Short Stories » A Story of Faith

A Story of Faith - Page 2 of 2

The men looked inquiringly and in amazement, but the mother replied by a significant look, and they waited for her explanation by and by. Said the giver of the first pair, "I'll take these back and get you a lovely hat," and darted out. In a few moments he returned with the hat, and the difference in value in small change, which he handed the happy boy.

Four days after this a near neighbor (their houses almost joined) came in dejectedly, and said : " I don't know what to do, I'm out of flour, and " " Why don't you ask the Lord for flour? He'll send it to you," said our little hero.

The woman was surprised, and answered confusedly, " Yes, but " " Don't you ever ask the Lord for things when you want them? If you don't, it's time for you to begin." And seeing her bewildered look increasing, he asked, sweetly and gently : " Don't you know what to say? Come with me, I'll tell you," and he caught her hand with such pleading earnestness that the woman followed him into an inner room, and, kneeling down before a chair, she followed his example, and he said, sweetly, "Say it with me." As the woman began to repeat after him, these thoughts rushed through the mother's mind: If his prayer is not fulfilled, my child's faith will be shaken. She slipped into the store next door, and, saying quickly, " I'll pay for this," picked up a small sack of flour and hurried away with it.

The visitor went home in a reflective mood, but hastily returned, exclaiming : " Mrs. Cole, when I reached home there was a sack of flour on my door- step." Said the darling boy, " I knew God would hear you."

The mother, afterwards, explained it all to her friend, but never to her boy ; to God she gave the glory.

" And is your son still a praying boy ? " I asked her when she told me the beautiful story of years gone by. u Yes, he is still a prayerful boy, and said to me when I came away here on a visit, ' Mother, don't be anxious or lonely; I shall pray for you every day.' "

So the seed of faith sown in the heart of a Latter-day Saint child, born here in Utah, lived, bloomed, and bore its fruit afar in another land.

Little readers, this story is as true a one as could be told.