29 Sermon Illustrations on Answered Prayer

During the World's Fair in Chicago many years ago, Mr. Dwight Moody was carrying on a campaign which cost a great many thousands of dollars. A little group met one day to plan and assist and pray with Mr. Moody about the work. As they sat down to eat, Mr. Moody said, "We need $7,000 today for the work. I have already received $1,000, but before we eat I propose that we pray and ask God for the other $6,000." So with simple childlike faith, Mr. Moody presented this problem to the Father. About an hour later after the little group had finished their luncheon and completed their plans for the day, a boy came in with a telegram in his hand. Mr. Moody read it and handed it to Reuben Torrey to read aloud. This was what it said: "Mr. Moody, your friends in North Field had a feeling that you needed money in Chicago. We have just taken up a collection and there is $6,000 in the basket." North Field is nearly a thousand miles from Chicago. That morning, as a service was coming to a close in North Field, someone proposed that they take a collection for Mr. Moody's work in Chicago. God lives! The believers know He is alive by their intimate experience of Him. The Weariness of Prayer "He ... continued all night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12). We never read that Joshua's hand was weary with wielding the sword, but Moses' hand was weary with holding the rod. The more spiritual the duty, the more apt we are to tire of it. We could stand and preach all day; but we could not pray all day. We could go forth to seek the sick all day, but we could not be in our closets all day nearly as easily. To spend a night with God in prayer would be far more difficult than to spend a night with man in preaching. Oh! take care, take care, that thou dost not cease thy prayers!

One day a lady was giving her little nephew some lessons. He was generally a good, attentive child, but on this occasion he could not fix his mind on his work. Suddenly he said, "Auntie, may I kneel down and ask God to help me find my marble?" His aunt gave her consent, and the little boy knelt by his chair, closed his eyes, and prayed silently. Next day, almost afraid of asking the question lest the child had not found his toy and so might lose his simple faith, the lady said to him, "Well, dear, have you found your marble?" "No, Auntie," was the reply, "but God made me not want to." That is the way God many times answers our prayers and thus rids us of division within ourselves.

A little boy came to the preacher and asked him to have the folks in prayer meeting pray that the Lord might cause his sister to read the Bible. The preacher made the request known, but as soon as someone began to pray about it, little Johnny got up and left. Everyone thought him very rude, and the next day the preacher scolded him for it. But Johnny said, "Sir, I wanted to go and see my sister read the Bible for the first time."

A rural pastor prayed fervently for rain during a severe drought, which began to fall in torrents just as the service closed, when two farmers walking home together were getting fully wet, and one remarked to the other, "The parson does pray with a good unction."—"Yes," replied the other; "but he lacks judgment."

A sceptical geologist, while out with an exploring-party, was seized with great fear and anxiety, which nothing could drive away. He took a Bible, went by himself, and found peace in seeking the God whose existence he had tried to disbelieve. It afterwards appeared that his wife had engaged several others to join with her in prayer for her absent husband. These prayers were almost immediately answered, as above. Prayer is the best argument against infidelity.

It is well known, that many of the good men who were driven from England to America, by persecution, in the seventeenth century, had to endure great privations. A numerous party, who came out about 1620, were for a time supplied with food from England, and from the natives of the western wilderness. But as these resources were uncertain, they began to cultivate the ground. In the spring of 1623, they planted more corn than ever before, but by the time they had done planting, their food was spent. They daily prayed, "Give us this day our daily bread;" and, in some way or other, the prayer was always answered. With a single boat and fishing-net they caught bass, and when these failed, they dug for clams. In the month of June, their hopes of a harvest were nearly blasted by a drought, which withered up their corn, and made the grass look like hay. All expected to perish with hunger.

In their distress, the pilgrims set apart a day for humiliation and prayer, and continued their worship for eight or nine hours. God heard their prayers, and answered them in a way which excited universal admiration. Although the morning of that day was clear, and the weather very hot and dry during the whole forenoon, yet before night it began to rain, and gentle showers continued to fall for many days, so that the ground became thoroughly soaked, and the drooping corn revived.

Richard Cook, a pious man, during Mr. Baxter's residence at Kidderminster, went to live in the next house to him. After some time he was seized with melancholy, which ended in madness. The most skillful help was obtained, but all in vain. While he was in this state, some pious persons wished to meet to fast and pray in behalf of the sufferer; but Mr. Baxter, in this instance, dissuaded them from it, as he apprehended the case to be hopeless, and thought they would expose prayer to contempt in the eyes of worldly persons, when they saw it unsuccessful. When ten or a dozen years of affliction had passed over Richard Cook, some of the pious men referred to would no longer be dissuaded, but fasted and prayed at his house. They continued this practice once a fortnight for several months; at length the sufferer began to amend, his health and reason returned, and, adds Mr. Baxter, "he is now as well almost as ever he was, and so hath continued for a considerable time."

The destruction of the French armament, under the Duke d'Anville, in the year 1746, ought to be remembered with gratitude and admiration by every inhabitant of this country. This fleet consisted of forty ships of war; was destined for the destruction of New England, was of sufficient force to render that destruction, in the ordinary progress of things, certain; and sailed from Chebucto, in Nova Scotia for this purpose.

In the meantime, our pious fathers, apprised of their danger, and feeling that their only safety was in God, had appointed a season of fasting and prayer to be observed in all their churches. "While Mr. Prince was officiating" in this church (Old South Church) on this fast day, and praying most fervently to God, to avert the dreaded calamity, a sudden gust of wind arose, (the day had till now been perfectly clear and calm,) so violent as to cause a loud clattering of the windows. The Rev. pastor paused in his prayer, and looking round upon the congregation with a countenance of hope, he again commenced, and with great devotional ardor, supplicated the Almighty God to cause that wind to frustrate the object of our enemies, and save the country from conquest and popery. A tempest ensued in which the greater part of the French fleet was wrecked on the coast of Nova Scotia. The Duke D'Anville the principal general, and the second in command, both committed suicide. Many died with disease, and thousands were consigned to a watery grave. The small number that remained alive, returned to France without health and without spirits. "And the enterprise was abandoned, and never again resumed."

"Punmechanuit, an Indian of prime quality, on Martha's Vineyard, and his wife, had buried their first five children successively, every one within ten days of their birth, notwithstanding all their use of powows and of medicines to preserve them. They had a sixth child, (a son,) born about the year 1638, which was a few years before the English settled on the Vineyard. The mother was greatly perplexed with fear that she should lose this child like the former; and utterly despairing of any help from such means as had been formerly tried with so little success, as soon as she was able, with a sorrowful heart, she took up her child and went out into the field, that she might weep out her sorrows. While she was musing on the insufficiency of all human help, she felt it powerfully suggested to her mind that there is one Almighty God who is to be prayed unto, that this God had created all the things that we see—and that the God who had given being to herself, and all other people, and given her child unto her, was easily able to continue the life of her child.

Hereupon, this poor pagan woman resolved, that she would seek unto this God for that mercy, and did accordingly. The issue was, that her child lived, and her faith in Him who thus answered her prayer was wonderfully strengthened, the consideration whereof caused her to dedicate this child unto the service of that God who had preserved his life, and educated him, as far as might be, to become the servant of God.

Not long after this, the English came to settle on Martha's Vineyard; and the Indians who had been present at some of the English devotions, reported that they assembled together, and that the man who spoke among them often looked upwards. This woman, from this report, presently concluded that their assemblies were for prayers, and that their prayers were unto that very God whom she had addressed for the life of her child. She was confirmed in this when the gospel was not long after preached by Mr. Mayhew to the Indians; which gospel she readily, cheerfully, and heartily embraced. And in the confession that she made publicly at her admission into the church, she gave a relation of the preparation for the knowledge of Christ, wherewith God had in this remarkable way favored her. Her child, whose name was Japhet, became afterwards an eminent minister of Christ. He was pastor of an Indian church, on Martha's Vineyard; he also took much pains to carry the gospel unto other Indians on the main land, and his labors were attended with much success."

(?) THE GUARDED HOUSE.—When the year 1914 began, troops of Swedes, Cossacks, Germans, and Russians, were within half an hour's march of the town of Sleswick; and new and fearful reports of the behavior of the soldiers were brought from the country every day. There had been a truce, which was to come to an end at midnight of the 5th of January, which was now drawing near.

On the outskirts of the town, on the side where the enemy lay, there was a house standing alone, and in it there was an old pious woman, who was earnestly praying, in the words of an ancient hymn, that God would raise up a wall around them, so that the enemy might fear to attack them.

In the same house dwelt her daughter, a widow, and her grandson, a youth of twenty years. He heard the prayer of his grandmother, and could not restrain himself from saying, that he did not understand how she could ask for any thing so impossible, as that a wall should be built around them, which could keep the enemy away from their house. The old woman, who was now deaf, caused what her grandson said to be explained to her, but only answered that she had but prayed in general for protection for themselves and their town people. "However," she added, "do you think that if it were the will of God to build a wall around us, it would be impossible to him?"

And now came the dreaded night of the 5th of January; and about midnight the troops began to enter on all sides. The house we were speaking of lay close by the road, and was larger than the dwellings near it, which were only very small cottages. Its inhabitants looked out with anxious fear, as parties of the soldiers entered one after another, and even went to the neighboring houses to ask for what they wanted; but all rode past their dwelling. Throughout the whole day there had been a heavy fall of snow—the first that winter—and towards evening the storm became violent to a degree seldom known. At length came four parties of Cossacks, who had been hindered by the snow from entering the town by another road. This part of the outskirts was at some distance from the town itself and therefore they would not go further; so that all the houses around that where the old woman lived, were filled with these soldiers, who quartered themselves in them; in several houses there were fifty or sixty of these half-savage men. It was a terrible night for those who dwelt in this part of the town, filled to overflowing with the troops of the enemy.

But not a single soldier came into the grandmother's house; and amidst the loud noises and wild sounds all around, not even a knock at the door was heard, to the great wonder of the family within. The next morning, as it grew light, they saw the cause. The storm had drifted a mass of snow, to such a height, between the roadside and the house, that to approach it was impossible. "Do you not now see, my, son," said the old grandmother, "that it was possible for God to raise a wall around us?"

Does not this story remind us of the words—"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them!" Does it not seem as if the snow had been gathered together as by angels' hands to form a defence for that house where one dwelt who thus feared God and trusted in him?

TIMED LOAF. —A lady, who had just sat down to breakfast, had a strong impression on her mind, that she must instantly carry a loaf of bread to a poor man, who lived about half a mile from her house, by the side of a common. Her husband wished her either to postpone taking it till after breakfast, or to send it by a servant; but she chose to take it immediately herself. As she approached the hut, she heard the sound of a human voice, and wishing to discover what was said, she stepped unperceived to the door. She heard the poor man praying, and among other things he said, "O Lord, help me; Lord, thou wilt help me; thy promise cannot fail: although my wife, myself, and children, have no bread to eat, and it is now a whole day since we had any, I know thou wilt supply me, though thou shouldst again rain down manna from heaven." The lady could wait no longer, but opening the door, "Yes," she replied, "God has sent you relief. Take this loaf, and be encouraged to cast your care upon Him who careth for you; and whenever you want a loaf of bread, come to my house."

The conduct of the eminent and justly celebrated Francke, in the establishment of the hospital and school for the poor, at Halle, near Glaucha, in Saxony, is well known. Having no permanent funds to meet the expenses, it may be easily supposed that the good man would frequently be reduced to great difficulties; at such times the interpositions of the providence of God were truly remarkable. About Easter, 1696, he knew not where to obtain money for the expenses of the ensuing week; but when their food was reduced to the very last morsel, one thousand crowns were contributed by some entirely unknown person. At another time, all their provisions were exhausted, and the good minister wisely presented his requests to the God of mercy, who careth even for the ravens when they cry. When prayer was over, just as he was taking his seat, a friend from a distance arrived with fifty crowns, which was shortly followed by twenty more. At another period, the workmen wanted thirty crowns, when he remarked that he had no money, but that he trusted in God; scarcely had he uttered the sentence, when, in this moment of necessity, the precise sum arrived.

"Another time," says Francke, "all our provision was spent; but, in addressing myself to the Lord, I found myself deeply affected with the fourth petition of the Lord's prayer, 'Give us this day our daily bread;' and my thoughts were fixed in a more especial manner upon the words 'this day,' because on the very same day we had great occasion for it. While I was yet praying, a friend of mine came before my door in a coach, and brought the sum of four hundred crowns!" #

THE BEGGAR'S PRAYER. A wealthy merchant in this country once gave the following account:—As he was standing at his door, a venerable gray-headed man approached him and asked an alms. He answered him with severity, and demanded why he lived so useless a life. The beggar answered that "age disabled him for labor and he had committed himself to the providence of God, and the kindness of good people." The rich man was at this time an infidel. He ordered the old man to depart, at the same time casting some reflections on the providence of God. The venerable beggar descended the steps, and kneeling at the bottom offered up the following prayer:—"O my gracious God, I thank thee that my bread and water are sure; but I pray thee, in thy intercession above, to remember this man; he hath reflected on thy providence. Father! forgive him, he knows not what he saith." Thus the present scene ended. The words, "Father! forgive him, he knows not what he saith," constantly rung in the ears of the rich man. He was much disconcerted the following night. The next day, being called on business to a neighboring town he overtook the old man on the road. As he afterwards confessed, the sight almost petrified him with guilt and fear. He dismounted, when an interesting conversation ensued. At the close of it the old man remarked:—"Yesterday, I was hungry, and called at the door of a rich man. He was angry, and told me he did not believe in the providence of God, and bid me depart; but at the next house I had a plentiful meal. And this, mark ye! was at the house of a poor woman." The wealthy man confessed, that at this moment he was pierced with a sense of guilt. He then gave some money to the poor man, of whom he never could hear afterwards; yet the sound of these words being impressed on his mind by the last interview—"He knows not what he saith,"—never left him, till he was brought to Christian repentance.

The Boston Christian Herald relates the following instance of the efficacy of prayer. A gentleman in Boston had an impenitent son in Vermont, for whose salvation he felt extremely anxious, and calling on some of the brethren of the church, made known to them his feelings, and requested them to go with him and pray that his son might be converted to God. He prevailed on his brethren, and they joined him in prayer.

Not long after this, his son knocked at his father's door in Boston; his father went to the door, and his son on seeing him, exclaimed, weeping, "I have come to see you that you might rejoice with me for what the Lord has done for my soul." His father inquired at what time his mind was first arrested—he replied on such an evening, about eight o'clock. His father remembered it was the same time, at which he and his brethren engaged in prayer for his son, and he greatly rejoiced with him in the goodness of God.

A young lady who had for several successive terms been connected with a Seminary in H., Mass., was taken sick with consumption. Her amiable disposition and attractive manners had won for her the esteem and love of both teacher and classmates. But amiable and morally good as she was, she was entirely destitute of that grace which would have added lustre to all her virtues. She was not a Christian. She now found herself upon a sick bed, death staring her in the face, "without God and without hope in the world." The several clergymen in the place, visited and conversed with her day after day, and yet, believer as she was in the revealed truths of the Gospel, she still appeared unaffected. Several weeks passed on; her disease in the meantime had been making rapid inroads upon her constitution, and it was now thought that she could survive but a short time. Her friends renewed their efforts to bring her to Christ. They plainly, but affectionately told her of the danger to which she was exposed, and urged her as she valued her soul, to secure its salvation. She appeared to have clear intellectual views of her case, and expressed a strong desire that God would bring her to repentance, but seemed disinclined to make any effort for herself. The pious students in the Seminary, and some of her classmates in an especial manner, felt deeply interested in her case, and one of them, a young man, proposed to several of his companions, that they should commence a series of prayer-meetings for the purpose of making special effort for her conversion, and continue them until she was by the blessing of God converted. And the ensuing evening they met, a little band of the faithful followers of the Redeemer, and he, true to his promise, met with them. Each in his turn, feelingly and fervently presented her case before God, pleading with him to have mercy upon her, and bring her to a saving knowledge of his grace.

The meeting at length closed, and they parted to meet again the next evening. But they had prayed in "faith believing," and he who has promised to hear and answer such prayer, had by his Spirit been operating upon that young lady's heart, even at the very time that others were interceding for her; and the next morning, these pious students had the satisfaction of hearing that Miss D— had acknowledged God as her Savior, and was rejoicing in the hope of immortal life. She was converted while they were praying for her. She gave abundant evidence of the genuineness of her conversion, and died soon after, exclaiming "Jesus is precious."

"I have known," says an English writer, "wonderful proofs of the faithfulness of the Lord in answering the prayers of parents who left young and helpless families behind. A friend of mine in the west of England, (a faithful laborious minister, but who, I believe, never was master of five pounds at a time,) was dying.

His friends advised him to make his will; he replied, "I have nothing to leave but my wife and children, and I leave them to the care of my gracious God." Soon after this he died, happily. But there appeared no prospect of support for his family at this time. The Lord, however, stirred up a man, who had always despised his preaching, to feel for the deceased minister's poor, destitute family, and he so exerted himself, that he was the means of £1,600, being raised by subscriptions for them; and the clergy of Exeter, who had never countenanced his preaching, gave his widow a house and garden for life, so that she lived in far greater plenty than in her husband's lifetimes. Why was all this? It was in answer to the prayers of the good man, who committed his wife and family to that God who could supply all their needs, and who he knew was able to open the doors of relief for them. 353. 354

# 351. Miscellaneous.