THOUGHT TRANSFERENCE IN PRAYER.
This may be a common experience, but only once in my life have I had conscious knowledge of anything so remarkable. For some years before devoting my attention to these subjects, I resided in Liverpool, and had been a member of the Zion Methodist Church, or Chapel, in Everton, and in time was duly placed on the local preachers’ plan. In this capacity I became acquainted with a worthy old man—a chapel-keeper, who looked after the meeting house situated in —— street. He had been an old soldier, and possessed something of the faith of the Roman centurion. Poor in the things of this world, he was rich in the sublimity of his love to God and the nobility and purity of his life. I never think of “Old Daddy Walker” but his character and this incident comes to my mind, viz.:—One morning I was hurrying down West Derby Road to business, and, indeed had got halfway down Brunswick Road, when I commenced to think about old Walker (I had not seen or thought of him for some months). I attempted to throw aside my impressions, as passing thoughts. No use. I became worried about him, and was asking myself questions. “Was he ill?” “Maybe, he is in want?” “I think I will hurry back and see?” I had not much time to spare. It would consume fully twenty minutes to walk back. After hesitating, I went up Brunswick Road and up West Derby Road, and to —— Street, and tapped at the door of his house. There was no response. The street door was slightly ajar. I went in, and found the old pair on their knees in the kitchen. He was engaged in earnest prayer. After kindly salutations, I apologised for intruding, and told him, as I went to business, “I had been bothered about him in my mind, and did not feel satisfied until I had seen him, and knew the truth.” He told me, as near as I can recollect, “He was at his last extremity. There was no food or fuel in the house, he had no money, and he had been putting the whole case before the Lord.” I had half a sovereign about me, which I had taken out of the house for an entirely different purpose. This I gave to him. The old man, rubbing a tear from his eye, looking at his wife, said: “Mary, don’t thee doubt the Lord anymore. I said He would help, and He has given me what I asked for.” Old Walker went on to explain, not only his bad fix, but that he had no money to buy firewood with. He meant that he bought up old wood and tar-barrels, which he cut up into lengths and made into bundles, and sold for firewood; and that he had asked the Lord for ten shillings, as he wanted that sum to buy a certain lot which could be obtained for that amount. The old man obtained what he asked for. He believed the Lord had answered his prayer.