Today’s Leader of Faith
MARY GROVES MULLER
Home Call : 06 Feb 1870
Missionary, Evangelist, Prayer-warrior, Co-founder of Asley Down Orphanage
Mary Groves Muller (1797–1870) was the wife of George Muller, the renowned Christian evangelist and founder of the Ashley Down Orphanage in Bristol. She was also the sister of Anthony Norris Groves, a notable Protestant missionary. She actively supported George in founding their first orphan home in 1836, which later expanded to house hundreds of children. She played a vital role in managing the orphanages, sharing her husband’s unwavering trust in God’s provision, relying solely on prayer and faith without soliciting donations. Their ministry profoundly influenced many Christian leaders, including Charles Spurgeon, who went on to found the Stockwell Orphanage in London in 1867. Mary’s dedication to the well-being of orphans remained steadfast until the very end.
Mary was born on August 28, 1796, in Newton Valence, Hampshire, England, to Anthony Groves and Lydia White. She received a well-rounded education, studying English grammar, geography, history, French, Latin, and Hebrew, with a particular interest in astronomy. She was also skilled in piano playing and painting. Her upbringing emphasized practical knowledge, preparing her for her future roles as a supportive wife and mother. Mary Groves married George Muller on October 7, 1830, at St. David’s Church in Exeter, England. They had four children, two of whom were stillborn, yet they remained steadfast in faith and devoted their lives to serving others. Mary played a vital role in the Bristol orphanages, which she and George founded in 1836, starting with a rented home on Wilson Street for 30 girls and later expanding to accommodate thousands of orphans at the newly built Ashley Down Orphanage. Beyond her work with the orphanages, she also supported George’s pastoral ministry at Bethesda Chapel in Bristol.
Mary Muller passed away on February 6, 1870, after 39 years of marriage at the age of 73 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. Her death was a profound loss to George, who described her as a “precious gift from God.” Despite his grief, he continued their mission, drawing strength from her unwavering faith and service. Her legacy endures through the orphanages, faith-based ministry, and the countless lives touched by her work alongside George Muller.