But, when it became known that a relative, in whom she had placed confidence, had managed, in ways that need not be explained, to defraud her out of her inheritance, her mind gave way and _she became insane_.
"For years, her distressed husband strove in every way to restore her reason, but she seemed rather to become worse, and showed signs of intentions to commit suicide; and her family and friends lived in a wretched state of apprehension. In spite of the most faithful watchfulness, she twice succeeded in securing the means for self-destruction, but something prevented her from accomplishing her design. At last, it occurred to a friend to present this woman"s case in the prayer-meeting, to the Lord, and earnest prayer was offered for her restoration.
"No immediate result appeared; but the friends _persevered_. During the Winter, a revival of religion occurred in the town where she dwelt, and, with much difficulty, the insane woman, who declared that she was utterly and finally forsaken by G.o.d, was prevailed upon to attend the meetings. They began immediately to have a good effect upon her. She could sleep better; she grew more cheerful, and, in a short time, her reason returned to her. A happier, or more grateful woman than she now is, no mortal eyes ever beheld, and she affords one more instance of the Lord"s willingness to hear and answer fervent prayer."
ANSWERS TO PRAYER.
Dr. Newman Hall, minister of Surrey Chapel, London, gives the following instances of answers to prayer from his own experience:
"The writer"s brother, when superintendent of a Sunday School, felt a strong impulse, one Sat.u.r.day evening, to call on a member of his Bible-cla.s.s, whom he had never visited before, and to inquire if he was in any need. He found him very ill. Though the mother and sister seemed in comfortable circ.u.mstances, he felt constrained to inquire if he could aid them in any way. They burst into tears, and said that the young man had been asking for food which they had no power to supply, and that, on Monday, some of their goods were to be taken in default of the payment of rates. When he knocked at the door _they were on their knees in prayer for help to be sent them_. By the aid of a few friends, the difficulty was at once met--but the timely succor was felt to be the divine response to prayer.
"With that brother, the writer was once climbing the Cima di Jazzi, one of the mountains in the chain of Monte Rosa. When nearly at the top, they entered a dense fog. Presently, the guides faced right about, and grounded their axes on the frozen snow-slope. The brother--seeing the slope still beyond, and not knowing it was merely the cornice, overhanging a precipice of several thousand feet--rushed onward. The writer will never forget their cry of agonized warning. His brother stood a moment on the very summit, and then, the snow yielding, began to fall through. One of the guides, at great risk, rushed after him and seized him by the coat. This tore away, leaving only three inches of cloth, by which he was dragged back. It seemed impossible to be nearer death, and yet escape. On his return home, an invalid member of his congregation told him that she had been much in prayer for his safety, and mentioned a special time when she particularly was earnest, as if imploring deliverance from some great peril. _The times corresponded!_ Was not that prayer instrumental in preserving that life?"
BISHOP SIMPSON"S RECOVERY.
Bishop Bowman gives the following instance from his own experience:
"In the Fall of 1858, whilst visiting Indiana, I was at an annual conference where Bishop Janes presided. We received a telegram that Bishop Simpson was dying. Said Bishop Janes, "Let us spend a few moment"s in earnest prayer for the recovery of Bishop Simpson." We kneeled to pray. William Taylor, the great California street preacher, was called to pray, and such a prayer I never heard since. The impression seized upon me irresistibly, _Bishop Simpson will not die_. I rose from my knees perfectly quiet. Said I, "Bishop Simpson will not die." "Why do you think so?" Because I have had an _irresistible impression_ made upon my mind during this prayer." Another said, "_I have the same impression_." We pa.s.sed it along from bench to bench, until we found that a very large proportion of the conference had the same impression. I made a minute of the time of day, and when I next saw Simpson, he was attending to his daily labor. I inquired of the Bishop, "How did you recover from your sickness?" He replied, "_I cannot tell_."
"What did your physician say?" "_He said it was a miracle_." I then said to the Bishop, "Give me the time and circ.u.mstances under which the change occurred." He fixed upon the day, and _the very hour_, making allowance for the distance--a thousand miles away--that the preachers were engaged in prayer at this conference. The physician left his room and said to his wife, "_It is useless to do anything further; the Bishop must die_." In about an hour, he returned and started back, inquiring, "_What have you done?" "Nothing,"_ was the reply. "He is recovering rapidly," said the physician; "_a change has occurred in the disease within the last hour beyond anything I have ever seen; the crisis is past, and the Bishop will recover_." And he did."
The doctor was puzzled; it was beyond all the course and probabilities of nature and the laws of science. What was it that made those ministers so sure--what was it that made the patient recover, at the exact hour that they prayed? There is only one answer, "_The ever living Power of a Superior Spirit which rules the world_."
THE SEVEN LETTERS.
The following incident is given by "_The Presbyterian_," on the authority of a private letter from Paris:
"At a Bible reunion, held at the house of an English Congregationalist minister, where several colporteurs, teachers and others meet for devotional reading and conversation, a brief anecdote was related by a clergyman living in La Force, who established there an inst.i.tution for epileptics, where he has now three hundred, supported entirely on the principle of faith, like Muller"s orphanage.
"At one time, he found himself in debt to the amount of five hundred pounds. After a sleepless, anxious night, he found, on his table, seven letters. Opening five, he found them to be all applications, some of them most painful in their details, for the admission of new inmates.
His excited mind could not bear it. Without opening the other two letters he threw them to his wife. "Put them into the fire," he said, and turned to seek relief in the open air. "John," said a sweet voice, "this won"t do. Come back." So he did, taking up the sixth letter, which proved to be from a stranger, enclosing a check for three hundred pounds. The other envelope gave him just what was needed, just that and no more. He thanked G.o.d, and took courage. Will he ever again hear the sweet, sad voice, "Wherefore didst thou doubt?""
THE LORD DID NOT FORGET THE POTATOES.
"A correspondent of _Arthur"s Magazine_ tells of a poor woman who had been washing for us, who said: "Seems as if the Lord took very direct ways to reach people"s feelings sometimes. Now, I was astonished once in my life. I lived away out West, on the prairie, I and my four children, and I couldn"t get much work to do, and our little stock of provisions kept getting lower and lower. One night, we sat hovering over our fire, and I was gloomy enough. There was about a pint of corn-meal in the house, and that was all. I said, "Well, children, may be the Lord will provide something." "_I do hope it will be a good mess of potatoes_,"
said cheery little Nell; "seems to me _I never was so hungry for taters before_." After they were all asleep, I lay there tossing over my hard bed, and wondering what I would do next. All at once, the sweetest peace and rest came over me, and I sank into such a good sleep. Next morning, I was planning that I would make the tinfull of meal into mush, and fry it in a greasy frying-pan, in which our last meat had been fried. As I opened the door to go down to the brook to wash, I saw something new.
_There, on the bench, beside the door, stood two wooden pails and a sack. One pail was full of meat, the other full of potatoes, and the sack filled with flour_. I brought my hands together in my joy, and just hurrahed for the children to come. Little dears! They didn"t think of trousers and frocks then, but came out all of a flutter, like a flock of quails. Their joy was supreme. They knew the Lord had sent some, of his angels with the sack and pails. Oh, it was such a precious gift! _I washed the empty pails, and put the empty sack in one of them, and, at night, I stood them on the bench where I had found them, and, the next morning, they were gone_. I tried and tried to find out who had befriended us, but I never could. The Lord never seemed so far off after that time," said the poor woman, looking down with tearful eyes."
THE PRAYER IN THE WOODS.
A friend relates the following incident, as received from the lips of a poor afflicted, crippled orphan boy, whose own experience is a practical ill.u.s.tration of the words: "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." Ps. xxvii 10.
"Out of many instances of answered prayer I will tell the following one: In August, 1874, I wished to go to Lowell, a distance of some thirty miles, or more. I had no money, and did not know how to get there. I asked the station-agent and the conductor, but each refused, saying it would not be consistent with their duty. Knowing of no human help, I left the depot and went into the woods, some ways from the station, where I could be alone, and tell that Friend who is able to provide, and who is rich unto all that call upon Him. I knelt down beside the stump of a tree and prayed, and told the Lord all about it, and asked Him either to give me money, or provide some way that I could go where I desired. I felt that the Lord heard and answered me, and filled my soul with praise and joy. The language of my heart was, "Bless the Lord."
"As I turned and was going out of the woods, I heard a voice saying, "Halloo." As I had seen no one, and knew not that any human being was near, I was surprised at this greeting. "Halloo!" said the stranger," I never heard such a prayer in my life. Why did you go and pray?" I told him that I felt heavy, burdened, and I took the burden to the Lord. He said, "I heard you pray--you want money, do you? The Lord has opened the way; here is five dollars. It is the best way to go to the Lord, and trust Him to open the way. Go and use the money." I thanked him, and I thanked the Lord, and went oh my way rejoicing in Him whose promise is,"
My G.o.d shall supply all your needs," and who himself had heard and answered my request."
THE LORD CAN DO IT.
"In one of the mountainous towns--says _The Christian_--in the north- western part of Connecticut, there lived, some time since, an aged couple who had seen some eighty years of earthly pilgrimage, and who, in their declining days, enjoyed the care of a son and daughter, who resided with them at their home.
"In process of time, the son became sick, and drew nigh the gates of death. The doctor p.r.o.nounced him incurable, saying that one lung was consumed, and that he could live but a short time.
"The fear of her brother"s death, and the thoughts of being left alone to bear the responsibility of the aged parents" care, burdened the sister"s heart exceedingly, and led her to cry mightily to the Lord, to interpose for his recovery, and spare him still to them; and her importunate supplications ascended to G.o.d, until the answer came to her heart as a sacred whisper,--"I have heard thy cry, and have come down to deliver thee."
"Comforted by this sweet a.s.surance, she rejoiced exceedingly, knowing that what our Heavenly Father promises he is abundantly able to perform, and that He will fulfill his word, though heaven and earth shall pa.s.s away. But her faith was destined to be tried, and, on the very day after she had obtained the a.s.surance of her brother"s recovery, in came some one, saying, "The doctor says S---- can live but a little time." For an instant, these words were like a dagger to the sister"s heart, but she still held fast her confidence, and replied: "If _men_ can"t cure him, the _Lord_ can."
"From that very moment, the brother began to amend. On the next day, when the physician came, he looked at him, commenced examining his symptoms, and exclaimed in astonishment: "What have you been doing? You are evidently better, and I don"t know but you will get up, after all."
"His recovery was so rapid, that in two weeks" time he was out about his customary duties on the farm; and that in weather so damp and foggy that it would have kept some stronger men in-doors. But he was well; the prayer of faith was answered, and it had saved the sick."
ANSWER TO PRAYER IN ALL THE LITTLE TEMPORAL ANXIETIES OF LIFE
The question having been asked, "Does G.o.d answer Prayer, in even all the little anxieties and cares of daily life." _The Ill.u.s.trated Christian Weekly_, called in 1876, for testimonies of the surety of G.o.d in fulfilling his promise, and giving answer in little things as well as great things. Many, even good Christians have believed that they should not pray for anything for themselves, but only for those things which were to be used for G.o.d"s work. The following instances show that those who are devoted to G.o.d"s good work and helping in his service can ask for anything needed for their personal comfort, and expect the Lord to grant them. In truth the Lord _has commanded_ all his disciples, "_Ask and receive, that your joy may be full." "Anything that ye shall ask in my name, I will do it_."
BREAD TO THE HUNGRY.
"G.o.d was pleased to deprive me totally of my hearing in early boyhood.
By the late war I lost all of my earthly possessions. I have a wife and family totally dependent on me for a support. A man employed to attend to my little manufacturing business as manager, by imprudent management, deprived me of every earthly dependence for a support. I had no refuge but G.o.d. This feeling was intense beyond expression--G.o.d was my only hope. I laid my case before him. Then this came to me, "Seek first the kingdom of G.o.d and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." "Now," I said, "I am deeply conscious that I and my wife seek and desire the kingdom of G.o.d above all things; G.o.d then will give us temporal help." Then a feeling came over me, a feeling of waiting upon G.o.d. It was sweet waiting. I was at rest. I had thought frequently if I could get _two hundred dollars_ I could start my little business again. While thus trusting, and waiting, and praying, a package was handed to me by the express-agent containing $200 from a stranger in a distant county, against whom I held an old note dated 1856; and for many years I had forgotten the note, and would have taken twenty-five cents for it any time. The man was bankrupt, and did not fear the Lord, nor know anything of my situation in life. He was under no legal obligation to pay the note."
NO "IFS."
"A number of years ago I went West to better my condition.... After a little time I went into business of my own, had but little capital, and my good name to be punctual in paying for what I bought on credit was of great importance to me. I had promised to pay on a certain day a note of about $60. I thought I was sure to get the money, but was disappointed; I went to the Lord for help, not knowing how he could send me the money, but convinced that he was able to do it. At about noon the same day a man inquired for me. I knew him by sight; he had the name of being a hard man, took all the interest he could get, and never put any money out without security. He had not the note, but he asked me if I wanted to hire any money; if so he had _sixty dollars_ he would like to let me have. The man took my note and never did ask for any security.
"At another time, being away from home some 2,000 miles, was at the house of an uncle; same evening I received a letter from my wife that the children were very sick and but little hope of recovery. The letter had been written for over a week. I communicated the contents of the letter to my aunt; went up in my room and prayed the Lord to be their physician. I felt so sure that my prayer would be answered that I could not help singing; when they heard me they thought what a cold-hearted man I must be to sing if the children were dying at home. _But from, that day the children did get better, and in a short time were out of danger_.
"In my younger years I had a good many ifs, but those are all gone; I know that the Lord has the means at his command to answer all my prayers if I come believing, asking in the name of Christ."
THE HORSE IS HIS.
"The writer was preaching Sundays at a little country church, about 70 miles by rail from the inst.i.tution where he attended. He went Sat.u.r.day, returning on Monday. One Sat.u.r.day the train ran off the track. All day long they worked at the wreck. At last, finding it too late to make connection with the other railroad, he took the down train back to the inst.i.tution. What should be done? A promise to preach forty miles across the country had been made. There was also an appointment six miles beyond for an afternoon service. It was now night. To drive across the country was the only way open, or stay at home. Two disappointed congregations the result in the latter case. But the roads were heavy from recent rains. "Twill be so late that none can direct. Friends said, "Stay; you can"t go forty miles across, to you, an unknown country." But the writer felt it duty to go. Hiring a horse noted for endurance, at nine o"clock at night--dark, threatening--he set out. As he headed the horse in the direction of the village--for he could find none who could tell him the exact road--he prayed: "O G.o.d, starting out to preach thy word to-morrow, direct the way--guide this horse." The night wore on; as cross-roads came, dropping the lines over the dashboard, the same prayer was offered. When the horse chose a road, the driver urged him on. As day began to break, emerging from some wood in an unfrequented road, they entered the village they sought. The sermon that morning was from the text, "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard." The largest congregation of the Summer had gathered. It will not do to say that the horse knew the road. Returning in broad daylight the next day, though directed and directed again, we lost the way and went seven miles out of our course.