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A.T. Pierson
Arthur Tappan Pierson (March 6, 1837 – June 3, 1911) was an American preacher, missionary advocate, and author whose transatlantic ministry and prolific writings elevated him to prominence in evangelical circles during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in New York City, the ninth of ten children to Stephen and Sallie Pierson, a family with abolitionist roots, he was named after Arthur Tappan, a noted abolitionist. Raised in a Presbyterian home, he joined the church at 15, graduated from Hamilton College in 1857, and completed Union Theological Seminary in 1860. Ordained that year, he began pastoring in Binghamton, New York, before serving churches in Detroit (1869–1882) and Philadelphia’s Bethany Presbyterian (1883–1889), where he launched a missionary training school. Pierson’s preaching career soared as he championed foreign missions, authoring The Crisis of Missions (1886) and inspiring the Student Volunteer Movement with the motto “the evangelization of the world in this generation.” He preached over 13,000 sermons, wrote over 50 books—including In Christ Jesus (1898)—and edited the Missionary Review of the World (1888–1911). Succeeding Charles Spurgeon at London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle (1891–1893), he later embraced believer’s baptism in 1896, baptized by Spurgeon’s brother. Married to Sarah Frances Benedict in 1860, with whom he had seven children, he traveled globally, influencing figures like Robert Speer and John Mott. After retiring, he visited Korea in 1910, aiding the founding of Pierson Memorial Union Bible Institute, and died in Brooklyn in 1911, buried in Green-Wood Cemetery.
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A.T. Pierson shares inspiring examples from Mr. Müller's orphan work, illustrating God's unwavering faithfulness in answering prayers, even in the most desperate situations. Mr. Müller's experiences demonstrate how God provided for the orphans' needs miraculously and precisely at the right time, showing Himself as a faithful covenant-keeping God who never fails those who trust in Him.
H. God's Faithfulness in Providing
MR. PERRY writes: At one meeting at Huntly, by special request Mr. Müller gave illustrations of God's faithfulness in answer to prayer, connected with the orphan work, of which the following are examples: a. He stated that at various times, not only at the beginning of the work, but also in later years, God had seen fit to try his faith to the utmost, but only to prove to him the more definitely that He would never be other than his faithful covenant-keeping God. In illustration he referred to a time when, the children having had their last meal for the day, there was nothing left in money or kind for their breakfast the following morning. Mr. Müller went home, but nothing came in, and he retired for the night, committing the need to God to provide. Early the next morning he went for a walk, and while praying for the needed help he took a turn into a road which he was quite unconscious of, and after walking a short distance a friend met him, and said how glad he was to meet him, and asked him to accept £5 for the orphans. He thanked him, and without saying a word to the donor about the time of need, he went at once to the orphan houses, praising God for this direct answer to prayer. b. On another occasion, when there were no funds in hand to provide breakfast for the orphans, a gentleman called before the time for breakfast and left a donation that supplied all their present needs. When that year's report was issued, this proof of God's faithfulness in sending help just when needed was recorded, and a short time after the donor called and made himself known, saying that as his donation had been given at such a special time of need he felt he must state the circumstances under which he had given the money, which were as follows: He had occasion to go to his office in Bristol early that morning before breakfast, and on the way the thought occurred to him: "I will go to Mr. Müller's orphan house and give them a donation," and accordingly turned and walked about a quarter of a mile toward the orphanage, when he stopped, saying to himself, "How foolish of me to be neglecting the business I came out to attend to! I can give money to the orphans another time," and he turned round and walked back towards his office, but soon felt that he must return. He said to himself: "The orphans may be needing the money now. I'm leaving them in want when God had sent me to help them;" and so strong was this impression that he again turned round and walked back till he reached the orphanages, and thus handed in the money which provided them with breakfast. Mr. Müller's comment on this was: "Just like my gracious heavenly Father!" and then urged his hearers to trust and prove what a faithful covenant-keeping God He is to those who put their trust in Him.
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Arthur Tappan Pierson (March 6, 1837 – June 3, 1911) was an American preacher, missionary advocate, and author whose transatlantic ministry and prolific writings elevated him to prominence in evangelical circles during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in New York City, the ninth of ten children to Stephen and Sallie Pierson, a family with abolitionist roots, he was named after Arthur Tappan, a noted abolitionist. Raised in a Presbyterian home, he joined the church at 15, graduated from Hamilton College in 1857, and completed Union Theological Seminary in 1860. Ordained that year, he began pastoring in Binghamton, New York, before serving churches in Detroit (1869–1882) and Philadelphia’s Bethany Presbyterian (1883–1889), where he launched a missionary training school. Pierson’s preaching career soared as he championed foreign missions, authoring The Crisis of Missions (1886) and inspiring the Student Volunteer Movement with the motto “the evangelization of the world in this generation.” He preached over 13,000 sermons, wrote over 50 books—including In Christ Jesus (1898)—and edited the Missionary Review of the World (1888–1911). Succeeding Charles Spurgeon at London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle (1891–1893), he later embraced believer’s baptism in 1896, baptized by Spurgeon’s brother. Married to Sarah Frances Benedict in 1860, with whom he had seven children, he traveled globally, influencing figures like Robert Speer and John Mott. After retiring, he visited Korea in 1910, aiding the founding of Pierson Memorial Union Bible Institute, and died in Brooklyn in 1911, buried in Green-Wood Cemetery.