The Wonders of Prayer by Various

V >> Various >> The Wonders of Prayer

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27

"A patient in this institution, who arrived unconverted, and was thought
to be in a dying state, heard the good news of Salvation, and was
enabled to rejoice in the Lord, through simple trust in Him; and from
that moment she began to rapidly recover from her disorder, and soon
became strong enough to nurse another patient."

Another remarkable case was that of a young girl who, in consequence of
the breaking off of a marriage engagement, manifested decided symptoms
of insanity. She not only recovered from her malady, but found the
Saviour.

THE BLIND RESTORED TO SIGHT.

Prayer was asked for a young lady who was wholly blind. A letter
received soon after brought this joyful news:

"In answer to your prayer for our niece, I must thankfully tell you, her
eyes are so much better that the Doctor this morning told her to thank
God for having saved her from the most dangerous kind of cataract.

"While examining her eyes, the Doctor, who is a Jew, took up a book
lying near, and opening it told her to try and read, which she was able
to do with ease. It was a hymn book, and the first words on which her
eyes fell were these:

'Christ Jesus, glorious King of Light,
Great Conqueror, David's heir,
Come now and give my blind eyes sight,
O Saviour, hear my prayer!'

"'That will do,' said the Doctor, 'you are much better.'

"I for my part hastened to my chamber, and shutting the door fell on my
knees with a cry of joyful praise."

Threats were made by many of the villagers that they would burn up the
house for this institution, saying all manner of unreasonable things.
"You can not prevent this by prayer," said one writer, "we have taken an
oath to do it." Mr. Zeller remained quiet, taking no notice of these
threats, but quietly trusted in the Lord. Though other anonymous letters
came frequently, yet the threats were never carried out.

It will he seen from this that, blessed as was the work of faith, still
the spirit of persecution was permitted by the Lord only to make his own
children rely more confidently on Him, and that he might fulfill more
positively his promise, "_No evil shall befall thee, no harm come nigh
thy dwelling_."

THE BANK OF FAITH. GOD THE GUARDIAN OF THE POOR.

Perhaps the providence of God in supplying the wants of the poor never
was more closely watched and better described than has been done by the
late William Huntington, formerly a minister in London, England, who, in
a book with the quaint title of the "Bank of Faith," tells how, in his
course of life, day by day the Lord guarded him, helped him, and
provided for every need, even the most trifling. It is a precious record
of faith and full of true encouragement. He answers as follows this
question: "_Should we fray for temporal blessings?_"

"Some have affirmed that we have no warrant to pray for temporal
blessings, but, blessed be God, he has given us '_the promise of the
life that now is, and of that which is to come_.' Yea, the promise of
all things pertaining to life and Godliness, and whatever God has
promised we may warrantably pray for.

"Those that came to our Saviour in the days of his flesh, prayed chiefly
for temporal mercies. The blind prayed for sight, the lepers for a cure,
the lame far the use of their limbs, and the deaf for the use of their
ears, and surely had they prayed unwarrantably, their prayers would not
have been so miraculously answered.

"Elijah prayed for a temporal mercy when he prayed for rain, and it is
clear that God answered him. Elisha works a miracle to produce a
temporal mercy when he healed the barren plains of Jericho."

Is my reader a poor Christian? Take it patiently. God maketh the poor as
well as the rich. Envy not the rich. Riches are often seen to be a
canker-worm at the root of a good man's comfort, a snare in his life, an
iron pillar at the back of his pride. A gar prayed to be fed with food
convenient for him, and you may pray for the same, and what God gives
you in answer to your prayer you will be thankful for.

That state is surely best which keeps you dependent on God and thankful
to Him, and so you shall find it to the end. _Go on, poor Christian,
trusting in the providence of God_.

THE LIFE OF HIS CHILD SAVED.

"My eldest daughter now living fell sick at about five or six months
old, and was wasted to a skeleton. She had a doctor to attend her, but
she got worse and worse. It seemed as if God intended to bereave us of
her, for he brought her even to death's door.

"My wife and I have sat up with her night after night, watching the
cradle, expecting every breath to be her last, for two or three weeks
together. At last I asked the Doctor if he thought there was any hope of
her life. He answered, no, he would not flatter me. _She would surely
die_.

"This distressed me beyond measure, and as he told me to do no more for
her, I left my room, went to my garden in the evening, and, in my little
tool house, wrestled hard with God in prayer for the life of the child.

"I went home satisfied that God had heard me; _and in three days the
child was as well as she is now_, and ate as heartily. This effectually
convinced me that all things were possible with God."

GOD SENT SUPPLIES.

"When I had been three weeks out of employment, I found a new place, and
after pawning all my best clothes to pay expenses, when the cart set us
down at the new home on Monday morning, I had the total sum of _ten
pence half-penny left,_ to provide for myself, my wife and child, till
the ensuing Saturday night.

"Though I was thus poor, yet I knew God had made me rich in faith. We
went on our knees beseeching the Almighty to send relief, as he in his
wisdom thought proper.

"The next evening my landlord's daughter, and son-in-law, came up to see
their mother, and brought some baked meat, which they had just taken out
of their oven, and brought for me and my wife to sup along with them.

"These poor people knew nothing of us, nor of our God. The next day in
the evening they did the same, and kept sending victuals and garden
stuff to us all the week long."

THE GOD WHO SUPPLIED ELIJAH BY A RAVEN SUPPLIED ME WITH FISH.

One of the most beautiful instances ever known, which almost identically
repeats the Bible over again, especially in the instance of Elijah as he
was fed in an unseen way by the hand of God, is given in the life of Mr.
Huntington. He was wholly unable to provide for his family, and could
depend only on God.

"As I went over a bridge, I cast my eye on the right-hand side, and
there lay a _very large eel_ on the mud by the river side, apparently
dead. I caught hold of it and soon found it was only asleep. With
difficulty I got it safe out of the mud upon the grass, and then carried
it home. My little one was very fond of it, and it richly supplied all
her wants that day. But at night I was informed the eel was all gone, so
the next day afforded me the same distress and trouble as the preceding
day had done.

"The next morning, as I entered the garden gate, I saw a _partridge_ lie
dead on the walk. I took it up and found it warm; so I carried it home,
and it richly supplied the table of our little one that day.

"Again the next day still found me unprovided, and brought forth fresh
work for faith and prayer. However, the morrow took thought for the
things of itself, for when I came to take the scythe in my hand to mow
the short grass, I looked into the pond, and there I saw three very
large carp lying on the water apparently sick. When the master came I
told him of it. He went and looked and said they were dead, and told me
I might have them if I would, for they were not in season. However, they
came in due season to me. _And I found, morning after morning, there lay
two or three of these fish at a time, dead, just as I wanted them, till
I believe there was not one live fish remaining, six inches long, in the
pond, which was near three hundred feet in length._

"I could not help weeping, admiring the goodness of God. As I studied
the Bible, I clearly perceived that the most eminent saints of the Bible
were brought into _low_ circumstances, as Jacob, David, Moses, Joseph,
Job and Jeremiah, and all the apostles, in order that the hand of
providence might be watched."

GOD TAKES AWAY THE SNOW.

"In the Winter the Lord sent a very deep snow, which lay a considerable
time on the ground. We were brought into great straits, as our wheat was
now of no use to us, and we could obtain no wood, the landlady saying
that as the snow was likely to last some time, she must keep what little
she had left, and could sell us no more.

"There was before us the fear of great suffering with the cold. I begged
of God that he might _that night take away the snow_, and send us
something to burn, that our little one might not perish with the cold,
_and the next morning the snow was all gone_."

SIGHT RESTORED.

"A violent humor came into my eyes, and for some months I was in danger
of losing my sight. Both myself and my second daughter had it more or
less for several years.

"In answer to prayer, God healed her eyes and mine too, so that our
sight was perfectly recovered."

PRAYING FOR TEA.

"As the life of faith consists in bearing the cross of Christ, we must
not expect to be long without trials. Providence soon frowned on me
again, and I got behindhand, as usual.

"This happened at a time when my wife was about delivery of child, and
we were destitute of those necessaries of life which are needful at such
times. The nurse came: we told her there was no tea in the house. My
wife replied, '_Set the kettle on, even if there is not_.'

"The nurse said, '_You have no tea, nor can you get any_.' My wife
replied, '_Set on the kettle_.' She did so, and before it boiled, a
woman (with whom at that time we had no acquaintance) came to the door,
and told the nurse that she had brought some tea as a present for my
wife."

THE LORD PAID HIS DEBT.

"It was the time of my returning from the north country. I observed that
there were some small debts to be discharged. But the hand of God was
fast closed; this continued for some time: and for all that time, I
watched and observed narrowly.

"At this time there was a special debt due of twenty pounds. This sum
hung long. I looked different ways, and chalked out different roads for
the Almighty to walk in; but his paths were in the deep waters, and his
footsteps were not known; no raven came, neither in the morning, nor in
the evening.

"There was a gentlewoman at my house on a visit, and I asked her if she
had got the sum of twenty pounds in her pocket, telling her at the same
time how much I wanted it. She told me she had not; if she had, I should
have it. A few hours after, the same woman was coming into my study, but
she found it locked, and knocked at the door; I let her in, and she
said, 'I am sorry I disturbed you.' I replied, 'You do not disturb me; I
have been begging a favor of God, and I had just done when you knocked;
and that favor I have now got in faith, and shall shortly have in hand,
and you will see it.'"

"The afternoon of the same day, two gentlemen out of the city came to
see me; and after a few hours of conversation, they left me, and to my
great surprise, each of them at parting put a letter into my hand,
which, when they were gone, _I opened, and found a ten pound note in
each_. I immediately sent for the woman up-stairs, and let her read the
letters, and then sent the money to pay the debt."

It is impossible to give in this page any large portion of the life of
Mr. Huntington, who was rich in faith, and upon whom God showered
abundant answers to prayer. But, like all of us, he, too, suffered
extremely in all the necessities of life, yet ever looked to God above
for help. Of his experience, he says in his own words, after having for
years thoroughly tested the promises and faithfulness of God:

"_A succession of crosses was always followed with perpetual blessings,
for as sure as adversity led the van, so sure prosperity brought up the
rear_.

"_Never, no never, did the Holy Spirit withhold his prevalent
intercession from, me in times of trouble, nor did my God ever turn a
deaf ear to my prayer, or fail to deliver me_."

"_Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him
out of them all_."

* * * * *

THE FAITH OF LITTLE CHILDREN.

HOW GOD HONORS THEIR TRUST, AND ANSWERS THEIR PRAYERS.

GOD KEEPS HOLD OF THE OTHER HAND.

A little boy with his mother was returning from a visit; the night was
very dark, and little could be seen ahead. She led her little boy, by
the hand, who trustingly walked by her side. He had only just begun to
learn and remember the stories of the Bible, and he believed and trusted
everything he heard. After walking for sometime in the darkness, very
silently, he burst out with,

"Mamma, I'm not afraid."

"Why, what makes you feel so."

"_Because, mamma, God keeps hold of the other hand_."

This is the beautiful lesson older ones, too, must learn, the simple,
childlike confidence in God, which gives no fear, no alarm.

The skeptic can never accuse little children of the same theories,
philosophies, imaginations and beliefs which are characteristic of older
heads. The child knows nothing of such books of reason, science or
religion. Many a child who could not read has asked of God and his
prayer has been answered; and when the whole world witnesses a little
child, who in its innocence has been told that God lives, that God loves
him, that God can do everything and will surely hear his prayer, and
then in its care and grief, kneels before the God it trusts, offers its
little prayer, _and the prayer is answered_, let none of maturer minds
ever presume to doubt. The faith of little children is typical of the
very simplest faith wherewith any human being must approach its Creator.
The child never questions, never doubts; but in its simplicity asks, and
God honors the trust. The following incident illustrates the point,
_that not one thing is ere too small for God to consider, or a soul to
bring to him in prayer_.

A CHILD WHOSE LIFE WAS SAVED IN ANSWER TO PRAYER--BY HIS OWN PRAYER THE
LIFE OF HIS SISTER IS SAVED.

One of the most beautiful incidents ever known relating to the faith of
children, and the reward of their trust, is contained in the following
circumstance, personally known to the editor of this book, who was a
participant in the facts.

The only child of a young married couple, living in this city, their
pride, their hope and joy, and the darling of the whole family, was
seized with severe sickness, grew rapidly worse. The grandfather, who
was a skilled physician, was constantly present, ministering in every
way, by every means, but nothing was of any avail. No medicine could
cure, and the child seemed ready to die. No one could think of relief or
knew where to find it. The grandfather, at last, proposed to lay the
case before God, and ask the prayers of His people in the child's
behalf. The mother was only too glad to ask other prayers with her own,
to bring relief. The father, who had hitherto never seriously thought of
religion, was in intense anxiety and despair. Here was his first, his
only child about to be taken away from him, and then came the thought,
is it possible his family life was not to be blessed; his child was in
distress, no human effort was available. At last, he too joined in the
prayer of his wife and father, and bowing before the Great Unknown,
unseen God, he poured out his heart in prayer, saying, "_Lord, if thou
wilt spare my child, wilt give him life, and thus show to me thy power
and will to save, I will never doubt again, and will give thee my
heart"_

A request for prayer was written and sent to the pastor, Dr. William
Adams, of the Madison Square Church. It arrived after church service had
begun; the sexton was unwilling to carry it to the pulpit, as it was
against the rule, but when told he _must, as a life was in great
danger_, he consented, and delivered it to the pastor.

The messenger waited breathlessly, and when in silence the doctor
specifically mentioned the case before him, and asked the Lord to heal
and spare the little one, and comfort the hearts of all, and make it a
witness of his love and power, the messenger accidentally looked at the
clock, and it marked just _quarter to eleven_, A.M.

When prayer was finished he returned home. Arriving at home, he was
astonished to find the child better, its whole condition had changed,
the medicine had taken hold, and the doctor now said everything was so
hopeful the child would surely recover, and it did. But mark the
unparalleled singularity of the scene. The father asked the messenger
the _time_ when the prayer was offered. He replied, "At a _quarter to
eleven."_ The father in astonishment said, "_At that very moment_ the
disease changed, and the doctor said he was better."

The father, who had thus been proving the Lord with this test of prayer
and its identity of time in his answer, was so overwhelmingly convinced
of the real power of prayer, and thereby of the real existence of God,
and that a Christian life was one of facts as well as beliefs, now
finding that the Lord had indeed kept His own promise, he, too, kept his
promise and gave his heart to the Lord, and became henceforth, a
professing Christian.

But there were more wonderful things yet to happen--a period of five
years passed. Other children were added to the family, and one day, the
youngest, a sweet, beautiful girl, was taken suddenly ill with
convulsions. The sickness for days tasked the strength of the mother,
and the skill of the doctor, but no care, ingenuity, or knowledge could
overcome the disease or subdue the pain. The little girl's fits were
severe and distressing, and there were but short intervals between, just
time to come out of one and with a gasp, pass into another still more
terrible. In its occasional moments of reason, it would look piteously
as if mutely appealing, and then the next convulsion would take it and
seem to leave it just at death's door.

All attendants were worn with care, the doctor fairly lived in the house
and forsook all his other business. The clergyman came and comforted the
anxious hearts with words of sympathy and prayer; but her _little
brother Merrill_, (whose own life we have just related,) tender-hearted,
a mere child, scarce seven years of age, who had known of the Lord, and
who believed that He was everywhere and could do everything, was
intensely grieved at "Mamie's" distress, and came at last to his mother
and asked if he could go and "_make a prayer to God for Sissy_." The
mother said, "Go." The little boy went back into his room, and kneeling
humbly by the side of his bed, as he did at his night and morning
prayers, uttered this request:

_"O God, please to bless little sister, she is very sick. Please stop
her fits so she won't have any more. For Jesus' sake, amen."_

He came back, told his mamma what he said, and added: "_Mamma, I don't
think she will have any more_."

Now mark how the Lord honored this simple faith of the little child.
_From that very moment the fits left her. They never returned; and the
child soon entirely recovered_.

Notice the full beauty and instruction of these two incidents: _Little
Merrill's life was saved in answer to prayer; was the means of his
father's salvation, and when he in turn had grown to an age when he
could learn of God, his own prayer was the means of saving his own
sister's life_.

Notice, too, that all earthly available means were used to save each
child, but to no effect. Physicians and parents considered the case
hopeless, and then committed it to the decision of God.

Notice, too, that when little Merrill was so sick, that the mother and
doctor both prayed, yet it was not until his father had also prayed that
the answer came. God meant to honor the faith of the first two, but was
_waiting for the prayer of the third_ ere he granted the request. That
child's sickness was one of the purposes of God. Notice in the second
case, that while father, mother, doctor, the clergyman, and others of
the house were all trusting in prayer, yet the Lord _was waiting for the
prayer of the little brother_, ere he sent the blessing of relief. Such
an incident draws its own conclusion. _Never cease in prayer for
anything which is to God's honor and glory. Use all the possible means
to help God. Where human means are of no avail, commit it to God and
wait in humble resignation. Ask others to pray, too, for the same
object_, that when the answer comes, God may be glorified before the
sight of others as well as your own. When so many are waiting to see if
_God_ will honor his promises, depend upon it, _God will be found
faithful to all his word_.

TRUSTING IN GOD'S PROMISES.

"It was a fierce, wild night in March, and the blustering wind was
blowing, accompanied by the sharp, sleety snow. It was very desolate
without, but still more desolate within the home I am going to describe
to you. The room was large and almost bare, and the wind whistled
through the cracks in the most dismal manner. In one corner of the room
stood an old-fashioned bedstead upon which a woman lay, her emaciated
form showing her to be in the last stage of consumption. A low fire
burned in the large fire-place, and before it a little girl was
kneeling. She had a small testament, and was trying by the dim
fire-light to read a chapter, as was her custom, before going to bed. A
faint voice called to her from the bed, 'Nellie, my daughter, read the
14th chapter of St. John for your Mother.' 'Yes, Mother,' was the reply,
and after turning the leaves a few moments, the child began. All that
long Winter day that poor mother had been tortured with pain and
remorse. She was poor, very poor, and she knew she must die and leave
her child to the mercies of the world. Her husband had died several
years before. Since then she had struggled on, as best she could, till
now she had almost grown to doubt God's promises to the helpless. 'In my
Father's house are many mansions.' 'I go to prepare a place for you.'
Here the little reader paused, and crept to her mother's side. She lay
motionless, with closed eyes, while great hot tears were stealing down
her wasted cheeks. 'Mother, He has a place almost ready for you, hasn't
He.' 'Yes, my child, and I am going very soon, but _He_ will watch over
you, Nellie, when Mother has gone to her last home.'

"The weeks went slowly by to the suffering invalid; but when the violets
were blooming, they made a grave upon the hillside, and laid the weary
body down to rest, but the spirit had gone to the home which Christ
himself had gone to prepare.

"Years passed away. It was sunny May. The little church of Grenville was
crowded. I noticed in one of the seats a lady plainly but neatly
attired. There was nothing remarkable in the face with its mournful
brown eyes, and decided looking mouth and chin. I ransacked my memory to
find who the lady was. Suddenly a vision of the poor widow came. This,
then, was the little girl, little Nellie Mason. 'We will read a part of
the 14th chapter of St. John,' the minister said. 'In my Father's house
are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you.' The slow,
deliberate tones recalled me from my reverie, and I looked at Nellie.
Her head was bowed, but I could see the tears flowing like rain."

THE FAITH OF A LITTLE CHILD.

An incident most beautiful was told in the Fulton Street prayer meeting
by a converted Jew.

"Journeying in the cars, I was attracted by two little girls, Jewesses.
I asked them if they loved Jesus. To my surprise, they said they did. I
found that their mother was in a seat near by. She had attended some of
the gospel meetings for Jews, and was interested in them. She said her
husband had not been to church or synagogue for eleven years, and she
did not know his views on religion. Her two little girls had attended a
Methodist Sunday school, and there learned of Jesus. A day or so after,
the mother was taken very sick, and remedies failing, the eldest child,
a little over eight years old, said: 'O Mamma, if you will let me pray
to Jesus for you, He can take away your pains and give you sleep.' She
knelt with her sister and prayed in simple words to Jesus to heal her
mother, telling Him that He had so promised to hear prayer. Shortly
after, the mother, after long hours of restlessness and suffering, fell
into a deep sleep and awoke relieved of pain and much refreshed. She
heard from her daughter's lips the story of her faith in Jesus and love
for Him, and then sent for me, begging me to pray for her. I am glad to
tell you that she is now a converted woman, a believer in the Lord Jesus
Christ."

THE WANDERER FOUND.

A mother sent a request for prayer to the Fulton Street prayer-meeting,
that she might hear from him who had long ago left home, and wandered
far away. She had been praying very earnestly for him, and soon she
wrote that she had just heard from him, and heard too that he had become
a Christian and learned to trust in Him.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27