How God Helped Katie

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 30, 1908

How God Helped Katie

“O KATIE, get up! get up! I am afraid mama is dying.”

Katie sprang out of bed at a bound, and it seemed that her heart stopped beating. The lamp held by Jean, the older sister, threw a very unsteady light in the darkened chamber, for the child was so frightened that she could hardly hold it, while poor Katie thought she never would get dressed—her fingers trembled so.

What in the world could they do? Two little girls, only ten and twelve years of age; no neighbors within half a mile; papa away from home, and poor mama lying there moaning, and unable to understand a word they said.

“Katie, there is no help for it; you will have to go over to Uncle John’s, and get some one to go for the doctor,” said Jean.

Katie’s heart sank in terror. There were those dark woods to go through, the corn-field with its dreadful shadows, and, at the very last, uncle’s cross dog to meet. How could she do it? The imagination of the sensitive child peopled the woods with dreadful shapes and dangers. She opened the door and looked out. It was so dark she could not see the fence. She shuddered as she thought of plunging into the dark alone. She could not do it. But mama was so pale, so horribly pale.

“Mama, you must not die!” cried the child, as she hung over her mother in an agony of grief and dread.

“If I were only converted,” she thought with a sob, “God would help me. I guess he will anyway. He knows I have been thinking about it, and want to be good. Then he is so good and kind, and always helps people in trouble. I will pray; I will pray every step of the way.”

“Get the lantern, quick, Jean!” What if mama should die while she was gone, with poor Jean there all alone! Surely the Lord must help them.

A strange courage took possession of Katie as she climbed the fence between the barn and the woods. The October wind moaned through the trees, and the leaves rustled loudly at every step; but the child sped on with a marvelous sense of deliverance from fear. She did not look back once, intuitively fearing that that would be opening the way to fear and to distrusting God. She did not know what an important lesson in faith she was learning. As she entered the backyard of the farmhouse she was approaching, the dreaded dog did not make his usual appearance, and even the noise she made to arouse the sleeping inmates did not bring him on the scene of action.

“You don’t mean to say that you came over here alone this time of night,” gasped her aunt in astonishment, as she opened the door; but so strong had been the sense of God’s protecting care that Katie almost wondered at their surprise. You may rest assured that some one went to call a physician, and that Jean was soon relieved from her lonely vigil. In a few hours Katie’s mama was out

of danger, but this was not the only cause of the rejoicing in her heart. She had trusted the Lord, and found him true. Katie is a woman now, and has praised the Lord for many a deliverance, but one of the sweetest memories of her life is this first hard place where the Lord helped her.—Sabbath Reading.