"A pastor related the incident of the conversion of a man who had disgraced his family, and all through drink. All the people in the village where he lived regarded him as a hopeless case. But he was prayed for, and one night in answer to an appeal to those desiring Christ to rise, he rose. He soon became a new man, and a steadfast soldier of the Cross, completely delivered from his hopeless situation, and all his appet.i.tes taken away."
"NO MAN CAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER"S HAND."
A brother says, "Jesus says this, and I rest just there." "A year ago I was in Philadelphia. I had resolved not to drink any liquor that day, but my resolution was soon broken. In the evening as I wandered the streets, that voice of G.o.d, "_Turn ye, turn ye_," gave me great uneasiness. Although I tried hard not to go, yet the Spirit was at work within me, and against my will led me to the meetings of the Young Men"s Christian a.s.sociation. When the call came for those desiring prayers, I felt that it was my last call, and I pushed forward and rose. Friends prayed with me, and that night, as I pleaded for mercy, the burden of my sin was lifted and I was free. Christ took the appet.i.te for drink away, and He has kept me ever since, and will keep me to the end, for He says, "_Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine_." Oh! I know He won"t let me go."
ANSWER TO PRAYER IN TEMPORAL MATTERS.
A speaker said at one meeting, "G.o.d answers prayer in temporal matters.
In a Western college, at a time when the last morsels of food had been eaten, and some had to go away from the table empty, four of the number retired to pray, and before they had ceased praying relief came.
Provisions in large quant.i.ties were received, thus verifying the old promise, "Before they call I will answer.""
THE LORD PROVED TRUE.
"The Lord reigns," another exclaimed, "I have proved that during my long life! It has looked dark very often, and I have been in difficult places, but again and again the Lord has brought me through triumphantly. I have found the promise true." "Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed."
A LITTLE BOY"S QUESTION.
A brother related a touching incident which occurred in Brooklyn. "A little boy asked his father at the dinner table, "_Papa, why don"t you read the Bible_?" The father was a pa.s.sionate man, and was about driving the boy out of his presence, but his anger made the little fellow weep.
That brought tears to the mother"s eyes, and then the father followed suit. The boy"s tears moved him, and the question struck his heart; and father and mother, up to that hour unconverted, were soon on their way to the prayer-meeting, where they found Jesus."
A LITTLE GIRL"S QUESTION.
A touching little story, with eternal results in it, was told at one of the meetings, ill.u.s.trating that word of G.o.d"s book, "A little child shall lead them." "A dress-maker called on a very wealthy lady in a city not far from New York, and took with her her little girl, five years old. The lady took a fancy to the child, and showed her over the house.
She expressed great admiration at all she saw, and, particularly attracted by the carpet, said to the lady: "Why, I should think Jesus must come here very often, it is such a nice house, and such a beautiful carpet--He must come here very often. He comes to our house, and we have no carpet; I am sure He must come here very often, doesn"t He?" The lady not answering, the child repeated the question, when the reply came, with deep emotion, "I am afraid not." The child left, but G.o.d"s message was delivered. The lady related the incident to her husband in the evening, and both were led to seek the Savior.
G.o.d CARED FOR ME.
At a meeting a young man in broken English, said: "If any man ought to believe in prayer, I ought to. My friends turned me out of my home, because I was seeking for Christ. I was too much Christian my landlady said. I told her I wished I was all Christian. It was seven o"clock in the evening when she refused to let me come into the house. I went then to the prayer-meeting in Water Street; we had such a good meeting, that I quite forgot that I had no place to sleep. The services over, I found it was raining fast, and I had no place to which to go. I went back into the room, and kneeling at one of the benches, I begged G.o.d to give me a place to rest. I did not go home my usual way that night, but on the way I took I met an old friend, and walking with him to his house he begged me to stay the night, as he did not like to be alone. I staid there that night, though I had never told him of my condition. What was it but an answer to prayer. Many a time since has G.o.d thus provided for my wants.
O friends, let your heart go out, for Him, then He will never let you want."
THE BLIND CAN SEE.
Said another, "I came here yesterday to ask you to pray for my sister.
She has been sick some time, and then she lost her _sight_. I did not get an opportunity to present my request because so many took part; but I thought I would just take my sister"s case to Jesus, remembering that "the prayer of faith shall save the sick." In the afternoon I found her in sad need of sleep. I told her just to look to Jesus, because it was written of Him, "So He giveth His beloved sleep." We prayed together, and I left her in a _profound slumber_, "This morning when I called on her she could _see me." Friends, the Lord does answer prayer."