The Value of a Praying Mother | Page 3

court proceedings and prison walls. It was a
common thing for him to break into a man's house and steal every
valuable that he could find.
I recently met this man and heard from his own lips the dark story of
his life. As he was relating an account of a desperate burglary, I asked
him what he would have done if the man of the house had awakened.
"Please do not ask me." he answered. "I was always armed, and a man's
life was no more to me than a dog's. There are scenes that I can not, I
dare not, recall, for I am a changed man now."

Thank God, he is a changed man. He had not been too vile for God to
find. Jesus had cleansed his heart from all desire to do evil. Having
confessed his crimes and given himself up to be punished, he had been
sent to prison, but because of good behavior had been soon pardoned.
He is now spending his life among the lower class, whom he
understands so well and pities so much, trying to show them the way of
salvation.
Note the atmosphere that surrounded the cradle of each of the babes of
whom we have been speaking. In the first home we find prayer, love,
hope, and tenderness; in the last, sin, hatred, crime, and villainy. Oh
that mothers everywhere would take warning! If only these two
pictures could be framed and hung in the recesses of every mother's
heart where they might teach their silent lesson! If only mothers might
see how powerful for good or evil is their influence; how the affections
and the mental powers may be moulded by prayer and maternal love,
and how the groundwork for the future of the child may be laid in its
early training!
A sensible mother has a charm and wields an influence that takes a fast
hold on the hearts of those who are dear to her. The kindly sympathy of
youth, the deep affection of manhood, can be traced to influences that
began at mother's knee.
What true, prayerful mother does not feel as her child closely nestles to
her bosom that she is invested with a divine, mysterious power, an
influence which she can not understand? Then it is that she sees her
imperfections and longs for wisdom to know how to guide her child.
God alone can supply that understanding. She is her child's book of
wisdom, love, and, beauty, but she should be of God's writing.
CHAPTER II.
A PRAYING MOTHER.
Still another mother comes before my mind--an earnest, zealous, pious
mother, who fashioned her life and example continually by God's Word
and endeavored daily to teach her children the deep truths of salvation

in language so simple that they could understand, to seek out the causes
of their failures and discouragements, and to give them timely advice
and instruction.
As I trace a few of her experiences, which are all true incidents, I trust
they may sink into some perplexed mother's heart and enable her to
wield the instruments of love and prayer about her darlings and to be
more able to guide their tender hearts in the right course.
Mrs. Worthington lived in the great city of Chicago, in a small cottage
on Portland Avenue near Thirty-first Street. Nothing about the dwelling
was elaborate; everything was simple, but very neat. Pretty vines trailed
gracefully over the porch and windows, and a few flower beds filled up
the dull nooks and corners. In front of the house was a grassy lawn
enclosed by a picket fence. Here the children could play apart from the
rough waifs that thronged the street. Within the cottage the same quiet
taste was in evidence.
Every day in her cozy sitting-room Mrs. Worthington talked with her
little girls, Bessie and Louise. In times of trouble and perplexity she
bowed with them in prayer. How much the children enjoyed their
mother's comradeship and counsel! The mother realized the importance
of these early impressions made on the child's mind. She had promised
God to do all in her power to train her children for heaven. She had
commenced early, even from the time she had first looked into the
depths of their innocent eyes.
She had taught them that when any trouble arose between them, they
were to kneel in prayer and ask God to help the one who had done
wrong. Once she heard Bessie say, "Louise, I have prayed for you three
times, and I believe I shall have to pray for you again." Louise was not
a bad child; she had as sweet and happy a disposition as Bessie; but, as
with all small children, little difficulties arose between them.
Wishing to know what her two little girls