Answers to Prayer—“Scrubbing up with the Bible.”
MISS HATTIE A. MILTON, MEMPHIS, TENN.
My heart is overflowing with thanks-giving, not so much for the great results that I have already seen—for the greatest results in this work are discerned only by the eye of faith—but that I am permitted to be the instrument, even in a humble way, of answering your prayers, and not only yours, but those of the poor suffering people here. So many times when administering to their wants, not only when giving them loaves and fishes, but when pointing them to a higher spiritual and moral life, they have remarked, “Miss, I know the Lord sent you in answer to prayer.”
Sometimes I hesitate about going to places, and think I will do some other duty that day; but when the thought comes to me that it may be an opportunity to answer somebody’s prayer, I feel that I must go. Again, many times have my friends in the North answered my prayers. I will mention one instance which struck me as being remarkable. A very poor woman came to me asking for clothing for the little helpless children of her dying sister. I had just given out the last garment; but while talking with her I put up a prayer that something would come soon, and told her that I thought I should have something for her in a few days. Just then the door-bell rang, and I went to the door and found there a box, which I opened at once, and in it beheld the answer to my prayer! It was full of very nice and mostly new clothing for children. It was a literal fulfilment of the promise, “and it shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer; and while they are yet speaking I will hear.” And it is a comforting thought, that wherever God places us, He gives us the opportunity to answer other people’s prayers.
The interest in this work is constantly increasing as we know more about it. The outlook for the year on which we have already entered is very encouraging. A few days since, while visiting a very hard neighborhood, one mother who is a church member said, “You must come around often; we knew ye first, and ye ought to visit us most; we needs ye too. I allers lays close down to what ye say, like the knife to the grindstone, ‘cause I wants ye to sharpen me, so I will get to living better. I’s mighty keerless, tho’ sometimes I does try in a stamerin’ manner to talk to my trifling neighbors. Now do come around often and scrub us up with the Bible.” Another woman, who has a good home, said, “We are so glad to have you back, so we can have our prayer meetings again; for we like those quiet meetings, without any fuss; and we like a leader in whom we have confidence, to instruct us.”
One of the pupils in our school urged me to start a Sunday-school in the Methodist church, of which she is a member. I went three or four times, accompanied by one of our teachers. The colored pastor gave us a hearty welcome; said he was proud that we had come to help, and that he was no respecter of persons. The number increased each week. Last Sunday it was very unpleasant. The tenacity of the red Memphis mud was marvelous; but when I arrived, a little late, at the church, having been detained to attend the burial of a baby, I found a goodly number, and the pastor was reviewing the last week’s lesson. We immediately proceeded with the lesson for the day, after which I told them I thought we had better organize a Sunday-school, as I only wished to be a teacher, and would rather some of their own number would be the officers. To this they gladly assented, and we organized. We have three classes. I furnish them with Sunday-school papers, as they have never had any. Twice, as the hour for service approached, the minister has given up preaching, saying they learned much more studying the Bible. As we were leaving the church a brother said, “I believe you is going to be jest the building up of this church.” Another said, “That is the kind of folks we colored ones needs; some one who is always at the post of duty, and is not afeard of mud and rain.”
We have substantial evidence that our Northern friends have not forgotten the suffering ones here, in the shape of two barrels of very useful clothing, from Whitewater, Wis., and I have word that boxes from three other places are on the road. May those who give be as much blessed as those who receive, and we will strive to do all in our power to answer their prayers. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
STUDENT TEACHERS FROM LE MOYNE.
MISS L. A. PARMELEE, MEMPHIS.