The Wonders of Prayer Part 22

HOW A POOR LITTLE CRIPPLE CONVERTED A VILLAGE.

Mr. D.L. Moody relates the instance of a poor little cripple, whose prayers were answered to the conversion of _fifty-six people._

"I once knew a little cripple who lay upon her death bed. She had given herself to G.o.d, and was distressed only because she could not labor for Him actively among the lost. Her clergyman visited her, and hearing her complaint, told her from her sick bed she could pray; to pray for those she wished to see turning to G.o.d. He told her to write the names down, and then to pray earnestly; he went away and thought of the subject no more.

"Soon a feeling of religious interest sprang up in the village, and the churches were crowded nightly. The little cripple heard of the progress of the revival, and inquired anxiously for the names of the saved. A few weeks later she died, and among a roll of papers that was found under her little pillow, was one bearing the names of fifty-six persons, every one of whom had in the revival been converted. By each name was a little cross by which the poor crippled saint had checked off the names of the converts as they had been reported to her."

PLEASE G.o.d, GIVE US A HOME.

Mr. Moody tells of a beautiful answer to the faith of a little child.

"I remember a child that lived with her parents in a small village. One day the news came that her father had joined the army (it was the beginning of our war), and a few days after, the landlord came to demand the rent. The mother told him she hadn't got it, and that her husband had gone into the army. He was a hard-hearted wretch, and he stormed, and said that they must leave the house; he wasn't going to have people who couldn't pay the rent.

"After he was gone, the mother threw herself into the armchair, and began to weep bitterly. Her little girl, whom she taught to pray in faith, (but it is more difficult to practice than to preach,) came up to her, and said, '_What makes you cry, mamma, I will pray to G.o.d to give us a little home, and won't He_?' What could the mother say? So the little child went into the next room and began to pray. The door was open, and the mother could hear every word.

_"'O, G.o.d, you have come and taken away father, and mamma has got no money, and the landlord will turn us out because we can't pay, and we will have to sit on the door-step, and mamma will catch cold. Give us a little home_.' Then she waited as if for an answer, and then added, '_Won't you, please, G.o.d_?'

"She came out of that room quite happy, expecting a home to be given them. The mother felt reproved. G.o.d heard the prayer of that little one, for he touched the heart of the cruel landlord, and she has never paid any rent since."

G.o.d give us the faith of that little child, that we may likewise expect an answer, "_nothing wavering_."

"OF COURSE HE WILL."

Mr. Moody also gives the story of a little child whose father and mother had died, and she was taken into another family. The first night she asked if she could pray, as she used to do.

They said, Oh, yes! So she knelt down, and prayed as her mother taught her, and when that was ended she added a little prayer of her own: "_Oh, G.o.d, make these people as kind to me as father and mother were_." Then she paused, and looked up, as if expecting an answer, and added, "_Of course he will_."

How sweetly simple was that little one's faith; she expected G.o.d to "do," and she got her request.

STRIKING ANSWER.

The following incidents are specially contributed to these pages by Rev.

J.S. Ba.s.s, a Home Missionary of Brooklyn, N.Y.:

"While living in Canada, my eldest daughter, then a girl of ten years of age, rather delicate and of feeble health, had a severe attack of ch.o.r.ea, "St. Vitus's dance." To those who have had any experience in this distressing complaint, nothing need be said of the deep affliction of the household at the sight of our loved one, as all her muscles appeared to be affected, the face distorted with protrusion of the tongue, and the continuous involuntary motions by jerks of her limbs.

The ablest medical advice and a.s.sistance were employed, and all that the sympathy of friends and the skill of physicians could do were of no avail. She grew worse rather than better, and death was looked to as a happy release to the sufferings of the child, and the anguish of the parents; as the medical men had given as their opinion that the mind of the child would become diseased, and if her life were lengthened, it would be an enfeebled body united to an idiotic mind.

"But G.o.d was better to us than our most sanguine hopes far better to us than our fears.

"In our trouble we thought on G.o.d, and asked his help. We knew we had the prayers of some of G.o.d's chosen ones. On a certain Sunday morning I left my home to fill an appointment in the Wesleyan chapel in the village of Cooksville, two miles distant. I left with a heavy heart. My child was distressing to look upon, my wife and her sister were worn out with watching and fatigue. It was only from a sense of duty that I left my home that morning. During the sermon G.o.d refreshed and encouraged my heart still to trust in him. After the service, many of the congregation tarried to inquire of my daughter's condition, among them an aged saint, Sister Wilson, widow of a Wesleyan preacher, and Sister Galbraith, wife of the cla.s.s-leader. Mother Wilson encouraged me to 'hope in G.o.d,'

saying 'the sisters of the church have decided to spend to-morrow morning together in supplication and prayer for you and your family, and that G.o.d would cure Ruth.'

"Monday morning came. Ruth had pa.s.sed a restless night. Weak and emaciated, her head was held that a tea-spoonful of water should be given her. My duties called me away (immediately after breakfast) to a neighbor's; about noon, a messenger came, in great haste, to call me home. On entering the sick-chamber, I noticed the trundle-bed empty, and my little girl, with smiling face, sitting in a chair at the window, (say eight feet from the bed.) I learned from the child that, while on the bed, the thought came to her that, if she could only get her feet on the floor, the Lord would help her to sit up. By an effort, she succeeded, moving herself to the edge of the bed, put her legs over the side until her feet touched the floor, and sat up. She then thought, if she tried, the Lord would help her to stand up, and then to walk; all of which she accomplished, without any human aid, she being left in the room alone. The same afternoon she was in the yard playing with her brothers, quickly gained flesh, recovered strength, with intellect clear and bright; she lived to the age of twenty-two, never again afflicted with this disease, or anything like it. At the age of twenty-two, ripe for heaven, it pleased G.o.d to take her to himself.

"The sisters, led by Mother Wilson, waited on G.o.d in prayer, and G.o.d fulfilled that day the promise--Isaiah 65:24: 'And it shall come to pa.s.s, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.'"

A REMARKABLE CASE.

On the afternoon of Monday, August 20, 1869, I was sent for to visit Mrs. M., who was reported to be very sick. Arriving at the house, I was told that "Mrs. M., after a hard day's work, had retired to rest Sat.u.r.day night in her usual state of health, that immediately after getting in bed she had fallen asleep and had not awoke up to this time, (6 o'clock Monday evening,) that three physicians had been in attendance for 30 hours, that all their efforts to arouse her were without avail."

In the chamber, Mrs. M. lay in the bed apparently in a troubled sleep, she was a woman of medium size, about 50 years of age, the mother of a large family; around her bed stood her husband, four sons and a daughter, and relatives, about twelve persons in all. The husband and sons were irreligious, but awed in the presence of this affliction.

I felt, as perhaps I never felt before, my ignorance, my helplessness, and the necessity of entire dependence on G.o.d for guidance and inspiration, that prayer should be made in accordance with his will.

I knelt at the bedside and held the woman's hand in mine, lifted up my heart to G.o.d and prayed, "If it be thy will and for thy glory, and for the good of this family, grant that this woman may once more open her eyes to look upon her children, once more open her lips in counsel and holy admonition." While thus praying, as I believe, inspired by the Spirit of G.o.d, and with faith in Jesus Christ, I was conscious of a movement around me, and opening my eyes, I saw Mrs. M. sitting up in bed. Some of the persons in the room were weeping, others laughing; the sons came nearer the bed, and asked, "Mother, do you know me? do you know me?" She called each by name, and beckoned to her daughter, held her by the hand. I, poor faithless one, was wondering what does this mean? One of the sons took me by the hand saying, "Oh! Mr. Ba.s.s, G.o.d heard and answered that prayer." I sung the hymn, "There is a fountain filled with blood," Mrs. M. singing to the close, and then, apparently exhausted, sank back on the pillow, speechless and unconscious. The physicians were sent for, came, wondered, speculated, administered medicine, blistered the calves of the legs, and cupped the back of the neck, but to no purpose. She remained in speechless unconsciousness till the next afternoon, when, while prayer was being made, she again opened her eyes, sat up and conversed with her children and friends. In a few days she resumed her household duties, enjoying a good degree of health and strength, and faithfully serving G.o.d and her generation until it pleased G.o.d to call her home to the rest prepared for the people of G.o.d, three years after the incident, the subject of this paper.

A LITTLE GIRL'S BEAUTIFUL FAITH.

A little German girl, who had never hitherto known the name of the Lord Jesus, was led to attend a Mission school. It was the custom at the school, before the little ones received their dinner, to lift their hands and thank G.o.d for their food.

When in course of time she spent her days at home, and her father's family were gathered around their own table, this little girl said:

"_Pa, we must hold up our hand's and thank G.o.d before we eat._ That's the way we do at the Mission."

So winning was the little one in her ways, the parents yielded at once.

At another time her father was sick and unable to work, and the little girl said, "_Pa, I'm going to pray that you may get well and go to work to-morrow morning_."

At four o'clock in the morning she awoke and called out, "_Pa, don't you feel better_." The father said, "Yes, I am better," and he went to his work in the morning, although weak and obliged to rest by the way.

There came a time once when he could not get work, and there was no food in the house for dinner.

This little girl knelt down and asked G.o.d to send them their dinner, and when she rose from her knees, she said, "Now we must wait till the whistle blows, till 12 o'clock."

At twelve o'clock the whistle blew, and the little girl said, "Get the table ready, it is coming," and just then in came a neighbor with soup for their dinner.

THE LORD HELPS TO PAY DEBTS.

The author of this incident is known to the editor of "Remarkable Providences," and speaking of it says: "_G.o.d never gave me exactly what I wanted. He always gave me more."_

"When I married I was a working man; I had not much money to spare. In about three months after my marriage, I fell ill, and my illness continued for more than nine months. At that period I was in great distress. I owed a sum of money and had no means to pay it. It must be paid on a certain day, or I must go to jail. I had no food for myself or wife; and in this distress I went up to my room, and took my Bible. I got down on my knees and opened it, laid my fingers on several of the promises, and claimed them as mine. I said, 'Lord, this is thine own word of promise; I claim thy promises.' I endeavored to lay hold of them by faith. I wrestled with G.o.d for sometime in this way. I got up off my knees, and walked about some time. I then went to bed, and took my Bible, and opened it on these words: '_Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me_.'

"I said, 'it is enough, Lord.' I knew deliverance would come, and I praised G.o.d with my whole heart. Whilst in this frame of mind I heard a knock at the door. I went and opened it and a man handed me a letter. I turned to look at the letter, and when I looked up again, the man was gone.

"The letter contained the sum I wanted, and five shillings over. It is now eighteen years ago. I never knew who sent it. G.o.d only knows. Thus G.o.d delivered me out of all my distress. To Him be all the praise."