The New International Encyclopædia/Müller, Georg Friedrich

MÜLLER, Georg Friedrich (1805-98). A German evangelist and philanthropist. He was born at Kroppenstädt, Prussia, near Magdeburg, September 27, 1805. He entered the University of Halle (1825) as a divinity student, although his life was anything but exemplary. Late in that year he was converted, and in 1826 began preaching. In June, 1828, he was invited to London by the Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, to engage in its service for six months, and in March, 1829, reached London. He settled as pastor of Ebenezer Chapel, Teignmouth, in connection with the Plymouth Brethren; in 1832 he removed to Bristol, and was co-worker with Henry Craik. While at Teignmouth he gave up pew-rents and depended on voluntary gifts, for which a box was placed in the chapel. The result was a largely increased income, and from that time on he would take no salary, depending wholly upon voluntary gifts. In December, 1835, after a visit to the Continent, he published a proposal for the establishment of an orphan-house for destitute children bereft of both parents. Spontaneous offers of money and service were received, and the opening of the home was announced May 18, 1836. At the end of 1856 there were 297 orphans under his care. The number of orphans increased and the buildings were mulitiplied, until in 1875 “2000 children were lodged, fed, and educated, without a shilling of endowment, without a committee, without organization, by funds drawn from all parts of the world.” In 1849 he moved the orphanage to Ashley Down, a suburb of Bristol, to specially constructed buildings. Attended by his wife, he made evangelistic tours all over the world. His Narrative and other books and pamphlets had a large sale, and gave information of his work. He died at Ashley Down, March 10, 1898. Consult his biography, by A. T. Pierson (New York, 1899).