Miraculous Powers

Remarkable Answer to Prayer

“The following account of a deliverance in answer to the prayer of a pious colored boy, as received from the lips of one who was of the ship’s crew at the time of the accident, was published at Boston in the World’s Crisis: MIRP 122.1

“About twenty-five years ago the packet ship Sovereign, Capt. Griswold, of New York, with a large number of passengers and freight, was in the British Channel, on the lee shore, in a heavy gale. At that place called the Bill of Portland, the land forms a curve, two points of land projecting into the sea. Between these the ship was drifting directly on shore, and escape seemed impossible. Only a change of wind could save them. MIRP 122.2

“It was near midnight. No one had retired, for none expected to see another rising of the sun. The captain thought that within an hour and a half all would be over. MIRP 122.3

“There was on board, as steward, a colored boy, about eighteen years of age. He was a good Christian lad, then recently converted. When all were anxious for their fate, he went down into the coal-hold, under the forecastle, and there prayed. When he came up he went to the mate, whose name was Williams, and said, ‘Mr. Williams, we shall not go ashore.’ ‘How do you know?’ inquired he with an oath and a sneer. ‘Because the Lord has told me so,’ replied the boy; ‘we shall have a change of wind.’ MIRP 122.4

“Whether in answer to his prayer or not, let the reader judge; but half an hour from that time, the wind shifted about five points of the compass, enabling the ship to pass clear of the land, and they were safe. The ship returned to New York, discharged her passengers and cargo, went on another voyage and was lost. MIRP 123.1

“Of course unbelief will construe all this as the result of accident. To the atheist the world is the result of accident. But men of God, who are in the habit of visiting the closet and communing with God, to whom the prayer of faith is a reality, will have no difficulty in believing that that colored boy knew whereof he affirmed when he said God told him so. There is a God who hears and answers prayer. May we all know the way to his throne!” MIRP 123.2