No. 6.
LITTLE Mary wished very much to go to Sunday-school, but could not do so because she needed a pair of new shoes, as her old ones were too shabby to wear to the class. Being very fond of her Sunday-school, Mary said wistfully to her mother, “Can’t I have a pair of shoes tonight, Mamma, so that I can go to class tomorrow?” The mother sighed as she answered, “I wish you could have the shoes Mary dear, but I fear there are too many other things needed, and you will have to wait for a while.” Mary’s face clouded for an instant and the tears rose to her eyes, but rising quickly, she went, to her mother, saying very simply, “Never mind, Mamma, dear, I’ll tell Jesus all about it, and ask Him to give me a pair.”
With a kiss and a cheerful good-night, Mary went into the little room which she and her mother shared as a bedroom, and before retiring to rest, she knelt before her little cot and as her usual custom was prayed aloud, telling the Lord in her childish way, all her wants, and asking Him to give what He saw was good for her to have. Her mother through the partly opened door, heard her prayer uttered in simple faith to her heavenly Father without the shadow of a doubt that her request would be answered. “Lord Jesus, I want to go to Sunday-school tomorrow, and I have no shoes to wear. Mamma has no money to buy me a pair, but I know Thou canst give me the shoes and I thought I would tell Thee about it. Please, Lord, let me have them tonight. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
The hot tears gushed to the poor mother’s eyes as she listened, and from her lips came the words, “Lord, do honor her faith and grant her request.”
Having kissed Mary and tucked her snugly in her little bed, Mrs. Brown arranged some freshly ironed clothes in a basket and, placing them in a small hand cart, started for the home of one of her patrons, to deliver them, and trusting to receive the pay for her work which was so urgently needed by the family. Having arrived at her destination, a large house in a fashionable part of the city, she deposited her burden in the, kitchen, and was taking a cup of tea given her by the kind hearted cook, when a little girl, about the same age as Mary, came running into the kitchen, and seeing the laundry basket, came over to where Mrs. Brown was sitting, and in her childish fashion began asking questions: “Have you any little girls. Mrs. Brown? What is your little girl’s name? Why that is my name, too.” Then followed other questions about Sunday-school, and when the mother told how fond little Mary was of her Sunday-school, and how often she was prevented from attending through want of suitable clothing, the little girl ran quickly out of the kitchen, soon reappearing with a pair, of nice shoes in her hand, saying, breathlessly, “Mrs. Brown, will yon give these shoes to your little Mary? They are just a little too big for me and Mamma says I may give them to her.” The tears of gratitude fell quickly from Mrs. Brown’s eyes as she thought of the simple prayer of faith in which her little daughter had made known her need, and how that need had now been met by a loving Father.
On returning to her humble abode, she found Mary peacefully sleeping, and placing the shoes beside her pillow, she retired to rest, first thanking the Father of the fatherless for His loving care to her little child.
In the morning when little Mary awoke, the first thing which met her gaze was the shoes, and the listening mother heard her whisper, as she held them against her breast, “I knew that Jesus would give them to me. He always does what I ask Him. I thank Thee, Lord Jesus. Now I can go to Sunday-school this afternoon.”
“All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matt 21:22.
ML 10/26/1902