John Easter's Prayer.
In his "Memorials of Methodism in Virginia," Dr. W.W. Bennet relates the
following incidents in the life of John Easter, one of the pioneer
ministers who labored there nearly one hundred years ago: He is
represented as being the most powerful exhortatory preacher of his day.
His faith was transcendent, his appeals irresistible, his prayers like
talking with God face to face. Perhaps no man has ever been more
signally h
one of his circuits eighteen hundred members were added to the church in
a single year.
Many thrilling scenes under his preaching yet linger among the people in
those counties where he principally labored. A most extraordinary
display of his faith was witnessed in Brunswick. At Merritt's meeting-
house a quarterly meeting was in progress, and so vast was the concourse
of people from many miles around, that the services were conducted in a
beautiful grove near the church. In the midst of the exercises, a heavy
cloud arose, and swept rapidly towards the place of worship. From the
skirts of the grove the rain could be seen coming on across the fields.
The people were in consternation; no house could hold one-third of the
multitude, and they were about to scatter in all directions. Easter rose
in the midst of the confusion--"Brethren," cried he at the top of his
voice, "be still while I call upon God to stay the clouds, till His word
can be preached to perishing sinners." Arrested by his voice and manner,
they stood between hope and fear. He kneeled down and offered a fervent
prayer that God would then stay the rain, that the preaching of His word
might go on, and afterwards send refreshing showers. _While he was
praying, the angry cloud, as it swiftly rolled up to them, was seen to
part asunder in the midst, pass on either side of them, and close again
beyond, leaving a space several hundred yards in circumference perfectly
dry. The next morning a copious rain fell again, and the fields that had
been left dry were well watered_."
More
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Hearts Made Glad.
"We return most hearty thanks for the answer to prayer given. I wrote more than a year ago last August of our low state. Last Winter twenty young persons were converted, and continue to work faithfully." ... Help At The Very Last Moment. Faith Rewarded.
A clergyman in the State of New York, through the influence of a disaffected member, was unfairly and precipitately deprived of his pulpit, which involved a large family in necessity. At supper the good man had the pain of beholding the last morse... Help For The Shipwrecked.
Admiral Sir Thomas Williams, a straight-forward and excellent man, was in command of a ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean. His course brought him in sight of the Island of Ascension, at that time uninhabited, and _never visited by any ship_, except ... Help In Need.
"The sums received for several days had been small. One day as the Doctor was in prayer for his needs, he received a note from a lady asking him to call at her house, naming the day and the hour. At the time appointed he called, and found the lady... Help In Paying A Mortgage.
A business man in New York had several large amounts due for payment. An unprecedented series of calls from tradesmen wishing their bills paid sooner than customary, drained his means, and he was satisfied from the situation that his means would n... Help In Pecuniary Affairs.
"In pecuniary affairs, also, the Lord was their helper. Many times something had to be paid, and they had no means wherewith to meet the claims. Once, God actually sent aid by means of an enemy, who offered money; another time, _three thousand fra... Help In Time Of Need.
A poor, humble Christian woman had a claim on some property in a neighboring State. It was in law, and she was summoned to attend court at a certain time. Having scarcely money enough for her daily bread, she was obliged to borrow the means to tak... Hip Disease Cured.
A lady from Brooklyn, N.Y., came to the Consumptive's Home for prayer cure. "She had a diseased hip, and _had used crutches for twenty years_. Often the hip joint would slip from its socket, so that it was impossible for her to walk without cru... His Mother's Prayer.
A poor sailor, leading a most profligate and abandoned life, whose praying mother followed him like a shadow into and out of his drinking saloons and gambling houses, at last absented himself from home, whenever he was in port. Her burden, finally... How A Poor Little Cripple Converted A Village.
Mr. D.L. Moody relates the instance of a poor little cripple, whose prayers were answered to the conversion of _fifty-six people._ "I once knew a little cripple who lay upon her death bed. She had given herself to God, and was distressed only be... How God Answered My Prayer For $90.
"Suffice it, then, I was in debt. I was owing the large sum (large for a poor home missionary) of $90.00. Expecting soon to be called upon for the payment of it, and not seeing any way to meet it, _I went to the Lord with it_. Early in life I had ... How Much Good Two Dollars Did.
A lady sent two dollars to a brave-hearted sister--who, by faith alone, and not by money, had gathered some sick and poor about her, and lived only by prayer--and a note of apology and half-contempt that it was such a miserable pittance. She recei... How Prayer Helped Him To Keep The Pledge.
In a rural district, in the North of England, lived a shoe-maker who had signed the temperance pledge often, but never had strength to keep it. After a while, he was able to keep it, and reformed entirely. A friend was curious to learn how he had ... How She Learned To Love The Bible.
The Rev. Frederick G. Clark thus writes of an answer to prayer, from one who wanted to love the Bible more: "Twenty-seven years ago, in the congregation of my first charge, was a lady whose love for the Bible was something remarkable. In the co... How The Lord Blessed An Old Advertisement.
"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 encou... How The Lord Blesses Those "who Give Liberally To His Cause.
A disciple of the Lord Jesus, poor in this world's goods, but rich in faith, became greatly perplexed in regard to the meaning of the forty-second verse of the fifth chapter of Matthew. The words are: "Give to him that asketh thee; and from him th... How The Lord Controls Even The Locomotive And The Railroad Train.
A remarkable instance of how the Lord controlled circumstances for the detention of one train, and speeded the arrival of the other, in answer to the prayer of a poor widow, who was in anxiety and distress, is thus known to the editor of _The Watc... How The Lord Is Constantly Caring For His Trusting Poor.
A city missionary recently found, in this city on the streets, a refined Englishwoman with her children, who had been turned out of her home for non-payment of rent. With the aid of a few friends he installed her in a new domicile, and procured wo... How The Lord Paid Back The $5.
Mr. H., missionary, was appealed to by a poor man who seemed almost distracted. He had a wife and five children; one of them ill; had been sick himself for three months, and owed rent for the whole of that time. The landlord had served him with a ... How The Lord Repaid A Generous Gift.
"Some gentlemen, urged to contribute to a most worthy cause, said, 'Go first to Mr. Z.--whatever he gives, we will.' Mr. Z., upon application, concluded to make his neighbors do something worth while, and, as he was expecting a thousand dollars in... How The Lord Rescued Him.
A wonderful incident is told by Dr. S.I. Prime among his many facts relating to prayer, as published in _The Observer_ and "_The Power of Prayer_." "A young man held a good position in a large publishing house in this city. He was about thirty ... How The Stolen Sleigh Was Returned By A Thief.
The widow of a minister of the Gospel sends to "_The Christian_" the following instance illustrating God's faithfulness in hearing and answering prayer: "About the year 1829, my husband, who died January 2d, 1854, lent his sleigh and harness to... In Everything Make Known Your Wants.
"Six years ago, on the low country of South Carolina, a friend asked me to go with him to a camp-meeting. I was delighted with the idea, for, in my estimation, a good camp-meeting comes nearer heaven than any other place on earth. "Just three d... Incidents From The Experience Of A City Missionary.--a Prayer For Supper Answered.
An educated, accomplished lady, reduced to the very lowest round of poverty's ladder, whom we shall call Mrs. X----, bears unfailing testimony to God's hearing and answering the prayer of faith. The daughter came up-stairs one day to announce the ... Incidents In The Life Of An Invalid - How God Cares And Comforts In Small Things.
The following incidents are from the life of an invalid, personally known to the editor of this book, and can be depended upon as authentic in every particular. They illustrate most beautifully the blessed way in which the Savior's everlasting arm... Insanity Cured And Suicide Prevented.
"_Augusta Moore_, writes _The Christian_, of a young lady called home by the illness of her widowed mother, who died before she could reach her. This alone was a terrible shock to the delicate daughter, who, having been reared in luxury, was ill-f... Insanity Dispelled.
"I sent a petition months ago, for prayers for an insane husband. Your prayers have been answered. He has rapidly recovered." ... It Pays To Give To The Lord.
"A clergyman states, that soon after he dedicated himself to the service of Christ, he resolved, as Jacob did, 'Of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give a tenth unto thee.' Of the first $500 he earned, he gave $130, and in such a way tha... Jacob Not Blessed Until He Became A Liberal Giver.
Jacob went out from his father's house "with his staff," a poor man. But at Bethel he vowed to give to God the _tenth_ of all that God should bestow on him. Commencing thus, God blessed him, and in twenty years he returned with great riches. ... Jesus Cured Me.
In the family of a missionary pastor in Kansas, was a daughter of twelve years of age, seriously afflicted with chronic rheumatism. For three years she suffered, until the leg was shrunken, stiff at the knee, shorter by some two inches than, the o... Jesus Keeps Me From Drinking.
A young man arose in the Fulton Street prayer-meeting one day, and detailed his struggles and triumphs with his appetites. He was a perfect drunkard, helpless, poor; his friends' best efforts to reclaim' him were of no avail. The most solemn vows ... John Easter's Prayer.
In his "Memorials of Methodism in Virginia," Dr. W.W. Bennet relates the following incidents in the life of John Easter, one of the pioneer ministers who labored there nearly one hundred years ago: He is represented as being the most powerful exho... John Knox And His Prophetical Prayer.
"John Knox was famous for his earnest prayers. Queen Mary said that she feared his prayers more than she did all the armies of Europe. One night, in the days of his bitterest persecution, while he and his friends were praying together, Knox spoke ... Laura Healed.
"A Christian teacher, connected with a Southern Orphan Asylum, writes _The Christian_, that often when the children were sick, and most of them came to me more or less diseased, I cried to the Lord for help, and He who 'bore our infirmities, and c... Lending To The Lord.
"A poor man, some of whose family were sick, lived near Deacon Murray, (referred to in the tract, 'Worth of a Dollar,') and occasionally called at his house for a supply of milk. One morning he came while the family were at breakfast. Mrs. Murray ... Lending To The Lord.
As a series of religious meetings was held in a Baptist church in ----, and the hearts of God's people were greatly encouraged, the church was consumed by fire. It was proposed to continue the meetings in the Congregational church, but the workmen... Licentiousness, Etc., In Answer To Prayer.
This question having been asked by a clergyman of Brooklyn, Rev. S.H. Platt, he received a large number of communications, which evidently prove that the Lord is _willing_ and _does_, either _instantaneously_ or gradually in answer to prayer, deli... Life Brought Back Again In The Midst Of Death.
The following instance, when _death itself was made to give back the life it claimed_, is personally known to us to be true: A mother, in this city, sent a request for prayer to the Fulton street prayer-meeting, asking the Lord for the recovery of... Life Of His Sister Is Saved.
One of the most beautiful incidents ever known relating to the faith of children, and the reward of their trust, is contained in the following circumstance, personally known to the editor of this book, who was a participant in the facts. The on... Life Spared For Two Weeks.
"On the 8th of January, last, I was called upon to visit a dying man in Jersey City, whom the doctors had said could not live but a few hours. I found him in severe bodily sufferings and a terrible agony of mind. He had lived a moral and upright l... Light Given To A Blind Child.
"A missionary visiting one of the mission schools of Brooklyn, was introduced to a remarkable child. He was brought into the school from the highways and hedges, and young as he was, he had been taught of God. One day he was playing with powder, a... Little George's Prayer.
A clergyman writes us these incidents: "I knew a poor family whose son George, four or five years old, was accustomed to pray. They lived five or six miles from neighbors, and, at times, were quite destitute. One day, as little George observed h... Luther's Mighty Prayer And Prophecy.
At one time in the life of Luther, there was a critical moment in the affairs of the Reformation. Bitter persecution prevailed with extraordinary power, and threatened every one. They were the dark days when faith could only cling. There were but ... Melancthon's Life Saved From Death In Answer To Luther's Prayer.
The most powerful tribute to the efficacy of prayer, was the answer to Luther's prayer which the Lord sent. A messenger was sent to Luther that Melancthon was dying. He found him presenting the usual premonitory symptoms of death. Melancthon rouse... Money For Postage.
"One day I opened my port-monnaie to get change for some little needful, when I found I had but ten cents. I used five of it. As visions of six or seven letters and many little things I needed came up before me, I said aloud: 'The Lord will have t... Money Wanted To Pay Railroad Fare.
"Once, on a visit, I left the company below, and went up stairs for an hour's quiet and prayer. I was to return the coming week and I had only just enough to pay my fare. For several days I had been anxious how I was to get some money. This aftern... Mr. Moody's Answers To Prayers.
Mr. D.L. Moody, the Evangelist, when a boy, was possessed of an unusual amount of muscular strength and animal spirits, and a strong will that knew little of impossibility or submission. When only six years old, being wistful to do something to he... Mr. Moody's Faith, In Prayer. A Remarkable Answer.
Mr. Moody, on his return from England, while conducting a prayer-meeting in Northfield, Mass., gave this illustration of the power of prayer to subdue the most unlikely cases of sin and unbelief: "There is not a heart so hard that God cannot tou... Mr. Spurgeon's Cow.
"My grandfather was a very poor minister, and kept a cow, which was a very great help in the support of his children--he had ten of them;--and the cow took the "staggers" and died. 'What will you do now?' said my grandmother. 'I cannot tell what w... Mrs. Whitney's Cure In Answer To Prayer.
Mrs. C.S. Whitney of Hartford, Conn., a lady well known for her Christian work among the poor, thus gives in a letter to Dr. Patton, her personal testimony of the efficacy of prayer: "Three years ago, I was healed of a bodily disease. I had been... My Heart Talked.
A child six years old, in a Sunday school, said: "When we kneel down in the school-room to pray, it seems as if my heart talked." ... Nettie's Daily Bread.
A little girl in a wretched attic, whose sick mother had no bread, knelt down by the bedside, and said slowly: "Give us this day our daily bread." Then she went into the street and began to wonder where God kept his bread. She turned around the co... No "ifs."
"A number of years ago I went West to better my condition.... After a little time I went into business of my own, had but little capital, and my good name to be punctual in paying for what I bought on credit was of great importance to me. I had prom... No Fear Of Thunder.
Some years ago a camp-meeting was held in Southern Indiana. It rained nearly all the time of the meeting. Father Haven, a man mighty in prayer, rose to preach. Just as he announced his text it thundered, and the congregation seemed to be restless ... No Flour In The House--in The Days Of Famine, His Soul Shall Be Satisfied.
Mr. Moody's domestic life has always been a happy one, but in the early days of his marriage, he was very poor, and his faith was often put to the severest tests. One day, on leaving home in his missionary work and labors of love, he remarked t... Noah's Prayer.--he Did Not Get Discouraged.
The life of faith and the necessity of uncompromising hold on the promise's, expecting their fulfillment, is admirably explained in the illustration of Noah's prayer. One day Mr. Moody was much discouraged, and it was as dark a Sabbath as ever he ... Not Your Own Strength Can Break The Habit.
"I smoked tobacco excessively for fifteen years, commencing when I was about twenty years old. I often strove to break off from the use of it; indeed I determined time and again to desist from it, sometimes abstaining for a few months or weeks, on... 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." ... One Who Refused The Holy Spirit.
The following incident is related by D.L. Moody, the Evangelist, which contains a warning, how the Holy Spirit avenges itself to those who refuse its admonitions. It is a remarkable instance of the control of an overruling God, who alone knew that... Persevering Prayer.
At one of the prayer-meetings at the Brooklyn tabernacle, Mr. Moody closed by narrating an instance of persevering prayer by a Christian wife for an infidel husband. She resolved to pray for him at noon for eighteen months, and at the expiration o... Please God, Give Us A Home.
Mr. Moody tells of a beautiful answer to the faith of a little child. "I remember a child that lived with her parents in a small village. One day the news came that her father had joined the army (it was the beginning of our war), and a few days... Prayer Answered For Employment.
"A foreigner without means and friendless tried in vain for ten months to succeed in finding some employment. He requested your prayers to God, and _God answered_. In less than eighteen hours a splendid position was offered to him. He and his wife...