Part 43 (1/2)
A REMARKABLE DECISION BY A JURY.
”In one of our northern cities, a trial at law took place between a Christian and an infidel. The latter had sued the former for a heavy sum, falsely alleging his promise to pay it for some stocks which he claimed to have sold him. The Christian admitted AN OFFER of the stock, but protested that so far from promising the sum demanded, he had steadily refused to make any trade whatever with the plaintiff. Each of the parties to the suit had a friend who fully corroborated their a.s.sertions. Thus the case went before the jury for decision.
”The charge of the judge was stern and significant. 'It was a grave and most painful task which devolved upon him to instruct the jurors that one of the parties before them must be guilty of deliberate and willful perjury. Their statements were wholly irreconcilable with each other; nay more, were diametrically opposite; and that either were innocently mistaken in their a.s.sertions was impossible.
”'Your verdict, gentlemen,' he said in conclusion, 'must decide upon which side this awful and heaven-daring iniquity belongs. The G.o.d of truth help you to find the truth, that the innocent suffer not.'
”It was late in the day when the judge's charge was given, and the finding of the jury was to be rendered in the morning. The plaintiff went carelessly from the court arm in arm with the wicked a.s.sociate whom he had bribed to swear falsely on his behalf. The defendant and his friend walked away together in painful silence. When the Christian reached his home, he told his family of the judge's solemn charge and of the grave responsibility which rested upon the jurors. 'They are to decide which of us has perjured ourselves on this trial,' he said; 'and how terrible a thing for me if they should be mistaken in their judgment. There is so little of any thing tangible for their decision to rest upon, that it seems to me as if a breath might blow it either way.
They cannot see our hearts, and I feel as if, only G.o.d could enable them to discern the truth. Let us spend the evening in prayer that he may give them a clear vision.'”
The twelve jurymen ate their supper in perplexed silence, and were shut in their room for deliberation and consultation. ”I never sat in such a case before,” said the foreman. ”The plaintiff and defendant have sworn point-blank against each other; and how we are to tell which speaks the truth, I can not see. I should not like to make a mistake in the matter; it would be a sad affair to convict an innocent man of perjury.” Again there was silence among them, as if each were weighing the case in his own mind. ”_For myself_ I feel as if the truth must be with the defendant; I am constrained to think that he is an honest man. What say you, gentlemen?” _Every hand was raised in affirmation of this opinion_.
They were fully persuaded of its truth, and _gave a unanimous verdict accordingly._
Thus the Christian man was rightfully acquitted, and gave thanks to G.o.d, with a new and stronger confidence in the power of prayer. ”Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me,”
saith the Lord.
THAT WONDERFUL $25. ANOTHER EVIDENCE OF THE EVER-PRESENT SPIRIT OF G.o.d.
The following incident is marvelous, as at the time of its occurrence neither party had ever been known to each other:
In _New Haven, Conn._, lives a little invalid widow, almost helpless, with no one upon whom to rely for support, and only indebted to friendly acquaintances for a temporary home. With no money, no acquaintances, she had nowhere else to turn to but to the Father of all good. She had prayed often, and often had answers, but this time, though needing money, still she received none. The answer was long delayed; she was almost discouraged. ”_Was G.o.d at last to fail and forget her? No, it could not be. Let G.o.d be true even if I perish, I shall still cling to Him. I can not give Him up.”_
Just at that time a business man in New York, who had been absent on a long journey for the Summer and had just returned, happened to pick up a note among many hundred lying on his desk, and noticed that the writer asked for some trifling favor, saying she was poor, had no means.
Her circ.u.mstances were unknown: he knew nothing but her name. He was eager to _minister to the little ones of the Lord,_ and felt deeply impressed in prayer that morning, in asking a blessing on his day's labors, that he might be able to help the need of some of ”his children”
who might then be in want. In his business hours the thought came over him with the depth of emotion, ”WHAT CAN I DO? LORD, THY SERVANT IS READY.” Just at that moment he picked up this note of the little invalid, who asked the trivial favor, saying it would be such a comfort.
_(No money whatever was asked for in this note_.)
Suddenly the thought came to him, ”_Perhaps this is my very opportunity.
This may be the Lord's little one in need_.” But there was nothing in the letter to indicate she was a Christian. She solicited no money or pecuniary help.
Immediately there came to his mind, amid floods of tears, ”_Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my children, ye have done it unto me_.” Instantly he understood it as a message from the Lord, and the intimation of the Holy Spirit. He immediately sat down and wrote a check for $25, and enclosed it to her, saying, ”_I know not your need; you have not asked me for help, but I send you something which may be useful. I trust you are a Christian. I shall be happy to learn if it has done good, and made you happy. Give me no thanks. The Lord's blessing is enough for me_.”
The letter was sent and forgotten, but a strange presentiment came over the mind of the writer. ”_I am afraid I did not direct that letter right_.” He sent a second postal card, asking if a letter had been received at her home; if not, to go to her post office and inquire.
Now notice the wonderful singularity of incident. Here is a man sending money, _never asked for, to an unknown person, about whom he knew nothing; then misdirecting his letter_, and then remembering and _sending another message to go and find where the first had gone to. But notice the marvelous result_. The little invalid received the postal card, but not the letter. She sent to the post office, and sure enough there was the first letter with its misdirection. She was _just in time_ to save it from being sent to _another woman of the same name living in another part of the same city_.
She opened her letter, and with tears of thankfulness perused this wonderful reply, a marvelous witness to the power of an overruling Spirit, who had directed everything.
”My heart is full, that G.o.d should so answer my simple prayer. I first asked him for $10, then $15, _and then for_ $25. I asked him for $25 several times, and was astonished at my boldness, but the amount was so fixed in my mind, _I could not ask for anything else_, and then I humbly trusted it to Him, and from that time I thought, I will not name any sum; let it be as He knows my need. And how He has honored my simple faith and trust in these dark days. _Your letter contained exactly the $25 I prayed for_. I have not had $1.50 to spend this Summer. I have suffered for everything. But through it all I have felt such perfect faith in the Lord, that his hand was leading me, even when I could not see a step before me; and that He should move your heart to help me seems so wonderful, so good. I am so glad I can thank you now, but ah, so much ”_over there_” where words will express so much more in the beautiful atmosphere of heaven. Your letter and kind gift was mailed _the very same day_ that I was praying in great distress and trial. I knew not but that I should be without even a home. My verse was Psalms 50: 15. O, how I had to pray that day. So day by day I was comforted, and now to-day the answer has come.”
Here, then, is a portion of the story of a sweet life who trusted G.o.d, not as a G.o.d of the past, nor far off, but ever living, ever present, ever faithful, and believed Him _able, willing_, and that He _would help_ her in her daily life. She tried her Lord, to prove if his promises were indeed true, and she clung to them to the very last. No one knew her need. No one knew what she was praying for. The stranger did not know anything of her. She had asked money of no one but the Lord. Hesitant ever, she dared not name any amount of the Lord, but that ever present Spirit of G.o.d guided her heart, made her _fix the amount_, and then touched the heart of the stranger and fixed the amount also in his mind, and then, by his own guidance saved the letter from being lost, and behold! when opened the _prayer of the one and the gift of the other was the same_.