Prisons and Prayer; Or, a Labor of LoveWheaton, Elizabeth Ryder
Religion
Prisons and Prayer; Or, a Labor of Love
Wheaton, Elizabeth Ryder
Evangelistic work; Prisons
I once had a young sister with me whom I had taken from Toronto,
Canada. I had told her mother I would return her safely and had given
her money to pay her fare home. As we returned through a field to the
city from the poor farm where I had held a service, I said to the
sister, "I am so hungry." She replied, "O wait till we get to heaven,
then we shall have of the twelve manner of fruit, and drink of the
water of life," and I was cheered and blest as I went along the way.
The Lord showed me to trust Him. When I reached my lodging-house I was
so weak and tired that I sat down to rest a few moments before
ascending the stairs to my room. The landlady sat by her well-filled
table after the boarders were all gone. She asked the servant for a
plate, and I watched her while she cut off a nice piece of turkey and
a piece of roast beef and then put some bread on the plate and handed
it to me. I was, O, so glad, but feared she was going to ask pay for
it, and I had only a dime. I asked, "How much is this?" and she
replied, "Nothing." I was so overcome with gratitude to God for His
goodness that I hastened to my room and thanked God for answering
prayer, in giving me food I needed to give me strength for the
meeting that afternoon on the street, and in the evening at the
colored people's church. At the close of the meeting in the evening
the preacher said: "The sister has given us a good sermon, and the
gospel must be carried, so come up and give us a good collection." The
people responded heartily and gave a very liberal collection, but
after the meeting the preacher handed me 25 cents, keeping the rest. I
felt very badly as I had prayed for money which I needed so much. I
must go to another city, and no money for traveling expenses. I had
been obliged to have some work done by the dentist which must be paid,
and no money, but I kept believing, yet no open heart or door. I
wondered why I was led to go to another place with no means provided.
When I had gotten the amount needed I left, heart-sick, lonely and
weary to go on alone in the work, and the sister to go home to Canada.
A few days later I was walking along the streets of Lynchburg, Va. I
met a man who said, "I am Rev. B---- from Chicago. I have met you
several times in your work. Sister Wheaton, won't you come with me to
church?" I said, "Where?" and he said, "To the First Baptist church."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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