138 Religions
deeper it would have severed an artery, and he would very likely have lost his life. God in his mercy stopped the axe in its course.
Here is another example: A man had prepared to leave this country, and go to Asia as a missionary. He bought his steamer ticket, and was in New York ready to sail. On the morning the boat was to leave he had his coffee served in bed. The waiter was careless, and spilled the hot coffee on the man, so that he was severely scalded. He had to give up his intended journey. He bewailed the accident at the time as a great misfortune; but the ship that he was to have gone in was lost at sea, and all on board perished. The man went later to his chosen field, and did great work for the good cause. God’s hand was in the accident that kept him from making that fatal voyage.
When right is apparently worsted, or good men are stricken, with only loss and pain discernible, it is considered a mysterious dispensation of Providence, or it is argued that there is nevertheless some unseen good in what seems on the surface evil.
When a church is struck by lightning,
