That $18.75.
A man who had led a very wicked life, was converted and hopefully saved.
Previous to this time, a debt of $18.75 had not given him the slightest
thought. After receiving a new heart, he distinctly heard God's command,
"Pay what thou owest;" so called on his creditor, and urged him to send
to his house and get a bureau, table and looking-glass, which he desired
him to sell and pay himself the sum due him; but, not wishing to deprive
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his debtor of such necessary articles, refused, saying he would wait
till he could pay. The 18th of November was set, and, as the day
approached, the prospect was no brighter; and when the night of the 17th
came around, he spent it in prayer that God would deliver him, and rose
from his knees at daybreak, with the full assurance that "He knoweth how
to deliver."
On passing down a street the next morning, on his way to business, a man
who kept a large store was standing in the door-way, and called to him
to stop a minute. Wondering what could be the nature of the call, he
retraced his steps, to hear this astonishing news: "_For three days I
have been impressed with the idea that I must give you_ $18.75, _and for
three days have been trying to ascertain why I must give you this
amount, for I do not owe any man a penny_. I cannot get rid of the
thought, and if you value my peace of mind, I beg you take the money!"
Seeing, instantly, the hand of God in it, he told the story to the
astonished storekeeper, then left to pay his debt with the money so
strangely given. His creditor, surprised to see him so promptly on time,
questioned him as to the manner of obtaining it, thinking, perhaps, he
had made a great sacrifice to do so. On being told just how it was given
him, said, "_I won't take it; keep it. If God is as near to people as
that, I don't want it; it seems as if it had come directly from his
Almighty hand_." The result was the conversion of both the storekeeper
and creditor, to whom the incident came as the undoubted evidence of
God's presence among them.