An Answer to Prayer by H. W. HERRELL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 9, 1911

An Answer to Prayer

By H. W. HERRELL

H. W. HERRELL

The following incident came under my personal observation. Thinking it might be an encouragement to others, I will relate it:—

One of our brethren, who has a large apple orchard, found one year that he had promise of a large crop. Being short of ready money with which to pick, pack, and ship the apples, he scarcely knew what to do, as all the farmers for miles around had all the apples they could attend to, and those who worked by the day could get plenty of work where they could work Saturday too. Under these circumstances, and as, from a human standpoint, it seemed almost impossible to get any help, he and others made the matter a subject of prayer, asking that the Lord would send a purchaser for the entire crop.

After praying daily over this matter for a week or two, a gentleman (not an Adventist) who already had more than he could attend to with his own apple crop, which was very large, came seven miles to see the brother, and told him he would give him so much a barrel for the apples, delivered at a certain depot.

After accepting the offer, the weather became very warm, and the apples began to decay. Accordingly, the brother wrote the gentleman that he would sell the crop at a very low figure, which, had it been accepted, would have been greatly to the advantage of the buyer, but quite a loss to the seller. The gentleman would not agree to this, but suggested that as neither of them could exactly determine the amount of the crop, they let the contract remain as first made. This was agreed to by the owner.

The time for apple picking came, and to the brother's surprise, upon counting the men and boys who came to work, he found there were twenty-three there, and the man who had charge of the packing had to come over five miles every morning to work, besides losing the Sabbath each week.

After the apples were all gathered, I received a letter from the brother, in which he said the crop had turned out far better than any one had expected, and he thanked the Lord for his blessing and help.

Surely we should praise our Heavenly Father for his goodness and mercy. He is ever ready to help us; what we need is more faith and a childlike simplicity in asking him.

Vienna, Va.