Remarkable Interposition


The following is related in the Life of Mrs. Hester Ann Rogers, pp. 116-118:  

"November 29, 1785. A lady of genteel appearance, whom I had not seen before, requested to speak with me. I found she had come secretly to hear preaching for some months, and was under deep awakenings. Her husband is a man of fortune, but a professed infidel; believes in neither God, devil, heaven, nor hell; mocks at the Scriptures, especially the New Testament; and will neither attend any place of public worship himself, nor suffer her to do so. And what added to her affliction, his bad state of health determined him to go to live in France. She cried, 'What will become of me there? No means of grace; no friend to fly to; in a country of idolaters abroad, and infidels at home; my sinful heart and the temptations of Satan to struggle with; I shall lose all my good desires, and my poor soul will be ruined.' 

"I asked, Is there no way to prevent this? She answered, No. I said, But the Lord can prevent it; and if not for his glory, he will. 'Ha!' said she, I fear nothing can prevent; the carriage is preparing, and the time is fixed.' I replied, 'Only put the whole into the Lord's hand, and you are safe. Trust in God, and make it a matter of prayer; and if the journey be not for your good, though it come to the last hour, he will prevent it. Nay, if you should even set out, he can, by a thousand means, turn you back, and he will. Did he not suffer the three Hebrew children to be cast into the furnace? Yet the fire had no power to consume. Daniel was cast into the den; but the God you are called to trust, shut the lions' jaws. St. John was put into the cauldron of boiling oil; yet he received no harm. This God, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, will prevent this journey if you put your trust in him; or he will make it a blessing to your soul.' I then went to prayer, and at parting, bid her pray much for her husband, and believe all things are possible with God.    

"Some time after she called on me, and told me she had taken my advice and prayed for her husband who, a few nights ago had a remarkable dream, which much affected and astonished him. He thought he was giving orders to his coach maker about his new carriage, and more especially about one of the wheels; when the man turned about and said, in a very solemn manner, 'Sir, you need not trouble yourself about that wheel, for the Lord Jesus Christ has the whole management of it.' He was filled with surprise and awoke. I again commended her to God in prayer, and she returned home not a little comforted.   

"A few days afterward, a note was sent to request public thanks to Almighty God for his power and love manifested in behalf of a person whose name is unknown. The messenger, calling on me at the same time, said, 'Thank God, this journey is prevented at last!' I asked, 'But how was this brought to pass?' She said, 'Only two days ago all was fixed for the journey; and on this day they were to set off. But the Lord afflicted the physician who advised them to go. And Mr. finding himself very poorly, called in another doctor, who assured him he could not undergo the journey, and that France is not a proper place for his constitution, and therefore all thoughts of going are at an end.   

"O how my soul was filled with wonder, love, and praise! Who that considers the above, will not see omnipotence, love, and faithfulness exerted in answer to prayer? Who would not wish for such a Friend? Who would not love, serve, and confide in such a God? Who would not own he heareth prayer, and to him shall all flesh come? And how wonderful is such a dream of the Lord Jesus Christ by a man of such principles! Surely it was all of God, and to him alone is due all the glory." 

1862 MEC, MIRP 130