This year marks the centenary of the death of George Muller, the great Brethren philanthropist, whom God used to create and sustain orphan homes in Bristol where eventually 2,000 children were cared for.
Though a legend among Bible-believing Christians in this country, George Muller was born in Germany, on September 27 1805 in the village of Kroppenstadt, Prussia. He was the son of a tax-collector and soon showed a great intellectual ability.
When George was 11 years old he had begun to study Latin classics, French history, German literature and mathematics. But there was another side to this little academic genius. He had a propensity for cunning and wickedness. He has been described at this age as 'a liar, a cheat and a thief.' One incident involved his father leaving some money in a room of their house. He returned to find some of it missing. George denied all responsibility, but eventually his father found it hidden in George's shoe. His father thrashed him, but the boy showed no sign of regret.
