A FURNITURE manufacturer entrusted his apprentice with a gold certificate of great value to take to the bank, and have it exchanged for silver and gold coin, and charged him to be very careful with the money, which the boy promised to do.
The way to the bank was over the bridge spanning the river. On the bridge, he met some of his friends who were at play. He tried to pass them quickly, but they barred the way, and persuaded him to join in their play. After some coaxing, he gave in, and Lid his cap, and due certificate underneath it, on the broad sidewall of the bridge, thinking they would be quite safe. While the boys were playing, a sudden gust of wind took the cap and the paper into the stream. After a while of play, the boy thought to resume his way to the bank, but the cap and money were missing.
They searched for some time, and at last found, the cap; but where was the money? Fearing to meet his employer he went home and told his mother, who was a Christian, all his troubles.
He fully opened his heart to her, telling her how it happened. She wept with him, and at last said, “My poor child, I know not what to do, but there is One who can help us. Let us kneel down and tell Him all about it. He has said, ‘Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me!’”
They knelt down together, and the mother prayed.
In later years, his testimony to his children was, “This prayer of my mother’s was the turning point in my life, and led me to see my need of the salvation of my soul. It was a means of bringing me to God through the Lord Jesus Christ; and afterwards I was led into His service as missionary in South Africa.”
But what did the prayer of his mother do for him at that time?
Mother and son arose from prayer. The mother said, “Let us now go to the river, and look again. I will help you to hunt for the money. With God all things are possible. Perhaps He will let us find it.”
They walked along by the river, looking as they went, but in vain, till they came to a place where the branches of shrubbery were hanging into the water, which had gathered floating leaves and other debris. Among this they found the valuable certificate, thoroughly soaked, but otherwise unharmed. They hastened home, where mother dried it and pressed it smooth with a warm iron and then went with the boy to the bank. They received the sum of money in exchange, and went home, rejoicing and thanking God for the answer to the mother’s prayer.
ML 04/23/1916