The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

II. Mueller’s Orphanages-Inspired by Faith in Advent

One of the interesting by-products of the flaming hope of the second advent was the fire kindled in the heart of GEORGE MUELLER, Müller, or Muller (1805-1898), German-English philanthropist, of Bristol Orphanages fame. Born at Kroppenstaedt, near Halberstadt, Prussia, Mueller was converted by a Pietist family named Wagner. He offered himself to the Continental Society for service at Bucharest. But in 1829 he went to London to labor for the Jews under the Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews. ³⁷ He was in Teignmouth, near Plymouth, recovering from an illness when he heard Henry Craik, ³⁸ leader of the advent band of Plymouth, whose heart had for some time been fired by the blessed hope. ³⁹ Mueller spent ten days with him, and received more Bible truth than he had obtained in a long time previous. He saw clearly that there was no warrant for the popular concept, of the world’s conversion, and that the second advent is the sole hope of the world. ⁴⁰ PFF3 645.5

Gripped by the conviction of the Lord’s soon appearing, he united with the Plymouth Brethren. In 1832 he founded the Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad, where thousands were trained. But his chief interest lay in his orphan homes, which were supported by faith-and so conspicuously as to demonstrate the power of prevailing prayer. He had been moved to ask, “What may I do for the Lord before He returns, as He may come soon.” So, beginning in 1830, he erected five large buildings, at Ashley Downs, sufficient to care for 2,000 orphans. He also distributed 2,000,000 copies of the Scriptures and aided in foreign mission work. And the motivating power in it all was the compelling love of the second advent, received in 1830. Such was one of the significant by products of the nineteenth-century Advent Awakening. PFF3 646.1