The Wonders of Prayer Part 48

"Two who left home, and had gone to distant cities to seek employment, have written me to pray that they may be able to forsake sin in all its forms, and come to Christ and be Christians. One of them was skeptical when he left home. The one remaining at home has resolved to quit drinking."

G.o.d ALWAYS ANSWERS BELIEVING PRAYER.

"Your prayers asked on several occasions have all been graciously answered. Return thanks unto the Lord that sendeth mercy."

THE HARDEST HEART YIELDS AT LAST.

"Several years since your prayers were solicited in behalf of one who seemed given over to hardness of heart and reprobacy of mind. Since that time there has been some reform in his life. G.o.d only knows how far those prayers have been answered in restraining grace. Last week he said to the friend who had solicited your prayers for him, 'I wish you would ask Fulton Street prayer-meeting to pray again for me. _I believe it did me good._'"

UP FROM THE LOWEST DEPTHS.

"One year ago I wrote you respecting prayer for my husband. He has since been reclaimed from the lowest depths of a drunkard's life, and is now a member of the Christian church. Thanks be to G.o.d, the giver of all good."

SAVED AND HONORED.

"Almost three years ago I asked you to pray for a young man that was wandering from G.o.d. Thank G.o.d, your and my prayers were answered. He is now an active Christian, a superintendent of the Sabbath school, and a most zealous member of the Young Men's Christian a.s.sociation of this place."

ALMOST PERSUADED.

"Some weeks since I requested prayer for a member of this Inst.i.tution who was 'almost persuaded' to be a Christian. Thanks to our Father, and to those who have offered prayer in her behalf, she has been _altogether persuaded_, and has united with the Lord's people."

ANSWERED THE SAME DAY.

"You received a letter yesterday. My husband rose for prayers the same night."

OH, HOW PRECIOUS.

"I wrote five months since for prayers for myself, and I now write to say that I have found my Savior very precious to my soul."

PRAYING FOR A PASTOR.

"Several months ago I wrote asking you to pray for a feeble church in need of a pastor. Since then I am happy to say that this church has been blessed and we now have a pastor."

A TELEGRAM OF PRAYER.

An incident was related at one of the meetings by a clergyman who had written a telegram asking for prayers. G.o.d heard it before it was sent.

"When we were in Switzerland, my daughter was taken very ill, so that the doctor despaired of her life. I felt the need of sympathy and help and prayer, and I made up my mind that I would send a telegraphic dispatch to this meeting, where I had so often united with you in prayer. I wrote the dispatch and was prepared to send it, when all at once there was poured out such a joyful faith and confidence in G.o.d on me as I never felt before in all my life, and I fell on my knees in devout thanksgiving for the a.s.surance that G.o.d gave me that he had heard and answered our prayers, for we had prayed for that dear daughter's life. There lay the telegram ready to be sent. There I was waiting and praying. In less than half an hour my wife came into the room and said, 'There is a change for the better in our daughter,' and the telegram was never sent, though I believe the writing of it was the prayer that G.o.d answered."

HE DID NOT KEEP HIS PROMISE, BUT G.o.d DID.

A remarkable instance of how G.o.d keeps his promises and is faithful, and how man often forgets to keep his, and at last receives deserved punishment for his thanklessness to G.o.d, was recently related in the Fulton Street prayer-meeting.

A very urgent case was presented by a friend. He said: "A friend of mine is seeking Jesus. A little while ago his only child lay near death. He prayed G.o.d to restore her to health, promising to serve the Lord for the rest of his life if the child's life was spared. His daughter recovered, but _the man forgot the promise he had made and sought not after G.o.d._ In a very little while the child was suddenly taken sick again, and almost as suddenly died. The father remembered his vows, and feels that this is G.o.d's solemn warning to him to seek the Savior."

A DOUBLE PRAYER ANSWERED.

At the Fulton Street prayer-meeting a number of remarkable cases were related of real answers to prayer for recovery to health, and obtaining of positions.

"I must tell you how G.o.d has been answering prayer, for his glory and for your encouragement. Your prayers were asked for a sick wife. She was thought by the doctors to be beyond recovery, but in response to prayer G.o.d spared her life, and she and her husband returned their heartfelt thanks to Him. But there was another trouble. The husband had long needed employment, and was in great pecuniary distress. He had been praying for help, beseeching the Lord to open up a way for him. But help did not come, and the cloud seemed darker, and the poor man got discouraged. Friends begged him to hope on, and not to give up his trust in that G.o.d who, in answer to prayer, had raised his sick wife to health. He continued to pray, and on the long, dark night, morning at last dawned. He is now in a good position, and sends a request to friends to thank G.o.d with him for this two-fold goodness of the Lord.

HOW THE LORD BLESSED AN OLD ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nT.

"I had another acquaintance who was also greatly distressed. With a wife and family to care for, and all his means gone, and no prospect of employment, he was in trouble indeed. We induced him to present his case for prayer here, as it would encourage him to have others pray for him.

Then we inserted an advertis.e.m.e.nt in one of the daily papers, offering his services, hoping the Lord would bless the means used and answer prayer. Day by day pa.s.sed, but no response came. Some two weeks after the advertis.e.m.e.nt was inserted, a merchant picked up _an old paper_, and noticing the advertis.e.m.e.nt, showed it to his partner, remarking, 'Why, this is just the man we need.' Observing the _old date_ on the paper, his partner said he thought it would be too late to respond; but the trial was made. The man was requested to call, and proved to be just what these merchants had been wis.h.i.+ng for, and was very quickly engaged.

He feels that the Heavenly Father who cares for the sparrows, undoubtedly met his need, and that all the circ.u.mstances connected with the case were providential."

HATING THE ACCURSED DRINK.

A brother rose in the meeting and said, "I believe it is G.o.d's will that I should tell you how He saved me, about two years since. I came into the meeting when it was held in the old church, and was at the time under the influence of liquor. The missionary took me into the gallery and talked with me, and prayed with me, and G.o.d heard prayer and saved me. I became a new man in Christ, and have lost all appet.i.te for drink; I hate the accursed stuff."

A DRUNKARD FOR THIRTY YEARS.

Another told a remarkable story of his life: "I was a drunkard for thirty years, and I tried all kinds of means to get free, but all failed. I pledged myself over and over again, and swore off many a time.

At last, Jesus met me at the mission meeting, and he saved me. He took away the appet.i.te for drink from me. I am a different man; I am tempted in various ways at times, but when tempted I think of Jesus and look to Him, and He saves me."

THE HOPELESS ONE BROUGHT HOME.