Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-07-30
The Praying Children.

Mrs. Whittlesev relates story, which will
be useful and interesting to our young readers.
She says:
g In one of our Western towns, clergy
man was one morning told by his wife, that
a little boy, the son of neighbor, was very
sick near to death, and asked if he would not
go in and see him.
8" hardly know what to do" said he
II fear my visit would not be well receiv-
ed.''
- But" rejoined the wife, ''when you were
sick, short time since, the mother of the lit
tie boy sent in kindly every day to know how
you were, and think they will expect you to
come and see their son."
This was a sufficient inducement he was
soon on the way to the dwelling of sorrow
The mother was hanging in anguish over her
precious and beautiful child, who was toss
il from one side, in the delirium of brain
fever. The minister, after watching him a
| few moments, turned to the lady and said
''This poor little child should be kept per-
/ fectly quiet, madam he should not he excl
ted in any manner.
Sir" said she, will you offer a prayer p
At first he hesitated, fearing the effect up
on the child but, on second thought, knelt
at the bedside, and uttered few petitions in
His name who said, g Suffer little children
to come unto me-" The moment he commen-
ced speaking. the little sufferer, who until
now seemed unconscious of his presence,
ceased his moans lay still upon the bed, and
fxinghs dark eyes upon him. listened intent
ly to every word. The minsster rose from
his knees, said few words to the mother,
and went home, leaving the child in per-
fectly tranquil state. The next morning,
the first intelligence which greeted him was,
that little Frank had died during the night
He had become extremely interested, and
the apparent effect of the voice of prayer up
on the dying boy had surprised him. He
went again to visit the family, attended the
funeral, and at length learned the following
facts
She had two children. Frank was the ell
dest and the second was daughter of fly,
years. A few months before, little Alice hac
gone to spend the night with some compan
ions in the neighborhood, whose parents wer,
Christians, and were training their children
to follow their steps. AS they were about re
tiring to rest, these little ones said to thei
visitor, who did not know the Lords Prayer
"Come, Alice, kneel down with US, and sa,
Sour Father" before you 60 to bed"
Alice, being bright little girl, soon com
mitted to memory the precious form Of pray
er which has gone from so many lips sine
our Savior first uttered it. The next MOI
ming, full of animation and delighted wit
her new acquisition, she returned home an
the moment her brother Frank returne
home from school, she began to tell him al
about her visit, and beg him to learn g Gu
Father" and say it with her.
From this time, the mother said, kneelin
together, they had daily repeated the Lord
Prayer, with great earnestness and delight
and had also learned other prayers, in whic
they seemed much interested.
A few days before he was taken sick, Fir an
had come to her with book in his hand, an
said:
so, mother, here is beautiful prayer
will you let me read it to you ~
1t was the remembrance of this which il
duced her to make the request that the mil
lister would pray by the bed of her sufferin
hoy, and this was the secret of the calmin
influence which that prayer exerted. Fl
continued thus tranquil "a long time. but
length his distress returned, and the hour
death drew near. About midnight, snfferin
and agonized, he begged his mother to sen
for the good minister to pray again. L
must have somebody to pray. The paren
disliked to call him at that hour of the nigh
and knew not what to do. At last the mot
er went up stairs, and, taking the little slee
ing Alice from her bed, brought her to b
brothers bedside, and told what Frar
wanted. Immediately she knelt down, ar
slowly and solemnly repeated the pray
which they both so much loved, and then, u
asked, said
Now Frankly lays him down to sleep,
pray the Lord his sould to keep;
IF he should die before he wake,
pray the Lord his sould to take"
The first words soothed the sufferer, al
with the last his spirit fed.
Witnessed earth ever sublimer spectacl
AT the dead hour of the night,in the char
Der where waits the King Of Terrors, ST
rounded by weeping friends, the infant of Fl
summers, reused hastily from the sweet slul
bers of childhood, kneels,in her simple mig
dress, and undisturbed, uninterrupted, lis
in childish accents the prayer which Heav
accepts, and on whose breath mssioned a
gels bear upward the ransomed soul.
would teach lesson. eThey labor L
in vain who sow precious seed in the FIRE
soil of youthful hearts"
Ice IN JULY.-At Niagara, abo
fifty feet below the American Fall, the
still remains a cake of ice weighing pre-
ably twenty-five tons. During the |;
j L Il.