Part 41 (1/2)
JOHN KNOX AND HIS PROPHETICAL PRAYER.
”John Knox was famous for his earnest prayers. Queen Mary said that she feared his prayers more than she did all the armies of Europe. One night, in the days of his bitterest persecution, while he and his friends were praying together, Knox spoke out, and declared _that deliverance has come_. He could not tell how. _Immediately the_ news came that _Queen Mary was dead_.”
MELANCTHON'S LIFE SAVED FROM DEATH IN ANSWER TO LUTHER'S PRAYER.
The most powerful tribute to the efficacy of prayer, was the answer to Luther's prayer which the Lord sent. A messenger was sent to Luther that Melancthon was dying. He found him presenting the usual premonitory symptoms of death. Melancthon roused, looked in the face of Luther, and said, ”O Luther, is this you? Why don't you let me depart in peace.”
”_We can't spare you yet, Philip_,” was the reply, and turning around, he threw himself upon his knees, and wrestled with G.o.d for his recovery for upwards of an hour. He went from his knees to the bed, and took his friend by the hand; again he said, ”Dear Luther, why don't you let me depart in peace?” ”No, no, Philip; we can not spare you yet,” was the reply. He then ordered some soup, and when pressed to take it, Melancthon declined, again saying, ”Dear Luther, why will you not let me go home and be at rest.” ”We can not spare you yet, Philip,” was the reply. He then added, ”Philip, take this soup, or I will excommunicate you.” He took the soup, regained his wonted health, and labored for years afterwards in the cause of the Reformation; and when Luther returned home he said to his wife with joy, ”G.o.d gave me my brother Melancthon back in direct answer to prayer.”
In this incident is given this extraordinary statement that while death has really seized a man, who too wished to die, and did not want to live longer on the earth, yet his life was given back to him again in answer to the prayer of faith of another.
THE WONDERFUL POWER OF FAITH AND TRUST IN THE LORD TO DELIVER WHOLLY FROM BAD HABITS.
A victim of licentiousness and sensuousness, who often, amid his sinful pleasures, had the memory of Christian parents before him, felt his was indeed a life of shame. But the downward steps had destroyed his will, his self-control, his manliness, his virtue. He had no power to resist, all was wickedness, irresolution, constant yielding. In vain he hung back, and tried to save himself from the cursed appet.i.te; at last he realized that in a few weeks' time he must go to the grave; strength could not stand such a waste of life. ”What a miserable life. What wicked ways, what wicked thoughts; how I wish I was pure; O, that I might get free; I do not love this sin any more, I don't want it, but I can't stop it. O, I wish I could be a Christian, and wholly free.”
Such were his constant thoughts. In mercy, the Lord who had been reading his thoughts, sent him a great reverse in business, and in agony of heart, he knew not where to turn but to the Lord, and pray for relief.
His prayer, too, asked to be emanc.i.p.ated from his wickedness, and his strength and health restored. ”_Lord, save me and I will_ be thine forever. I am lost unless thou wilt come and save.”
By gradual degrees, in the absorption of his thoughts over other distresses, his mind was diverted from his usual ways and thoughts of sinful living; gradually the habits of l.u.s.t grew less and less strong, and finally ceased altogether. But the body still remained under excessive weakness. But faith that the Lord who had saved others, could save him too, led him to pray, not only for the destruction of the habit, but entire recovery from its evil effects. His perseverance was persistent, and met with a _triumphant reward_. After a long; time, he felt himself wholly healed. New strength, new life, came back to him.
”It seems as if my life had been put back again ten years, and I was young again.” ”I never have any more wicked thoughts or imaginations, while I was once full of them. Since I learned to seek the Lord and love his Bible, I have never had such peace, or purity. I love the name and tender mercies of my G.o.d.” If in a few months, prayer saved that man's life, and so wholly changed it from a foul blot to a thing of purity, what can it not do again. _No sin can ever be conquered until in humility either saint or sinner_ gets down upon his knees, and implores the love and power of the Lord in _never ceasing prayer_, to wholly emanc.i.p.ate him from the control of the evil habit. _The Lord will surely hear it_. He can as truly deliver the body from the most persistent and enchaining habit, as he can wholly convert the mind and heart. The result is not always instantaneous; more often gradual, but _always sure_ if the sufferer _always prays_.
It is simple enough for the sinning one to believe that the _Lord can_, and seeking the Bible _for the Lord's own promise that he, will; to cling to it and never surrender_.
The sin may be repeated when you can not resist it, and do not desire for it, but take all pains to avoid; still pray though you often fail; still try, still trust the Lord to loose your chains and remove your desire, and deliverance is sure to come at last.
RECOVERY FROM PARALYSIS.
”Between two and three years ago, the writer was struck down by paralysis, disabling entirely the limbs of the left side. In this apparently helpless state, I employed a man to take care of me, and felt that unless G.o.d should interpose, I must be a continuous burden on my friends. My kind physician gave me no hope of _entire recovery_.
”In this state I made my prayer to G.o.d continually, that he would so far restore my strength as to enable me to take care of myself.
”This prayer he was pleased to answer, for in eight weeks I dismissed my attendant, finding myself able to take care of myself. I now walk more than half a mile each day, and attend to all the a.s.sociations of home life. I record with thankfulness this restoration of my disabled frame in answer to prayer.”
THE STOLEN BONDS RETURNED.
The _New York Observer_ relates a remarkable instance of the return of stolen property, which in its extraordinary way can be accounted for only by the control of a Supreme Will, and all in answer to prayer.
”On February 16, 1877, United States and railroad bonds and mortgages to the amount of $160,000, belonging to Edgar H. Richards, were stolen from the banking house of James G. King's Sons, of this city. No clue whatever to the robbers could be obtained. Several parties were arrested on suspicion, but nothing could be proved, and the mystery remained unsolved.
”Mr. Richards, being a member of one of our most prominent churches, made it a subject of constant prayer, that the Lord would wholly prevent the thieves from any use of the property and cause it to be returned to him. When asked if he was ever incredulous, he said, 'No, I have never lost my faith in recovering this property. I believe in prayer, and I have made it from the first a subject of prayer, and it will be answered.'