George
Muller, founder of the Orphan Homes, Bristol, [England], wherein
16,000 orphans have been received, who received £1,500,000
in answer to prayer and faith alone, was a Prussian by birth. When
a student at the University of Halle, he was careless and unconcerned
about spiritual matters. Although he was studying with the object
of becoming a clergyman of the Established Church, he knew nothing
whatever of the saving power of the Gospel. His conversion came about
as follows: Through attending meetings in a private house in Halle,
conducted by a devoted Christian, he became deeply interested and
impressed with what he saw and heard. The simple believers that he
came in contact with at these services had something which he did
not possess. He longed for rest and peace to his troubled spirit,
but was ignorant how it was to be obtained. He knew of no one who
professed to be saved through faith in Christ's Blood. Things must
have been at a low ebb spiritually. "I had no Bible and had
not read it for years," he said: "I went to church but
seldom; but from custom took the Lord's Supper twice a year. I had
never heard the Gospel preached up to the beginning of November,
1825" — the month of his conversion. "I had never
met with a person who told me that he meant by the help of God to
live according to the Scriptures. In short, I had not the least idea
that there were any persons really different from myself except in
degree."
Mr. Muller returned to the house several times, and not long afterwards saw that Christ by His sacrificial death on Calvary had borne sin's penalty, and died that he might be eternally saved. Through believing on the Lord Jesus he became a new creature. The Word of God became His joy and delight, old companions were given up, and although ridiculed and laughed at by his fellow-students, he boldly witnessed for Christ.
George Muller established 5 large Orphan Homes on Ashley Downs, Bristol; circulated millions of Scriptures and books, visited many countries, and entered into rest in 1896, in his 93rd year, leaving £160 in his will.
From Twice-Born Men: True Conversion Records of 100 Well-Known Men in All Ranks of Life compiled by Hy. Pickering. London: Pickering & Inglis, [193-?]
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