The Charlotte Democrat., 1888-01-06
The Cats Paw.

When j. Hudson Taylor, of the China
lnlnnd Mission, was making his first voy-
age to China he had some marked ex-
periences of the power of Him who holds
the winds 10 His fists, and who hears and
answers the prayers of His children. The
voyage was tedious, and in the equatorial
regions they had head-winds, dead calms,
and countercurrents, and sometimes lost
in the day by drifting as much distance
as they gained at night from the breeze
which usually sprang up.
"One day." says Mr. Taylor, "ge were
in dangerous position to the north of
New Guinea. Saturday night had brought
us to a position some thirty miles off the
laad, but during the Sunday morning SER
vice, which was held on deck, could not
fail to notice the captain looked troubled,
and frequently went to the side of the
ship When the service was over / learn
ed from him the cause-a four-knot cur
rent was carrying US rapidly toward some
sunken reefs, and we were already so near
that it seemed improbable that we should
get through the afternoon.
"After dinner, the long-boat was put
out and all hands endeavored, without
success, to turn the ships head round
from the shore. As We drifted nearer we
| could see the natives plainly rushing about
the sands, lighting fires here and there.
| The captains horn-book informed him
that these people were cannibals, so our
| position was not little alarming.
"After standing together for some time
in silence, on the deck, the captain said to
me:
"'Well, we have done everything that
can be done; we can only await the result u
''The thought occurred to me, and re-
"'No, there is one thing we have not
done yet
"What is it?' he said
81 replied: -Four OF us on board are
Christians-the carpenter and our colored
steward, as well as the captain and my.
self. Let US each retire to his own cabin
and, in agreed prayer, ask the Lord tc
send Immediately breeze. He can al
easily send it now as at sunset
| "The captain agreed to the proposal.
went and spoke to the other two men, haG
some united prayer with the carpenter
and we all four retired to wait on God
had good but very short time in prayer
and felt so satisfied that the prayer waI
heard that could not continue asking; SO
| very SOOus L W0uL Ou O0ck dGalUs LII
first officer, a goddess man, was in charge
of the deck. l went up to him and asked
him to let down the clews or corners o.
the mainsail, which were drawn up tt
lessen chafng from the Tapping of the sal
against the rigging.
'He asked me, what would be the gooc
of that?'
81 told him we had been asking a vino
4 frnpo Odd that If 60
ly; and we were so near the reefs by thil
time that there was not minute to lose.
"With look of incredulity and con
tempt, he said with an oath that he woult
rather see wind than to hear of it. But
while he was speaking l watched his eye
and followed it up to the royal sail, ant
there, sure enough, the corner of the sal
was beginning to tremble in the coming
breeze.
Il said to him: Don't you see the wine
is coming? Look at the royal'
"No it is only cats paw he replied.
"'Cat's paw or not,' l rejoined, spray
let down the mainsail, and let US have the
benefit of it,
"This he was not slow 10 no; in anothe
minute the heavy tread of the men OF
deck brought up the captain from hi
cabin to see what was the matter; ant
sure enough, the breeze had come! In &
very few minutes we were blowing oul
way at six or seven knots an hour through
the water, and the multitude of nake'
savages, whom we had seen on the beach
had no wreckage that night. We did no
altogether lose that wind until we passe
the Pelew Islands.
$50 God encouraged me, ere landing OF
China's shores, to bring every variety o
need to Him in prayer, and to expect tha
He would honor the name of the Lor,
Jesus, and give the help which each emel
gency might require"