"Praying for a Dinner." "Grandma, aren't we going to church this
morning?" asked a little girl.
"My child, we have had no breakfast, and have no dinner to eat when
we come back," said her grandma.
"But the Lord Jesus can give it to us if we ask him," said the little
girl. "Let's ask him." So they kneeled down, and asked that God, "who
feedeth the young ravens when they cry," to remember them, and help
them.
Then they went to church. They found it very much crowded. An old
gentleman took the little girl upon his knee. He was pleased with her
quiet behaviour. On parting with her at the close of the service, he
slipped a half crown into her hand. "See, Grandma," she said, as soon
as they were out of church, "Jesus has sent us our dinner."
But when we ask God to help us, we must always try to help ourselves.
"Working as well as Praying." Two little girls went to the same
school; one of them, named Mary, always said her lessons well, the
other, named Jane, always failed. One day Jane said, "Mary, how does
it happen that you always say your lessons so well?" Mary said she
prayed over her lessons, and _that_ was the secret of her success.
Jane concluded to try praying. But the next day she failed worse than
ever. In tears, she reproached Mary for deceiving her. "But, did you
study hard, as well as pray over your lesson?" asked Mary.
"No; I thought if I only prayed, that was all I had to do," replied
Jane. "Not at all. God only helps those who try to help themselves.
You must study hard as well as pray, if you wish to get your lessons
well," was Mary's wise answer. The next day Jane studied, as well as
prayed, and she had her lesson perfectly.
The greatest work we can ever do, is to bring a soul to Jesus, or to
convert a sinner from the error of his way. Here is an illustration
of the way in which this may be done by prayer and effort combined:
"The Coachman and His Prayer." "I was riding once, on the top of a
stage-coach," said a Christian gentleman, "when the driver by my side
began to swear in a dreadful manner. I lifted up my heart for God's
blessing on what I said; and presently, in a quiet way, I asked him
this question: 'Driver, do you ever pray?' He seemed displeased at
first; but after awhile he replied, 'I sometimes go to church on
Sunday; and then I suppose I pray, don't I?' 'I am afraid you never
pray at all; for no man can swear as you do, and yet be in the habit
of praying to God.'
"As we rode along he seemed thoughtful. 'Coachman, I wish you would
pray now,' I said. '"Why, what a time to pray, Sir, when a man is
driving a coach!"' 'Yet, my friend, God will hear you,' '"What shall
I pray?"' he asked, in a low voice. 'Pray these words: '"O Lord,
grant me thy Holy Spirit, for Christ's sake. Amen."' He hesitated,
but in a moment he repeated them; and then, at my request, he said
them over a second, and a third time. The end of the journey was
reached, and I left him.
"Some months passed away, and we met once more. 'Ah, Sir,' said he,
with a smile, 'the prayer you taught me on that coach-box was
answered. I saw myself a lost, and ruined sinner; but now, I humbly
hope, that through the blood which cleanseth from all sin, and by the
power of the Holy Spirit, I am a converted man.'"
And so, when we think of the twelve apostles, appointed by Jesus to
preach his gospel, these are the four things for us to remember in
connection with them, viz.:--_the men_ whom he chose; _the work_ they
had to do; _the help_ given them in doing that work; and _the lesson_
we are taught by this subject--the lesson of prayer.
Whatever we have to do, let us do it with all our hearts, and do it
as for God, and then we shall be his apostles--his sent ones. Let me
put the application of this subject in the form of some earnest,
practical lines that I lately met with. The lines only speak of
boys, but they apply just as well to girls. They are headed: