Part 30 (1/2)

_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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d.

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. G.o.d 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 G.o.d. 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 G.o.d's honor and glory. Use all the possible means to help G.o.d. Where human means are of no avail, commit it to G.o.d and wait in humble resignation. Ask others to pray, too, for the same object_, that when the answer comes, G.o.d may be glorified before the sight of others as well as your own. When so many are waiting to see if _G.o.d_ will honor his promises, depend upon it, _G.o.d will be found faithful to all his word_.

TRUSTING IN G.o.d'S PROMISES.

”It was a fierce, wild night in March, and the bl.u.s.tering 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-fas.h.i.+oned 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 G.o.d'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 pa.s.sed 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.

ARE YOU THERE.

A mother, one morning, gave her two little ones books and toys to amuse them while she went up-stairs to attend to something. A half hour pa.s.sed quietly away, and then one of the little ones went to the foot of the stairs, and in a timid voice called out, ”Mamma, are you there?”

”Yes, darling.”

”All right,” said the little one, and-went on with her play. By-and-by the question was repeated, ”Mamma, are you there?”

”Yes, darling.”

”All right,” said the child again, and once more went on with her play.

And this is just the way we should feel towards Jesus. He has gone up-stairs, to the right hand of G.o.d, to attend to some things for us. He has left us down in this lower room of this world to be occupied here for a while. But to keep us from being worried by fear or care, He speaks to us from His word, as that mother spoke to her little ones. He says to us, ”Fear not; I am with thee. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” ”The Lord will provide.”