of Christ named George Mueller.

“Oh no, Lord,” answered Spurgeon, “I need it for my own dear orphans.” Yet Spurgeon couldn’t shake the idea that God wanted him to part with it. Only when he said, “Yes, Lord, I will,” could he find rest.

With great peace, he made his way the next morning to Mueller’s orphanage and found the great man of prayer on his knees. The famous minister placed his hand on Mueller’s shoulder and said, “George, God has told me to give you the £300 I’ve collected.”

“Oh, my dear brother,” exclaimed Mueller,” I’ve just been asking him for exactly that amount!” The two servants of the Lord wept and rejoiced together.

When Spurgeon returned to London, he found an envelope on his desk containing more than £300. The Lord had returned the £300 he had obediently given to Mueller, with 300 shillings of interest!

The friendship of George Muller and Hudson Taylor

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A penniless man in England — literally with no more resources than the birds of the air or lilies of the field — was already supporting through prayer and faith a family of some two thousand orphan children, later increased to double that number.

Without a cent of endowment, without an appeal of any kind for help, without even letting their wants be known to anyone but the Father in heaven on whose promise he relied, George Muller was proving the faithfulness of God in a way that had long stimulated Hudson Taylor’s faith and that of many another. But so large was the heart of this man of God in Bristol that he could not be content without having some part in direct missionary work in the darker places of the earth. He prayed for funds with which he might forward the preaching of the Gospel in many lands, including China, and had the joy of being the Lord’s channel of help in many a difficult situation. It seemed as if the Lord had his ear in quite a special way, and could use him in needed ministries that others overlooked or were not prepared for.

No sooner had the Yangchow riot taken place, for example, and long before the news could have reached England, it was laid on Mr. Muller’s heart to send financial help to the China Inland Mission. He was already contributing, but within a day or two of the riot he wrote to Mr. Berger asking for the names of other members of the Mission whom he might add to his list for ministry and prayer. Mr. Berger sent him six names from which to choose, and his choice was to take them all.

And then, a year later, when the shortness of funds in China was being most seriously felt, Mr. Muller wrote again, enlarging his help. While that letter was on its way, Mr. Taylor, in sending out a December remittance,wrote to one of the workers:

Over a thousand pounds less has been contributed during the first half of this (financial) year than last year. I do not keep a cook now. I find it cheaper to have cooked food brought in from an eating-house at a dollar ahead per month.... Let us pray in faith for funds, that we may not have to diminish our work.

To diminish one’s comforts seemed to him of small account, but “to diminish our work” — well, thank God, that was something he never had to do! Before the year closed, or this occasion, Mr. Muller’s letter was in his hands.

My dear Brother (it read), the work of the Lord in China is more and more laid on my heart, and hence I have been longing and praying to be able to assist it more and more with means, as well as with prayer. Of late I have especially had a desire to help all the dear brethren and sisters with you with pecuniary means. This I desired especially that they might see that I was interested in them personally. This my desire the Lord has now fulfilled.

The eleven checks enclosed were for all the members of the Mission to whom Mr. Muller had not previously been ministering. Writing by the same mail, Mr. Berger said:

Mr. Muller, after due consideration, has requested the names of all the brethren and sisters connected with the C.I.M., as he thinks it well to send help as he is able to each one, unless we know of anything to hinder....Surely the Lord knew that our funds were sinking, and thus put it into the heart of His honored servant to help.

But it was not the money only, it was the prayerful sympathy of such a man that made his gifts the wonderful encouragement they were.

My chief object (he wrote in his letter to the missionaries) is to tell you that I love you in the Lord; that I feel deeply interested about the Lord’s work in China, and that I pray daily for you.

I thought it might be a little encouragement to you in your difficulties,trials, hardships and disappointments to hear of one more who feels for you and who remembers you before the Lord. But were it otherwise, had you even no one to care for you — or did you at least seem to be in a position as if no one cared for you — you will always have the Lord to be with you. Remember Paul’s case at Rome (2 Tim. 4:16-18).

John 15:13 New King James Version (NKJV)

13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

May the grace of God continue to be upon His people.