Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-06-10
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CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

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GODS WAYS OF ANSWERING PRAYER.
"For my ways are not your ways" is often
true in regard to Gods method of answering
our petitions.
A Christian mother sat by the dying bed Of
her child, lovely little girl, remarkably
beautiful, bright, and winning. AS the moth.
er watched the gray shadow of death stealing
over the sweet face, and the eyes that had
sparkled with glee grow CLASSY and staring,
she exclaimed in agony, 81 never thought it
would come to this. Whenever l knelt in
prayer asked God to make US happy
family by-and-by in heaven, as we had been
happy family on earth. But did not
mean in this way. T wanted my dear child
to live long life before God took her. Is
this the way he answers my prayer?"
Perhaps, could she have seen, as God saw,
the dangers to which that little one would
have been exposed had she lived to grow up,
could she have foreseen the snares for the
young feet or the sorrows for the young heart,
she would have felt that Gods way of ans
wering her prayer was the best way.
Not far distant from that sorrowing mother
lives another, who, years ago, sat by what
seemed the dying bed of her little girl. The
loving heart of the parent could not give up
the child, and she prayed in agony for her
life to be spared. Her prayer was answered,
and she lived to grow up to charming wo.
manhood, the idol of her house, her every
wish grati6ed, yet as lovely in soul as in per-
son. She was married to one who seemed to
appreciate the rare treasure he had won, and
to be worthy Of her; but in few, very few
years, she was obliged to return to her fathers
house to escape from the cruel treatment OF
her husband, with whom her life was no longer
safe. To human eyes it would seem that it
had been better for her to have died in her
innocent childhood, than to have lived to
know such experiences Of sorrow. Ought
we not to add, to all cur petitions, "Neverthe-
less, not as will, but as Thou wilt?'
A few weeks only had passed after the
mother first mentioned saw her little girl 90
down into the dark valley, before she sat
again by death -bed-that of her son, boy
of twelve years. He was a child Of great
promise. Many fond hopes centred in him.
His active mind, loving heart, and ready wit,
made him favorite in his home and among
all his boy-companions. His parents had
reason to look forward to a. noble manhood
for him, and to hope that he would live to
cheer their declining years. But he, too
was taken; and again the same agonized ex.
clamation was heard from the heart-broken
mother, "Is this the way God answers my
prayer?"
But who knows the future? What mortal
eye can pierce the dark veil and see what
might have been in store for him had he lived
Other noble lives have been wrecked. God
knows best.
In the next home to this now doubly-be
reaved one, sits mother who mourns over
her son and cannot be comforted. The shad
ow of the angel of death has not cast its gloom
there, but darker sorrow broods over that
household. A few years ago young man
went forth from this home in all the pride
and strength of his first manhood The par
ents expected much of him. They anticipa'
ted useful and honorable life. Some few
months since he returned, completely shatter-
ed in intellect. The light of reason has faded
from his eye; he wanders listlessly from room
to room, or sits and gazes at vacancy. His
brain is almost hopelessly diseased from a
sun-stroke, and the light of his life has so
soon gone out in utter darkness.