Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 08, Issue 93, 27 July 1945, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by the Whakat

"DID HE HEAR ME ?"

I am not at liberty to give names or dates but the following modern incident I may set forth. 1 quote from a very pious and modest woman, 111 her own words as 1 recall them : "My husband was taken from me suddenly leaving a small debt which, when discharged, left but little cash and no income. I found mj'.self a widow with six children to care for. I moved about in a dazed manner for a few weeks wondering what it all meant while mv small J purse was. rapidly diminishing. 1 woke to see six mouths to be filled, six bodies to be clothed rent to be paid, schooling to be given, and T with no vocational proficiency. I had not qualified myself in any branch of industry sufficiently to take a position. I took in washings for a while, carrying the clothes to and fro so as; to be with my darlings— all this until my health gave way. At last.—oh it had not been so long, but it seemed to me—the crash came. I sent the boy away with groceries unpaid, then I sent away the agent of the cottage 1 had taken (rent unpaid). My baby was too sick for me to' leave her; a long winter, with rainy weather, was on. I was in a strange part of the city, too tired to beg and too proud to complain. "I was a believer, but I had never faced things like this before. I had never seemed t6 need a great Father God until now. As I cared for my sick all the afternoon with an aching heart I thought and formed a plan. Accordingly 1 put the children to bed early and watched them off to sleep. I became very wide-awake. I took my Bible, and read from it for an hour then took a candle and went to the two beds which hardly held my brood and passed- the light over them. I said, 'Lord, I want You to look at each of these whom You have given me for it is about them I want to see You.' I put the Bible in 'its place, blew out the candle for economy's sake, and knelt near the dying coate. I told God I idid not know that I ever had prayed in the right way, but that I needed -a Father, a Friend, Someone who had jnucli to spare, and would trust me and hear me. I became confused and failing to find Avords again lighted the candle and looked at the childr ren then returned and knelt, again by my chair. I waited lor a half hour or more looking at what the day would bring for I had dusted

ne Ministers' Association).

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

out the, flour bin and the children had eaten all. Again T lighted the candle and held it over each one of them, sobbing, 'Lord. You will have to answer my prayer.' Snuffing the candle I looked out into the dark night then knelt down again, prayr ing 'God, all 1 can think of is that You have said man's extremity is Your opportunity. It seems as though this is a good time for You to show it. Day is breaking and my children will soon wake up hungry, and I need a doctor for my sick baby/ Arising, my child asked for water. 1 told her I would go to the well to get some, as. it was gi owing light. "Just as I approached the well on the hard ground my eyes detected something unusual for that place. 1 stooped to pick it up, and saw •it was a roll of notes. I stuck them in my bosom, my heart beating fast. There was nearly oO'O.OO dollars in the roll. I asiked the children to remain 'in bed while I went to make a call. It was some distance to where the minister lived, but I made my way there and told him about finding the money and asked his advice. He told me to hold it a day or two so that it might be judicious.ly advertised. After some hesitancy I told him about my condition and how I had spent the night. My simple narrative worked a wonderful change in him. He said he would let me have some money, or better he advised me to take some of fthafc which I had found, and if it became necessary to replace it he would do so. It was not hard to persuade me. "The money wwats t never claimed. It la<ter became known that a Negro who was being pursued from town to town- had been tracked to near my cottage. As he passed it, seeing something on the ground, he picked it up and turned it to one side so as to take advantage of the light ffom the lamp. The officer, approaching him saw the roll which the Negro thrust into his pocket as he ran away The officer blew his whistle and gave chase so closely behind the Negro that he ran into a little stretch of woodland. Turning back on a side street he saw the approaching offir cer and tossed the roll over into my yard as he rushed through the alley. No one ever claimed the money. Was it an accident or a coincidence?" I believe God was working that thing out as He stood by that mother's side while she looked at her children by the light of the candle. God never fails!— The Free 'Methodist.