"As one season for the contribution came round, she had only a little corn, a single salt herring, and a five-cent piece remaining of her little store. Yet she did not waver; she ground the corn, prepared her children's supper, and then, with a light heart and cheerful countenance, set out to meeting, where she gave joyfully the five cents, the last she had in the world.
"Returning from the church, she passed the house of a lady to whom, a long time before, she had sold a piece of pork, so long indeed that she had entirely forgotten the circumstance. But, seeing her this morning, the lady called her in, apologized for having been so tardy in the settlement, and then inquired how much it was. Old Sukey did not know, and the lady, determined to be on the safe side, gave her two dollars, besides directing her housekeeper to put up a basket of flour, sugar, coffee, and other luxuries for her use. Poor Sukey returned home with a joyful heart, saying, as she displayed her treasures, "See, my children, the Lord is a good paymaster, giving us 'a hundred-fold even in this present life, and in the world to come life everlasting.'"
Exactly Eighty Dollars.--"They are Safe that Trust in Thee."
A clergyman somewhat advanced in years recently related to a correspondent of The Messenger an incident in his own life, which well illustrates the provident care of our heavenly Father over his children.
"His first church was at V----, and, though he labored diligently, working with his own hands for his support, he became eighty dollars in debt. It was a grievous burden, and all his efforts to remove it proved unavailing. One day, when he felt especially cast down, he retired to pray over the matter, and on his knees he besought the Lord to aid, as he despaired of help from any other source. He felt strengthened and hopeful when he left his closet, and entered his church on Sabbath morning with a lighter heart than usual. As he passed the door a young lady met him, and placed in his hand fifty dollars, saying that twenty was to go for the Sabbath-school library, and the remaining thirty was for himself. He was so surprised that he scarcely trusted his senses, and asked her not less than three times, that he might not be mistaken. As he preached that day, God seemed 'a very present help.' At the close of the service, a young man, noted for his free-hearted, impulsive character, stepped up and requested that he would perform a marriage ceremony for him the next week. He did so, and received for his services a bill, which he placed in his pocket, and, on looking at it afterwards, found it fifty dollars, thus making up exactly the eighty he had prayed the Lord to send him."
We too often forget that God is as willing to listen to our temporal wants as to our spiritual, and that "no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly."
A Prayer For Four Dollars.
A Home Missionary from Brooklyn called one day upon an editor to gather some tracts for distribution which he had published. The editor became interested in the story of his visits among the poor, and though at first not specially moved to give money at that time, yet toward the last, putting his hand into his pocket he pulled out all the bills there were there, $4, and gave them to the missionary with these words: "There is something which may come useful." The gift was all forgotten until a few days afterward the missionary returned and said to the editor, "After I left you I received a letter from a poor lady who had been owing money for rent for several months, which she could not possibly pay. That very morning the landlord came and said that if she could only raise $4 he would excuse the rest; but she did not have the $4. I did not know where to get it. I happened to drop in to see you; did not tell you anything of the need, and asked for nothing; yet you gave me the exact $4 to answer that poor woman's prayer."
An infinite Creator and God had brought these circumstances together in this exact way. Neither the editor nor missionary had ever met before. The missionary did not know that the lady was in distress. Who was it that sent the landlord to the lady and fixed that amount of $4 in his mind? Who was it that sent the home missionary to the office of a person he had never seen or known? Who was it that knew of the $4 waiting in that pocket and prompted that hand to take it out and give it away? Who was it that led that missionary to obtain and send relief just as she was praying for that special amount?
Was it chance or science? No, No. It was the will of a loving God.