bed, as he did at his night and morning
prayers, uttered this request:

_"O God, please to bless little sister, she is very sick. Please stop
her fits so she won't have any more. For Jesus' sake, amen."_

He came back, told his mamma what he said, and added: "_Mamma, I don't
think she will have any more_."

Now mark how the Lord honored this simple faith of the little child.
_From that very moment the fits left her. They never returned; and the
child soon entirely recovered_.

Notice the full beauty and instruction of these two incidents: _Little
Merrill's life was saved in answer to prayer; was the means of his
father's salvation, and when he in turn had grown to an age when he
could learn of God, his own prayer was the means of saving his own
sister's life_.

Notice, too, that all earthly available means were used to save each
child, but to no effect. Physicians and parents considered the case
hopeless, and then committed it to the decision of God.

Notice, too, that when little Merrill was so sick, that the mother and
doctor both prayed, yet it was not until his father had also prayed that
the answer came. God meant to honor the faith of the first two, but was
_waiting for the prayer of the third_ ere he granted the request. That
child's sickness was one of the purposes of God. Notice in the second
case, that while father, mother, doctor, the clergyman, and others of
the house were all trusting in prayer, yet the Lord _was waiting for the
prayer of the little brother_, ere he sent the blessing of relief. Such
an incident draws its own conclusion. _Never cease in prayer for
anything which is to God's honor and glory. Use all the possible means
to help God. Where human means are of no avail, commit it to God and
wait in humble resignation. Ask others to pray, too, for the same
object_, that when the answer comes, God may be glorified before the
sight of others as well as your own. When so many are waiting to see if
_God_ will honor his promises, depend upon it, _God will be found
faithful to all his word_.

TRUSTING IN GOD'S PROMISES.

"It was a fierce, wild night in March, and the blustering wind was
blowing, accompanied by the sharp, sleety snow. It was very desolate
without, but still more desolate within the home I am going to describe
to you. The room was large and almost bare, and the wind whistled
through the cracks in the most dismal manner. In one corner of the room
stood an old-fashioned bedste