PRAYERS
A very nice and gentle minister accepted a call to a new church in a town where many of the members bred horses and sometimes raced them. A few weeks later he was asked to invite the prayers of the congregation for Lucy Grey. Willingly and gladly he did so for three Sundays. On the fourth one of the deacons told the minister he need not do it any more.
"Why," asked the good man, with an anxious look, "is she dead?"
"Oh, no," said the deacon; "she's won the steeplechase."
The two men were adrift in an open boat and it looked bad for them. Finally one of them, frightened, began to pray.
"O Lord," he prayed, "I've broken most of Thy commandments. I've been a hard drinker, but if my life is spared now I'll promise Thee never again—"
"Wait a minute, Jack," said, his friend. "Don't go too far. I think I see a sail."