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 only child of a young married couple, living in this city, their

pride, their hope and joy, and the darling of the whole family, was

seized with severe sickness, grew rapidly worse. The grandfather, who

was a skilled physician, was constantly present, ministering in every

way, by every means, but nothing was of any avail. No medicine could

cure, and the child seemed ready to die. No one could think of relief or

knew where to find it. The grandfather, at last, proposed to lay the

case before God, and ask the prayers of His people in the child's

behalf. The mother was only too glad to ask other prayers with her own,

to bring relief. The father, who had hitherto never seriously thought of

religion, was in intense anxiety and despair. Here was his first, his

only child about to be taken away from him, and then came the thought,

is it possible his family life was not to be blessed; his child was in

distress, no human effort was available. At last, he too joined in the

prayer of his wife and father, and bowing before the Great Unknown,

unseen God, he poured out his heart in prayer, saying, "_Lord, if thou

wilt spare my child, wilt give him life, and thus show to me thy power

and will to save, I will never doubt again, and will give thee my

heart"_



A request for prayer was written and sent to the pastor, Dr. William

Adams, of the Madison Square Church. It arrived after church service had

begun; the sexton was unwilling to carry it to the pulpit, as it was

against the rule, but when told he _must, as a life was in great

danger_, he consented, and delivered it to the pastor.



The messenger waited breathlessly, and when in silence the doctor

specifically mentioned the case before him, and asked the Lord to heal

and spare the little one, and comfort the hearts of all, and make it a

witness of his love and power, the messenger accidentally looked at the

clock, and it marked just _quarter to eleven_, A.M.



When prayer was finished he returned home. Arriving at home, he was

astonished to find the child better, its whole condition had changed,

the medicine had taken hold, and the doctor now said everything was so

hopeful the child would surely recover, and it did. But mark the

unparalleled singularity of the scene. The father asked the messenger

the _time_ when the prayer was offered. He replied, "At a _quarter to

eleven."_ The father in astonishment said, "_At that very moment_ the

disease changed, and the doctor said he was better."



The father, who had thus been proving the Lord with this test of prayer

and its identity of time in his answer, was so overwhelmingly convinced

of the real power of prayer, and thereby of the real existence of God,

and that a Christian life was one of facts as well as beliefs, now

finding that the Lord had indeed kept His own promise, he, too, kept his

promise and gave his heart to the Lord, and became henceforth, a

professing Christian.



But there were more wonderful things yet to happen--a period of five

years passed. Other children were added to the family, and one day, the

youngest, a sweet, beautiful girl, was taken suddenly ill with

convulsions. The sickness for days tasked the strength of the mother,

and the skill of the doctor, but no care, ingenuity, or knowledge could

overcome the disease or subdue the pain. The little girl's fits were

severe and distressing, and there were but short intervals between, just

time to come out of one and with a gasp, pass into another still more

terrible. In its occasional moments of reason, it would look piteously

as if mutely appealing, and then the next convulsion would take it and

seem to leave it just at death's door.



All attendants were worn with care, the doctor fairly lived in the house

and forsook all his other business. The clergyman came and comforted the

anxious hearts with words of sympathy and prayer; but her _little

brother Merrill_, (whose own life we have just related,) tender-hearted,

a mere child, scarce seven years of age, who had known of the Lord, and

who believed that He was everywhere and could do everything, was

intensely grieved at "Mamie's" distress, and came at last to his mother

and asked if he could go and "_make a prayer to God for Sissy_." The

mother said, "Go." The little boy went back into his room, and kneeling

humbly by the side of his bed, as he did at his night and morning

prayers, uttered this request:



_"O God, please to bless little sister, she is very sick. Please stop

her fits so she won't have any more. For Jesus' sake, amen."_



He came back, told his mamma what he said, and added: "_Mamma, I don't

think she will have any more_."



Now mark how the Lord honored this simple faith of the little child.

_From that very moment the fits left her. They never returned; and the

child soon entirely recovered_.



Notice the full beauty and instruction of these two incidents: _Little

Merrill's life was saved in answer to prayer; was the means of his

father's salvation, and when he in turn had grown to an age when he

could learn of God, his own prayer was the means of saving his own

sister's life_.



Notice, too, that all earthly available means were used to save each

child, but to no effect. Physicians and parents considered the case

hopeless, and then committed it to the decision of God.



Notice, too, that when little Merrill was so sick, that the mother and

doctor both prayed, yet it was not until his father had also prayed that

the answer came. God meant to honor the faith of the first two, but was

_waiting for the prayer of the third_ ere he granted the request. That

child's sickness was one of the purposes of God. Notice in the second

case, that while father, mother, doctor, the clergyman, and others of

the house were all trusting in prayer, yet the Lord _was waiting for the

prayer of the little brother_, ere he sent the blessing of relief. Such

an incident draws its own conclusion. _Never cease in prayer for

anything which is to God's honor and glory. Use all the possible means

to help God. Where human means are of no avail, commit it to God and

wait in humble resignation. Ask others to pray, too, for the same

object_, that when the answer comes, God may be glorified before the

sight of others as well as your own. When so many are waiting to see if

_God_ will honor his promises, depend upon it, _God will be found

faithful to all his word_.