Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-02-12
A Mothers Prayer Answered.

Trained religiously, | reached young
mans years before making a public profess
sion of religion. Occasionally, prior to my
conversion, thoughts of the ministry some
times flashed across my mind but it was
only flash. After my conversion ] was
earnest for the welfare OF others, and wanted
to promote the interests of the church and
of humanity. The conviction grew upon
me that must preach yet | tried to put
that away, because feared ! could never
succeed | saw the greatness of the work,
aud the reproachful poverty connected then
with the itinerant ministry. There were
two special difficulties in my way. First,
had no gift of speech My voice was poor,
and in school ! always Stunned defamation.
| firmly believed | could never make a
speaker; and so chose the profession of
medicine, which | studied three years in
professional school. | think | should have
resolutely rejected the idea of the ministry,
except that it seemed inseparably connected
with my salvation. | tasted, / prayed for
divine direction but found no rest, until,
in reading the Bible one day, found pas
sage which seemed specially written for me /;
" Trust in the Lord with all thy heart lean
not unto thine own understanding in all
thy ways acknowledge him and he shall di-
rect thy paths" / accepted it, and resolved
to do whatever God in his providence should
indicate by opening the way. never lisped
to friend the slightest intimation of my
mental agony; but I took a more earnest
part in the church services. One Sabbath
| felt strong impression that | ought to
speak to the people at night in prayer-meet-
ing, as we had no preaching. said to my
self " How shall ? For my friends will
say am foolish, as they know | cannot
speak with interest" Especially | dreaded
a certain old uncle, who had been father
to me and superntended my education.
While | was discussing this matter with
myself in the afternoon my uncle came into
the room, and, after a moments hesitation,
said to me; "Dont you think you could
prised and startled. asked him if he
thought ! ought. He said Yes, think
you can do good" That night, for some
strange reason, the house was crowded, and
made my first religious address to public
congregation. 1t was not written. 1t was
not very well premeditated. 1t was simply
an earnest outgushing of sincere and honest
heart. My mother was widow. | was her
eldest son, and the only child remaining at
home. | feared it would break her heart to
leave her, and feared IL would be impossible
to do so. One day, after great embarrass-
ment, was induced to speak to my mother
on the subject of my mental struggles, and
tell her what thought God required of me.
| never shall forget how she turned to me
with a smile, and said "My son, have
been looking for this hour ever since you
were born !" She then told Inc how she and
my dying father, who left me an infant, con-
secrated me to God, and prayed that, if it
were his will, might become minister
Aud yet that mother had never dropped a
word Of intimation in my ear that she ever
desired me to be preacher. She believed
so fully in the divine call that she would not
bias my youthful mind with even suggestion
of it in prayer. That conversation settled
my mind. Oh, what blessing is a sainted
mother To-day can feel her hands on
my head, and hear the intonation of her
voice in PRAYER.