In about the year 1830, in Central New York, there was a time of great scarcity of provisions. Grain was very high, and difficult to be obtained at any price; and, of course, families of limited means were very much straitened. In one family, the wife and mother of six children, a Godly woman, worked at her trade (tailoress) to the extent of her ability, and prayed earnestly that God would deliver them from pressing want. Husband and children all knew of their need, and of the fervent prayers of the wife and mother for their supply; but no one knew by what means the supply was to come. Every day, as their scanty means were being consumed, the prospect grew darker. On the farm was a large quantity of pine timber. Four miles from there, in the next town, lived a man who needed some shingles; and, casting about him to see where he should obtain a supply, thought he would go and purchase a pine tree, and himself and man go into the woods and work it up into shingles. As he was about starting, the thought occurred to him, "Perhaps they may be in want of wheat flour--a bag cannot come amiss in this time of scarcity." So, putting two bushels in a bag, he proceeded to the next town, entered the house, and made known his errand, saying, "I have brought along two bushels of flour towards paying for the tree, thinking you might be in want of it in this time of scarcity, and I knew you live six or seven miles from the mill, and have no horse." "That is in answer to prayer," said the noble woman; and the husband believed it, though not a praying man. When, at night, the oldest son came in, the mother said to him, "God has answered our prayers, and sent a bag of flour." It is believed that, while this was not miraculous, it was as directly the interposition of God, as feeding Elijah by the ravens; and it was in direct answer to prayer for that special blessing."
Incidents from the Experience of a City Missionary.--A Prayer for Supper Answered.
An educated, accomplished lady, reduced to the very lowest round of poverty's ladder, whom we shall call Mrs. X----, bears unfailing testimony to God's hearing and answering the prayer of faith. The daughter came up-stairs one day to announce the utter emptiness of the larder. There was not even a piece of dry bread, nor a drawing of tea; not a potato, nor a bean; and "Charles, poor fellow, will come home from his work at six, tired and so hungry; what shall we do, mother?"
"The Lord will send us something, before he comes," said Mrs. X----. So, for three hours more the daughter waited. "Mother, it is five o'clock, and the Lord has not sent us anything." "He will, my dear, before half-past six;" and the widow went in an adjoining room, to ask that her daughter might not feel it vain to call upon God. In fifteen minutes, the door-bell rang violently, and a gentleman, valise in hand, said, "Mrs. X----, I left the room which I hired of you one year ago, in a great hurry, you will remember; and I owed you five dollars. I have not been in the city since, and am rushing out of it again--jumped off the car just to give you this money. Good-bye."
Relief From A Creditor's Demands.
"At another time, being sorely pressed by a heartless creditor, and almost beside herself, she concluded to walk out and get free from the insupportable burden, by change of air and scene for two or three hours. Passing the house of a friend, just returned from Europe, she called for a few moments, and was presented with a small and peculiar plant, brought from Wales. All the way home she was asking the Lord to release her from this relentless creditor, and all the way home a man, without her knowledge, was following her. Arrived at her own stoop, he suddenly confronted her, bowed, apologized for the liberty, but said he had not had a sight of that dear old plant since he left home; and if she would sell it to him, he would gladly give her ten dollars for it. As that was half the sum for which she was persecuted, and would probably relieve her from annoyance until she could raise the balance, she accepted the offer."
Two Hundred Dollars Needed and Given at the Last Moment.
"At the time of her husband's death, there were two hundred dollars due an institute, for board and tuition of their two little boys. His death was the flood-gate opened, which let in a successive torrent of perplexities, losses, dilemmas, delays, law-suits, etc. She had not been able to pay that bill; the principal was importunate, persevering, bitter, and, at last, abusive. She cried to the Lord for a week, day and night, almost without ceasing. Then, a gentleman whom she had taken to her own house and carefully nursed through a dangerous illness, three years before, called to say good-bye. He was on his way to a Bremen steamer, and all other adieus were said, all his baggage on board, except the valise in his hand. Might her boy ride down to the wharf and see him off? Of course she was glad to consent. When her son returned he brought back a letter, which opened, she found to contain two hundred dollars and the words, 'Not that money can ever express my gratitude, but the enclosed may be useful for gas-bills or some other little household matter.'"
How The Lord Repaid A Generous Gift.
"Some gentlemen, urged to contribute to a most worthy cause, said, 'Go first to Mr. Z.--whatever he gives, we will.' Mr. Z., upon application, concluded to make his neighbors do something worth while, and, as he was expecting a thousand dollars in a very few days, subscribed the whole of that. Upon the arrival of the vessel which was to pay his subscription, he found the difference in exchange between certain countries, had swelled his thousand dollars to twenty-two hundred."