PREFATORY NOTE.

It is needless to say much by way of preface to this book. It will speak for itself. From the writer’s stand-point, none but those “given over to hardness of heart” can read these “Touching Incidents” without having their souls wondrously stirred within them; and none but the willfully unbelieving can say, in view of the ”Remarkable Answers to Prayer” herein recorded, that God does not hear and regard the cries of his faithful children.

But let it be remembered, that “prayer rises far above a mere form of good words. These, of themselves, are nothing, and may be much worse than nothing. The soul of the reader or utterer must be in them to give them life and power. God hears not my words, He hears me. I rise to Him upon the wings of prayer. I might recite good words forever, but unless my spirit is in them, they are nothing.” Yea, nothing but idle words, and mockery before God. The prayer of faith is always prompted by the Holy Spirit, and always receives an answer from the living Father whose Spirit moved its utterance in harmony with His own blessed will.

In these pages no place is given to anything that did not appear to be reliable, as well as calculated to do good. Some of the accounts narrated have come within our personal knowledge. Others have been written or furnished expressly for this work. Still others have been selected from the works of well-known authors, or gleaned from the large number of periodicals which came regularly to our office in connection with the periodical that was under our control. Nor has the supply of material by any means been exhausted. We have felt, rather, as did Paul, when, after referring to many of the mighty works wrought through faith in olden times, he said: “And what shall I say more? for the time would fail to tell me of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets; who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,” etc.

We pray that through the perusal of these pages, precious souls may be led to the cross and the Savior, and God’s children encouraged to trust Him in every hour of need.

Your brother, true to God and man,

S. B. SHAW.