A poor woman--a widow with an invalid son--a member of the church, could not attend church, or the neighborhood prayer-meetings, for the want of shoes. She asked the Lord for the shoes. That very day the village school-master called in to see her son. Meanwhile he noticed that the boy's mother had very poor shoes. He said nothing, but felt impressed, and inwardly resolved to purchase the poor woman a pair of shoes forthwith. He accordingly hired a horse, rode two miles on horseback to a shoe-store, bought the shoes, and requested them sent to the widow's cottage without delay. They proved a perfect fit; and that very night the overjoyed woman hurried to the prayer-meeting to announce that in answer to prayer the Lord had sent her the shoes.
The young school-master, who, I suspect, was my informant himself, now a venerable, white-haired man, heard the poor woman's testimony; and his pillow that night was wet with tears of gratitude and joy because God had used him thus to bless the poor widow, and to answer her prayers.
A Remarkable Dream.
The late Dr. Whitehead was accustomed to repeat with pleasure' the following fact: In the year 1764, he was stationed as an itinerant preacher in Cornwall. He had to preach one evening in a little village where there was a small Methodist Society. "The friend," said he, "at whose house we preached, had at that time a daughter, who lived with one of our people about ten miles off. His wife was gone to attend her daughter, who was dangerously ill of a fever; and her husband had that day received a message from her, informing him that his child's life was despaired of. He earnestly and with tears desired Mr. Whitehead to recommend his daughter to God in prayer, both before and after preaching. He did so in the most warm and affectionate manner. Late that evening, or very early next morning, while the young woman's mother was sitting by her daughter's bedside (who had been in a strong delirium for several days), she opened her eyes and hastily addressed her mother thus: 'O mother! I have been dreaming that I saw a man lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, and fervently praying to God for my recovery! The Lord has heard his prayers, and my fever is gone; and what is far better, the Lord has spoken peace to my soul, and sealed His pardoning love on my heart. I know it, I feel it, my dear mother; and His Spirit bears witness with my spirit, that I am a child of God, and an heir of glory.' Her mother, thinking that she was still in delirium, desired her to compose herself, and remain quiet. The daughter replied, 'My dear mother, I am in no delirium now; I am perfectly in my senses; do help me to rise, that upon my bended knees I may praise God.' Her mother did so, and they both praised God with joyful hearts, and from that hour the young woman recovered so fast, that she was soon able to attend to the affairs of the family where she lived. She had never seen Mr. Whitehead, previous to this remarkable time; but some weeks after, she saw him, and the moment she beheld his face, she fainted away. As soon as she came to herself, she said, 'Sir, you are the person I saw in my dream, when I was ill in a violent fever; and I beheld you lift up your hands and eyes to heaven, and most fervently pray for my recovery and conversion to God. The Lord, in mercy, heard your prayers, and answered them to the healing of my wounded spirit, and to the restoration of my body. I have walked in the light of His countenance from that time to the present, and I trust I shall do so as long as I live.' How remarkably does this circumstance illustrate the words of St. James, 'The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him!'"
"You Must Not Go."
A remarkable instance of deep impression occasionally made by the Holy Spirit on the mind of the Rev. William Bramwell during prayer, occurred in Liverpool. A pious young woman, a member of Society, wished to go to her friends, then living in Jamaica. She took her passage, had her luggage taken on board, and expected to sail on the following day. Having the greatest respect for Mr. Bramwell, she waited upon him, to take leave and request an interest in his prayers. Before parting, they knelt down, and he recommended her to the care of God. After he had been engaged in prayer some time, he suddenly paused, and thus addressed her, "My dear sister, you must not go to-morrow. God has just told me you must not go." She was surprised, but he was positive, and prevailed upon her to postpone her voyage, and assisted her to remove her luggage out of the vessel. The ship sailed, and in about six weeks intelligence arrived that the vessel was lost, and all on board had perished.
Evil Averted.
A correspondent of the Guide to Holiness says: "We remember a poor woman who had had a life of sore vicissitude which she bore with remarkable Christian cheerfulness; and after a time of the suspension of trial, a bad prospect came in sight. She resorted to a friend to whom she confidingly related the threatening evil, and at parting said, 'Oh pray for us.' The case as it was known was taken immediately that early morning to the throne of grace and laid out in all its circumstances with a deeply sympathizing heart, and a consciousness of the past sufferings of that woman--and as the friend rose from prayer, the answer was given that the evil was averted, and a new change would come to that afflicted one.
"That very day a strange deliverance and opening appeared which set that family at rest from their peculiar trials for the rest of life."