Читать книгу The Wonders of Prayer - Various - Страница 46

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A clergyman writes The Christian as follows:

"The Winter of 1872 I spent in missionary work, carrying the glad tidings of the kingdom of God into new fields in the 'regions beyond.' With my devoted wife, I labored ardently for the salvation of men 'from the wrath to come.' We were full of comfort to be thus engaged, though without pledge from man for support, or promised salary for preaching.

"In spite of our rigid economy, I had contracted some debts for the necessaries of life. I have since learned to go without what the Lord does not provide means to pay for at once. I needed the money to pay the debts, and felt impressed to pray for fifty dollars. I said to my wife: 'I am going to pray for fifty dollars.' 'Well,' said she, 'I will join you;' and we bowed before God and told Him our needs, and unitedly asked Him for fifty dollars; so that we might not bring ourselves or the truth we preached, into reproach, by being unable to pay debts. We were agreed in asking, and thus claiming the promise: 'If two of you shall agree as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.' (Matt, xviii. 19). We had the assurance that money would come; but from whence we did not know, nor care, for we knew the 'silver and gold' are the Lord's, as well as the 'cattle upon a thousand hills,' and he could easily cause some one to give or send us the money.

"We felt full of peace; for we knew it was for God's glory to answer that prayer. No one outside of the family knew we were praying for money. We did not go around among our friends and tell them we were praying for fifty dollars, in hopes that they would take it upon themselves to answer the prayer. We told none but the God whom we serve.

"Some little time passed, and no money came, but we did not lose our faith or assurance. One morning, at family prayer, I was led out to pray that we might see the Lord's working in our behalf that day, and I rose from my knees with perfect confidence that our hearts would be made to rejoice in God that day. When I came in to my dinner I asked my wife if any one had brought our mail from the post-office. She said, 'Yes, there are some papers on your table.' 'What!' said I, with surprise, 'no letters?' I saw a peculiar expression on her countenance, and I asked no more questions, but sat down to the dinner table and turned over my plate, and there saw a letter she had put beneath it; and as soon as I saw the hand-writing I felt, there is money in this, though, of all sources, this was from the one least expected. I opened the letter, and there was a draft for fifty dollars, 'a gift to aid in preaching the Gospel.' If I ever recognized the hand of God in anything, I did in this; and if there was ever a time of devout thanksgiving to God, and a humbling of self before Him in my house, it was that day. Since then, it has been easier to trust in Him than before. He has said, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' He has also said, through his apostles, 'Be careful for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.'"