ANSWERS TO PRAYER.
During the summer Bessie's cousin John and a boy friend came to visit
her. They spent many pleasant hours on the lake. One day while they were
about two miles from home, a fierce storm arose. They noticed the sky
growing dark and tried very hard to reach home; but, when still some
distance from the shore, they could see that instead of making any
headway they were drifting before the wind.
It was a serious moment. As the great waves dashed up over them, each
adding to the amount of water in the boat, Bessie looked first at her
cousin toiling away at the oars, the great drops of perspiration
coursing down his face, then at their friend nearly wild with terror,
and then at the western sky. "John," said she to her cousin, "I believe
that's rain coming toward us." Until then the boy, who was a little
older than Bessie, had been brave; but as he turned to look, his face
blanched with terror, and he said, "Bessie, if that is rain, it will
certainly sink our boat; for, see, it is nearly half full of water now."
The situation was certainly critical, but Bessie felt that it was not
the time to despair. She remembered that in olden times Jesus had calmed
the sea. Believing that he could still do the same, she prayed for help
from heaven. Then, encouraging her cousin to do his best, she, assisted
by their friend, began to bale out the water as rapidly as they could.
In a few moments the great drops of rain were dashing down upon them.
Without speaking, all kept at their work for what seemed to them an
hour, but which was really but a short time. Suddenly it ceased raining;
and, looking about them, they saw that the lake was perfectly
quiet--not a ripple could be seen. With trembling voice Bessie said,
"John, God must have sent the rain to quiet the water, for I asked him
to help us." It was a very wet but thankful crowd that reached home that
night.
In the spring that Bessie was fourteen years old, her father sold the
beautiful home where she had spent so many happy days, and bought a
tract of land in a dense wood farther up the lake. On account of the
dense forest, the place appeared very dismal. As the purchaser of their
old home wanted possession as soon as possible, Mr. Worthington had time
to build only a barn before removing his family. In this building they
lived during the first summer. Though these circumstances were
discouraging, the Worthingtons tried hard to be brave. By fall a house
was ready for them.
Many good things were lacking in this new forest home; but God knew
this, and he put it into the hearts of friends and neighbors to supply
the family with fruit and vegetables and also chickens. So generously
were these supplied that there was no lack.
During the winter following much wood was cut, hauled, and piled out
along the roadside in front of the house; but still there was standing
timber nearly everywhere one might look, and to the south and west it
extended for many miles.
The next summer Bessie learned how dangerous an enemy a large forest
could become. There was so little rain during the hot months that things
became dry and brittle. One day she heard the cry of "Fire! Fire!"
Looking away to the southwest, she beheld a sight that made her feel
faint with fear. The woods were ablaze, and the fire was coming directly
toward her home.
Her father came to her, explained their danger, told her to warn her
mother and then to do all she could to put out any sparks that might
fall around the woodpiles, house, or barn. This said, he hastened to
join the men in their desperate battle with the fire. When Bessie
entered the house, she saw her mother weeping over her little baby, who
had been born during the winter months and who had known nothing but
sickness and suffering. When Mrs. Worthington heard the news, she
continued to weep, and said, "Well, dear, do all you can to put out the
sparks; for I think your little brother is dying, and I can not leave
him."
By much hard work, the fire was held in check until evening. Bessie made
her rounds with a pail of water and a dipper until her eyes became so
painful on account of the smoke and heat that she was forced to lie down
on the ground until they quit hurting. As soon as possible, however, she
returned to her task, informing her mother frequently of the progress of
the fire.
At last word came that nothing more could be done; that the house could
not be saved. Seeing that further effort was useless and that each
moment increased the danger of their own lives, the men left off
fighting the fire, in order to save themselves and to help, if possible,
the Worthington family. They soon reached the house. The next question
was, where to go. The lake seemed to be the nearest place of safety.
Confusion was everywhere, but through it all Mrs. Worthington sat
quietly holding her dying baby.
"O Mama," said Bessie, "aren't you going with the rest?"
"No," answered her mother positively; "I shall remain right here with my
dying child. I can not move him now and add to his suffering. I know
that God can take care of me here as well as anywhere else. Why, Bessie,
where is your faith? God can yet send rain and put out the fire."
"Oh! but if God doesn't send rain, you will burn up; for the fire is
almost here," cried Bessie. "Do come as far from the house as you can,
won't you?"
"No, Bessie, I told you, no. I shall sit just where I am," answered Mrs.
Worthington; and Bessie knew that it would be useless to press the
matter further.
With throbbing heart Bessie ran to her room, which was already getting
hot from the fire: she fell upon her knees by the window where she could
see the flames leaping from tree to tree, and began to call mightily
upon God. "O God!" she prayed, "do send rain or change the wind." After
repeating this prayer several times, she noticed some large drops of
water upon the window pane. She knew what it meant: once before God had
sent rain to help her in time of danger. Hastening down stairs, she
said, "Mama, it's raining." "Thank God!" said Mrs. Worthington, "I knew
he wouldn't let baby and me burn up."
By that time the rain was pouring down; the wind had ceased; and the
danger was over. The rain did not put out the fire, but so checked it
that, by hard work, it could be kept under control until it died out.
Little Clement lived only a short time after the fire; but just before
he died, he looked into his weeping mother's face and smiled three
times. As he had never smiled before, Mrs. Worthington always thought
that God took that way to encourage her heart.