p. 39 | The Soldier's Wife

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 17, 1858

The Soldier's Wife.

A soldier's wife, with her three children, was passing through Essex, on her way to Chelmsford; it was a fine summer's evening, when she saw a young man standing at a farm-yard gate. She asked him if his master would allow her and her children to sleep in his barn? He said he thought he would; he went and asked, and the farmer gave his consent, and told the young man to unite two trusses of straw for them to sleep on. The woman asked him where she could get a little water. He went to fetch her some, and brought her a small can of milk, for which she was very thankful. She then took some bread from her bundle, but before she began to eat, she asked God to bless what she and her children were about to partake of, though it was only dry bread and milk. The youth felt interested, and sitting down on the left of the barn door, watched them eat their meal.

After finishing their humble repast, the soldier's wife took from her parcel a New Testament, and said to the young man, "We are going to have reading and prayer before retiring to rest, to thank God for the mercies of the past day; if you will join us, I shall be pleased." He did so, and after reading the first ten verses of the 10th chapter of Luke, she prayed earnestly for the blessing of the Lord to rest upon the farmer, his family, his servants, and the young man, for the kindness she had received from them.

The simplicity of the prayer struck him, and her words sank deep into the heart of the young man. He could not sleep. He rose early in the morning, and went to the barn, to ask the soldier's wife the way of salvation; but she was gone.

He told one of the servant girls what had passed, and she related it to her young mistress, who was pleased to repeat the simple tale to the rest of the family. It led the whole of them to reflect; they looked for the verses read by the soldier's wife the previous night, sent for the young man to have the tale confirmed, who wept as he told the simple story, and closed by saying "Salvation has come to my heart if it has not to this house, for I feel as I never did before." The farmer, his family, and the young man, became constant hearers of the gospel, and there was evidently a great change in the whole of them.

God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.

Reader, do you ask a blessing on your meals? There are many soldiers and soldiers' wives who do not. Reader, do you? Can you receive God's temporal mercies without thanksgiving? Can you enjoy your food without asking God's blessing? How can you expect it to nourish your bodies, to increase your strength, or fit you for your daily duties, without God's blessing? If you have hitherto neglected this important duty, neglect it no longer, but determine never to partake of another meal until you have sought God's blessing upon it.

Reader, do you have family prayer? If you do not, let the poor soldier's wife reprove you. She would not lie down with her children on the hay in the barn until she had praised God for the mercies of the day, sought his protection through the night, and endeavored to bring down a blessing on the kind-hearted man who had allowed her to lodge in his barn. It is to be feared that family prayer is very much neglected by professing Christians, especially where there is only a mistress at the head of the household, or when visitors are present. But the soldier's wife invited the young man, who was a stranger to her, to remain while she read God's word and offered up her evening prayers, and it proved to be a messenger of mercy to his soul. If you do not have family prayer, make up your mind to begin at once. Set up the family altar to-night, and let nothing prevent your leading your household to God at a throne of grace.

Reader, are you kind to the houseless and homeless? Caution should be exercised, but kindness should rule our conduct. "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Neither the farmer nor the young man ever regretted their kindness to the soldier's wife, nor will they, for thus saith the Lord—"whoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

Once more, are you upon the lookout for opportunities of usefulness? If so, they will daily occur, and when you least expect, you may be made the greatest blessing. Sow the seed, and leave it. Bear your testimony, and go on your way. God will own it. The soldier's wife never heard the result of her prayer in the barn; but she may yet, for the day shall declare it. Aim to honor Jesus always and everywhere. Scatter the good seed as you pass along. Do good to all for Christ's sake. Be kind to his poor disciples.