Deliverance Of Daniel Loest.
John Daniel Loest, a celebrated German tradesman of Berlin, Germany,
was, by the aid of the Lord, so prospered in his worldly circumstances,
that by steady industry, he raised himself to rank with the most
respectable tradesmen of Berlin, where he kept a well-frequented fringe
and trimming shop.
He was always benevolent, willing to help others, and both fervent in
spirit and constant in prayer, asking the
help of the Lord in the
minutest details of his business.
Yet there once occurred in his experience a season of severest trial,
which demanded his utmost trust and unflinching confidence in God. He
seemed almost forsaken, and circumstances almost impossible to overcome.
But his deliverance so astonished him that he was lost in wonder at the
mysterious way in which the Lord helped his business and sent him all
that he needed.
By means of acquaintances of high social character, whom he fully
trusted as good Christians, never supposing there could be any degree of
hypocrisy, he became security for a Christian lady of good property to
the amount of _six hundred thalers_. The attorney assured him that there
was not a shadow of a risk in going security for her, as her property
would be more than ample to cover any claim.
Months elapsed, and the circumstance forgotten, when Mr. Loest was most
unpleasantly reminded by receiving an order from the Court to pay in on
the following Tuesday the _six hundred thalers_ for which he had become
security, under the penalty of execution.
He now discovered that he had been designedly mystified, and there was
no escape. The six hundred thalers must be paid before the next Tuesday.
He had just accepted a bill for _three hundred thalers_, to be paid for
on the ensuing Saturday. And in his first thoughts of his perplexity, he
hoped to get out of his dilemma by hurrying to a rich friend to obtain a
loan. On his way to his friend's home, he stumbled on another
acquaintance who had lent him _four hundred_ thalers on a mere note of
hand, and he saluted him with the news that he must try for repayment of
that sum on the following Friday, as he required it to pay for a parcel
of goods which would arrive that day.
"You shall have it," said Loest, as he hurried on to his friend. The
friend was at home, but before Loest could speak his errand, he is
addressed thus: "It is lucky you came, my friend, for I was just going
to send for you, to request you to make provision to pay me back the
_five hundred thalers you owe me_, for I must needs have it on Wednesday
to pay off a mortgage on my house, which has just been called up." "_You
shall have it_," replied Loest, calmly, yet his heart became heavier
every moment.
Suddenly it occurred to him that the widow of a friend just dead was
possessed of large means, and she might be inclined to help him. But
alas, disappointment thickened fast upon him. Loest owed the deceased
friend five hundred thalers for note, and three hundred thalers for
goods just delivered. As he entered the room of the widow, she handed
him an order from the court of trustees, under which he was bound to pay
up _the five hundred thalers on Thursday_, and, continued the lady,
before the poor man had time to utter a word, "I would earnestly entreat
you to pay the other three hundred thalers early on Saturday to me, for
there are accounts constantly pouring in on me, and the funeral
expenses," here her voice faltered. "It shall be cared for," said Loest,
and he withdrew, not having had opportunity to utter one word as to the
business that took him thither. He had failed at every turn; not one
thing was for him, all seemed against him. But though the waves surged,
and rose, and oppressed, yet they did not overwhelm his hope; the more
the discouragements, the greater became his faith that all things were
appointed for his good, and thought he could not guess, yet even the
trial would result by God's own working hand, to the honor and glory of
his great name.
Yet here was his situation. _Six hundred thalers to be paid on Tuesday,
five hundred on Wednesday, five hundred on Thursday, four hundred on
Friday, three hundred Saturday morning, and three hundred on Saturday
afternoon; in all, two thousand six hundred thalers_. It was already the
Saturday just previous, and his purse contained _only four thalers_.
There was only one prospect left, and he went to a rich money lender,
and in response to his request for relief in money difficulties, was met
with this reply of irony and sarcasm from one who loved to indulge his
enmity to the Christian faith. "_You in money difficulties, or any
difficulties, Mr. Loest! I cannot believe it; it is altogether
impossible! you are at all times and in all places boasting that you
have such a rich and loving Master! Why don't you apply to him now_."
And the unseen face could not conceal his pleasure at this opportunity
of testing a Christian.
Loest turned away; hard as the random taunt and remark of his opponent
was, yet it recalled him to a sense of his duty, and his forgetfulness
of the fact that he had not hitherto asked of God for special help in
this circumstance. With cheerful steps he hurried home, and in long and
imploring prayer, asked for help and forgiveness in this, his neglect of
trust in one so rich and generous. He was refreshed and comforted, and
the Sunday was one of peace and sweetness. He knew and felt assured,
"_That the Lord would provide_."
The eventful week opened, and on Monday he arose with a cheerful thought
in his heart; ere he had had full time to dress, he noticed with great
surprise, that both his sister and the assistant in the store, seemed,
notwithstanding the earliness of the hour, to have full as much as they
could do in serving customers and making up parcels, and he at once
hastened into the shop to give them assistance, and thus it continued
all day. _Never, in all his experience_, could Loest remember such a
ceaseless stream of customers as poured, on that memorable Monday, into
his rather out-of-the-way shop. Cooking dinner was out of the question;
neither masters nor maid had time for that; coffee and bread, taken by
each in turn, served instead of the accustomed meal, and still the
customers came and went; still three pairs of hands were in requisition
to satisfy their wants.
Nor was it for new purchasers alone, that money came in. More than one
long outstanding account, accompanied by excuses for delayed payment,
and assurances that it had not been possible to settle it sooner,
enlarged the contents of the till; and the honest-hearted debtor, on
whom this unwonted stream of money flowed in, was tempted every minute
to call out, "_It is the Lord_."
At length night came, when Loest and his literally worn out assistants,
after having poured out their hearts in thankful adoration in family
prayer, sat down to the first meal they had that day enjoyed in common.
When it was over, the brother and sister set themselves to count over
the money which had that day been taken. Each hundred thalers was set by
itself, and the result showed _six hundred and three thalers, fourteen
silver groschen_.
This was sufficient to pay the first debt due the next day, and leave
but ten shillings and eight pence over, a trifle less than they
commenced the day with. Loest was lost in wonder and grateful emotion at
this gracious testimony of how faithfully his Lord could minister to him
in his earthly necessities.
"How countless must be the host of his ministering servants, seen or
unseen, since He can employ some hundreds of them, and send them to buy
of Daniel Loest to-day, or pay him that bill which thou owest. What a
wondrous God is ours, who in the government of this great universe, does
not overlook my mean affairs, nor forget His gracious promise, 'Call
upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee.'"
Tuesday was a repetition of Monday's splendid business, and brought in
the five hundred thalers which he needed the next morning to pay off the
mortgage of his friend's house, due that day.
Wednesday's sales gave him five hundred more thalers, which he was
obliged to have ready to pay on Thursday morning into the court of
trustees.
Thursday's sales brought him four hundred thalers, just the amount he
had given promise to pay the next day for goods delivered.
And Friday's sales gave him just three hundred thalers with which to
honor the widow's demand on Saturday, to pay funeral and contingent
expenses.
During these days of wonderful business and deliverances, after each
indebtedness was discharged, there still was not left cash in hand a sum
exceeding three to five dollars.
On Saturday morning, after he had sent the three hundred thalers to the
widow, he had left precisely two thalers and twenty silver groschen (six
shillings eight pence sterling), the smallest balance he had yet had;
and what seemed most alarming, the rush to the shop seemed to be
entirely over; for while during the five days past, he had had scarcely
time to draw his breath from hurry and bustle, he was now left in
undisturbed possession of his place. Not a single customer appeared. The
wants of the vicinity seemed to have come to an end, for not a child
even entered to fetch a pennyworth of thread, or a few ells of tape.
This utter cessation of trade was as unusual and out of the accustomed
shop business, as the extra rush had been.
At five o'clock on Saturday, was due the debt of three hundred thalers
to his scoffing and tantalizing money lender. Three o'clock came, and
still there was but six shillings eight pence in the till. Where was his
money to come from? But Loest sat still, and "_possessed his soul in
patience_" for he knew the Lord would choose the best time, and he
desired to be found waiting and watching for the Lord's coming. The
trial was severe. It seemed hopeless, and if it should happen that, the
creditor came and went away unsatisfied, his commercial character would
be injured, his credit shaken, and his reputation severely suffer. That
last hour ran slowly on. At a _quarter to four_, almost the last few
moments of painful suspense, a little old woman came in, and asking for
Mr. Loest, said to him half in a whisper, "I live here close by, quite
alone, in a cellar, and I have had a few thalers paid me, and now I want
to beg of you to be so good as to keep them for me. I have not slept
over night since I had them; it is a great charge for a lone woman like
me."
Loest was only too glad to accept the money, and offered interest, which
she declined. She hurried back, brought in her money, counted it out on
his table, and there _were just three hundred thalers_, six rouleaux of
fifty thalers each.
_She had scarcely left the house, with her receipt in her pocket, ere
the clerk of the creditor with his demand in his hand, rushed into
Loest's presence. He received his three hundred thalers, and both parted
speechless with amazement_.
Loest was lost in wonder at the marvelous way and exactness of time in
which the Lord delivered him, while the creditor was astonished thus to
find Loest's Mighty Friend had not failed him in his hour of need.
Thus in one short week, from a beginning of less than five thalers, God
had so exactly supplied his business needs that he had paid all his
obligations of two thousand six hundred thalers, saved him from failure,
saved his honor and good name, and now all was peace.
The history of Loest and other providences which helped him in his
business, are still further given more at length in a little book, "_The
Believing Tradesman_," from the records of the Religious Tract Society
of Berlin.
This sketch illustrates the necessity of looking to God daily for help,
and strength, and success, and deliverance in our business occupations
as well as the concerns of our soul, and must effectively prove that
those who use their business and the means from it to honor the good
works of the Lord on earth, will be blessed on earth with the favor of
the Lord. It teaches the sublime lesson that _money and prosperity are
gifts from the Lord_, and must be considered as such, acknowledged with
thankfulness, and used to please the Giver.
Whenever the Christian learns to love the gift more than the Giver, the
Lord takes it often away to remind him of his need of dependence upon
_Him_. But whenever the Christian loves the _Giver_ because of His
gifts, and spends his means again to please his Heavenly Father, he
becomes the Father's steward, and his lap is filled with bountiful
blessings, such as one finds by true experience, "_The Lord is my
Shepherd, I shall not want_."