Yesterday we sang at church the song, The Banner of the Cross. The chorus reminds us:
Marching on, marching on,
For Christ count ev’rything but loss!
And to crown Him King, toil and sing
‘Neath the banner of the cross!The Banner of the Cross
The military allusions and cadence of the song is no accident, it was written by Major Daniel Whittle, of Civil War fame. Here’s another testimony of answered prayer from his book:
A man who had led a very wicked life, was converted and hopefully saved. Previous to this time, a debt of $18.75 had not given him the slightest thought. After receiving a new heart, he distinctly heard God’s command, “Pay what thou owest;” so called on his creditor, and urged him to send to his house and get a bureau, table and looking-glass (mirror) which he desired him to sell and pay himself the sum due him; but, not wishing to deprive his debtor of such necessary articles, refused, saying he would wait till he could pay. The 18th of November was set, and, as the day approached, the prospect was no brighter; and when the night of the 17th came around, he spent it in prayer that God would deliver him, and rose from his knees at daybreak, with the full assurance that “He knoweth how to deliver.”
On passing down a street the next morning, on his way to business, a man who kept a large store was standing in the door-way, and called to him to stop a minute. Wondering what could be the nature of the call, he retraced his steps, to hear this astonishing news:
“For three days I have been impressed with the idea that I must give you $18.75, and for three days have been trying to ascertain why I must give you this amount, for I do not owe any man a penny. I cannot get rid of the thought, and if you value my peace of mind, I beg you take the money!”
Seeing, instantly, the hand of God in it, he told the story to the astonished storekeeper, then left to pay his debt with the money so strangely given. His creditor, surprised to see him so promptly on time, questioned him as to the manner of obtaining it, thinking, perhaps, he had made a great sacrifice to do so. On being told just how it was given him, said,
“I won’t take it; keep it. If God is as near to people as that, I don’t want it; it seems as if it had come directly from his Almighty hand.”
The result was the conversion of both the storekeeper and creditor, to whom the incident came as the undoubted evidence of God’s presence among them.
