PRAYER AND POTATOES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 189, 11 August 1871, Page 4

PRAYER AND POTATOES.

A Sermon bt Rev. J. T. Puttee. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you f-av unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful for the body; what doth it profit ?— Jamg ii: 15,16. An old lady sat in her old arm-chair With wrinkled visage and dishevelled hair And hunger-worn features; For days and for weeks her only, fare, As she sat there in her old arm-chair, Had been potatoes. But now they were gone; of bad or good Not one was left for the old lady's food Of those potatotes; And she sighed and said '• What shall I do ? Where shall I send, and to whom shall go For more potatoes ? " And she thought of the deacon over the way, The deacon so ready to worship and pray, Whose cellar was full of potatoes. And she said ? " I will send for the deacon to come; He'll not mind much to give me some Of such a store of potatoes." And the deacon came over as fast as he could, Thinking to do the old lady some good, But never for once of potatoes : He asked her at once what was her chief want, And she, simple soul, expecting a grant, Immediately answered " Potatoes." But the deacon's religion didn't lie that way ; He was more accustomed to preach and to pray, Than to give of his hoarded potatoes : So, not hearing, of course, what the old lady said, He rose to pray, with uncovered bead, But -he only thought of potatoes. He prayed for patience, and wisdom, and grace, But when he prayed " Lord give her peace," She audibly sighed, " Give potatoes ;" And at tbe end of each prayer which he said, He heard, or thought that he heard in its stead, The same request for potatoes. The deacon was troubled; knew not what to do; 'Twas very embarrassing to bave her act so About " those carnal potatoes." So, ending his prayer, he started for home; But, as the door closed behind him, he heard a deep g'oan, O, give to the hungry potatoes ! " And that groan followed him all the way home ; In the midst of the night it haunted his room — 0, give to the hungry potatoes ! " He could bear it no longer; arose nnd dressed, From his well-filled cellar taking in baste A bag of his best potatoes . Again he went to the widow's lone hut; Her sleepless eyes she had not yet shut; But there she sat in that old arm chair, With the same wan features, the same sad air, And entering in he poured on the floor A bushel or more from his goodly store Of choicest potatoes. The widow's heart leaped up for joy ; Her face was haggard and wan no more. •' Now," said the deacon, " shall we pray ? " " Yes," said the widow; " now you may." And he kneeled him down on the sanded floor, Where he had poured his goodly store, And such a prayer the deacon prayed As never before his lips essayed ; No longer embarassed, but free and full He poured out the voice of a liberal soul. And the widow responded aloud " amen ! " Bat said no more of potatoes. And would you, who hear this simple tale, Pray for the poor, and praying " prevail," Then preface your prayers with alms and good deeds : Search out the poor, their wants and their needs : Pray for peace, and grace, and spiritual food, For wisdom, and guidance, for all these are good, But don't forget the potatoes. *Of this poem — a fragment of a charity sermon, preached in Dorchester, Mass., some twelve or fourteen years ago— John G. Whittier wrote : "It is more valuable than some epics. lam not sure but it is more to the Master's purpose than any learned theological tome which has been published since it was written."