Praying To Stop The Wind And The Sailing Of A Vessel.


The late aged and venerable Rev. Dr. Cleaveland, of Boston, relates the

following incident:



"In a revival of religion in the church of which he was pastor, he was

visited one morning by a member of his church, a widow, whose only son

was a sailor. With a voice trembling with emotion, she said, 'Doctor

Cleaveland, I have called to entreat you to join me in praying _that the

wind may change_.' He looked at
er in silent amazement. 'Yes,' she

exclaimed, earnestly, 'my son has gone on board his vessel; they sail

to-night, unless the wind changes.' 'Well, madam,' replied the doctor,

'I will pray that your son may be converted on this voyage; but to pray

that God would alter the laws of His universe on his account, I fear is

presumptuous.' 'Doctor,' she replied, 'my heart tells me differently.

God's Spirit is _here_. Souls are being converted here. You have a

meeting this evening, and, if the wind would change, John would stay and

go to it; and, I believe, if he went he would be converted. Now, if you

cannot join me, I must pray alone, for he must stay.' 'I will pray for

his conversion,' said the doctor.



"On his way to the meeting, he glanced at the weather-vane, and, to his

surprise, _the wind had changed_, and it was blowing landward. On

entering his crowded vestry, he soon observed John, sitting upon the

front seat. The young man seemed to drink in every word, rose to be

prayed for, and attended the inquiry meeting. When he sailed from port,

the mother's prayers had been answered; he went a Christian. The pastor

had learned a lesson he never forgot. The Lord had said, 'O, woman,

great is thy faith; be it unto thee, even as thou wilt.' God answered

that prayer because the mother was seeking to advance His own kingdom.

God always hears a prayer that will in any way bring a soul to the

Lord."



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