Milo

PROTECTED BY ANGELS

A good clergyman was once sent to a wild and dangerous part of Australia on an errand of duty and traveled up to the place, he was too poor to be in any great danger from bush-rangers or robbers, but as he came back he had to bring in his saddle-bags a large sum of money not belonging to him, but belonging to the dying man he had been sent for to comfort. He knew that a dangerous robber was aware of the fact that he was going to be riding along that lonely track of road through the bush alone, and when he got to one part of the road he felt so frightened that he thought he was not trusting God as a Christian should.

He wanted a little quiet, so he got off his horse and stood by it, with his eyes shut, praying for faith courage not to be afraid of the bush-rangers or robbers, and to be guarded against them. He prayed till he felt calm enough ride on, and then he mounted his horse and reached the in safety with the money which he had in charge. Some time later he was once more called to visit a man a sick bed, and he recognized him as the robber of whom he had been so afraid of on the previous ride. This man told him that he felt he could not die without confessing that on that day he had followed him, intending to rob and murder him, but could get no opportunity. “Why did you not do it when I got off my horse?” asked the clergyman in surprise. “I could not then,” said the bush-ranger; “there were too many of you.””What do you mean?” asked the clergyman. “I was quite alone in the bush, standing with my head resting against my horse’s side for a long time. You could have killed me then.” “You were not alone,” said the bush-ranger; “I saw you standing as you describe, but there was a man on each side there had been no other men with the clergyman in that hour of terror when he cried to God, but it is just possible that God really opened the robbers eyes and showed him his angels guarding his servant as he went on his dangerous duty, as Elisha’s servant’s eyes were opened to see guardians around his muster.

Whatever may be the explanation God did send his angels to frighten away the robber, and by so doing he saved him from a great crime as well as the good clergyman from death. – The Mission Worker. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to for them who who shall be heirs of salvation?”

 PREVAILING PRAYER OF A CHILD

At the close of a prayer-meeting, the pastor observed a little girl, about twelve years of age, remaining upon her knees, when most of the congregation had retired. Thinking the child had fallen asleep, he touched her, and told her it was time to return home. To his surprise, he found that she was engaged in prayer, and he said: “All things whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” She looked at her pastor earnestly, and inquired: “Is it so? Does God say that?”

He took up a Bible, and read the passage aloud. She immediately commenced praying: “Lord, send my Father here; Lord, send my father to the church.” Thus she continued for about half an hour, attracting by her earnest cry the attention of persons who lingered about the door.

At last a man rushed into the church, ran up the aisle, and sank upon his knees by the side of his child, exclaiming: “What do you want of me?” She threw her arms about his neck, and began to pray: “O Lord, covert my father!” Soon the man’s heart was melted, and he began to pray for himself.

The child’s father was three miles from the church when she began praying for him. He was packing goods in a wagon, and felt impressed with an irresistible impulse to return to his house, he left the goods in the wagon, and hastened to the church, where he found his daughter crying mightily to God in his behalf; and he was there led to the Savior. – Foster’s Cyclopedia

PREVAILING PRAYER FOR A REVIVAL

We knew a preacher, still living, who was appointed to the charge of a church in Springfield, Ill. The church seemed very much depressed. It’s life was at a low ebb. It was in the midst of the harvest, in the hot weather, when things seemed most depressed. The pastor, a holy man of God, announced on Sunday evening to a small congregation of a score or two of persons, “There will be a prayer-meeting in this church to-morrow morning at sunrise for the revival of the work of God and for the conversion of sinners.”

The people wondered at the notice, and went home. The pastor went up into his study, which was in the parsonage by the side of the church, and gave that night to prayer. Just as the East began to lighten up a little with the coming day he had the assurance that his prayer was answered, and casts himself down on a sofa for a little rest. Presently he awoke suddenly to see the sun shining on the wall over his head. He sprang up and hooked out of the window to see how late it was, when he saw the sun just rising above the horizon. Looking down into the yard by the church, he was overjoyed to see the church crowded with people, and teams crowding into the street for a long distance. God had heard his prayer, and had sent out his Spirit into the community, and there had been no sleeping in Springfield that night.

People in the country who knew nothing of the appointment got up in the night, hitched up their teams, and drove into town and to the church to find out what the matter was. A good man had taken hold of God. The prayer meeting began, and was closed that night at eleven o’clock. Several souls were converted. A gracious work broke out, and the community was greatly blessed. The foregoing we certify to on the highest authority, having it from the lips of the man himself, whom every body knowing him. We greatly need earnest, persevering, believing prayer. One night of such prayer kept by all the Church would startle the nation. We sorely need a mighty baptism of power. We have all the other elements of success. We lack no machinery. We have truth, and the experience of its saving power and the appliances. What we now need is the outpouring of the Spirit upon us as a people.

We must rekindle our fires. We must make our churches centers of saving power. One hour a day spent by the church in earnest prayer for the revival of God’s work would make the coming year the most memorable in the history of the church. If you do not feel burdened, ask for the spirit of prayer, and that shall be given you. Forsake your sins and leave yourself with God, and give yourself to prayer, and all over the land God will hear and answer, and pour out his Spirit, and bestow his power, and make this year a revival year. C.H. Fowler

PRAYING FOR WOOD

E. B. Slade tells an interesting instance of answered prayer. One cold winter he was forty miles away from home, holding revival services, when, in the midst of a terrible snowstorm, during which travel was almost wholly impossible, his wife, at home, ran out of wood.

To save the little that remained, she put her children to bed, and wrapped them up in blankets, At last baking must be done, and, making a fire of her last wood, she began to pray that help might come, and persevered until her faith won the victory.

She then went about her work in perfect peace of mind, assured that relief would come. In the course of a few hours her nearest neighbor, a lady, waded through the snow, saying that she had been impressed that she must come over and see what was the matter. The facts were stated, and relief promised. Hardly had she gone when another lady came in with the same statement, and the same offer was made. A little while later a gentleman came in expressing a similar feeling; and when he learned the facts, he took them all to his home, and cared for them until Mr. Slade returned home.

PRAYERS ANSWERED FOR RAIN

Within two blocks of the Pacific Mission, in Chicago, is one of our large depots, the Rock Island and Lake Shore. Here is a good field for labor. One night, when inviting one and another to the mission, a. lady answered: “We are or our way to Oberlin.” “The place,” I asked, “where Charles Finney lived?” “Yes.” “And did you know him?” “Yes,” she answered; “and my husband, who is here, was a member of his church.” Soon he joined us, much crippled and out of health; at first but little inclined to talk. I told him how precious the memory of Mr. Finney was, and asked if he could tell us any personal reminiscences of him. Soon the fire began to burn in his heart, and his lips began to speak. He said:”We had been long without rain. All vegetation was drying up; everything looked parched. In the prayer preceding the sermon, on Sunday, Mr. Finney began to pour out his full heart to God for rain. He laid the whole case before Him. ‘Lord, the cattle in the fields are lowing for water; there will be no food for them for winter, unless thou sendest rain. The harvest will fail – no food for man-unless Thou sendest rain. The little squirrels in the woods are panting for rain. On and on the petitions rose, faith rising as he prayed, until he felt they had entered into the ear of the Lord of Sabaoth, and, that ‘as a prince, he had power with God, and prevailed.’ His closing words were: “Lord; we want rain, and we want it now!” The service proceeded, the text was chosen, and for about half an hour Mr. Finney preached, when the rain began to dash against the windows. He stopped, and gave out the hymn:

“When all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view,
I’m lost in wonder, love, and praise”

“The whole congregation rose to their feet, and don’t think, in that assembly of three thousand people was one dry eye. I never can tell it,” said the stranger:” but it melts me right up.” Yea, we were all melted, while “heaven came souls to greet, and glory crowned the Mercy seat.” “God, who lived in Elijah’s time, Is just the same today.” “Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly “when the sins of the people were hurrying them on to destruction” that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for the space of three years. And again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain.” Are not all these scriptures given to encourage and strengthen the faith of God’s people in all ages? Yea, verily! Two sisters had left the Taylorville, Ill., campground on their way to visit a sick woman.

The earth had become as dust; all nature was parched and drying up under the hot beams of the sun. It was Saturday; and looking forward to the Sunday, bringing its multitudes from all the surrounding country, they thought of the suffering and discomfort there would be. The elder of the two asked: “Is not God the same today as in the days of Elijah?” The dry bed of a spring seemed a good place for prayer, and there they knelt together. Soon their united faith took hold, and the assurance was given that their prayers were heard, and their petitions should be granted. L. B. Kent, of Jacksonville, the leader of the meeting, proposed at the close of the afternoon service, that a meeting should be held for prayer for rain. “And shall I hide what the Lord has already promised?” was the query whispered by the Spirit. “No;” and rising to her feet, one of the sisters told how the Lord had promised the rain.

Night came. The moon, in her glorious brightness, shone forth, and there was no indication in the heavens of rain. Hour after hour passed, while every now and then, as faith 2 held on for the promised blessing, the assuring words of Jesus would come: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you three o’clock came, and the rain began to fall, and the hallelujahs and praises to God went up from many a waiting heart. It fell copiously until seven o’clock when clouds dispersed, and the people gathered and the work of God moved on blessedly. — Sarah A. Cooke