Prayer Saves The Life Of A Little Child.
"A year ago this Summer, my sister's little baby, only five months old, was taken very ill with that distressing complaint which often proves so fatal, and takes so many sweet little ones out of loving hearts and homes. I loved baby Ernest, but never so well as when he lay so sick he could not know it. We all loved him, and everything was done that could be thought of to ease the little sufferer all those long, close, hot days. Day after day, for four long weeks, we tenderly cared for him. Sometimes his mother would watch his every breath, fearing each would be the last. One Sunday he lay just where we put him, so quiet and still, with the sweet baby face so white and calm, we thought we should lose him soon, the little hands and feet were so cold. All through his illness, I kept asking the Lord to let his parents keep the tender bud he had sent them. We could not let him die, and to-day I prayed very earnestly all the time--even when we could not warm the little body at all--we could not let him go. Well, Ernnie passed over the fearful day and became a happy, well boy. He was saved. No physician saved him. Our tender care did not save him. Prayer saved our Ernnie. Precious baby! He is such a jolly, happy boy now, filling every heart and the whole house with his sunshine. How I love the little fellow. When I am here at his home, he always comes to Auntie for love and tenderness. When I am resting on the lounge, he comes every few moments to kiss me, giving and receiving real heart-love. We know God only lends these little treasures to their human friends. But oh, they bring so much love with them, it is hard to give them up."
The Lost Thimble.
"One day I lost my silver thimble, a gift from my mother when I was a young girl. I prized it very highly. I looked everywhere, long and faithfully. The tears would come, at the best, it had been so long a constant companion. I gave up the search after a while, thinking some one had taken it, or a child had lost it--any way, it was gone. Feeling sad over it, I sat down to console myself, and the thought came--pray about it; so I did, and while I knelt there something whispered, 'Look on the bed,' so plainly that I arose and went into my sister's sleeping-room where I had turned the spread aside, and there nestled, in a fold of the quilt, my thimble. I involuntarily said, 'Thank God!' out of the depths of my glad heart. I had lain down a moment on this bed with baby Ernest, early in the morning, and the thimble had fallen out of my pocket."
A Prayer for $25.
"God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform."
"I had a present of twenty-five dollars once, which was a direct answer to earnest, pleading prayer. I was entirely out of money for months--I could not earn a dollar. I had those who might have assisted me, but they did not. I could have borrowed, but I might never be able to return it; I knew not what to do. One evening, thinking it all over, scanning the dark cloud with anxious eyes, I said, 'If the Lord cannot help me, no one else can; I will ask Him.' And so I did, bringing all the previous promises before Him, pleading my unworthiness, but my great need; asking first for ten dollars; then, as I grew more earnest, I asked for twenty-five, feeling almost frightened as the words came from my lips. Sometimes the thought would intrude, 'How can you ask for any given sum--how do you expect it will come?' so I said, one day, to the Lord, 'Any sum you choose; you know best; I will be content.' Several weeks passed, and a sweet feeling of rest and assurance came, that, whatever came of it, would be all for the best. But, by-and-by, when the anxious pleading feeling was all gone, one morning came a letter from one I had never seen, with $25--just what I had asked for. I cannot tell you just how I felt; I only know I held the check long in my hand, scarcely realizing it could be for me."
Praying For Others.
"My sister's husband wished to raise a certain sum of interest money by a given time, but could see no way; was very much troubled about it; said he knew no one to whom he could apply. I told him to pray for it. He answered, 'God won't hear the prayer of the wicked; suppose you ask him yourself.' I did ask Him, earnestly and faithfully, and it was even given me the idea who my brother could ask to loan it him. I spoke of the man to him--said I thought he might get it; so he called on him one evening, and the way was made plain for my brother to introduce the subject; and when he came home that night, he brought with him the three hundred dollars."