PRAYER UNANSWERED

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 10, 1856

PRAYER UNANSWERED.

The Rev. Mr. Kilpin passed a very profane man, and having failed to rebuke him, he awaited him in the morning at the same place. When he approached him, Mr. Kilpin said, "Good morning, my friend; you are the person I have been waiting for." "O, sir," said the man, "you are mistaken, I think." "I do not know you; but I saw you last night when you were going home from work, and I have been waiting some time to see you." "O, sir, you are mistaken; it could not be me; I never saw you in my life, that I know of." "Well, my friend," said Mr. Kilpin, "I heard you pray last night." "Sir, now I know that you are mistaken; I never prayed in all my life." "O," said Mr. Kilpin, "if God had answered your prayer last night, you had not been seen here this morning. I heard you pray that God would blast your eyes, and damn your soul." The man turned pale, and trembling said, "O, sir, do you call that prayer? I did, I did." "Well, then, my errand this morning is to request you, from this day, to pray as fervently for your salvation as you have done for damnation: and may God in mercy hear your prayer." The man from that time became an attendant on Mr. Kilpin's ministry, and it ended in his early conversion to God.