Praying to Stop the Wind and the Sailing of a Vessel

The late aged and venerable Rev. Dr. Cleaveland, of Boston, relates the following incident:

“In a revival of religion in the church of which he was pastor, he was visited one morning by a member of his church, a widow, whose only son was a sailor. With a voice trembling with emotion, she said, Doctor Cleaveland, I have called to entreat you to join me in praying that the wind may changed He looked at her in silent amazement. Yes,’ she exclaimed, earnestly, ’ my son has gone on board his vessel; they sail to-night, unless the wind changes.’ Well, madam,’ replied the doctor, I will pray that your son may be converted on this voyage; but to pray that God would alter the laws of His universe on his account, I fear is presumptous.’ Doctor,’ she replied, my heart tells me differently. God’s Spirit is here. Souls are being converted here. You have a meeting this evening, and, if the wind would change, John would stay and go to it; and, I believe, if he went he would be converted. Now, if you cannot join me, I must pray alone, for he must stay.’ I will pray for his conversion,’ said the doctor.

“On his way to the meeting, he glanced at the weathervane, and, to his surprise, the wind had changed, and it was blowing landward. On entering his crowded vestry, he soon observed John, sitting upon the front seat. The young man seemed to drink in every word, rose to be prayed for, and attended the inquiry meeting. When he sailed from port, the mothers prayers had been answered; he went a Christian. The pastor had learned a lesson he never forgot. The Lord had said, ‘O, woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee, even as thou wilt.’ God answered that prayer because the mother was’ seeking to advance His own kingdom. God always hears a prayer that will in any way bring a soul to the Lord.”