Talmage on prayer

T. Dewitt Talmage (taken from Around the Tea-Table)

Prayer for our children will be answered. My grandmother was a prayingwoman. My father's name was David. One day, he and other members of thefamily started for a gay party. Grandmother said: "Go, David, and enjoyyourself; but all the time you and your brothers and sisters are there, Iwill be praying for you." They went, but did not have a very good time,knowing that their mother was praying for them.

The next morning, grandmother heard loud weeping in the room below. Shewent down and found her daughter crying violently. What was the matter? Shewas in anxiety about her soul--an anxiety that found no relief short of thecross. Word came that David was at the barn in great agony. Grandmotherwent and found him on the barn floor, praying for the life of his soul.

The news spread to the neighboring houses, and other parents became anxiousabout their children, and the influence spread to the village ofSomerville, and there was a great turning unto God; and over two hundredsouls, in one day, stood up in the village church to profess faith inChrist. And it all started from my grandmother's prayer for her sons anddaughters. May God turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and thehearts of the children to their fathers, lest He come and smite the earthwith a curse!